
When September comes around, it signals many things: The beginning of the fall season, heading out to watch the kids and grandkids play their sports and getting out into our orchards to harvest our beloved Certified Organic Prunes!
For those of you who’ve been reading our newsletters for a while you’re familiar with how proud we are to be growing these fruits in orchards that have been in our family for over 100 years – the same land where the Martino kids grew up! In 2021 we released our first harvest of Certified Organic Prunes and we’re excited that this year’s the biggest harvest yet!
Recently, Victor shared a memory:
“Remember my recent story about how I grew up on a Peach orchard? Well, that orchard was right next to my family’s Prune orchard. For as long as I can remember, during this time of year, I’d be picking Prunes with my family after school every day. Back in those days, we’d dry our Prunes in the sun as the hot days of summer were coming to a close. To get the drying process started, we’d dip the fresh fruits in boiling water to break their skins so the moisture could escape more easily. When I was 12 my father taught me how to get a raging wood fire going under a big pot that was basically half of a 55 gallon drum. Once the water was boiling he put me in charge of dipping large colanders of prunes in the boiling water. I can still hear his voice ‘Put them in and count to 30. If they’re in too long they’ll turn to mush; not long enough and the skins won’t be cracked. And be careful not to get burned.’ By the time I was 15 I was proud to be in charge of overseeing the whole Prune drying process. A lot has changed since the ’60s and ’70s – but our obsession with producing the perfect Prune has always been our guide. Today we dry our Prunes with modern dehydrators. We love nostalgia, but we’re happy to say that we now have a safer – and just as healthful – way to go about it!”
Another prime fruit that’s currently being harvested is our Certified Organic Pears. These fruits are grown in what you might think of as Pear paradise: A place where miles of California Delta waterways are dotted with small agricultural communities where hard-working Pear farmers grow their crops in a climate that’s perfect for this fruit!

Our Certified Organic Pears are sustainably grown by local partners who share the same farming values as us. A big plus: They are grown in a pesticide-free environment and are free of any additives!
We invite you to imagine the orchards where these Certified Organic Prunes and Pears are grown and get fired up about how you might incorporate them into your food or beverage product line. Enjoy this month’s specials and let us know how you and your company use these prime fruits!
Happy fall, partners!
Contact Us
sales@bellaviva.com or 1-800-552-8218 for discounted pricing on Bella Viva Orchards’ own Certified Organic Dried Pears and Certified Organic Pitted Prunes