Stonefruit will be very cheap in HB after all this rain however they will probably be split and your best bet would be to use for jam. Golden Queens start in Feb. Field tomatoes also good to preserve or make into purees, sauces or relishes and are cheap to pick your own - Feb also. Pears and apples also coming on from February but better to use some of the later varieties that are better for cooking, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn.
yjeva,
Jan 1, 7:26am
You have a unique way of sounding as though you think everybody in the world but you is a moron.
pickles7,
Jan 1, 8:07am
take it on board, or don't.
pickles7,
Jan 1, 8:09am
My son uses an organic spray on the apples, as soon as it stops raining they will be going flat out, orchards are suffering right now.
Yes I have. Surprise, surprise - I read newspapers too. I am referring to your rather demeaning comment "Have you ever thought how thy can be open 7 days a week for months without spraying in this weather! NO! I thought so!" What makes you presume that you are the only person who keeps up to date or has a rational thought!
punkinthefirst,
Jan 1, 10:31am
picxie, the Strawberry farm on Pakowhai Rd in Hastings does big, cheap punnets. If you ask for jam strawberries, they're usually even cheaper (but smaller or imperfect - no problems for jam). Bucks in town will have cheap field-grown tomatoes when they're ready (late Feb - March), as well as beetroot and other chutney and pickle veges. The orchard on the way to the dump will soon have apples and pears. Apricots are ready now. Best priced peaches I've found are at some of the orchards around Hastings.
beaker59,
Jan 1, 10:18pm
So replace percieved demeaning with actual demeaning how seasonally festive of you :)
picxie,
Jan 1, 10:25pm
Thanks to those who have made constructive comments . punkinthefirst, where is Bucks! I am liking the sound of strawberry jam too . wish I'd made some last year, we had loads of strawberries (too many to eat and I got sick of them!) but we've moved now and I only transplanted a few strawberry plants which the chooks have decimated :( Will transplant them somewhere else soon, so hopefully will have strawberries next year!
punkinthefirst,
Jan 6, 10:53pm
Bucks is the vege market on the South end of town near the old Railway Station, opposite the public toilets.Variable quality fruit and veg , because they don't seem to have a coolroom (I may be wrong). But best prices in town for in-season produce. Sorry to take so long to reply.
cgvl,
Jan 6, 11:51pm
mm apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums at local market today. $4 -$5 a kilo. Have got some to try DH said plums were nice, he got given a free one by seller. Place I buy from each summer and their fruit is really nice.
elliehen,
Jan 7, 12:14am
Right now in the top of the South.strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, cherries, blueberries from the Motueka Valley and a berry cultivar valled 'karaka' which is like a less hairy boysenberry that holds its shape - not to be confused with the Karaka berries from the native Karaka tree.bright orange and toxic!
Very early varieties of apples will be picked towards the end of January - usually the softer apples like Oratia with the smoky taste of the heritage Gravenstein which isn't grown any more here.
punkinthefirst,
Jan 8, 11:11am
Picxie - free ripe plums on the tree on the walkway at the top of McCarthy Terrace. Tree is in school grounds, but the plums always go to waste. They're ripe now - those bright red, yellow-fleshed plums. Smallish but very sweet.
picxie,
Dec 31, 4:59am
Hi all, just wondering what fruit is now in season that I should be able to buy cheaply for preserves! I have been lucky to get given some apricots and plums, now I'm after something else that's cheap (and what is considered cheap!).
deus701,
Dec 31, 5:35am
strawberries.there are pick your own farms they charges $6.50 per kg.
I usually scrutinise the area where i pick.its not nice plopping a strawberry in your mouth that has been pissed on by other pickers
picxie,
Dec 31, 5:45am
Ewwwww . people do that! Disgusting!
uli,
Dec 31, 6:03am
Much better than having strawberries that have been sprayed for botrytis yesterday . Have you ever thought how thy can be open 7 days a week for months without spraying in this weather! NO! I thought so!
davidt4,
Dec 31, 9:27am
Out local strawberry farm is open 7 days.On 24 December their sign said" strawberries may not keep" and how right they were.Ours went furry overnight and I took that as an indication that they hadn't sprayed heavily.
I can't imagine how a picker could or would piss on the plants - surely not.
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