One of the fruits I look forward to all summer long is the fig. The fig season is broken up into two parts. The first small peak, known as the breba crop, occurs in May. This fruit really just serves to whet our appetites until the second peak, which occurs in early August. The “fig” crop, as it is known, brings with it the largest volumes, greatest varietal selection and the best tasting fruit of the year.

Maywood Farms, which is owned and operated by the Steinacher family, is a grower we love at Whole Foods Market. A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to visit this farm in Corning, California, and I learned all about their story.

Fig harvesting at Maywood Farms

The hot dry summers and mild winters of the Northern Sacramento Valley are the ideal climate for fig production. Bob and Karen Steinacher manage the farm; Bob handling the growing, sales and shipping while Karen takes care of the picking and packing.

Karen and Bob Steinacher

Bob’s journey into farming was definitely not via the traditional route. Originally from the Silicon Valley in a non-farming family, Bob initially studied entomology at UC-Davis. Then he enrolled in courses in production agriculture and became hooked on farming. After college, Bob ran a small scale operation before purchasing a 265-acre parcel of land that is now Maywood Farms.

At first, Bob planned on growing figs to be dried. His first crop was too small to mechanically harvest for the processors, so Bob handpicked and packed the product fresh. He sold them on the San Francisco terminal market, and the reception was so good that Bob made the decision to focus on the fresh market instead. In 1990, Bob had 25 of his acres certified organic by CCOF and Maywood grew their first organic crop. Now, 172.5 acres are certified organic and are the focus of this family farm. The Steinachers also utilize solar and wind power to fuel the operation.

Organic Black Mission Figs

To me, the really fascinating part of the later fig season is all of the unique variety. In addition to the well-known Black Mission Figs, Maywood also grows several other fantastic varieties. Some of my favorites include:

• Brown Turkey – large in size with a rich copper color. Not quite as sweet as the Black Mission, but still a great eating fig.
• Kadota – thick creamy amber colored skin. Very few seeds and a sweet honey flavor.
• Adriatic – my personal favorite – green skin and bright magenta interior. They are affectionately referred to as “jellybags” because the flesh tastes like raspberry jam. They are extremely delicate, so unfortunately these cannot be shipped too far from the source.

Maywood Farm’s commitment to organics makes them a grower we love, and the remarkable flavor of their figs make them a product we love. Make sure to grab some from your local Whole Foods Market before the all-too-short season comes to an end!

Meet Hosea Rosenberg, Top Chef Season Five Winner, and find out why buying and eating local is important to him. And to us!

Our history and reputation are intimately linked to our support of local farmers. Our search for produce begins right outside our front door in every community where we do business. We are committed to buying from local producers whose fruits and vegetables meet our high quality standards, particularly those who farm organically and are themselves dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture.

And our Local Producer Loan Program (LPLP) provides up to $10 million in low-interest loans to small, local producers. Why? Because we believe in supporting local farmers and producers. We want to make it easier for them to grow their businesses and bring more local products to market. That’s good for us and it’s good for you.

Local means miles closer, miles fresher, miles more delicious.

What are some of your favorite local products in our stores this summer?

One of the great annual events of spring is the beginning of the domestic berry season. The true starting point has blurred because of global production, early producing varieties and weather protection technology (like hoop houses). Mother Nature also plays a huge role — too much rain slows production down; too much sun brings all the fruit on at once; a late freeze burns off the blossoms or even kills the plant, which can put whole growing areas out of business for a season.

Here at the Whole Foods Market produce buying office in Watsonville, California, we are surrounded by miles and miles of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry fields — Watsonville is the last of three major growing areas for berry production to come online in California. But the large and small berry producers here make up only part of a dynamic and ever-changing industry that spans the U.S., springing up (pun intended) everywhere and sometimes in some very unusual places.

Pollinating blueberry blossoms – New Jersey

The All-American Berry

A native to North America, blueberries have long been the dominant berry produced on the east coast. Late April/early May was the traditional starting point for the domestic season but demand has driven variety and growing area experimentation which has given us earlier starts just about every year. It’s a good thing too — western hemisphere production starts to wane right around March 1st and by mid-month the fruit has lost a lot of its flavor. In the last few years, Florida production has started to appear around mid-March to close the gap.

