This will only be temporary. Growers in Southern California are quickly cleaning up the fields. Warm days and light winds will bring on some super sweet, big, red and juicy Strawberries, just in time for all the Easter and Spring menus. With drier weather in the San Joaquin Valley, growers are back to full harvest of the premier eating orange in all the world, the Navel. This time of year, Navel Orange skins tend to get somewhat puffy.
Recent rains can actually increase that puffiness.
Some growers we have talked with are now having a greater pack-out of choice fruit because of the puffiness. On the brighter side, the increased water content of the fruit means less dry-cell and also less acid in the fruit which gives you a much sweeter tasting fruit. Temperatures in the desert growing region may be great for upcoming corn and melons, but not so good for lettuces in the fields. Lettuce supplies from the desert may hit a wall and abruptly end. Production in Salinas is still several weeks away.