Summary

Nov 302013
 

Join a vibrant food culture, growing and eating local

Covering all matters food across North East Melbourne

Whether you are a local food producer, want to eat local food, grow veggies in your garden or just want to meet like-minded folks, Local Food Connect is for you. Join now.

Eltham Farmers’ Market, a Local Food Connect initiative, is held every Sunday.

The purpose of this website and associated newsletter is twofold: to promote all aspects of local food around North East Melbourne and to make people around North East Melbourne feel part of a local food community.

The material is centred on 5 databases:

  1. Upcoming local food-related events: all the upcoming events of various types, around 200 per month.
  2. Local food producers: pages on each of around 130 producers, both farmers and makers.
  3. Local community gardens: pages on each of the 60 community gardens in the area
  4. Local food swaps: details of the 30 food swaps in the area.
  5. Local food justice organisations: including ‘food is free’ sites, free food distribution organisations and free community meals.

These databases are brought together into an overall Local Food Directory which contains pages for each of 300 or so local food organisations.

In addition, there are articles written by a variety of local people on:

LFC News September 11

Sep 102024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cathy Romeo, Jenny Shaw, Julie Merlet, Marie Packer, Pam Jenkins, Robin Gale-Baker and Teagan Crouch.

The Chelsea Physic Garden in London (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[Robin recently visited the Chelsea Physic Garden in London and this is one of several articles over the next few months on her observations of food-related projects in the UK. The words below are a shortened version of Robin’s full article, which can be found on our website.]

  

The Chelsea Physic Garden was established 350 years ago in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London. It is by the Thames river in the of Chelsea district of London and covers an area of 4 acres. It was established by the Apothecaries to grow medicinal plants for their professional use but today it grows around 4,500 plants that include edible plants, useful plants, poisonous plants, plants from around the world, threatened plants and woodlands.

In London, herbal stores or herbal apothecaries are common, and there is even a homeopathic hospital, indicating that alternative medicine is alive and well in the UK. Herbal remedies must have Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) before being marketed as a herbal medicine and can only be used for minor complaints that do not require modern medical management.

The Chelsea Physic Garden enables the public and professionals to identify the particular plants in a family that have medicinal or culinary properties. These herbs can be identified by the use of the word ‘officinalis’ in their name, for example, salvia officinalis (sage) and valerian officinalis (from which valium is derived). ‘Officinalis’ (or ‘officinale’) is derived from the Latin word ‘officina’, the store room that monks used to store useful herbs. Herbs and medicinal plants remain important today as the active ingredient in a quarter of modern medicines derives from them. In addition to that, the Chelsea Physic Garden views food plants as medicinal in their own right.

The poisonous garden contains a number of common plants, including hemlock-water dropwort, which could easily be mistaken for various fine, ferny-type leaves such as chervil, parsley and tansy or a number of herbs in their seeding stage. All parts are deadly and signs abound about not touching plants in this garden. There are also foxgloves, hellebores, aconitum, datura and myrrhis odorata (sweet Cicely). Interestingly, Agatha Christie completed her pharmaceutical training with the Worshipful Apothecaries in 1917, subsequently using her knowledge of poisons in many of her murder mysteries.

To summarise, the Chelsea Physic Garden is a beautifully curated and relaxing oasis in the heart of a city of around 11 million people. Should you be lucky enough to visit London, the Chelsea Physic Garden is well worth a visit but, if not, there is still plenty to explore online.

Read Robin’s full article on our website.

The quandong (Santalum acuminatum) by Julie Merlet

[The material below is a shortened version of material from the NATIF website which was written by newsletter reader Julie Merlet. NATIF (which is an acronym for N=Native, A=Australian, T=Traditional, I=Indigenous and F=Foods) sell a wide range bush food products online (including quandong powder and fruit).]

The quandong (also known as desert quandong, native peach or wild peach) grows in the semi arid and coastal areas of southern Australia, as well as other arid and desert regions in Australia. Wild camels love them!

It is a medium size parasitic tree, which is able to photosynthesise but which needs to use the root system of other plants to acquire nutrients other than sugars (they are usually companioned with acacias in the native food industry, such that the growers can use the seeds and fruits from both). It produces bright coloured red round fruit surrounding an ornamental seed. The harvest season is August to December (so now is the time to celebrate them!).

Upon harvesting, the firm, tart and tangy fruit is usually halved and the ornamental seed is removed. It can be air-dried for later use and the freeze dried fruit and powder can be stored for years.

Use them in cooking just like any other fruit once you get a taste for them and understand their flavour profile and what they balance best with. So, for example, use them in jams, chutneys, sauces, puddings or desserts. Or add them to warm water for 5-10 minutes to soften them and then chop them into salads or other savoury dishes.

Quandongs can add nutritional value to your diet as they are a source of phenolic-based antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, zinc and iron.

Quandongs were used by Aboriginal people as an alternative to game meats when they were scarce. They were also used by early settlers, who made them into chutneys, pies and jam.

