LFC News August 8 2018

Aug 082018
 

Gardening Australia has now visited Heidelberg West

Watch the video of Costa and Simeon Hanscamp discussing Simeon’s Spoke & Spade farm business in Heidelberg West.

There are now online videos for 30 of our local food producers.

Remember that newsletter reader Stuart Rodda’s blending of spent coffee grounds will feature this week (7.30pm on Friday, 10th August and again at 1.30pm on Sunday, 12th August).

PIP magazine interviews Stuart Muir Wilson

Newsletter reader Stuart Muir Wilson was recently interviewed by PIP magazine. As well as organising the mushroom growing workshops and Permaculture Design Certificate course discussed in this week’s newsletter, Stuart is the grandson of Bill Mollison. Listen to the interview.

The 2018 Australian Food Awards

Producers from North East Melbourne have been scoring heavily in the 2018 Australian Food Awards. They include:

Producer Suburb Award Category Product
J.B. Shackleton’s Wonga Park Gold Jams, Conserves and Marmalade luxury tahiti lime marmalade
J.B. Shackleton’s Wonga Park Gold Jams, Conserves and Marmalade luxury three fruits marmalade
Kookaberry Strawberry Farm Wandin Gold Vinegar and Dressing raspberry vinegar
Kookaberry Strawberry Farm Wandin Gold Vinegar and Dressing strawberry vinegar
PoppySmack Warrandyte Gold Chilli Preserves siam chilli sambal
That’s Amore Cheese Thomastown Gold Non-Cow Cheese buffalo ricotta
My Little Country Kitchen Kinglake West Silver Other Savoury Pastries spinach & feta roll
That’s Amore Cheese Thomastown Silver Fresh Cheese chilli caciotta
Backyard Honey Surrey Hills Bronze Honey multi-floral honey
Blue Pear Pantry North Warrandyte Bronze Gluten Free Baked Good gluten free sausage roll
La Villa Salumi Kilsyth Bronze Gourmet Sausages signature pork sausages
My Little Country Kitchen Kinglake West Bronze Other Savoury Pastries gourmet sausage roll
PoppySmack Warrandyte Bronze Savoury Sauces & Pastes salty sweet satay
Si Mangia Reservoir Bronze Savoury Sauces & Pastes passata di pomodoro
That’s Amore Cheese Thomastown Bronze Fresh Cheese diavoletti
We Feed you Carlton Bronze Convenience Main Meals chinese spiced lamb

Last Friday was CafeSmart day

CafeSmart is an annual, one-day fundraising initiative by StreetSmart that supports not-for-profit organisations tackle homelessness. Last Friday, each participating cafe donated $1 for every cup of coffee sold on the day. Around 100 cafes across North East Melbourne participated (click here to view a map of the participating cafes). Quists Coffee, from Research, were one of the participating coffee roasters.

Caption competition

Some children from Ivanhoe East Primary School recently featured in an article about junk food in the Herald Sun (see picture below left).

I thought the picture in the article was so good that I asked News Corp for a jpg version (see picture below right). The caption competition is simple: email me with a suggested caption for the picture and the best suggestion will receive an annual subscription to PIP magazine.

  

Home compost doctors in area 3081

If you live in postcode 3081, you can receive free advice on how to set up and improve your composting system. Contact (newsletter reader) Mikoto Araki by phone (0421 654934) or email.

Not local, but interesting

Whilst this newsletter is strictly limited to North East Melbourne, the interests of some of our newsletter readers range further afield.

Lucia Mikulova of Essence Workshops organises workshops, most food-related and mostly in Ashburton. For example:

  • Ferments workshop: Thursday, 6th September, 6.30-9.30pm.
  • Herbal home remedies: Thursday, 20th September, 6.30-9.30pm.
  • Sourdough and grain preparation: Thursday, 6th September, 10am-1pm.

Stuart Muir Wilson teaches a Permaculture Design Certificate in St Kilda, and the next course will run for 14 days, starting 1st September.

Schulz Organic Farms, whose milk can be bought at numerous farmers’ markets and other outlets in North East Melbourne, are currently doing a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to purchase the equipment needed to convert more of its plastic milk bottles to returnable glass bottles.

Not food, but interesting

Last week’s Guardian newspaper featured an article about the arrival, two years ago, of a small number of Syrian and Iraqi refugees into Eltham with the byline “Extremists claimed that Syrian refugees would increase crime and fear in Eltham. The opposite happened.“. The accompanying picture shows the resettlement team displaying ‘Welcome to Eltham’ signs. It so happens that the co-founders of Welcome to Eltham – Gillian Essex, Lara McKinley and Nina Kelabora – are all readers of this newsletter and, indeed, there are some local food articles by Lara on our website.

Permablitz hero of the month

Radish: Have you ever thought that you were possibly the worst gardener ever? If you haven’t ever tried to grow food for yourself then the humble radish is about to be your new best friend.

Read all Permablitz heroes.

David Holmgren is still packing them in

The picture on the right is David Holmgren getting ready to talk last Saturday at the Taste of Thomo Festival. In the picture, he is being introduced by newsletter reader Fleugh Anderson.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The market research on Eltham Farmers’ Market.

