Fruit dried on the vine or in the sun is the most ancient of food preservation methods known to humanity—and it’s still practiced today. Using the sun and the free hot air to dry fruit is another way …
Lunch is the Gateway: 9 Lunch Ideas to Improve Your Diet
Breakfast is touted as being the most important meal of the day, but lunch—be it a homemade sandwich or a restaurant meal—gives us the energy for the afternoon’s work as well as an often-needed break …
Red Beaut Plum
Beauty, but friends call it "Beaut" for short, is an early smooth red plum with yellow flesh. Good plum to know on a first-name basis. …
Farm Hands: Lessons of a Farm Intern
By Becca von Trapp of Full Belly Farm, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Well, folks, the rain has finally come. Here at the farm, we are heaving a collective sigh of relief as we are finally able …
Mick Klug Farms, Saint Joseph, MI
The USDA classifies family farms as “any farm organized as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or family corporation.” But a cold definition is never the whole story, is it? Mick Klug grew up on his …
A Full Belly Crew Member
Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop In March 2012, Nolan O’Brian, one of the Full Belly Farm interns interviewed orchard manager, Jesus Jacobo Garcia. Where were you born? My hometown is called …
Ascend to Fitness
Before the 1990s, rock climbers were relatively few and far between, either dedicated aficionados who lived near mountainous areas to pursue their passion or weekend warriors making long drives and …
My Garden 2.0: Time is Right for Spring Cleaning and Planting
It finally rained in the Bay Area and I’m ready to attack the garden with full force. This little plot of the backyard was a dustbowl when I moved into the house last June. Over a month of weekends …
Broiled Eggplant
Recipe by Tanya Milosevich INGREDIENTS 1 globe eggplant 5–6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste 1–2 cloves garlic, minced 2–3 tablespoons chopped …
The Almond Festival Arrives In The Valley
By Dru Rivers of Full Belly Farm, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop Almond blossoms are everywhere at the moment on Full Belly Farm – filling the air with honey scented smells and brightly …
Blue, Red, or Orange
By Heidi Lewis There’s a scene missing from the outtakes reel of The Matrix where Morpheus offers Neo some vitamins: “You take the blue pill, the story ends—you wake up in your bed and believe …
Alexander Lucas Pear
The origin of the buttery Alexander Lucas pear and who Alexander was are uncertain, but it is a European variety. Known is that this lovely russeted pear was cultivated in cloistered monasteries, …
Field Notes From the Farm
From Riverdog Farm, courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop image courtesy of Riverdog Farm In 1990, Riverdog Farm began as a 2-acre organic vegetable garden in Napa County. Currently, the …
Potato-Carrot-Mushroom Stir-Fry
Adapted from epicurious.com This recipe for sautéed vegetables—including potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots—is simple and flavorful. It’s ideal as a hearty side dish for a weeknight dinner and pairs …
Zestar Apple
Zestar is a relatively new apple bred in Minnesota to withstand their weather. Minnesota, where all the women are strong, and the children above average, and the apples crisp. …
Zebra Tomatoes
Light yellow stripes give these heirloom tomatoes the look of a prized Aggie marble shooter – but they're much better tasting. …
Plumcot
Plumcot is a hybrid of a plum and apricot invented by Luther Burbank. It is similar to pluot, except that the Plumcot is a half and half combination. …
All About the Tomcot: Flavor, Benefits, and How to Pick the Best
As alike as they sound, Tomcots aren’t related to tomcats—they’re actually a tasty fruit! The Tomcot apricot is a large, soft apricot variety with a bright orange color and a classic apricot taste. …
Flavorella Plumcot
Plumcot is a hybrid of a plum and apricot invented by Luther Burbank. Flavorella is golden with a slight blush. …
Crimson Gala Apple
Crimson – the color of kings and apples in fairy tales. The Crimson Gala is large and crisp with a few spots of green. Only take this apple from your reputable FruitGuy and not witches in disguise. …
