Hobbs Family

19th March

Published March 19, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

??Fruit Update ??

Plenty of Omega plums, Royal Gala and Cox’s Orange apples are available on the Fruit Stall. ??

Omega plums will probably finish by the end of this coming week.

Quinces are still a wee bit away – will keep you posted? Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples will be ready around mid-April – I will keep you updated as to when other apples varieties are available on the Stall.

Plums are available 2nd grade boxes and bags now as they are a wee bit smaller than 1st Grade.

Delicious for eating, slicing off the stone for freezing, bottling, Jam, Chutney and dehydrating ?

Due to Otago Anniversary Day, our next courier days are Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Give me a call on 027 288 6090 for all queries. ?

11th March

Published March 11, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

Quick fruit update

Our Royal Gala apples are late this year due to the weather so they will now be available from next Tuesday 14th March ???
Omega plums and Cox’s Orange apples are in plentiful supply on the Stall in assorted size bags and boxes?

I am still taking courier orders for both Omega and Cox’s Orange apples ? and am now taking orders for Royal Gala (pick up and courier) – contact me on 027 288 6090 to enquire or to place an order.

Remember our hours are 7am-9pm and we only sell what we grow ??

Fruit Update – Saturday 25th February

Published February 25, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

There is plenty of Bon Chretien Pears and Black Doris plums available on the Stall – freshly picked every day ?

Omega plums will start Tuesday next week – also known as George Wilson plums – these are known for their long keeping quality and great flavour.

Cox’s Orange apples will start next weekend – Royal Gala will follow shortly after.

I am still sending out Bon Chretien pears (Bartlett pear) and Black Doris plums – this will commence again on Monday. Remember Courier days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday only. Monday of each week is the only Courier day for the North Island.

Fruit Update – 5th February

Published February 5, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

Today was a much cooler day compared to the last weeks of hellish hot conditions

Yesterday’s temperature was pretty intense, with it still being 34c at 7pm last night!

All apricots will be finished by the time the Fruit Stall closes up for the night.

This is the very first time that neither Mum nor I couldn’t muster up any free time to crank up the Preserver to bottle some.

When I say ’some’ I mean at least 200 jars

Thankfully we have a few left over from last Season which are still in perfect condition

I inherited Mums love of bottling and I must say it is very addictive.

Throughout the years we have gladly passed this skill onto many.

Now back to the fruit

Tomorrow we will have Purple King plums.

These are purple skinned with a yellow flesh and are sweet and juicy.

Ideal for eating fresh or cooking.

We poach them slowly in a small amount of water with sugar to taste.

Great cold with cream or yoghurt, Crumble, or with dried cereal or porridge.

They can also be used in chutney and jam.

Plums are a refreshing fruit and are enjoyed by everyone.

Red Gravenstein apples are our very first apple way ahead of our main crop.

They are a tart apple and if you find your taste buds freaking out, they are great for cooking

Cooked apples and custard is a childhood favourite of mine.

Sam tells me the Bon Chretian pears won’t start now until Thursday at the earliest

The Luisa and Hawera plums are still a bit away.

Black Doris and Omega plums are further down the track – orders being taken for both these varieties.

Ring me, Ruby, anytime for any fruit or weather queries.

Remember we are open from 7am-9pm and we only sell what we grow.

Published February 3, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

What a week!!

The heat has been ever so powerful!!!!

Nasty thunder threatened us yesterday afternoon – did a few laps round the Valley just to keep us on edge – it worked!

A busy week on the Fruit Stall…it looks like at this stage all apricots will be finished by the end of the weekend.

We have Red Gravenstein apples available now in 2kg and 4kg bags. They are a wonderful cooking apple and many people love eating them for the tartness – absolute respect to them as the sheer thought of eating them horrifies my tastebuds!

In a couple weeks I will be able to munch into them.

As every fruit variety is late this Season our Bon Chretian pears will be available mid-next week on the Stall as will Purple King Plums.

It’s a shame they weren’t ready for this weekend but the weather rules our lives!

Black Doris plums will be ready in about 10-14 days…..I will keep you posted..

Remember you can pre-order your black Doris & Omega plums.

No Greengages this Season as last year’s big snowstorm in September took them out.

Luisa and Hawera plums are still to come on – can’t predict the exact date as yet.

Omega plums will be ready in March.

All apple varieties are looking good on trees – will give an update closer to the time

If you would like to purchase a bulk order of Royal Gala apples for school fundraising get in contact – we bag them in 5 & 10kg bags.

Call me anytime for queries on 027 288 6090

We are open every day from 7am – 9pm and we only selll what what we grow.

