Berry Review...Research and Findings, by Leslie Goldman, Your Enchanted Gardener as recorded on the Plant Your Dream Curezone Blog, May 3, 2006.

Date:   5/2/2006 10:29:28 AM ( 18 y ago)

"A huckleberry never reaches Boston;
they have not been known there since
they grew on her three hills.
The ambrosial and essential part of the fruit
is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off
in the market cart,
and they become mere provender.
As long as Eternal Justice reigns,
not one innocent huckleberry
can be transported
thither from the country's hills."
--from the Chapter Ponds in Waldern
by Henry David Thoreau.


May 2, 2006
8:17 AM

Dr. Bernard Jensen,
the 20th century elder
of organic celebration,
in reference to a quote by Henry
David Thoreau, once said,
"A ripe berry never reaches Boston!"

The day of the eve of May Day, April 30, 2006,
at Whole Foods Market Hillcrest,*
located at 711 University Ave,
San Diego. 92103.

Ten cases of Super Ripe, locally grown,
picked that morning strawberries, were brought
to the Hillcrest Farmers' Market by Joe Rodriquez
Jr and his family. The berries arrived in two trucks,
at two different times making two deliveries necessary
of five boxes
each to Whole Foods.

The Berries were grown on the Rodriguez land
that has been in organic cultivation since 1985.
J R Organics is
31030 Rodriguez Rd
Escondido,, CA CA 92026
USA


I, Leslie Goldman, Your Enchanted Gardener,
attest that I transported these ten cases to the nearly
Whole Foods Market in Hillcrest, where from the evidence
I may have come close to breaking an eternal
Divine Law. A Ripe berry may never have reached Boston,
but ten cases of very ripe strawberries did reach Whole Foods
Market. Of the 120 pints that were delivered and offered
up on the shelves between 10:42 AM and nearing closing,
116 of the pints were sold. The other four were put in cold
storage at the end of the day. They spent the night nearby
the other commercially organic strawberries that had been
picked four to five days before, a bit distant from the
other blueberries and even farther from the
non-organic Strawberries that were once
again restored for sale the following morning.

I feel sad to report that the remaining Super Ripe four pints
of the locally grown super ripe, fresh picked berries,
harvested in the early hours of April 30, were not returned
to the sales area the next morning, as reported by
Bill Becket, produce manager. They were deemed
to0 ripe to be sold. I completely trust the judgement
of Bill Becket, who has more than 30 years in the produce
business.

I apologize for to the DIvine Forces that these
four pints may have gone to the compost;
hopefully, there is a smile on someone's face,
or a little more blush,on the face of the Team Member
who may have eating a few of The Lost Berries.
Only the Fates may attest to that.

HOW THE BERRIES GOT to SAN DIEGO

When Joe Rodriguez Jr. first began
delivering strawberries to Farmers' Markets
in 1985, gas was about $1.00 a gallon.
He uses the middle grade in the trucks that
get about 15 miles per gallon. The trip is about
40 miles one way, and the cost near $40.00.
Since 1985, water costs have gone up in San
Diego County, one of the most expensive areas
to farm in the USA. Labor costs have gone up
from around $4.35 per hour to $6.75. Rising
Insurance costs bring this to about $9.50 per hour.
The roll of plastic, that keeps the berries from
touching the ground has gone from around
$30.00 to $105.00 a roll. The T-strip that
transports the water has gone up tremendously.
The little green pint baskets are around 85 cents
each, and the boxes about 80 cents each.

When Joe began growing strawberries here,
this Fourth Generation farming family, owned
this land. Since then, the elders wanted to share
of the land values and were bought out at extreme
emotional and financial expense. Today Joe and
family lease the land they once owned. Papa Joe,
Elder of the family, has three sons and three daughters.
Each with large families. He questions if it is wise
to advice the offspring to go into farming. IT is just
a very difficult life.

Growing organic food has always been the delight
of Joe Rodriguez Jr. He was first introduced to the idea
in the 80's and had personal experience with the ills
and side effects of pesticides. Numbers of his own family
have lung conditions.

The organic side was paid for by the commercial flower growing
on other properties. Most recently, shifts in the flower
market have made it almost impossible to make a profit.
Papa Joe, shares that most flowers are coming in now
from more than 30 countries.

The Blue Pacific Warehouse, once owned by Joe
Rodriguez Sr. was sold a few years back. The one
time warehouse, that worked on commission,
in its heyday had supported more than 30 or more
growers and generated up to $4 million profit a year
for the local economy. Most of those growers are now
out of business. "More than 30 countries are now
focused on the US flower market," he says.
Most of the local growers are out of business.
some have gone into Mexico where labor costs
are less expensive. Most sold off their ranches
to development.

A family strong on faith, Joe Sr, sees a new
beginning for organics.

"Once we were mainly into the wholesale side.
We could Swiss Chard sold for $2.00 a bunch.
Then the larger commercial growers came in.
The entire price strructure shifted. Swiss Chard
is about $1.00 a bunch, and the costs have gone
up tremendously."

In his heydey, this family farm generated
around $600.000 a year in organics.
Now, the family is primarily focused on the
local Farmers' Markets. Joe Sr. explains that
their is a cash flow, and you can make a profit,
but there is little volume.


THE STRAWBERRY SEASON

The San Diego County strawberry season
can be as long as five months, depending on the weather.
The berries do well in mild temperatures.
They can come in as early as January and last
through the early summer.

FLOWER MARKET--
Callilitties will grow organically
and are a good family investment

Calliliies are flower crop that also grows well
and has economic potential, and little local competition.
It is difficult to ship. It has a long growing season.

Aside: As far as the flower market, most
flower growing requires pesticides.
Statice is one flower that does not.
Callilillies are a likely crop for this family.
It will grow without pesticides. It likes
colder climates, but Joe Sr. has adapted the bulb
to this climate.
I wonder if a grant could be gotten to support
the family in entering more strongly the orgnanic
flower market...Follow up!!!

The other crop the family is growing in the
flower area, are baby pumpkins. They make
lovely wreaths available in the fall. These require
pesticides...the bug life is just too strong, he says.)

FLOWER PESTICIDE USE:

Thanks to Liora Leah's
Research for these:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/flowers020204.cfm


RESOURCES:

Organic Bouquet Inc.

OrganicBouquet.com is an online source offering fresh organic flowers. Order through this link and Organic Bouquet will donate 10 percent of your purchase to the Breast Cancer Fund: http://www.organicbouquet.com/Info.aspx?pid=158&msource=news0106&tr=y&auid=13...

Some independent farms and farmers markets offer fresh organic flowers year-round. Local Harvest lists over 1,500 sources of organic flowers in the United States, and allows you to search for the ones nearest you:
http://www.localharvest.org/search.jsp?&ty=-1&st=0&nm=%20organic%20flowers


Your Enchanted Gardener,
Leslie

* Whole Foods Market Hillcrest,
located at 711 University Ave., Hillcrest area,
San Diego, 92103history was made. Cross
street is 7th, one block east of 6th Street,
off the Univesity Exit Hwy 163 south of Hwy 8.


more to come...

8:44 AM
9:34 AM
10:16 AM
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