Cherry Hunting Season

It's been raining cats and dogs on most days this summer. Thus, organising an outing on weekends is a tricky thing. But of course, being a faithful believer of the adage "where there's a will, there's a way," I stopped listening to the weather forecast and just follow my instinct.

Anyway, last week, Aunty Rose (Mama's BFF since her school days) came all the way from Malaysia and she brought her family too. Of course, on top of the compulsory touristy stuff like visiting the Opera House, Harbour Bridge etc, Mama suggested some PYO activities as well. And this being summer, it's also the season for mangoes and the stone fruits. Since cherries are the first in the season, so cherry picking seems to be the logical choice.

Believing the weather forecast (at first) and after hearing reports that the cherry harvest is badly affected by too much rain, we had to do frantic research and get the right information. We called up several orchards in Bathurst (first choice as it's the nearest) and Young (the cherry capital). 

We reckon many people were put off by the bad reports that many didn't go cherry picking at our favourite orchard (coz it's organic) in Bathurst. So, when we called the orchard and were told: "Yes, please come. We still have some fruits available," we were ecstatic.

And off we went to Bathurst last weekend....in search of the lush-est, juici-est, red-dest, bling-est cherry. Oh yess....drool people. The pictures tell all.

The adventure began here.....

Uncle Z "caught" the first cherry!

Remember! Just the maroon ones - the darker the colour, the sweeter the fruit.

Pick them one by one, by the stem.

Ooooh....droool...

Those red dots are cherries, of course.

The cherry hunting family at work.

Aunty Rose aka Queen Cherry Hunter!

Cherry hunters with their "catch". 

The "catch" weighed, valued and boxed before we could take it home.

Abang A trying out the lawn mower.

We left the orchard just as the heavy rain began to fall. All of the hunters were also hungry....hey...I thought everyone ate tons of cherries while picking... We're all carnivores and so we must have protein. We brought Mama's portable BBQ set and the task was to find a picnic area with roofed facilities. After several minutes of driving around Bathurst looking for a suitable place, we ended up at Berry Park.  

Yummm...pure carnivore stuffs. There were steaks, lamb chops, chicken kebab, chicken sausages and beef ribs.

The journey home was fraught with heavy rain, fog and strong wind. Everyone ends up snoring in the car except for Uncle Z who was behind the wheels, Oh, we stopped by a petrol station and bought him coffee so that he'd stay alert. 

Ooooh....all this writing makes me yearn for those cherries in the fridge. purrrr.....meow! 

An Apple A Day....

The Big Bowl of Fruits - Bilpin's landmark.

What do you on a boring weekend at the end of summer? Hmmm....let's go apple picking!!!

I have a confession. Ever since Mama started her annual pilgrimage to Bilpin to pick apples, I've never tasted store-bought ones anymore. Once you've tasted a tree-ripened organic apple, you'll never want to eat those waxed and old stored apples.

So, last weekend, Mama invited Aunty A and her daughters to come with us to Bilpin. Imagine, Aunty A has lived in this country for yonks but her Aussie hubby has never taken her apple picking. Tsk tsk tsk...shame on you, Uncle T.

Must say that the kids really enjoyed the fresh air of the countryside and the activity too. We had apples for breakfast and apple pies for lunch. Oooh...what a life.

Bilpin, the apple capital of New South Wales, is a tiny village about an hour's drive from where we live (if you follow the speed limit, Mama said). It's on the eastern side of the Blue Mountains.

A Jonathon apple tree in full glory awaits at the entrance of the orchard.

Aunty A says hello to the Granny Smiths.

There were as much apples on the trees....

....as on the ground. Nope, not a waste, as they decompose to become organic fertiliser.

Aunty A and daughter Amani showing off the Pink Lady apples.

Aunty A and daughter Ilham going ga-ga over the Royal Galas.

Yes, we were at Pinecrest Orchard, a pick-your-own property.

Apple pie production line at the Big Fruit cafe.

Didn't pick enough? Well, buy some here at only $1 a bag.

Our harvest - apples, potatoes and home made jams.