Sweet September: Prunes and Pears Abound!

Organic California Plums on The Tree
Organic California Plums on The Tree

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!

Newspaper Article Featuring Victor Martino Growing and Selling Fruit
1980 Newspaper Article Featuring Victor Martino and Family Growing and Selling Fruit

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!

Pears on The Tree
Pears on The Tree

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

1980 Newspaper Article – Martino Family Growing and Selling Fresh Fruit

Newspaper Article Featuring Victor Martino Growing and Selling Fruit
Newspaper Article Featuring Victor Martino Growing and Selling Fruit

August Elation: Certified Organic Peaches Have Arrived!

Bella Viva Organic Peaches

August Elation: Certified Organic Peaches Have Arrived!

The triple digit days of summer took their time to arrive this year, but when they did there was no question about it: We are in the middle of summertime! Since mid-July, we’ve been out in our orchards before the crack of dawn to harvest our prized Certified Organic Peaches. Yes, it’s hot and it’s hard work but it’s a total labor of love.

Bella Viva Organic Peaches on the Tree

You may know that our Certified Organic Yellow Peaches are grown in an estate orchard that’s been in our family since 1987. We grow several varieties of Peaches but the relatively uncommon Angelus variety won our hearts over because of its unbelievable flavor, texture, aroma, sweetness and blushy-peachy hue. We say this Peach delivers!


As we harvest our Certified Organic Yellow Peaches we think of how quickly the time has gone by since our family has grown these sweet summer fruits.


Recently Victor got to reminiscing (If you’re short on time just scroll to the bottom for this month’s special):


“My obsession with Peaches started many decades ago. I was born in February and my parents took me to our family home in the middle of our Peach orchard. By August, they set me in a crate under the Peach trees while my mother, father and four older siblings tended to the harvest. Later in the day after the fruit had been picked they moved me in that Peach crate to the cutting shed where the freshly-picked fruits were cut in half, treated with a generous helping of sulfur dioxide and then laid out in the sun to dry. I was too young to know at that time, but at that time Peaches became a major part of my life.

Victor Martino Hauling Peaches in 1969 at 7 Years old
Victor Martino Hauling Peaches On the Family Farm in 1969 as a 7 Year Old.

“Fast forward to today, I’m still out in that orchard watching over the whole process, from tending to the trees to harvesting that fruit to drying our awesome Peaches. All my obsession with growing and drying the perfect Peach has led to many improvements and innovations over the decades. For years I was on a quest to find the perfect variety of Peach. After growing and removing dozens of varieties that Angelus variety made its way to the top of the list. It’s the perfect variety for eating and drying. Once I determined that the Angelus was my variety of choice I went to work on getting rid of all those nasty pesticides by becoming a certified organic grower. I believe that when it comes to thinking of my greatest Peach achievements, I’d say that I’m proud of developing and perfecting our proprietary process of drying Peaches without sulfur dioxide or any preservatives whatsoever while maintaining the fruit’s natural color, flavor and nutritional content.”

“I proudly invite you to bring our Certified Organic Yellow Peaches into your product lineup and see what I’m talking about!”

We hope that what Victor has shared entices you to bring our Certified Organic Yellow Peaches to your food or beverage program. To celebrate this quintessential summer fruit we’re offering you 10 percent off throughout the entire month of August!

 

So kick back at the end of your own hot day, put your feet up, dream of ways to incorporate our Certified Organic Peaches into your product offerings and soak in all the warm joy that summer has to offer, partners!

Contact Us

sales@bellaviva.com or 1-800-552-8218 for discounted pricing on Bella Viva Orchards’ own Certified Organic Dried Yellow Peaches

 

Yellow Peaches Special