Loaded bushes – California

As we move through April, other states start to produce, with tiny amounts coming out of almost all the southern states. The Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and California all get into the commercial production game (with additional small scale production almost everywhere). The trickle generally becomes a flood in May and June and as we approach the 4th of July, we see the seasonal peak in some of the largest blueberry producing states (New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon and Washington). A fun way to measure the progression of the domestic season in blueberries is to follow the size of the container. When Florida is the only producing state, the package is a paltry 4.4 ounces, or as my son Aidan would say: “enough for me but not for Delilah” (his sister). As the season progresses and production becomes more regionalized, the containers get bigger, and bigger still. It is not unusual for peak season blueberries to be sold in containers holding as much as four pounds.

Duke Variety prior to ripening – Michigan

There is immense diversity in blueberry varieties and, with them, varying flavor and condition characteristics. Even within a single variety (like Duke, O’Neill, Newey, South Moon, Elliot or the grand-daddy of the Southern blue, the Croatan) you will see variations depending on growing conditions and post harvest handling. Nevertheless, there are some universal tips for selection and storage:

• Consistent size is extremely important when selecting blueberries. Blueberries can be as small as a pea or as large as a quarter, but variation in size in the same package is not desirable because chances are you will have fruit that is over and under ripe in the same package.
• The fruit should be uniformly dark blue. Color variation is generally a sign that you will have a sweet berry followed by a tart zinger.
• Don’t just look at the top of the package — blueberries are surprisingly hardy but they are still a berry and like apples, one blown up blue can ruin all its neighbors. No matter the size it is always a good idea to look at your container from all angles to make sure there are no damaged or crushed berries.
• A firm berry is best — this requires opening the container at the store but is absolutely necessary. The fruit should have some give but should not be soft or have a watery feeling.

The best test is taste. Like any fruit blueberries can be cosmetically perfect and still taste slightly off. If you don’t see berries out for sampling, ask a team member to rinse off a few and try them — better yet, let your kids test (my young daughter Delilah can tell me all I need to know with a squinty face). Blueberries freeze best of all berries, so when you see that huge container at peak harvest remember that a bag of frozen blueberries makes a great snack later in the summer.

A Strawberry Story

Fruit in the field – Watsonville, California

Meanwhile, out west a similar build up is happening as the rainy season ends, coastal sunshine boosts strawberry production and we are off to the races. Florida plays a short but critical role in getting us started but the season begins in earnest when both coasts start producing. Strawberries grow in very narrow climate conditions (the “baby bear porridge window” — not too hot or too cold) so the majority of commercial production in the U.S. is concentrated on the California coast.

The first major area to come online is in and around Oxnard, California — an agricultural community on the northernmost tip of the Los Angeles basin. This area has the advantage of location and average temperature over its two northern counterparts. Four to six weeks following Oxnard’s mid-February start, the central coast growing areas in and around Santa Maria, California start adding to the total number of acres producing. Two to four weeks after Santa Maria, the northern California town of Watsonville comes on line (the largest of the three with 14,000 acres in production).

Strawberries “hanging” prior to harvest- Watsonville, California

Strawberry production increases are tracked informally by produce geeks using “The Berry Holiday Method.” The first major berry holiday is Valentine’s Day. Generally miserable for domestic production, V-day serves mainly as a reminder that the rest of the holidays should be better. By Easter, Oxnard should be in full swing, Oxnard and Santa Maria by Mother’s Day, and all three districts by the 4th of July.

Like blueberries, strawberry producers use different varieties according to when and where they grow berries. Some of the more common varieties are San Andreas, Monterey, Palomar, Portola and Albions. In addition to these are dozens of super secret proprietary varieties. All are slightly different and with strawberry selection most of the same rules apply as with blueberries (particularly the ones regarding color and size). Another important point about strawberry care: it is generally a good idea to get your berries out of the container as soon as you get them home. Strawberries are heavy and can bruise each other when squeezed into a container. You should also wait until you are just about to serve strawberries to wash them — excessive moisture can cause the fruit to decay.

