The central San Joaquin Valley stone-fruit harvest is gaining momentum, according to the weekly crop report from the Fresno County Department of Agriculture. Last week, workers picked apricots, nectarines, peaches and cherries in area orchards.
Apricots are a delicious early summer treat.
The harvest usually begins in mid-May and runs through August. June and July are the peak months for buying fresh apricots. These golden fruits have long been valued as a source of special powers, both real and imagined. Astronauts on the Apollo 13 mission to the moon ate lots of apricots to supply their bodies with potassium, a vital element needed to keep heart muscles healthy during long periods of weightlessness. The fruits also contain vitamin C and iron and are low in calories.