Aug 052020
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Cathy Romeo, Choon Yin Yeok, Chris Kent, Dianne Parslow, Doris Glier, Elaine Rust, Fay Loveland, Helen Simpson, Leah Lux Tame, Mahira Sobral, Megan Goodman, Paul Hemsworth, Rita Varrasso and Stuart Rodda.

What farmers’ markets will be happening this weekend?

On Saturday: Collingwood Children’s Farm (re-located to Alphington). Not Coburg.

On Sunday: Alphington and Eltham. Unclear: Whitehorse.

Tracey Bjorksten has made a video on frugal DIY potting mix from wood chip mulch

Newsletter reader Tracey Bjorksten has made a video for our website on frugal DIY potting mix from wood chip mulch. Here’s how Tracey introduces the video: “With spring seed sowing time almost upon us, and the recent surge of interest in edible gardening, it occurred to me that garden centres might struggle with the demand for things like potting mix. Besides, DIY potting mix is well worth making because it helps keep the costs of growing food down, it is easy, and the mixture can be tweaked for different purposes (e.g. starting seeds, propagating cuttings).

The main ingredient of potting mix is compost, but not everyone composts at home or has compost ready when they need it. However, commercial mixes are based around composted pine bark or wood chips, and lots of us use wood chip mulch in our gardens. So, I thought I would show people how they can mine their paths and garden beds for compost, and use that, along with a couple of other cheap and readily available ingredients, to make their own mix.

Watch Tracey’s video.

Yet more on yacon

As well as writing all those Deep Green Permaculture articles that we keep linking to, Angelo Eliades is also the buyer for uncommon food plants at Bulleen Art & Garden (BAAG) nursery. In this latter capacity, he has written in to say that “BAAG stocks jicama in summer and has yacon most of the year, with yacon currently in stock right now“.

Yes, you did know! ?

Golden orb spider

Nada Cunningham asked for confirmation or correction about her ‘golden orb spider’.

First, I’d like to apologise to both Nada and to the readership for inadvertently inserting a typo in Nada’s identification: she said ‘golden orb spider’ and it was me who changed this to ‘golden org spider’. Thanks to those of you who wrote in saying things like: “Golden org spider? Never heard of it!

Second, as both Cathy Romeo and Stuart Rodda have pointed out, Nada’s spider is actually a female St Andrews cross spider.

Third, as Paul Hemsworth has pointed out, Museums Victoria provide a free, quick and outstanding critter identification service.

Strawberry fruit ripening in Winter

Melita Proebstl asked whether her strawberry fruit would ripen at this time of year.

Helen Simpson has replied: “Whilst some strawberry plants will fruit all year, the fruit won’t ripen fully in Winter due to lack of sunlight.

Reader suggestions

‘Chris Kent has written in to suggest that you read this Facebook article by Craig Castree on pruning old fruit trees in late summer/autumn.

‘Reader suggestions’ could be the start of a new section to this newsletter. If you have any suggestions for online articles for others to read, please email me with the details.

A new marketplace for seed savers called Local Seeds

Local Seeds is a Melbourne-based website where you can buy seeds. They describe their mission as “to encourage more people to save seeds, to help preserve genetic diversity, and to give people access to seeds that are adapted to their local environment.” Although it is not immediately apparent, you can also register to sell your seeds by going to the registration page.

Want a job?

Managing Editor of Pip Magazine. Roughly halftime. Unspecified salary. “Based in Pambula, NSW [but] we will consider the right candidate to work remotely. Minimum 3 years’ prior experience as an editor. Closing date: 10th August. Read more and apply.

Another article from Angelo Eliades

A review of the book Growing good food, a citizen’s guide to backyard carbon farming.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Guy’s fruit growing tip – improve your soil

This is actually an old Mac McVeigh tip: August is a good month to start preparing your produce beds for Spring. In other words, it is a good time to dig in cow manure and/or compost to add nutrients and condition your soil in readiness for planting.

Read more of Guy’s food-growing tips.

Meg’s social isolation week

The asparagus crowns are just starting to push their first shoots up through the damp earth and the potatoes are just starting to appear through the mulch. We are harvesting a lot of kale and silverbeet and, of course, more rocket.

The highlight this week has been the harvest of broccoli Green Dragon – big florets that are wonderful lightly blanched and served with hummus plus homegrown baby veggies such as radishes, small spring onions and turnips. The best time to plant broccoli is towards end of autumn, as it doesn’t seem to be affected by aphids as in the warmer months and the possums don’t seem to find it as easily.

Hummus

1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
juice of 1-2 lemons
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Add the drained chickpeas and bicarb soda to a small saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain and cool.

Add to a food processor together with the lemon juice, garlic, salt, tahnni and cumin and blend until thick and creamy.

Add the water slowly, blending and scraping down the sides as needed until the mixture pales. Add the olive oil.

Leave the mixture for around 10 minutes then taste and add more salt and lemon juice as needed.