Raspberries and blackberries are also available during “berry season” but the production tends to be inconsistent from week to week (the time for raspberries is later in the summer). Make sure you look out for berries produced locally as some of the sweetest and best come from your own back yard.

Bloom time (Blueberries)- South Jersey

Many thanks to Dana Peters, Bob Flood and Josiah Leet for contributing to this post.

Asparaguscape- Yolo county, California

This awakening is not lost on the local nurseries and farmers markets- suddenly we go from the drab and ordinary dregs of the winter to a world of fruit trees and flowering plants, seed potatoes and garlic, in addition to tempting starter plants of all kinds. Spring for me is a circus of optimism – and like every year I start the season believing I can grow anything. Mostly though, I just stay out of the way and let Mother Nature work her magic – trees bloom, vines put out leaves and dormant seeds push their first shoots up from the ground.

Peak season asparagus display- Austin, Texas

Meanwhile, at a desk in Austin, Texas, David (our national seasonal vegetable buyer) is also presiding over the awakening of an industry. Sometime in mid-March (depending on the weather), asparagus production crosses over our border to the south and the long domestic season begins — marking the beginning of the spring harvest season here in America.

Sacramento Delta, California

Asparagus in the field is not much to look at. In fact, if you are driving through an area where it is produced, it is easy to mistake a working asparagus field for one that is lying fallow for the spring. Walk the field, though, and the experience changes completely. It’s the first tender shoots of the plant that are harvested and seeing them poke through the soil is a beauty to behold. As the season progresses and the weather warms, the asparagus plant emerges and the fern-like bush will produce a red berry that is tilled back into the field to help feed the plant for the next season.

Asparagus is a part of the Asparagaceae family of plants and can be a challenging commodity for farmers to produce because of the life cycle of the plant. The roots (or “rhizomes”) that produce the shoots grow slowly and it can often take three to four years for a field to mature enough to produce in quantities that will pay for the cost of maintaining the land. The upfront investment will pay off for the patient farmer, though, as a well managed asparagus field will remain productive for as many as 15 years. In the U.S., New Jersey, Michigan, Washington State and California are all major producers but there are smaller regional and local producers as well. Organic production has also increased and many growers have discovered that asparagus is a good partner crop with tomatoes — together they extend a farm’s harvest season and the plants themselves protect one another from pests that commonly attack the other.

Jim Durst with a remarkable organic specimen- Esparto, California

There are three general varieties of asparagus commercially produced. The most common is green, which accounts for the majority of all asparagus production worldwide. A less common purple variety is thought to be sweeter and less stringy than green. A white variety, a color achieved by restricting the sprout’s exposure to sunlight, is extremely popular in some European countries. With green the thicker stems are generally viewed as superior, but color is the main factor in selecting quality asparagus. The stem should be uniformly green from top to bottom and asparagus with large white ends should be avoided. Your nose can also help you select fresh asparagus — pick up a bunch and smell the tips; aging asparagus has a strong unpleasant odor.

The start of asparagus season is important for another reason — it’s the only excuse I need to crank up the grill (which has sat lonely and neglected throughout winter months). There is nothing better than lightly grilled asparagus brushed with olive oil and pepper, served with some grated Parmesan. Except maybe an asparagus stir fry with some green garlic and sweet peppers. Or an asparagus omelet with basil and a tiny bit of Prosciutto (served with homemade scones). Or any number of wonderful reminders of spring. What’s your favorite way to enjoy fresh asparagus?

Many thanks to Peter Oszaczky, John Walker, Bob Flood, and David Haglund for contributing to this post.

Every year right around the start of February I start yearning for more color in my life. The part of the world where I live is not uniformly white in the dead of winter, but like most places the California coast is not as vibrant as it is other times of the year. What makes me start to search out color is an unconscious anticipation of spring – brought about by the first of the winter rains. That first speck of moisture has turned the normally brown wild grasses green and the Acacia trees are starting to put out their tiny yellow blossoms (jam packed with pollen by the way). The ornamental fruit trees are blooming but the “real” fruit trees’ fragrant blossoms are weeks away and the poppies, foxgloves, and sunflowers of summer are still little more than seeds. What I crave are the true colors of spring – and tulips are my winter surrogate.

