Thinning the Fruit:

Date growing today in the warm, fertile Coachella Valley is very different from the primitive Old World industry from which it evolved. In order to produce high quality dates, particularly the Medjool variety, extensive cultural care during farming and meticulous handling during the cleaning, grading and packing operations is required.

Ringing and Bagging the Fruit Bunches:

In July and August rings are placed into each date bunch to spread the bunch apart and further enhance the prospect of providing aeration and room for the dates to grow. Additionally, a bag, much like a pillow case is placed over each date bunch. The intent is to protect the dates from insects and birds.

Harvesting the Dates :

It isn't over yet, because now it's time to pick the fruit from the tree. Medjool dates are hand picked as they ripen. This requires about three picks through the grove in order to allow all the dates to ripen on the tree.

This method produces the sweetest and most natural taste possible - allowing the sugars to reach their maximum strength to produce a rich and flavorful treat.

From Good Cultural Care and Harvesting ...
to the Cleaning and Packing Process:

Now that the lush and beautiful date palms, with the warm dry winds blowing through their leaves, have provided us with a bountiful harvest of sweet and beautiful dates we have to take special care to maintain their quality until it reaches our dinner table.

Cleaning Process:

It is essential that soft variety dates, of which the Medjool variety is one, be handled as delicately as possible in order to avoid skin damage and bruising. Even though bruised skin is only cosmetic and doesn't affect the taste of the date, Oasis Date Gardens takes pride in delivering not only quality size and flavor but elegant presentation as well.

At the start of the packing process is a pre-grading operation that separates the "ready to pack fruit" from fruit that contains too much moisture or fruit that otherwise doesn't meet quality standards. Fruit ready to be packed goes through a cleaning process on an inclined "shaker table", covered with terry cloth towels. These clean the dates as they shake and slide down the table. The shaker table sends the dates down to a conveyor belt where they are sorted by size and quality and boxed by appropriate grade. The dates are then placed in freezer storage until they are shipped to market and ultimately your dinner table.