Each year High Mowing attends the EcoFarm conference in Pacific Grove, California, and each year we are fascinated to hear about the diversity of climates that California growers work with. This year one farmer mentioned that his farm in Sebastopol had a mountain range behind it and consequently received two hours less daylight than surrounding farms, and had only about 120 frost-free days available (even less than here in Vermont!) A gardener told us about the ideal conditions in the San Francisco Bay area, neither too hot nor too cold, and with essentially no winter. Yet others described the difficulty of farming in Southern California, where water is scarce and daytime temperatures could reach 120 degrees, then drop to 50 at night! So in an effort to better serve our California growers, we have compiled some recommendations of our varieties that do particularly well there. We have included varieties that thrive in each unique climatic region, and each variety has abbreviation(s) next to it that indicate the areas in which it is most likely to succeed. Without further ado, here are our picks for Northern California (NC), Central Coast (CC) and Southern California (SC):   Belstar F1 Broccoli - Suitable for CC, SC (planted in fall/winter) Our most heat-tolerant broccoli for spring, summer and fall crops. Compact plants have round domes, small to medium beads and short flowering stems with a thick main stalk. Domes span 6-8” at maturity averaging 1.5 lbs. Ideal for short-stemmed crown cuts or florets. Heat-tolerant. (Brassica oleracea var. italica) Days to maturity: 65 days Disease Resistance: Fusarium Yellows, Fusarium Wilt, Downy Mildew   Tipoff F1 Romanesco Broccoli - Suitable for NC, CC Beautiful early Romanesco with nutty flavor delicious raw or steamed. Excellent flavor—though worth growing just for looks alone! Earliness, yield and uniformity all tip the scales in favor of this variety. Thrives if given adequate moisture and can take summer temperatures a little better than Veronica. Spring or fall crop • Gourmet specialty • Uniform 6-7” heads. (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) Days to maturity: 72 days   Capture F1 Cabbage - Suitable for NC, CC Disease-resistant fresh market cabbage for organic growers! Full-sized green cabbage for fresh market or processing; short term storage ability. Excellent disease resistance—grows best in susceptible climates where Black Rot and thrips are present. Uniform heads sit high on the stalk with good wrapper leaves. Uniform 4-6 lb heads. (Brassica oleracea) Days to maturity: 85 days Disease Resistance: Fusarium Yellows, Fusarium Wilt, Black Rot, Thrips   Murdoc F1 Cabbage - Suitable for NC, CC Unique hefty heads perfect for fresh eating, kraut, or processing. Caraflex’s big brother, with the same tender, crisp juicy leaves and unusual pointed cone-shape, but supersized! Grows up to 10” in diameter at the base. A distinctly silky texture makes this an excellent variety for sauerkraut. Excellent processing type • Stores well • 7-8 lb heads (Brassica oleracea) Days to maturity: 80 days   Yellowstone Carrot - Suitable for NC, CC Long, sunflower-yellow carrots with strong, feathery tops. Extremely productive and adaptable to many growing conditions. Mix with other specialty varieties for a colorful display. Pick early for a tender, mild-flavored treat. Productive • Mild-flavored 9” roots. (Daucus carota) Days to maturity: 70 days   Interceptor F1 Carrot - Suitable for SC Very long, slender and coreless; a true cut-and-peel variety. Very sweet, tender dark orange roots stay slender and free of splitting even at low planting densities. Shorter tops with some resistance to leaf blights. Good resistance to storage diseases such as Pythium Crater Rot and Alternaria Black Rot. Suitable for mechanical harvest • 12” Imperator-type. (Daucus carota) Days to maturity: 120-125 days   Ping Tung Long Eggplant - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Easy-to-grow Asian eggplants are long and slender with tender magenta skin. This variety can yield up to 20 fruits per plant and is vigorous and stress-tolerant. Slim fruits average 1-2” wide; plants should be staked for straight fruit. Very tender skin does not need to be peeled. Productive • 12-18” fruit. (Solanum melongena) Days to maturity: 70 days   Yukina Savoy Mustard Green - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Heat-tolerant alternative to Tat Soi. Forest green, spoon-shaped leaves are cupped and heavily savoyed. Upright architecture for easy harvesting. Slow to bolt. Mild mustard flavor.  (B. rapa) Days to maturity: 21 days baby, 45 full size   NEW! Olympic Red Kale - Suitable for NC, CC, SC (planted in fall) Attractive frosty blue-green leaves overlaid with purple and contrasting magenta stems. Among the best in our trials with superior cold hardiness. Not as frilly as Redbor and lighter in color. Variable color and leaf type; up to 3.5% green off-types which can be removed in the transplant stage. Good Powdery Mildew tolerance. Tall, open habit. (B. oleracea) Days to maturity: 55 days   Vivid Choi Pac Choy - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Versatile mild Asian green with unique colorful stems. Serrated leaves and stems that range from pale to vivid pink and purple. Great for salad mixes, braising or stir-fry. Both cold-hardy and slow to bolt, allowing harvest long into summer. Developed by independent farmer/breeder Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seeds. (B. rapa) Days to maturity: 21 days baby, 45 full size   NEW! Arroyo Lettuce - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Tall, upright plants with distinctive vase-shaped heads. Heavily savoyed, crunchy leaves are slow to cup inwards. Best-suited to spring harvest in warm regions and summer harvest in cool regions. Good fresh market variety with tight v-shape excellent for hearts. Strong disease resistance package. Ideal for hearts • Disease resistant. (Lactuca sativa) Days to maturity: 65 days Disease Resistance: Downy Mildew (1-27, 29), Lettuce Mosaic Virus, Lettuce Necrotic Stunt Virus, MTO-30   Pirat Butterhead Lettuce - Suitable for NC, CC, SC (in fall/winter plantings) Tender heads with notably superior flavor and texture, blanched hearts and red-tinged outer leaves. Bested every other variety for taste and texture in our lettuce trials and also rates as one of the best butterheads in combined resistance to Downy Mildew, White Mold, Tip Burn and Bacterial Head Rot. Heat tolerant. (Lactuca sativa) Days to maturity: 55 days Disease Resistance: Downy Mildew, Tip Burn, Lettuce Drop, Bottom Rot   Cabernet F1 Onion - Suitable for NC, CC The earliest storage onion in our trials with lovely, uniform burgundy bulbs. Medium-sized bulbs with very nice internal color and attractive red rings. Widely adapted to Eastern and Western states for both size and earliness; in our 2013 Northeast onion trials it finished first by at least 10 days. Late intermediate day • Stores 4-6 months. (Allium cepa) Days to maturity: 105 days   NEW! Valencia Onion - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Versatile day-neutral sweet Spanish onion for all regions. Mild to sweet flavor. Excellent for bunching when young or for fresh market sales of large bulbs with warm golden-brown skin. Stores moderately well. Day neutral • 4-6” bulbs. (Allium cepa) Days to maturity: 120 days   Gabriella F1 Onion - Suitable for SC Fresh market globe onion for Southern growers. Bulbs have golden brown skin, attractive shape and are large and uniform. High yields of very mild to sweet onions. A mid-season variety suited to Southern growing regions. Resists bolting. Good general intermediate resistances against leaf diseases. Not suited to long storage. Short day • Grano-type. (Allium cepa) Days to maturity: 100 days   Cascadia Snap Pea - Suitable for NC, CC A must-have variety with heavy yields of juicy, thick walled pods. Bucketloads of plump pods with tiny, distinctively delicious peas on 3’ tall vines. Multiple disease resistances allow for spring and late season plantings. Spring or fall crop • 3” pods. (Pisum sativum) Days to maturity: 60 days Disease Resistance: Fusarium Wilt, Powdery