Sweet Satsuma Season

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Sweet Satsuma Season

Satsuma mandarins, especially the Owari variety, are among the most popular fruits grown in Placer County today. Their local roots reach back to the late 1880s, when mandarins were one part of a varied agricultural landscape. Vibrant orchards in Penryn, Newcastle, and Loomis grew plums, pears, grapes, and mandarins, with plums and pears making up the largest share. Lush land, rich soil, ideal weather, and the farmers’ work ethic, pride, and knowledge helped agriculture flourish in these foothills for decades. The region became known nationwide as “The fruit basket of America.” If you lived in the Midwest during those years, you were most likely enjoying a juicy Bartlett pear from Newcastle, CA. As disease affected pear and plum crops over time, farms that suffered losses began replanting with mandarins. County agricultural leaders strongly supported citrus marketing, attracting a new generation of customers and growers—over 80 growers in fact! A handful have grown mandarins for decades, carrying forward the knowledge and skills of earlier generations. The lessons passed from farmers to their successors remain as precious as the treasured family recipe book. Like many orchards in the region, Twin Peaks experienced crop losses and replanted with mandarins alongside a full array of stone fruit. Although mandarins have not been our primary crop, we have produced delicious, certified organic Satsumas for many years. Placer County now boasts over 80 growers cultivating satsuma mandarins. Warm days, cool nights, and several microclimates within a single orchard give each farm’s fruit its own distinctive flavor. Growing and harvesting practices also vary and can influence the quality and characteristics of the mandarins, as well as their price. Prices vary by farm and season rather than following one set seasonal price. Each farmer draws on their knowledge and experience to set a price that accounts for the operational costs of producing the crop and reflects the quality of the fruit. For over 100 years, four generations of our family have nurtured the farm’s self-sustaining ecosystem through close attention and care. That family tree connects each generation to the roots of Twin Peaks Orchards, the largest diverse, organic orchard still producing in Placer County. We believe this is what makes our mandarins extra special. Here’s to another Sweet Satsuma Season!

First of the Season!

Starting this Friday, will have mandarins at the farmstand! Like any other fruit, harvest is lighter in the beginning of the season, growing week after week. Especially with this weather! But there is nothing light about the flavor. Bright, complex, sweet with some tart, this season is sure to have exceptional citrus! Try for yourselves!