Transitions at Gold Oak Ranch Blog

July 22nd, 2010

Gold Oak Ranch's Newest Blogger

It is with some regret but also great happiness that I am officially handing over Gold Oak Ranch’s blog to my father, David Scheuring. It’s been a lot of fun writing about food, farming, and health news, but my work as a physician,  our family life, and of course our continued olive tree plantings demand so much time that I haven’t been writing as much as I’d like.  My Dad has graciously agreed to step in and fill the breach!

He’ll write about farming news and about his long and varied experience as a farmer in Illinois and California. I can’t wait!

In the meantime, I’ll try to “guest blog” here and there, especially about all-important olive oil.  Thanks, everyone, for reading!

Gold Oak Ranch Olive Oil Wins Gold

June 19th, 2010

Just got the results in today.Our 2009 Gold Oak Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil won a gold medal at the 2010 Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition! As you know from previous posts, we grow Leccino variety olives, which make a strong, fruity oil, and indeed our oil won a gold in the robust olive oil category. Gold Oak Ranch EVOO is definitely not for those who like bland oil.  But if you’re like me and love a pungent, flavorful oil, I think you’ll like this year’s oil as much as the judges did.

To find out more about the competition or check out other award winners, take a look at L.A. International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. Or if you’d rather see the award winning olive oils in person, you can see all the colorful bottles displayed at the Los Angeles County Fair September 4-October 3, 2010.

For now however, I think I’ll crack open a bottle of wine, get some good bread, and enjoy dipping  it in our gold medal oil!

Four Things You Should Know About California Olive Oil

April 28th, 2010

I love to host olive oil tastings for people not familiar with California olive oil. It’s wonderful to watch people’s expressions as they taste different styles of oils and realize that olive oil can vary as much as different varieties of wine or coffee. Many of these first-timers also appreciate how bad the olive oil they’ve previously been using tastes.

Are you new to California olive oil? Then here’s four facts about California olive oil you ought to know:

1) Not all olive oil is extra-virgin olive oil–even if it’s labeled ‘extra virgin.’ Unfortunately, this is a consequence of lax labeling laws in the United States. Basically, with the exception of olive oil sold in California, Connecticut, New York, and Oregon, any olive oil can be sold as ’extra virgin’ in the U.S., even if it’s not. This fraud is especially true of imported olive oils. Buyer beware!

2) Extra virgin olive oil is high quality oil. True extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed. That means it is processed without chemicals or heat. It must also meet acidity requirements and undergo taste-testing by a certified tasting panel to rule-out taste defects.

3) True extra virgin olive oil is expensive to produce and buy. Is it any wonder that it’s big business for olive oil producers to sell inferior oils with fraudulent labeling?

4) California olive oil is an emerging industry. I like to compare it to the California wine industry forty years ago. I predict in the next ten years more and more consumers will be buying our high quality olive oil as production and marketing increases. The numbers bear this out. Over 12,000 acres of super high-density olives (the main commercial production method) have been planted since 1999. That’s a lot of olives!

Of course, there’s so much more to understanding olive oil, and I’ll tackle those topics in a later post. But for now, try some California olive oil. I think you’ll be impressed!

Valley Empires: Hugh Glenn and Henry Miller

April 25th, 2010

Now Available

If you ask about California history, most people are familiar with the Gold Rush,  but there’s much more to the history of America’s most populated state than just miners and gold. California is the biggest producer of agriculture products in the nation, and the state’s history is marked by entrepeneurs who built agricultural empires that seem almost unimaginable today.  

Two of those entrepeneurs, Hugh Glenn and Henry Miller, are the subject of Ann Foley Scheuring’s Valley Empires, a new book that examines two half-forgotten figures in California history who had a profound effect on the development of California’s enormous agricultural industries. Henry Miller, founder of the land and cattle empire Miller & Lux, owned more than a million acres and was the largest landowner in the U.S. at the time of his death in 1916. Hugh Glenn’s dominance of the wheat industry led to the nickname “The Wheat King” and culminated in an unsuccessful run for state governor before his untimely murder in 1883. Although the two men came from radically different backgrounds (Miller was an impoverished German immigrant, Hugh Glenn a physician from Missouri), both seized on opportunity to create empires within their lifetimes.

