LFC News November 2 2022

Nov 022022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bruno Tigani, Emma Wasson, Jaimie Sweetman, John Stock, Pauline Webb and Sarah Mathers.

Apple berry (Billardiera scandens) by Jaimie Sweetman

Jaimie Sweetman 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.

Apple berry is a bush tucker plant that grows naturally along the coast and tablelands of every state and territory in Australia except Northern Territory and Western Australia. Because of this, it adaptable to our climates and soils and will even grow under a eucalypt. Once established, they actually cope quite well in acidic or alkaline soils and in clay, loam or sandy soils.

If given the proper climbing structure, it will climb (we grow ours up the tree pillars in the forest). They also act well as either a groundcover or small shrub.

The fruit tastes similar to stewed apple or kiwifruit, and are either eaten raw when ripe or roasted.

The flowers, which appear in October and November, are bell shaped yellow to pink and form in clusters.

In summary, apple berry is a good choice for bush tucker areas, native gardens or for an interesting climber that is easy to grow and maintain.

Want some free sugar snap or snow pea seedlings?

Courtesy of Bruno Tigani, we have lots of both sugar snap and snow pea seedlings to give away. Say, up to 20 seedlings per person (or more for community gardens). Pick up from my house in Eltham. If interested, email me and we’ll arrange a day and time.

Wait a minute, I hear you ask, aren’t peas a cool season crop rather than warm season one? Well, yes and no. Standard garden peas are certainly a cool season crop and shouldn’t be planted at this time of year. But sugar snap peas can be grown all year round and, Bruno tells me, the same is true of his snow pea seedlings.

More on pomegranates

Following Robin’s article last week on growing pomegranates, John Stock, President of Eastland Multicultural Garden has sent in a picture of some pomegranate flowers.

Volunteer opportunities at Fawkner Wholefoods Collective

Fawkner Wholefoods Collective bring fresh, mostly Victorian-grown/made, food to Fawkner. They currently have a number of vacancies on their committee, including one paid role (Marketing and Community Engagement).

An interview with Lee Tozzi

Open Food Network recently interviewed Lee Tozzi, Food Systems Officer at the Merri-bek City Council (formerly the City of Moreland), about why it is important to focus on food systems, the benefits of including the community in this process and how Open Food Network has been able to help them connect with, and empower, Merri-bek residents.

Are you a young person living in Whittlesea or Darebin?

Sustain and the Just Food Collective are partnering to deliver a food justice, education and gardening program with young people living in Whittlesea and Darebin. The participants will attend 6 workshops (located in either Preston or Epping, depending on which group you join) and will participate in garden maintenance, cooking sessions and material creation (zine + film). Closing date for applications: 5th November. Read more and potentially apply.

A new video from Simone Boyd

Planting out heirloom tomato seedlings.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the page of pictures of owl and related veggie trays.

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

What did the hungry computer eat? Chips, one byte at a time.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard chooks; Saturday, 5th November, 10-11am; free; Richmond.

Elise McNamara will discuss: best breeds for urban backyards and where and how to buy healthy poultry; health checks, parasites and symptoms of illness and which products actually work; the best feeders, drinkers, coops/houses for backyards; managing chicken litter in Melbourne weather; feeding – what to feed and what not to; how to catch and hold a chicken; common behaviour issues; caring for chickens in a Melbourne summer heat wave; and a care routine guide that you can adapt to the needs of your flock. Organised by Richmond Community Learning Centre.

Minature tomato bushes; Wednesday, 9th November, 8-10pm; free; Doncaster East.

Dan from Seeds of Plenty will speak about all things tomatoes including his minature bushes (full size fruit) which he grows for seed.

Rosé blending workshop; Saturday, 19th November, 5-7pm; $49 ($18 per hour); Brunswick East.

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

Growing gourmet mushrooms; Sunday, 20th November, 10-11am; free; Kensington.

Learn do it yourself and zero waste home cultivation methods to grow your own gourmet mushrooms. Presenter: Emma Wasson from Mycelium Futures. Following the workshop, you will enjoy a light lunch of a variety of oyster mushrooms on (sourdough or gluten-free) toast in Kensington Stockyard Food Garden. The mushrooms will be supplied by Melbourne Mushrooms Urban Farmers. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit (prepared during the workshop).

