Kingsgate Ranch

Grapes...well, our grapes usually ripen between the last week of August and the second week of September....of course, that is when the fun begins for a raisin operation. We grow raisins following Certified Organic procedures, as well as the more typical conventional methodology.  Currently, the marketplace has not offered any particular incentive to certify our blocks as organic, and as a result, we do not currently certify any raisins.  However, should Organic demand rise, we will be able to certify the blocks in qustion quite quickly. 

Because our vineyards were planted many years ago - before there was any such thing as a mechanical grape harvester, they must all be hand harvested.  The experience of picking grapes, laying them on paper trays to dry, turning the paper trays (if necessary), rolling up the paper trays once the grapes have dried into raisins, and then finally picking up all of the rolled up trays and delivering the raw produst to the packaging facility remains one of the most labor intensive operations in the agricultural industry.  We hope it is something we will be able to adequately show in pictures and video in order to give a real sense of what a raisin harvest is like...

Dont forget to check out our grape harvest VIDEO GALLERY