For those interested in California history, Valley Empires offers a glimpse into a little explored, though very important, chapter in the history of our state.

The Mystery of the Yellow Bark–News From the Farm

April 18th, 2010

Healthy Walnut Bark

Everyone loves a good mystery, except if you’re a farmer and the mystery is why your newly planted walnut trees are turning a strange color… The following account describes my father’s attempt to unravel a farming mystery:

Today Luis brought to my attention a disturbing development.  The bark of some of the new walnut trees that we recently planted is beginning to yellow.  Not a good sign.  

Yellowing Walnut Bark

The 1225 trees displaying this condition were planted several weeks ago under less than ideal soil moisture conditions, i.e. too wet.  A similar number of trees from the same nursery planted in January have sprouted and are growing satisfactorily.  Could the yellowing result from the soil conditions at the time of planting?(Why didn’t we plant all the trees in January when soil conditions were favorable?  Why did we resume planting in March before the soil had dried out sufficiently?  More about that in a later post.) 

When planting too wet, it is difficult to firm the soil around the roots without compacting the soil.  Eager to avoid compaction it is easy to leave air pockets around the roots, limiting good soil-root contact.  

But in the past we have planted satisfactorily under similar conditions.  Also, since the trees were planted we have had two substantial rains which have nicely settled the soil around the roots. 

Could the trees be displaying freeze damage suffered at the nursery before being dug? Remember those record temperatures we experienced in December?  

That seems like a reasonable possibility, but why didn’t the January-planted trees display similar symptoms?  Also suspect is the fact that the yellowing is occurring on the east side of the tree, suggesting that the damage occurred in our field since the tree orientation would not correspond to that in the nursery. 

But why the east side?   Stressed or damaged bark is very sensitive to sunburn even at low temperatures.  But sunburn usually occurs on the south and west side.  

Have sent pictures and wood samples to the nursery in overnight delivery.  Let’s see what they say.

Grafting Experimental Walnuts

April 10th, 2010

I mentioned in the last post that we’re planting baby walnut trees with the hope of grafting soon. For the uninitiated, most commercial walnut trees in California are grafted trees; the rootstock is a different variety than the walnut producing tree grafted to it. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that walnut varieties with the best tasting, best producing walnuts don’t necessarily have the most disease-resistant roots. Grafting is a way to get the best of both worlds.

How do you pick which variety to graft? Institutions like UC Davis have been doing field experiments “crossing” different walnut varieties to come up with new better-producing varieties, like the Fordes which we are now planting. The following is my Dad’s account of his work in the evolving world of commercial walnut production. Thanks, Dad, for guest blogging!

For the past 10 years or so we have hosted field trials for new walnut varieties bred by UC Davis.   Even though most of these new crosses will eventually be abandoned for one reason or another, I find it to be an interesting enterprise, satisfying my need for new challenges.

Two years ago we set out our most ambitious field trial to date, 12 experimental varieties on 4 acres.  Some were older crosses that have proved promising enough as individual trees to merit planting in a larger block (30 to 60 trees) and some new crosses not yet field tested (3 to 4 trees).

As is common with the slow process of evaluating tree varieties, now after two years we have already decided to abandon a couple of varieties and replace them with seven new promising crosses .

The trees are still small enough to be readily grafted over to a new variety.  To do this the trunk is severed at 4 or 5 feet and scions of the new variety are inserted under the bark in a process quite logically called bark grafting.  The process itself is referred to in the trade as topworking trees.

Topworking Experimental Walnut Varieties

This is obviously a traumatic event for the young tree so the lower limbs (nurse limbs) are left, not to be removed for a couple of years until the growth above the graft is sufficient to nourish the tree and its roots.

