Source

Strawberries are picked generally at the time of picking for the fresh strawberry market. The frozen strawberries are those rejected from the fresh market grading due to unacceptable size, blemishes, over ripeness or under ripeness, bird damage, etc. On some occasions, fruit will be picked just for the frozen market when there is insufficient fruit to satisfy picking for the fresh market. In this case the fruit is likely to be riper, and generally sweeter, because a greater time between picking is applied in order to increase the quantity of fruit available for picking.

Strawberry Variety

Californian Selva, grown from runners supplied by Toolangi Strawberry Co-op, Victoria. This is a day neutral variety that fruits from October to May. Organically grown Selva has very good flavour and excellent uniform red colour.

Growing Methods

The greatest emphasis is placed on soil preparation. Based on soil analyses, trace elements are added in addition to organic fertilizers and compost. The compost is either purchased from a certified organic source or prepared on site with specially constructed turning equipment, using ingredients such as green waste and chicken manure. Additional organic fertilizers are added through fertigation equipment, including liquid kelp and fish emulsion. Plastic mulch film is used for weed control. No genetically engineered organisms are allowed on the property. Crop rotation is practiced to minimise plant diseases. Green manuring and mulching are employed to increase the humus content or the soil.

Picking

Berries are picked every second or third day, or in some cases daily, in order to provide the finest quality fruit for the market. Immediately after picking, the berries are placed in a mobile, trailer mounted cool room located in the field. After chilling, they are transported to the packing shed cool rooms for grading, hulling, packing and freezing.

Preparation

The fruit is washed in rain water, the calix cut off and any blemishes, bird damaged sections or spoiled sections of the berries cut out. All hulling is done by hand.

Grading

No size grading is applied to the frozen fruit. The frozen fruit will contain part berries as well as whole berries in all size ranges. There is no green leaf matter or other contamination in the fruit. Seeds are retained.

Food safety programme

All growing, picking, hulling and packing is carried out under the Drover's Rest Freshcare on-farm safety programme to a very high standard, as confirmed by the latest audit. However, the frozen product is not sold as aseptic, and cooking is recommended before consumption. Test data for MRLs and microbial levels can be made available. The fruit is ideal for food processing, jam making, etc.

Packing and freezing

The hulled strawberries are placed in strong cartons, lined with plastic, and block frozen in approximately 18 kg quantities. The carton dimensions are: length 600 mm, width 320 mm, depth 160 mm. The strawberries are stored at minus 18 degrees Centigrade. Freezing dates and batch numbers are recorded for traceability. Frozen strawberries are transported directly from the farm to market in a freezer truck, generally in pallet quantities of 36 boxes.

Organic certification

Drover's Rest is certified organic by NASAA (National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia), registration No. 6143, for berries, mixed fruit, mixed vegetables and on farm processing. The whole property is certified, with no conventional agriculture either on the property or in the vicinity of the farm. The farm is surrounded by forest. The water supply is fresh and uncontaminated.