What’s in season in November

Conditions are still very wet in NSW and Victoria. For the farmer, this means that even if their land is not inundated, it is impossible to get tractors onto sodden paddocks to harvest the current crop or plant the next one.

The good news is that mid-November will see the start of the stone fruit season, with nectarines and peaches first, then apricots, plums and cherries later in the month. Bananas, papayas, blueberries and Valencia oranges are in good supply now, but we have seen the end of quality cheap citrus such as lemons, limes, mandarins and ruby grapefruit.

The early season mangoes are from the Northern Territory and have suffered from the wet conditions. Indications are that the Queensland mangoes coming in the next couple of weeks will be good, depending on weather conditions from now on. Strawberries are suffering from weather-related issues in Victoria, so supply will be low and prices high. Apples are still available thanks to a good season and improved storage. The new apple season will begin in January. Avocadoes are still abundant and cheap. Why not make a mango, avocado and coriander salsa to have with your fish or prawns? Add some chilli if that’s your thing.

November is notoriously difficult for vegetables, with broccoli and cauliflower in short supply and cabbage and kale impacted as well. Salad mix, lettuce and spinach are also not doing well at the moment and for the foreseeable future. Onions and potatoes are suffering from quality and availability issues, with prices very high. Your best bet for salads are cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Green beans are good too, as are our local asparagus. You can steam or blanch these two greens together for a minute for a crunchy veggie side.