Christopher Ranch

The Earth Day celebrations are over, Oprah’s on to another topic and disparate headlines crowd the internet and prime time news, but as I see it, it’s the days after that count. The sun may have set on Earth Day’s 40^th anniversary, but now is the perfect time to rise up to the challenge of making the earth a priority – every day.

It’s easy to think about going green, especially at this time of year when the Ranch is enveloped by that most perfect of colors. The cherry trees have dropped their riot of white blossoms in favor of verdant leaves, the forerunners of late May’s luscious bounty. Sixty acres of Bings, et al, stand against a velvet backdrop of emerald hills to the west. Broccoli has been harvested, and another wave of newgreen garlic is awaiting harvest at just the right moment. But apart from what’s visible to the eye, Christopher Ranch’s roots also run green and deep.

 The Christopher family has been farming in California’s Santa Clara Valley since the 1880’s, and has always held the Earth in high esteem. How else could they continue to work with her and reap her benefits year after year, nurturing crops and sustaining jobs to keep the garlic growing, flowing and perfuming the air.

 But more work is always needed and Christopher Ranch does its utmost to be green in all aspects of its operations – from the ground up with stringent field rotation programs, drip irrigation, pesticide residue free garlic, increased organic production, to the packing facilities with reduced energy use, eco-friendly packaging and preventative maintenance, to transportation with more economical fuels and shipping procedures. Every one of the staff are encouraged to practice the other 3 R’s (bear with me, I have to repeat it… reduce, reuse and recycle) and the recycling bins are full on Friday afternoon – a positive sign that we’ve gotten with the program.

 The Ranch is ever implementing, updating, installing and even experimenting in a concerted effort to produce the best garlic in the world in the most earth-friendly way possible. We’re in it for the long haul, at least another 50 years, and we’re putting our resources toward a happy, healthy Earth day, after day, after day, ad infinitum.

Christopher Ranch is excited about the debut of its new diva -Green Garlic. Our first few plantings have been harvested, packed, and shipped– so get ready to roll out the green carpet! This tender beauty will make your favorite foods sing.  

There are only a couple months left until theGilroy Garlic Festival. It’s the diva of all food fests, the largest and most spectacular of its kind in the world. Set the date, July 23-25, for three days of fun, cook-offs, music, friendly people, and the number one reason 100,000 garlic lovers show up every year – delectable, garlicious, food, food, food. Christopher Ranch is the Official Garlic of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, natch! 

If you’re ready to wash down these tidbits, and celebrate your inner diva or divo (you know who you are…), try this tasty little beverage. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present:

THE DIVA COCKTAIL – GARLICIA STYLE

1½     oz. vodka

½        oz. fresh lime juice

1          tbls. cherry juice

½       oz. passion fruit juice

Club soda or 7-UP

Christopher Ranch Pickled Garlic Cloves

Fill a tall glass or Collins glass with ice and add the first 4 ingredients. Top off with club soda or 7-up. Garnish with a cherry, lime wedge, and at least 2 Christopher Ranch Pickled Garlic Cloves. Oooh, I can taste it… diva-licious.