Too Small, Too Twisty, Too Good to Waste

You know you’ve arrived in Ohakune when you’re greeted by a massive orange carrot on the roadside. It’s iconic - and for good reason. This central North Island town is home to some of the country’s best root veg, and it’s where we kicked off our autumn check-in with a couple of our long-time growers.

But this year, things are looking a little different out in the paddocks.

If you haven’t heard already - we’re well overdue for a decent dump of rain. After months of dry weather, the soil’s cracked, the leaves are dusty, and the parsnips… well, they’ve gone a little wayward this season. Without enough water, they twist and turn in every direction in search of moisture - resulting in some seriously curly characters. And while we love these wonky wonders, these parsnips don’t meet the strict specs for regular retail, meaning many would usually be left behind.

Carrots are telling a similar story. Without the moisture to help them bulk up, they’re staying small - full of crunch and flavour, but not quite “retail ready.” But on the bright side, they make a great bumper crop of snack-sized carrots, ripe for rescuing.

Further south in the Manawatū, one of our growers has had a wave of extra-small Brussels sprouts. Too tiny for retail, but perfect tossed in olive oil and roasted until golden (just quietly).

Across the country, this strange weather is creating all kinds of outcomes. The lack of rain has made irrigation tricky too - especially for growers rotating crops to keep the soil healthy. When water’s tight, yields drop and quality shifts, making it even harder to meet the tidy standards big retailers expect.

Mother nature is always keeping us on our toes.

In Waiuku, one of our capsicum growers has seen their season stretch well beyond usual. All that sunshine has boosted supply - but with markets moving on to autumn crops, finding homes for those glossy red capsicums has become a real challenge.

This is what we see every week: some crops thrive, others struggle - and rarely on schedule. It’s a reminder that food doesn’t grow in perfect conditions, or to perfect shapes. It just grows and there’s only so much growers can do to - we’re at the mercy of the weather.

And that’s where we come in.

Wonky Box is here to catch the curly, the undersized, the mistimed and the misunderstood - to get good food from the paddock to your plate, and support the growers who deal with whatever the season throws their way.

So if your next box includes a twisty parsnip, pint-sized sprouts or a handful of mini carrots, you’ll know exactly where they came from - and why they matter.

A bit of character never hurt a carrot.