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Ceratto's Grotto · 09-23-2008, 05:47 PM

This is my first year at trying the snowbird thing. I planned all my stops on the way down to Tucson, via OR, CA, NV, and AZ, taking a month to get down there from Washington State.

I grow a lot of our own food during the summer, over 32 4'x16' raised beds and several fruit trees. So... I'm out there harvesting, thinking of how much I can take with us and how much I need to haul to the local food bank and otherwise give away. I suddenly realize that I probably can't take much of any of this stuff because California doesn't allow much of anything in.

So I do a little research and find a pdf file listing all the restrictions;

www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/pdfs/Fruits_and_Veg.pdf

I'm thinking, great!, next time my visits to CA will be on the way BACK to Washington State from the SW.

Well, more thought and I think about cooking it all first... maybe they will allow it in that way. I called the CA people and found that if it is cooked it is fine, and if it is frozen (solid frozen), it is okay too. Solid frozen vs frozen / cold storage then allowed to thaw (like apples are generally done).

Anyway... FYI...

Ceratto's Grotto · 09-23-2008, 05:47 PM

This is my first year at trying the snowbird thing. I planned all my stops on the way down to Tucson, via OR, CA, NV, and AZ, taking a month to get down there from Washington State.

I grow a lot of our own food during the summer, over 32 4'x16' raised beds and several fruit trees. So... I'm out there harvesting, thinking of how much I can take with us and how much I need to haul to the local food bank and otherwise give away. I suddenly realize that I probably can't take much of any of this stuff because California doesn't allow much of anything in.

So I do a little research and find a pdf file listing all the restrictions;

www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/pdfs/Fruits_and_Veg.pdf

I'm thinking, great!, next time my visits to CA will be on the way BACK to Washington State from the SW.

Well, more thought and I think about cooking it all first... maybe they will allow it in that way. I called the CA people and found that if it is cooked it is fine, and if it is frozen (solid frozen), it is okay too. Solid frozen vs frozen / cold storage then allowed to thaw (like apples are generally done).

Anyway... FYI...

MonacoMama · 09-23-2008, 09:26 PM

Great info...I am glad you did the research for everyone else!

MM

MtManLee · 09-24-2008, 05:20 AM

I knew that. LOL I learned many years ago when I was attached to the military in Calif and had to move there for a couple of years.

JRP · 09-24-2008, 05:57 AM

CA should be more concerned with the fruits & nuts running the state legislature in Sac, and less about your apples & green beans.

escaped from Ca

AKBrick · 09-24-2008, 06:01 AM

Last week we were coming back into California from a week stay in Reno, NV. for the "Balloon Races". When we got to the "Bug Inspection" booth on the border they asked us if we were bringing in any fruits or veggies. I said "yes" and they asked me where we got them. I told him that we bought them at "Trader Joe's" in California a week before and he said "no problem" and let us through. BTW, we really did buy them in CA.

Cheers,

AKBrick

sherlar · 09-24-2008, 06:01 AM

If you are coming down I5 into CA you drive right past the used to be inspection station. They only stop commercial trucks now. That's true as far as I know at every inspection station coming into CA. They stopped most if not all inspections of regular traffic a few years ago due to state budget problems.

Cheers,
Larry & Sherry
Sacramento area

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 09-24-2008, 07:15 AM

I have not stopped at the I5 inspection station coming into Ca from Oregon in the last three years..most recently on August 27th. I would bring all that you plan to eat fresh, frozen or canned.

Ronnie

LindaH · 09-24-2008, 08:21 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by sherlar:
They only stop commercial trucks now. That's true as far as I know at every inspection station coming into CA. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, that's not true of ALL California inspection stations.

Just yesterday, we came into California from Nevada on US-6. There was an inspection station on US-6 shortly after entering California where we had to stop (they even had a lane specifically for RVs) and we were asked if we'd just come from South Dakota. When we assured the inspector that we hadn't been in SD for a couple of years and that we'd spent the summer in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and most recently, Nevada, she waived us on.

Nothing was ever said about any fruits or vegetables, but I'm sure if our answer to her first question had been "yes," we would have been asked other questions, and maybe even been inspected.

RedneckExpress · 09-24-2008, 08:28 AM

I found the easiest way to not worry about it is to visit a grocery store before you go into California and peel a number of the stickers off their produce items that are the same as yours and then stick them on to your home grown.

When they ask, tell them you bought them at the store and if they want to see them, you can show them the stickers.

Brought a bunch of peaches and tomatoes with me into California via Hwy 199 out of Oregon this way.

Forest Grump · 09-25-2008, 07:48 AM

I can't believe the above statement. Is it ok to murder someone too if you mask it? Laws are there for a reason.

The reason for the inspection stations are to protect the agricultural crops of the state which are a billion dollar market. Much of it goes east for example 90% of the carrots in the US go through Kern County. This is to protect our food supply.

If some part of the California food supply goes south due to a pest epidemic brought in then you are going to find your cost for this fruit sky rocketing through out the country.

May you have many flats....

RedneckExpress · 09-25-2008, 08:27 AM

Ya know the funny thing, Forest, is they seemed more concerned that I might have a dead deer stashed somewhere on my truck than about the peaches and tomatoes (which I did declare, with the added line "That I bought up at the safeway in Grants Pass").

I'm guessing having a pickup camper immediately qualifies you as a hunter in california.

Forest Grump · 09-25-2008, 08:56 AM

I guess I may have over reacted but the agricultural industry of California is pretty important not only for us but also for the whole country.

One night very late and very dark I was at home in Bakersfield, doing what old men do and looking out the window while doing what old men do when I saw the strangest set of lights headed towards LA. No not flying saucers but a fleet of helos used by a local firm to spray fruit for the fruit fly and they were headed to LA in formation all decked out in lighting to do a UFO shoot for a movie.

When ever they find the fruit fly in LA this group heads down to handle it which is not that uncommon. This time it was for a movie.

FatDog · 09-25-2008, 09:19 AM

except for the 'murder' part you did not over react at all,

the climate here in CA and the value and extent of AG here makes the fields very vulnerable,

and, FG and you may know, our waterways are now being hit by a problematic invader mussel,
even as we drive within the State, boats are checked to see if they are carrying it from River to lake,

so since i am the guy whose house and trucks are sprayed at night to try and kill the fruit flys, i guess i don't mind it at all if they check your incoming fruit for problems at the line of entry