RANCH NEWS, Oct 2000

The year 2000 crop has just been harvested and we are pleased to say that the quality is absolutely fabulous. We have been selling in the farmer’s markets and the response has been overwhelming. The days have dramatically cooled down from the 110’s to the 80’s and it is time to begin our mail order shipping. 

We have launched our new interactive website at www.fourapostles.com. We are now able to process your orders online on our secure server and accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Our site has been designed with your security and convenience in mind. We have built a personal database for every customer that allows the secure storage of your billing and shipping addresses and your gift recipient’s shipping addresses. Many of our customers send out gifts to the same friends and relatives every year. We felt that this feature would be a great convenience for our valued customers. You will also find features that allow the tracking of your shipments, editing addresses and review of your order history, all in a secure environment. Credit card orders are also now accepted by phone, fax or mail.  

Certified Organic almonds are new to our products. We hope you enjoy them. Our Gold Farmer’s Market grade was previously called “select”. The Silver grade is new to our mail order catalogue. We have carried them for years in the Farmer’s Markets. They are smaller, chewier and have low moisture content, ideal for cooking and backpacking. The Gold Large remains the mainstay of our mail order business for those discerning customers who want the best daily. The Gold Large and Gold Jumbos in the two- pound tins are in very high demand at the holidays, which means that we usually sell out. The Jumbos that we harvested this September are the most beautiful, flavorful, and bountiful that we have seen in years. They are perfect for that special gift or occasion.  

Come visit us at www.fourapostles.com for faster, more efficient service. Keep checking back for new Certified Organic products for your health and nutrition. ENJOY!

RANCH NEWS, Nov 1999



We are pleased to announce that 1999 is a "vintage" year for our Certified Organic Medjool Dates.  The yields and quality are excellent.  As you know, we did not ship last year due to low quality as a result of "El Nino" conditions.  The rains in the desert were insignificant, but the resulting cool weather in the spring and scorching heat of the summer (127 degrees F) made conditions impossible for quality Medjools. This year was a different story. The spring was still cool, but the summer growing conditions were perfect, although our harvest was a month late.  After many decades of very stable climatic conditions we are experiencing large shifts in our weather patterns.  Farmers everywhere are rethinking farming strategies.  While the debate over whether these changes are entirely manmade or natural goes on, your support of sustainable farming and manufacturing enterprises gives our fragile planet a helping hand.

This season we are introducing new recyclable pete packaging. The goal is to protect your dates better during shipment and to facilitate more efficient storage in your refrigerator or freezer. Our gift tins remain the same, for that special gift or occasion. Our Select grade is an excellent bargain.  Many of you were introduced to this grade in the Southern California Farmer's Markets.  The price is the same and the shipping for cases is economical.  The Large grade remains the mainstay of our mail order business for those discerning customers who want the best daily. Remember that our Medjools will keep indefinitely if tightly sealed in your freezer.  We unconditionally guarantee our dates so if you have any problems or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone, fax, email, or mail. As a preferred customer, we would like to remind you to send in your holiday gift orders early as possible since we always sell out on our Jumbos.  Our goal is to please you.

Our website is undergoing major changes.  We will be offering a fully enabled E Commerce site with a secure server to complete your transactions by credit card, debit card, check or money order.  We hope that our customers will enjoy the convenience. After countless requests, we will begin offering new Certified Organic products on our website as well as in our catalogue. Please let us know if there are products that you would like us to carry and we will do our best to grow or find them for you.  The new URL will be www.fourapostles.com.

As a small family farm we would like to extend thanks from our family to yours for the support you have given us over the years. ENJOY!