Red/ Orange Tulips – My Kitchen

The tulip of choice does not come from my yard (I found out the hard way that gophers love tulips) but rather from a small greenhouse producer in Soquel, California that I buy at a little farm stand on the way to my son’s school. I say on the way because I am generally disappointed if I wait until the afternoon to buy some- like me it seems many others need a reminder of the coming spring. This farmer is tiny – producing flowers off of a mere quarter million bulbs every year. But the quality of the product is spectacular and every year it seems there is a new color or variety.

Greenhouse Tulips – California

Another thing I like about tulips is that they are an incredibly diverse and successful perennial – of the 2.5 billion tulips produced worldwide every year, most can be grown in the same geographic area they are sold. In a world where the production of flowers has become a global business and supply chains can stretch for thousands of miles, the tulip has the advantage of being able to literally put down roots almost anywhere. You may not be fortunate enough to have a tulip producer right up the street but chances are there is one fairly close by.

Bulbs Just Out of Cold Storage – Virginia

Tulips are a cool climate plant that require a period of dormancy every year in order to produce a flower. This is done commercially by storing bulbs in giant coolers until they are ready to be planted or placed in a greenhouse. Growers can also use this method to regulate the size of their crop – chilling larger or smaller amounts to match demand. This makes the ramp up in volume for holidays like Valentine’s Day much easier.

Valentine’s Day – Texas

Tulips have been commercially cultivated for 400 years and their origins date back even further. Indigenous to Central Asian countries like Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey, the tulip (or lale) was so highly valued its bulbs were once used as currency. Even today the rights for a new variety will cost upwards of a million dollars. Holland has long held the reins as the center of the tulip universe – but France, Japan, New Zealand and Chile are all major bulb producers.

Greenhouse Tulips – California

For me the lofty tulip has a much simpler purpose as part of my “winter emergence” routine – I buy a bunch towards the end of the week and for the next several days I watch the mystery of cell expansion unfold. 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 another in a long list of things I love about this elegant flower.

Prized White Tulips – Virginia

Mostly though, it’s the color – the tulip is another example of the timing and artistry of Mother Nature. Just when you think winter will go on forever, we get a short intense reminder that spring is not far away.

Thanks to James Flagg, Josiah Leet, and Bob Flood for contributing to this post.

Remember, each week, we choose tips to be featured in our weekly The Whole Deal™ blog post. Every chosen tip gets a $25 gift card, so submit you tips and recipes here.

From Bharathi:

I love the healthy, beautifully decorated, and especially the variety of cakes available in the bakery at Whole Foods. Ever since I started visiting whole foods, it has been my habit to stop by the bakery to see what variety of cake I can get. The specialty of the whole foods bakery is that they provide a piece of any cake. This way you can buy and taste it without buying the whole cake. If you like a piece of cake after tasting, you cal also go ahead and buy the full cake as the same cake is also available in full size. Our family love tasting a variety of cakes at the same visit. So I end up buying variety of small portions of cakes packed independently. Our family has really learned the value of shopping at Whole Foods. You can also do the same by getting a cut pieces of cake instead buying one full cake. Whole foods have an expert baker who will help you in selecting right cake piece for you. So next time you visit whole foods don’t forget to visit the bakery section. A new world of cakes is waiting for you. I am sure that you will love my idea.

From Jackie:

I am originally from Germany and love bread, and trust me German’s know their bread. Until WF came to Colorado I had a difficult time finding good healthy bread. Know I only purchase my bread from Whole Foods. The Prussian and Munich Rye is awesome and reminds me of home. I also like the Nick’s Mountain a lot. Whole Foods lets you just buy 1/2 loaves which is great if you live alone. I usually buy a couple different 1/2 loaves and then freeze them. This way I have healthy fresh bread to make sandwiches for lunch to take to work with me.