Joke of the week

What type of fruit has babies in a red house, a red house in a white house, and a white house in a green house? A watermelon!

Read all the jokes.

New events

Farmer to table dinner

What: The dinner comprises 3 share-style courses which highlight 3 ethical local producers, namely Somerset Heritage Produce, Ray-Monde Deux and The Practical Beekeeper. The evening will include a panel Q&A with the three producers. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase at the bar.
When: Saturday, 11th August, 7-10pm.
Where: CERES.
Cost: $65.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cellar beer masterclass

What: What you will learn: taste your way through the beers from The 3 Ravens range under the guidance of one of their brewery team; see behind the scenes of a fully functioning craft brewery; and learn 3 Ravens’ approach to cellaring beers. Includes a sharing sit down style feast from A1 Bakery Fairfield.
When: Saturday, 18th August, 12.30-2.30pm.
Where: 3 Ravens Brewery, Thornbury.
Cost: $65.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

3 Ravens Brewery tour and tasting

What: What you will learn: see behind the scenes of a fully functioning craft brewery; taste your way through the The 3 Ravens range under the guidance of one of their brewery team; and learn what goes into beer, how it’s produced and how it gets in your glass.
When: Saturday, 18th August, 4-5pm.
Where: 3 Ravens Brewery, Thornbury.
Cost: $20.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Grafting workshop

What: John Pinniger of the Heritage Fruits Society and Transition Darebin will run a ‘masterclass’ in grafting for anyone who would like to improve their skills – or learn the basics of fruit tree grafting. This will be hands-on. It will involve learning the reasons for, and the science of grafting, and then plenty of time to practice. The main focus will be on apples. Budding will also be discussed. Bring a sharp knife if you have one. There is no cost, but the third hour of the three-hour session will be assistance with the grafting of Heritage Fruits Society’s trees, including potting, labelling, etc (part learning, part application). Maximum 6 participants.
When: 4 times – Wednesday, 22nd August, 9.30am-12.30pm in Fairfield; Wednesday, 22nd August, 1-4pm in Fairfield; Saturday, 26th August, 9.30am-12.30pm in Fairfield; and Sunday, 9th September, 10am-1pm in Reservoir.
Cost: free.
Bookings: by email.

Cooking master class

What: Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included. Menu: roast tomato tart; spring vegetable curry; and lemon curd Eton mess.
When: Thursday, 23rd August, 7-9pm.
Where: Gourmet Living, Templestowe.
Cost: $42.
Bookings: EventBrite.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Growing mycelium (mushrooms) in the city

What: Take home two mycelium mushrooms kits, one pre-made and another on waste coffee grounds that you make yourself in the workshop. This workshop will give you the skills to grow your own mushrooms at home and is aimed at an entry level point. Learn the hands-on techniques for re-building soil, drought proofing gardens and growing new varieties of mushrooms. Facilitator: Stuart Muir Wilson.
When: Saturday, 25th August, 10.30am-4.30pm.
Where: Seedwell Brunswick.
Cost: $50.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Beeswax wrap workshop

What: Join Ben Moore from Ben’s Bees to make your own ecofriendly alternative to plastic wraps.
When: Saturday, 25th August, 3-5pm.
Where: Central Ringwood Community Centre.
Cost: $25 (includes all materials).
Bookings: by phone (9870 2602).
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Food forest workshop

What: Learn how to create an edible forest garden in this hands-on workshop. You will be actually implementing a forest garden, getting your hands in the soil. You will learn: assessing the site of your food forest; the layers of a food forest; techniques to improve soil; caring for plants; forest patterns and how to apply them to your own food forest at home; and tips for creating food, habitat and nectar diversity for ourselves and our environment.
When: Sunday, 26th August, 9am-5pm.
Where: Warrandyte.
Cost: $50.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Pruning workshop

What: John Pinniger of the Heritage Fruits Society and Transition Darebin will run a ‘masterclass’ in pruning for anyone who would like to improve their skills – or learn the basics of fruit tree pruning. There is no cost, but the session will include pruning a number of trees in a private backyard – you prune their trees, and they allow you to use their yard for the class (part learning, part application). Maximum 6 participants.
When: Saturday, 1st September, 2-4.30pm.
Where: Thornbury.
Cost: free.
Bookings: by email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Home composting workshop

What: Learn how composting, worm farming and the use of particular plants can naturally improve your soil. Discover how to compost and worm farm effectively for the best results. Understand how recycling your household and garden organic waste (including dog poo!) can benefit the life within your soil. Facilitator: Dianne Gordon.
When: Saturday, 8th September, 2-4.30pm.
Where: Edendale.
Cost: free.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Nillumbik FEASTival

What: Sample some of the fine fare of the region. Start at Eltham Library with curries provided by local business Curry Favour and wine tasting with Kings of Kangaroo Ground. Then head to Diamond Valley Library where D’Lish Desserts will finish with some desserts.
When: Tuesday, 11th September, 6-7pm.
Where: Eltham Library.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Soul foods

What: Join local chef Bec Cassar for a demonstration and taste of some delights to waken the body and soul for spring.
When: Wednesday, 12th September, 1-2pm.
Where: Whittlesea Library.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Summary of upcoming events

Over the next week
Over the next month

View the complete calendar of upcoming events.

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