From the West: Avocados from a Southwest Paradise

Have you ever wondered why at certain times of the year your avocados taste a little richer and creamier, or why the stickers look a little different? Well, that’s because during different months of the year avocados come from different growing regions around Australia.

One of those regions is tucked away in the southwest corner of Western Australia, where farmland is dotted amongst magnificent karri and jarrah forests, with rich soils, plenty of rainfall, and a Mediterranean climate making the Southern Forests one of Australia’s key producers of premium produce and responsible for dishing up over a third of Australia’s 120,000 tonnes of avocados each year.

Extraordinarily, the Southern Forests region produces not only premium avocados, but over 50 different types of fruits and vegetables, truffles, nuts, wine, gourmet products, beef, sheep, pork, and dairy farms as well as extraordinary culinary experiences.

The region is home to many generational farming families who have nurtured and toiled the land for more than a century, and more recently have united under the Genuinely Southern Forests brand to create awareness for the premium produce and producers of the Southern Forests region.

Set amongst the rolling hills of Pemberton in southwest WA lies Brookside, which is owned and run by third and fourth generation orchardists, Michael and Kaye Fox together with their two sons Mat and Trent. As you enter the farm off the appropriately named Fox Road, you are greeted by apples on the left, avocados on the right and cattle in the distance. It’s a quintessential Pemberton scene.

The family grow Pink Lady, Rosy Glow, Granny Smith, Kanzi and Fuji apples which are harvested from February through to April, and during the summer months they harvest Hass avocados.

Ask anyone in the WA fresh produce supply chain and you’ll hear the Fox family have a reputation for growing premium produce. They place a huge value on growing good quality apples and avocados that yield decent returns and high customer satisfaction.

The Fox’s are active members in the local community and are proud supporters of the Genuinely Southern Forests brand which provides consumers with a connection to the premium food producing area of the Southern Forests.

Southwest WA’s avocados are unique because of the ideal climate and long growing season allowing each avocado to spend between 12 and 16 months on the tree before being harvested. The results are delicious and creamy avocados supplied to local fruit and veg shops across Australia from October to March each year.

WA’s other advantage, again due to its ideal climate, means that WA avocados are exclusively available on the shelves Australia-wide during the summer months when other avocado regions aren’t harvesting. So be sure to look for Genuinely Southern Forests and WA avocados this summer and enjoy your own genuine taste experience.

Visit southernforestsfood.com for more about the Fox’s and other Southern Forests farming families, recipes, farm tours and more.

AVOCADO TIPS

Avocados Australia recommends;

•  Store your avocados at room temperature in the fruit bowl until they reach the preferred ripeness for eating.
•  To speed up the avocado ripening process you can place avocados in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana for two to three days until they are ripe.
•  Refrigerating a whole, ripe avocado will maintain the optimum ripeness for two to three days until you are ready to use it.
•  Sprinkle cut avocado with lemon juice or vinegar to stop it browning, seal with cling wrap removing any air, and store in fridge. You can also leave the seed in to prevent browning.

This article is supplied by Southern Forests Food Council Inc.