Fruit of the Philippines - Aratilis

Almost part of any Filipino childhood is eating the organic fruit snack, aratilis. Also known as the mansanitas (tiny apples) in my province, its scientific name is Muntingia calabura. It is small tree that grows about 7 to 12 meters. This makes it easy for children to reach up and grab its fruit or climb it. However, climbing is not advised because its branches are thin and can not bear weight well.

The aratilis is popular among Filipinos because it’s a ready-to-eat fruit snack. With juicy sweet pulp and miniature seeds that you can eat with each bite, it can be an addictive treat. Our common rivals for it are the fruit bats that often stay up in the tree at night.

Summer is often when the aratilis tree flowers and blooms. Much like the apple tree (or mansanas in Filipino), it starts off with green unripe fruit that’s hard and bitter and later on, it ripens to give you soft, ripe, red and juicy fruit.

a.k.a. Mansanitas

Due to to the fructose content in its fruit, the aratilis is not only a source of happy summer moments but also of good energy and fun for children of all ages.

What fruit brings you back to happy childhood memories?

In 1960, the Verhage family began its legacy of growing quality fruit and products on their pick your own fruit farm located at 8619 West ML Ave., Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. The Verhages Fruit Farm and Cider Mill offers a variety of fresh produce and hosts festivals like the 2011 Apple Fest and Spring Fling 2011.

The Verhages Fruit Farm and Cider Mill makes their own apple cider from a 125 year old cider press. Other attractions at the farm are pony rides, u-pick, a huge pumpkin air jump, the apple train and even a zip line challenge!

This fruit picking farm also offers weekly tours. You can visit Grandpa Vern’s animal barn, get on a scenic hay ride and see how a cider press works! At the end of the tour, you can visit the donut shop for a free sample of their hot cake donuts.

Have you visited the Verhages Fruit Farm and Cider Mill? Tell us what you think of the farm on Facebook or leave us a comment below.

The tambis or makopa (Syzygium samarangense) is one of those fruit that has many names. This causes quite a confusion because there are several varieties of the fruit. To my knowledge, there are three varieties found here. There’s the pink bell-shaped makopa, the green bell-shaped one and the oval-shaped tambis.

What we have growing on our front yard is the green one. The tree has grown a bit more than 20 feet and is well-loved by kids. This organic fruit snack is meaty with white pulp and its taste can be bland to juicy sweet.

The tambis grows from a regular lemon size to a mature kiwi fruit. It grows in singles, pairs, triplets and sometimes in clusters of four to six fruits. Our makopa is seedless. For added sweetness, we would normally water our tree with water laced with brown sugar.

Do you know of any dried fruit snacks made from this tropical fruit? We would love to know about it on Facebook or leave us a comment below.

If there’s one fruit that’s almost a staple in homes all over, it’s the apple. This is so because the apple is not only juicy and delicious, it has no fat, cholesterol or sodium but only has a small amount of potassium with every bite. It is also one of those fruits that you can transform into another delicious treat like jams, sauces, pies and cider.

In America, there are numerous pick your own fruit farms where you can find different varieties of apples. Depending on the location of the apple picking orchards, varieties like Arkansas Black, Bailey Sweet, Connell Red, Sweet Sixteen, Egremont Russet, Golden Delicious, London Apple, Maiden’s Blush, Northfield Beauty, Prairie Spy, Red Baron, Summer Rambo, Twenty Ounce and Zabergu Reinette.

Fruit picking farms also offer other activities. Yes, it’s not all just harvesting of apples. Some farms allow camping and hiking. Others give tours, rides on horses, mazes and free seminars on how to make cider or apple sauce.

Are you an avid apple picker? Which orchard do you love to visit? Share us your experience on Facebook or leave us a comment below.

Family outings are almost always much more anticipated when you drive up somewhere with your family. This is why apple picking farms make that list of places to go for family affairs. You need to travel a bit to get where they are and they offer a wide variety of activities that you and your family can enjoy.

Aside from its obvious description where u pick apples, these farms is also a hub of learning. Apples can come in different forms and as a healthy snack, it contains vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. If you want to lose weight, an apple diet can help you shed pounds off your body. Healthy eating plans include eating 3 or 5 apples a day and mixing it up with vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, fats and sweets.

The popularity of fruit picking farms is also based on its flexibility on harvesting, packing and other fruit-related tasks. Children of different ages can go about picking apples (with guidance from parents or guardians) and can also join other treats like petting farm animals and watching how apple cider is made and more.

When was your last visit to an apple farm? Share your answers with us on Facebook or leave us a comment here.

Founded in 1977 by Sidney Weiser with wife Racquel and with branches in California, USA at the Lucerne Valley, Tehachapi and Greater Bakersfield area,  Weiser Family Farms specialize in providing quality fruit crops and vegetables all year. A family-run fruit farm, children Dan, Esther and Alex also joined in managing the farm. Weiser Family Farms began its operations of growing fruit trees like pears, apples and peaches. Eventually, it grew to include flowers and vegetables.

