The Past, Our Family &
the Farm
Lone Tree is a 200 acre operation dedicated to
the pursuit of research, experimentation, growing, packing and
shipping of the finest varieties of apricots and pluots. In the
early 1860's, Frank Wrede planted one of the first California
apricot orchards in the Hayward area, where it remained until
the 1960's. During that time, the operation was handed down to
sons and sons-in-law, until it was finally taken over by Thomas
N. Brenkwitz, a native of the Mt. Eden area. In the mid-fifties,
due to urban sprawl, the ranch began a migration to the San Joaquin
Valley, and relocated in the south Tracy area. This new location
was perfect for experimenting with the new, emerging varieties,
while still retaining the traditional ones.
The Present
The move to Tracy was made by Tom Brenkwitz, son
of Thomas N. Brenkwitz. Tom and his son, Stephen, now own and
operate Brenkwitz Farms. Taking full advantage of this area's
beneficial micro-climate, it is here that they grow and pack
over 40 varieties of apricots and 20 varieties of pluots, a new
and delicious fruit. The growing season begins in early May,
will soon be moved up to late April, and continues into October.
The reason for so many varieties is to strive to produce a more
desirable product, and to extend the growing period for a longer
amount of time. In order to make the decision to pack one single
variety, fifty must be observed, five must be planted, and then
perhaps one will be acceptable. It is quite obvious that this
process is painstaking and costly.
The Future
We are moving ahead with plans to expand production
of the most desirable apricot and pluot varieties, including
some exclusive types which can't be found anywhere else. New
production practices and materials are being tested continuously,
including low rate pest control management, organic nutrition
and organic procedures. One of the most unique features of Lone Tree is the labor intensive "kid glove" packing technique.
This technique insures proper arrival of this most delicate and
perishable fruit. Improvements on this procedure are addressed
on a daily basis.
The Package
The apricot takes its name from the Latin "Praecox,"
meaning precocious. It is aptly named since this 5000 year old
fruit is one of the most difficult to grow, pack and preserve.
In fact, Pliny the Elder remarked in the 1st century B.C., "There
is no other fruit which keeps worse." With this in mind,
Lone Tree continues to pursue new varieties and shipping techniques
to deliver this wonderfully delicious yet fragile fruit in perfect
condition to your front door.
Determining the size of packaging for a shipment
of apricots is often difficult. Too few apricots and you can't
make a pie! Too many and the package has too much inertia, causing
the fruit to bruise and decay during shipping, regardless of
the packing precautions. We make sure you get it just right!
The package we have chosen is the Consumer Pak,
a 10" by 15" tray protected by foam and enclosed in
a hardwood box. This provides enough fruit for snacking, making
a pie or small scale canning. Larger packages are being considered,
to allow the shipment of more fruit for canning. However, the
danger of bruising may still be a problem with this heavier box.
"We're a Family Farm...We Like It That Way."
The Brenkwitz family has grown the finest apricots in Northern
California for five generations. Apricots have always been a
delicate fruit, and only in recent years have we perfected varieties
and shipping methods that allow us to deliver our delicious fruit
right to your front door. At Lone Tree, that's the one comment
we hear most often. For years we have grown the most flavorful
varieties, just for nice folks like you! We're pleased to continue
sending this deliciously fresh & healthy fruit, direct from
our orchards to your front door."They're My Favorite!"
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