YOLO COUNTY: THE FARMS

"Farm to table" has become a cuisine in some parts of the country and with a state like California growing grapes,olives, artichokes, avocados and rice, just to name a few, Nancy, Barb and I were off to visit some of their birth places.

Capay Organic is a second-generation, organic farm that got its start in the Coastal Range's Capay Valley, 90 miles northeast of San Francisco. The initial 20-acres grew to its current size of 400 acres. Cherry tomatoes, sweet pea flowers, ambrosia melons and heirloom tomatoes are just a few of the crops pioneered at this farm. I was not able to tour all 400 acres, but did check out some of the produce being boxed as well as the peach trees.

The nearby city of Esparto is the locale of the Haag Family Farm where walnuts are their thing. We met co-owner Claire J. Haag, who gave us the 101 on walnuts and to check out the growth at the early part of June.

There are a dozen sates of these English walnuts. Flower - small green ovoid with two little oppositely curved receptors; Prayer - at tips of branches, first leaves unfold from a praying position; Catkin - 1/4 to 4" long pollen-containing structures elongate and unfold; Pollinated - Wind-borne pollen grains from catkins "adhere" to the flower; Green Pea - Unpollinated "green peas" fall of the tree, leaving the good ones; Ping Pong - Green walnut's soft internal structures delineate and enlarge; Immature Green - Almost full size (May) liquid interiors inside of soft structures.

From this point on, they can be sold. Mature Green - sold (June) full size for pickling beverage-making, food, etc.; Fresh Walnuts - sold September for eating of tasty white nutmeat inside; Wet Walnut - sold (late September)for eating of the moist tasty nutmeat inside; Inshell - sold (October) for cracking and eating the crunchy nutmeat inside; Shelled - sold (November) for baking, decorating, eating, salads, snacks, etc. Their website is www.walnuts.US.

Wanting to do a "pick your own" and one close to Davis. Impossible Acres is the name and just west of Davis (37945 Rd. 31 - Covell). I never knew how many varieties of blackberries existed! Loads of raspberries and cherries to chose from. The bing cherries get more picking than the rainier because they don't appear as ripe, but in most cases are sweeter. They also had apricots and peaches. It's a great place to bring your young offsprings as they can pick the produce that's lower to the ground while you get the higher ups in both the bushes and trees.