Specialty Items

Organic Kumquats (50 - 60 count)

Grown In: Terra Bella, CA

There are two varieties that we grow, Nagami and Meiwa. Both are thought to have originated in China but some varieties have come via Japan. The Nagami is oval-shaped and has a sweet peel and a tart flesh. The Meiwa is mostly round and both its flesh and skin are sweet. Both are eaten whole without peeling. Some customers have shown me that it is beneficial to roll the fruit between the palms of the hand. This ruptures the oil sacks in the skin and leaves a very pleasant aroma. The fruit grow on small compact trees with smallish leaves that grow less than 10 feet high. The tree bears early but it is usually 4-6 years old before it bears any respectable quantity of fruit. We try and pick the fruit with its stem attached. This keeps the fruit from spoiling. This, plus the small size of the fruit, makes this produce very labor intensive but oh so worth it.

Lisle Babcock knows his citrus! We love finding innovative growers like Babcock, who are committed to growing new and unusual varieties full of flavor and harvested at their peak of ripeness.  Babcock grew up in a farming family. Citrus was always a favorite -- the family grew five acres of oranges when he was young.  Lisle is also an excellent pomegranate farmer. The seeds of his fresh pomegranates are soft enough to be eaten along with the pulp. The fruit is grown by Babcock and a group of family farmers whose commitment to superior taste, hard-to-find varieties and support of organic growing methods results in unsurpassed flavor and quality.