Selection tips: Look for fruit that is firm, yet gives when gently squeezed. If it's still hard, it's not ready to be eaten yet. Two medium Hass avocados should yield about one pound, 2 1/2 cups sliced, diced, or chopped. (500 grams)
 

Storage tips: You may refrigerate ripe avocados until you're ready to eat them, but only for a few days. Placing an avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana and storing it at room temperature will accelerate the ripening process if needed (apples and bananas release ethylene gas - emitted by fruit when ripening and signals the plant that its lifecycle is ending). Since cut and exposed avocados tend to discolor quickly, experts advise you to add cubed or sliced avocado to your dish as late as possible in the preparation process. Adding a dash of lemon or lime juice to fresh guacamole should help prevent discoloration, however, a true Mexican gourmet would frown upon the addition of lemon! Alternatively, leaving the seed in the fresh guacamole also slows down the discoloration process.

How to eat them: The most popular uses for eating avocados are in guacamole and on salads, but they may also be found in other dishes such as soup. They also make great hollowed-out "bowls" for other dishes, including dips or seafood. Shrimp or prawn cocktails are often served in an avocado bowl. In Brazil, they coat the fruit with sugar and eat as a desert. Even avocado ice cream is available! However, lightly mashed, and spread on whole wheat toast with a little salt and ground pepper is fast, delicious and nutritious.

Peak growing season: California is responsible for 95 percent of the United States crop of avocados. There are so many different types of avocados that you should be able to find at least one variety at any point during the year. Avocados grow in many regions throughout the world.

Health benefits: Known for their great buttery taste, avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fats. They are also a good source for fiber, vitamin C and other nutrients, such as thiamine, and riboflavin.

Nutritional information: One cup of sliced avocado provides: 235 calories, 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 22 grams of fat (3.5 saturated), 15 milligrams of sodium, and 0 cholesterol.

Eureka Farms:  The average yearly crop is between 8,000 and 15,000 pounds. The entire grove is on an underground sprinkler irrigation system. Each tree receives 28 gallons of water per hour, 8 - 10 hours at a time, two to three times a week, depending on the weather. A balanced fertilizer is applied twice a year. A total of three acres are planted with Hass avocados - 100 trees.