Feb 262019
 

Judy visits the garden of Pam Jenkins, from Diamond Creek

Many of you will have come across Pam through her indefatigable efforts to promote local food growing in Diamond Creek, including maintaining the planter boxes in Chute Street. Judy Vizzari has now interviewed Pam as a home grower. As Judy says, “The garden is an enormous five acres and surrounds the house on three sides – north, south and east – spreading down into the valley below … The terrain is, like elsewhere in Nillumbik, rocky, dry and difficult to work – it needs a lot of help to build up a depth of top soil. So she and her family have augmented the beds with compost, manures and mulches, sourced organic materials, added tree and bush clippings and employed complementary plantings to support and nurture the space. Pam’s mantra has been to ‘use everything at hand’ that is, to recycle and to creatively employ all means to make the most of her environment.Read the full interview.

Robin’s veggie growing tip of the month: prepare to vernalise your garlic!

[Editor’s note: Robin and I debated garlic planting in some of the newsletters a couple of years ago. If you plant garlic too early (i.e. when it is too warm), the resulting bulbs may not divide into separate cloves. If you plant too late, the bulbs may remain small (because, driven by length of day, the garlic starts trying to form bulbs when it is too young). One potential way around this potential dilemma is to keep the garlic in the fridge for some time before planting. I experimented with different timings and different refrigerations and one of the conclusions was that refrigeration did, indeed, allow for later successful plantings. Read the results of the experiment.]

In the ‘old days’, before climate change, garlic would often be planted in March but these days the ground is too warm then (the perfect time to plant garlic is when soil temperature is 10°C at a depth of 8cm at 9am in the morning). Arguably, this is also becoming the case in April. So, commercial growers are increasingly giving their garlic a ‘false winter’ by refrigerating it for 40 days and then planting it out in May. This process is called vernalisation and helps late-planted garlic to develop large bulbs. If you want to copy these growers, you should be purchasing your garlic soon and refrigerating (not freezing) it in mid- to late-March. Buy from reputable sources (probably online or at farmers’ markets as nurseries won’t yet be stocking garlic heads) and do not use imported garlic as this may well have been sprayed with methyl bromide and a shoot inhibitor.

When preparing your garlic, select healthy heads, do not separate the cloves (as this could result in infection when removed from the basal plate), place in an airtight container in the fridge and remove 40 days later in May. Plant the large outer cloves at a depth of 2cm (i.e. the tip has 2 cm of soil above it) at 15cm intervals in rows 15cm apart, and apply a thick layer of loose mulch.

Garlic requires regular watering and, with drier winters, this needs to be done by hand, dripline or in wicking beds. In November or early December the plants will be ready to pull. Water up until 2 weeks before harvest. Ceasing watering then will allow the garlic to dry out, but also check the likely rainfall when planning when to harvest and adjust accordingly.

There are many varieties of garlic. They are broadly divided into soft-necks and hard-necks, with the soft-necks having a stronger flavour. Different varieties can have very different shelf lives.

For more information, read Helen Simpson’s guide to growing garlic on our website.

Read more of Robin’s tips

Abbotsford Convent Farmer’s Market

Richard Lee has written in to point out that, in last week’s newsletter, I omitted KABUU from the list of the market’s stallholders who are local to North East Melbourne.

As an atonement, I went to the market last Saturday to check out all 60(!) of their stallholders. While so doing, I realised that the Cooking with Koji stall – see picture right – is the same person (Yoko Nakazawa) as the eponymous Japanese cooking school in Preston. Yoko’s upcoming cooking classes in March include nuka zuke – rice bran pickling, shio koji making and cooking and miso paste making.

Local food news

The Yarra Valley Beer & Cider Festival on 23rd March has been cancelled due to the low levels of ticket sales.

What seeds to plant in March

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

Brassicas

Broccoli
Cabbage
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Kale
Pak Choy

Other cool season veggies

Broad beans

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish
Shallot

Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

Compared with February, all the brassicas are now on the list, plus broad beans. Also, now that the heat of the summer is over, 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.

Fun facts: witlof/witloof

Although they look completely different, witloof and radicchio are actually the same (chicory) plant at different stages in its (artificially managed) life.

In the first stage, the plant is grown normally and becomes radicchio or equivalent. The roots (which are parsnip-like) are then dug up and stored for up to a year at 0°C.

In the second stage, the roots are placed into large wooden boxes (without soil, but a bit of nutrient) and kept in the dark. This is a process called hydroponic forcing and results in the witloof.

The process above was accidentally discovered in the 1850s in Belgium and 'witlof' is Flemish for 'white leaf'.

Read more fun facts.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

Our web page on what veggie seeds can be planted now.

Proverb of the month

A baker’s dozen. Meaning: thirteen. In 1266, Henry III of England revived an ancient statute that regulated the price of bread according to the price of wheat, with bakers who gave short measure being potentially fined, pilloried or flogged. But the vagaries of yeast meant that the weight of a loaf was a bit unpredictable. So, to be on the safe side, bakers got into the habit of adding something extra to every order, and providing 13 loaves when 12 were bought is just an example of this. [Editor’s note: my local baker still does this! In reaction, I (cleverly?) started ordering one less roll than I actually wanted. In reaction, they then started only giving me the precise number that I ordered! So, we went back to me wanting X rolls, ordering X rolls, and receiving X+1 rolls.]

Read more proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.” by Benjamin Disraeli.

Read more quotes.

Joke of the week

As submitted by Lynne Gough and Dave Gordon: What does Neil Diamond’s veggie patch consist of? A swede/carrot line.

Read more jokes.

New events – not cooking

Gunyah open garden: Saturday, 2nd March and again Sunday, 3rd March, both 10am-4.30pm; Pascoe Vale South.

What: This is the urban food garden of designer Karen Sutherland. Around 200 edible and useful plants are displayed in an ornamental setting: herbs, vegetable, vines, citrus, fruit and nut trees, South American edible species and Australian native food plants. The 13m x 35m garden also has aquaponics, rooftop bees and gardens, chickens, quails and interesting nature strip plantings. There will be free talks by Karen on both days, at 11 am and at 2 pm, sharing the stories of the plants and passing around samples to taste and smell. There will also be sales of rare edible plants (including natives), Karen’s honey, and signed copies of Karen’s co-authored book Tomato – know sow grow feast. The local community garden is also having a stall of food and drinks made with garden produce.
Cost: $8 (students $5; under 18 free).
Bookings: just turn up.

