You will find Cooinda Proprietors at the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market every Sunday (fortnightly late April to July) at Site #70
Produce: Citrus, apricots and other stone fruit, figs and dried fruit
Contact Details
North of Swan Reach, just 11km out of town on a very picturesque stretch of the Murray River lies the property of Mark and Taryn Grieger.
Mark’s family has been here since 1899, and with their three children, Joel 16, Emma 14 and Karl 12, they run Cooinda Proprietors, 624 hectares of fruit trees, cropping land, stock and native mallee.
Every Sunday (fortnightly between April and July) Mark and one other family member sell fresh and dried fruit at the Market.
The farm has 400 citrus, over 2300 stone fruit, and more than 30 fig trees supplying fruit to the city via the Market all year round.
Seasonal fruit availability is:
- Apricots: November – January
- Peaches: November – April
- Nectarines and peacherines: November – February
- Plums: November – February
- Citrus (Washington navels, late lane navels, lemons, mandarins): July – November
- Figs: December – April
The fruit is hand-picked and the Grieger’s dry their own fruit with apricots their number one seller, followed by peaches, pears, nectarines and figs.
The fruit, except for the apricots, is hand cut for drying, which is done with sulphur dioxide as a preservative. However, there is also a preservative-free line of dried apricots and figs.
“This is one of the best regions in Australia for growing stone fruit,” says Mark.
Their dried fruit is graded, washed, inspected and packed on the property to ensure first-rate produce is delivered to customers.
Mark uses minimal sprays and biological controls to manage pests and disease, and under-tree micro sprinklers help minimise water use without disrupting quality. An organic-based fertiliser helps keep the soil fed and the fruit healthy.
Cooinda Proprietors also sell wholesale through greengrocers.
