Ice on the Mandarin Trees

From the Fields - Farm News, January 21, 2013

I awake sometime after midnight thinking about the orchard of mandarin trees we planted last spring. They are frost-hardy; it is the reason we selected them. Literature says they can handle a few hours at 27 degrees F. I am not worried about the established orchards. Their new growth might get burned back a bit, but they will live. It is this orchard we planted last spring that I worry about. This is their most vulnerable season. Lying awake in bed, I realize this cold snap is most likely their most vulnerable 72 hours. Mom lost a new orchard to a hard frost when I was a child. I remember the financial and emotional toll it took in our home.

Our plan had been set a week ago. Turn the water on at midnight. An irrigation system wetting the orchard with water does two things; it adds as small amount of energy due to the warmth of the water. The freezing of water is an exothermic reaction, which means that when water freezes, it releases a small amount of energy. The other thing we have going for us is the location of the orchard. It was placed on a small hill that sits above the valley that allows the dense cold air to drain off the orchard.

I think about the tree wrap we installed to protect the base of the trees from rodents and the 2 degrees of frost protection the salesman said they delivered. I don’t believe him, but I want to. There are the wind machines that we don’t have that could protect the trees and for one moment, I wish that we did. I can see a picture of someone selling helicopter services in an ag magazine. I think that paying someone to fly around the orchard in a helicopter at night is dangerous and not effective, but I do think about it. The single degree that separates your orchard from life and death is an elusive, but finite fact that will absorb as much time and money as you will give it.

On my drive over to the orchard first thing in the morning, I pass my farm manager returning from it. I arrive to a winter wonderland, micro sprinklers running and ice everywhere. It is pretty. I stop to take photos. Most of the ice is on the ground and on the base of the tree, the leaves have no ice, but they look as cold as the ice below them.

On the hill, there is a line where the irrigation water did not turn into ice (you can see this in the photo above).  The bulk of the orchard is below the line, sitting in what I hope to be a protective layer of ice. It crosses my mind that I don’t know what dead mandarin trees look like, and I hope I never do. The ones I am looking at could be alive or they could be dead. I shout out to them, “How you guys feeling – did you make it? Got another cold night coming.” They don’t respond. 

As I drive back to the office, I pass my brother heading to the orchard. It is a popular place this morning. Chatting with our farm manager, we both agree that it wasn’t that cold, and they might get burned a bit, but they will live. Being optimistic is a prerequisite for being a farmer. We both agree that we won’t know for a week or so. 


Many of you have asked, how are the trees doing now?

The trees look great and we didn't loose a single tree! They were planted on a hill, so the cold air rolled right off.  Thank you for asking, and for thinking of us.

We are looking forward to another good year of growth on them this year!

Satsuma Mandarins

The perfect pick-me-up! Healthy, sweet, juicy and easy to peel.  

Satsuma Mandarins are soft, yet heavy with sweet juices. The longer the fruit stays on the tree, the higher their sugar content - or brix, so earlier in the season, they can be a little more firm and tart. Once your fruit is to your desired ripeness, place your fruit in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life.

Satsuma Mandarins are usually eaten out of hand, but make a great addition to salads and savory dishes.They are often paired with bold-flavored foods, such as fennel and blue cheese because their sweetness provides a complementary effect.   

We are excited about a new Satsuma Mandarin orchard we planted earlier this year. Two years ago, we ordered the trees, and this summer they showed up neatly organized into bins that were delivered from the nursery.

Now the trees have been tucked into their homes that were precisely located with the help of a GPS and a surveying crew.

The new trees look good in the field, but they are so tiny! From the distance, the trees appear as little, green toothpicks neatly organized in a brown field that rolls up and down with the contour of the gently sloping hills.

The thought of a mature orchard seems so far away, but we know that slowly and steadily those little trees will make great use of the soil, sun, water and love that we will provide them.

