FirstFruits Farms is about to kick off its 10th year of growing and selling Sweetie apples, which it called Gala’s sweeter, crunchier cousin.

The Sweetie apple variety is unique in that it contains some of the best attributes from the Royal Gala and the Braeburn varieties. Originally discovered in France, the international flair sets Sweetie apart from other apples.

Stemilt Growers in Wenatchee, WA, kicks off apple harvest with a 21-stop cross-country trek to promote early season club varietal Rave apples. The Produce News caught up with Brianna Shales, marketing director at Stemilt, on the road on the first leg of Stemilt’s Great American Rave Race. Shales said, “Rave  comes and goes in a flash –– it is a limited time offering, so get it while you can!”

Before we know it, the fall equinox will arrive Sept. 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, officially announcing it is autumn once again. Soon there will be displays of fall apples, pears, cider and pumpkins in the stores. And add hard squash, gourds, decorative corn, persimmons, pomegranates and cranberries to the list.

Fresh Farms, a leading shipper of table grapes based in Rio Rico, AZ, is expecting lighter volume on its California production this year due to a frost that occurred during the growing cycle.

The company wrapped up its Mexican grape season around July 11 and started its California deal that same week out of its offices and cold storage facility in Kingsburg, CA.

Fresh Farms said California production would be down by about 10-12 percent, though the initial quality of the grapes has been outstanding.

Continental Fresh, which specializes in tropical imports from Latin America to retail, foodservice and wholesale customers in the United States, is slowly winding down its successful Mexican mango program and gearing up to receive its first shipment of Brazilian mangos around the second week of September.

Gotham Greens has raised more than $310 million in new capital, bringing the fast-growing company’s total financing to $440 million since its founding in 2009. The latest fundraising round is the company’s largest to date.