Dave's Market Update - 21.03.17

IN FRUIT
Autumn berries are great this week except for Blueberries as the Tasmanian season draws to a close. With strawberries, the smaller fruit is really cheap. It’s great to eat when fresh  but doesn’t keep really well. Buy today eat today if possible. Raspberries come on in two main flushes each year, firstly before Christmas and secondly late March early April in what the industry refers to as the Autumn flush. These raspberries are better eating than the those harvested in the middle of summer. The blackberries are plump, juicy and fantastic value. They get better every year, nothing like the old often sour fruit we used get from Victoria in the past.

In pears, Williams are now moving to controlled atmosphere. They are greener and will keep far better than the ordinary stored fruit. Be very cautious of ripe or very yellow fruit, it just won’t keep. Buerre Bosc have now started and like the Williams it looks like small fruit will be cheap and premium sized fruit not. Figs are great as are Tegan blue plums, and another delicious plum, October Suns are underway. There are bargains to be had in these in our imperfect range. Aussie pomegranates are now readily available and most apple varieties have now commenced. Pink Ladies are pretty well the only apple that is not new season, I personally don’t eat these any more but lots of people do, I think it’s time to enjoy the fruit of the season.

IN VEGETABLE
Vegetable sales continue to be strong which is very surprising given the torrential rain we have had. My home vegetable garden in the Mountains has been flattened! Still good product coming from Victoria but they are expecting a good drenching today (21^st). So broccoli, broccolini, snow peas, zucchini and potatoes are all still readily available, good quality and not dear, particularly the zucchini where both the premium and imperfect stock are well priced. With the potatoes we have a very good line of 2kg bags of Kestrels available, they are the favourite potato at my house, if you have not tried them I would recommend you do. All cucumbers are starting to ease and I think tomatoes will be far cheaper next week than they are now.