Insect habitats in your garden: Saturday, 2nd March, 11am-midday; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: Join Kat and learn how to make habitats for insects in your garden. You will get to make a little insect house to add to one that Bulleen Art and Garden are building in their habitat area, as well as one you can take one home for your garden. This talk is suitable for kids and adults.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Horticulture short course (6 sessions): every Saturday for 6 weeks, starting 2nd March, 1-4pm; Warrandyte Neighbourhood House.

What: The funded places can be accessed by people wanting to try for a new career, upskill or return to study – regardless of prior training and qualifications. Have you ever wondered what careers or employment might develop through gardening? Fil Barlow & Helen Maier will introduce introduces the building blocks of nature, including practical tips for water consumption, organic soil preparation and increased yields. They will provide you with the knowledge and skills that will help you continue on with pathways to further study at TAFE or other institutes if you choose. Funded by ACFE and run in partnership with Living & Learning@ Ajani.
Cost: $25 funded or $130 unfunded for all 6 sessions.
Bookings: by phone (9844 1839).

Growing fruit & veggies in small spaces: Sunday, 3rd March, 11am-midday; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: Join Nicole as she discusses growing your own fresh produce in a small space, even when you are renting.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Plan your edible garden: Thursday, 7th March, 1-2pm; Fawkner Library.

What: Fawkner Food Bowls will show you how to plan your edible garden. Learn about the urban farm that has been developed in partnership with the Fawkner Bowling Club.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Subtropical fruits in Melbourne: Saturday, 9th March, 11am-midday; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: It is possible to grow a range of tropical and subtropical fruit varieties in Melbourne. Angelo will give you tips.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Bushfoods: Sunday, 10th March, 11am-midday; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: Nicole will go through some of the bushfoods that Bulleen Art and Garden offer plus tips on how you can grow them in your own backyard.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

FareShare open day, tours and mini-workshops: Saturday, 16th March, 10am-4.30pm; Abbotsford.

What: FareShare rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and cooks it into free meals for people in need. It also has a large veggie garden. Throughout the day, there will be both tours of the garden and mini-workshops. The workshops will include: bees and beekeeping in the urban environment (presenter: Nic Dowse); learn about how to grow sweet potatoes (presenter: Dr Chris Williams); worm farming – how to deal with organic waste in a small space and its role in composting (presenter: Helena Buxton); urban agriculture and food waste avoidance – programs in the City of Yarra (presenter: Eloise Lobsey); accessing dis-used urban sites for the creation of community gardens (presenter: Merrin Layden); and an innovative way of transforming food waste into nutrient-rich organic fertiliser (presenter: Aaron Moynes).
Cost: $8 (students $5, under 18 free).
Bookings: just turn up.

The art of espalier: Sunday, 24th March, 9.30am-12.30pm; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: What you will learn: growing espaliered fruit trees; different techniques to make the most of all available space for espalier; and improve your general gardening skills. Presented by Diana Cotter. “Go vertical” is the cry when garden space is limited. Gardening in two dimensions is what espalier is about and this class will cover the different types and how to get them started and then continue to train them into the desired shape. Topics covered include suitable fruit trees, pruning and training techniques.
Cost: $55.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.

Kevin Heinze GROW Spring open day and autumn plant sale: Saturday, 30th March, 9am-3pm; Doncaster.

What: Buy perennial plants, veggie seedlings, fruit trees, succulents and herbs.  Have a look around the large veggie garden.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Strettle Street Market Garden guided tour: Saturday, 30th March, 10-11am; Thornbury

What: A group of 7 people grow produce across two residential gardens and sell it locally in weekly veggie boxes. There are three large plots, strict crop rotation, inter-planting to help manage pests. The group are approaching this project as a learning opportunity to get a taste for what it means to be a small-scale market gardener and to develop their skills and confidence in the area.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: TryBooking.

New events – cooking

Cocktails and canapes evening (thermomix): Friday, 15th March, 7.30-9.30pm; Chirnside Park.

What: Go and see how to turn your thermomix into a cocktail wizard. To accompany your cocktails you will also need some tasty bites, blinis and dips.
Cost: $25.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Tomato sauce making workshop: Saturday, 16th March, 1-5pm; Panton Hill.

What: Facilitated by Kerry Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree and Paula Mcleod from Hurstbridge Farmgate. Learn how to prepare your tomatoes and create a range of different tomato sauces by the additional of various spices – possibilities are traditional, Middle Eastern, Spicy or Asian. Learn how to sterilise jars, the basics of food hygiene, and the art of thickening your tomato sauce using cornflour.
Cost: $80.
Bookings: their website.

Thermomix saving time & money – demonstration class: Friday, 29th March, 6.30-8.30pm; Warrandyte.

What: The recipes demonstrated at the class will include: quick beetroot relish (veg, gf); plaited pork pie; cheat’s puff pastry; chicken pesto pasta; Taiwanese sticky rice; lentil bolognese (veg, gf); pull-apart sunshine bread; and quick fruit sponge (veg). Tastings will be available throughout the evening.
Cost: $50.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Cooking master class – ‘curry nights’: Thursday, 4th April, 7-9pm; Gourmet Living, Templestowe.

What: Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included. Menu: coconut chilli lime prawn curry; ‘quick’ beef red curry; and spiced fruit compote.
Cost: $42.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Summary of upcoming events – not cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

Summary of upcoming events – cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

View the complete calendar of upcoming events.

Feb 182019
 

The farmers’ market at Abbotsford Convent

The farmers’ market at Abbotsford Convent now has a new name (Abbotsford Convent Farmers’ Market) and a new operator (Melbourne Farmers’ Markets) but is at the same place (Abbotsford Convent) and time (4th Saturday of the month, 8am-1pm). So, the next market is on next Saturday, 23rd February.

One of the things that I like about Melbourne Farmers’ Markets’ markets is that they publish a list of stallholders in advance of each market. The convent market’s stallholders who are local to North East Melbourne include Chef’s Fine Food, City Larder, Cocoa Rhapsody, Eureka Coffee, Gourmet Pies, Kinglake Vegetables, Offaly Good Food, Plough To Plate, Take Me Home and The Mushroom Co.

Melbourne Farmers’ Markets now effectively have a weekly circuit of farmers’ markets in the City of Yarra: Abbotsford Convent (4th Saturdays), Carlton (1st and 3rd Saturdays) and Collingwood Children’s Farm (2nd Saturdays).

Darebin Backyard Harvest Festival

The Darebin Backyard Harvest Festival is taking place on the first three weekends in May. If you would be potentially interested in opening your garden or volunteering, contact Lee Tozzi by phone (8470 8392) or email, or fill in their online form.

News about local food producers

Fritz Gelato (Richmond) and That’s Amore Cheese (Thomastown) both won gold medals in the 2019 Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

Kooinda Boutique Brewery (Heidelberg West) is closing its bar. It’s still continuing to make its beer, though.

