For the past eight years, Anthony Vineyards has been increasing its production of organic grapes from California in an effort to offer a full program for the length of the deal. With 25-30 percent of its output now devoted to that classification, it has reached its goal.

Buoyed by an increase in the up-and-coming Scarlet Royal variety, David Clyde, president of Stevco, which has several offices around California, sees a strong start to the state’s fresh grape deal when Coachella Valley kicks off this month.

Mr. Clyde said the increase in the red seedless Scarlet Royal variety from this desert region will combine with a very good crop of large-sized Flame Seedless as well as “decent sized” Sugraones, which are a green seedless variety, to give many shippers at least three strong varieties to sell.

“Our Georgia crops began around about two weeks later than normal this year,” said,” said Jimmy Myrick, vice president of Edward L. Myrick Produce in Andersonville, GA. “We will start on May 15 with squash and beans, but things may speed up a little depending on the weather. The crops, we’re happy to report, are all in good condition.”

Mr. Myrick added that the region got a lot of moisture that slowed the growth of the crops, but the company was fortunately spared any hail damage that affected some other growers in Georgia.

While change can be a good thing, the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the philosophy of Desert Fresh, located in Coachella, CA.

For 20 years, partners Tony Bianco and Blaine Carian, two third-generation Coachella Valley grape growers and marketers, have been participating in the short-lived local grape deal and doing quite well. “It works great for us,” said Mr. Bianco, who serves as the president of the company and lone salesman. Mr. Carian is the grower for the partnership.

The key to being successful with seasonal supplies is to be able to fill a niche, said Steve Root, who is president of East West Unlimited LLC, a grape grower-shipper in California’s Coachella Valley.

“You’ve got to have a niche, and my niche is I am early,” he said. “I’m in the deal when there is still great demand. Most of my crop is sold in May when you just can’t get enough grapes.”

Anchored by its line of colored peppers, Prime Time International of Coachella, CA, offers a variety of vegetables to its customers on a year-round basis, but always looks forward to field production moving to its home base at this time of year.