Mildew, Pea Enation Mosiac Virus   Sprinter F1 Bell Pepper - Suitable for NC, CC Speed and endurance; an early pepper that goes the distance with high yields over a long harvest window. Compact plants with big blocky, 4-lobed fruit larger than King of the North. Recommended for greenhouse culture but performs well outside, especially as green; sets fruit well under row cover. Resists blossom end rot and russetting. Field or greenhouse • Good leaf cover • 3.5” fruits. (Capsicum annuum) Days to maturity: 62 days green, 82 red Disease Resistance: Tobacco Mosiac Virus (races 0-3)   Milena F1 Bell Pepper - Suitable for CC, SC Early orange bell with thick walls and uniformly 3-4 lobed fruit. Vigorous open habit with good yield and solid set, even under hot conditions. Plants are upright and sturdy. Works well in the greenhouse, unheated tunnels or open field. Strong resistance to virus. Heat-tolerant • 1/2 lb, 3x4” fruits. (Capsicum annuum) Days to maturity: 65 days green, 83 orange Disease Resistance: Potato Virus Y, Tobacco Mosiac Virus (races 0-3), Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus   Shishito Pepper - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Small, mild Japanese pepper for roasting, pan-frying, and grilling. Pepper lore has it that the occasional fruit will display heat. Typically harvested and used green, but eventually turns orange with sweeter flavor. Thin walls blister and char easily when roasted or grilled, taking on rich flavor - delicious sprinkled with salt. Prolific! Spreading habit • 2-4” mild fruit. (Capsicum annuum) Days to maturity: 60 days green, 75 red   NEW! Shelby F1 Spinach - Suitable for NC, CC, SC (for fall plantings) Large oval medium green leaves with strong Downy Mildew resistance, ideal for transition seasons. High quality, uniformly sized leaves are reliable, offering great babyleaf consistency when growers need it most. Tolerant of wide temperature swings. Stood out with very good emergence in our spring 2014 trials. From our partners at Vitalis Organic Seeds. Spring/fall crop • Strong emergence. (Spinacia oleracea) Days to maturity: 40 days Disease Resistance: Downy Mildew (races 1-13)   Copia Beefsteak Tomato - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Unique large gold fruits with a blend of orange/red and green/red striping. Sweet, juicy flesh is swirled with color throughout. Eye-catching variety for farmers’ markets. Stabilized by Jeff Dawson, this Green Zebra and Marvel Stripe cross is named for COPIA, the American Center of Food, Wine and the Arts in Napa, CA. Indeterminate • 12-16 oz.. (Lycopersicon esculentum) Days to maturity: 85 days   Black Trifele Tomato - Suitable for NC, CC, SC Striking, unique pear-shaped tomato with narrow green shoulders and purple-black color. A farmers’ market and garden favorite with smooth, meaty, velvety texture. Gourmet flavor is often described as dense, smoky, chocolatey. You may, for a moment, forget that you are merely tasting a tomato. Prolific, potato leaf plants. Indeterminate • Gourmet variety • Prolific • 4-6 oz.. (Lycopersicon esculentum) Days to maturity: 80 days   NEW! Sunrise Bumblebee Tomato - Suitable for NC, CC, SC All the colors of the sunrise in a sweet and tangy tomato! Lovely gold fruit marbled with pink stripes on the inside and out. Irresistible with Purple and Pink Bumblebees in mixed pints; exceptionally versatile in the kitchen. Bred by Fred Hempel in Sunol, CA. Indeterminate • Resists cracking • 1.5” fruit. (Lycopersicon esculentum) Days to maturity: 70 days   Desert F1 Zucchini - Suitable for CC, SC Gorgeous fruits with strong disease resistance and exceptional fruit set in hot weather. Dark green fruit with slight speckles, cylindrical and very attractive. Tall plants have a broad, open architecture which makes for easy picking. Impressive resistance to PM in our trials. Sister variety to Dunja. Drought-tolerant • Harvest at 7-8”. (Cucurbita pepo) Days to maturity: 50 days Disease Resistance: Powdery Mildew, Cucumber Mosiac Virux, Zucchini Yellow Mosiac Virus, Watermelon Mosiac Virus, Papaya Ringspot Virus