Excellent California table grapes expected despite weather delays
Tudor Ranch, a third-generation family farm located in the Coachella Valley, specializes in growing, packaging and distributing fresh California table grapes. This season, the company is seeing excellent bunch counts and good vine and bunch growth across the varietals, despite cool weather slowing down the crops.
“Normally we would start harvest around May 10-12,” said Joseph Tudor, vice president of the company. “This season we expect to start closer to May 22.”
Mother Nature, as Tudor noted, is uncontrollable and the company has to farm based on the status of the vine. “There are no shortcuts,” he noted. “We are finally getting some warm weather and things are speeding up, thankfully.”
Tudor Ranch grows a variety of California table grapes, including Flames, Sugraone, Valley Pearl, Black Beauty, Timco, Torch and Solbrio.
“We will have the IFG varietal Torch this season. It’s an early season red variety with a fruity taste,” Tudor said. “We have more acres of Valley Pearl this season — it’s an extra large to jumbo green grape that is great for export.”
Tudor also stressed the importance of supporting California/USA produce. “Some buyers are not even aware that they have a choice,” he said. “Every bag we pack has the American Flag on the front of the bag and the California logo. There is zero doubt the grapes the consumer is getting are from the USA.”
In addition to California table grapes, Tudor Ranch also handles lemons and Medjool dates.
Maggie Giuffrida
About Maggie Hanna | 
Maggie Hanna received a bachelors of arts degree in journalism from the University of Arizona in 2010. After graduating, she went to work for Bauer Publishing — first as an intern for TWIST Magazine and later as an online editor for 4TNZ.com. In February of 2012, Maggie accepted the position of assistant editor at The Produce News. Over the years her role evolved to include hosting videos for PNTV and handling the company’s social media accounts. In February of 2022, Maggie took a step back from her full-time responsibilities at The Produce News to welcome her first child. She now works as a staff writer for the publication. Maggie and her husband, Grant, and son, Griffin, live in Phoenix, AZ.
