Buying Hass avocados: plan for when you want to use them

An avocado bought for a meal this weekend and one bought for use later have different jobs to do. Before discussing a possible purchase, it helps to explain when you want to use the fruit. That detail can be as useful to the grower as the quantity you have in mind.

At La Lombardia, Hass is part of our agricultural identity. Availability is confirmed directly with the family. When fruit can be discussed, a clear account of the buyer's needs makes it easier to decide whether the timing and the proposed purchase fit together.

Mature enough to harvest is not ready to eat

UC Davis's avocado postharvest guidance distinguishes harvest maturity from the ripening that follows picking. Avocados do not normally ripen on the tree. Fruit can therefore be suitable for harvest while remaining firm, with softening still ahead.

That distinction explains why “ripe” can mean different things in a buying conversation. Do you mean fruit suitable for picking, fruit that is already soft enough to prepare, or fruit intended to reach that stage later? Saying which one you need avoids an easy misunderstanding.

This is a general explanation of avocado handling, not a claim that a particular La Lombardia batch has been assessed or prepared to a specified stage.

Describe the intended use

A useful inquiry might say: “I am looking for Hass for use next week. Can you confirm whether fruit is available and what timing would be realistic?” It leaves the farm room to answer the current situation instead of assuming stock exists.

For a business inquiry, add the intended use and whether you are asking about a single purchase or the possibility of future supply. If a particular size, packing method or document matters to you, name it. The family can then say what can be considered, rather than discovering a requirement after the discussion has advanced.

These are proposed details for an inquiry, not services or specifications already offered by the finca.

Agree on the handover as well as the fruit

If availability and requirements align, the next discussion can make the practical details explicit: the quantity being considered, the agreed condition of the fruit, the date and the arrangements for collection or delivery, if available. Price and any other terms also need confirmation.

A short written recap helps both sides recognize what has actually been agreed and which questions remain open. It is especially useful when the person asking the first question is not the person who will receive or use the fruit.

There is no standard offer hidden in that checklist. Its value is in helping two people reach the same understanding of a possible purchase.

Ask about today's situation

Approximately 1,000 Hass plants and a drip-irrigation system describe La Lombardia's plantation. They do not establish saleable volume, a harvest date or a continuing supply commitment. A photograph introduces the crop; the family confirms availability.

Request Agriculture access if you would like to introduce a buying interest. Tell us when you hope to use the fruit, what you are looking for and the question you need answered first. Each request is reviewed personally; access begins an exchange rather than placing an order.