2016: year in review
Two thousand sixteen was another year for the books. We got better acquainted with the hard-working pollinators and California cantaloupe farmers who bring us scrumptious California cantaloupe year after year. The season was kicked off with a bang before the official declaration of California Cantaloupe Week in Fresno, California. And finally we added yet another holiday to our repertoire [potentially the most delicious yet] – Day of the Dead, California cantaloupe edition!
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1. Thank a bee: Each year, from spring through winter, sweet, juicy California cantaloupe can be found at your local grocery store thanks to a number of key players including the following:
- California’s two growing regions which make for our long California cantaloupe season.
- Our farmers, producers, and field workers who all contribute to bringing us that juicy, flavorful melon that we love so much.
- And last, but certainly not least, the army of pollinators who fly from plant to plant during a transformative time in the lifecycle of the California cantaloupe plants.
2. On the farm: we met and introduced you to a few more California cantaloupe farmers:
- Pat Tucker and Barry Zwillinger of Legend Produce
- George Pappas of Pappas Produce
- Steve Smith of Turlock Fruit Company
3. Creative cantaloupe: Shortly after the start of the season, we encouraged California cantaloupe connoisseurs to have some fun with this creative cantaloupe prep method and, while we were at it, gave away 4 Edible Arrangements to California cantaloupe fans across the United States!
4. Holiday debut: July saw California Cantaloupe Week celebrated for the first time in Fresno, California. This formal declaration was sweetened up a bit with a Fresno restaurant recipe contest – which resulted in some of the most exquisite California cantaloupe recipes we have ever tasted!
5. Festive fruit: After carving traditional jack-o-lanterns for Halloween in 2015, we celebrated another festive tradition this year: Day of the Dead, California cantaloupe-style! Complete with cantaloupe sugar skull cake-pops and a festive California Cantaloupe Margarita, this celebration turned out to be the soiree of the year!
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As we close out another sensational year, we want to sincerely thank our community of fellow California cantaloupe lovers for the engagement, encouragement, and unyielding support of our hard working California cantaloupe farmers and their families. And on that note we heartily thank our California cantaloupe farmers whose dedication and passion continue to bring us a spectacular, scrumptious crop of cantaloupe season after season. We raise our glasses to you as we look forward to 2017 on the horizon – here’s to another year full of cantaloupe inspiration and a prosperous California cantaloupe harvest!
