The months pass by quickly and August makes its grand entrance with O’Henry peaches, Alhambra Valley Bartlett pears, grapes, new crop apples and more luscious blueberries. It’s also time for okra lovers to get their fill, piles of peppers and mouth watering melons, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Once a year between August and November, orchards of California apples are harvested, beginning with Gravensteins and followed by Galas, Jonathans, Fuji, Granny Smiths, Red Rome and countless other heirloom varieties picked for the market. Check out the McKeown stand at the Orinda market on Saturday, and Smit Ranch and Devoto Farms in Walnut Creek on Sunday.

Almost all apples are suitable for eating out-of-hand – just choose the one that suits your taste. Ask the person behind the stand if you have questions about crunch, color, sweetness or storage qualities. Baking apples should hold their shape when heated so Granny Smith, Pippin and Rome Beauty tend to be some of the best choices. Golden Delicious apples work well for applesauce since they do not discolor as quickly as other varieties.

A bowl of apples on the kitchen table looks lovely but it’s not the ideal storage container! Apples ripen 10 times faster at room temperature than in the fridge. They’re ripe and ready to eat when purchased, so choose your favorite and if necessary store in a plastic bag, away from strong odors, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The blueberry scene belongs to Rainbow Orchard this time of year. The sturdy structure of blueberries makes them ideal for salads and baked good. Fresh picked blueberries sport a dusty “bloom” – a natural protection from direct sun. Blueberries just seem to sell themselves – kids love them and they’re the stars in the nutrition department (fiber, minerals and antioxidants).

The blueberries from Rainbow Orchard thrive at the farm’s 3000 foot elevation in Apple Hill, a region of the Sierra Nevada foothill, less than an hour’s drive from Sacramento. Daytime temperatures are not as extreme and the nights cool down significantly – the berries love it! These mountain grown berries also enjoy a late and long harvest.

Blueberries do not continue to ripen after picking but they do deteriorate quickly. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Freezing blueberries for a winter treat is something to think about while the supply is plentiful. Wash the blueberries under running water, drain and spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer and when the berries are frozen slip them into freezer bags where they’ll keep for several months.