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Secrets & Lies

Farm, Featured, Secrets & Lies

Mother Nature Strikes and Unexpected “Blow” in Oaxaca

January 13, 2017

Heavy, Unexpected Winds Challenge Crop Outlook From Oaxaca Region

Two days ago heavy winds swept through Oaxaca in the southern regions of Mexico centered heavily in mango production zones. Many of the early mangoes expected to be harvested for January and February have literally been ripped off the trees for several producers in the area or severely damaged by the hefty winds. We don’t yet know the full details, but in the very least we know the situation is very troublesome to overall regional production outlooks previously forecasted. We are currently accessing Crespo Organic production in the area to determine which of our orchards have been effected and if so, to what extent and what it may mean for our early production yields.

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Farm, Featured, Secrets & Lies

Behind the Season

November 21, 2016

Fickle fruit and empirical crop forecasting

Behind every great season, lies a great deal of unseen work, especially in the off-season where mainly the “unpredictables” determine the outcome of the crop. In today’s world where climate change exists (it’s not a hoax) and capricious weather becomes the norm, an empirical approach to understanding agriculture is often all a producer has to make the best decisions in the off season, which essentially defines the production season. Fruit of the modern world is fickle

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Featured, Secrets & Lies

Rain: an Ally and Antagonist

August 15, 2016

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Imperfect Truth about Mangoes and Rain

 

Mangoes are an imperfect fruit.

Unlike the rest of the world, which is very used to seeing mangoes in all quality forms (the modern trend calls it “imperfect fruit”), Americans’ fruit cosmetic standards are very high and unrealistic. Not only does this insatiable appetite for perfection cause a significant amount of food waste at both the farm and retail levels, but it is absolutely unattainable and unprofitable for producers and seriously unsustainable for all. Instead of playing a key role in addressing and combatting the issue, the produce industry as a whole tends to perpetuate and exacerbate this problem. Personally, I believe that onthe more aware consumers are the better off the entire supply chain and food system is, from “seed to mouth” or in our case, “pit to mouth.” Giving consumers and industry folks real information is pivotal in product education.

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Featured, Secrets & Lies

A Secret Bathing Ritual in Mexico

June 17, 2016

Mangoes Waiting for Hot Water BAth

Secrets & Lies From The Mango Pack House

As consumers we don’t always get a feel for the realities beyond the display: the difficulties, challenges, and shocking amount of really hard work that goes into everything from pre-production to shipping across borders. There’s a lot of stuff no one ever talks about but is part of the process, things which I call “Secrets & Lies.” I’m not a fan of hiding the realities of food production and distribution, nor do I think the public should be out of the loop on the very strict and demanding practices that come with importing food. I’m also an ardent believer that the quickest way to the “utopia” we all dream about is through good old fashioned honesty and information-sharing.

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