NEWS AND PRODUCEMARKETREPORT

THURSDAY 7/4/11

Hi Everyone,
As it has nearly been a month since the last market report I thought I would give you a quick update, but I also plan to have the next newsletter out this weekend.

First off, its been a few weeks now that we have not had bananas on the shopping cart.  Even though it is strange not to be packing them, interestingly I have not yet missed them due to the wonderful sweet apples that have just come into season.  These lovely Royal Gala, Jonathan and next week Golden Delicious are grown by Forest Orchards in Forest Range by lovely organic farmers Graeme and Fiona Schultz.   Graeme and Fiona also hosted the recent OBDA Farm Day, which unfortunately I was not able to attend.

We have had some beautiful rockmelon and watermelon, although supply has been up and down.  Last week the rockmelon was so nice, but this week it was all rotten so the whole lot had to be thrown out.  Also both orders of grapefruit have been thrown out as they were all soft.  You will also have noticed the unusual colours of the watermelon - some red, some pink, some nearly white - we have tested them and found that they are all sweet.  I think that it must be the later, cooler season that we have had this year.  The plums have been divine and last week we had my favourites - Ruby Red...Pomegranates, Limes, Pears all available now.

Vegetable supply has been pretty good, although the cabbage has been a bit up and down.  It was good to see the cauliflower come in, and parsnips too.  Broccoli was just beautiful this week too.  Good supply of sweet potato, spinach, spring onions, leeks, bunch beetroots, potatoes and carrots...mushroom supplies are very sporadic at the moment and will only be in punnets next week.

Thats all for now,

Keep an eye out for the newsletter in the next few days....

Vanessa xx

Greek Yoghurt should be back - and I had just taken it off the price list too....(knew that would happen :)

FRIDAY 11/3/11

Hi Everyone, once again its been a while since I have been able to update the market report.....as a lot of you know we have been totally flat out with Cudo orders and my family and I have been working ourselves into the ground, so much so that I have been struggling with bronchitis for the last 6-8 weeks, but no rest for the wicked or sole traders!!!  On the mend now after seeking the services of a TCM, and while the herbs are beyond belief "gross" to drink they are doing the job..........so sorry about the lack of updates, I will be doing more regular updates from now on.

Now to bananas.......sorry they have not been the best looking bananas the last few weeks but still taste wonderful.  We have been using the bananas that had been picked just prior to cyclone, then the bananas that have been salvaged from the trees after the cyclone went through - they were like gold for awhile there......No more now for us, there are a few around still but at $120 a box wholesale, its a luxury we will do without for awhile.

We do finally have the new seasons apples and pears.  Unfortunately the first lot of Galas had codling moth (but were SO sweet).  We now have Forrest Range galas and they are sweet, crisp and red (if you are like me, I was a bit over the green granny smiths!!).  We have the Kenton pears too which need to be ripened, although my kids cant wait and are eating them as they come out the cold room.

Prices are high for most produce at the moment and talking with Grant from Kenton Creek Angus today the prices for conventional beef have also sky rocketed in recent months.......so the prices we have on the beef now is pretty low - we know we are lower than the big supermarkets for a better quality product.......

We have some nice new seasons potatoes now, and I am sure you have noticed that the carrots are tiny at the moment - that is all that is available......but we have been eating them as they are and just giving them a quick rinse under the filtered water and lightly steaming them --- no need to peel as Bensons run their carrots through a brushing process which takes a minute layer of carrot skin off and removes all the dirt - just gorgeous!!!

Still some lovely locally grown stone fruit - plums, peaches.  Plus the lovely eggplant, capsicums, spinach, bunched beetroots etc.......still lots to choose from.

Oh and I cant forget the Greek Yoghurt - I know we are all suffering withdrawals from the best yoghurt in Australia, and we are really hoping it will be back soon.......I am leaving it on the shopping cart as it might just turn up when we least expect it....

Until next time, enjoy.............................

Vanessa xx