I’ve finally made it! I have wanted to give to the magic of tree fruit for some time now, and it’s a pleasure to be here contributing to spreading the word about California peaches, plums and nectarines. But before I get into my passion, let me introduce myself.

My name is Sara, originally from the Bay Area, but after obtaining my college degree from a fabulous California State University recently, I have made my home right here in the Central Valley! When I’m not working in the tree fruit industry, I’m out on the lake, at the beach, or relaxing at my new home.

There’s nothing like plums in the summertime!

My passion for California peaches arose when I was I was very young. My mother would make my great grandmother’s recipe for strawberry peach cobbler, and from the first bite, my heart was with peaches. At that age, I couldn’t appreciate the hard work that went into each peach I enjoyed, but I have come to the realization that a California peach is no ordinary piece of fruit.

California Nectarines were introduced to me by my grandmother. She was a pediatrician, and was very adamant about us kids getting enough fruits and vegetables. Nectarines were my favorite fruit. The pit inside fascinated me, and my mouth watered at the site of my grandmother grabbing one from the fruit basket. She could sense me begging with my eyes, and would invite me over to share one with her.

With California plums, they grew on me as I grew up. I enjoyed them almost always fresh, sliced into pieces on my cereal. When I found out they were a good source of Vitamin C, well that was an added bonus!

It wasn’t until nearly two years ago that I saw a whole new side to California peaches, plums and nectarines. When my fiancé and I first started dating, we realized early on that we came from different worlds. I was raised near the big city by a single parent who worked as a teacher. He was raised by his mom and dad who devoted their lives to their family, and growing tree fruit and citrus, an industry that his family had been a part of for more years than he could remember. I noticed at family gatherings, the chatter about the industry and the long hours my fiancé’s family would work. It was common for his Dad to leave and tend to orchards, saying “It’s that season,” as he left.

I never imagined I would work within the tree fruit family as I like to call it, but here I am, and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity! I will be joining this blog as a contributing writer, and I cannot wait to share with you the many wonders of California peaches, plums and nectarines. Get ready; it’s going to be an awesome ride.

We’ll be in touch!

Sara

Posted in About

A blog only about plums is unbelievable enough on its own. Who would have thought there is that much interesting stuff going on about plums? While it may not suit the 6 o’clock news, there are happenings and stories out there that are worth sharing. Especially in a time when finding out how your food is grown, harvested and marketed is so important. Did you know 90% of the nations plums are grown in the San Joaquin Valley of California from multi generational family farms?

Growing up in the Central Valley, I have had the opportunity to see first hand how stone fruit  growers plant, maintain and improve their orchards. It’s such a labor intensive precess that is unlike any other crop. Living with orchards that are sometimes close to 20 years old is a much different experience than growing up next to a field of alfalfa.

There’s enough headlines about our nation’s mega industrialized corporate agricultural practices and processed food woes to bury our family farm stories. In an effort to help tell California plum growers stories and help consumers know a little more about their fruit we decided to launch www.Plumbelieveable.com. Any questions, comments or ideas can be sent to geoffj4@gmail.com.

Tags: Central Valley, Plums

Posted in About