What's in season in September & a question
Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized
We’re moving towards spring. A change in seasons. Which means the fruit and vegetables available to us also starts changing.
September and October are months of flux. When what should be available to us and what’s actually available can be two different things.
At the moment I’m thinking a lot more about local food. For the past few years I’ve increasingly tried to limit my grocery shopping to Australian goods. Well, mostly Australian at the very least.
However more recently, partly prompted by Katrina’s post on being wild minded, my thoughts are turning to even more local than that.
Not just Australian produce, but food grown closer to home again: New South Wales and the Sydney basin.
In response I’m thinking about trying to make my regular what’s in season list as local to Sydney as possible.
What do you think? Would this be useful?
If you’re from other states of Australia, don’t feel abandoned. You can still refer to last year’s list. And if you think it’s a good idea, I’ll almost certainly need help with finding out what’s local and in season. As I’m very much feeling my way with this topic.
In the meantime, here is the normal list of what’s in season.
Fruit:
- Apples: still plenty of varieties available. The best are Pink Ladies, but they’re from WA
- Bananas
- Blueberries: they’re beautiful but pricey
- Cumquats
- Custard apples
- Dates
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Mandarins: Honey Murcott’s & Imperials
- Mangoes: Northern Territory season has just started and they’re still expensive
- Mulberries: from Queensland
- Oranges: Australian navels & blood oranges
- Pomelos
- Rockmelons
- Strawberries: from Queensland
- Tangelos
Vegetables
- Artichokes (globe)
- Asian greens
- Basil
- Beetroot
- Broad beans
- Broccoli
- Broccolini
- Capsicums: from South Australia & Queensland
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chillies
- Daikon
- Fennel: fantastic at the moment & cheap
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Okra
- Onions
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Silverbeet
- Snowpeas
- Spinach
- Sweet potato: cheap and good quality
- Wild rocket
- Witlof
- Zucchini
Should I endeavour to make this list truly local?
The monthly what’s in season guide is compiled from a number of sources, including: the Harris Farm Market and Fratelli Fresh market updates; Lettuce Deliver’s weekly shopping guide; the Sydney Markets seasonal guide; updates in Donna Hay and Delicious magazines; a range of books; as well as my own observations of what’s currently available and good value. I sometimes continue to make updates during the month, as fruit and veg availability changes.
Mulberry photograph by Mr Truffle.
03 September, 2008
Comments
Having grown up in the heart of what was once a Sydney food producing area, it was interesting to see your comments, then read your list. The Ryde district was once all orchards and market gardens. Granny Smith was a local! Apples didn’t come from Western Australia, they were grown in the remaining orchards and backyards. And mulberries didn’t come from Queensland, they came home with the kids who spent days of the school holidays climbing the huge mulberry trees in the neighbourhood and harvesting the fruit (although most was eaten as they did it!). Oranges, lemons, strawberries etc were also gathered from the garden. What I’m trying to say is that I think there are a couple of options for being a good locavore – looking at what was originally grown in the area, to see if some is still grown and available, and looking at what you can grow in your own garden.
All I have to say is: “Custard apples… mmmm, yum!” Going to get some today! Thanks for sparking my tastebuds, Kathryn!
i would be interested in a local list.
interesting that blueberries are meant to be expensive… i’m sure we’ve been buying them for about $2-3/punnet in the last couple of weeks.
I would be very interested in a local list :)
And like Lindsey, I’ve been buying blueberries very cheaply the last few weeks (from Harris Farm Broadway). Around $3 a punnet from memory.
Rhonda thanks so much for your comments. The outer skirts of Sydney have certainly change a lot in the past few decades. From basically rural land, to urbanised suburbs. And in the process we’ve lost a lot of food producing land – which is continuing now.
It’s certainly possible to buy lots of variety of Sydney produced fruit and veg, if you’re willing to do the farmgate trail or grow your own. On mulberries, I’ve had fabulous fruit from the Hawkesbury region (although a bit later in the year) and my sister-in-law’s parents also grow their own out west.
However I’m looking to produce a list covering what’s more easily available to the majority of people. When you go to the supermarket or greengrocers and see all the fruit and veg on display, what comes from our local area?
Paul: I’ve never quite “got” custard apples – but enjoy away.
Lindsey & Fiona: how can I have missed the cheap blueberries! That’s terrible. I shall go hunting for them this weekend.
Another thought – I read this week that the Hawkesbury Harvest people have set up a weekly farmers’ market in the City. It’s on Fridays from 10.00am – 2.30pm in the square at Cook & Philip Park.
Hi there-
Thanks so much for your blog! I just stumbled across it and find it very interesting. I’ve been wondering, what do people think of the home-delivery services being offered by places like Flemington Direct or Sydneyfresh? I’ve been considering ordering a box from one of these places since they emphasise the freshness of their produce and the fact that they give you what is in season, but I’m not sure if they really are better value for money or just a gimmick. Am I better off just picking my own fruits and veggies? Have you tried these services before?
Hi there Pigeon, thanks for your question. I haven’t actually used the home delivery services you talk about. I’d say give it a go and see what your first box is like. I would imagine, given it comes from Flemington the produce will be fresher than what’s available in the supermarket.
I have ordered boxes from Lettuce Deliver before – the organic supplier and they are excellent. I always used to get their in-season standard box. The quality was excellent. The only negative is sometimes there wasn’t quite enough of anything to make a full meal.
If you do try out this service, then please report back. I’d love to know how you found it.
Thanks again for your comment.
Leave a comment