When Seasons Collide…

Some things just don’t seem like they could coexist: a blizzard in Miami in July, midnight and noon at once, or flippers and feet. But once in a while, nature stretches the rules of seasonality into something that feels like a Möbius strip. For fruit lovers, 2009 was one of those rare, delightful years—and so is this one.

At The FruitGuys, we’ve delivered fresh fruit to offices nationwide for over two decades. And every now and then, we witness an unusual overlap in seasonal availability. Right now, it’s happening again: sweet winter tangerines and late-season navel oranges are arriving alongside early summer stone fruits like peaches and cherries.

Why Is This Seasonal Mashup Happening?

We spoke to Emily Ayala of Friends Ranch, a key grower in Ojai, California, about the ongoing citrus bounty. According to Ayala, a freeze a few years back may have triggered a kind of rebound in the trees, resulting in higher-than-usual late-season production. Many of our partner farmers echo this, crediting steady, favorable weather for the excellent citrus quality this year.

Meanwhile, on the stone fruit side, growers are seeing peaches, nectarines, and plums sugar up earlier than usual. We typically wait a few weeks to include cherries in our Season’s Best Boxes, since the earliest crops can lack sweetness. But this year, early varieties are showing real promise.

What Are Stone Fruits, Exactly?

If you need a refresher: “stone fruit” refers to any fruit with a hard pit or “stone” in the center. This includes:

• Cherries
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Plums
• Apricots
• Hybrids like Pluots, Apriums, and Plumcots

You’ll find many of these in our Harvest Mix, especially during the summer when variety is abundant.

How We Customize Your Seasonal Fruit Mix

We tailor each box to your region and season. Whether you’re in the Northeast, Midwest, South, or West, your mix reflects the freshest produce available. You can see exactly what’s in your region’s box by checking This Week’s Mixes.