GO BEYOND FOUR SEASONS

EARLY

Bi-Color Sweet Corn
Grown by Jake in Kinderhook, New York

Corn has arrived — and Jake’s first pickings are tasting incredible. Grown in the sandy, well-drained soils of the Hudson Valley, these bi-color ears are generously sized, with tightly packed kernels that are deeply sweet and exceptionally creamy.

As each stalk only produces one harvest, Jake plants in weekly succession, a method that ensures consistent quality through the end of September. That attention to timing, combined with his precision in picking ripe ears, means flavor stays concentrated up until the first frost.

The soil in the Hudson Valley – sandy and well-drained – is ideal for corn, for which Jake has dedicated 50 acres. As corn only yields one harvest per planting, Jake plans methodically, planting in weekly successions to stretch the season to the fullest.

His fields benefit from long summer days and well-aerated soils — all ideal conditions for growing corn with depth of flavor. Every planting is scheduled according to projected temperatures and rainfall, with Jake walking the fields daily to monitor ripeness. He harvests early in the morning, when sugar levels are highest, and picks only when the ears are fully mature — tightly filled out and silky but not overripe. That level of attention means you get consistent size, sweetness, and texture week after week.

LATE

Nectaplums
Grown by Nick in Reedley, California

With the dense sugars of a White Nectarine and the juicy tang of a Plum, Nick Boldt’s Nectaplums are packed with intensity. Slightly more acidic than a white peach but balanced by soft, floral sweetness, they deliver a full-spectrum stone fruit flavor — rich, bright, and intensely aromatic. They are grown in limited quantities; therefore, their season is fleeting, typically lasting only a couple of weeks. Get them while you can.

This year, Nectaplums and Nick’s stone fruit across the board are tasting especially good. A mild spring followed by steady summer heat in Reedley has allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and evenly on the tree. Those warm days and cool nights have helped build concentrated sugars without compromising acidity — ideal conditions for stone fruit with nuance and structure.

Nick Boldt farms over 100 varieties of stone fruit on his land in Reedley, each one chosen for its eating quality, not its yield or shelf life. He always prioritizes flavor over uniformity — planting heirloom and hybrid varieties with character, and letting fruit ripen fully on the tree.

Unlike most commercial growers, Nick refuses to pick early. His fruit is harvested only at full maturity — when sugar levels have peaked and natural acidity is still present to bring balance. He walks his orchards daily to monitor ripeness and harvests by hand, often returning to the same tree several times across a week to catch the fruit at just the right moment.

With heat building and pressures from rain and pests increasing, the window for local cherries is closing fast. These last few picks reflect the full ripeness of the season from the Northeast before the focus shifts west.