Read about more bush foods on our website.

Our next big book giveaway

Julie Merlet, who wrote the material about quandongs above, has written an e-book entitled Eat Australia: cooking at home with Australian native foods, which comprises around 60 recipes using native bush foods. Julie apparently wrote the book during the pandemic whilst she was stuck at borders whilst travelling around Australia. She has now made this book free to readers of this newsletter. Here’s how: go to the recipe e-book page; add to cart; check out; apply the discount code ‘LFC NATIF e-book’; and then complete order. Somewhere during this process, it will ask you for an email address, which it will then use to send you a link to download the e-book.

If you have any difficulties with the process, email me and I will acquire a copy of the e-book for you.

Thanks, Julie!

Wattleseed and quandong tart (by Julie Merlet)

[Given the e-book giveaway above plus the fact that quandongs are currently in season, I (Guy) thought that I would include a quandong recipe from the book in this newsletter.]

To make the base

1 cup of pitted dates
1 tablespoon of raw honey
¼ cup of coconut oil
½ cup of your favourite peanut butter
1 cup of macadamia (or almond) meal
¼ cup of hemp seeds
¼ cup of cocoa powder
2 dessert spoons of NATIF wattleseed grind

Place all the ingredients into a blender. Blend until the mixture clumps together, scraping down sides occasionally.

Press the mixture base into a round spring form cake tin. Line the top with baking paper and put in the fridge to harden for 1 hour (or overnight if it’s for the next day).

To make the fruit topping

6 cored and sliced apples
1-2 cups of Natif quandongs
5g of Natif rivermint

Cut the 6 apples away from the core into wedges. You can leave skin on or peel them, whichever you prefer.

Add ½ cup of water and 40g of Natif freeze-dried quandongs and stir whilst bringing the mixture to the boil.

Turn down to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Once the apples and quandongs have softened, cook until all the water is absorbed, being careful not to burn the mixture.

Allow to cool on the bench top, then add to the fridge for 1 hour.

Add the apple and quandong mixture to the top of your base. Spread evenly around the base and then put back into the fridge until ready to serve.

Options: add vanilla ice-cream, cream or yoghurt to serve.

Last week’s book giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered the lucky draw to win a copy of Windfalls: preserves and other country kitchen secrets by Sue Ruchel. 30 of you entered but only 10 of you could be successful, so commiserations to the other 20.

Just because I like compiling lists, here are the first names of the 30 people who entered the draw: Archna, Berry, Bil, Charles, Charlotte, Chris, David, Emily, Emma, Helen, Helen, Jennie, Jillian, Judith, Julie, Julie, Karen, Maree, Meg, Mei, Monika, Niloo, Pamela, Shiva, Soo Mei, Sue, Sue, Susan, Valerie, Vicki and Wendy.

Our leek seedling giveaway in March

In one of our March newsletters, we gave away a lot of leek seedlings courtesy of Bruno Tigani. One of the recipients was Cathy Romeo and, as per the photo, she has just starting harvesting them.

Another article by Angelo Eliades

Cucumber growing guide.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

U-pick broad beans

CERES Joe’s Market Garden in Coburg will be holding u-pick sessions every Saturday morning through October and early November (or until the beans run out!). Visitors can go and wander through the farm and hand pick the best pods for themselves. $11. Walk-ins will be available but limited, so they recommend that you book a time. Your ticket includes an introduction from their farmer, growing and harvesting tips and a 500g bag of freshly harvested broad beans. Their farm gate cafe will also be open for coffee, pastries and other farm grown produce.

Brunswick Neighbourhood House Community Garden is no more

Brunswick Neighbourhood House is no longer using its garden as a community gardening space. Rather, it is now being used for food security purposes (e.g. community lunches) and for educational purposes (their Urban Food Gardening program).

Farm On The Green, Merimbula, NSW

Rob Geary has written in to say that, if you are ever in NSW, you are invited to visit the Farm On The Green Community Garden in Merimbula, NSW. Just send him an email (rrrgee54@hotmail.com) to arrange.

An unusual bird nest (by Pam Jenkins)

The photo is of a potentially lethal bird nest made predominantly from blue bale twine. Any bird could get entangled in the twine, which neither stretches nor rots away quickly.

I (Pam) found the nest on the ground below a mature tea tree. It is very shallow and saucer shaped. A quick search through my bird books and on Google suggests that it might be that of a butcherbird. The other suggestion was a silver eye nest but I don’t think that there are any silvereyes here in Diamond Creek.

Critter of the week from my garden – orb weaver spiders

Most of the spiral wheel-shaped spider webs that you see in your garden and elsewhere are made by orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae). The two photos below show two orb weavers, with the Australian garden orb weaver (Hortophora transmarina) on the left and the speckled orb weaver (Araneus circulissparsus) on the right.

  

Like most other orb weavers, these two spiders usually build a new web each evening, destroying and then consuming it the following morning. The Australian garden orb weaver tends to build its web between trees whilst the speckled orb weaver uses the foliage of shrubs and bushes (with its body’s green colour then acting as camouflage).

