I had to show you this tree absolutely loaded with fruit!  It looked like a weeping tree 2 weeks ago.  For not thinning anything, the fruit was nice sized too.

Tropic Gold^TM produces medium to large, excellent tasting apricots in late June to early July.

As you can see they are yellow with orange cheek.   Fruit is firm and juicy.  Good for fresh eating, canning and dehydrating.  It is self fertile.

A good apricot for mild winter areas. It fruits every year in Camarillo, California where this tree originated.  Another very popular apricot, Blenheim does not consistently fruit in the same location which is what caught our attention to Tropic Gold. Chilling hours is estimated at 350 hours opening up wide areas with mild winter climates to this delicious fruit.

We introduced this tree to the trade in 2005 and sales continue to be ever increasing.

I hope you have a chance to enjoy them.

For more photos of this crop go to Tropic Gold Apricots and Tropic Gold Apricot

For those of us in the U.S., the 4th of July is a special day.  Besides the obvious historical significance, many look forward to this day for the special treats.  Kids love the fireworks (and parents worry about their shingle roofs).  Hot dogs and home made ice cream are at the top of many favorites.

I have one more special remembrance on this day and because of it look forward all year to the 4th of July.

I had my first taste of Santa Barbara Peach on July 4th - the tree in the test orchard is just a few rows away from my parent's home.

How can I describe it?  Blogs are good for words and photos but not taste and smell.  Think of the sweetest peach you have ever eaten combined with the overwhelming flavor of peach.  A Babcock or Belle of Georgia peach combined with an Elberta or Rio Oso Gem.  Melting in your mouth, dripping with sweetness and flavor. 

Admittedly, I like sweet things.  Others, like my father, like tart fruit with strong flavor.  The Santa Barbara Peach combines the best for both of us. 

This peach is for the homeowner to pick and eat fresh off the tree.  It will never be a farmer's commercial success.  When it is wonderfully ripe, it will soften quickly - think of a puddle of sweet juice on your counter top.  It will not ship or store well.  So don't make a pie from it.  Instead, giggle with pleasure as you wipe the remaining dribbles from your chin.

I hope you someday get a taste of this summer treat and you will forever look forward to its ripening date - which for our climate is around the 4th of July.

It is said "a photo is worth a thousand words".  That is a good thing because I don't have time to write a thousand words and you probably don't want to read that much either.

This blog is centered around photos.  I love photography.  Or more accurately, I love being where I can take photos.  God is a marvelous creator and seeing His handiwork whether in nature or in people is a joy.  I capture images to share with others: of things, people or events that attract my eye. Whether I have time to process and finish all the raw digital photos I take is another matter entirely.

This blog will be narrower in scope - centered around the life and products of the L.E. Cooke Co.  After all, I spend more than half my life here and walking the scion wood orchards and production fields is a welcomed break from the paperwork that seems to cascade onto my desk.

So why take the time to write this blog?

Most of us in our industry are visual people.  We love beauty and the creative spirit in each of us wants to enhance the landscapes of the world around us.  I am hoping that the images I show can inspire and educate.  The work you do in making this a better world might just be enhanced by what you see and read here.

So if you like visual images, come back here often.  Or better yet, subscribe to the RSS feed or Twitter so you are notified when new posts are made.  This will not be a daily posting.  In fact with road travel and peak seasons I will likely miss weeks at a time and then catch up in a flurry of new postings.

I hope you enjoy.  I welcome your comments.

Ron Ludekens

Welcome to the new L.E. Cooke Co website!  There are a lot of new features here, as well as additional planned features, so have a look around. 

Customers, please feel free to register to view content related directly to you.  Don't forget your customer ID (same one that is on your confirmation), or else you will not be able to register.  Should you need your ID number, please feel free to call us (800-845-5193) and it will be provided to you.