Tonight’s post is the overdue (eek!) assignment for Week 3 of my Blog With Pip course. It seems nothing has changed since my uni days, I’m still an over thinking, procrastinator who always does the last minute/all-nighter cramming sessions or consistently has to grovel for extensions on assignments! Anywho, I do always get there in the end, albeit late – story of my life!
So, our task was to take at least five photos over the weekend and write a post about them. Hmmmm, well our weekend was made up of working in the packing shed, netball, working in the packing shed, a playdate for Jack, working in the packing shed, the hockey sign on, working in the packing shed, Sunday lunch at Grandma’s (the highlight!) for the kids and I but not Matt, because, yep, you guessed it, he was working in the packing shed.
As you can see, there was not a lot of material in there for exciting photo opportunities. So, my dear blog readers, you are going to be taken on a photo safari of ……………………………… wait for it ………………………………. it’s an adventure …………………………. Saturday Mango Packing – Blue Sky Produce shed style! Wahooooooo – don’t get too excited now!
Seriously though, come and check it out. Although not as adventurous as my classmate Julie’s weekend at Phillip Island or as giggle-worthy as this post by ‘Gloves Off” , you might find it a little interesting and learn something all the same! Here we go!
Morning commences at 6.30am with 30 pallets of Keitts mangoes ready and waiting for packing!
Murphy’s Law – of course all four trucks that are due to arrive on Saturday at Blue Sky, manage to all turn up on the driveway at the same time, right on shed start up time!
De-sapping work crew of five boys gets started dipping, snapping mango stems off and loading mangoes on to the de-sapper.
Mangoes having a wash with citrus soap which breaks down the sap.
Bath Time! View of mangoes from the top of the de-sapper
Mangoes getting a polish with the brushes.
The Blue Sky Produce shed hard at work!
Mangoes getting weighed and sorted by size on the grading line.
The quiet that is a break for lunch.
6pm Knock Off time – hooray! Blue Sky Produce Mangoes ready for market!
Ooopsy, a little over the five photo limit, but I am always too wordy! So what did you think? Ready to come and be mango farmers/packing shed workers yet?
Thanks for the mention, Jess!
It’s actually quite fascinating to see what happens to mangoes before I come across them in the supermarket. They look delicious!
Thanks for the look behind the scenes! I love the 4th last photo showing the scale of the packing – amazing!
That is fabulous !!!! I now know that there is such thing as a de-sapper … who knew ?!?!?
In our world (way, way south of yours and now west too) a mango is just a magical thing that arrives in summer for a little while in a shop and then disappears.
Will now keep an eye out for yours and enjoy them even more!
Thanks
Jenny
I’d be there in a heartbeat I really would. If there are any positions vacant for mango farmers up there please let me know! I have a mango addiction and we recently asked the kids what we should plant in our new garden beds. “Mangos, bananas and avocados” was the response. Sounds fantastic, but maybe a little tricky to grow in Tas-Vegas!!!
I love your post. I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to get a product to market. The photos were great and the links to other posts a nice touch.
Wow – what a fascinating post! I love that there is a de-sapper…
It must smell absolutely amazing there. Yum!
I’d love it if you posted some mango recipes on day 🙂
Heike that is such a good idea about posting some mango recipes! i have tried a few out over the mango season – never thought to share them on the blog – you are very clever 🙂
Great photos!! So many beautiful colours in this packing shed with all the boxes and the mangoes!
Thanks Carla! I can’t take credit for the photos as hubby took most of them!
That looks amazing Jess. So much work! And that explains why I never get sap from the shop mangoes!
Ang it is actually quite a sight when the shed is in full swing! You guys will have to come up here for a visit sometime!!
Don’t worry. I’m getting closer to convincing hubby we ought to do the caravan thang. Might pop in! Or I could stalk Heike!
Cat you should definitely pop in if you hit the road!
You can stalk me with much more vigour if you had a caravan to chase us in Cat!!!
Then we could all rendezvous for mangos in Queensland 🙂
Love the post! I always find behind the scenes stuff interesting. I am just a Curiosity Cat in search of lots of satisfaction!!