Topping and Hedging

Critics Choice award promo

For the past two years, Sunkist Growers has been the red carpet sponsor for the Critics Choice awards in Hollywood.  As part of the program, Sam Rubin, the red carpet host and TV personality in Los Angeles helps showcase different Sunkist varieties.  This year Sam Rubin visited one of our farms and filmed a promo with Mark's daughter, Melissa Burchett, who discussed the health benefits and great flavors of varieities we grow.

Not a normal season, but are they ever?

As we finish up January, we thought we would provide a look at our season so far.  From a rainy December to the driest January in history, the weather always keeps us guessing.  Our current snowpack is normal, but if we do not get more rainfall, we could be facing another drought year.  We went all through last year with very little water from our dams and if those dams are not replenished by rain, and more importantly snow, this could be a very tough growing season ahead.

We are half way through our cold season when we have to be cautious of cold weather, but thus far, we have only had very minor cold nights where we are only having to protect our lemons and mandarins as they freeze easier than oranges.  The cold weather is actually very good for all tree crops, as it helps set better crops and keeps the fruit in good condition, and this has been the case so far this season.

The crop on mandarins and oranges is off by about 50% and 25% respectively.  Lemons are over last year with about 15% more fruit.  This lighter crop and a new packinghouse on line this year has greatly eased the stress levels from last year.  Our new packing facility in Reedley has come on line better than any of us could have imagined.  This house was designed for export fruit where gentle treatment and high brix detection are necessary and it is doing both very well.  If you missed the video, check the past blogs for an updated video of oranges running across the line.

Our employees are surviving the pandemic and we are seeing fewer sick days due to covid by far compared to last season.  It is starting to feel closer to normal.  Take care and remember to eat an orange a day to help keep covid away.

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to all

We never thought we would be happy to let father time go faster, but with all the issues with covid this year, 2021 could not end soon enough. We hope all is well with everyone and we pray for those less fortunate in these trying times.  

From a farming perspective, 2022 is looking brighter.  Our workforce is steady with less covid issues and our crop of citrus is one of the best we have seen in years.  The oranges have amazing sugar content this year and the crop size is down to average levels which means we can work through this crop to maximize flavor and quality for our customers.  The weather is also better to us this year.  After one of the driest seasons on record, we are seeing above average rainfall and snow in the mountains.  This is very good news as last year the reservoirs were depleted and we had to use more ground water than we would have liked.

Farmers are great stewards of the land as this is what gives us our livelyhood.  We do not want to deplete the groundwater and damage our ecosystems and farmers are more in tuned to this than given credit.  We are fifth generation farmers with new little farmers in the wings.  Everyone should do what they can to reduce over use of water, chemicals, petroleum, etc...and provide all of our grandkids with a beautiful place to live and thrive.

Everyone have a healthy and happy new years, and that starts with getting your vitamin C!

Second packing facility ready to go

Below is a video of the new Gillette Citrus packing facility in Reedley, CA.  

The facility is a state-of-the-art packing house that will handle HMC's plums in the summer months and Gillette's citrus in the fall through the spring time period.  This project is a venture between HMC and Gillette Citrus, both companies have invested considerable capital expenditures to make this a cutting-edge packing plant.  Technological features of this plant include a Compact Spectrim pre grader, a Compact Spectrim grader, as well as a Compact Inspectra 2 Brix-Acid grader for Gillette Citrus’ fruit bound for their high brix markets.  

Gillette Citrus will use this plant mainly for their export program. As shown in the video below, running fruit across a line designed for plums will ensure delicate handling of the citrus throughout the pack line, much more than a standard orange packing house design. HMC has been running plums on this new line the past season and they are very impressed with the gentle treatment on their plums and the efficiencies of the Compact Spectrim graders.

Gillette will begin using this facility for the upcoming citrus season on their navels. cara caras and blood oranges.