HMC News – October 2022

California table grapes are still in full swing, but the import season is swiftly approaching. Shipping flow and port delays have been issues in the past. While we don’t anticipate large volumes of Peruvian grapes to arrive until mid to late December, more Peruvian grapes are headed to the US this year. Some companies have already begun shipments, which is historically earlier than normal. In regards to grape volume, this is the first year Peru is set to eclipse Chile in total table grape production. For California, the California Table Grape Commission has dropped their estimate from 97 million total boxes to 92.5 million. Even though the overall volume has dropped, the remaining volume is higher than previous years. This means we should see no shortage of availability through most of December the same as in previous years.

We are officially into our late season varieties on grapes, Allison and Autumn King. The fruit is looking great and we are continuing to harvest a bit ahead of schedule. Planning is already well underway for next year’s planting. Varieties have been selected, plants have been ordered, the new irrigation systems are being designed, and trellis install is in process.

With the tree fruit season winding to a close, now is the time we focus on replenishing the soil for the season to come. Earlier this year, when flowers and leaves were present, tissue and soil samples were taken from the orchards and vineyards. This gave us a snapshot of the plant nutrients status. Samples were studied so that each block could receive a custom blend of fertilizer to keep it healthy and performing at its peak. Now that harvest is almost complete, we continue to replenish the soil with compost. Compost enriches the soil with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while also improving soil pH and the biological properties.

HMC hosted our annual blood drive. Blood donations are in short supply. We found by providing an opportunity to donate on site, many who would not have the time are able to contribute to the ever-present need for donations. It is always exciting to see people come together from every part of the operation and support such a great cause.

HMC Farms recently had the opportunity to attend the IFG Field Day. IFG is one of the prominent table grape breeders based out of California. The field days are designed to provide growers and retailers the opportunity to view and sample new grape varieties. The feedback and dialogue will help shape the future of the grape breeding program. The most exciting part of the Field Day included touring the new Fruitworks facility, their new research and breeding center. The planted experimental vines are grafted on to several different rootstocks which allows us to analyze each vine’s characteristics and help us decide which variety and rootstocks combination will work best in our soils.

HMC News – October 30, 2019

This year is the 40th anniversary of the original Lunch Bunch® grapes! Lunch Bunch grapes were the original value added grape solution for HMC Farms, dating back to 1979, and they continue to be a staple in our product offerings. To learn more about the Lunch Bunch, contact your HMC Farms salesperson.

Crop Update:

Table grape harvest continues to thrive in the current weather conditions. Timco, Allison, and Vintage red seedless grapes and Autumn King green seedless grapes are in active harvest. Tree pruning will begin soon in our peach, nectarine, and plum orchards. The forecast shows more sunny days with high temperatures in the low to mid 70s. We still have seen no signs of early rain, which is unusual this far into October.

HMC News – October 23, 2019

PMA Fresh Summit was a great opportunity to catch up with many of our customers, vendors, and other produce industry contacts. Thank you to those who took the time to stop by our booth and also view our Nickelodeon™ ready-to-eat grape packs in the Fresh Ideas Showcase! We hope you enjoyed a glimpse into what’s new and what we have coming soon. If you didn’t have an opportunity to visit us at Fresh Summit, contact your HMC Farms salesperson for more information on our new products and plans for the coming year.

Crop Update: 

Timco, Allison, and Vintage red seedless grapes and Autumn King green seedless grapes are in active harvest. The forecast shows sunny days with high temperatures in the mid to high 80s over the next few days, dropping off over the weekend to start next week in the mid 70s. There is still no rain in the forecast, which is a little unusual at this point in the year, but we will continue to monitor any chances of precipitation as they arise.

HMC News – October 16, 2019

PMA Fresh Summit is this week in Anaheim, California! Stop by our booth to say hello and learn about our peaches, plums, nectarines, and table grapes. Our Nickelodeon™ ready-to-eat grape packs featuring SpongeBob™ and PAW Patrol™ characters are part of the Fresh Ideas Showcase, so be sure to check them out at the expo! If you haven’t scheduled a meeting with HMC yet, contact your HMC salesperson to confirm remaining time slots.

Crop Update:

Timco and Allison red seedless grapes and Autumn King green seedless grapes are in active harvest. Vintage red seedless grapes are beginning harvest as well. The forecast shows mostly sunny days with high temperatures in the 70s, and overnight low temperatures in the high 40s. This weather pattern of warm days and cool nights is conducive to grape maturity. While there is no imminent threat of precipitation in the forecast, we will continue to monitor any chances of early rain that may arise in the coming weeks.

