What’s in Season?

Summer

Shop our 99%+ Certified Organic Produce Department.

At BriarPatch Food Co-op, supporting organic local and regional farms is at the heart of what we do. We are a community-owned cooperative and understand the importance of direct farmer relationships to build a resilient food system. At the Patch, you’ll find a colorful array and diverse selection of beautiful, fresh and delicious fruits and veggies all year long. We take great pride in knowing our farmers by name. How do we define what is local?

Amana Orange Tomato

Originally grown by the Amana Colonies, a group of German Settlers in Iowa in the 1920’s. Color ranges from pale yellow-orange to a rich orange with blush tones. Orange tomatoes are usually pretty low on the acid scale, and this one is true to form… with a hint of tropical flavor (think subtle mango meets pineapple) to boot. Big and beefy, gets as big as 1-2 pounds!

Black Cherry Tomatoes

The deeper the purple, the more sun they’ve gotten while on the vine. Black varieties have rich sweetness and depth of flavor, but are mostly full-sized. Here you’ll get bite-sized baubles of sweet deliciousness, perfect for eating straight out of the garden or snacking on the go!

Cherokee Purple

One of the most popular heirloom tomatoes it’s said we have Cherokee tribe members in Tennesee to thank for cultivating this beauty over the past century. Its disease resistance and ability to handle dry spells balances out the effort needed to stake and cage the big, bushy plants, and the sweet, vibrant, umami-laden flavor makes all the effort worthwhile. It often gets cracks as it grows, and one seed catalog describes it as “looking like a leg bruise!”

German Striped

Striped tomatoes tend to have the fruitiest flavor, and the German Striped do not disappoint. A classic for a good reason, it’s one of the best-tasting out there. A beefsteak with complex, fruity notes. Pay attention when you slice this beauty open, the marbled interior is worth the price of admission all on its own.

Goldie

A mellow pick when it comes to flavor, but folks talk about these like they’re a 1940s starlet, balancing full-bodied beauty, poised grace and pure sweetness.” Timeless and tasty, Goldies are the perfect modern-day models to represent the best of heirloom tomatoes.

Green Zebra Striped

Not all the best tomatoes are red. And even though they look like they’ll be tart, they’re actually sweet and bright with a touch o’tang. Small to medium in size, this type hasn’t been around for that long but its looks and rich flavor have made it an instant classic.

Mortgage Lifter

This is a big guy, and could just be your best bet to win a county fair contest. Sweet rich flavor for days… and an origin story that can differ depending on who tells it. It does involve a guy named “Radiator Charlie” who kept cross-breeding the largest tomatoes in his garden year after year until he was able to sell plants for $1 a pop and pay off his $6,000 mortgage. Part of the Slow Foods US Ark of Taste, a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction.

Sungold Tomatoes

The sun’s warmth and vibrance packaged into bite-sized morsels of citrusy goodness have a thicker skin than most cherry-sized tomatoes. They start out with a snappy tartness that ripens into a tropical-tinged sweetness almost like candy. So if you like piña coladas and gettin’ caught in the rain, or skewering and grilling tomatoes… go for gold.

Valencia

These have a unique appearance — round, smooth and resembling the Valencia orange from where they get their name. With a juicy, meaty interior and few seeds, they’re an excellent slicer and also great for sauce. Look for them mid-season, their “old-time tomato flavor” and texture are delightful.

Local = Watershed

Our definition of local Flows as we grow

We’ve recently redefined what local means to us. For many years, we’ve defined local relative to our flagship store in Grass Valley. As we grow, our definition expands, too.

We’re Outstanding!
See watershed map
What Local Means