February is a good month to be in the flower business, particularly if you like to stay busy. Valentine’s Day is the first of the triple crown of floral holidays, where sales in flowers from all over the world are huge. For Valentine’s the traditional focus is on roses and the demand is enormous. But February also marks the start of the season where bulb flowers and orchids are exceptional all the way through Easter and on to Mother’s Day. It’s a time when flower growers, buyers and retailers get to show off the impressive array of Mother Nature’s gifts.

Most bulb flowers are grown in both greenhouses and in the fields. While the greenhouse bulbs tend to be easier to predict, field flowers (particularly daffodils) tend to be larger, hardier and generally more desirable. Rain and cloud cover, temperature, plant stage and various other conditions all influence harvest timing. And because the season is so short and the window of optimal harvest conditions so narrow, the supply of bulb flowers can go from feast to famine and back again in a matter of days.

Tulips and daffodils are cool climate plants that require a period of dormancy every year in order to produce a flower. For greenhouse production this can be accomplished by storing bulbs in giant coolers until they are ready to be planted. Growers can also use this method to regulate the size of their crop — by chilling larger or smaller amounts to match demand. This makes the ramp up in volume for holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day much easier to manage.

With both field and greenhouse flowers, springtime also has a way of creating spot opportunities — a few sunny days can swing the pendulum in the “over supply” direction and it is not uncommon to see multiple-bunch bargains at great prices. Traditionally, the peak for springtime bulb flowers is in March, but the weather can move the harvest peak in either direction.

Aside from their obvious beauty, I love the life cycle of bulb flowers. I’ll buy a bunch of tulips or daffodils on the weekend and watch the mystery of cell expansion unfold over the course of the week. When tulips are harvested, the cells of the plant are tight and compressed. As the plant ages, these cells open up making the bloom larger and the stems longer (and weaker). This “goose neck” effect is just one of a long list of things I love about this elegant flower.

I think what makes February flowers special over flowers picked in any other month is that they come at a time when I need them the most. Right now the trees are barren and my neighborhood is a flat, monochromatic, wintertime bland. This winter has been mild in most places but it’s still winter — the days are shorter and, in most places, colder. February’s flowers are full of color and variety, but also full of promise. The way they bloom speaks to an awakening. It’s as if they’re reminding us winter is almost over and spring will be here soon.

Rodrigo, our office avocado buyer and resident expert, is crazy busy right now. Avocadoes are very popular and demand is strong year round but in January demand really takes off. This is due in part to very strong, overlapping availability from Chile and Mexico, both of which are producing excellent fruit. But the main reason demand increases in January is football. For the week of the big game, Rodrigo will book more than double the amount of avocadoes shipped in a normal week. This year supplies are much stronger and the fruit is ripening beautifully.

Mexico is the largest producer of avocadoes in the world. In fact, you would have to combine the production of the next four countries on the list of top producers (including the US) to come close to matching Mexico’s annual output. Next on the list for commercial production is the United States followed by the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Indonesia. Here in the US most of our fruit comes from Mexico, Chile and domestically, when in season. California produces most of the domestic fruit and the season can start as early as December but peak production is later in the spring. Depending on the size of the crop, the US season can last into September.

When selecting avocadoes at your store or farmers market, there are a few simple things to look for to avoid fruit that is over ripe. Touch is the best indicator of ripeness, the fruit should be firm with just a slight give with no overly soft spots. Avocadoes bruise easily when ripe so they should be handled with care. Too soft fruit with wrinkling on the narrow tip is likely overripe and should be avoided. If you can, it’s best to buy firm fruit a few days in advance to avoid the risk of bruising altogether. Put your firm avocadoes in a bowl with citrus or apples — both produce naturally occurring ethylene gas, which speeds the ripening process.

My current “best ever” recipe has gotten a little simpler:

4-5 medium avocadoes (ripe)
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes (grape or regular variety, interior pulp removed and sliced into small pieces)
1/4 small red onion (finely chopped)
1 hot pepper (jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped)
Chopped cilantro to taste
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
Juice of 1/2 grilled lime (sliced in half and grilled in a skillet or on the barbeque)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients except the avocadoes and set aside for the flavors to merge. Set aside the pits and roughly mash the avocadoes with a fork, taking care to leave whole chunks. Fold in the rest of the ingredients carefully and correct the seasoning to taste. Return the pits to the bowl and serve. Enjoy!

