Fantozzi Farms, a multigenerational family farm in Patterson, is turning to the public after a last-minute fallout with a major buyer left them with 500 tons of apricots and no contract to move them.

For the past four years, the farm operated under a verbal agreement to sell its summer crop to a large company. But just days before harvest, the buyer pulled out without warning. According to the farm’s owners, they later learned the company had partially been sold and no longer wanted the fruit. The canceled deal—worth hundreds of thousands of dollars—has led to a staggering surplus and a race against time to prevent massive waste and financial hardship.

In response, the farm launched an all-hands-on-deck community initiative. Fantozzi Farms is open for extended U-Pick hours—8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily for at least the next couple of weeks—inviting anyone to come and pick fresh apricots straight from the orchard. Visitors can also purchase pre-picked 24-pound boxes for $35 or harvest their own for just $1 per pound. U-Pick customers are encouraged to bring their own containers.

To reduce waste and support food security, Fantozzi Farms has also donated thousands of pounds of apricots to food banks across California, with more bins on the way.

The farm is located at 1825 Walnut Ave. in Patterson and remains hopeful that with enough help, this year’s apricot harvest can still be a fruitful one for both the community and the orchard.