In the News: Kingsburg reaps great times at Stone Fruit Jubilee

By: Jon Acevedo

Published: June 29, 2026 in Mid Valley Times

On June 27, 2026, attendees of the 18th Annual Stone Fruit Jubilee and Small Farm Expo visit booths hosted by local growers, sampling different varieties of organically grown stone fruits. (Jon Acevedo)

KINGSBURG – Community members spent an evening celebrating the Valley’s agricultural roots while getting to know some of the growers working to keep local farming sustainable.

On June 27, attendees filled Kingsburg Historical Park for the 18th Annual Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee and Small Farm Expo. From 4-7:30 p.m., the park hosted farmers, vendors and musical acts while guests filled their bags to the brim with organic fruit.

Aside from providing a fun excuse to get out, the core vision behind the Jubilee is to highlight farmers embodying sustainable and regenerative practices, while connecting them to the communities they serve.

Organizer Hansel Kern said in an interview that all of the participating farms are certified organic, meaning they do not excessively till and avoid use of chemical pesticides.

“We want to offer the public an opportunity for an alternative,” said Kern. “It creates a real, intimate connection when you’re there, looking the farmers in the eyes and eating the fruit that their family’s been growing for four or five generations. That’s powerful stuff to me.”

During the Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee and Small Farm Expo at Kingsburg Historical Park on June 27, 2026, local growers offer organic fruit to attendees. (Jon Acevedo)

Each of the farm booths offered free samples of peach, plum and nectarine varieties, and those who purchased paper bags at the event could pick out a small heap to take home with them. From more tart, acidic selections to sweeter, milder examples, there was something for all stone fruit lovers to enjoy.

During the event, attendees could also stop and listen to live musical performances from Good Medicine, Ripe for Pickin’ and Raging Grannies, who all filled the park with a delightful mix of bluegrass, folk and blues.

In the Historical Park Hall, attendees could sit in on a handful of educational presentations from U.C. Master Food Preservers, the Allensworth Progressive Association and F3 Local. During the U.C. Master Food Preservers presentation, attendees learned some recipes and techniques to get the best shelf life out of their fruits.

Alongside the activities, the event also offered an array of local food and beverage vendors. One such vendor was Tracey Dunne of Side Hustle Jams, who proudly showcased a number of jams made from locally grown fruit.

For Dunne, who attended the Stone Fruit Jubilee for the first time this year, the day created an opportunity to get feedback from potential customers and learn what people like. With locally sourced fruits being key ingredients in Side Hustle Jams offerings, it also offered a space to connect with more growers, find new ingredients and help reduce food waste.

Side Hustle Jams vends at 18th Annual Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee and Small Farm Expo at Kingsburg Historical Park on June 27, 2026, showcasing a wide range of locally made jams. (Jon Acevedo)

Using ingredients she’s sourced from all around the Valley, Dunne said the business offers more than 800 varieties of jams.

“We all work together,” said Dunne. “They (local growers) ask, ‘Oh, can you please take this off our hands,’ because they don’t want it to go to waste, and I say ‘Sure, I’ll take it!’”

Mason Parkinson, operator of Valliwide Organic Farms, also spoke to a sense of collaboration amongst the farmers in attendance. In an interview, Parkinson shared that his family has worked with some of the other growers for decades, and enjoyed the opportunity to see everyone gathered in one place.

“It’s a small community, and it’s one of those where everybody knows everybody and everybody helps everybody,” said Parkinson. “So, having events like this where we all get together is pretty fun.”

Reflecting on the evening’s turnout, Kern expressed a deep sense of joy to see so many people take interest. He reported last year’s attendance to be in the low hundreds, and having just broken even with a profit of around $56, Kern said he and the committee were unsure of how long they’d be able to continue the annual Jubilee.

However, thanks to a partnership with F3 Local, who Kern said handled the majority of the social media marketing for this year’s event, the Jubilee seems to have attracted a noticeably higher amount of foot traffic.

Though organizing the event and keeping it above water has posed a number of challenges over the years, Kern maintains his passion for environmental sustainability and remains thankful to event committee members and sponsors who help keep its legacy alive.

“We have family discussions about carrying this on or not, but today has brought joy to my heart,” Kern said. “I don’t ever want to quit. Some members of the committee do, and family members maybe, but I think it’s just too important.”