Did you know we’re in the peak of date season? Well, you do now. The Farm at Agritopia in Gilbert has been preparing since last year for the 4,000 pounds of dates they expect to harvest in just a three week period.
The tiny sugar-filled fruit grows on trees nearly 30 feet tall. Once the dates are ready to harvest, head farmer Tim Colby and his team of mostly volunteers shake them down with booms. Next, volunteers sort the dates by grade which mainly depends on the date’s appearance. The prettiest looking dates will be sold in The Farm’s self-service store which runs on the honor system. While the less pretty dates are sold to breweries and restaurants.
Colby says it’s a lot of work for just a three week harvest but worth it, since not many farms offer the sweet fruit at such a large scale. You can visit The Farm’s self-service store to purchase dates as well as The Farm’s other seasonal offerings. You can also contact The Farm if you’re interested in volunteering.