As always I enthusiastically encourage input — if you have a family favorite recipe or special process that works, please share. My guacamole is better than ever but the “’best” is yet to come.

I have a professional reason for loving greens too. Every time I buy a bunch, I feel a surge of pride for the organic growers who produced, harvested and packed the product in a way that sets the standard for quality in the industry. Greens are a staple commodity grown in season by local organic farmers, large and small, throughout the US. In fact, the higher than average percentage of organic greens available showcases the success of the overall organic industry.

Greens are a popular row crop for farmers to grow because the same plant can produce multiple bunches and it continues to produce leaves even after several cuttings. Greens are also very hardy and prolific, growing well in a wide range of climates all over the US. This makes them a consistent income crop for large and small growers alike. Greens can also weather moderate freezes with little damage, in most cases. This can extend a local farm’s harvest season in parts of the US where the weather is not consistently mild.

Low in calories and high in nutrients, leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses — the darker the better. The availability of cooking green varieties changes depending on the time of year and area of the US where they are grown. Here are some of the more common varieties:

Swiss chard: Red, green and rainbow Swiss chard are all similar in texture to spinach and have a mild pleasant flavor. Chard is best cooked for a short period of time.

Mustard: Generally considered the strongest “flavored” type of green, mustards have a sharp “peppery” flavor. Green mustard can be either flat leaf or curly and there are several varieties of Asian mustard (like Mizuna) that are milder. There is also a very delicate variety of red mustard that is sometimes seen in farmers’ markets.

Collard: An extremely popular green in the south, collards have broad, flat leaves and a mild distinctive flavor.

Dandelion: Available in both red and green varieties, dandelion greens are delicious mixed with other greens in a salad.

Kale: The most popular cooking green, kale becomes sweeter as the growing conditions get cooler. The most common variety is green kale but there is also a Red Russian, flowering (purple and white), and the popular narrow leaf Lacinato kale.

This time of year, most of the greens sold in the US come from Florida and California. The origin of the greens in your local store depends largely on where you live in the US and how much is being grown in areas closest to you. Conditions this winter have been good so far in Florida but cooler and dryer than normal in the west coast growing areas. This can be a tense time with less predictable winter weather systems but Mother Nature has been kind to our winter growers so far. As winter transitions to spring and long distance shipping gives way to regional and local production, greens will be available from a much broader grower and geographic base.

In the meantime I’ll continue to give my body what it craves in the winter: a nutritionally dense, simple and flavorful gift from the fields.

We don’t buy foraged mushrooms at the global buying office where I work and even at the regional or local level it is almost impossible to predict what will be available from week to week. Foraged mushrooms need cool moist conditions to grow so supply is driven largely by the weather and the ability of the foragers to get out and harvest. Conditions that are too cold or wet will also affect supply (and quality). The winter and spring rainy seasons are when we are far more likely to see them, so chances are good that foraged mushrooms will be available during Christmas and into the spring. Varieties will change but here is a rundown of what is commonly available.

Chanterelle: the most commonly foraged mushroom and perhaps the most versatile, the common Chanterelle can be a pale white to a brilliant orange-yellow and is a delicate, mild-flavored mushroom that is trumpet shaped. Their size can vary from as small as a quarter to as large as desert plate and they can be roasted (my favorite), sautéed and baked. A popular way to prepare them is with scrambled eggs or omelets since the mild flavor blends well with eggs. Another less common but similar mushroom is the Black chanterelle (or trumpet) – this is a smaller, earthier-flavored version of the larger cousin. Chanterelles can be available year round but we see a peak in the US from late November through January, weather permitting.