How have you been enjoying your Satsumas this winter? Looking for new ways to enjoy them? Here's a list of suggestions:

Juice Them!  Drink your juice straight from the juicer or add it to your favorite tea or cocktail. Fresh citrus juice is also a great ingredient for sauces, dressings and vinaigrette.

Freeze Them!  Separate the segments then freeze them - perfect for smoothies!  Use the juice to make sorbet, granita or a frozen orange souffle.

Bake Them!  Use Satsumas in your next cake, muffin, biscotti, scone or cheesecake. 

Preserve Them!  Satsumas are some of the best citrus fruits to preserve. Turn your fresh fruit into a sweet marmalade, jam, jelly or syrup to enjoy long after Satsuma season is over. 

Peel Them!  Candy your peels, or dry them and add chunks of peel to braises or sauces. You can grind the dried peels and mix with your favorite herbs and spices to create a savory-yet-sweet spice rub to enhance just about anything.  

Eat Them!  Add fresh Satsuma segments to salads, garnish seafood dishes, make a compote or salsa, include in side dishes such as shaved fennel, fruit salad or cous cous.

Decorate With Them!  Satsumas add a hint of color to any centerpiece, wreath or garland. Craft your peel into a simple, lovely candle that uses the pith as a wick.

A Look Back at Farm Events

As our farm tour season has come to a close, I pause to think about the many different communities that joined us on the farm this year.

From March through October, we've enjoyed sharing our farm with groups of families and friends. We’ve had kids with mouths open in surprise when they see stick-straight asparagus pushing through the spring soil.  We've seen folks coming in from the fields with strawberry-red fingers and mouths as they sample the sweetness found among the strawberry rows. 

We had visitors taking home navel oranges by the bag full at our Bardsdale farm, a small farm about an hour outside of Los Angeles that we're excited to "grow" into a site well-suited to welcome visitors, a place where we can connect with our Southern California customers. 

In addition to our regular farm tours, we were able to host three seasonal events benefiting the Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture.

CINCO DE MAYO -  Mariachi and other Latin music got revelers moving as they enjoyed tortilla-making demonstrations, pinatas, strawberry and sweet pea flower picking and watching the 'Super Moon,' the year's largest moon, rise over the hills.

CAPAY TOMATO - This year marked our 5th Annual Capay Tomato event - an afternoon and evening celebrating all things tomato!  The weather was perfect, the heirloom tomatoes were plentiful, people danced by twinkling lights and campers breathed in deep the farm's night air. View more photos.

CAPAY CRUSH, our annual party in September cheered the grape harvest, featuring local wine and food, grape stomping, a harvest activity, live music and a camp out.  Visitors gathered at our farm-style photo booth to capture their visit.  View more photos.

In addition to our own events, we were so very excited this year to be chosen by Outstanding in the Field to host one of their fine dining experiences taking place in the fields of farms across the country and abroad. It was an experience we will always remember as we shared an amazing evening and meal with new and familiar faces. View more photos.

It wouldn't be a farm tour season without the enthusiasm from our school visitors!  We are excited each year to welcome school groups to the farm to learn more about organic and sustainable agriculture and how we are all connected as a community.  It's wonderful to watch children interact with the farm, getting their hands a little dirty harvesting something fresh from the field, helping us spread ladybugs and enjoying the many sights and smells to be discovered in the air, on the ground and all around. 

As part of our school visits, we were proud to welcome community school foodservice leaders and parents who joined us in the field on a couple of occasions to see where their food is grown.  From our work on Yolo County's Harvest of the Month to welcoming Oakland Unified School District, we are excited to be working on several projects to improve school nutrition.

Whether it was a first grader coming to a farm for the first time or a foodie joining us for a special meal in our fig orchard, we welcomed them all, grateful for their interest in our farm and happy that the food system is changing for the better by connecting people with the land that grows their food. If you are interested in bringing a group or a class to the farm, you can find more information here.

We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who joined us at the farm this year. Much gratitude also goes to our Events Team that works to turn our working farm into a place where our community can gather and connect with the land.

We look forward to seeing you next year!