Stone fruit season has arrived (finally!) and soon the market booths will be filled with sweet, juicy peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, pluots, and apriums. Did you know California grows about 90 percent of the nectarines and plums grown in the US and produces about 70 percent of all the peaches? With over 200 varieties of...Read More

Did you know … The average person eats about ½ lb. to 1.2 lbs of blueberries per year. Native Americans used to call them “star berries” because of the 5-point star-shaped blossoms Blueberries are the only fruit that is truly blue. 98% of blueberries are grown in ten US states, with California leading the way....Read More

Rhubarb falls into the ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ category, it seems. Those of us who love it eagerly anticipate its arrival in early spring and get out the recipes for galettes, pies, coffee cakes, muffins, and jam. Though rhubarb is generally associated with pie making, it’s quite versatile. Here are some surprising facts about rhubarb that you may...Read More

RECIPES: How to Cook Asparagus, Asparagus and Sausage Scramble, Sausage Vegetable Frittata, Asparagus and Crab Hollandaise, Saute of Thick Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms, Asparagus, Spinach and Green Garlic Strata, Creamy Lemon Dressing for Asparagus You know it’s spring when Hog Farms is back at the farmers market with asparagus! Once considered a delicacy by the...Read More

It’s officially lemon season and you’ll find Eureka and Meyer lemons at the farmers’ markets. Technically a berry, lemons are believed to have been cultivated in the Mediterranean. Here are some other interesting facts about lemons: Lemon trees will produce about 600 lbs per year per tree when fully mature. California and Arizona produce about...Read More

Did you know the Monterey Bay area is the second largest producer of mushrooms in the US and third in the world? Pennsylvania, where mushroom farming was pioneered, ranks first in the US for mushroom production. The Chinese learned mushroom farming in Pennsylvania for shiitake production and are the number one producer in the world....Read More

It wouldn’t be fall without the arrival of winter squash! And there are so many wonderful varieties grown on the Central Coast to enjoy. Tips for selecting winter squash: When choosing your squash, look for those that feel heavy for their size and rock hard. Look for squash with deep, lively color with a matte...Read More

It’s not too late to get in the last of your canning and pickling. Dill is still available at the markets. Here are some interesting facts about dill: Dill grows about 3 feet tall and grows just about anywhere, as long as there is sunlight. A member of the parsley family, it’s often mistaken for...Read More

Although zucchini can be found year-round at grocery stores, summer squash really is a thing of summer. At least, that is when it is at its best here on the central coast of California. The season starts in mid-spring with the advent of squash blossoms, and then the fruits (the actual “squash”) show up in...Read More