Most of the web is non-sticky (which makes it more difficult to see), whilst one of the spirals is sticky (which helps to retain the prey). The spiders walk on the non-sticky parts.

Read about my previous insects (or other critters) of the week on our website.

If you have any interesting photos of critters in your garden, email them to me.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (15th September, 10-10.30am) on 3CR (855 AM), Ann and Amy will interview Sarah and Peter on
THRIVE Community Garden . Listen by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Yarra Valley ECOSS – Can you help? (1st September).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was EML Art Cookies’ online shop.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming fruit tree pests and diseases workshop on 21st September, 9.30-11am in Preston.

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

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a mummy covered in nuts and chocolate. They think it must be Pharaoh Rocher. (Submitted by Jenny Shaw)

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food related but interesting

Creating a biodiversity environment in Yarra; Wednesday, 18th September, 10.30am-midday; free; Abbotsford.

Yarra’s Senior Biodiversity Officer, Craig Lupton, will discuss biodiversity in Yarra and the importance of co-existing with wildlife. He will also show you how to create a habitat wildlife in your own backyard using their free Gardens for Wildlife booklet.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sake master class; 3 occurrences on Sunday, 22nd September, 12.30-2.30pm, Sunday, 6th October, midday-2pm and Sunday, 20th October, midday-2pm; $73 ($37 per hour); Brunswick East.

Kana Aoyama will guide you through the history, production, and tasting of this traditional Japanese beverage. She will teach you all the basics, let you try different styles, and show you how to pair sake with cheese, cure meat and chocolate.

Farming for our future (ages 5 to 8); Tuesday, 1st October, 1-3pm; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is for children aged 5-8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore Honey Lane Organic Farm and meet some chickens. Make a recycled pot and propagate your own plant to take home.

Farm to fork (ages 3 to 5); Thursday, 3rd October, 1-3pm; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is for children aged 3-5 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore the CERES market garden and visit the chickens and bees. Learn how to turn food waste into healthy soil for plants with help from worms. Learn how to safely plant seeds into soil and care for them as they grow.

Therapeutic horticulture garden tour; Saturday, 12th October, midday-1pm; $25 ($25 per hour); Doncaster.

Be given a tour of the Kevin Heinze GROW therapeutic gardens, led by Patrick Wain and showcasing sensory features, accessible garden design, learning and teaching areas. Discuss the delivery and outcomes of their therapeutic horticulture programs.

CERES Festival of fava; Saturday, 26th October, 10am-1pm; free; Coburg.

This is a day of celebration including music, cooking demonstrations, farm tours, pick-your-own beans, garden workshops and activities for both adults and kids. You will celebrate the importance of the fava bean (aka broad bean) reflected in annual traditions, stories and recipes across Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. These celebrations will also include the market garden’s annual broad bean harvest where you can pick your own beans alongside farm tours exploring the rich history of the market garden which has been farmed continuously for 170 or so years.

Wildcrafting foraging course (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Thursdays from 31st October, 6-7.30pm; $339 ($45 per hour); Coburg.

You will learn about: the importance of wild foods; medicine as food; the difference between cultivated foods and wild food; sustainable wildcrafting; safe foraging; identification, nutrition and properties of several plants; and recipes for each of the plants. You will also share some condiments, foods and beverages made from the plants. Presenter: Taj Scicluna (aka The Perma Pixie).

Getting ready for the summer harvest (part 1); Wednesday, 6th November, 7-9pm; free; Doncaster.

Sustainable Gardening Australia will cover everything you need to know about preparing your garden (in spring) for a bumper summer harvest. They will cover: what growing organically means; designing your garden; soil management and amendment; organic fertilisers; integrated pest management; and composting and worm farms. The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Wild drinks workshop; Sunday, 13th October, 10am-12.30pm; $180 ($72 per hour); Forest Hill.

You will discuss kombucha, jun, mead, water kefir and beet kvass. You will go home with jars of beet kvass, kombucha or jun and water kefir with the SCOBY, plus a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that’ll be ready the next day. This is a class for those who are first time dabblers in fermenting.

Mini master cooks (9-12 years) – onigiri; Saturday, 19th October, 10.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Forest Hill.

Onigiri is a Japanese rice ball (often triangle-shaped) with a variety of savory or sweet fillings, often wrapped in nori (seaweed) and/or sprinkled with furikake (a seasoning made from nori, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, and spices). Make onigiri with a range of fillings, including spam, tempeh, avocado, greens and fruit. BYO apron and container to take the food home in. Organised by Strathdon House.

FFS … ferment four staples; Sunday, 20th October, 10am-4pm; $425 ($71 per hour); Forest Hill.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. At the end, you will sit down for a chat and a bite to eat, including fermented foods and drinks to taste. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 2nd November, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Take a tour of the grounds of CERES where you will learn how to identify bush foods. Then participate in hands on demonstration of how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks.

In September
In October
Regular classes