A California Fruit Farm Cultivates Healthy Options

Enya visited Brentwood Rare Fruit Farm in Contra Costa County, California, where she learned about organic farming.

Have you ever chosen unusual fruits from the supermarket, only to be disappointed by the quality? A “You-Pick” (or “U-Pick”) farm offers a hands-on experience, where you can select your own fruits directly from the tree. This option comes with the added benefit of getting fresh and affordable fruits.

I recently visited Brentwood Rare Fruit Farm in Contra Costa County, California. Located about 60 miles east of San Francisco, the farm grows jujube trees, Pakistan mulberry trees, and a variety of other fruit trees. Jujube trees have been grown in Asia for thousands of years. The trees, which tend not to attract pests, produce small fruits, similar to plums, that are tart and sweet. 

Brentwood owner David Yu spoke about the advantages and challenges of organic fruit farming. His farm grows organic fruits in accordance with United States Department of Agriculture standards. Generally, that means no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or weed killers have been used on the soil in at least three years. 

Yu said that efficient weed killers are available for purchase in the U.S. “One spray, and you can’t see a single weed,” he told me. But, he added, he doesn’t believe in using chemical weed killers. Such products can cause harm to humans and lead to asthma and other serious medical ailments.

In order to create safer, more nutritious products, Yu is willing to devote extra care and effort to controlling weeds and keeping ants and other pests from damaging his crops. “We have to use a machine to mow down all the weeds,” he explained. “But I’m willing to pay that cost if I can help make lives better and healthier.”

To minimize damage caused by ants, slugs, and lady bugs, Yu and his team employ a range of strategies, including picking fruit on a daily basis.

CONCERNS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Like other farmers, Yu worries about the threats posed by climate change. Scientists say that human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels such as gas and coal, is leading to a warming climate. Shifts in global temperatures are contributing to an increase in the number and severity of extreme weather events. Droughts are also becoming more common and more deadly.

“As a farmer, I can see that down the road, in 10 or 20 years, the issue will be very severe,” Yu said.

Already, a rise in temperatures worldwide has caused crops and fruit trees to wither and dry up. Numerous fruits are maturing and dropping from trees before their anticipated time.

“If it keeps becoming hotter, we won’t be able to produce quality fruit,” Yu warned. “In time, grain, corn, soybeans, and vegetables will dry out too fast, and we’ll have a huge problem.”