|
|
Ranching News
 |
Spring 2000
|
 If
the hills are green, the mountains barely snow-capped, the air crystal
clear, the bees buzzing in the groves and buds peeking from the trees,
then it must be spring in the San Joaquin Valley. The wild flowers
are rioting the hillsides and
|
meadows, their vigorous presence mocking our concern over the strange
winter's possible affect. It seems like everyday I get a breathless
call from my sister Destiny on the ranch. Through the snap, crackle
and glug of her cell |
|
 phone,
she shouts, "OOOO, I wish you could see this. The mountains
are really purple and the groves are glowing green and orange!" Back
in NYC, dashing to avoid being run down by a truck and dodging sleet and
puddles, I ponder the glorious Spring in Porterville. When friends
and colleagues discover my work with the ranch, they wonder how I can stay
here in the city missing all that agricultural glory. |
 |
A farmer's life is a hard life. A mysterious combination of
body numbing days, uncertainty, danger, poetry, triumph, loss and community.
No two days are alike. There is no comforting gray felt moderation.
Farmers must be independent and persistent; able to balance sacrifice and
hardship with hope and optimism. And while I'm not always at the
ranch in my body, I am always there in my heart.
My desk faces the corner windows of my Soho office. The
ornate cast iron landmark facades on Greene and Grand Streets fill my sight
as I work through the Pearson Ranch sales, marketing and product development
details each day. Dodging tourist buses and taxis, I am able to visit
many of our customers via the subway or even on foot. So our paths
are closely woven at Pearson Ranch, the ranchers, my family, myself and
our customers. We are united by the phone system and the internet,
mail, trucking and air - so really close although so far. |
|
 |
Tony's Ranching News
|
 All
the early navels have been picked and we are now picking the Late Lanes.
After almost 3 weeks of solid rain, it has finally cleared. The earth
has dried out and we are doing all farming tasks at once. Or so it
seems. We are pruning, topping, hedging, ripping and disking.
Brush stacking and shredding. Replacing sprinklers dislodged during
picking. If the weather stays warm, we'll soon be irrigating.
Grove
| |
keeping is like good house- keeping. It is a daily
task.
It is exciting and a bit unnerving to see the bloom coming on the
trees. When we pick the Valencias in the late Spring, it is particularly
nerve-wracking because we have to pick while we're in full bloom.
The picker's ladders plow into the trees, loosing a shower of blossom.
Amazingly, we don't seem to lose much fruit. In fact this year the
Valencia crop is extraordinary.
|
|
|
 |
Preserving News
|
| |
After sharing my last adventures in preserve production (who could
forget me sliding across the flooded kitchen floor on my stomach), I am
happy to report a new production facility for Pearson Orange Preserves.
Through 6 weeks of networking, I found a farmer in Pennsylvania who
also manufactures specialty foods. Paul Zukovitch built a factory
on his family farm dedicated to small kettle cooking. When I walked
into his plant, it was like being home at the Pearson Ranch Agribusiness
Center. Everything is shining with pride and dedicated to the kind
of careful, hands-on cooking that gourmet products demand. Until
the day Pearson Ranch establishes our own facility, we can confidently
ship our oranges to this gem in Pennsylvania where I can make our preserves.
Thank you, Paul and Wos-Wit Foods.
|
 |
Cooking Classes
|
| |
During the week of April 10, I am teaching in the Cooking Studios
of Kings Supermarkets in New Jersey. These fabulous markets have
a bustling selection of cooking classes all year long. My class is
titled "Accent on Oranges." We will be making orange marmalade and
producing a full meal with all dishes using the orange. Of course,
we love to spread the word about citrus and all its goodness. Watch
our website as I promise to post the
recipes.
|
 |
Destiny's Community and Pet News
|
| |
This past weekend there was a terrific auction evening in Terra
Bella to benefit the Porterville High School Studio Band. The Studio
Band is a big band with a jazz sound. The musicianship is solidly
professional. These young musicians travel and perform all over our
country, and the world, when opportunity arises. Begun by Buck Shaffer
in the 50's, the Studio Band is now led by Jim Kusserow. While Pearson
Ranch was happy to join the donors, we were also thrilled to win the services
of the Studio Band for our Harvest Party next October.
|
|
|
If you and your family plan to visit the San Joaquin Valley, this
is the perfect time. Please contact us by E-mail and we will be happy
to arrange a visit to our ranch. |
©Copyright 1998-2004, Pearson Ranch and Digital
Edge Productions
|
The
sheep and goats are on the job mowing the pastures. This keeps down
the foxtail (sticker thorns) population, which is particularly dangerous
to the dogs. Jack, our aging adopted St. Bernard/Rottweiler, has
recovered speedily from recent surgery.