[Editor: for an alternative recipe for hummus, have a look at Duang Tengtrirat’s recipe on our website.]

Read more of Megan’s recipes.

Reader photos

Last week’s theme – garden vertebrates other than birds

10 photos were submitted. A rather interesting set.

Cathy Romeo
Blue-tongued skink
Choon Yin Yeok
Blue-tongued skink
Chris Kent
Common eastern froglet
Chris Kent
Fox
Dianne Parslow
Kangaroo
Doris Glier
Kangaroo
Elaine Rust
Kangaroo
Leah Lux Tame
Southern brown tree frog
Rita Varrasso
Cat
   
Tracey Bjorkstein
Play-fighting foxes

Leah liked her photo of the southern brown tree frog so much that she decided to paint a version of it sitting on leaves. “It’s a digital painting. I used an app called Procreate on my iPad and ‘painted’ using a stylus. It took me around 20 hours.” Click the thumbnail on the right to view Leah’s amazing painting in all its glory.

Cathy Romeo: Like other native reptiles, blue-tongues are protected in Australia and it is illegal for them to be re-located. They eat snails so don’t use snail pellets as a blue-tongue can die if it eats a poisoned snail.

Chris Kent re his photo of the fox: “our rockmelons were ripening nicely and then this fox came along

Dianne Parslow (who lives in Lower Plenty) re her photo of the kangaroo: “This photo was taken from my bedroom window last week. Seeing kangaroos may be normal for some people who live on acreage in outer suburbs, but it is definitely not normal for my suburban backyard.

Rita Varrasso: “9 cat-related catch phrases: 1. Take a catnap; 2. Grin like a Cheshire Cat; 3. Remember, curiosity killed the cat; 4. Don’t pussyfoot around; 5. Don’t let the cat out of the bag; 6. Don’t play cat and mouse; 7. Don’t be a scaredy cat; 8. Be a cool cat; and 9. Be the cat’s pyjamas.

Tracey Bjorkstein: “This is one of a sequence of shots captured by a trail camera of a pair of foxes play-fighting. I’m assuming that it was a play fight because the camera also caught the mutual bum-sniffing afterwards. These two were often seen together from when they were quite small and I suspect that they were litter mates.

This week’s theme – unusual veggies you have grown

This week’s photo theme will be ‘unusual veggies you have grown’. As ever, send me your interesting photos, together with a title and (if you want) a story, and I will publish them next week.

To get you started, here are some chickpeas that I grew.

Joke of the week

What did one water bottle say to another? Water you doing today?

Read more jokes.

Upcoming online events

If you know of any events other than those listed below, email me.

Newly announced events

Beginners home composting and worm farming: Wednesday, 5th August, 7-9pm; free; organised by Manningham Council. Read more and book on EventBrite.

Composting at home: Saturday, 8th August, 10-11am; free; organised by Maroondah Council. Read more and book on their website.

Making composting and worm farming easy: Wednesday, 12th August, 7-8.30pm; free; organised by Whittlesea Council. Book by email (Sylvia.jones@whittlesea.vic.gov.au).

Making composting and worm farming easy: Tuesday, 18th August, 1-2.30pm; free; organised by Whittlesea Council. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. Book by email (jocelyn.harte@whittlesea.vic.gov.au).

Advanced home composting and worm farming: Wednesday, 19th August, 7-9pm; free; organised by Manningham Council. Read more and book on EventBrite.

Sourdough bread making: 4 occurrences – 22nd August 10-11am, 23rd August 2-3pm, 12th September 11am-midday and 13th September 3-4pm; $20; organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik. Read more and book on their website.

Introduction to brewing and fermenting: Saturday, 22nd August, 2-4.15pm; $28; organised by MYCOmmunity. Read more and book on their website.

Zero waste cooking and sustainability: 7 sessions, on Tuesdays, starting 25th August, each 10am-1.30pm; free; organised by Jesuit Community College. Read more and book on WeTeachMe.

Explore our food systems: Thursday, 27th August, 12.30-1.15pm; $0-20; organised by CERES. Read more and book on Humanitix.

Previously announced events

Chicken saagwala: Saturday, 8th August, 5-6pm; $29; organised by Cook Indian by the Creek. Read more and book via Facebook.

Chicken tikka masala: Saturday, 15th August, 5-6pm; $29; organised by Cook Indian by the Creek. Read more and book via Facebook.

What’s wrong with ultra-processed foods?: Tuesday, 18th August, 1.30-2.30pm; free; organised by University of Melbourne.

Rogan josh: Saturday, 29th August, 5-6pm; $29; organised by Cook Indian by the Creek. Read more and book via Facebook.

Open Table offer their weekly no waste cook club workshops free and online on Saturdays. As well as cooking (which is actually optional), you will learn about food waste and composting. Register on EventBrite.

Pip Magazine (some of whose journalists live in North East Melbourne) are producing a series of videos entitled simple skills for self sufficiency.

All The Dirt is a weekly podcast about gardening.

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