LFC News June 14 2023

Jun 132023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Eve, Jaimie Sweetman, Lynn Wallace, Marisa Rooney, Meg Montague, Olwyn Smiley, Pam Rowley, Susan Palmer, Suzannah Morrison and Trish Kent.

Illawarra plum pine (Podocarpus elatus) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour. Note that they are closed for June and July.]

The Illawarra plum pine is native to the East Coast of NSW and QLD. They are dioecious, meaning that there are separate male and female trees which need to wind pollinate each other in order to fruit. This means that you need a few of them.

They go well in a hedge and the more you have the more likely they will fruit. We have three in the forest: two are female and produce fruit, whilst the other one is male.

They are conifers and are therefore evergreen.

They are a rainforest plant that will cope with Melbourne weather provided that it is in a well drained area. They can withstand dappled shade or full sun. A great plant for a native edible garden.

They are widely regarded as one of the best bush tucker foods. The fruit has two parts, a fleshy edible part and a seed pod at the end of it. The fleshy edible part resembles a grape in texture with a taste of pine that is enhanced when cooked. They can be eaten raw or cooked.

They are slow growing and will therefore do ok in a pot for a number of years.

A new community garden in Coburg – Coburg Common

Coburg Common is at 19 Victoria Street, Coburg. The garden is membership-based, but is also open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am-1pm, at which times there are also plants for sale. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in gardening, for a nominal fee of $20 per annum or $10 for concession card holders. There are no individual plots and the produce is shared amongst the members. To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact them by email (coburgcommon@gmail.com) or phone (0488 901 076). Also, see their Facebook page.

Coburg Common first came into existence in 2020, when 6 garden boxes were rolled onto a barren site and slowly but surely the garden has taken shape since then. Coburg Common is operated by a volunteer group called The Gardening Mob Inc (GMI). GMI was formed by some of the volunteers who previously ran Peppertree Place in Urquhart Street Coburg before it was taken over by Kevin Heinze GROW. The Uniting Church kindly allows the volunteers to utilise some land beside the church. GMI’s purpose is to enhance the opportunity for gardening for people of all abilities and to increase socialisation in the community through gardening, related activities and skill sharing and knowledge. They use sustainable practices and aim to be socially inclusive in all their endeavours.

Operations are partly funded through plant sales, many of which have been donated by the local community. The eclectic array of garden decor, pots and furniture is recycled or re-used hard rubbish rescues and donations. The artwork displayed in the garden was created by volunteers at various stages.

News from the Farm Raiser farm

As you may well know, Farm Raiser is a not-for-profit urban, organic vegetable farm in Bellfield. Whilst not certified, they follow organic principles and don’t use any chemicals.

An expanded farm gate

Their farm gate opposite at 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield is now open on Saturdays (9am-midday) as well as Fridays (10am-2pm).

A volunteering opportunity

Each Friday morning, they run a volunteer session from 10am-1pm, where they prepare beds, plant crops, weed, mulch, harvest, etc. They provide a morning tea and a warm nursery to hang out in if it’s raining. You get to take home some fresh vegetables at the end of the day, as their way of saying thanks for the support. If potentially interested, email Eve at volunteer@farmraiser.com.au. Note that a Working With Children Check is required as they are located at Waratah Special Developmental School.

There are now two Certified Organic vegetable stalls at Eltham Farmers’ Market

The extant stallholder is Thriving Foods Farm, who are there every Sunday. They also attend Alphington, Carlton and Coburg Farmers’ Markets.

The new stallholder is Spring Creek Organics, who will be there on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. They also attend Abbotsford Convent and Carlton Farmers’ Markets.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During May, the cooking teams were The Young Ones, the Park Orchards netball team, The Rangers and the Belmore Road Church of Christ. Look at some photos of the teams, plus those of previous teams.

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Celesta asked for advise on how to dry large chillies. Here are your responses:

Susan Palmer: Depending on my mood and how many chillies I have, I either use a dehydrator or freeze them. When dehydrating larger chillies, I make a single lengthwise cut to help the drying process.

Olwyn Smiley: I puree them with oil and freeze in small containers. So easy when a dish calls for chilli. Taking it out of the freezer at the start of the meal preparation means it has thawed just enough to chisel out as much as is needed. I make up and freeze harissa in the same way.

