Our Fresh Produce Report

This report was updated on Wednesday the 16th May for deliveries 21st - 24th May 2012

Available produce and pricing is updated each Wednesday evening
For delivery Monday - Wednesday: Order by 4pm Friday
For delivery Thursday: Order by 8am Monday 

  • As many of you know it's been one of those weeks. Beans, Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Tamarillos & English Cucumber all unavailable...not to mention the Country Valley Milk. Sorry everyone. The cold snap we have all felt this week has taken its toll. Victorian Bean season has now firmly finished with frost...which unfortunately means that we will be Bean-less until Trevor Mahaffey starts his season in 7 - 10 days. NSW Squash has also come to a quick end...but O'Shanessy will start his QLD crop deliveries starting the 28th...and Sugar Snap Peas will remain on the list now coming from Tim Hamilton. Tim is the Pea master ! His Garden Peas were sensational this week. Country Valley assures us supply will be fine for deliveries starting the 21st. Tamarillos & Kang Kong season now also finished. 
  • ..the good news is that Anthony Wallis (see Grower Profile) arrived at our warehouse on Tuesday with a sample of his Navel Oranges and we have decided that they are sweet enough to put on the list. New season Oranges are always a bit of a shock when you compare them with the end of the season fruit they eventually replace. We will continue to offer Valencia Oranges for the next week...For all of the Juicers - a Valencia and Navel mix is superb. 
  • Strawberries was another item that many of you did not receive from us this week..as 24 pts arrived on a pallet Monday morning I knew many of you would be disappointed. Unfortunately the Victorian Strawberries coming from Rowdowsky just aren't growing in this cool weather...on the flip side I have spoken to Pim today and her Strawberries are coming along well. When I told her we have been paying $8 - $8.50 for the Strawberries coming from Victoria she called all her children together to let them know that are not to eat another berry. Pim will spot pick for us this week...this basically means that she will walk around the garden and pick what is ripe - a very time consuming process and send what she can. Obviously supply will increase weekly until we have plenty of Pim's Strawberries to go round....this may take 2 -3 weeks. 
  • Imperial Mandarins from Mount Gayndah, Pears - Bosc in particular from Greenwood, All varieties of Apples from Forest Orchard, Hass Avocadoes from Surfing, Custard Apples from Pim and Rhubarb from Moonacres have been great. Plums and Grapes are still hanging in there. Keep in mind they are at the very end of the season and are beginning to show signs that the end is near. Know what to expect. 
  • As many of you know we ended up supplying many of you Choy Sum or Pak Choy in replace of your Bok Choy this week...I hope this worked at your end. Charlie will now have a 2 week gap and so we will look to Coolibah Herbs to supply our needs. 
  • English Spinach coming from Coolibah Herbs has been excellent over the last few weeks...Keep in mind that English Spinach Bunches in particular  should be inspected on arrival for any damaged or bruised leaves (usually occurring at the point of the elastic band which strangles the delicate leaves and stems). After removing the elastic band and any damaged leaves, spinach is best kept in a Peakfresh bag (only $3.30 for 10 bags) – I personally use two bags for spinach…one over the top and one over the bottom. Peakfresh Bags can be found on our website – try using the Search Function.
  • Due to the cooler temps the price on Pumpkin, Broccoli and Zucchini will start to climb over the next few weeks. Tomato & Lebanese Cucumber price has already sky-rocketed, but not for Lettuce customers, who pay $12.00 per kilo all year. A quick note about the Lebanese Cucumber...at the moment we are getting cucumber from Shane and Cove....the Cove cucumber are really young...don't mistake them for 'old' - young cucumber are not filled out so they can feel rubbery or 'floppy' - do not let this put you off - these small cucumber are super sweet.
  • Lettuce from Jo Cremona in are still really small ! Know what to expect. Jo's pick is the small Iceberg - still $2.40 each. Jo's Silverbeet is now back on the list - $4.20 each. 
  • Garlic is quickly approaching end of season….New season will start again in September. Russian Garlic may now arrive to you in segments, and Italian Garlic is starting to sprout...We have had a few enquiries about whether or not you can eat the sprout...the answer is yes, no probs at all. 
  • New season Celery will start this week from Anthony Bauer. First pick will be on the small side - no smaller than we supplied you this week from Edwards...size will increase weekly as we move further into the patch...
  • Broccoli & Cauliflower from Garry Hamm, Jap Pumpkin from Ward and Black Crow, Red Capsicum from Shane Eldridge, Swiss Brown Mushrooms from Minore Falls, Carrots from Arahura, Wombat and Rowdowsky, Fennel & Kale from Charlie, Grape Cherry Tomatoes from Kevin Black, Dutch Carrots from Burrell, Onions - all varieties from Forest Hill, Parsnip from Jim Bell & Zucchini from Nature's Have & Brander have been excellent.