Backyard Bounty all-Tasmanian Vegie box: 8th February

There aren’t many simple pleasures better than corn on the cob with lashings of butter – if you’re of the same opinion, you’ll be pleased to know that the Tasmanian sweet corn season has begun! Corn – which is actually a grain or grass – has its roots in the Americas, and most varieties are actually grown until the kernel dries and the sugars turn into starches, for use in flour, popcorn, animal fodder and a range of non food related purposes such as bio-fuels. Sweet corn, however, is harvested before this drying process starts, and is therefore sweet, juicy and delicious! Elphin Grove Farm are almost certainly the largest corn producer in the state, and during the season – which lasts from Feb until April – we’ll be sharing 500-1000 ears of corn with you (and our wholesale customers) every week. One of the things we love about Matt’s corn is the fact that it comes packaged just as nature intended – rather than removing the husk and replacing it with plastic as the supermarkets prefer – and we’re sure you’ll taste the difference as well. We’ve also found that corn freezes really well on the cob with the husk on, so if you want corn all year round feel free to hit us up for a bulk order during the season.

Premium Fresh have sent down one of their special carrot varieties for us this week – the Chantenay carrot, which if you steam it whole is tender and sweet – and Brandsema have supplied their delicious sweet “snacking” angel cherry tomatoes, both of which would be nice additions to a school lunchbox. And if you’re lucky enough to have a fruit supplement this week, we’ve got a feast of delicious nectarines and plums from Canes Stonefruit – a rare treat! Make sure you wait until the nectarines are just starting to yield a little to the touch before bogging in – they’re picked a little under-ripe to make sure they make it to you in great condition, but when they’re fully ripe they’re so juicy you’ll need to wash your face afterwards…