It is already the last month of Summer and although it was forecast to be hot and dry, Mother Nature had other plans. It has been incredibly hot, but incredibly wet. In this blog, we will explore the impact of the unexpected weather on the traditionally in season produce while discovering the vibrant array of fruits and vegetables elevating our plates this month!
The unrelenting rain across the country has brought significant challenges to our hardworking farmers. It has affected everything from already growing crops, the ability to work the ground, to plant, to harvest and the damages to their infrastructure. All these impacts then affects the quality, availability and price of food on our table.
Seasonal Fruit
Apples and Pears
New-season organic apples have finally made a comeback! Starting with Royal Galas from Stanthorpe that started to come in around Australia Day. Various varieties from South Australia will follow suit from mid to late month. Pears, another classic, will be coming back to our shelves around the same time. Clapp and Williams will be the first, followed by some red varieties towards the end of the month.
Grapes and Berries
If you like a little ball of flavour, you will be excited to know that both grapes and berries are in season this month too, although the wet weather may impact this negatively. Both green and red seedless grapes are in full swing as are blueberries, blackberries and strawberries continue to tantalise our taste buds. But these little morsels of goodness may not stay around for too long because of the wet weather, so get them while you can!
Citrus
The citrus selection from far North Queensland, as you can imagine, will most likely be impacted by the weather. However, traditionally, green-skinned Meyer lemons and limes are in season. And if the weather starts to clear up, then Valencia oranges and Ruby and Yellow grapefruit will become available.
Stone Fruit
It has been a challenging year for stone fruit with the wet conditions persisting for the second year, specifically for nectarines and peaches. It is predicted that peaches and nectarines will sadly finish by the end of the month. However, plums will provide a silver lining with lots of varieties to choose from well into March.
Some of your Favourites
Pineapples, rockmelon, and watermelons are all in good supply for February. But it may be your last chance to grab a mango, so enjoy them while you can! Lychees have also been hard to get your hands on this year, so if you see some, savour every bite. And for everyone who loves a smashed avocados, there will be a transition period coming up with the Hass season ending. However, don’t be alarmed, as the onset of early green skin varieties will be coming from up north.
Seasonal Vegetables
February will bring an offering of diverse and delicious veggies to help you hit your (minimum of) 5 a day!
Beetroot, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage are all in season with great supply. Although you may have fond cauliflower to be in short supply over the Christmas and new year period, February is usually the month where it makes a comeback.
You CAN Make Friends with Salad
All salad mixes and lettuce are back in season and at full supply. To bring your salad to life, both Lebanese and Green cucumbers are in season with growers supplying from multiple regions. Red capsicums may be a bit short at this time of year, but the green variety should make up for it. Tomatoes have also had a much better season this year, with supply high and prices low. It is expected for this to stay steady for the entire month.
If you are looking to elevate your salad even further, leeks, zucchini, pumpkin, and new season potatoes are all in season and ready to go. We highly recommend the smaller Kipfler potatoes as they are great for salads and roasting.
Eggplants, Corn, and Beans
Eggplants are back in season with some Lebanese varieties making it to the market this year. These are perfect to half and then roast with olive oil and feta, we definitely recommend trying! Corn is also looking promising at this time of year with expectations of good yields and pricing. Round beans are in good supply as well with nice pricing if the weather holds.
As we embrace the vibrant produce of February, let’s remember the resilience of our Aussie farmers who always make sure we have food on out tables, no matter the weather.
Remember to eat all your colours this February, and we will see you next month!
The Team at United Organics
Image: The Diggers Club
