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Tomorrow – Thursday 22 December – we will finally open for the Fruit Season!! ??
The recent cool weather has delayed the fruit from ripening, hence we are opening a bit later than usual, but now grateful thanks goes out to the Sun which is finally playing the game ? Here’s proof that we have a lovely day ??
1kg punnets of Cherries and 2kg bags of New Spuds will be available on the Stall ????
Sundrop and Earli Ril apricots are on track to be on the Fruit Stall in early January with PYO starting a few days later, all depending on the weather, of course.
I am taking pre-orders for Sundrop apricots, whether courier or pick-up, and will be in touch when they are ready to go ??
Our gas-powered bird scarer, Big Bertha, is still doing a great job of keeping the birds away from the cherries so don’t be alarmed if you hear the ‘boom’.
Ring/txt me, Ruby – 0272886090 – for any enquiries, whether it be fruit related or just a weather forecast ????
Remember we only sell what we grow and our hours are 7am-9pm. Open every day from tomorrow until May.

Belle

Our gorgeous sister/daughter, Belle, passed away Thursday morning at home with the District Nurse Michelle, Mum and I at her side.
It was sudden and unexpected as she had only been ill for a few hours.
We are just broken hearted and in shock as she was such a wee darling – Sam and I have never known life without her. Our poor Mum…
Belle’s love for us and Mum was immense as was our love for her – she brought sunshine into our lives everyday.
Belle was non-verbal but this didn’t stop her from communicating or living life to her fullest. She was passionate about artwork, bird watching and identification, lego, animals, and absolutely adored The Wiggles and rides on my Kawasaki mule.
Sadly, a while ago dementia began its dreadful cruel journey so she clung to us even more – we were her security blanket. We just loved her so much.
She communicated by way of ‘facial expressions’ ‘one word phrases’ and ‘sign language’ which Mum taught her just prior to her mastering the art of walking only weeks after her 5th Birthday.
As we are so grief stricken we have decided not to have a Funeral Service but further down the track we will have a get together with friends.
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Frost-fighting has commenced……the alarm went off at 9:30pm last night!! ????
I managed to get one hours sleep but that was better than no sleep at all ??
As Sam frost-fights an Orchard just a few kilometres up the road, he was up and gone at the same time whilst I began patrolling our Orchard, watching the temperature bounce up and down for the next few hours until 12:15am when we cranked up, the very first time for the Season ☺️☺️
My companion for the night was ‘Willie’ one of my gorgeous cats ?‍⬛?‍⬛
Even when Matilda is pumping, I am still up and about listening for the quiet smooth hum of Matilda.
“Little Toot” our pump tractor has retired ???
She was feeling her age and is content to be useful somewhere else on the Orchard these days.
❤️ “Love you Little Toot and thank-you for your service” ❤️
The new pump is a diesel motor connected to a pump which does the same job as Little Toot – it draws water from our dam and pumps it through our overhead sprinkler system.
And by the way, we decided on ‘Matilda’ as the name for her.
Sam ran out of time to paint her much to her horror ? A girl has got to look her best! ?
Many years ago, the tractor before Little Toot, conked out.
Mum had only just arrived back from checking sprinklers so it was all go – a replacement tractor was topped up with diesel and put in place up at the dam in the nick of time ?
As there is only a brief window of opportunity – around 30 minutes – to get up and running again when breakdowns occur, time is of the essence, as the fruit is in danger of being ruined ??
We shut the pump down a while ago at 9:45am when the temperature reached 2 degrees ??
Sam took these photos an hour ago ?
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We are closed!

It’s just on dark so our Fruit Stall is now closed for the Season.
Grateful thanks, from me, Mum & Sam, to our valued customers/friends who have once again bought our fruit this Season ☺️☺️☺️
Without you guys, we wouldn’t have a business so when we say we appreciate your custom, we sincerely mean it ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Finishing up this Season has brought back memories of old as I grew up with Mum telling me of how I was not quite two weeks old when she reopened the Fruit Stall in December 1994, and of course how Sam was five months old when she reopened in December 1992 ??
Treasured memories of old, with my Mum, Dad, Sam and Belle ??
As promised, here are a few photos of Mum’s garden.
She started with a blank canvas all those years ago and created a peaceful retreat which is enjoyed by all ????????
We look forward to seeing you all again next season, starting with cherries and new spuds in December (as long as the weather plays the game!) ????
And I will post photos of what’s happening on the Orchard during winter and spring – as many of you know I love pruning so there will be many photos taken from the top of my hydralada ???
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?Fruit Update ?
Our Fruit Stall will close next Sunday, 29th May for the Season so tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday are our last courier days ?
Democrat, Granny Smith, Splendour and Braeburn are still available ????
All apples are crisp and crunchy.
Granny Smith, Democrat and Braeburn are long keepers.
Mum and I bottle Granny Smiths and also stew them up in a stock pot and them ladle them into containers or freezer bags to use during the Winter months – great for pies, shortcakes or topped with custard ?
All varieties are available on the Fruit Stall in 2, 5kg and 10kg bags and I send them out in 5, 10kg and 15kg boxes – mixture boxes available ?
Open from first light ? until dark ?
7 days a week
Ring me, Ruby, 0272886090 anytime for fruit queries or to place an Order ?
PS. Next weekend I will finally post photos of Mum’s vast garden around the house as I have been asked by many to do so, especially those who have moved away and can no longer visit.
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Fruit Update