Local food organisations in the news

Emily Connors (pictured), from CERES Joe’s Market Garden, has been interviewed by The Age.

Ben Moore, from Ben’s Bees (Blackburn North), has been interviewed about various aspects of pure honey. Watch the video (5 minutes).

More on growing turmeric in Melbourne

Last week’s articles on growing turmeric in Melbourne have generated further discussion this week.

David Wakeham has written in to say that he has grown turmeric quite successfully in pots for the past two years (see picture right). Here, in its entirety, is his growing guide: “Basically put it in a shady spot and forget about it.

Angelo Eliades has written a second article, this one entitled Growing turmeric in the ground in temperate climates (his article last week was about growing turmeric in pots). Whilst David’s advice totals 11 words, Angelo’s weighs in at around 2,000.

Angelo doesn’t blog much but, when he does, it is usually worth reading. To help you, all of his posts about food growing can be now be easily accessed from this page on our website.

What to plant after tomatoes and potatoes?

Stephen Brennan writes in “What is the best thing to plant in my veggie garden after a crop of tomatoes and potatoes?

My reply: a list of the possibilities is provided on our website on the veggie seeds that can be planted in February page. If you wait a few weeks, this list will be updated to March and will become longer. None of the veggies listed are from the same family as tomatoes and potatoes (solanums) and so any of them can be planted after tomatoes and potatoes.

Mac’s tip for February – seed saving

As many of you will know, newsletter reader Mac McVeigh used to write food growing tips for this newsletter. Maybe he will again in the future. But anyway, some of his tips are particularly pertinent at particular times of year and so some newsletter readers (well, my wife actually) have suggested that, on occasion, I should draw your attention to selected tips. For example, here is one from February last year on the subject of seed saving.

Whilst in the midst of your peak harvest period, take time to appreciate the ‘star performers’ in your veggie patch. If one of your plants is far more vigorous or productive than the others then, hey, why not collect the seed from that plant to sow in future years? Beans, capsicums, chillies, lettuce, peas and tomatoes are considered the easiest to save because they all produce seed in the same season as they are planted and all are self-pollinating. Only the seeds from open-pollinated, non-hybrid plants will produce a similar crop; in other words, they are the plants most likely to produce offspring (in the form of seed) that closely resemble their parents.

And here is what Robin Gale-Baker said on the subject in her very first contribution to the newsletter: February and March are ideal times for seed collecting – both seed that has dried on the plant and wet seed which has to be extracted, washed and dried. Example wet seeds are tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumber and capsicum. Consider collecting both early and late wet seed, particularly tomatoes, thereby selecting for plants that will produce both early and late in the season. Choose the best fruit, label clearly and plant at least one of each. You should be able to extend the tomato season until late May, if not early June.

As Mac and Robin both point out, you should keep back the best seed for planting, rather than follow the obvious course of eating the best and planting the dross. Incidentally, Richard Dawkins said (in The Ancestor’s Tale) that his father found this one of the hardest lessons to get across to farmers in Africa in the 1940s.

If you want to know more about seed saving, an excellent book is The Seed Savers’ Handbook. Both readable and comprehensive, it would be a nice gift for anyone at $32.

And here is a free booklet: A Guide to Seed Saving, Seed Stewardship & Seed Sovereignty.

Read more of Mac’s tips.

Fun facts: witlof/witloof

Although they look completely different, witloof and radicchio are actually the same (chicory) plant at different stages in its (artificially managed) life.

In the first stage, the plant is grown normally and becomes radicchio or equivalent. The roots (which are parsnip-like) are then dug up and stored for up to a year at 0°C.

In the second stage, the roots are placed into large wooden boxes (without soil, but a bit of nutrient) and kept in the dark. This is a process called hydroponic forcing and results in the witloof.

The process above was accidentally discovered in the 1850s in Belgium and ‘witlof’ is Flemish for ‘white leaf’.

Read more fun facts.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

Judy’s write up of her interview with Katrina Forstner.

Joke of the week

How did Reese eat her ice cream? Witherspoon.

Read more jokes.

New events – not cooking

Retro Suburbia Group: 3rd Wednesdays of the month, 6.30-8.30pm; Lalor Library.

What: Are you interested in downshifting but don’t know where to start? Whether you’re interested in the big picture of how, as communities, we can downshift our energy use, or the details of how you can grow more food for your family, Retro Suburbia is rich with real world examples and behavioural strategies applied by those already on the downshifting path.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Mindful eating workshop – how to break your eat-repent-repeat cycle: Thursday, 28th February, 7-8.30pm; Heidelberg Heights.

What: Join licensed Am I Hungry facilitator and dietitian (APD) Tess Gardiner for an introduction to mindful eating workshop. Learn how you can develop the effective thoughts and positive feelings necessary to make decisions about eating, physical activity, and self-care that support your optimal health. This weight-neutral, inside-out approach changes thoughts and feelings first so that changes in behaviours will last.
Cost: $17.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Lucinda’s permaculture garden: Saturday, 2nd March, 11am-midday; Hurstbridge.

What: On a standard 1/4 acre residential block, Lucinda’s garden is an example of the productivity that can achieved in a small ‘urban’ space. You will see densely planted veggie gardens, mainly in above-ground container gardens such as baths (due to gum trees). There are 23 kinds of fruit trees, 14 kind of berries & vines, 11 kinds of perennial vegetables (including some water plants) and 16 types of herb. There is an orchard, compost bays, weed tea, chook shed, recycled car tyre retaining walls, water gardens, a grey water diversion system, solar hot water and solar PV. Visitors are welcome to take a starter scoby (for kombucha) and/or some sourdough bread starter home with them. Read more about Lucinda’s garden.
Cost: $10.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Okra production with farmer Ajak: Saturday, 16th March, 10.30am-12.30pm; Joe’s Market Garden, Coburg.

What: Farmer Ajak from Okra Connections will take you through the steps from sowing, propagation, irrigation, and other management practices. His wife Rachael will do a cooking demo which showcases the versatility of okra.
Cost: $17.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Fighting food waste: Wednesday, 3rd April, 7-8.30pm; Kew.