Published January 29, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

Fruit Update Sunday evening 29 January

Well finally the PYO signs are down…..so many brave people arrived throughout the past few days who so wanted the experience of picking, more so, than the amount actually picked….they had a great time.

Many went down to the river block to take some photos with their families.

Alas we have too shut it all down now – but wait..we will be back next year with PYO once again.

Mum started PYO, 33 years ago and PYO has created immense enjoyment for everyone.

Finally I can say we have Billington plums on the stall in 2.4kg bags….they are small with red flesh… suitable for eating, stewing, sauce, and Jam – a lovely plum.

Our Shiro plums are non-existent due to the appalling weather during setting time, as are the Back Amber plums…. I still feel sad our Wilsons Early plums were attacked but the heavy rain after they endured the snow and frost combo last year.

Plenty of Clutha Gold apricots on Stall in 5kg & 6kg boxes.

Hawera, and Louisa plums won’t be for a while..will keep you posted.

Bon Chretian/Bartlett pears should be in maybe 10 days. Will keep you posted – I will pin Sam down closer to the time for an actual start date.

Black Doris and Omega plums are still a while away – again will keep you posted.

Am looking forward to the Black Doris plums ripening….. and of course the Omega plums which become ready in March.. some also know them as the George Wilson plum ..….depends on where you live…

Pre-orders being taken for Bon Chretien Pears, Black Doris and Omega plums.

You can have all of these orders either picked up or sent on the Courier.

Today has been sooo hot….it is still 29 degrees and it is 8:22pm according to my phone.

Tomorrow is going to be a gorgeous day…27 degrees predicted…..

Published January 29, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

Fruit update – 29 January

We have plenty of freshly picked Clutha Gold apricots, available on the Stall in 5kg, 6kg boxes and 3kg bags

These are a cross between a Moorpark and a Sundrop so are a great tasting variety.

Ideal for bottling, stewing, freezing, jam, chutney, sauce, drying and eating.

Even though I was going to put a halt to PYO apricots a few days ago, there is still a demand for ‘Search for the apricot” but am fairly sure today will be the last day!

It’s hard work finding them as it’s all ladder work – not a task for children as ladders are out of bound to them – we follow Health and Safety Rules.

I’ve also dropped the price to $2.50/kg so the varieties can be mixed in your containers.

Today and the next few days have gorgeous weather predicted.

Ring me anytime on 0272886090 for any queries.

Published January 27, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

UPDATE

After only three days, our nectarines have finished…and after two days our Moorparks have finished as well

We had a huge amount of new customers during these days which has caused their early demise..sadly many of our regulars who never had a chance to get up on time.

I’m in a hurry to post this to warn everyone who is planning to come up for Moorparks and nectarines so I have missed discussing about other varieties which are still to come on so will talk about them next time.

We feel dreadful that this has happened

We still have a small amount of Roxburgh Red and Stevens Favourite apricots left for PYO but am fairly sure these will get picked out tomorrow. Certainly not worth travelling a long distance.

So tomorrow we will have boxed apricots for stewing only and boxes for eating and cooking. These apricots come from another part of the Orchard, not from the PYO areas as these areas are nurtured and saved for our customers.

Sam just told me Billington plums will be ready in about 2 or 3 days.

This lack of really hot days has certainly hindered the ripening process in all varieties.

Our very early apples, Red Gravenstein, are maybe a week or more away.

The Shiro’s were affected by the early nasty weather so are non existent

Bon Chretien (Bartlett) pears will be later, at the moment I think about second week in February

Hawera plums are still a couple of weeks away.

Cox’s Orange and Royal Gala apples will be later too as will all the other apple varieties.

Black Doris are late as well – so maybe mid-February.

Orders are being taken for these from now on.

Will keep you posted about what is happening on the Orchard. Please ring/txt me, Ruby, anytime and I will give you up- to-date reports on weather, fruit or anything else

Published January 21, 2023 | By Hobbs Family

Fruit Update:

I’m fairly sure PYO Roxburgh Red apricots will finish later on today.

We had expected to have them for all of the weekend but some very serious “bottlers” turned up last night and picked many hundreds of kilos of Roxburgh Red apricots.

PYO Moorparks will finally start on Wednesday.

PYO Nectarines will start on Tuesday.

This nectarines won’t be here for long as there is a huge amount of people wanting them so obviously some will miss out, but there is plenty of nectarines at other Stalls in the Valley, should this happen.

Note: For Hawkers and those who onsell are not permitted to pick in our Orchard as this fruit is for individuals and families only.

Mum and I are off to pack the Stall so you will find boxed Peeka, Valley Gold and Sundrop apricots on the Stall today.