Produce News Autumn 2023

As summer draws to an end and the cooler nights and shorter days of autumn begin, we see a change in seasonal crops. More generally September and October are great months for fresh produce with the overlap of the summer and autumn seasons and this year there seems to be plenty of great local produce on offer with prices coming back to more normal levels.

We will see local leafy salads and baby leaves continue through until the first frosts at the end of October and the same with our local Norfolk blackberries, strawberries and raspberries (although local blueberries have now finished) On top of this we now have many local root vegetable crops coming into main season such as carrots, parsnips, celeriac and leeks, as well as those from other UK destinations such as turnips and new season swede from Scotland. Local main crop onions, red onions, shallots and potatoes are all becoming available as the maincrop harvests get underway.

Potato and onion prices have been very high over the summer and whilst they will continue to reduce a little, they are likely to stay higher than in previous years due to reduced crop volumes and less overlap from the old season. Other specific heritage potatoes such as Purple (Violette), Pink Fir Apple and Ratte are all coming into main season now. Other seasonal and local vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, red, white, savoy and pointed cabbages as well as black cabbage and kale with rainbow and Swiss chard also coming into their own now.

These crops are likely to see a few gaps and shortages from time to time as we go into the winter which is normal but availability should be good. Alongside all this, local produce other items such as coloured heritage beetroots, heritage carrots, Chantenay carrots, baby vegetables, Jerusalem artichokes, salsify, fresh horseradish and Romanesque are now all
in season.

Autumn traditionally sees the start of the pumpkin, squash and gourd season and we will have many varieties locally grown from now until the New Year. Please ask for a current list of which are available.

Foraged produce such as damsons, sloes and wild sea vegetables are all starting to become abundant now with wild mushrooms beginning their autumn flush including Ceps, Girolles, Trompette, Pied De Mouton and Chanterelles should all be available over the next month or two ( dependent on weather) Check each Monday for our Forager list.

Autumn also sees the start of the local topfruit season – Coxes, Bramley and others will all be available from our local orchards around Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in the
coming weeks.

Best in season

The season has now started for Turkish black figs and will last for approx 6-8 weeks.

Finished for while

Cherries are just about finished now with last of the Canadian crop. Other stone fruits such as peaches and nectarines are also coming to an end and Spanish melons will be replaced by Southern Hemisphere fruit. Fresh peas, broad beans and runner beans are also coming to an
end until next spring.

Difficult and expensive

Asparagus is now air freighted from South America with fine beans, mangetout, sugarsnaps and baby corn all air freighted from Africa and Asia Prepared vegetables Don’t forget that we can cater for all of your prepared vegetable needs, just make sure you get your orders in by 11.30am for next day delivery.

From all the

Directors & Team