Standings

The Birth of California Raisin Country 18th century Spanish missionaries in Mexico moved into California and helped farmers grow grapes for wine. 1851 A marketable muscat for raisins, the Egyptian Muscat, was grown near San Diego. Since the area didn't have sufficient water supply, farmers moved to the San Joaquin (wah keen) Valley which has a mild climate and extensive irrigation system perfect for the art of viticulture. 1873 Legend says California's first raisin crop was grown by nature, not farmers. A massive heat wave hit the valley before harvest, and most of the grapes dried on the vine before farmers could pick them. 1876 Scottish immigrant William Thompson grew a seedless grape variety that was thin-skinned, seedless, sweet and tasty. Today 95 percent of California raisins are made from Thompson seedless grapes. Late 1800s Armenians descended from the first founders of vineyards in Persia began settling in the San Joaquin Valley. The area now supplies raisins for nearly half the world, making it the largest producer anywhere.