Dewy mornings scented with woodsmoke and damp earth herald the arrival of autumn in North Canterbury. Long, chilly evenings roll into clear, crisp days, perfect for harvesting the abundance of autumn produce grown in our bountiful region. Here’s what’s good to eat, harvest and buy in North Canterbury this season:
In autumn, hazelnuts begin to drop, meaning the Harris family at Canterbury Nuts are in full swing come April/May. They sweep the nuts from beneath their 3,000 trees and start the onsite process of sorting, cracking and roasting. Some are bagged – perfect for immediate consumption or to use in your favourite nutty recipe – while others are coated in delicious chocolate for the most exquisite treat. Online orders are sorted and delivered personally, while others are snapped up by supermarkets far and wide.
Loburn Grove is busiest in autumn too, with both hazelnuts and walnuts ready to go, along with feijoas. As well as selling their hazelnuts raw and roasted, owners Kasia and Mark turn them into dukkah, butter, chocolate butter, brittle, oil and flour. Then there are the walnuts to tend to (available shelled, unshelled and sometimes as oil) not to mention the feijoas, which get lovingly crafted into chutney and kasaundai – a delicious Indian-inspired chutney, perfect with some local meat and cheese for an autumn grazing platter. Find Loburn Grove products online or at selected farmers markets and fetes.
North Canterbury wineries burst into a flurry of activity come autumn as the annual harvest begins. Battling the threat of frosty mornings and managing huge teams of workers, our local wineries go flat out to ensure the grapes are picked at exactly the right time and with the utmost care; all part of the process of creating the exceptional North Canterbury wine we all know and love.
Hemp is also harvested in autumn. Over at Mainland Hemp in Culverden, their verdant paddocks of towering hemp plants are cut and the seeds extracted. Hemp is unusual in that the seed – used in a range of nutritional supplements and ingredients – is harvested from the living plant. Therefore, hemp must be processed within four hours of being harvested. With harvesting complete, The Brothers Green are ready to get to work to turn out their popular hemp seeds, hemp seed oil and hemp protein powder designed to boost the nutrition of your favourite recipes.
Taewa is the collective name for Māori cultivars of potato, and Phil at Pihi Farms near Cheviot is all over them, growing for both eating and seed stock for avid gardeners! Phil is known for harvesting some exceptional Urenika taewa come autumn. This is a long, dark purple variety that retains its colour when cooked. Waxy when small and floury when large, these taewa are great roasted, boiled or steamed. Autumn at Phil’s place also uncovers some other delicious delights like Jerusalem artichokes and yacon, all grown using regenerative farming principles, fertilised with on-farm manure and seaweed harvested from local beaches.
Jen Pomeroy at The Modern Mess specialises in crafting delicious seasonal recipes with the best local produce. This autumn, Jen’s eating Grilled Taewa with Tomatillo Salsa Verde & Lemon Garlic Mayo, made with urenika taewa, tomatillo and garlic from Pihi Farms.
Find more about the MADE NORTH CANTERBURY members mentioned above on our website and be sure to visit your local farmers market to discover other delicious seasonal goodies available in North Canterbury this autumn.
