Secrets & Lies
Crop Report = Mango Confusion
Sometimes a report lacking information tells all I’ve reported countless times over the past many years about how climate change has made everything wildly unpredictable. So, am I surprised by how erratic and confusing things are in the orchards right now? Not at all. I often use the word unravel when it comes to my…
Continue ReadingMango Trend of the Year
The elevated shopping experience & #MangoJoy This year’s top food trend, which appears on nearly every food sector trend list, is, in my opinion, the culmination of many past trends finally converging. It’s also the most meaningful trend I see for mangoes—and one that truly excites me and one I plan to keep chasing: the…
Continue ReadingHold On Just a Bit……and Then Let Loose
Round fruit inflexible for as lower yields and high demand wreak havoc When I was a little girl in southern California I used to race my bother on this little honda 50 on my pony Cricket. We would race down this long ass trail next to a creek with all kinds of bends and bumps…
Continue ReadingWhere Is the Spine in International Women’s “Day”?
Building bridges: diversity & inclusion It’s a weird day, this International Woman’s Day thing. It feels important but like we’ve made a very serious topic frivolous by placing it in a “day category”, next to International Ice Cream Day and International Siblings Day. My gut feeling is that this rather uncomfortable topic is placed here…
Continue ReadingUnstained Facts on Southern Ataulfos
Uncovering the facts about Ataulfo mango Latex staining & sap injury This article was originally posted on Under the Mango Tree in February of 2017 and has been updated here. Over the years, I really thought I understood the major problems affecting the “king of fruits,” specifically the varietals and those from the countries I…
Continue ReadingTommy Atkins = Mi Favorito Mango
A deep dive into the when’s, why’s and how’s of the firm fleshed, farmer friendly mango My favorite mango is a Tommy Atkins, but it’s not because it’s farmer and supply chain friendly. It’s my favorite because it’s culinarily versatile and it also happens to be farmer and supply chain friendly which isn’t a…
Continue ReadingMango Mania Begins- Despite Mango Chaos
Climate-induced unpredictability & heightened demand creates chaos in mangoland The show must go on. Our annual summer promotion, Crespo Organic Summer Mango Mania #MuchosMangoes starts today despite ultra-chaotic, confused markets particularly on the conventional side, which creates significate pressures on the organic side of things. Despite considerably delays with the Nayarit fruit starting, our show…
Continue ReadingLos Mochis Transition in Motion
McAllen enjoys the last fruits of our labor while Nogales embraces a bit more propaganda Here is the brief take-away from this article: Hot water baths are not bad, and untreated fruit is not better. The end of the season is complex for all- let facts be your guide. For a handful of us who…
Continue Reading#OrchardReport
The yin and yang of seasonal rains, an abundance of complexities Someone asked me recently why I haven’t posted anything under my Secrets & Lies category for a while. Most of the truth of my answer was I forgot about it. But buried in that answer is also, I (like everyone) sometimes don’t like…
Continue ReadingForetelling the Mexican Season Wind Down
It’s complicated depending on who you ask….. Currently Crespo Organic is on the downside of peak of Kent season from Sinaloa. The Nayarit region has finished and all packhouses in that region have closed. Our orchards in Sinaloa, which dot the surrounding area of our hometown El Rosario and encircle our main packhouse, Empaque Don…
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