Good Morning Starshine

Here are two things that I secretly wish sometimes:

1. That interpretative dance was an acceptable way to start a company meeting.

2. That I hadn’t tried to leap from my desk and spin on the floor as a way to explain the key components of customer service.

Since I’ve tried #1 and twisted my back on #2 (you can see my interpretive dance moves in the banana suit on YouTube), I’m going to update you about farmer and scientist Ed Magee.

Ed Magee spends his days thinking about sunlight. When he isn’t working on his small family orchard of white peaches and nectarines in Vernalis, CA (San Joaquin County), he’s in a lab studying the energy of electrons. This scientist-farmer’s day job aids NASA researchers in determining the elemental mix of stars. Ed is a scientist through and through and he takes a very measured and managed approach to his farming as well. They prune their trees to a height of between 6 and 8 feet for easier picking and don’t treat their soil with nitrogen during the growing season so their trees work harder and produce more sugar in their fruit.

What does this mean for you? Well, it means a spectacular piece of fruit. Ed’s white peaches are in our West Coast boxes this time of year. Please give them a try—they are one of the best white peaches I’ve ever tasted.

On the East Coast, the local summer harvest is kicking into high gear. First up we’re switching New Jersey blueberry varieties from the early Bluecrop Blueberry to the Elliott. All of our stone fruit in this week’s East Coast mix comes from Beechwood Orchards, a fifth generation family farm near Gettysburg, PA. We’ll have yellow and white peaches, Donut Peaches, yellow and white nectarines, as well as Shiro and Cardinal Plums. To quote our red-bearded FruitGuys Pennsylvania buyer, Benn: “It’s all pretty exciting.”

We’re local & regional: See pictures and descriptions of what’s in your box by going to fruitguys.com and clicking on “In the Mix.”

Enjoy and be fruitful!

– Chris Mittelstaedt