Mar 012023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Ian Culbard, Judy Vizzari, Kate Anderson, Megan Goodman, Tara Behen and Vanessa Veldman.

Want to collect some chestnuts?

Last May, Judy Vizzari sent me an article about a visit that she had made to Mt. Dandenong. Whilst there, she had visited a property and collected chestnuts. In her article, she suggested that you also visit the property and collect nuts.

But the chestnut-collecting season (March and April) had finished so I decided to hold the article back until the beginning of this Autumn. Today, as I understand it, is the first day of the 2023 chestnut-collecting season so I have now published Judy’s article on our website.

Here is how Judy writes about her first sight of the chestnut trees: “I was impressed by a species of the beech family, Castanea sativa, commonly called the sweet or Spanish chestnut, for their enormous size and edible nuts. They spread their branches wide and are laden with spiny green balls (from golf to tennis ball sizes) that hang heavily on leafy boughs until autumn, when the leaves turn golden and fall and the balls brown before dropping to carpet the ground below them. It’s then that the spiny outer coatings split to reveal richly shining brown nuts packed within their protective coats.

She then goes on to say: “We collected as many nuts as we wanted (for the low price of $4 a kilo), nuts that were fresh from the ground, shining and healthy, just right for roasting.

Judy concludes with: “Visitors to Mt Dandenong can contact Sylvie by email (sylvie9274@gmail.com) so, why not make an autumnal visit (March to April) to Mt Dandenong, collect some chestnuts and absorb the calm and quiet of this beautiful place?

Read the full article.

Want a job?

John Howell Fruit 4U, who are based in Wandin North, are looking for fruit pickers. If you are potentially interested, call John on 0402 115630.

Ageing in rural Nillumbik

Open Food Network Australia and Fair Share Fare recently undertook a project to explore land management options for ageing landowners in Nillumbik. Read their final report.

More on vanilla slices

Ian Culbard has written in to praise the vanilla slices at Watsonia Bakehouse. “They also have award winning pies, some of the best we’ve tried, and their range of cakes and treats are always really good. Their cheesecakes (or any other cake) are a no-brainer when it comes to birthdays.

For research purposes only, I (Guy) went to Watsonia Bakehouse for taste testing. They have two types of vanilla slice, one with icing and the other without. The one without icing was more creamy whilst the one with icing was more custardy. Both were yum.

Any recommendations for my further research?

Meg’s garden this month

Each year the vegetable garden is different. The tomatoes and capsicums have been very late this year and have suffered in the cool wet summer. The stone fruit has mostly been lost to fungal diseases and the collected fruit needs to be carefully disposed of. It’s discouraging. Yet I have a glut of berries, beans, zucchini and squash. Blueberries are abundant and look wonderful against the red-green foliage. The pumpkins are also rampant and developing well with a view to harvest in Autumn when the stems die back and start to brown and harden.

In between the Queensland Blues and Crooknecks are even a few melons of an indeterminate variety that have self-sown from the compost. The first of these is light green inside. It looks like a honeydew and it is sweet, but has a more robust flavour. I slice it thinly and serve it topped with a sprinkle of raw sugar that has been ground with 3-4 mint leaves in a mortar and pestle. This topping works well and can be made with all types of sugars and fruit, making a simple summer dessert.

Read some of Megan’s recipes on our website.

What seeds to plant in March

Here is a list (see the planting guide for more detail):

Brassicas  

Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Pak choy

Other cool season veggies  

Broad beans

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens  
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach

Roots

Beetroot  
Carrot
Radish

Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

 
Compared with February, some of the brassicas are now on the list, plus broad beans, rocket and spinach. The best months for planting brassicas are March and April. What I do is plant seeds in March so that, if they don’t germinate, I can either try again in April or cheat and buy some seedlings.

Note that planting potatoes in March is no longer recommended. I had a long chat with professional potato grower Elaine Pantorno, from Gembrook Potatoes, and she recommends only planting in August to December. Incidentally, Gembrook are at Eltham Farmer’s Market every Sunday and are a great source for potatoes to plant (or eat).

Read Helen Simpson’s article on growing brassicas and Robin Gale-Baker’s article on growing cauliflower.

Not food-related but interesting

Jane Edmanson recently visited the garden of Chloe Thomson in Hurstbridge. Watch this 8 minute video from Gardening Australia.

Some of our articles you might have missed over the last month

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: I’ll never forget that morning 42 years ago when my dad left the house and told us he was going to get milk. Mainly because he forgot to put trousers on. How we laughed.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Carlton Farmers’ Market, which is now on Saturdays, re-starts on 4th March.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local events but interesting

The Edible Garden; Saturday, 11th and Sunday, 12th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Mount Waverley.

Zofia’s garden system is almost fully sustainable, with solar panels and water tanks. Chickens lay eggs and provide manure, there’s a worm farm and ponds for edible water plants. She has beehives for pollination and honey and a diverse range of fruits and vegetables.

The cottage garden; Saturday, 11th and Sunday, 12th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Glen Waverley.

Terry’s garden on a suburban block includes rose, citrus & other fruit trees, medicinal plants, herbs and native grasses.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Rosé blending workshop; Friday, 3rd March, 6-8pm; $53 ($27 per hour); Fitzroy.

