Temalpakh Farm vs Desert Sun Dates: Two Coachella Valley Stories, Compared With Respect

Temalpakh Farm in Coachella is operated by the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians — a farm market selling fresh produce, dates and smoothies, with an education center and a tours program. It deserves saying plainly: the agricultural story there is far older than the date industry, older than California agriculture as most people tell it, and Temalpakh tells it properly. If you visit one farm market in the valley for the story, make it that one.

What Temalpakh does well

Place and history. A visit is produce, dates, smoothies and an education in whose land grows all of this — the kind of context a website can’t ship in a box.

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 →

What farm-direct from us looks like

We’re a small family farm in Sky Valley doing one thing: this season’s Medjool, Zahidi and Barhi, grown, packed and shipped by us to the lower 48. Jumbo Medjool from $19, golden Zahidi from $15, bulk from $9.00/lb freight included — shipping included, posted prices.

The honest verdict

In the valley? Go to Temalpakh — buy dates, take the tour, learn something. Far away and wanting the fruit? We ship. The full map of the valley’s farms is in our grower’s guide.

Written by Jason Shopshear of Desert Sun Dates, Sky Valley, California.