HMC News – October 9, 2019

On Friday, October 4, Harold McClarty received the Award of Distinction from University of California, Davis. This award is the highest recognition given by the university to individuals whose achievements and contributions enrich the UC Davis image and reputation and enhance its ability to provide public service. Harold, who served on the university’s Board of Trustees for six years, and the McClarty family are long-time supporters of UC Davis, making this honor particularly special. Click here to read more on this topic.

Crop Update:

Fall post-harvest fertilizer is currently being applied to our peach, plum, and nectarine orchards. The fertilizer helps replenish the trees’ nutritional reserves, and is essential for fall root development. In spring, these reserves will provide an important energy source as the trees come out of dormancy. Timco and Allison red seedless grapes and Autumn King green seedless grapes are in active harvest. The weather is cooperating well with table grape growth.

HMC News – October 2, 2019

Allison red seedless table grapes are now in harvest! The crunchy texture and sweet flavor of the berries make Allison a memorable varietal that brings people back for more. Contact your HMC salesperson for more information on pack styles and availability.

Crop Update:

HMC Farms tree fruit season is winding down, but table grape harvest is still going strong. At this point, all vines have been covered for rain protection. Timco, Allison, and Krissy red seedless grapes are in harvest, as well as Autumn King green seedless grapes. The forecast shows a few cool days leading up to a warm start to next week. The overnight lows are in a range that should help move the color along in our red seedless grape varietals.

HMC News – September 25, 2019

We are currently in the process of placing vine cover on our late season grape varieties. Vine cover protects grapes from early rain in September and October. The timing of the cover placement is important because we don’t want to cover the vines in very hot temperatures and trap heat around the grapes, but we also want to protect the grapes from rainfall as early as possible. We normally begin covering our grape vines in early to mid September, when we begin to see chances of precipitation in the forecast.

Crop Update:

Harvest continues to slow for HMC Farms tree fruit. Table grape harvest is in full swing. Timco red seedless grapes have begun harvest. Allison red seedless and Autumn King green seedless grapes will harvest soon. The weather on our farms has jumped back into the 90s for a few days, but the forecast shows a progressive drop in high temperatures, putting highs in the 70s to start next week.

HMC News – September 18, 2019

Holiday plums are here! We wait all year for this HMC Farms proprietary red plum that has green undertones, speckled skin, and a sweet and distinctive flavor. Contact your HMC Farms salesperson for more information on availability.

Crop Update:

Harvest is slowing for HMC Farms tree fruit. Scarlet Royal and Krissy red seedless table grapes and Autumn King green seedless table grapes are in harvest. Timco and Allison red seedless grapes will harvest soon. The forecast shows high temperatures ranging from the low 80s to the low 90s. We are closely monitoring any chances of early rain, which tend to pop up in the second half of September.

HMC News – September 11, 2019

HMC Farms just won the Buyer’s Choice Award with our new SpongeBob™ and PAW Patrol™ grape multipacks at the California Food Expo! For more information on these products, contact Chelsea: chelseak@hmcfarms.com. These products will be in the Fresh Ideas Showcase at PMA Fresh Summit, where HMC Farms will be present at booth #3079. Contact your HMC Farms salesperson if you’d like to schedule a time to meet at PMA regarding this or other topics.

Crop Update:

Harvest is slowing for HMC Farms tree fruit. Holiday plums are now available! Krissy and Scarlet Royal red seedless table grapes, and Great Green green seedless table grapes are in harvest. Timco and Allison red seedless and Autumn King green seedless grapes will harvest soon. The forecast shows fluctuating temperatures. At this point in the year, we have to watch out for chances of early rain.

HMC News – September 4, 2019

HMC Farms is competing in the California Food Expo’s Golden State Award with our new SpongeBob™ and PAW Patrol™ grape multipacks. This award is based on social media likes on the product photo on Instagram and Facebook. Help us win by liking the photo on both platforms! For more information on how to purchase these products, contact Chelsea: chelseak@hmcfarms.com.

Crop Update:

Harvest is slowing down a bit for HMC Farms peaches, plums, and nectarines. Table grape harvest continues with Krissy and Scarlet Royal red seedless table grapes, and Ivory and Great Green green seedless table grapes in harvest. Timco red seedless grapes will harvest soon, followed by Allison red seedless and Autumn King green seedless grape harvest beginning near the end of the month. The forecast shows a few more hot days, with a break in the heat over the weekend and into next week.