AU: New high elevation orchard development sees local cherry season extend
The recently developed high elevation cherry orchard in Victoria’s high country is for the first time, harvesting cherries that extend the local cherry season into late summer. Cherryhill Orchards who are known for their cherries from Cobram and Wandin have planted the new Tolmie orchard near Mansfield with the best new varieties which produce large, super sweet fruit. At 1000m above sea level, the orchard grows the highest elevation cherries in Victoria and are equal to the latest ripening cherries from the Southern Hemisphere, previously only available from Tasmania this late.
The Tolmie region near Mansfield is famous as the Stringybark Creek site of Ned Kelly’s shootout in 1878, it is also the home one of the country’s longest running sporting events, the Tolmie Sports Day which celebrates its 127th consecutive year on 9th February 2013.
The orchard site itself is atop a plateau of ancient volcanoes, so the red soil is very rich and fertile. Long sunlight hours and a long growing season mean the cherries produced there are extraordinarily sweet, the flavor, you just have to try yourself. Despite a few years of setbacks including the drought, surviving the massive 2006/07 bush fires and then a severe frost in 2010, the recent developments at Tolmie will now start to pay off for Cherryhill Orchards who will produce a cherry crop in excess of 1Million kilograms of cherries this season.
At present cherry supplies are still strong in the market, however many consumers and those in the trade are surprised to learn that there are still Victorian cherries available. Additionally the season has been kind to growers with no heavy rain or hail to damage the crop. “This year has been an excellent growing season so the cherries are the best quality in years.” Says owner Stephen Riseborough. “Prices for cherries have also been the lowest in many years, so it is a great chance for consumers to savor the best of local grown fruit right in the peak of the season.”
Cherryhill, a family run business is one of Australia's largest premium cherry growers, supplying major supermarkets and independent green grocers across the country as well as export customers. “This late crop of cherries is an exciting opportunity for Cherryhill to export the cherries to Asia and Europe and it also means that Victorians will be able to eat the freshest cherries in Victoria as well as supporting local farms.” explains Craig Boulton, sales manager at Cherryhill.
For more information:
Cherry Hill Orchards
Tel: +61 1300 243 779
www.cherryhill.com.au