What: Did you know that over 40% of the waste in our bins consists of food? You can help us fight the war on this food waste while learning how to get the best from your food for yourself and your family. Join like-minded neighbours at this workshop presented by a sustainable food expert from Cultivating Community. You will learn simple techniques for planning, buying, cooking and storing food.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Produce in pots: Thursday, 4th April, 6.30-9pm; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: What you will learn: why edibles fail and what how to improve their chances of success; how to choose the right pots, potting mix, additives and mulches; and the best fruit and vegetables options for pots, and the best sustainable and organic maintenance techniques, including watering and feeding. Presented by Diana Cotter. You’ll learn how potting mix and watering work, how plants react to different situations, and how the weather affects different plants differently. There will be a practical demonstration showing how to properly prepare potting mix, plant seeds and seedlings, and maintain the potential fruits (and vegetables!) of your labour.
Cost: $55.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.

The joy of backyard chooks: Saturday, 6th April, 9.30am-12.30pm; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: What you will learn: how to get started with keeping chickens in a suburban backyard; how to house and protect chooks from predators; and how chooks can be used to improve your garden and soil. Presented by Sarah Hardgrove. Keeping a few chooks in the backyard used to be a staple of Australian suburban life, and their eggs made up a healthy part of our diet. But even though our house blocks might be shrinking, a smaller backyard doesn’t necessarily mean an end to raising or enjoying them. In this class, you will find out just how easy it is to keep a few hens as pets and as the ultimate garden recyclers, as well as everything you need to know about housing, protecting and feeding them, and lots of practical ideas on how to live harmoniously with them in your garden. Suitable for those who have never kept chooks before.
Cost: $50.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.

Native plants for food and medicine: Saturday, 13th April, 9.30am-12.30pm; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: What you will learn: traditional Indigenous lifestyles and healing practices pre European settlement; traditional ways of using various Indigenous plants for medicinal purposes; and promising new research into their potential medical applications. Presented by Gaby Harris. Indigenous Australians have been using native plants and animals for tens of thousands of years as sources of food and medicine. With European settlement much of this knowledge was lost or ignored, but there is now growing interest in relearning these traditional healing methods. More research is being carried out to see how we can grow, harvest and utilise our Indigenous plants for foods, medicines, cosmetics and more. This class will introduce you to some of the well-known, as well as some more obscure, Indigenous Australian plants, teach you how they were once used, and how you can use them now. You will be able to see, smell and taste a variety of these amazing plants and learn where you can find them and how to cook with them.
Cost: $55.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.

Good garden bugs: Saturday, 13th April, 1-4pm; Watsonia Library.

What: This workshop will be delivered by two entomologists. You will learn about pest and beneficial insects; have hands-on training in insect identification (using live and preserved samples); and participate in an interactive Q&A session covering practical and sustainable management options for pests.
Cost: free.
Bookings: their website.

Gardening with kids: Tuesday, 16th April, 10-11.30am; Bulleen Art and Garden.

What: What you will learn: how to grow fresh produce in your own backyard and have heaps of fun doing it; how common household items can be reused in the garden; and how ‘good bugs’ can help you to look after your veggie patch. Presented by Nicole Griffiths. Growing food is a great way for children to connect with the natural environment and to develop an appreciation for the food that they eat. It also happens to be heaps of fun. In this hands-on class, you will explore some easy and inexpensive ways to grow food at home, regardless of whether you have an acre of land or just a windowsill. Children (and grown-ups) will get their hands dirty with practical gardening and craft activities using recycled and re-purposed objects. By the end of the class, each student will have made a variety of goodies to grow and use in their gardens at home. The class is suitable for children aged 5 to 10 and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please note that the class cost covers both a child and 1 accompanying adult.
Cost: $30.
Bookings: their website.

Beeswax wraps: Thursday, 18th April, 11am-midday; Diamond Valley Library.

What: Join Ben, from Ben’s Bees, as he shows us how to make beautiful beeswax wraps – a natural and reusable alternative to plastic wrap.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

New events – cooking

Sourdough and grain preparation – making grains great!: Thursday, 28th March, 6.30-9.30pm; Ringwood.

What: What you will be told: a brief science and history behind grains, nutritional benefits and cooking techniques; discover different ancient and whole grains; and the ingenious methods of grain preparation our ancestors devised in order to extract the maximum nutrition and flavour from the grains. What you will experience: ancient methods of grain preparation like soaking, sprouting, sour-leavening, and fermentation; prepare and sample four dishes that feature a different grain using different preparation techniques; prepare sourdough bread starter and learn how to care for it; make sourdough pita bread from scratch using sourdough starter; and the opportunity to see, feel, smell and taste a range of grain based dishes. What you will leave with: an appreciation of the health benefits of ancient and whole grains if prepared properly; knowledge and practical experience how to prepare grains in your kitchen; full recipes, instructions and how to’s; and sourdough bread starter and fermented rice starter and instruction on how to care for it.
Cost: $150.
Bookings: their website.

Italian cooking: Thursday, 28th March, 7-8.30pm; Mill Park Library.

What: Join the ladies from Mangia Mangia as they demonstrate traditional Italian recipes. Followed by tastings.
Cost: free.
Bookings: their website.

Easter cupcake decorating demonstration for adults: Monday, 1st April, 10.30-11.30am; Thomastown Library.

What: Irene Williams from the Victorian Cake Decorating Society will show you how to decorate your own cupcakes for Easter.
Cost: free.
Bookings: their website.

Weight loss cooking (thermomix): Tuesday, 2nd April, 7.30-9.30pm; Kilsyth.

What: Learn how your thermomix can help you provide nutritional meals with recipes from a range of weight loss regimes such as low carb keto, high protein, vegetable based. Note this class will not give weight loss advice, but the recipes are easier and cheaper than store-bought weight loss food and without additives.
Cost: $21.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Easter chocolate novelties: Friday, 5th April, 2-3pm; Watsonia Library.

What: Join Irene Williams from the Victorian Cake Decorating Society to make your own chicken on a rocky road nest.
Cost: free.
Bookings: their website.

Kombucha workshop: Saturday, 6th April, 11am-midday; Collingwood Library.

What: Hosted by Fermented Mumma. Learn about a scoby and how to flavour kombucha. You will also take home a copy of instructions and 3 litres of your very own kombucha.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Summary of upcoming events – not cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

Summary of upcoming events – cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

View the complete calendar of upcoming events.

Feb 132019
 

Welcome to new joiners Alson, Chloe, Christopher, Deb, Emily, James, Louise, Melissa, Monica, Nicki, Nikki and Vasundhara.

Some newsletter readers (well, my wife actually) have suggested that the relevant suburb be added to the lists of upcoming events and I’ve now started doing this. I’ve also changed the format of the new events a bit so that it better aligns with that of the lists. If you ever have any suggestions for how the newsletter could be improved, email me.