Catering to different restaurants in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Napa Valley, Weiser Family Farms supplies fruits and vegetables to top chefs and star-quality establishments. Aside from fruit like the Cavaillon melons (a french breakfast melon), it offers a variety of potatoes (purple, heirloom mix, banana fingerlings, purple pruvians, Ozette fingerlings, red thumbs fingerlings, french fingerlings, ruby crecent and La Ratte fingerlings), carrots (yellow, Nantes, purple haze, white and purple rain), beets (Chiogga, golden, and red) and more. Some notable vegetables are the Romanesco Cauliflower, Red Carrots (that are pink inside), Jerusalem Artichokes and Butternut Squash.

Have you visited any Weiser fruit and vegetable stands at the Farmer’s Market? We welcome your comments on this here or you can let us know through Facebook.

Families almost always run fruit farms in California. It seems that they imbibe the true spirit that reigns over farming. Solidarity, sharing and fun. It’s almost a guarantee that every fruit farm has several activities lined up for its visitors to ensure that their visit will be unforgettable and will make them come back for more.

U pick farms are one of those fruit farms where you can go out and harvest fresh fruits to your liking. This kind of activity is also coupled with other fun things to do on a fruit farm like mazes, trail rides, petting zoos and even wine tasting.

There are many fruit picking farms in the state known as the “Golden State”. These fruit farms carry a variety of fruit like apples, nectarines, raspberries, citrus, peaches, pears, avocados, apricots, strawberries, watermelons, cherries and more. Aside from the fruit, you can also pick up apple cider, fruit sauces, fruit jams and pies.

Where are your favorite fruit farms in California? What makes them stand out from the other fruit farms in the area? Share us your answers on Facebook or leave us a comment below.

Abbott Farms has been around since 1955. Founded by Myrtle Abbott, the business began with a simple fruit stand on the road now known to be I-85 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. From that lowly fruit stand which sells peaches, Abbott Farms grew to cater to not only the Spartanburg county but also the Cherokee counties. Soon enough, word spread of its quality fruits and delicious taste. The Abbotts now operate five fruit markets which sell peaches, watermelons, peanuts and cantaloupes. Aside from them, Abbott Farms also sell jams, jellies, honey, hot sauces, pickles and salsa.

However, what makes people keep going back at Abbott Farms are its fruit ciders. Full of tasty goodness and nutritional antioxidant value, the flavors are peach, strawberry, muscadine, blackberry, supernong and many more. You can avail all of these at all Abbott Farms fruit markets or you can contact them for delivery at 800-764-0076. You can also purchase the goods online through their website.

More than fruits, Abbott Farms also ventured into fireworks and other food items like gift boxes and specialty items. The best-sellers are still peaches, Abbott Farms’ main produce which is available from middle of May to middle of September.

Have you tried any of Abbott Farms’ products? Share with us what you think or join our discussion in Facebook.

Abbott Farms may have begun as a family farm but it was grandson Windsor Abbott who turned it into a profitable gain crop combined with a U-picking operation during fall. With this vision, he created a venue where farming, marketing and social engagement came together and worked as one.

The 126 acres of farm land has been put to good use by the Abbotts. The Abbott Farms now open their gates to welcome families from all over and let them experience the wonder of farming. The Abbott Farms feature several activities such as the Abbott’s Ark (a petting zoo of sorts for barnyard animals), the Fish Pond, the Corn Maze (this can be done also at night with flashlights), the Cider Press (you can watch how apple cider is made with the use of ultraviolet treatment process), U-pick (you pay for what fruit you pick on the farm) and the Fall Festivals.

Located in 3275 Cold Springs Road, Bladwinsville, New York, the Abbott Farms is a proud member of Pride of NY, which supports local farm businesses, agriculture and promotes fruits and vegetables.

Have you tried to experience the Abbott Farms? Leave a comment or join us on Facebook.

Sawmill Hollow Organic Farms is the first organic aronia berry plantation in the United States. The farm has done research over the course of the past ten years on the organic choke berry, and developed a whole product line from it. The farm has also opened a store to sell the black choke berry products. Aronia berries contain a high level of antioxidants. They help reduce the risks for cancer, heart disease, diabetes and bacterial infections. Aronia is now native to the United States and is an easy plant to grow organically.

Sawmill Hollow Organic Farm customers purchase these berries and eat them freshly picked right off of the bush or alternatively use them in bread, muffins, and other baked goods. There are customers at the festival that drink the aronia berry juice, or use the berries to make teas, wine or smoothies. A popular reason to purchase these berries at the festival is to make jams or jellies. 

The berry has a taste that is not easy to describe, but it is of a distinctive and pleasant flavor. The berry has a bitter taste that may make your mouth pucker. It gives your mouth a dry-like feeling that is caused by tannis – a chemical used to make wine dry.

Sawmill Hollow Organic Farms has this festival every year in September. They provide tours of the aronia plantation, have educational talks, and let you sample the aronia berry product before purchasing.