The Orchard Keepers

02/06/2026

We're drawing towards the end of the season, but due to it being such a late season, we still have a great mix of apples, pears, and the last of the plums. The Autumn Giant plums are still top notch for cooking and turn such a lovely warm pink when stewed, absolutely delicious.

We have two markets this week, the weekly Wednesday afternoon market, and the monthly on Sunday! See you there!

26/05/2026

19/05/2026

We've had one of the best (and latest) blood plum seasons ever and it's almost over - but not quite!

This week and next are your last chance to get fantastic, juicy, dark red plum 2nds, still perfect for bottling, jam, and drying. We still have three varieties of plums available!

The new season's pink lady apples are crisp and delicious, and the packham pears are on the verge of ripening into sweet, delicious, yellow pears on your bench.

See you at the market!

09/05/2026

Angelino Plums are a late season Japanese plum with very dark skin, sweet yellow flesh and a small stone. They are quite firm, and have a lovely balance of sweetness and tartness.

They are included in our mixed box this week, with a range of apples, pears and plums.

The Autumn Giant cooking plums are available for bulk orders, and we've loved hearing about the jams, stewed fruit and all the other goodies you've all been cooking up.

See you at the market!

04/05/2026

Fruit crew had a lovely time picking quinces in the morning light. This old tree is a favourite of the orchard, just tucked into a corner away from the other rows of trees.

We will be at market on Wednesday, with the Quinces, as well as Pink Lady Apples, Bosc and Packham Pears and a ran g e of Plums.

Mixed Boxes full of of the best of the season and Bulk Cooking Plums available for order.

See you at the market!

Castlemaine Weekly Farmers' Market
Wednesday 2:30pm - 5:30pm
Camp Reserve
Forest St, Castlemaine

02/05/2026

We have still got a good amount of cooking plums left for the Sunday market this week, great for the pantry or as a few people have told us stewed and on their breakfasts.
We also have some lovely soft Coe's Golden Drop Plum seconds, just perfectly ready for drying or for enjoying as a soft, sweet, jammy treat - loved by the young and by sweet tooths of all ages!

We have Fuji and Pink Lady apples, a range of pears and a few great plum specials, including blood plums at only $6kg

Bring the brolly and celebrate the much-needed rain!

Castlemaine Monthly Farmers' Market
1st Sunday of the Month, 9am - 1pm
Western Reserve, Forest Street
Castlemaine

28/04/2026

A seasonal quirk in the texture has meant that our Autumn Giant plums are best suited to all the delicious ways to cook plums rather than eating fresh this year - their flavour is enhanced when stewed, bottled, frozen, as a base for fruit mince, made into cordial or for jam.

We have 5kg boxes at $4/kg and 10kg for only $3/kg so it's a great chance to stock up the pantry or freezer.

We also have a mixed Apple, Pear and Plum box available to order through Open Food Network.

https://openfoodnetwork.org.au/the-orchard-keepers/shop #/shop_panel


See you at the Market!

Castlemaine Weekly Farmers' Market
Wednesday 2:30-5:30pm
Camp Reserve, Castlemaine

Castlemaine Monthly Farmers' Market
Sunday 9am - 1pm
Western Reserve, Castlemaine

21/04/2026

Two classic favourites are back!

Fuji apple - a perfect balance of tart and sweet, very crisp, usually with a pinkish skin (although our cover star didn't get the memo!)

Packham's Triumph Pear - Green, medium to large pear, with a long stem. Great both crisp, white and firm, or when allowed to go yellow, so sweet and meltingly juicy.

See you at the market for these beauties, as well as a range of plums, apples, pears and quinces.

Castlemaine Weekly Farmers' Market
Wednesday 2:30-5:30pm
Camp Reserve
Forest St, Castlemaine

12/04/2026

Buerre Bosc are back! This prized pear is lovely eaten fresh and retains a wonderful texture and flavour when baked or poached.

On the farm this week we’ve been spotting mushrooms under the trees, insects buzzing about and generally enjoying how lively and fresh everything feels in Autumn. We’ve taken in some nets from rows where we’ve picked all the fruit, and stowed them away for next year, but we do have lots more fruit still to come. We like to take the nets off as soon as we can - it weighs on the soft growing tips of the trees, but obviously netting is very necessary if we want to pick fruit!

We have an updated mixed fruit box for this week - we’ve included the Bosc and Angelino, as well as a mix of other seasonal delights!

06/04/2026

Hi everyone, hope you had a lovely weekend!

We can really feel that the Autumn is here, Fruit Crew are definitely reaching for their flannies and jackets to start the mornings.

We have new Mixed boxes available to order which includes Nashi, Gala and a range of seasonal plums, and a 5kg box of our shiny, crisp and satisfying Amber Jewel plums.

See you at the market!

Castlemaine Weekly Farmers' Market
Wednesday 2:30pm - 5:30pm
Camp Reserve
Forest St, Castlemaine