Nov 272014
 

Local food-related events

Somali gardeners (from Chris Chapple)

“We are excited to be working with members of the local Somali community to build their cultivation skills. There are several members of the community keen to grow vegetables at home and last weekend we were able to inspire them at a couple of local gardens. Thank to Susan Chaplin and Paul Gale-Baker for hosting the visitors and to Robyn Currie and Mary Rankin for helping with the garden tours and transport.”

vegetable stockWaste not, want not – some more tips on using leftovers (from Duang Tengtrirat)

“Making vegetable stock from kitchen scraps: I keep almost all part of veggies that I don’t use in a freezer bag and throw it in the freezer to make stock. There are three key ingredients in stock: onion, celery and carrots. The rest you can be creative about and add anything you like.

“Veggie scraps that I keep include: onion skins (brown onions only as red onions skins are bitter), garlic peels, coriander roots, green onion roots and green tips, celery tops, mushroom stems, spinach roots and silverbeet stems.

“When I have enough in the freezer (2 and more cups), I de-frost them and add water, boil until soft, strain and throw away the solids, keep the broth in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze the stock for later use. Note: The difference between broth and stock is that broth is spiced and stock is not. I prefer to make stock (no salt and no pepper) so that it is more versatile and add spices like ginger if I am making Asian food, oregano, thyme and sage if making risotto, for example.

“Tip: I don’t use brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts) in making stock because (1) they add a bitter taste and (2) they are too strong and overpower the aroma of the stock.”

Nature Strip planting trial in Banyule

If you are interested in nature strip planting and wish to be part of the trial, you will need to complete and submit a copy of an ‘Expression of Interest’ form to Council. Should you require any further information, or clarification of any aspect of the guidelines or the process, please contact Jeff Parkes on 9490 4410 or jeff.parkes@banyule.vic.gov.au.

Nov 202014
 

Local food-related events

Reducing food waste

Continuing your tips to reduce food waste, the local food store in Hurstbridge, the Little Organic Shop, follows these good practices: First of all our food scraps and veggie/fruit peels etc. go back to the chicken farm that we get our eggs from. Any waste that chooks don’t like or shouldn’t eat (onions, citrus, potato peel, etc.) goes into compost. Leftover milk from the coffee machine is either made into kefir and used in pancakes, scones and other recipes that call for buttermilk or sour cream, or use it to make custard or creamed rice. Vegetables that are misshapen, or that are getting close to use-by (but are still good to eat) we make into soups or sauces or find suitable recipes to use them e.g. one of our farmers recently brought in a lot of rocket that we knew wouldn’t last, so rather than waste it we turned it into a delicious rocket pesto with walnuts.

researchpoultryChickens

Are you looking to buy some chickens? I notice that there are two farmers in the Local Food Directory – Research Poultry farm with New Hampshire hens and Doreen Egg Farm with Hyline brown hens.

Planter box workshop

Urban Bush Carpenters, with the support of the City of Darebin, will be bringing pallets for us to transform into planter boxes. Tools will be provided or you may wish to bring your own. Wear glasses and bring leather or gardening gloves and a bottle of water.

Where: SPAN Community House, 64 Clyde St, Thornbury.
When: Saturday, November 22, 10am-1pm.
Cost: $5-$10 donation to cover morning tea.
To book: email cd@spanhouse.org

Sprout Market

Great food, awesome people, sensational live music, inspiring local stalls, glorious produce and seedlings.

Where: Corner Clapham Street and Watt Street, Thornbury
When: First Thursday of the month, 3pm-7pm

More details…

Nov 132014
 

Local food-related events

Festive season planning

What can you do now to make the festive season less of a rush? This question was part of a Transition Banyule evening we attended in a developing a sustainability hub at the Diamond Valley Learning Centre. Pam, from Diamond Creek, has already made a traditional fruit cake and plum pudding. Lily, from Rosanna, has baked many small fruit cakes for presents using old tuna tins. Local ingredients could be dried fruit from the Mildura-Robinvale region, flour from Victorian grain farmers such as Powlett Hill, very local eggs (your own or see the Local Food Directory) and local butter or oils.

It is not too late to plant seedlings such as lettuce and maybe beans to add to the festive meal. If you are not growing your own berries, pick up some now from the markets or local produce stores such as in Hurstbridge and freeze them ready for those yummy fruity desserts. What other local food ideas or recipes do you have for this time of the year?

Using leftovers and not having food wastage

Thank you for the tips that have been sent in so far. We will post them gradually and then store them altogether somewhere on the website.

Sammy from Diamond Creek writes: “Egg whites, can be frozen. As can egg yolks. In my experience, you then can’t use them in the ‘fussier’ baking recipes, but they are perfectly suitable (once thawed) for the more forgiving baking.

“I am told whey can also be frozen, however I have never tried it. I give left over whey to my chooks – they think it’s heaven!

“Lemons! My lemon tree is currently a non-producer. We rescued a friends potted lemon tree that was on the point of death due to neglect, no water, little soil and gall wasp like you wouldn’t believe. So, over the last 18 months, we have been giving it a lot of TLC and pinching out any blossom to help it save its energy for growing. Hence, if I see someone with extra lemons, I take them with open arms. But when you take piles of lemons, you have to do something with them.

