It feels like Christmas as soon as the markets start to overflow with ripe and colourful stone fruit. Cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums all bursting with flavour are ready for the taking at the Stanthorpe Fruit Company cooperative. The cooperative also has the hybrid varieties of cherrycots (a cross between a cherry and an apricot) and plumcots (a cross between a plum and an apricot) ready to introduce the Christmas crowds to something new.

Working direct with the best of Stanthorpe’s farms including Bandi Orchids, Visentin Orchid, Fairview Orchid and Pikes Creek Orchid, the cooperative ensures that all its fruit is on market tables within five days of being picked. The cooperative works with the farms to guide them on how much fruit to grow to ensure maximum sales and minimum wastage, leaving the farmers to concentrate on farming while the cooperative focuses on selling produce that is perfectly ripe and ready to eat. Stanthorpe Fruit Company sets up stalls at the Nundah and Kuraby Farmers Markets as well as Carseldine Farmers and Artisan Markets.

If your Christmas tree is up and shining, stockings are filled to the brim with goodies, plum pudding is cooked and the ham is on order, then there nothing left to do but sit back with bowl of Stanthorpe’s stoney bounty and munch away.