Harvest of finger limes in California has reached almost the season's mid-way point. For Shanley Farms, it still has several hundred trees that are in their growth phase and haven't hit full maturity and production yet on finger limes. "We have trees that are five years old, eight years old, 10 years old, and so on and they are just getting more volume as time goes on," says Megan Shanley Warren of Shanley Farms.
Harvest of this year's crop began at the grower's Visalia ranch in June and it will finish up with its Morro Bay ranch generally just after Christmas. "However, we have a huge flush of flowers that have just come on, which will be a nice amount of fruit through January at the earliest," she says.
Varietal notes
Shanley Farms is harvesting its main variety right now, a champagne-colored finger lime, but it also has its emerald finger lime which is a bright, fluorescent green. "Those trees are producing in the June-August timeframe. Then we have a ruby red variety, Byron Sunrise, which isn't yet in production. Those trees are still in their early days of life," says Shanley Warren.
As for finger lime demand, it is growing thanks to a few influencing movements, including consumers being more health-minded and interested in sources of vitamin C as well as the mixology movement which has spurred growth in cocktails but also mocktails. "I think people are starting to get more familiar with finger limes and calling in orders for them because our demand is definitely growing," she says.
All of this is leaving pricing on finger limes relatively steady and similar to last year at this time.
For more information:
Megan Shanley Warren
Shanley Farms
Tel: +1 (805) 323-6525
[email protected]
https://www.shanleyfarms.com/