The mango rescue is back on.
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And, Maitland shoppers are in for a special Christmas surprise (aren't we lucky?!) at the Slow Food Earth Market in The Levee on December 17 from 8.30am.
The trees have produced twice as many mangoes as expected so there will be a lot more juicy goodness to go around.
The one-tonne crop is being picked on Bruce and Helen Hill's farm near Townsville today and will leave on Sunday.
A truck will transport the crop to Sydney before it is transferred to Newcastle.
The Hunter's 2019 Volunteer of the Year Tony Milburn, an earth market stalwart, will pick up the crop from Newcastle on Tuesday and bring it to the market on Thursday, December 17.
The mangoes will be sold from 8.30am. It will be the last earth market of the year, so don't forget to write your Christmas list and get all of your festive season ingredients.
Three mangoes will cost $4, which is about one kilogram worth of fruit.
Boxes of mangoes will also be available for $30. That's about 20 mangoes.
"We have double what we thought we were going to have, and it's just before Christmas so the timing is perfect," Slow Food Earth Market Maitland chairwoman Amorelle Dempster said.
"They will be ready for Christmas Day, and how good is that - to have handpicked mangoes that have gone from the tree to the truck and to our market ready to eat for Christmas Day."
Ms Dempster said food rescue was an important part of the earth market and it gave shoppers the opportunity to enjoy a crop that was not grown locally.
"It's all about rescuing and helping the farmer, and bringing something to Maitland that our local farmers don't have," she said.
"And, it's Christmas, so it's a treat."
The rescue means the Hills will be paid a fair price for their crop. They will receive all of the profits after transport costs have been deducted. A portion will go to Slow Food Hunter Valley so the group can continue its work.
Ms Dempster expected about $1800 would go to the farmer.
To preorder a box of mangoes send a Facebook message to the Slow Food Hunter Valley page.
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Belinda-Jane Davis
Passionate about community news
Passionate about community news