From Stacy:

I run a small, non-profit media company and we host a lot of last minute meet-ups and small speaker events. I think it’s always a good idea to have things for guests to nibble on so that they stick around, but often we are on a really tight budget. I’ve found that if I choose one or two trays from whole foods catering department (the crab cakes and the chicken drumette platters are a great deal) I can build around them with other wise choices. I usually get two boxes of plain crostini in the bakery, pick up two or three cheeses and then hit the olive bar. Sweep past the salad bar for sliced peppers and grab a bunch of flowers on the way to the check-out. I end up with a nice little starter spread and guests think I went to a ton of trouble!

The Koch Family has been raising turkeys on 60 acres of land in the Lewiston Valley of Pennsylvania for three generations. Duane Koch runs Koch’s Turkey Farm with the help of his three sisters, and together they raise free-range turkeys using an all-vegetarian diet of locally grown corn and roasted soybean.  With the feed mill, turkey houses and processing facility all located on the family property near Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, the turkeys are able to live their entire lives on the same land.

Note: Our Farm to Market slide shows currently feature farmers and producers from our South and MidAtlantic Regions. We hope to expand to others in the future.

One of our vendors was featured on Oprah today for their innovative calf raising practices. Inspired by their concern for animal welfare, the Strauss family spent years researching alternative veal raising systems. Ultimately, they say the most humane and compassionate system is the one Mother Nature provides.

For anyone who wants to eat veal, this is the way to go —pasture-raised with exceptional quality and flavor, while raised in a healthy, humane and sustainable way. They promise their calves are:

• Free to Roam – never tethered, raised in confinement
• Raised on natural open pastures alongside mother & herd
• Never raised in feedlots
• Unlimited access to mother’s milk
• Strictly vegetarian fed – never receiving animal by-products
• Never ever administered growth hormones
• Never ever administered antibiotics
• Never experience the stress of industrialized farming
• Traceable to place of birth
• Agriculturally sustainable & environmentally friendly

If you want to know more, check out this video on their website. Strauss Free Raised™ Veal is available in our stores in the Southwest, Southeast, Florida and Rocky Mountain regions. It’s coming soon to stores in other parts of the country.

White Oak Pastures works in cooperation with nature to produce premium quality beef that is healthy, nutritious, and good to eat. Care is given to ensure that all of our production practices are economically practical, ecologically sustainable, and that the animals are always humanely treated.

Will Harris is a fourth generation cattleman taking his family farm in a whole new direction. His 1,000-acre farm in South Georgia is home to about 650 grass-fed beef cattle that roam freely and graze on 100% Georgia native sweet grasses.

White Oak Pastures is a recipient of Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program. Through the Local Producer Loan Program, Whole Foods Market makes $10 million available annually for low-interest loans to small, local producers.

Note: Our Farm to Market slide shows currently feature farmers and producers from our South and MidAtlantic Regions. We hope to expand to others in the future.

One of our most exciting success stories is Laughing Giraffe Organics, a (very!) small company from Phoenix, Arizona that makes raw, vegan, organic, gluten-free granola and macaroons… that taste amazing! Justin Baumgartner started selling his product at a farmers market in 2006, where a local Whole Foods Market team member noticed him and asked about getting the product in our stores. That was the start of a great relationship. Due to its popularity and Justin’s entrepreneurial drive (would YOU call each store individually to make sure your product is in stock?), Laughing Giraffe soon expanded to more stores and then region-wide. After receiving not one, but TWO small loans, the products are now available in our Southern Pacific, Rocky Mountain, and Southwest regions. The products also recently were accepted by United Natural Foods, one of our primary distributors, a move which will allow access to Whole Foods Market stores throughout the western half of the United States. Did I mention that he managed this while he and his wife were caring for a newborn?

Anyone who knows Justin knows what a hard worker he is, and we are so thrilled at his success. He was recently featured on the front page of the business section in the Arizona Republic, a wonderful recognition of his passion and dedication to great food made for people, by people.

As Justin would say, be well.