by Linda Moon (
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... a dreamer, writer, naturopath, mother & former social work student based in the Blue Mountains. Continue the journey with me- www.instagram.com/thewildemoon/
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Summer joy. Juicy cherries ripe for picking.
Country lovers and fans of the farm-to-plate approach to food, slot this date into your diary.
With the cherries starting to ripen into sweet gorgeousness out west, it's time to get planning a fun day in the country with family or friends.
At the
Roth Family Orchard, the cherry season officially opens on 1 December. However, Ingrid Roth, co-owner of the farm, suggests waiting until 6-9 Dec or 13-16 Dec for the best opportunities. "
As our earliest varieties, the Rons and Sambas, have very little fruit, I'd suggest you wait till then," she says.
If you're planning to come pick your own, she recommends checking in closer to the time to be sure the cherries are ripe.
"With the very strange weather it's so hard to predict just when they will be ripe," Ingrid explains.
"We've seen a crazy past few weeks of extreme weather – from frost, to really hot, windy and extreme conditions."
"Mornings really are best, before the day warms up - cherries will keep longer if picked while still cool," Ingrids says. "We'll loan you a picking lug and harness so you can pick like a pro."
To save on waste, visitors are encouraged to bring their own boxes or an esky to take their cherries home. "It also helps us to keep prices low as we're not needing to charge you for a box that you may not want," Ingrid says. "When choosing an esky or carton, a wide, shallow shape is best so the cherries at the bottom don't get squashed."
Here's the fast facts to get you sorted:
"Pick Your Own" Days at the Orchard
The
Roth Family Orchard will open for visitors to pick their own cherries on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings in season (6-15 December depending on the cherries) from 7:30am - 1pm.
Roth Family Orchard is located in the Eurunderee region of Mudgee, 3.5 hours west of Sydney.
Bookings are not required.
Would be visitors can check
Facebook for the latest updates before coming – as the ripening does all depend on the weather, and check out pics of the farm on
Instagram.
Click
here to subscribe to the farm's
Cherry Chatter newsletter for the latest updates and other events on the farm, including the gorgeous guided Cherry Orchard Walk in spring. Yes, please!
Fun for family and friends in the country.
