The Salinas Watsonville growing region was beset by significant amounts of rain this past weekend, so it was time to go out and have a look. It’s tough to see this, since while the crews are out picking as they have been for about a month, the fruit is being thrown away rather than put into clamshells and boxes for shipping. Removing all the damaged fruit of course is good field practice and is done to maintain good sanitation around the plant, keeping things on the up and up to prepare for better days ahead. Much of the damage in the pictures below has to do with “water soaking”, meaning the riper fruit has pulled water into itself via osmotic pressure and the extra water coming in so quick has subsequently burst the epidermis.