Californians have been cultivating grapes for almost 200 years. That might seem like a long time, especially to those of us who, every so often, might feel like even certain work weeks take forever and a day (😂). ÂBut in the grand scheme of things, our state is actually fairly new to the grape-growing business. Research shows that grape growing has taken place in other parts of the world as far back as 6000 BC. In California, grape growing for commercial purposes kicked off when entrepreneur William Wolfskill moved West from Kentucky and, in 1839, planted the first table grape vineyard in a stretch of Mexican colonial pueblo that is now Los Angeles. From there, he started shipping grapes to Northern California.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Turns out, California has a perfect climate for grape farming – we produce some of the most high quality, juicy, crunchy grapes in the world – and Californians, as well as consumers everywhere else in the world, have loved eating (and purchasing!) those delicious, premium grapes for nearly just as long as we’ve been considered a state.
Nowadays, 99% of the United States’ commercially grown grapes come from the Golden State. In fact, we are the largest producer of table grapes in the world, with over 85,000 acres under cultivation. California table grape growers, just like those of us at Pretty Lady, offer multiple varieties of grapes in multiple colors, flavors, shapes, textures, and sizes to our customers.
According to Grapes From California, grape growers from California harvest more than 116 million boxes of grapes a year. That’s a whole lot of grapes! Growers in our state are able to grow such premium product because the California weather is practically perfect for producing sweet, crunchy, full-yield product. The temperate climate helps extend our harvest season, too. California grapes are in season from May to January – far longer than other places in the world.
For some awesome recipes made from delicious California grapes (we may be biased, but we recommend using Pretty Lady Grapes. Have you heard of them? 😉), visit Grapes From California for yummy suggestions like this Grape Smoothie Bowl…
Or this Vegetarian Poke Bowl…
Or these Salmon Tacos with Grape Pico de Gallo….
Or this protein-packed Warm Chickpea and Grape Salad! There are also so many other unique recipes to try on the Grapes From California website, or visit our own recipe page right here at dulcich.com for plenty of other healthy, easy, satisfying options, ranging from snacks and school lunch ideas to appetizers and fancy dinner options.
We hope you’re enjoying this new year, whether you’re here with us in California or following our journey from anywhere else in the world. May we all have a healthy 2020!