Dynamics

ORCHARD

THIS IS SUMMER TIME...TASTE IT!
Welcome to the amazing Great Northwest where the Starr Ranch Growers brand is grown and picked to perfection. Growing practices are closely monitored by our field inspectors.

WIND MACHINES

WIND MACHINES
Wind machines are the industry’s most dependable protection against the damaging effects of Spring frosts and Winter freezes. The wind machines work with Mother Nature to pull the warmer air down into the orchard in order to raise temperatures.

NECTARINES

NECTARINES | SWEET | AVAILABLE JULY THRU AUGUST
Fruit readiness for picking is determined first visually by the color and shape of the fruit. Nectarines come in both yellow and white flesh varieties, are very juicy with a smooth, red-yellow skin. Slice over morning cereal or eat as a snack any time of the day.

PENETROMETER

PENETROMETER
The firmness is checked by a pressure tester (a penetrometer) and measured for sugar levels. At harvest, the sugar content needs to be above 12 percent and the firmness should be between 8 and 12 pounds pressure. 8 to 10 pounds pressure is ideal for shipping in the proximity, 10 to 12 pounds works well for longer distances.

PEACHES

WAREHOUSE
Freshly picked fruit from the orchards is delivered immediately to the packing warehouse by truck, then weighed and transferred into a large water bath. The fruit is presorted to the brush-wash section and the fruit is lightly waxed.

NECTARINES IN BATH

NECTARINES IN BATH WATER
Once the peach or nectarine varieties have passed the water bath they are directed through a dryer where no heat is involved. The fruit then goes to the sorting table and is optically sized for packing. GTIN / PLU stickers are applied to identify fruit variety, size and price at the check stand level.

PACKING BY HAND

PACKING + INVENTORY
The fruit is hand-packed according to size, transferred to the box accumulator and line stamped for inventory purposes. Checked again for quality control, the fruit is segregated into grades, placed on to pallets, and inventoried again.

PEACH BRANCH

FRESH PEACHES | SWEET | AVAILABLE JULY THRU SEPTEMBER
The most common varieties of peaches have yellow or white, juicy flesh with a slightly fuzzy skin. Peaches are great for canning, home-made cobbler or eat as a healthy snack.

PACKED FRUIT

SEAN GILBERT
The warehouse has capabilities to pack up to 1,000 boxes an hour of stone fruit. Once packed the fruit is put into cold storage where the temperature ranges from 31 to 35 degrees F. The product is then shipped to market for the consumer to enjoy.

SATURN PEACHES

SATURN PEACHES | SWEET | AVAILABLE JULY THRU AUGUST
The flesh of this unique fruit is very juicy with similar skin coloring to a standard peach. They are sometimes called Donut or Flat peaches...the shape resembling a flying saucer!

APRICOTS

APRICOTS | SWEET | AVAILABLE JULY THRU AUGUST
There is nothing like an apricot for nutritious snacking, baking, or making jam...the perfect size to pack in your lunch.

PLUOTS

PLUOTS | SWEET | AVAILABLE LATE SUMMER
A Pluot is a cross between a Plum and an Apricot...really delicious, great for snacking. The taste is sweet and juicy, the skin is a mottled, vibrant red with a pale red flesh.