Judy has interviewed Katrina Forstner, from Preston

Many of you will have come across Katrina through her native bee hotel workshops (under the banner of Buzz and Dig), through her involvement in ShareWaste, or as one of the prime movers of the Transition Darebin food swaps. Judy Vizzari has now interviewed Katrina as a home grower. As Judy says, “Katrina and her husband, Matthias, have lived with their two small children in their home for five years and during that short time have converted their back yard from a grassy suburban block into a productive food producing forest.” Also, “Katrina’s garden and her life seem to be a blend of practices which complement each other and extend outwards into her community. They include ‘ShareWaste sharing’, composting, worm farming, chicken husbandry and, of course, encouraging native bee populations. Each of these benefits her productive food garden, her family and her community. It’s a cycle.Read the full interview.

Incidentally, Katrina is leading two workshops on Saturday in her back garden in Preston: Attracting native bees on Saturday, 16th February, 10-11.30am; and Composting at home workshop: Saturday, 16th February, 12.30-2pm.

A new food swap in Croydon

3rd Saturday of the month, 9.30am-midday. At Croydon Herbal Health, 2/48 McAdam Square, Croydon, 3136 (the entrance is on Plymouth Road opposite The Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School). Organised by Croydon Herbal Health. Email: Emily at croydonherbalhealth@gmail.com. Phone: 0432 613475 or 9723 9755. Their Facebook page. Welcome Emily and Monica!

There are now 33 regular food swaps in North East Melbourne – have a look at the list and map. They arguably cover the whole of the area, with the exception of ‘a black hole’ in the middle which roughly coincides with Manningham.

The Fawkner food swap has moved

The Fawkner food swap has moved in both space and time, and is now at Fawkner Food Bowls (corner of Creedon and Lorne Streets) on the 2nd Sunday of every month, 10.30am-12.30pm.

Our recent gin competition

The winner of the random draw for a bottle of Imbue Distillery’s gin is Cara Horner from Epping. In the picture, Cara (left) is receiving her bottle from Imbue’s Mel Sheard (right). Commiserations to everyone else who entered the competition.

Tromboncino grow challenge competition

Each year, Leaf, Root & Fruit organise a tromboncino grow challenge competition – grow the longest tromboncino and you could win a 2-hour onsite consultation. Closing date 29th April. As pictured, last year’s winner was 1.4m long.

Incidentally, I’m not sure why some people call ‘tromboncino’ ‘zucchini tromboncino’: whilst tromboncino is a cultivar of Cucurbita moschata, zucchini is a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo.

There is a really yummy recipe for tromboncino soup on our website. It has rice in it and tastes a bit like potato soup.

Finally, I’ve revamped the overall recipe page on the website. You can now sort or filter the list by any of course, season, author or ingredient.

Want some lactase tablets?

Someone gave me a bottle of lactase tablets but I’m not lactose intolerant. Use by April 2020. If you are lactose intolerant but want to drink some milk, email me and I’ll give you the bottle. If multiple people email me, it will be a random draw.

Yarra Urban Agriculture Strategy – have your say

The City of Yarra have just published their draft strategy for 2019 to 2023. Its four key objectives are:

  • Facilitate access to space for people to grow food.
  • Increase food skills and knowledge through education and training.
  • Build partnerships with other organisations and groups.
  • Advocate within and beyond council to work towards a sustainable local food systems approach.

They are asking for comments on the draft material, closing date 11th March.

If only my Council could produce something along these lines!

Growing turmeric in Melbourne

Helen Simpson’s article Growing ginger and turmeric in Melbourne – can it be done? is one of the most popular pages on our website. Newsletter reader Angelo Eliades has now weighed in with an article entitled Growing turmeric in containers in temperate climates.

Permablitz hero of the month: snow peas and sugar snap peas

These delicious peas should be grown at home, as their sugars convert to starches once picked, so half of the sugars are gone within an hour of picking. You’ve never tasted a snow pea unless you have picked it yourself.Read the article.

This appears to be the first article on the Permablitz website that has been written by newsletter reader Samantha Allemann, who also writes for Pip magazine.

Read about more Permablitz heroes of the month.

Not food but interesting

Community currency information evening – LETS: Monday, 18th February, 7-8pm; Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

What: Go along and workshop what goods and skills you may have to trade with others. Hear about what you can access that may be available locally and through online platforms. Facilitated by Marina Bistrin from LETS Diamond Valley. Light refreshments available.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

Imbue Distillery’s Facebook page.

Joke of the week

How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.

Read more jokes.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival

Quite a lot of the new events below are from the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, which takes place Friday, 8th March to Sunday, 24th March.

New events – not cooking

Insights from one researcher’s journey to understand gardens, health and wellbeing: Thursday, 14th February, 6.30-7.30pm; CERES.

What: From a community-informed, community-based descriptive approach to the launch of a randomised controlled trial. In this talk, Dr Jill Litt, from IS Global in Barcelona and University of Colorado Boulder, will review the research findings from her 10-year community-academic partnership with Denver Urban Gardens and describe the Community Activation for Prevention Study (CAPS), a 4-year randomised controlled trial of community gardens in Denver.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Plant tales and cold ales: Tuesday, 19th February, 6-8.30pm; Brunswick.

What: An evening for plant lovers by plant lovers, with cold ales and plant-based eats being served up in the garden. Hear from Jason Chongue (The Plant Society), Plant Mama, David Irwin (Patient Wolf Gin) and Nick Casey (Howler) on how the power of plants inspire their creative craft.
Cost: $33.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Fruit beer and cheese pairing masterclass: Saturday, 23rd February, 12.30-2.30pm; Thornbury.

What: What you will learn: taste your way through fruit beers from The 3 Ravens under the expert guidance of one of their brewery team and a cheese expert from Harper & Blohm; see behind the scenes of a fully functioning craft brewery; and learn The 3 Ravens approach to fruit beers. What you will get: brewery tour; lunch; and guided tasting of all varieties of fruit beer. From wine grapes, to apricot, blueberries, strawberries and pears, The 3 Ravens love adding some fruit to enhance their brews.
Cost: $65 (includes lunch).
Bookings: WeTeachMe.

Burnley Brewing tour and tastings: 4 occurrences during March on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th, each 6.30-7.30pm; Burnley Brewing.

What: Enjoy the house brews while meeting the brewers at Burnley Brewing and walking through their brewing process, the varied ingredients that go into each beer, and how these additions shape every beer’s taste and appearance. Then, you’ll get a chance to sample the beers during the fermentation phase, poured straight from the tanks of our in-house brewing system. Your will also receive two entrees to accompany your beverages. This event will not only teach you about different beer styles and their origins, but also how to best pair beer with food.
Cost: $28.

