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Heart of California Farm Tour

Sharon Palmer

Learn more about peach and tomato farms with this Heart of California farm tour.

I just got back from an incredible farm tour in the heart of California. I stayed in Sacramento and visited Pacific Coast Producers (PCP) peach and tomato farms and operations. I love the model of PCP, which is an agricultural co-op of 160 family farms located in central and northern California. I was invited to attend the tour and learn more about how fruits and vegetables are grown, harvested, and prepared in California, as well as speak to a group of dietitians on the health benefits of tomato products.

 

Pacific Coast Producers California Peach Farm

 We started off with a visit to a family peach orchard. Just look at these gorgeous beauties! I didn’t realize that California was such a great region to grow peaches. The farmers thin out the young peaches in the spring so that the ones remaining on the tree grow to a larger size.

 

 Pacific Coast Producers California Peach Farm

The peaches are hand-harvested the old-fashioned way. Climb a ladder with a cross-body bag, fill it up, climb down, and dump them into the harvest bin.

Pacific Coast Producers California Peach Farm

 A hand full of peachy goodness! Straight from the summer harvest. 

 

Pacific Coast Producers California Peach Farm

These peaches will be in a can within hours of harvest. They are hand-harvested at their flavor and nutrient peak.

 

 

Pacific Coast Producers Fruit Processing Plant

 We got to tour the PCP fruit processing center to see how they process the peaches, from washing, sorting, peeling, pitting, and canning. These peaches we saw on the farm go into canned peaches, fruit cups, and fruit cocktail. Every little bit of the peach is used, even little slivers too tiny to go into the can—they go into the peach juice used in canning peaches. Canned peaches are just as nutritious and healthy as fresh—and may provide an even more sustainable option, as less fruit is wasted and they are less intensive to transport than fresh.

 

Pacific Coast Producers Farm Tour

With our fun group of dietitians as we traveled through the heart of California to learn more about how food is grown and prepared.

 

 

Pacific Coast Producers California Tomato Farm

Next up we visited a California tomato farm to see the harvest. Look at that truckload of gorgeous tomatoes coming in from the field!

 

 Pacific Coast Producers California Tomato Farm

So fun eating a fresh, ripe tomato right out of the field!


Pacific Coast Producers California Tomato Farm

This is what the tomatoes look like right before they are harvested. These are the tomatoes that go into healthy, delicious tomato products, like canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, and marinara sauce. They are harvested at their flavor and nutrition peak and canned within just a few hours of harvest.

   

Talking about Tomato Health          

I shared a few tidbits on tomato health benefits with the group of dietitians at UC Davis. I’m kind of a tomato nerd, as I’ve been working with tomato health for about 10 years now as nutrition advisor for the Tomato Products Wellness Council.

 

UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute

We enjoyed a private tour of the Robert Mondavi Institute, which has an amazing research center for studying food and wine.

 

  UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute

We learned a little bit more about the way wine is cultivated, and some of the amazing research going on to better understand wine, cultivars, and sensory perception of wine. What a fun place to study!

 

Wilson Family Farm, California

Our special treat at the farm tour was to enjoy a dinner at the Wilson Farm in California. The house in the background is an old migrant labor structure, which Chiles Wilson (in the blue shirt above) turned into a gorgeous home, which was featured in Architectural Digest. We sat outside for an amazing dinner among his pear trees.

 

Wilson Family Farm, California

The pool at sunset among the pear trees.

 

Wilson Family Farm, California

We got to peek inside this beautiful farmhouse, which features a gorgeous art collection—this painting is of the pear trees.

Wilson Family Farm, California

Of course, our meal included lots of healthy tomato products, such as bruschetta from California tomatoes.

Note: This tour was sponsored by Pacific Coast Producers.

For other farm tours, check out:

Take a Trip on My Austin Farm Tour
Organic Cascadian Farm Tour in Skagit Valley, WA
Peanut Farm Tour in Virginia

 

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