‘Date Shake’ turns local harvest into treats

WESTMORLAND, Calif. (KYMA) - The yearly date harvesting is nearing its end, with farmers wrapping up another harvest. For one local farm owner, the harvest eventually makes its way to his shop, "Date Shake."

The date harvest typically runs through the summer, with the final dates now coming off the palms.

Date farmer and store owner Joe Feljeh explained that Imperial County is the perfect climate to harvest dates.

"So the dates takes a lot of heat and a lot of water, and you grow beautiful dates. And here in the Valley we have free heat, you don't have to pay for and we have water very cheap with IID. They give us good irrigation water. Not expensive," he said.

The store has been around since 2014, and the farm even longer.

"Our farm, we started outside Westmoreland in 2007. It takes seven years for the trees, the palm trees, to be fully grown," Feljeh said.

The shop carries a large variety of dates.

"The most popular is Medjool dates, which is the most popular date. It is the biggest, plumbest, the sweetest date," Feljeh explained.

He said there are over 150 variety of dates in Southern California. The store also carries locally sourced honey, and locally grown and produced olive oil.

Right now, if you mention "Joe," you get a free small shake with any purchase.