Reid Orchards: Asparagus, Pecans & Apples for Sale

Asparagus is still growing well, and most days I harvest it 2 times per day. I break each spear where it snaps off easily, so almost the entire spear is tender and usable. We have lots of asparagus for sale now and for the next 4 weeks or so, until early June.

We grow 'Jersey Knight' asparagus, an all-male variety that produces many thicker spears that are tender and delicious.

I'm very busy working all over the farm now, so you do need to phone 620-597-2450 a day or two ahead and ordering asparagus, and state to get it. The price including tax has remained the same for 15 years now. It's just $2.96 per pound + tax, harvested.

We still have many cracked pecans and 'Gold Rush' apples for sale now also. From Dec. 16 to June 14 we're open by appointment. That means to phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead, and leave a message on our answering machine with your name, day and time you'll come, and what you want to buy. You can make an appointment to arrive here between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, or between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays, but please state a specific approximate time.

If you're driving on Highway 166, see our highway sign, and come up to our farm, you'll see the sign on our sales building saying we're open by appointment and to phone 620-597-2450. If it's raining, you can call that number, which is a landline to our house, and if I'm in the house, I'll come out to the sales building.

If it's nice weather I'm out pruning or thinning peaches, so ring the bell on the sales building porch very loudly, and I'll come over to the sales building. But if you know you'll be coming this way, please phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead and make an appointment. Thanks.

I finished using pneumatic limb shakers to shake excess young peach fruits from the branches yesterday, April 6, after 10 hours of limb shaking. Now I'll do follow-up hand thinning for the next 3 weeks, so the remaining peaches will get bigger and sweeter and won't touch, to prevent fruit rot.

We had a great pecan crop last year, and will likely have pecans from Bill's pecan breeding program for sale until about early Sept. We also still have some bags of 'Kanza' pecans for sale now, and may sell out of those by late May or June. All these pecans have large nuts, thin shells and great taste, and I give taste samples.

Pecans store well for 3-4 months in a fridge, and for over 6 years in a freezer. We sell cracked pecans in 4-pound bags, which are over 75% pecan kernels and under 25% shell fragments. Each bag has the equivalent of 6 pounds of in-shell pecans, and when you pick out the kernels, you get 3 pounds or more of nutmeats. Each bag costs $19.70 + sales tax.

We also have many harvested #2 'Gold Rush' apples in our cooler, and some #1 apples. #1 'Gold Rush' apples keep in top condition for fresh eating for 10 to 11 months in a fridge when stored in the plastic bags I packed them in. This apple variety gets sweeter after cold storage, as starches convert into sugars. #2 'Gold Rush' apples keep for 3 to 4 months in a fridge, and are great for cutting into slices for fresh eating, baking and making apple butter.

#1 'Gold Rush' apples like these keep in top condition for fresh eating until Sept.

Harvested apples sell for $1.48 per pound + sales tax for #1 fruit with no damage. A 20-pound box of #1 fruit costs $28.57 + sales tax, and you save $1.00. We have some very nice #2 fruit that sell for $1.18 per pound + sales tax. A 20-pound box of #2 fruit costs $23.65 + sales tax, and you save $5.00 including tax over a 20-pound box of #1 fruit.

Projected sales dates for all our crops are shown in the sidebar at left under Crop Sales Seasons. That also tells which crops we sell harvested, and which crops we sell pick-your-own.

As always, we take cash or checks for payment, but NO credit cards or debit cards, and no "apps". We don't use a smart phone, and have no phone line to the sales building. So please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of produce you want to buy. Thanks.