Fruit Update
Democrat apples are now available ????
They are a Heritage variety, with a dark red skin and are full of flavour – delicious for both eating and cooking.
Granny Smith, Braeburn, Splendour and Red Delicious are still available – Red Delicious will finish in a few days time ??
One of my favourite recipes is Apple Shortcake – here is the simple recipe my Mum and I use.
You can also use bottled apricots or cooked frozen apricots if you like ☺️
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Sandra’s Apple Shortcake Recipe 1979
2 cups Flour
1 heaped tspn Baking Powder
125g Butter
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Sugar
Milk (just enough to bind…about 1-2 tablespoons)
Stewed apples – Granny Smith, Braeburn and Democrat are ideal for this
Chuck flour, baking powder and chopped butter into a food processor.
Blitz it until it resembles breadcrumbs, albeit coarse.
Add beaten egg and sugar (mix these together before chucking in the processor.)
And now for the milk.
Be careful as you pour in the milk; just enough to bind; not flood the mixture.
Knead on a lightly floured board until smooth – roll mixture out, cut into two and put one half of the dough evenly over base of a 22cm square tin; coat thickly with stewed apples and top with the other half.
Brush over with milk.
Bake at 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Dust icing sugar over the top when warm.
Lovely hot with custard or whipped cream or served cold as a cake.
This recipe can also be doubled and cooked in a Swiss Roll Tin.
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All apples are sold in 2, 5, and 10kg bags on the Stall and are couriered in 5, 10, and 15kg boxes ????
If you would like apples couriered to your door, get in touch – I send out boxes every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ??
I am more than happy to do mixed boxes of apples if you prefer ?
Contact me Ruby – 027 288 6090 – anytime for fruit queries or to place an order ?
Open from first light until dark
Open 7 days.
“We only sell what we grow”

Fruit Update

On the Fruit Stall we have Red Delicious, Royal Gala and Golden Delicious apples.
Golden Delicious are also a great cooking apple ????
I grew up with stewed apples and custard which is one of my favourite desserts and bottled apples during Winter.
All apples are available in 5kg and 10kg bags. ?
Quinces are now available in 3kg bags and 5kg boxes – all pre-orders will be sent out from next Monday ☺️
Quinces and all varieties of apples are sent out in 5, 10, and 15kg boxes – I am more than happy to do mixture boxes if you prefer ? Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are our courier days ?
Contact me, Ruby – 027 288 6090 – anytime for fruit queries or to place an order ?
We are open 7 days a week
7am – 9pm ?? until early June.
“We only sell what we grow”
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Fruit Update

On the Stall we have Royal Gala and Golden Delicious apples. 

Golden delicious are a delicious eating and cooking apple.

Royal Gala apples are a favourite for eating apple.

Red Delicious are due to start in about a week.

Quinces are taking there time in ripening but I see movement today so at a rough guess next weekend is when we should have them.  I will keep you posted.

Once they are ripe I will be sending out all orders.

 

Other apples varieties are still to come on.

Our days for sending Courier orders are, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week….

I send out apples in 5kg, 10kg, and 15kg boxes and can do mixture boxes if you prefer.

Contact me, Ruby – 027 288 6090  – anytime for fruit queries or to place an order ?

We are open 7 days a week

7am – 9pm or until dark ??

“We only sell what we grow” 

 

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Fruit and Courier Update
As from Tuesday 22nd March we are able to courier fruit to the North Island once again ???
It would have been Monday 21st but it’s Otago Anniversary Day.
Both Cox’s Orange and Royal Gala apples are available on the Fruit Stall – Cox’s Orange are a great eating and cooking apple and Royal Gala are a delicious eating apple ?????
All our fruit is picked daily.
Golden Delicious apples will be ready in a weeks time, followed by many different apple varieties including Red Delicious, Braeburn, Splendour and Granny Smith ????
Quinces will be ready towards the end of the month ??
Courier days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – I send out apples in 5kg, 10kg, and 15kg boxes and can do mixture boxes if you prefer.
Contact me, Ruby – 027 288 6090 – anytime for fruit queries or to place an order ?
We are open 7 days a week
7am – 9pm or until dark ??
“We only sell what we grow”IMG-20200412-WA0010 (1)
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