Since the beginning of July, the Singh family at Oceanside Pole have been harvesting their pole tomatoes, a season that will continue through November. As Oppy's Karin Gardner explained, there are not many pole tomato growers remaining in the region.
"The Singhs are among the last remaining pole-grown tomato producers in Southern California, growing over a million hand-placed poles on about 600 acres of land just east of the Pacific in Oceanside," she said. "We began harvesting vine-ripe round and Roma tomatoes in early July and anticipate good supplies through late November. Complementing the tomato season, Brussels sprouts are grown on the same land, adding nutrients to the soil."
Priya Singh and Harry Singh Jr.
The unique characteristics of pole-grown tomatoes
There are a couple of aspects of pole-grown tomatoes that make them unique as well as the reason companies like Oceanside Pole still produce them. For one, as the tomato vines climb up the poles, the tomatoes are kept off the ground as they ripen, and a greater amount of air flow is able to pass over them. According to the company, this enhances the quality.
"Over the years, the Singh family has perfected the art of producing truly delicious tomatoes by selecting the right seeds for the microclimate and tending the plants and fruit carefully by hand throughout their lifecycle," Gardner added.
She also mentioned that Oceanside Pole tomatoes are favored for their clean-slicing characteristics and robust flavor. "They hold their shape really well," she explained. "The Oceanside Pole brand is favored by our retail and foodservice customers alike. Think of the perfect tomato for a burger in your backyard on a summer evening with your family, and that’s an Oceanside Pole vine-ripe round. Discerning consumers know to look for the “vine-ripened” indication on the tomato PLU."
Third generation
Oceanside Pole has been owned and run by the same family for 80 years, a milestone the company is celebrating this season. "The land was first planted by Harry Singh Sr. in 1939; his son Harry Singh Jr. took over in the 1980s," Gardner shared. "Now, the third generation is operating the farm with guidance from their father. Oppy has been growing with the Singh family since 2012."
As the season continues and steady volumes of tomatoes are produced, Gardner concluded by noting that each customer is able to order the color and ripeness they require. "Also unique is our ability to pick and ship each tomato per our customers’ color and ripeness specifications. This enables our customers to receive their tomatoes at the point of ripeness and color to optimize the timing of their sales."
For more information:
Karin Gardner
Oppy
Ph: +1 (206) 499-7440
karin.gardner@oppy.com
www.oceansidepole.com