Victoria Island Farms
Proud Producer of California's
Finest Asparagus
Victoria Island's mineral-rich, peaty soil, coupled with our temperate climate, is the ideal environment for growing premium asparagus. The Nichols family has been growing asparagus on this island for nearly 50 years. We are proud that the distinctive Red V logo on boxes of fresh asparagus has come to stand for the best in flavor and freshness.
Victoria Island Farms
is Fanatical About Freshness
Victoria Island Farms enlists Integrated Pest Management techniques to reduce pesticide usage to an absolute minimum. We avoid insect build-up by routinely rotating crops. When we do apply pest materials, we only use those registered by the USEPA under the guidance of Licensed Pest Control Advisors. Under our pre-harvest sampling program, we lab-test our produce for pesticide residues. We aim for zero discernable pesticide residues.
Because we manage our own packing and shipping on site, Victoria Island Farms sets the highest standards for quality, freshness, and food safety. All of our fields are within three miles of our packing facility, so our asparagus goes from the harvester’s knife to the cold room in just a few of hours.
Our dedicated staff quickly sorts and grades the spears according to size. The spears are then bunched and boxed. Inside each box is a moist, absorbent fiber pad that maintains freshness while the asparagus is in transit.
Once the asparagus is boxed, we immediately run the waterproof boxes through our hydro-cooler – a carefully timed conveyor under a shower of cold water – which brings the temperature of the produce down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius). Quick cooling preserves quality and extends shelf life. The boxes are then stacked onto pallets and stored in our cold storage facility. Pre-cooled trucks back up into the cold storage room, so the asparagus is never exposed to temperatures above 35 degrees F after being cut.
Victoria Island Farms is one of the few asparagus growers in control of all stages of production from field to market. Because we oversee production, cutting, packing, and shipping, we can confidently guarantee that our asparagus is delivered under the most stringent food safety and freshness procedures.