Kandu organics is a small BioGro certified orchard and garden owned and operated by Kevin Parsons and Ulli Rose. It is situated on the harbour’s edge just North of Tauranga where the mild climate and very fertile soil allow for growing a wide range of nutritious and tasty fruit and vegetables all year round. They pretty much grow everything that they like eating themselves and usually taste all their produce before they go to the market. You will often find taster platters at their stand or pumpkins numbered according to their taste preference. The produce is grown in a sustainable way using organic and permaculture principles. Kandu organics grows many heritage varieties that are high in flavour and nutrients.
Long serving members of the Tauranga Farmers Market, Selwyn, Neville and Joycelyn bring fruits from their Te Puna Orchard. Citrus is their speciality with mandarins, oranges and tangelos available bagged in different quantities. Follow the seasons with them as they bring a wide range of products – guavas, rhubarb, unshelled nuts. As original members they still carry their range of handmade children’s wooden toys. Even for the big kids of this world these magnificent life like trucks, farm machinery, trailers, cars, can inspire the youth in all of us.
Lacey Kiwifruit are locally grown in Katikati and have Zespri clearance to be sold in the Market. They are seasonal in the Market arriving from approximately May through till October or until the kiwifruit run out. Both green and gold varieties are available.
The first of the 2013 olive oil press of the Koroneiki olive variety is available now. Koroneiki is a Greek variety and is harvested green/yellowish green to avoid losses to birds. The oil has a peppery aspect due to the “unripe” fruit and leafy tones and is quite fragrant. The oil is green and still cloudy. Typically for very fresh oil. Over time the tiny fruit flesh particles causing the cloudiness will settle and the oil will clear. This cloudiness is therefore sought after by connoisseurs as it is a sign of freshness. Green fruit produces higher levels of anti-oxidants, an important health factor. Anti-oxidants also help to prevent the oil from going “bad” when heated and extend its shelf life.
The grove and pressing operation are BioGro organic certified, covering both the olive oils and table olives.
Flame Lily Orchard was formally Kurowski Forde Orchard. Located in Katikati in Tanners Point Road, Dave and Pauline carry on with the seasons of superb fresh blueberry and feijoa’s from the orchard. The orchard has 2 varieties of blueberries. The first comes into harvest towards the end of January and the second variety follows on through till approximately the end of May. A wonderfully long season of eating fresh blueberries.
Here in the tropical Bay of Plenty very few cherries are grown to achieve large volumes. Hence the arrival of Eden Orchards direct from the South Island region of Blenheim in the Waihopai Valley. Eden Orchards is a family owned and operated orchard. They direct market all their fresh fruit and now added to the product list is the cherry juice. The fresh cherry season commences approximately in the month of November – weather dependant – and carries through till the end of January. The cherry juice is the speciality product that is available through out the year. Filled with a natural melatonin hormone, the health benefits of this juice is extensive.