You will be guided through making your own rosé. Learn about the different methods of rosé-making as you taste your way through some wines, snack on some cheeseboards and make your own custom blend to take home.

Pruning apricot and cherry trees with Robin Gale-Baker; Saturday, 4th March, 2-4pm; $15; Macleod.

Pruning should happens in February/March while it is hot, and preferably breezy, so that wounds dry out quickly, preventing disease entering the wood. Learn how to prune using the ‘thinning’ method, which keeps trees small and manageable.

Gin making workshop with Gabrielle Callahan; Saturday, 4th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Gabrielle will show you how to make your own gin from vodka, juniper and botanicals. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Fruit tree pruning workshop; Wednesday, 8th March, 10.30am-midday; free; Reservoir.

Angelo Eliades from Deep Green Permaculture will show you: how to assess your tree before pruning; where to make your pruning cuts; how much to take off; how to prune different types of trees; and how to keep your tools sharp and clean. Organised by DIVRS.

Yarra Seed Library Group; 2nd Thursday of each month, so next occurrence on Thursday, 9th March, 10am-midday; free; Carlton North.

There is a seed library at Carlton Library. In this monthly event, they (the Yarra Seed Library Group): sort and organise seeds; share and learn seed-saving, storing, and propagation techniques; and garden in some beds in the library courtyard. Everyone is welcome.

Cheese and wine tasting evening with Gaëtan from Long Paddock Cheese; Friday, 10th March, 6-8pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Fitzroy.

6 cheeses from Long Paddock in Castlemaine will be paired with 6 wines from ReWine to best pronounce and enhance the flavours of the cheese and the wine.

Sparkling wine masterclass; Saturday, 11th March, 3-5pm; $49 ($25 per hour); Northcote.

They will take you through 6 sparkling wines.

Preparing an autumn/winter veggie garden; Saturday, 11th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

March is the month to prepare your garden for planting in April. The workshop will cover site selection for various plants, soil preparation, choosing appropriate vegetables, how to plant for best results and when and how to harvest. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Autumn veggie gardening for beginners; Saturday, 18th March, 10-10.45am; free; Diamond Creek.

What can you plant now in Melbourne? Tips to set you up for success. Seeds or seedlings? Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Japanese tea ceremony; Tuesday, 21st March, 2-3pm; free; Camberwell.

The Japanese tea ceremony will be explained in detail. This will be followed by a ceremonial demonstration of how to correctly prepare tea the Japanese way.

Wine and cheese tasting masterclass; Saturday, 25th March, 3-5pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

They will pair 6 wines with 6 cheeses.

The cultivation of functional mushrooms at home; Saturday, 2nd April, 1-4pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This workshop will cover the cultivation and use of functional mushrooms, including turkey tail, shiitake and various ganoderma species. Presenter: Caine Barlow.

Autumn plant sale; Saturday, 22nd April, 10am-4pm; free; Eltham.

Organised by Australian Plants Society – Yarra Yarra, there will be sales of native and indigenous plants plus books. The plant sellers will include APS Yarra Yarra growers, Goldfields Revegetation Nursery, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary Nursery, Sunvalley Plants Nursery and Vaughan’s Australian Plants.

Yarra Valley Autumn Plant Fair & Garden Expo; Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd April, both 10am-5pm; $14; Wandin.

The expo will feature a wide variety of plants showing off autumn flowers and foliage. Top growers from the Yarra Valley and beyond will display and talk about their plants. The guest speakers will include James Lucas, Jane Edmanson, Paul Kirkpatrick, Peter Teese, Stephen Ryan and Vasili Kanidiadis.

Urban food gardening (9 sessions); Wednesdays, starting 26th April, 10am-2pm; $80 for all 9 sessions (Government subsidised fee); Eltham.

This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Fermenting vegetables for beginners with Jen Willis; Saturday, 18th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Jen Willis will discuss the basics of fermenting vegetables and the difference between pickling, canning and fermenting vegetables to preserve them. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Cooking up culture with Yacob Manhua; Friday, 24th March, midday-1.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Yacob Manhua will show you how to make papeda (aka sago congee or bubur sagu), which is one of the staple foods in Indonesian cuisine.

Milk kefir magic; Friday, 24th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Passata party vol. 3; Sunday, 26th March, 10am-4pm; $15; Coburg North.

Learn how to pick, clean, boil, mash, sieve and bottle fresh tomatoes. Relax and enjoy the music. They recommend only wearing red – or clothes you are happy to get dirty in. Organised by NECCHi.

Kraut M.O.B.; Wednesday, 12th April, 6.30-8pm; $85 ($57 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Choose between a red or white cabbage as your base and flavour with the plethora of herbs, spices and vegetables that they will provide. You will take home a jar of kraut plus all the accoutrements you need to make more.

Pasta making – gnocchi and fettucine; Sunday, 23rd April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Rosa will show you how to make gnocchi using fresh potatoes with a mushroom sauce, and some fettuccine with a napoli sauce. You will then eat what’s been made for lunch. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Introduction to fermenting at home; Sunday, 23rd April, 10am-1pm; $80 ($27 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: the basics to successfully start fermenting vegetables at home; ideas about creating your own fermented condiments; and how to use fermented products in day to day life. What you will get: vegetables that you will prepare in class and take home to ferment; samples of fermented products to taste in class; and notes and recipes. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In March
In April
Regular classes

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