Now Forage

Apple: Background colour changes from green to yellow or cream (variety determines final colour). Seeds inside should be brown. Flesh yields slightly to thumb pressure. A ripe apple releases with a gentle upward twist — no pulling. Check the ground for natural drops.

Apricot: Golden-orange colour all over; red blush is fine but green means unripe. Gives slightly under thumb pressure and separates cleanly from the pit. Sweet, floral aroma. Short window — harvest daily once they start colouring.

Kumquat: Deep orange-gold; eaten whole — the sweet rind offsets the tart flesh. Ripe when uniformly orange, slightly soft, and very fragrant. The entire fruit is edible raw.

Lemon: Fully yellow with no green remaining; skin slightly glossy and gives a little when squeezed. Heavy for its size indicates juiciness. Unlike most fruit, lemons can hang on the tree for months once ripe without deteriorating.

Olive: Harvest time depends on intended use: green olives (October, firm, very bitter — require curing); turning olives (November, red-purple, half-ripe — for oil or eating); black olives (December, fully ripe, shrivelling — sweeter, for oil). All must be cured before eating — never eat straight from the tree.

Orange: Fully orange skin (can be green-tinged in warm climates and still ripe). Heavy for its size, with a smooth, slightly glossy skin. Scratch and sniff — a sweet orange smell confirms ripeness. Navel oranges develop the distinctive navel opposite the stem.