Lynn Wallace: Collect the fruit as it ripens and freeze. When enough fruit has been gathered or when the season is over, de-frost, blitz with some coarse salt and good quality fresh oil, and pour into sterilised jars (5 minutes in a microwave with a slurp of water). Keeps for years in the fridge. Taste test before use because it can be very concentrated and might blow your head off.

Yet more on using spent coffee ground

From Meg Montague: “I had several wheelie bins of grounds delivered a year ago. They were tipped out on top of the persistently sprouting stumps of a bay tree that I was desperately trying to stop suckering and shooting. The coffee grounds completely covered the stumps for many months. Result, no more bay tree shoots – they have been smothered and destroyed. I am now getting a second delivery which I will place in the same spot just to be sure!”

Do you want?

Do you want some free limes? Pick up from Eltham. Contact Trish Kent by email (Patricia.kent2017@gmail.com)

Your weekly facts about earthworms

Bev Middleton, from Soil Week Australia: If an earthworm gets injured or cut in half, the half with its head can regenerate a new body.

Charles Darwin via Guy Palmer: With a few exceptions, earthworms are hermaphrodite but procreate sexually.

Making gin is both quick and easy

One of the things that I (Guy) occasionally do is make gin. It’s really quick and easy. Here’s the basic method:

  1. Buy a cheap bottle of vodka.
  2. Add 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of juniper berries.
  3. Add whatever botanicals you want.
  4. Leave for 3 days.
  5. Use a sieve to filter out the juniper berries and botanicals.
  6. Leave for 2 days.
  7. Drink.

I will expand on some of this in a future newsletter (hopefully next week).

Do you eat tiddly oggies?

Ferguson Plarre’s toddly oggies are apparently 30 years’ old this month. To celebrate, each of their bakeries is giving away a free mini tiddly oggie with every purchase made on 23rd June, from 11am until sold out.

Something for you to read

Duncan Cocking, from Kyneton-based Leaf, Root & Fruit, is apparently transitioning from being a gardening service to someone who writes about edible gardening. His first two articles are about:

Some things for you to watch

Eltham-based Green Karma have been videoing some of their recent ‘heal with food’ presentations, including those on both autoimmune diseases and dementia.

Some things for you to listen to

The City Compost Network

Listen to Kath Jones. Kath, from Finbar Neighbourhood Garden in Richmond, was recently interviewed by someone called Xuan. The podcast is mostly about composting and is around 49 minutes long.

Listen to some more podcasts by The City Compost Network.

The Producers

Listen to Giorgio Linguanti. Giorgio, from That’s Amore Cheese in Thomastown, was recently interviewed by Dani Valent and Anthony Huckstep. The podcast is mostly about his cheesemaking career and is around 33 minutes long.

Listen to some more podcasts by The Producers.

Not food-related but interesting

Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes have opened a pop-up shop at 25 Separation Street, Northcote. The shop will be opens Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am-4pm from now until the end of July. Their aim is to rescue and re-home pre-loved items and reduce landfill. There will be a free rummage room, bargain-priced rescued items, a low-priced re-love gift shop, art and craft freebies at the re-purpose station and local artists’ upcycled products.

Ever used ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is artificial intelligence software that has been much in the news recently. It is free to use and you can ask it whatever you want so, when I had a few minutes spare earlier this week, I asked it to write a limerick about this newsletter (i.e. the Local Food Connect newsletter). This is what it came up with:

There once was a newsletter so bright,
Local Food Connect’s culinary delight.
With recipes galore,
And food news to explore,
Every subscriber’s appetite took flight.

And here is how it responded when I asked it to write a limerick about me (i.e. Guy Palmer):

There once was a man named Guy Palmer,
Whose wit and charm were quite the charmer.
With a smile so bright,
He’d light up the night,
A gentleman with charisma to armor.

If you ask it the same question twice, you often get different answers. For example, when I asked it again to write a limerick about me, it came up with:

There once was a fellow named Guy,
Whose laughter could reach to the sky.
With jokes so clever,
He’d make you feel better,
His humour would never run dry.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the drone video of Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

Tea is like F5 to me, it’s refreshing.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Weeds, weeds, weeds!; Saturday, 17th June, 1.30-3pm; gold coin; Montmorency.

George Paras will discuss how to tackle weeds without becoming overwhelmed, Take weed samples for identification. At Montmorency Community Hub, 1 Mountain View Road, Montmorency. Book your place by phone (0417 110 837) or email (prowley49@tpg.com.au).

