Who could resist a watermelon that is just your size?
Certainly not the little fellow in the photo. And certainly not me.
Both of us were touring Tanaka Farms in Irvine, where hundreds of kids get to taste produce right out of the field. They come in groups from school or with their parents, ride around in a wagon pulled by a tractor and snack on carrots just out of the ground, crisp green beans, freshly plucked cherry tomatoes, and corn on the cob so sweet you could serve it for dessert.
Well, maybe some are little doubtful (above). But it's so much fun, who cares?
Tanaka Farms has turned its 25 acres into a family destination place, a sort of produce Disneyland with dressed up scarecrows instead of Disney Characters. Tours include a cookout, where you pick and season vegetables and the staff grills them for you. Strawberry tours take place in spring, and a pumpkin patch opens up in the fall. Right now, watermelon tours are the big draw.
After the tours, you can shop at Tanaka's produce stand and sign up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes delivered to your home. Tanaka is also supplying produce to Winder Farms, which has just launched home food deliveries in California.
Along with produce, Winder sends meats, artisan breads, dairy products, prepared foods and more to your home. Right now, deliveries are only in Orange County and from Santa Monica to Palos Verdes, but Los Angeles proper is on the horizon.
At Tanaka's produce stand I bought the liveliest, freshest organic kale imaginable, on sale for 99 cents for a big bunch. And I took home a CSA box (above) that included more kale as well as green beans, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, a huge Maui onion and a couple of melons.
I've turned half the kale into chips, and part of the watermelon went into the most refreshing drink you could have on a hot day--Agua de Sandía, a Mexican watermelon cooler. Here is how to make it.
AGUA DE SANDÍA
Mexican Watermelon Cooler
1 cup seedless watermelon chunks
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ice cubes (about 4)
2 tablespoons agave syrup
Combine the watermelon chunks, water, ice cubes and agave syrup in a blender container and blend until foamy and most of the ice is dissolved. Pour into a tall glass and drink at once.
Makes 1 serving.
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