Morel: in the early spring the morel emerges and for a few precious weeks we see sporadic availability of this exceptional foraged mushroom. Morels are varying hues of brown with a white stem and are shaped like a Christmas tree with a woody, robust flavor. I like a Morel as a simple sauté with just about anything- dried Morels are also commonly used in sauces. Available dried year round- fresh generally in March and April. Another noteworthy aspect of the Morel is the more active the forest fire season the year before, the larger the morel harvest.

Porcini: the king of the wild mushroom, porcini mushrooms have a strong distinctive flavor and have the iconic shape we generally associate with mushrooms (a thick stem with a large umbrella shaped cap). The porcini also has an inedible veil (the stringy underside of the cap) that must be removed prior to cooking. Porcinis can be prepared in many ways and are a common ingredient in spaghetti sauces.

I often combine cultivated and foraged mushrooms when I cook for large groups of people — foraged alone can be quite expensive. Here is my favorite recipe for a large gathering:

1 pound Chanterelle (or combination of foraged mushrooms), cleaned and sliced into 1½ inch pieces (left whole if small)

2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, divided

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, divided

1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan

1 pound Crimini, cleaned and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to high broil; place oven shelf in the center of the oven. Combine in a mixing bowl the melted butter, cream, half the olive oil, half the oregano, the thyme, and shallots with the foraged mushrooms and gently mix with your hands, coating them completely. Then place on a broiling pan and sprinkle parmesan on top. Broil for 8-9 minutes checking frequently; the mushrooms are done when the edges start to brown.

In the meantime in a large sauté skillet over high heat, pour the rest of the olive oil and wait a few seconds for it to warm. Toss in the chopped Crimini and stir until the mushrooms are coated. Add the parsley and remaining oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until tender (about 4- 6 minutes).

Place the Crimini mushrooms on the bottom of a medium serving bowl. Add the roasted chanterelles on top, making sure to include the pan juices (yum). Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. This dish is best served immediately but can also be prepared in advance and reheated.

Foraged mushrooms are part of the holiday food season for me because like the turkey and stuffing of Thanksgiving and whatever savory foods my family prepares for Christmas, mushrooms are a special dish. The patient act of cleaning and carefully preparing them takes me into the world they grow and the journey that brought them from the dark, moist forest floor to my family’s beautifully decorated holiday dinner table. A brief and fleeting forest bounty I treasure every year.

The true trigger for the start of the citrus season is cool evenings. After growing all summer long, most citrus needs a string of cool nights to bring out the color and flavor. Color can be brought out artificially but most produce folks agree there is no substitute for fruit that colors naturally on the tree. All you need is a few long cool nights so by December, most citrus is coloring on the trees.

The Sun Belt for citrus production stretches from Florida to California, with Louisiana, Texas and Arizona all having large-scale commercial production in areas that do not historically have prolonged periods below freezing. Each growing region has its own characteristics and special varieties. Here are a few examples of some early gems I look forward to:

Florida

Oranges are what the sunshine state is best known for but Florida also puts out exceptional tangerines for juicing and eating out of hand. The best early variety is the Sunburst Tangerine. It’s loaded with seeds but also with flavor. The juice of the Sunburst is excellent alone or blended with grapefruits or oranges. The amazing thing about the Sunburst (and the Honey variety, which follows later in the season) is the amount of juice they produce relative to their size — two or three small ones will produce a glass.

Florida also produces outstanding Grapefruit – perhaps the best known is grown in the coastal county of Indian River. Coveted by grapefruit growers for its soil and optimal growing conditions, Indian River is also home to the some of the best eating Honeybell Tangelos, a close cousin to the western Minneola.

Texas

At the southernmost tip of Texas around towns like McAllen and Einburg, the growing conditions are uniquely ideal for Grapefruit. The Rio Star with its bright red interior and intense flavor is available from late November well into the new year. It’s not the only variety produced in the area (nor is it the only kind of citrus produced in Texas) but it is widely viewed as the best. For juicing, the Rio Star is the stand alone grapefruit.

California

Because of it size and range of climates, the state of California puts out remarkable citrus. The most common are navel oranges, lemons and grapefruit, but some of the best early entries are smaller and more exotic.