Low cost vegetable gardening; Sunday, 20th November, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Coburg.

Karen Sutherland, from Edible Eden Design, will take you through some easy and practical ways to grow food and save money.

Garden like a nonno with Jaclyn Crupi; Wednesday, 23rd November, 10-11am; free; Whittlesea.

Jaclyn Crupi will share her knowledge about soil health and improvement, composting, worm farms and fertilisers that you can make at home. She will explain how to save seeds from your own vegetable plants to use next season, germinate seeds, plant seedlings and protect them. Keeping chickens, maintaining gardening tools and preserving what you grow will also be touched on.

Spring and Summer planting; Sunday, 27th November, 10.30am-midday; free; Brunswick.

Angelo Eliades, from Deep Green Permaculture, will cover what to plant in spring and summer, how to keep your garden healthy and natural pest control tips for the warmer months.

Rosé blending workshop; Saturday, 3rd December, 5-7pm; $49 ($18 per hour); Brunswick East.

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

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 10th December, 10.30am-12.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a fascinating walk on the wild side, foraging for edible weeds.

Bush foods & herbs for courtyards & balconies; Thursday, 15th December, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden.

What you will learn: which native produce-plants are suitable for growing in pots and small spaces; what to harvest and when; and how to use bush foods and herbs to flavour your dishes. Presented by Karen Sutherland of Edible Eden Design. Australian native plants have flavour and aroma profiles unlike any others, and can be easily incorporated into your kitchen. Also, a wide range of them can be grown in Melbourne in pots or small and difficult spaces. In this class, which is ideal for those with limited garden space or even just a courtyard or balcony, you will explore the world of edible native Australian plants that are easy to grow in such spaces, attractive to look at and can easily add flavour and interest to your home-cooked dishes. All plants covered are suitable for Melbourne’s climate, and will be discussed in terms of how best to use and grow them in your garden.

Growing gourmet mushrooms; Sunday, 18th December, 10-11am; free; Kensington.

Learn do it yourself and zero waste home cultivation methods to grow your own gourmet mushrooms. Presenter: Emma Wasson from Mycelium Futures. Following the workshop, you will enjoy a light lunch of a variety of oyster mushrooms on (sourdough or gluten-free) toast in Kensington Stockyard Food Garden. The mushrooms will be supplied by Melbourne Mushrooms Urban Farmers. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit (prepared during the workshop).

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Inner peas – cooking program (4 sessions); On 4 consecutive Wednesdays, starting 16th November, each 5.30-7.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Inner Peas is a social cooking program for people aged 16-25. The program aims to help you make easy, healthy and affordable recipes as well as make new friends and learn strategies to take care of your mental health. Each week, you will make and then share a meal. Week 1: Mexican. Week 2: Indian 1: Italian. Week . Week 4: Korean.

No waste cook club – make your own preserves; Saturday, 19th November, 11am-midday; free; Forest Hill.

Learn from Open Table about reducing food waste and how to make preserves such as jams and chutneys.

Vegan paella masterclass & flamenco show; Sunday, 20th November, 1.30-5pm; $106 ($30 per hour); Brunswick.

Chef Itxaso Sanchez will show you how to make a vegetarian paella plus a sangria cocktail. At the end, there will be flamenco dancers.

Milk kefir love; Wednesday, 23rd November, 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 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.

Spanish vegan tapas workshop; Sunday, 27th November, 1.30-5pm; $115 ($33 per hour); Brunswick.

Chef Itxaso Sanchez will show you recipes to create 4 tapas, 1 dessert and 1 cocktail.

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 30th November, 6.30-8pm; $120 ($80 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Christmas gingerbread house making; Friday, 2nd December, 7.30-9.30pm; $40 for two people ($10 per hour); Diamond Creek.

You will share a light supper, followed by a short Christmas talk from a guest speaker, before creating your gingerbread house – complete with an abundance of lollies, gingerbread people and snow. You’ll be able to take it home all wrapped up ready for Christmas or to gift to someone.

In November
In December
Regular classes

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