Thursday Nov 01 2012
Otow Orchard in Granite Bay
By: Anne Stokes, Press Tribune Correspondent
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Joshua Bingham, 15, and Aviana Petrikin, 13, of Auburn snack on pears from Otow Orchard at the Granite Bay farm's open house.
Joshua Bingham, 15, and Aviana Petrikin, 13, of Auburn snack on pears from Otow Orchard at the Granite Bay farm's open house.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Hachiya persimmons drying in the sun at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The labor-intensive process can take one to two months of drying and processing, depending on the weather.
Hachiya persimmons drying in the sun at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The labor-intensive process can take one to two months of drying and processing, depending on the weather.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Alison Harris offers Lara Khan and daughter Ella of Citrus Heights, left, a taste of dried Hachiya persimmons at the Otow Orchard's open house tour in Granite Bay.
Alison Harris offers Lara Khan and daughter Ella of Citrus Heights, left, a taste of dried Hachiya persimmons at the Otow Orchard's open house tour in Granite Bay.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Tosh Kuratomi demonstrates the Hachiya persimmon drying process at Otow Orchard's open house in Granite Bay. Kuratomi's family farm is one of the few that takes on the traditional and labor-intensive process, making their dried persimmons highly prized.
Tosh Kuratomi demonstrates the Hachiya persimmon drying process at Otow Orchard's open house in Granite Bay. Kuratomi's family farm is one of the few that takes on the traditional and labor-intensive process, making their dried persimmons highly prized.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Christy Kuratomi rings up customers at the Otow Orchard's fruit shop.
Christy Kuratomi rings up customers at the Otow Orchard's fruit shop.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Placer County master gardener Mary Lou Meredith picks up a pair of pears at Otow Orchard's fruit stand during the Granite Bay farm's open house.
Placer County master gardener Mary Lou Meredith picks up a pair of pears at Otow Orchard's fruit stand during the Granite Bay farm's open house.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Otow Orchards in Granite Bay has made an effort to employ sustainable and organic farming practices since 2006, including the use of earthworms to improve soil quality.
Otow Orchards in Granite Bay has made an effort to employ sustainable and organic farming practices since 2006, including the use of earthworms to improve soil quality.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Julie Steele of Fair Oaks gives a demonstration on earthworm cultivation at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The 40 acre farm, which has been in the same family for 101 years, made a shift in 2006 to focus on sustainable and organic farming methods.
Julie Steele of Fair Oaks gives a demonstration on earthworm cultivation at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The 40 acre farm, which has been in the same family for 101 years, made a shift in 2006 to focus on sustainable and organic farming methods.
Anne Stokes/The Press Tribune
Hachiya persimmons in degrees of drying at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The labor-intensive process can take a month or two, depending on the season and weather conditions. After harvesting, the peeled fruit spends about a week drying in the late summer heat and is then transferred inside to air dry for a few weeks. The fruit must be routinely "massaged" to promote even drying and avoid mold (the white on the finished product is the fruit's natural sugar).
Hachiya persimmons in degrees of drying at Otow Orchards in Granite Bay. The labor-intensive process can take a month or two, depending on the season and weather conditions. After harvesting, the peeled fruit spends about a week drying in the late summer heat and is then transferred inside to air dry for a few weeks. The fruit must be routinely "massaged" to promote even drying and avoid mold (the white on the finished product is the fruit's natural sugar).
Otow Orchard was featured on the Placer Farm & Barn Tour in October, where the Hachiya persimmon drying process was demonstrated.