(These are sold out, but Eli’s Farm Stand in Fallbrook has GEM avocados for sale right now.)
I’m calling this the “Family Box” because Hass, Gwen, and GEM avocados are all related. And because all three have similar harvest seasons, I can pick them all now in order to make a mixed box of amazing-tasting avocados.
Here is the order page with details.
With this Family Box, you will be able to do a side-by-side taste comparison of these three varieties, all harvested and handled carefully so they taste just like they would off a tree in your own yard. Each of these varieties makes for an excellent avocado tree to grow in your yard.
Kinship
Hass was first, the ancient one, having grown from a seed planted in 1926 in La Habra Heights in Los Angeles County, California. (My full profile of Hass.)
Then came Gwen in 1963, but only after skipping a generation, as Gwen grew from a seed of an avocado variety called Thille — and Thille came from a Hass seed. The seed that grew the mother Gwen tree was planted in Irvine in Orange County, California. (My video profile of Gwen — full profile of Gwen coming soon.)
Finally, the youngster GEM. A seed from a Gwen avocado was planted in 1986 in Camarillo in Ventura County, California to grow the original GEM tree. (My full profile of GEM.)
So they’re all in a kinship line: Hass, 1926 . . . (Thille) . . . Gwen, 1963 . . . GEM, 1986.
Trees
I’ll be picking each variety from trees in different Southern California groves. The Hass will come from the Spaugh Grove in San Diego County; the Gwen from the Laferriere Grove in San Bernardino County; and the GEM from Balmar Farm in Fallbrook, San Diego County.
I’ll put approximately two Hass, four Gwen, and four GEM avocados in each box, making a total of about ten avocados in the Family Box. I’ll label the avocados so that you know which is which.
Here’s the order page for a Family Box of premium Southern California heritage avocados.
Just so you know, this will be my last harvest for a while. I may harvest something in June, but more likely I won’t do another harvest until Reeds are ready in July.
All of my Yard Posts are listed HERE
We ate our first Gwen from the previous offering today. Excellent, second best avocado i have ever had. My current personal ranking from the avocados so far (they were all very good and all of top quality)
#1 Pinkerton (multiple family members agreed perhaps the best avocado they ever had)
#2 Gwen
#3 Carmen
#4 GEM
#5 Sir Prize
I love this, Colin. Thanks for taking the time to rank and share. I’m always so curious about your impressions of these avocado varieties.
Good to know Eli will be offering the Gwen coming up. It will be the last avocado 🥑 I will be able to fit into to my field. We purchased a Gwen at his fruit stand last year and thought it to be just amazing. BTW since applying a generous layer of mulch we have been able to cut down significantly on water. Well worth the $$ spent.
Great to hear the mulch is doing its job!
I have received a box of gem and a box of Gwen (just hit the ripe stage) and both were amazing. Gwen right now is my favorite. My wife disagrees… preferring the gem.
Planted the following, near the coast just south of SF
GEM (15 gal)
Reed (sleeve)
Carmen (sleeve)
Lamb (5gal)
Guess I’ll find out in about 5 years if they will produce!
Hi Dan, I’m just south of you on the mid-peninsula, a little closer to the Bay side. As of two months ago, I now have a Hass, Reed, and Nabal in the ground. All trees came from 15 gallon pots. So far everything is going well. Good luck, Dan! Hope we’re all feasting on perfect avocados in a few years.
Norcal ftw… It’s a whole different world up here relative to growing in San Diego. Even growing on the bay side of the peninsula will be different than the ocean side. Would love to know how things go for you over there.
Where did you get 15 gal trees? I found my Lamb at Home Depot (shocking, I know…) my GEM at GGP and the reed + carmen at Epicenter.
This is a great idea, Greg. The avocados from the GEM and the Pinkerton orders were both out of this world delicious. Like you mentioned in another post, there really is no comparison to properly ripened, backyard avocado. Since I’ll be gone for delivery week, this order will go to another lucky recipient. Will be looking forward to the next order in June or July.
Thank you for all that you do!
I ordered a box of Fuerte, Gem and Gwen. They were all excellent, my favorite being the Fuerte, then Gwen. On the Gwen, the taste is a wow. I want to grow these and will actively look for a tree now. On the Fuerte, I can’t help but remember all the years past of eating Fuerte with fondness, so they will always be my favorite. I’m going to waiting for your box of Reeds, will be excited to try those.
Hi Greg,
A neighbor of mine has given me several avocados from his family tree that is supposedly over 50 years old and very prolific (and delicious!). I have successfully sprouted the seeds and have small saplings growing from them. Will they actually thrive and produce fruit, or am I wasting effort on this? Should I ask for some wood to try to graft instead?Thanks!
Tim
Hi Tim,
Check out this post: https://gregalder.com/yardposts/what-kind-of-avocado-tree-do-you-get-when-you-plant-a-seed/
Just picked my last Bacon on 7 year old tree, had 12 fruits this year . 3 year old Haas loaded with small fruit , 3 year old Zutano loaded with flowers, 3 year old Stewart has about 30 small fruit, hope it holds some ! Mexicola Grande about 20 , only had 8 last season. I also have 2 ten year old seedlings setting fruit, one had about 40 last season. One seedling had about 20 fruit , which I harvested beginning Dec. thru Feb,, fruit was small but tasted good. My 3 year old ,15 gal., Fuerte has never bloomed. 3 year old Sir Prize was loaded with flowers but no fruit developed, same with 3 year old Lamb and Holiday . Just planted a sleeved Reed to replace 3 year old tree killed by gophers. Hope to have a good season . I’m on a sloped backyard and experience little frost, in Concord,Ca, about 25 miles Northeast of San Francisco . Cheers everybody . Tony
Sounds like a nice avocado arsenal. Wish you a good season, Tony.
Thanks Greg, I’ll let you know what my Stewart does this season. Quite a few Bee Bees on tree right now.
For Bay Area folks, Home Depot in Brentwood has two nice looking Fuerte in 5 gallon containers.
I see you gamified the shipment! I marked two of them with an H and those two are getting nice and dark…
Nice work, Dan! I thought that would be fun.