Our foreman Jose Luis has developed a great deal of skill in grafting walnuts.  Nonetheless topworking is a slow process and Jose Luis spent most of the morning on this project.

Spring at the Farm–Planting Walnuts

March 31st, 2010

It’s raining again, which is good for agriculture in general, but problematic for our current farming operations. The men are in the process of planting 3000 new walnut trees at the Dunbar Orchard. We’d like to get the seedling walnuts in the ground as soon as possible, because baby trees need to be grafted before the weather turns too hot. However, if you plant when soil is too wet and muddy, young walnut’s roots have a harder time extending through damp heavy soil. But waiting for drier soil carries risks, too. Grafting too late in the season can lead to poor grafting results. As always in farming, weather is both friend and foe.

Planting Walnuts Between the Rains

We’ll be grafting two varieties: Chandlers, one of the most common English Walnut varieties you purchase at grocery stores, and a newer variety from the University of California called Forde.  Chandlers are a beautiful nut, pale and delicate in appearance. The problem with Chandlers is that they take forever to come into production. If you’re lucky, you can harvest after four years. The trees don’t reach full yield for 8-9 years. That’s a long time to sit on non-income producing property (you still have to irrigate, prune, and weed!). Fordes come to maturity quicker, but they’re new and relatively untested. We’ll let you know how it goes.

The Spring rains have also slowed down harvest of one of our other crops: organic asparagus. I love Spring asparagus and always marvel how fast the spears grow. When it’s cold and rainy, though, asparagus grows slowly. We harvest once every three days. Once the rains fade and the weather warms up, the asparagus takes off, growing seven inches a day. We have to harvest daily just to keep up. As in the past, most of our organic asparagus goes to Full Belly Farm, which distributes it in their community supported agriculture boxes. If you’re a lucky subscriber, you’ll taste this year’s fantastic crop. I roasted a huge bunch last night with some of our Gold Oak Ranch olive oil, and let me tell you, we devoured the whole delicious plate!

Organic Asparagus Peeking From Damp Soil

 

Hidden in the Health Care Bill–Calories on the Menu Nationwide!

March 24th, 2010

About a month ago, I wrote how calorie information can help guide diners’ food choices and how California has adopted a program similar to New York City’s,  in which caloric information must be listed on menus and indoor menu boards. Well, California and New York aren’t alone in this venture anymore.  Thanks to a bit of fine print in the Democrat’s Health Care Bill, menus nationwide will now carry caloric information!

Under the new legislation, restaurant chains with more than 20 outlets will be required to furnish caloric information as well as guidelines for how many calories a healthy person should consume daily. That means, whenever you go to McDonald’s, whether in Oregon or Oklahoma, you will know just how many calories your Big Mac really contains. Will this change people’s eating habits? No one knows, but as I chronicled in Calories On The Menu–Coming Soon!, research suggests that caloric information, in the context of recommended daily caloric intake, does influence food choices.

So when will these changes take effect? That’s up in the air. The Health Care Bill requires that the FDA propose specific regulations no later than a year from now, but legal challenges could tie up the legislation after that. So, for the time being, you’ll just have to get your caloric info online or in the brochures some chains have available.

On another note, every once in a while the public health doc in me chuckles at a news story that crosses the wire. And yesterday, I had to laugh at Last Supper Paintings Supersize the Foods. As you know from reading my blog, portions and plates have gotten bigger over the last seventy years (see January’s Avoiding Portion Distortion). But I never thought distortion of the portion would insinuate itself into the Last Supper! As reported yesterday in the Associated Press, a new study which examined paintings of the Last Supper over the last one thousand years shows that food and serving ware have indeed gotten bigger. By as much as 69%! Scientifically meaningful? I’m not sure. Kinda funny? You bet. Check below and decide for yourself.

Leonardo Da Vinci's Famous Fresco, 1495-98

Supersized by Bassano Jacopo in 1542?

Understanding Organic Labeling

March 17th, 2010

Ah, Spring is in the air! Our Northern California hills are green. Wildflowers carpet the ground. And it’s time for me to do my own type of Spring-cleaning– responding to post requests!

