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HALE'S APPLE FARM
Vendor: Dave Hale
Apples have run in Dave Hale’s family since 1886, when his great-great-grandfather first bought land on the Gravenstein Highway in Sebastopol. Dave and his uncles now own Hale’s Apple Farm and continue to grow thirty varieties of apples there, including the early-harvest Gravensteins and many heirloom varieties. Of his own entry into the world of farming, Dave says this: “I was sitting in the lifeguard chair watching the river roll on by, and decided that I wanted to contribute something to society that was positive - so I decided to feed people.” Dave’s been selling apples at PAFM since 1987. Dave sells at a few other markets, but likes to limit the number, because it’s more personal and he can keep better control over the quality of his produce. He likes PAFM because “It’s a good size for the community. All the growers do well” at our Market. He gets up every Saturday at 3:45am in order to drive the 120 miles from Sebastopol to bring his apples to PAFM, as well as delicious apple juice and small quantities of other tree fruit, like pears. What keeps customers returning to his stand? Dave thinks people buy his apples because “they like having a choice of varieties, they appreciate the heirloom species, and the quality is high.” Apples that he sells at our market on Saturday are generally picked the day before, so they are very fresh. “I grow tree-ripened fruit that is picked the day before the market. If I’m going to be selling at the market on Sunday, we’re out picking on Saturday.” Why is picking fresh apples that are tree-ripened so important? “When the fruit is picked prematurely, it hasn’t had time to develop the correct sugar-to-acid ratios that give it that good flavor…My focus is growing the best quality, tree-ripened fruit that I can.” Recipe - Sauteed Apples: Peel and slice a few apples, saute them in butter and brown sugar. Toss in a few smashed Gibson walnuts and some Fruit Factory raisins and serve as a side dish for pork.
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