Prickly native full of potential

摘要

LEATHER-welding gloves are unusual pieces of required equipment when it comes to harvesting a fruit. Mark Walden would advise not to try harvesting finger limes without them, though. The thorns which lace every branch of the bush do their best to deter would be predators or diversified farmers from accessing the valuable produce growing within. As one of the latter category, Mark has learnt to adapt, and continues to be fascinated by his new crop which grows alongside the rows of sugarcane at BurnettHeads, near Bundaberg. Mark and wife Amanda who operate under Holstone Produce have planted about 1500 finger lime trees, with another 600 to be planted in April. Finger limes resemble a small cucumber or gherkin. When cut or broken open, they reveal acavity filled with small balls (vesicles) of liquid resembling caviar. The taste is intense, tangy and refreshing -something that upper market restaurants throughout the world are discovering. The colour of the pulp can range from green and yellow to champagne, pink, orange, red and magenta.