HMC News – September 2026
Harvest at HMC Farms is still going strong! Our late-season peaches continue to surprise us, with harvest
timing settling closer to normal after running well ahead for much of the summer. We expect to have California peaches with great
flavor and eating quality carrying us through the final weeks of the season. In the vineyards, table grape harvest is in full swing, with red, green, and black varieties offering excellent color, crunch, and flavor. As we move further into the month, our focus shifts to maintaining quality, managing maturity, and preparing for the possibility of early fall weather. With plenty of fruit still ahead, this month is a great time to keep California peaches and grapes front and center!
There is currently a hurricane moving through the pacific, making its way towards the California coastline. This is creating more
erratic weather patterns in an already unpredictable year. In the vineyard, we are finishing opening up the plastic that was
previously laid in the center of the rows in preparation for potential rain. At this point we will have covered everything we
want covered by the end of this month. The rain that fell this month was highly localized, leaving some areas dry and others, that were only a mile or two away, fairly wet.
Removing old trees is a normal part of the farming process. In the best-case scenario, an orchard has been productive for more than 15 years, and the trees are removed only after their yields begin to decline. Unfortunately, some varieties do not perform as expected or develop issues that were not apparent when they were planted. Depending on the circumstances, these trees may be grafted to a different variety or removed and replaced. After removal, the trees are ground into wood chips and spread across the field. The ground is then deep ripped to loosen compacted soil and improve drainage, followed by discing to break up clods and smooth the surface. During the winter months, we wait for rain and, when necessary, treat the soil to manage unwanted pests. Once the irrigation system is installed, new trees are planted, and the process of establishing and farming the orchard begins again.
There has been a lot of talk about the potential for a historic El Niño this winter. The last extreme El Niño in 2015–16 showed that impacts can vary widely across California. Increased winter rainfall may replenish soil moisture and water supplies while supporting adequate dormancy in tree fruit and table grapes. However, prolonged wet weather can cause saturated soils, erosion, delayed fieldwork, increased weeds, and greater risk of grapevine trunk diseases. Warm periods may also reduce chill accumulation or encourage early budbreak, increasing frost risk. Ultimately, the timing and intensity of storms will matter more than the El Niño designation alone.