Several months ago, I received a request to explain the whole organic labeling process. How do you know the food you buy is truly organic? And what does ‘organic’ on the label really mean? 

Most people, when asked, can list a few characteristics of organic food: no synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, or growth hormones. Only natural fertilizers (no petrochemical-based fertilizers). Avoidance of genetically-modified organisms. 

Yes, all true, but organic agriculture production is more than that. Organic agriculture is as much a philosophy as a production technique. Organic growers view their role as being part of a greater ecosystem rather than just producers of a specific crop. As a consequence, there is an emphasis on promoting ecological balance by using renewable resources rather than artificial, one-time use inputs like petrochemical-based fertilizers. Organic farmers use techniques such as crop rotation or naturally-occuring fertilizers to keep soil fertile. They promote natural pest management strategies like the placement of owl houses in fields to control gopher populations or the release of beneficial insects to counteract harmful insects. Basically, true organic farmers view crop production as one part of a natural, environmental whole rather than with the narrow focus of isolated crop production.

That being said, the ‘organic’ label has enormous marketing cachet because people are willing to pay more for synthetic pesticide-free, environmentally-friendly food. To counteract fraud in the market place, the US Department of Agriculture now requires food that is labelled organic to meet certain criteria. Those products labelled ‘100% Organic’ must be made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods. ‘Organic’ on the label means that the product contains at least 95% organic ingredients. Both of these types of products can carry the USDA Organic Seal.

This Seal Guarantees Minimum 95% Organic Ingredients

There is one other category of organic labeling. Those products containing at least 70% organic ingredients can carry the claim, ‘Made With Organic Ingredients.’ Certification is by government-approved certifiers such as the CCOF or other state, non-profit, or private agencies.

The best way to ensure you get what you pay for, whether in the supermarket or the farmers market, is to look for the words certified organic or the USDA Organic seal. That way you’ll know the products for which you’re paying extra have gone through the rigorous requirements of organic certification, which you know now, is as much about production philosophy as being pesticide-free.

Pedrick Produce–Fresh Fruit in a Quonset Hut

March 15th, 2010

My family are hardcore skiers. Not in the sense that we swoop down the slopes like experts, but rather in that we ski nearly every weekend. If you’ve ever travelled on Interstate 80 during ski season, you know that requires extreme dedication. The traffic is horrendous!

To break up the monotony of what can be an endless drive we look for new places to stop along the way, and I wanted to share one with you: Pedrick Produce. It’s not a fancy place, but if you’re like me and like farm fresh produce, this is the place for you.

Pedrick Produce's Original Metal Quonset Hut (courtesy of daviswiki.org)

Located in a metal barn set alongside I-80 in Dixon, what immediately strikes you is that Pedrick’s parking lot is full. And so is the store inside. Four cashiers ring up produce purchases for patient customers. The store’s interior is crammed with bags of fruits and vegetables, as well as flavored and plain nuts of all varieties (a nut fan’s heaven!).  The prices aren’t bad either. Asparagus for a dollar a pound. Apples for 49 cents a pound. Off-season tomatoes for $1.19 a pound. A whole lot cheaper than Safeway and without the spit-shine production that makes Safeway’s produce seem a little too slick.

As I walked around this flourishing produce stand, I was struck by the similarities to another produce stand institution along I-80–Ikeda’s in Auburn. If you’ve ever stopped at Ikeda’s for a burger, you know the produce stand there has expanded beyond fruits, vegetables, and nuts to included baked goods, wine, and seafood. Give Pedrick’s a few years, and I’m sure they’ll head the same way, opening a restaurant and bakery. Which is fine by me. I’m always on the look out for a new place to eat…

Note to Locavores: Not all of Pedrick’s produce is local. Some comes from other parts of California, Washington state, and even Mexico. If local production is important to you, stick to farmers markets. However, Pedrick’s is still worth a visit, if only to check out the vast selection of nut snacks!