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Winter alcohol-free wine tasting; three occurrences on Saturdays, 17th June, 8th July and 22nd July, each 2-3pm; $22 ($22 per hour); Abbotsford.

They will explain how non-alcoholic wine is made. You will also taste four red wines. Organised by Sip & Enjoy, Melbourne’s first non-alcoholic drinks store.

Introduction to chocolate tasting; Saturday, 24th June, midday-1.30pm; $33 ($22 per hour); Brunswick East.

You will explore the many flavours of cacao by learning how to taste chocolate from local bean-to-bar makers. Through each of these, Finn Doyle (aka Cacao About Town) will discuss the history of cacao and how it’s transformed from tropical fruit to the chocolate that we love, as well as ethical issues facing the industry today.

Autoimmune disease; Sunday, 30th July, 11am-12.30pm; free; Richmond.

Dr. Malcolm Mackay will discuss the nutrition and lifestyle approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other common autoimmune diseases. He will explain the role of the gut microbiome in regulating the immune system and present dietary strategies for reducing inflammation and creating a healthy microbiome. Organised by Green Karma.

Winter fruit tree pruning with Chris England; Saturday, 5th August, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Richmond.

Presenter Chris England. Learn how to prune different types of fruit trees – apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums and citrus. Learn how to keep trees healthy and to a workable height and to recognise the different types of growth, and prune for maximum fruit. BYO secateurs.

Permaculture Design Course (100 hours); Wednesday evenings and weekend days, starting 5th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $2,200 ($22 per hour); CERES.

Participants will develop: an appreciation of the fundamentals of permaculture and the historical context in which it was developed; an ability to incorporate ecological and energy literacy/understanding in the design process; an ability to read patterns in landscapes and understand how they influence design choices; an understanding of the design processes and the conceptual design tools used in permaculture, as background for later application topics; an ability to design food production and other agricultural systems in appropriate landscapes; an understanding of how communities function and how permaculture concepts can be used to build functional communities; an understanding of how trading functions and how permaculture concepts can be used to build more equitable economic systems; an understanding of how settlements can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an understanding of how buildings can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an appreciation of the technologies that are available to assist in building sustainable lifestyles – renewable energies and conservation of non-renewable resources; and a confidence in one’s ability to make a difference at the individual level. Trainers: Adam Grubb, Beck Lowe, Ian Lillington, Joel Meadows, Kat Lavers, Monique Miller and Taj Scicluna.

How to drink Australian (book launch); Monday, 7th August, 6-9pm; $30 ($10 per hour); Abbotsford.

Jane Lopes and Jon Ross, co-authors of How to Drink Australian, will discuss their book. For $80, you can get a signed copy of the book.

Grocery bill savings workshop with Open Table; Wednesday, 9th August, 4-5pm; free; Carlton.

Learn ways to better manage your grocery bills and budget more effectively. Facilitated by Open Table.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Induction cooking workshop – electrify everything; Tuesday, 20th June, 6.30-8pm; free; Epping.

Join Open Table for a cooking demonstration, showing you how to reduce food waste and cook up delicious meals on induction. They will be making a seasonal fruit chutney for you to try.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (2 sessions); Wednesdays, 12th and 19th July, both 6.30-8.30pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. At the end of the session, eat what you have made or take it home. Tutor: Taariq Hassan.

Japanese cooking class – soup; Thursday, 13th July, 1-3pm; $15; Greensborough.

Make and enjoy traditional Japanese soup.

Elderberry syrup and fire cider with Miranda; Saturday, 5th August, 9-11.30am; $125 ($50 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Discover the medicinal properties of elderberries, their rich antioxidant content, and the essential vitamins and minerals they offer. Explore the history and folklore surrounding elderberries and their traditional use in natural medicine. Learn how to properly identify, harvest, and prepare elderberries for creating various forms of elderberry medicine, including syrups, tinctures, teas, and more. Take home both a bottle of elderberry syrup and a little elderberry plant. Fire cider uses vinegar as its base to create a tonic that is circulatory enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral. Its fermentation/extraction takes 6 weeks but in this class you will learn how to make it. You will takes home a bottle of your own fire cider. Presenter: Miranda Mueller. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 5th August, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John.

In June
In July
Regular classes

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