The art of Japanese breakfast: 2 occurrences during March on Saturday 9th and Saturday 23rd, both 8.30-10.30am; Collingwood.

What: Traditional Japanese breakfast comprises many small homely dishes made with seasonal ingredients. Guests will observe each element of the meal coming together and explore objects of classic Japanese design. CIBI owners Meg and Zenta Tanaka will share stories and explain the Japanese philosophy of food and its relationship to design before serving a traditional Japanese breakfast.
Cost: $58.

Food as medicine: Saturday, 9th March, midday-4pm; Fitzroy.

What: Join Anada’s Maria Kabal as she explores native Australian ingredients and their ability to heal as well as nourish over a four-course lunch featuring wild meats and seafood and locally-sourced indigenous curative ingredients.
Cost: $78 (includes lunch).
Bookings: their website.

Vegan smokehouse BBQ collaboration: 4 occurrences during March on Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th, each midday-2pm; Collingwood.

What: American BBQ institution Le Bon Ton joins forces with Green Burger in this multi-course feast of 100% vegan interpretations of American smokehouse favourites. There will be cocktails plus natural wines paired with each course – smoked hot links, mac and cheese, pulled pork and fried chicken, all completely plant-based.
Cost: $98.

Lygon Street – Si Mangia Italiano (film): Sunday, 10th March, 5.30-7.30pm; Cinema Nova, Carlton.

What: Lygon Street – Si Parla Italiano is a homage to the Italians who changed the way that Melbourne thought about food, drink and dining. Sip a glass of Italian red wine, relish themed canapés and a gift bag as you enjoy a pre-feature discussion about the contribution that European migrants made to Melbourne’s culture before a screening of the documentary. Discover the people, places and (of course) the pasta that made Carlton a cultural epicentre. Narrated by Anthony LaPaglia.
Cost: $45.
Bookings: their website.

A slice of spice (curry meets pizza): Monday, 11th March, at 6-7.45pm and again at 8-9.45pm; 400 Gradi, Brunswick East.

What: Johnny Di Francesco from 400 Gradi and Jessi Singh of Horn Please, Babu Ji NYC and Don’t Tell Aunty fame are joining forces to create the perfect Indian-Italian cross-cultural marriage. Experience the flavour explosion of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza topped with an array of aromatic curries and Indian spices.
Cost: $63 (includes meal).
Bookings: their website.

Richmond Grain Groupies grain crawl: Wednesday, 13th March, 6-9pm; Richmond.

What: Celebrate all things grain as you go behind the scenes of Phillippa’s Bakery, Mountain Goat Brewery and Brogan’s Way Distillery to see how grain is used to create three distinct products. Learn the processes of fermenting wheat for a sourdough culture, brewing malt for beer, distilling grain spirit to make gin, and how to add botanicals to all the products to create subtle nuances of flavour. Tastings too!
Cost: $48.
Bookings: their website.

Great cheese is made in the maturing room: Saturday, 16th March, 4.30-7.30pm; Yarra Valley Dairy, Yering.

What: Join cheesemakers, Jack Holman from Stone & Crow and Yarra Valley Dairy and Nick Haddow from Bruny Island Cheese Co. and Glen Huon Dairy, as they guide you through a tasting of cheeses they have matured in different ways and in different places. Most people would think that cheese is made in a vat. However, it’s the art, craft and science of maturation that is hugely responsible for turning good cheese into great cheese. Taste and compare the same batches of cheese, aged in three different locations.
Cost: $83.
Bookings: their website.

Beale Street BBQ blues (vegan): Saturday, 23th March, midday-2pm and again at 2.30-4.30pm; Brunswick East.

What: Memphis-style cooking, featuring mock meat and vegetables, together with drinks and music. The menu: to start – sweet potato crisps with BBQ salt and jalapeno hush puppies with maple butter; mains – BBQ vegan brisket, southern fried mock chicken, smoked corn, queso fresco & vegan aioli, chipotle mac’n’cheese, and green goddess salad; sweet – banana cream pie and smoked meringue.
Cost: $43.

Worm farming and composting: Sunday, 31st March, 11am-12.30pm; Richmond.

What: Learn about Finbar’s worm farming and compost systems and choose a system that’s right for you. Kath Jones will show you how to keep your system working well, avoid common mistakes and troubleshoot problems.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.

New events – cooking

Alpha & Omega – Hellenic masterclass: Saturday, 9th March, 11am-1pm; Kew.

What: Learn how to make Greek mezethes and sweet treats with chef Travis McAuley. Then settle in for a three-course lunch at Hellenic Republic Kew.
Cost: $68 (includes lunch).
Bookings: their website.

Cheese class: Sunday, 10th March, 9.30-11.30am and again at midday-2pm; That’s Amore Cheese, Thomastown.

What: Hosted by That’s Amore’s Giorgio Linguanti. Learn how to make your own Italian cheese from scratch.
Cost: $98.
Bookings: their website.

Veterans vs virgins at Preston Market: Friday, 22nd March, 6.30-10.30pm; Preston Market.

What: Join the excitement as some of Preston Market’s most distinguished veterans take on the new kids on the block in a fun-filled no-holds-barred cook-off. You also get to join in, helping make everything from pasta to paella and seafood to sandwiches while guiding your chosen team to victory and picking up cooking tricks and techniques along the way.
Cost: $83.
Bookings: their website.

How to pull noodles: Saturday, 23rd March, 10-10.45am; Box Hill Central.

What: Watch and participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration of how to pull noodles.
Cost: $14.

How to make the perfect dumpling: Saturday, 23rd March, 12.30-1.15pm and again on Sunday, 24th March, 1.30-2.15pm; Box Hill Central.

What: Watch and participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration of how to make the perfect dumpling.
Cost: $14.

How to make perfect sushi: Sunday, 24th March, 11-11.45am; Box Hill Central.

What: Watch and participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration of how to make perfect sushi.
Cost: $14.

Cooking master class – ‘Spanish inspired’: Friday, 29th March, 7-9pm; Gourmet Living, Templestowe.

What: Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included. Menu: pintxos; spicy paella; and torrijas.
Cost: $42.
Bookings: EventBrite.

Summary of upcoming events – not cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

Summary of upcoming events – cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

View the complete calendar of upcoming events.

Feb 052019
 

A new local drinks producer – Imbue Distillery

Eltham-based Imbue Distillery are a husband and wife team that make hand-crafted gins imbued with stories (and flavours) relating to where they live. They are not afraid to play with flavours and, for example, their first product was gin infused with dandelion, prickly pear, blackberry and fennel, all foraged from the local area. Over time, they plan to expand to other spirits and liqueurs. You can buy their gin online or at: Eltham Deli; Fitzroy Cellars; Liquorologist, Balwyn North; Nillumbik Cellars, Diamond Creek; and Second Home, Eltham. Read their Local Food Directory entry. Welcome Mel and Mick!

