Weather and fruit update
It was a very interesting afternoon here with very heavy rain, and some thunder and lightening thrown into the mix!
But all is not lost!
But all is not lost!The next few days are fine – rain free! – and hopefully this pattern will be on a continual basis.
Many apricots were picked before the rain as we cant pick in the rain so our Fruit Stall will be fully stocked as usual with 7kg 1st grade boxes and 6.5kg 2nd grade boxes and 2.5kg bags.
PYO will definitely start on Thursday the 12th 
Remember to bring your own containers whether they be shopping bags, buckets, cardboard boxes or whatever. 
We sell shopping bags at the Stall @ $1-00 each – which is the price we paid for them – if you forget your own.
Remember to report in at the Fruit Stall before entering the Orchard and we will give you picking and safety instructions.
Ring me, Ruby on 027 288 6090, anytime for weather updates, fruit queries.
Remember we are open 7 days a week – from 7am – 9pm
Sundrop apricots
Great news – the Sun yesterday has meant Sam is selective picking apricots from the tops of a few trees for the Fruit Stall 
Sooo we now have Sundrops in all different size bags and boxes 
You will.like our prices!
You will.like our prices!Fingers crossed this beautiful weather keeps up to ripen up more apricots so I can start sending out Sundrop courier orders and organizing pickup orders from next week.
I’ll be in contact with you all individually as to when your orders are ready to be sent/picked up.
Wilson Early Plums are still available on the Stall and Cherries will finish later this week.
The PYO Sundrop apricots should start on the 12th January when there is even ripeness throughout the trees will confirm closer to the time.
Sundrops are versatile apricots – preserving, jam, chutney, sauce, fresh eating.
For those who don’t preserve, freezing is so simple.
Use freezer bags – just halve the apricot, take the stone out and chuck them in! 
Some freeze in small amounts for their smoothies, whilst others freeze large bags for stewed apricots.
Always remember to cook from frozen,adding water and sugar 
If you make smoothies, freeze one layer flat in a freezer bag ..when you need them, break up and add to smoothie ingredients..you then won’t need any ice.
Contact me, Ruby 027 288 6090 anytime to place an order or enquire about prices, fruit,etc. 
Remember our hours are 7am-9pm and we only sell what we grow
Fruit Update The sun has poked its head out of the clouds and is shining brightly today 
Actually it has been very hot and sunny over the past few days – a much welcome relief
Cherries are still available and we should have them until roughly next Wednesday or Thursday
However if you miss out you can still get them at other Stalls in the Valley.
Wilsons Early Plums are now available on the Stall. They are yellow flesh with red skin – a favourite amongst kids as they have a very sweet flavour
At the moment it looks like Sundrops and Earli Ril apricots will be available on the Stall about 4th or 5th January – depending on the weather in the next few days.
All going well, we should start PYO Sundrop apricots about the 12th or 14th of January.
All other apricot varieties – Roxburgh Red, Moorpark, Stevens Favourite, will start ripening throughout January. All the other varieties of plums are still to come on.
I will keep you all updated as they come on
But feel free to txt or phone me – 027 288 6090 – anytime for fruit or weather updates.
Remember we are open every day from 7am-9pm and we only sell what we grow
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 
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.
We started frost fighting at 8pm last night and only shut off at 11am this morning 
a very long frost 
it looks like we will have another frost tonight and tomorrow night
a very long frost it looks like we will have another frost tonight and tomorrow night Our new pump ‘Matilda’ did an amazing job – here’s a few photos I took this morning
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.
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! 
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 
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
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 
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.