• Satsuma Mandarins: The umbrella name for a group of mandarin varieties, the Satsuma is the one variety I eagerly wait for every year. It has all the things I love about citrus  — easy to peel, seedless and not too big (good for kids). And if you buy the stem and leaf version (which I do), it has to be ripened on the tree (ethylene or heat treatment kills the leaves). The Satsuma also has the best flavor of any piece of citrus. I like everything in citrus but the Satsuma is the one I love. The season is very short (about 6- 8 weeks), so they are not around long enough to take for granted.
• Clementines: Once imported from Spain almost exclusively, the clementine has enjoyed an explosion of production in California. This small, prolific tangerine starts in early November and by December the flavor and color is spectacular.
• Meyer Lemons: Unlike the more common Lisbon or Eureka varieties, the Meyer Lemon is extremely thin skinned. It is also full of juice and flavor and the thin skin is excellent for zest. Because it’s a more fragile piece of fruit, it is only available for the early part of the season (Nov to Feb). I love the Meyer for cooking — the flavor is better and it generally has far more juice than a regular lemon.

There’s a lot more to talk about with citrus since it’s a long season. In fact we never stop harvesting citrus in the US, we just have less to pick in the summer when most of it is growing. I’ve always thought it poetic that when we need the energy, nutrition and immune-boosting power of citrus the most, the most is available. Thanks, Mother Nature.

The demand for fresh produce for Thanksgiving is enormous. The holiday also coincides with the end of the fall harvest season for the northernmost farms in the US, so demand for transport also increases throughout the month. This can be problematic towards the end of November as fresh produce competes with Christmas trees for trucks in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast regions of the US. Transportation is further complicated by gradually deteriorating road conditions as the arctic jet stream dips further south and the first of the winter weather systems form, so we try to build in slightly longer delivery times as a safety precaution.

Despite the seasonal challenges it is still a very exciting time for produce. The 2011 harvest in organically grown cranberries, for example, is shaping up to be a record crop. Past years have delivered spotty availability and, depending on how far from the source you lived, high prices. This year Wisconsin organic production has increased significantly and if all goes well with the final weeks, we should see ample supplies of very reasonably priced organic cranberries all over the US.

Thanksgiving is also a time when family food traditions are combined and regional differences really stand out. Nowhere is this more evident with my family than with stuffing (or “dressing” if you are cooking it outside of the turkey). Growing up in the south, my stuffing is cornbread based and my wife’s family recipe is sourdough bread based. I have often argued the merits of mine over theirs but have for the most part given up since mine continues to evolve and I happen to love them both. Here they are:

Aunt CeBelle’s Cornbread Pecan Stuffing

1 package cornbread muffin mix – enough to make an 8×8” pie or cake pan (roughly a pound)
3 tablespoons olive oil (or pecan oil if you can find it)
1 medium yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped
1 fennel/anise bulb, top discarded, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups celery, tops included, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup curly parsley, chopped
½ cup green onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small loaf of sourdough bread, cubed and dried (or 8oz of your favorite pre-cut stuffing)
12 oz fresh pecans, coarsely chopped
14 to 16 oz chicken, turkey or vegetable broth

Bake your cornbread according to package directions and set aside to cool, then cube.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion and fennel for a few minutes and then add the celery, parsley, green onion, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and sauté for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the celery color gets deeper and the vegetables are well combined.

I like to roast my pecans briefly (2-3 minutes) to bring out the oils and the toasty flavor.

In a large mixing bowl combine your bread, cornbread, sautéed vegetables and pecans until well blended, adding the broth to whatever level of moisture level you prefer (I generally used an entire 14 oz can or two cups if I am making fresh turkey broth). Stuff in bird or bake separately at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the top browns and gets crunchy.

John’s Northern California Stuffing

(for an 18 to 25 pound turkey)

2 Bags of sourdough bread cubes or 1 pound of sourdough sliced bread lighted toasted at 375°F and then cubed
2 cups yellow onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup chicken broth

In a large baking pan combine sourdough bread cubes, onions, celery and parsley. Mix with spoon or washed hands. Add sage, thyme, pepper, nutmeg, cloves and garlic and mix. Add melted butter and egg, stir into mixture. Add chicken broth slowly while stirring.

