It’s the last month of summer, and it might be the last chance to grab this season’s supply of tropicals!
Fruit
New-season organic Apples are finally here! Galas are in abundance, just in time for back to school.
Pears have started with a flourish. Clapp and Williams are already in, and the red varieties will start halfway through the month.
Victorian Green and Red seedless Grapes were a little late but have finally arrived, as has fresh punnets of Strawberries from Stanthorpe and Daylesford. Tasmanian Blueberries are also in good supply.
For your Citrus selection, Far North Queensland green-skinned Lemons are in, and plenty of Limes are coming from the same area at better prices and quantities than we would normally see. Valencia Oranges and Ruby and Yellow Grapefruit are also in good supply.
In terms of Stone Fruit, it has been a difficult year – particularly for Nectarines and Peaches. It has been wet and cold in the major stone fruit growing areas and supply and quality have been adversely impacted. Plums have fared a little better, with lots of varieties to choose from, and they should stay available throughout the month.
Nashi Pears and Pineapples are in good supply, along with Rockmelons and Watermelons, though it might be your last chance for fresh Mangoes so get them while they’re good!
Lychees are a little harder to get this year and have had a shorter season, so if you spot some, make sure you enjoy them!
Vegetables
There’s a wide variety of veg available this month, so there’s no excuse not to get your 5 a day!
Beetroot, Broccoli, Carrots and Cabbage are in good supply and Cauliflowers are now much better in quality and quantity. Only green Capsicums and Cucumbers are currently available, with Lebanese Cucumbers hopefully arriving in the next few weeks, along with Red Capsicums. Round Beans will be in short supply early in the month but supply should improve mid-month.
Corn, Lettuce, Radish and Red Onion will liven up any salad and it’s certainly the weather for it.
Chinese Vegetables, Leeks, Zucchini, Brown Onions, Pumpkin and new season Potatoes are ready to go. We highly recommend the smaller Kipfler Potatoes, great for salads and roasting.
Eggplants are finally available again and prices should come down in the coming weeks as supply becomes more plentiful. Silverbeet and Rainbow Chard are in great supply and make a colourful addition to the dinner table.
Celery has been very hard to get in December/January and it looks like it’s staying that way through February. The wet weather has caused most of the crops to develop a leaf rot disease, so lots of farmers have been ploughing their celery in.
Tomatoes are another line that is usually plentiful, but not this year. Expect tomato prices to stay up and demand to be tight for the entire month.
Overall, variety is steadily improving so there’s no excuse not to pack healthy lunchboxes for back to school and back to work!
Enjoy February and remember to eat all of your colours.
The Team at United Organics
Images: Shutterstock
