Jan 21, 2023
They say, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’, and the Montague family have proven that to be true. It all started with the patriarch Bill in 1948. Fast forward to now, and his grandson Scott has been busy learning about the orchard, packing, distribution, sales and marketing. As much as we all love a Granny Smith or Red Delicious, the family is continuing to crunch into new ground, introducing consumers to new varieties such as Jazz, Envy and Eve. Managing Director of Montague, Scott Montague joins me now. We discuss:
- Scott’s favourite place the third-generation apple farm.
- Since the 1950s, the Montague family has been growing apples and his grandfather Bill was one of the first growers to introduce Red Delicious to Australia!
- As a now third generation farmer, there are many new exclusive varieties on offer including Jazz, Envy, Smitten, Ambrosia, SweeTango and Eve.
- How Scott goes about developing these new apples including Kissabel, with a red flesh which isn’t yet commercially available.
- The traits that apple consumers want most these days and the variables of taste, texture, shelf-life, colour and crunch.
- With a business over 70 years old, Scott shares some of the challenges from the recent past.
- From water storage to soil health, sustainability is a key focus for Montague.
- How a plum treat is combatting the food waste which, is the biggest frustration as a farmer.
- Bio-fuel, green energy and how fruit waste could be the answer.
- What Scott loves most about life on the land and his passion for feeding the public.
- The most common misconception about apples.
- The most unexpected thing to happen in the business
- The ultimate dream for the future of Montague.
We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.
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