Note: The stuffing mixture should be moist, but not wet. You may need to add an additional 1/2 cup of broth.

Place stuffing in turkey. Bake per your turkey recipe’s directions.

Alternatively, place stuffing in a baking dish sprayed with oil and bake at 350°F degrees for onehour. Add 1/2 cup of broth after 30 minutes.

Stuffing is only one of many family differences I am reminded of (and cherish) every Thanksgiving. I also marvel at how the same debate plays out all over the country as families everywhere combine old food traditions to form new ones. Food is the common thread and on the farms and in the fields the ingredients are slowly, silently growing.

It seems everyone is an optimist when it come to pumpkin forecasting. I suppose it is difficult to predict how many pumpkins are in a given field when they are still green (which they were for longer than normal this year in California) but even right before harvest when the fields are peppered with a golden orange, the number of bins a farm will produce is, at best, a guess. Since it is our job here at the global buying office to fill in gaps in supply, Charlotte (our pumpkin buyer) is at crunch time, dutifully redirecting the remaining supply to regional distribution centers who two weeks earlier were saying, “We’re fine, we have plenty of local supply.” Pumpkin buying must also be exacting — like Christmas trees, jack-o-lanterns have no value after the holiday so the goal is always to buy just enough but not too much.

From my office I track the ebb and flow of the pumpkin harvest season with the intensity of a day trader watching the stock market. I do this to stay ahead of the investment I will need to make to fund my once- a-year art form: pumpkin carving! I have a curved stairway that leads to my front door that I swear was built with Halloween and pumpkin carving in mind, so I buy (or preferably grow) about a hundred pumpkins and carving squashes a year. Like most of the commercial growers this year, my home crop was poor; the cool, wet summer produced mildew on my vines. The plants recovered but the pumpkin growth was stunted; as a result my harvest yielded only 20 mostly small specimens.

Here on the Central California coast there is a wide selection of places where pumpkins are grown and sold. My annual circuit for supplemental pumpkin buying includes a farm in Castroville, a farm stand in Moss Landing, a Pumpkin patch in Soquel and, honestly, anywhere I see them being sold. Aside from carving I find the range in size, shape and texture within the same varietal types fascinating. From tall and thin to squat and round, every pumpkin is tempting but as a dedicated (or crazy as my wife refers to me) carver I have some favorites:

• Cinderella: Also known as the “Rouge De Temp,” this red, scalloped, slightly flat squash is far and away the best for carving. The thin soft skin, string-less seed cavity and great contrast between the inside color (bright yellow) and outside red really make it a joy to carve.
• Jarradale: Also a squash, the Jarradale is grey blue on the outside but perhaps the richest most vibrant orange on the inside of all the squashes I carve. The Jarradale is a little harder to carve because the fleshy part is so thick (it is also great for soups) but what’s interesting about it is the exterior will disappear at night because of the color and all you will see is the brightly lit interior (like a face floating in the dark).

I will also carve white and regular jack-o-lanterns and a wide variety of smaller squashes and gourds but I will mostly use Cinderella, Jarradale and similar varieties.

This year comes with a special bonus for me: Halloween falls on a Monday, which means I have all weekend to carve. If the weather cooperates I will set up my array of tools in my front yard so I don’t have to carry the finished works too far. To carve you need three basic tools: a scraper (for removing the seeds and gunk on the inside), a saw (for making the initial cuts), and a knife (for detail carving). I have a collection of small, medium and large tools to match the size of the pumpkin I’m carving.  The weather is generally cool here around Halloween so I start carving as much as two days out. I have tried several forms of preserving my carvings and have found simple water to be the best. I keep a garden hose nearby to spray the finished carving inside and out thoroughly; this seems to keep them for several days.

