Farm Report: Masumoto Family Farm
August 27, 2024
- Farm Visits,
- News
If you’re unfamiliar with where we get a great deal of our stonefruit, then you’re likely unfamiliar with David “Mas” Masumoto, and his acclaimed book Epitaph for a Peach written during a harvest of tribulation in the 90’s on the Masumoto family farm. This year marks 3 decades since its release and 3 decades of survival followed by thriving for the farm’s Suncrests.
Suncrests are one of the most flavorful and fantastical peaches found anywhere, and Mas grows them with such intrinsic care alongside his daughter, artist, and farmer Nikiko Masumoto. These peaches could stand up to any other stone fruit on flavor alone, but the practices and community that the Masumoto family have been able to foster throught the wellspring of interest and support brought by Epitaph for a Peach’s publication, has made an icon out of this fruit.
We decided we would make the trek up to Fresno this year to take another gander at what the Masumotos have built & grown, & to no surprise at all, the harvest was bountiful and the folks were lively and welcoming.
At mid day the Masumotos set out a lunch for everyone working on the trees, complete with pulled pork, slaw, and other bites all infused in some way with the flavor of their succulent stone fruit. To wash it down many of the folks had brought various beers which had been fermented alongside Mas’ fruit, from breweries all across the state.
We finished the day by picking the apricots towards the back of the farm, before hauling our dusty selves back to the house to chat in the shade. The sun by mid day was brutal and high overhead, but the shine in Mas’ smile tempered the sweltering heat. We left with as many boxes of peaches as we could fit, and this year a new ingredient to play with: peach leaves.
This week we put them to the test, and sorted out this recipe utilizing their nutty, rich profile alongside the fruit from the same trees.