Our biggest ever giveaway competition

Mel and Mick would like to give away a bottle of their gin (value $80) to a randomly chosen newsletter reader. To enter the random draw, simply ‘like’ their Facebook page and then email me to say that you have done so. Clearly, it would be good for them if you also ‘shared’ their page at the same time.

I know that many newsletter readers like these sorts of giveaway competitions. If you are a local food producer and would like to give something away via the newsletter, email me.

A volunteer gardening opportunity

Newsletter readers Kim D’Angelis and Jane Glynn have been setting up a veggie garden at Leith Park Retirement Village in St Helena. They are now looking for a couple of volunteer gardeners to help with the upkeep of the wider garden. If interested, email Kim.

Fun facts: orange carrots

Three facts appear to be clear. First, wild carrots were historically purple, yellow or white. Second, modern orange carrots emerged in the Netherlands in the 17th Century and are orange because of their abundance of carotenes. Third, the Netherlands in the 17th Century (and later) was ruled by the House of Orange. What is less clear is the linkage or otherwise between these three facts. Popular anecdote is that orange carrots were purposively developed as a tribute to William of Orange but Wikipedia says: “there is little evidence for this“.

In researching this subject, here are a few other interesting ‘factoids’ that I found out. First, the colour is named after the fruit, rather than the other way round (before the fruit became known in England, the colour was apparently called either geoluread or geolucrog in English). Second, the House of Orange adopted the colour orange simply because the city in France from whence they came happened to have the same name as the colour. Lastly, although the House of Orange has ‘ruled’ the Netherlands for hundreds of years, the Dutch flag contains no orange (it is red, white and blue), anecdotally because the orange dye in the original flags was unstable and turned to red in the period from when they were first made until the time that the colours of the flag were officially decided.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

Marina’s interview with Stuart and Christine Rodda.

In last week’s newsletter, we mentioned that Stuart and Christine are giving a guided tour of their garden on Saturday, 9th February, 11am-midday. Well, that tour is now sold out but they are happy to have a second tour at midday if there is sufficient interest. To register your interest in the midday tour, go to their original Eventbrite listing and join the waitlist.

Joke of the week

Why is a carrot orange and pointy? Because if it was green and round it would want to pea!

Read more jokes.

New events – not cooking

Bees wax workshop

What: You will learn how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps for keeping food fresh and hygienic without the use of single use plastics such as cling-wrap. You will leave with two ready-to-use wraps.
When: Thursday, 21st March, 10am-midday.
Where: Whittlesea Library.
Cost: free.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Natural pest control with companion planting

What: What you will learn: which plants to grow together, and which ones not to; how to solve many common garden problems naturally; and how to construct ‘plant guilds’ (groups of plants that grow much better together). Presented by Angelo Eliades. With companion planting, by knowing which plants to grow together and which ones not to, you can grow stronger, healthier and more productive plants, improve soil quality, and reduce pests and diseases in your garden. Learn which companion plants to add to your garden to solve many common garden problems naturally, and find out how to construct ‘plant guilds’ (groups of plants that grow much better together) for more abundant harvests.
When: Thursday, 21st March, 6.30-9pm.
Where: Bulleen Art and Garden.
Cost: $50.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Buttenshaw Farm (guided garden tour)

What: Buttenshaw Farm is based on organic and permaculture principles with the hope of encouraging beneficial insects and everything working in harmony. Thanks to interspersed flower plantings, native bees (including blue-banded bees), European honey bees and butterflies are residents of the garden. The household seeks to reduce their environmental impact by embracing nature, reducing waste and utilising scraps in the garden system. The productive part of the garden features fruit and nut trees, heirloom vegetables and chickens.
When: Saturday, 23rd March, 10-11am and again at midday-1pm.
Where: Montrose.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

CERES Harvest Festival

What: An annual event to celebrate food across cultures with live music, free workshops on sustainable living, cultural performances, animal displays, giant veggie growing competition and kids activities. Also, food and craft stalls from local and organic makers and designers.
When: Saturday, 23rd March, 10am-3pm.
Where: CERES.
Cost: $5.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Yarra Valley Beer & Cider Festival

What: The festival allows you to sample some of the boutique beer and cider that Victoria has to offer, with many exhibitors being close to home. Food stalls will be in attendance, combined with entertainment. The festival is an initiative by the Rotary Club of Wandin, in conjunction with some community beer and cider lovers.
When: Saturday, 23rd March, 11am-5.30pm.
Where: Lilydale Showgrounds.
Cost: $16 ($37 with tasting tokens).
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

The Aussie veggie patch (guided garden tour)

What: Tim’s garden is all about having veggies on hand for everyday use. The property combines a more traditional and formal garden at the front with a more casual one out the back. The garden even has its own instagram page!
When: Saturday, 23rd March, midday-1pm.
Where: Mooroolbark.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cameron Street garden guided tour

What: This garden has been growing food for 35 years, the past 25 under Denise’s watchful eye. Located right alongside the train line, the garden includes fruit and nut trees, berries, vines and vegetables. For a relatively small space, the garden is full of fruit trees ranging from apples to apricots to avocados. A small flock of chickens add to the system underneath a giant walnut tree to the back of the property, and flowers keep bees happy year round. The 40 or so edible plants keeps the family content with vegetables year round and in good stead for preserves.
When: Sunday, 24th March, 10-11am and again at midday-1pm.
Where: Coburg.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Angelo Eliades – create a no-waste kitchen and garden

What: Learn how to recycle all garden and food waste, even the difficult things! This workshop will cover what materials to put into which waste recycling system and how to use the processed materials in the garden. Other topics will include cold and hot composting, worm farming and bokashi composting. All the basics will be covered, as well as tricks, tips and techniques to get faster and more efficient composting of every kind of waste.
When: Sunday, 24th March, 2-4pm.
Where: Watsonia Library.
Cost: free.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Preparing for the Winter harvest

What: What you will learn: crop rotation after summer veggies; growing common and uncommon winter veggies; and seed sowing techniques for winter veggies. Presented by Nicole Griffiths. You will learn how to prepare your garden for a bumper crop right through winter. They will cover what plants to plant over the cooler months and when to plant them, winter garden jobs, soil care and pest/disease management. Bring along your gardening gloves!