“Freeze the juice in ice cube trays – one cube is roughly half a lemon so it works out fine for measurements. Then I grate the rinds and freeze them also. Both turn out quite fresh and we have very useful lemon all year round.

You can also use scooped out lemon halves as slater traps in the veggie garden.”

heidihoney4Beekeeping

LFC member Bob will be talking at the Diamond Valley Library on Tuesday November 18, 11:30am-12:30pm about keeping bees.

Frankie, another LFC supporter, is looking for properties in Eltham on which to put a number of beehives. Ideally on a few acres, away from livestock, not visible from road (theft), and with good vehicle access. Between 20-50 hives, therefore not really suitable for smaller properties. If interested, please see Frankie at the honey stand at the Eltham Farmers Market, or contact via www.BeeRescue.com.au.

Advanced sourdough workshop

Extend your knowledge of sourdough bread. Learn how to bake different types of loaves, use a variety of flours, and add other ingredients. Sunday Dec 7, 2-4pm. Bookings: Fiona 0412 099397 fiona@riverofplenty.

Working bee

There will be a working bee at Macleod Community Garden Saturday Nov 15 at 1pm. Take gloves and buckets for a cleanup. For more information, contact Robin on 0439 350533.

Nov 062014
 

Local food-related events

Sustainability awards

Nillumbik, Banyule and Darebin Councils have been busy over the last few weeks presenting sustainability awards to various LFC members and friends. Congratulations to Gillian Essex and Evan Gellert, and also Paul and Robin Gale-Baker, for sustainable house and garden awards. Congratulations also to Julie French – Local Hero; Yuki Cameron – Community Leader in sustainability; and to the Monty Food Group. The Banyule winners loved meeting Costa at the awards. Did we mention Local Food Connect also won an award. 😉

Edible garden tours this weekend

If you have ever wanted a weekend of touring gardens this is it!!

  • LFC is running a free tour of 3 gardens in Greensborough and Diamond Creek. For more details, see this post.There are still a couple of vacancies, book via email.
  • Transition Banyule are running several tours on both Saturday and Sunday, although many are now booked out. For more details, see this post. Enquiries via email.
  • Darebin folks are celebrating their Backyard Harvest Festival. The festival will run from Sunday 9 – Sunday 23 November, 2014 and includes over 16 open gardens and 7 workshops on each weekend as well as in the early evening during the week. Details here.
  • Eltham SGA POD have their monthly meeting Sunday afternoon, Nov 9 and will be visiting Rachel Bishop’s garden. For bookings contact meredith@baag.com.au or on 0438 398750.
  • Arthurs Creek Annual Garden Walk is on Sunday Nov 9. See the flyer on the right (click for full size).
Does cooking matter?

Doctor Rebecca Huntley has done some research on this question and has written an essay on her findings. One outcome is that the largest group of disinterested cooks is women over 50! She offered some ideas to be re-inspired in an interview with the ABC this week. Amongst the readership of the LFC News are some wonderful cooks – Catherine, Carol, Duang, Julie, Karen, Michelle, Tony and Vira, to mention just a few. During 2014, we interviewed a number of people about what sort of cooking they would like to learn more about and how. Let us do something about it in 2015. Are you interested in organising a few activities with 2 or 3 others (i.e. we need a working party to develop a small program? Please reply by email if interested.

Food wastage

We would like to do a series of tips on using food leftovers in the home. Secondbite are doing a good job of collecting surplus food from supermarkets and redistributing it, but what do you do with leftover egg whites, or whey from cheesemaking, or lemon rinds, for example? Please send ideas to info@localfoodconnect.org.au.

Hurstbridge Food Swap

Advanced notice that the swap will be conducted on the first Sunday of the month at the new time of 10am to 11am. Keep in touch on their new Facebook page!

Reflect and create for the festive season

Be inspired. Make your celebrations more thoughtful, peaceful & sustainable. Come to a reflection workshop:

  • Thurs 6 Nov 12noon – 2.30pm  Alice House, 101 Ramu Pde, Heidelberg West email: briony@thesaltfoundation.org.au.
  • Tues 11 Nov 6.30pm – 9pm Diamond Valley Learning Centre, Diamond Creek Rd (cnr St Helena Rd) Greensborough email: barlingk@gmail.com.

Bookings essential, food and drink supplied. Please share and invite your friends to this event.

Little Yarra Monthly Market & Car Boot Sale

Next Market Saturday 15th November 9am-2pm, local produce, fresh organic bread, amazing market stalls, great food, donkey rides, children’s activities and entertainment. Little Yarra Steiner School, 205 Little Yarra Road, Yarra Junction. Enquiries via email enquiries@littleyarramarket.com.

Other food activities/information

Around the world in 80 plants

This is a book to take you on an inspiring edible adventure, introducing author Stephen Barstow’s top 80 perennial vegetables.

River Cottage televised

On GEM channel on Sunday evenings, 6.30pm, there is a TV series from River Cottage, filmed in 2010 . It covers ‘Autumn and Spring’ recipes. The first episode last week had Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall visiting Todmorden for their harvest festival and some guerilla gardening. It was excellent.