Aziz Farms vs Desert Sun Dates: Two Coachella Valley Family Farms Compared

Aziz Farms in Thermal is one of the Coachella Valley’s respected family date farms — known for a wide variety list and a thoughtful approach to growing. We’re a family farm too, at the quiet northern end of the same valley. This is the friendliest comparison in our series, because the honest answer is: you’d do fine with either. Here’s how we differ, farmer to shopper.

Two family farms, two corners of the valley

Aziz Farms grows in Thermal, in the heart of the valley’s date country, with an unusually broad variety list — Medjool, Zahidi, Barhi, Dayri and rarer types — and farming practices they describe as regenerative. A multigenerational family operation that knows what it’s doing.

We grow these. Golden Zahidi Dates — Nutty, Less Sweet, Never Sticky | California Farm-Direct from our family farm in Sky Valley, California — from $15/lb, shipping included. See them →

Desert Sun Dates grows in Sky Valley, miles north of the commercial agriculture corridor — which gives our fruit something location-specific: no farm neighbors, so no neighboring spray program can drift onto our fruit, and groundwater from the naturally warm, mineral-rich aquifer our end of the valley is famous for. How we grow — soil, water and distance.

Depth of variety vs. depth of focus

A broad variety list is a real pleasure for date lovers who want to taste across the spectrum. We went the other way: three varieties — jumbo Medjool, golden Zahidi, seasonal Barhi — grown, graded and packed to be the best version of themselves. Collector’s garden vs. single-focus grove; both are honest ways to farm.

Price per pound, posted

Our prices are public and include shipping to the lower 48: $19 for 1 lb down to about $9.83/lb on the 12 lb Medjool box — no checkout surprises. Bulk buyers: cases from 24 lb, freight included.

Where each fits

Want to explore rare varieties from a valley-heart farm? Aziz is a fine choice. Want jumbo, whole, pit-in Medjool from an isolated grove on spa-warm aquifer water, shipped days after you order? That’s us — one harvest a year, this season’s fruit selling now.

Desert Sun Dates is a family farm in Sky Valley, California. We grow, hand-harvest, pack and ship every order ourselves. See all our Coachella Valley farm comparisons.