I have spoken to many growers throughout the country who marvel at the absurdity of growing pumpkins. Mainly for their unpredictability but also in the case of jack-o-lanterns for their poor food to biomass ratio (I also save and roast my seeds). To them I always say “phah” — the pumpkins I carve are turned into rich compost that helps to feed my flower and pumpkin garden the following summer; adding to the health and vitality of my soil.  Beyond that it is impossible to put a price on cultural traditions. For my neighborhood at least, Halloween kicks off the season of community — a time for all of us to reconnect. Halloween is not just about candy, crazy costumes and decorations. It’s about family, friends and traditions. I don’t mind scrambling every fall; for me pumpkins are more than worth it.

Fall harvest fruit trees always seem to be the first to sense the seasonal change. As the sturdy, dark green leaves of summer gradually fade and eventually drop, it’s almost as if the trees are drawing in all their remaining energy in anticipation of the long winter’s dormancy. The days getting shorter and cooler triggers a color change in many fall trees and row crops — the final stage most growers wait for prior to harvesting their crop. The amount of cool days necessary to bring on color will vary depending on plant type. While there are ways to artificially induce a color change, most experts agree it’s best to wait and let Mother Nature do her work naturally.

Citrus is the fruit category most dependent on exacting weather conditions for color change. Before the first new crop domestic tangerines, oranges and lemons come off the trees, though, there are other unique fall harvest fruits that become available, most notably persimmons and pomegranates. These fruits are also interesting in that availability is unique to the domestic fall harvest season. While there is some southern hemisphere import production, very little of it makes it into the US in our off-season.

The persimmon is a fruit with two distinct families. And like our own families, the two broad types of persimmons have very different characteristics. The most common variety of persimmon produced in the US is the Fuyu — a flat, round, apple-sized fruit that can be eaten firm. Fuyus have a wonderfully unique flavor and texture as well as a beautiful orange color, and they can be cooked or eaten raw. The skin, while edible, tends to be thick so if you are eating them raw it’s best to peel them. I like Fuyus chunked and roasted with fall vegetables like turnips and cauliflower — they add a really nice color to the dish in addition to a wonderful flavor dimension.

Another member of the persimmon family is the Hachiya. The Hachiya is like that distant uncle with peculiar tastes and opinions that needs to be handled carefully. Hachiyas are longer than Fuyus and are more tear drop shaped. They are also extremely astringent when they are under ripe and must be the consistency of jelly before they are consumed. They are too delicate to sell ripe at your supermarket so you have to ripen them at home. Once they reach the right stage of maturity on the tree they will continue to ripen at room temperature. If you have the patience for Hachiyas, the reward is well worth the wait. Removing the skin, Hachiyas can be spread on toast just like jam. I also like to blend them into yogurt and add nuts and raisins for a great fall breakfast. Persimmon pudding is made with Hachiyas and is truly spectacular.

Another great fall addition to our fresh produce offerings is pomegranates. This ancient Middle Eastern fruit has exploded in popularity in the past few years for a wide range of health benefits. Juice popularity is so high, in fact, that it is a challenge to secure enough fruit for the fresh market in years when the crop is small. This year promises to be a strong harvest, though, particularly for organically grown fruit. Pomegranates are great in a wide range of dishes — tossed raw into salads or grain dishes or added to sauces over fish or poultry. The seeds are edible and are packed with dietary fiber.

When we look at the beauty of fall it is easy to stop with just the richness of the leaf changes around us (unless you live somewhere like South Florida where the rich green of the palm trees remains a rich green in the fall). I have a 30-foot liquid amber maple tree in my yard that is the star of the neighborhood for five weeks or so this time of year. But Mother Nature’s color pallet reaches a much broader canvas and the world’s beauty, even as we end a seasonal life cycle for many plants, is truly a wonder to behold. Where’s your favorite place to be in the fall? I can’t decide — I like it everywhere.

Predicting the fall apple and pear harvest dates here in the US is always hard. Apples are grown in just about every part of the country so with weather as wild and varied as it has been this summer, pinpointing exactly when the fruit will be ready has been more difficult than most years. Additionally, fruit importers from the southern hemisphere ship their fruit before the expected domestic harvest. When the domestic harvest comes late, there will inevitably be a gap in supply. By late September we have made the transition from summer to fall fruit at our stores, but only now are we seeing harvest volumes start to build to support the change.

