A few weeks ago I went on an avocado tour, hosted by the California Avocado Commission (CAC). This year CAC has declared June as “California Avocado Month,” so I thought it would be fun to get us all prepped to celebrate with a look at what I saw on the tour. Although March through September marks the peak of the California avocado season, the avocado farmers work hard year round to ensure a good harvest each year. Ed McFadden, CA Avocado Commissioner and avocado farmer, who was on the tour with us, said, “To grow avocados, you have to do about a dozen things perfectly and then pray for good weather . . . Mother Nature is playing games with us all the time. So we’re just trying to keep up and keep the trees happy.”
Picking avocados is harder than it looks! Photo Credit: Andrew Wilder, eatingrules.com
Through talking to Ed, whose obvious love for avocado farming was infectious, to getting a look at the avocado groves at Fairfield Farm in Pauma Valley, California, managed by Carol and Bill Steed, relative newcomers to avocado farming, we came to better appreciate the hard work, special skill, and knowledge that goes into growing this beautiful fruit. We also got to see how avocados get from the tree and into the consumers hands, via packing houses, like West Pak, in Temecula, California.
Lots of hard work, knowledge, and care to bring us one of my all-time favorite foods. And oh the things that can be done with avocados! We were treated to an avocado themed lunch feast, from Sorrell Bistro, from avocado bread topped with hummus, fresh avocados and tomatoes, to wild salmon with avocado corn tapenade, and my personal favorite—a vanilla bean avocado frozen yogurt topped with granola and fresh berries.
Take a peak into the California avocado industry by watching my video!
* Thank you to the California Avocado Commission for providing this educational tour!
** A BIG thank you to my sweet friend, and Avocado Sister, Mimi Avocado for making this day possible for me by watching the Fujilings. They had their own avocado adventure!
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
wow that looks like such a fun time!
you look fantastic in that photo :-)
We had such a good time with the Fujilings while you were on the tour! We walked through the avocado grove, carried a snack picnic with us, put “roly-poly’s” into the empty snack bags, ate tangerines, investigated baby avocados, and played with all the musical instruments/toys in the house. Best time. You can go on a tour again. Looks like you had a great time too!
Awesome! I love avocados!!
I can’t get over how green those avocados are! Great shot of you, too. I love the intensely focused look. :)
Half-sandwiches topped with avocado are the best! Hands down!
Looks like a great tour!
mmmmmm!! hey, now that you’re an expert avocado picker, can you please figure out how to steal some from across the street from my house?? :)
Sounds like an awesome time and beautiful weather to boot! I love your concentrated look as you battle with the tree :)
Excellent video. Suddenly I am craving Avocado Anything. I had no idea 90% of the avocadoes in the US are from California!
Whoa! You really did great a good job. You must have used a magic trick. LOL. But really, the room looked neat and awesome!
Good blog post. I want to thank you for interesting and helpful information and I like your point of view. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing valuable information. Nice post. I enjoyed reading this post.
Very interesting blog. Alot of blogs I see these days don’t really provide anything that I’m interested in,
but I’m most definately interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know.
Oh man i love avocados! Thanks for sharing these pictures. Please share more if you have.
Avacados juice my fav. btw nice article
Excellent video. Suddenly I am craving Avocado Anything.
thanks for the posting
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