When: Saturday, 30th March, 9.30am-12.30pm.
Where: Bulleen Art and Garden.
Cost: $55.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Beeswax wrap workshop

What: Join Ben Moore from Ben’s Bees to make your own ecofriendly alternative to plastic wraps.
When: Saturday, 30th March, 10am-midday.
Where: Central Ringwood Community Centre.
Cost: $25 (includes all materials).
Bookings: by phone (9870 2602).
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

The Autumn Harvest Festival

What: Giant pumpkins, music, hot food and market stalls. There will be a selection of the region’s best homemade, homegrown artisans. They will be running cooking, art & craft and horticulture competitions.
When: Saturday, 30th March, 10am-3pm.
Where: Alowyn Gardens & Nursery, Yarra Glen.
Cost: $10.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Green at Kathleen – seed saving and sowing

What: Increase your planting options and veggie yield by saving seeds from previous plants and harvests, and effectively sowing them for maximum benefit.
When: Saturday, 30th March, 11.30am-1pm.
Where: Kathleen Syme Library, Carlton.
Cost: free.
Bookings: EventBrite.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Ringwood Highland Games

What: Learn how to recycle all garden and food waste, even the difficult things! This workshop will cover what materials to put into which waste recycling system and how to use the processed materials in the garden. Other topics will include cold and hot composting, worm farming and bokashi composting. All the basics will be covered, as well as tricks, tips and techniques to get faster and more efficient composting of every kind of waste.
When: Sunday, 31st March, 10am-5pm.
Where: Ringwood East.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Home Harvest Picnic 2019

What: This will be the eighth annual home harvest picnic, where catering students from Eltham High School, under the guidance of a professional chef, produce a shared meal from homegrown produce. You have three options: register as a grower ($0) – supply some of your homegrown produce and receive a prepared basket for you and up to three guests; purchase a picnic basket ($20 for two people); or bring your own picnic ($0).
When: Sunday, 31st March, 4.30-8pm.
Where: Edendale.
Cost: $0-20.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

New events – cooking

Kombucha tea workshop

What: Learn to make your own kombucha tea with Dayle Barnett and take home a scobi to get you started. Dayle is a chemistry major who often has many different brews fermenting in all corners of the house and enjoys experimenting with kombucha, jun, kefir and ginger beer.
When: Sunday, 3rd March, 10.30am-midday.
Where: Central Ringwood Community Centre.
Cost: $20.
Bookings: by phone (9870 2602).
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Lunch ideas using your thermomix

What: This class will cover creative lunches whether they be for work, school or on the run. They will demonstrate a variety of creative, healthy or cost saving ideas and you can sample each of the recipes.
When: Tuesday, 19th March, 7.30-9pm.
Where: Kilsyth.
Cost: $21.
Bookings: EventBrite.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

The age-old art of preserving

What: This workshop will give you some confidence to try different styles of home preserving. You will be concentrating on making jams with seasonal and frozen fruit. Bring your apron, your questions and your appetite. All materials supplied.
When: Wednesday, 20th March, 6.30-9pm.
Where: Box Hill North.
Cost: $55.
Bookings: by phone (9899 7660).
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Italian pasta making demonstration

What: Hilda and Laurie, authors of Wow, It’s Italian, will show you how to make the perfect pasta using the correct ratio of liquid to flour.
When: Thursday, 21st March, 10.30am-midday.
Where: Thomastown Library.
Cost: free.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cooking seasonal produce with Julie French

What: Join Julie French as she shows you how to best use the produce in your garden to reduce food waste, save money and enjoy the tasty food that she prepares in the library’s kitchen garden.
When: Thursday, 21st March, 11am-midday.
Where: Diamond Valley Library.
Cost: free.
Bookings: just turn up.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cooking master class – health and gluten free

What: Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included. Menu: roast pumpkin wedges; harissa chicken lettuce cups; and honey bananas.
When: Thursday, 21st March, 7-9pm.
Where: Gourmet Living, Templestowe.
Cost: $42.
Bookings: EventBrite.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cook Indian by the creek

What: Menu: naan bread with chana masala. Cook Indian by the creek came into existence with the idea of breaking the myth that Indian cooking is complex and difficult to nail. In each session, they will share their traditional recipes and go through the step by step cooking process. The classes are held in a private kitchen.
When: Friday, 22nd March, 6-8pm.
Where: Diamond Creek.
Cost: $60.
Bookings: by email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Cook Indian by the creek

What: Menu: samosa and chutney. Cook Indian by the creek came into existence with the idea of breaking the myth that Indian cooking is complex and difficult to nail. In each session, they will share their traditional recipes and go through the step by step cooking process. The classes are held in a private kitchen.
When: Friday, 29th March, 6-7.30pm.
Where: Diamond Creek.
Cost: $45.
Bookings: by email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Preserving your harvest

What: Make the most of the seasonal bounty of fruit and vegetables and learn techniques of how to safely make pickles, jams and bottled fruit. This workshop will be run by Maria Ciavarella from My Green Garden.
When: Saturday, 23rd March, 1-3.30pm.
Where: Mernda.
Cost: free.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

The Ramble – preserving food from your garden

What: Knowing different ways of processing and preserving the crops you’re harvesting is essential for budding productive gardeners. Leah will walk you through many of the techniques that she uses in her kitchen to extend the shelf-life of what she harvests including saucing, pickling, dehydrating, freezing and drying. She’ll share some of her tips and tricks for making garden delicacies such as dehydrated figs, cordials, sorbets and ice cream.
When: Sunday, 24th March, 10-11.30am.
Where: Fawkner.
Cost: $15.
Bookings: TryBooking.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Seasonal ferments – kimchi + kombucha

What: What you will learn: how to cultivate, feed and keep your ferments for long and short term use; how to assess pH, sugar and alcohol levels; and relevant food safety and sanitisation for fermenting. What you will get: comprehensive workshop notes and references/further reading; your own vegetables ferments to take home; and a sampling of fermented food. Lacto-fermentation is a healthful, safe, low energy method of food preservation. Molly Bryson will show you how to make kimchi and kombucha.
When: Saturday, 30th March, 9-11.30am.
Where: Bee Sustainable, Brunswick East.
Cost: $85.
Bookings: WeTeachMe.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Indian Punjabi cooking workshop

What: Tutor Taariq Hassan. Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. The menu will include: daal tadka (spiced lentils); raita (yoghurt based dip); muttar pulao (basmati rice with peas and cumin seeds); chapatti (flat bread); and seviyan (a milk-based dessert).
When: Saturday, 30th March, 10.30am-1.30pm.
Where: Living & Learning Nillumbik at Diamond Creek.
Cost: $66.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Summary of upcoming events – not cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

Summary of upcoming events – cooking

Over the next week
Over the next month

View the complete calendar of upcoming events.