·For a third consecutive week we continue to have unseasonably dry, sunny and warm days!
·10.1 mm (0.40) inches of precipitation recorded
·We continued to lower harvest age given this favorable climate
·Sugar content and external color at optimal levels
·All good husbandry practices are on schedule
·Holiday demand is on the increase
More Here. Click here to receive this week’s full industry report.
Pineapples are universally synonymous with tropical images of paradise, conjuring feelings of relaxation and satisfaction with their sweet taste. When it comes to consuming pineapple, nothing compares to enjoying the fruit fresh. A fresh pineapple may look impossible to crack into with it’s tough exterior, but this couldn’t be father from the truth! Kitchen gadgets like a pineapple corer can make the process of breaking down the fruit a little easier, but aren’t necessary. Here’s how to core a pineapple without a corer!
Whether you want to dress up your holiday table or get fancy for a fabulous event to remember, these easy-to-assemble gold pineapple candle holders are the perfect way to add pizazz to your table decor. Bonus – in this how-to we remove the fruit so it can be enjoyed as much as your candle masterpiece. This prevents wasted food, and helps complete a beautiful setting with delicious Perfect Pineapple that can be enjoyed immediately or in holiday recipes.
Check out the Youtube video to create your own in a visual how-to, or continue reading for step-by-step instructions. Happy creating!
·Unseasonably dry weather continues
·One rainy day managed to accumulate 34.7 mm ( 1.3 inches) of rainfall
·This is a gift that keeps on giving as we manage to bring up to date all farm chores
·Fruit quality definitely at its best – external color and sugar content at optimal levels
·Average sugar content is 15.3 degrees brix
·81% of our fruit at external color 1.0 to 1.5
More Here. Click here to receive this week’s full industry report.
· Very favorable climatic conditions this week – sunny days with only scattered drizzles
· 25.1 mm (1 inch) of rainfall recorded
· Soil preparation and other good husbandry practices are up to date
· Stable sugar content, excellent external and internal color
· Demand is on the increase as the holidays approach
More Here. Click here to receive this week’s full industry report.
Now that Halloween has come and passed, it’s time to get our minds off of sweet treats and start planning for arguably the biggest meal of the season: Thanksgiving dinner! Being that our perfect pineapples are available year-round, this healthy fruit is the perfect addition to your holiday feast. Packed with nutrients essential to maintaining a strong immune system, including Vitamin C and Bromelain, consuming pineapple is a great way to ward off cold and flu season as the summer months begin to fade. Here are some of our favorite pineapple Thanksgiving recipes!
·Overcast and rainy days accumulating 162 mm (6.4 “) of precipitation
·We continue to tweak harvest age to insure quality and adequate fruit maturity
·Most government employees back to work, the Education Department seems to be only hold out.
·Good production volume will enable us to meet demand for the Holidays.
More Here. Click here to receive this week’s full industry report.
While most areas of the world are familiar with the four seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall, the Costa Rican climate typically falls into two categories: rainy season and dry season. This rainy or “green” season, typically lasts from May to November, with November being the most unpredictable month when it comes to rainfall. Here at Chestnut Hill Farms, our farms are located in the fertile valleys of the Roxana de Guapiles and Villa Franca regions of Guapiles, Costa Rica. The soil of our farms has a relatively low pH, meaning that our perfect pineapples are available year-round.
Looking toward the fall and winter months in Costa Rica, we are leaving the rainy season behind and entering the drier months. However, don’t let the term “winter” fool you, as our average temperatures are a tropical 82°F (28°C) all year long! There is some fluctuation in this temperature from area to area, as lower lying areas such as the Pacific and Caribbean regions will be slightly warmer, and northern zones with higher elevations will experience cooler temperatures. There are also factors that can bring on the dry season earlier in some years than others, including El Niño activity. Overall, September and October are typically the rainiest months in the country, while November is the transitionary period between the rainy and dry seasons.
Luckily, even during the rainy season, most areas in Costa Rica will experience sunny mornings and days with showers in the afternoons and evenings. With our farms being located just over the hill from the Tortuguero National Park, or the “Costa Rican Amazon”, we are nestled perfectly near the port city of Limon. This is where the majority of our pineapples are exported to the United States and Europe. Year-round pineapple production is key to the Costa Rican economy, as a 2017 study conducted by the Central American Institute of Business Administration (INCAE) found that the pineapple business sector of the country employed approximately 32,000 individuals directly. Not only this, but pineapples constitute 10% of the country’s total exports, making it the main agricultural export.
As both producers and consumers, we are thankful that the Costa Rican climate provides the perfect weather for growing perfect pineapples year-round. If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to enjoy your pineapple this season, check out some of our favorite fall recipes here!
On a holiday where candy reigns supreme, it may be strange to hear the words “healthy” and “Halloween” used together. While your little ones may be set on reaping the benefits of an evening spent trick or treating, this doesn’t mean that you can’t add a bit of nutrition to the holiday. Juicy, fresh pineapple can add a healthy twist to your mini monsters’ cuisine this Halloween and with it’s sweet flavor, they’ll swear it’s just as good as candy! With just a little bit of innovation, you are bound to trick your little monsters into loving these healthy treats. Check out some of our favorite healthy Halloween pineapple recipes below.
Ingredients:
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup honey
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dried Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple
• ¼ cup chopped dried apricots
• ½ cup whole-milk plain yogurt
Directions:
1. Our first step is to prep the dried pineapple. Slice your pineapple into chunks, and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set your oven to 225°F and bake each side of the pineapple chunks until dried, about 25-30 minutes on each side.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
3. Spread oats and sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Cook honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, without stirring, until large foamy bubbles form, 2 to 4 minutes. (The bubbles will start out small and increase to about ¾ inch or larger when the honey is done.)
5. Immediately pour the toasted oat mixture and salt into the honey; stir until completely coated. Quickly press the granola into the prepared pan using a heat-resistant spatula coated with cooking spray. Top the granola with a circle of pineapple pieces in the center of the pan and then create a ring of apricot pieces around it, stopping about 2 inches from the edge. Gently press the dried fruit into the granola. Let cool for 30 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the wedges on the pan and spoon 1 tablespoon yogurt onto the bottom third of each wedge. Place in the freezer until the yogurt hardens, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
• Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Oranges, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Whipped cream
• Candy corn
Directions:
1. In a clear glass, layer pineapple, then oranges and top with whipped cream and a couple pieces of candy corn. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s as easy as that!
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut
• 3/4 cup coconut water
• 1 cup pineapple juice from fresh Chestnut Hill Farms Pineapple
• 1 cup mango juice
• red food coloring
Directions:
1. Combine the cream of coconut and coconut water in a measuring cup. Pour into 10 3-ounce or 8 4-ounce ice-pop molds, dividing evenly.
2. Freeze until set, at least 2 hours.
3. Mix the mango juice with 1 drop of red food coloring in a measuring cup. Pour on top of the coconut mixture, dividing evenly. Insert the ice-pop sticks, pushing gently into the coconut mixture. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Pour the fresh pineapple juice on top of the mango, dividing evenly. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 4 days.
· Very dry conditions for the most part of the week but intense nighttime showers during the weekend brought 76.2 mm (3 inches) of rainfall.
· Our fruit’s taste, aroma and sweetness are at optimal levels
· Practically all Costa Rican government branches are back to work; port operations returning to normalcy.
· Directed social media efforts promoting pineapple jack-o’-lantern creating promotional excitement https://youtu.be/sGB6FuS7yHY
More Here. Click here to receive this week’s full industry report.