Another factor affecting this year’s harvest is fruit size. Apple trees are alternate bearing — meaning every other year the fruit load is larger or smaller depending on the life cycle of the tree. 2011 is a “low” bearing year so this means there are fewer apples on the tree. When this happens, average fruit sizing tends to be higher and takes longer to mature as a consequence. This, in addition to cool summertime weather conditions on the west coast (where most of the country’s organic production is located), were the biggest factors in the delay.

Like other tree fruit, apples have early and late bearing varieties. Softer, low-density fruit tends to come off first (like Gala, Gravenstein, Gold and Macintosh types) followed by denser, slower-maturing varieties like Fuji and Pink Lady later in the autumn.  Even the late-maturing apples have new sub-varieties that mature faster, but like most fruit the flavor is best in the early varieties.

Like peaches, the best early varieties are determined by where you happen to be standing in the US. In my part of the country the best early variety is hands down the Jonagold. A cross between a Golden Delicious and Jonathan, the Jonagold is crisp, sweet and juicy with none of the early starchiness common with new crop apples. Of course the early apple everyone is waiting for is the Honeycrisp — a wonderfully flavorful apple that has exploded in popularity in recent years.

Thankfully, the weather has cooperated in the last few weeks and apples are showing up in larger volumes at our stores and in farmers markets. Depending on where you are, the effects of the great apple supply gap of 2011 have diminished and we are all awash in wonderful new crop fruit. Apples (Jonagold!) and peanut butter are on the menu again as a breakfast staple and I am back to taking apples for granted. Maybe not as much as before — apples, it seems, are a big part of our world.

September is officially Organic Harvest Month because that’s the month we generally see the highest percentage of organically grown produce in our stores. That may come as a surprise since many of the fruits and vegetables we have enjoyed all summer start to go out of season! The reason is simple: September is when we see the most significant harvest overlap of the seasons.

In mid-August, the fall harvest season starts and by September, apples and pears start coming off the trees in earnest. Slow growing fall vegetables like winter squash make their debut and cooling temperatures also bring a return to leafy greens lost to the summer heat. And although we are well past peak harvest for most summer fruit, there is still plenty of late harvest fruit to tempt us. My September favorite organic fruits are grapes and raspberries.

At the top of the best of the season list are organic grapes – there is no month that comes close to besting September for flavor and variety. Grapes harvested in September have been hanging on the vine all summer and there are few crops that benefit from the long days of sunshine and warmth more. Red and black grapes are large and sweet but it is the green where the seasonal quality is most noticeable. The light green we commonly associate with the Thompson Seedless variety gives way to a golden yellow. This “amber” coloring of the fruit is the seasonal signal that the grape is the sweetest it will be all year.

In addition to the common varieties, September is also harvest time for a wide selection of regional varietal grapes. The iconic Concord and Muscat varieties, in addition to regional favorites like the Scuppenong and Muscadine, are in peak production. Wine grape varieties are also

coming off the vine and some producers out west have started packing some for fresh sale as well.

Raspberries are at the top of the berry heap in September. Domestic blueberries have finished, blackberries are in decline, and strawberry production has fallen to barely half the peak numbers of June. Raspberries are the only berry that sees an improvement in available supply in September and though the total volume output doesn’t match early summer volumes, the autumn raspberry is among the most flavorful of the season. By September the main domestic production will have reversed from the Northern California fields of Watsonville, to the fields surrounding Oxnard in the south. Both areas will be producing so available supplies are traditionally very strong.

When selecting raspberries, grapes and remaining summer fruit (like melons) this time of year, it is important to note that what makes this fruit special also makes it more fragile. Most of the summer fruit harvested this time of year will have a higher concentration of natural sugars and will not store as long because of this. Be sure to inspect your fruit carefully for signs of damage or decay and try not to hang on to fruit for more than a few days.

Fall harvest fruit is good now but some of the last offerings of summer are spectacular. As the vacations finish and kids and young adults start heading back to school, we all experience the gradual changes that come with autumn. One of these changes is the overlapping transition from summer to fall in produce – a time of incredible organic abundance.