LFC News January 27 2021

Jan 262021
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Anjana Mukherji, Clare Quinlan, Deb Graham, James Petty, Lee Hirsh, Megan Goodman, Mick Sheard, Robin Gale-Baker and Susan Arnold.

Robin’s veggie growing tip of the month

In general usage, the phrase ‘going to seed’ means ‘to deteriorate’. It is derived from the natural act of annual and bi-annual plants going to seed at the end of their life. Once a plant has lived out its lifecycle, it tries to perpetuate itself by producing seeds and these fall to the ground or are wind blown or transported underfoot by animals to another location. A certain number of these seeds will germinate, ensuring the plant’s survival.

There is a second reason, however, that plants ‘go to’ or ‘run to’ seed or ‘bolt’ and that is stress.

Stress can be caused by a number of things:

  • Lack of moisture in the soil.
  • Extreme weather especially hot weather.
  • Planting out of season or too early.
  • Unsuitable soil.
  • Disease.

The rest of this article focuses on the first three inter-related factors above, namely lack of moisture in the soil, hot weather and planting at the wrong time.

Chronic lack of soil moisture will mean that no amount of watering in hot weather will be sufficient to hydrate plants. The soil will have become hydrophobic (water repellent) and the roots of the plants will have been stunted by insufficient water. Already, you will have unhealthy plants. If your soil has been kept moist, and you significantly ‘up’ your watering during extreme heat, your plants should be fine but plants are often under-watered during summer, especially during periods of high temperatures, or they are watered after the heat, when they have already wilted. It is essential that beds are hydrated for a number of days before heat waves and, during heat waves, watered deeply each evening.

The combination of lack of water and of hot weather in general (and hot weather extremes in particular) leads plants to ‘believe’ that they are dying. They therefore try to reproduce, and ‘bolt’ rather than producing or maintaining an edible part. Hearting vegetables (such as brassicas (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli) and lettuce) will split, pushing up a flower which will produce seeds. Stem vegetables (including celery, celeriac and kohlrabi) and bulbs (such as onions) will produce hard, woody stems. Root vegetables will transform their juicy roots to a woody ones.

Note that, whilst you can save the seeds produced by a plant when it bolts, there are usually fewer seeds than when that plant flowers at the end of its lifecycle.

To prevent bolting, prepare your soil well, incorporating compost for water retention, hydrate the soil through generous, deep watering from the time you plant out, shade the plant from the hot sun with a shade structure or a piece of old sheet or fabric draped over the garden bed, or even set up a beach umbrella. If you can keep plants cool, especially their roots, they will continue to grow healthily. Shade also helps prevent the soil drying out.

A further factor that you can control is when you plant your seeds or seedlings. Before the advent of climate changes, Spring (September, October, November) was warm, Summer (December, January, February) was hot and Autumn (March, April, May) was cool. These days, March and April can be very hot so it is worth delaying the planting of autumn crops till late April or early May or later if it is still hot. Have your seedlings ready in pots and, the moment the weather breaks, plant them out. Remember that autumn and winter crops are cool-weather crops so planting them in hot weather is self defeating.

Read more of Robin’s articles about growing techniques.

Meg’s garden this month

[Meg, who contributed weekly articles to this newsletter during the pandemic, is back and will be writing monthly articles for us during 2021. No longer ‘Meg’s social isolation week’, but now ‘Meg’s garden this month’. Thanks, Meg!]

Under the sharp gaze of some king parrots in the gum trees, Guy and I discussed a monthly contribution to the newsletter this year to reflect the seasons in the garden. I had just been provided with a tour of Guy’s acre garden with its various garden ‘rooms’ and large areas devoted to edibles. The view of the 5m high banana trees was relished despite misty rain and the beds of ripe perennial tree chillies were a highlight in contrast to my chillies and capsicums that are struggling to grow in this cool wet summer. Like mine, Guy’s tomatoes hang green on the vine, but are close to ripening. We agreed that the usual summer vegetables are slow this year and I’m sure that, like us, many of you are still anticipating the summer tomato harvest.

In my garden, the wet summer has also brought fungal problems to my stone fruit trees. The apricots have been able to avoid it, but I have had to pick them a little under-ripe (they do ripen after picking). Those affected get cut up and frozen for jam making. The dwarf beans have never produced so well and daily picking is needed. My zucchinis and cucumbers are also doing well compared to last year and, after a few days away, I have a large cluster of over-sized ones on display on the kitchen bench.

Zucchini and pine nut salad

2 green and 2 yellow zucchinis (or whatever you have), very thinly sliced lengthways into ribbons
1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon or other herb (e.g. savoury)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup pine nuts
Shaved parmesan cheese to serve

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a frypan.

Mix together the herbs, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper in a jar to make a dressing.

Place the zucchini on a serving platter/bowl and toss with dressing. Leave for 10-15 mins until the zucchini starts to soften.

Sprinkle over with the pine nuts and and parmesan.

Read more of Meg’s recipes.

Yes – you did know – tiny white bugs

Last week, Susan Arnold wrote in asking for advice about her veggies being covered in tiny white bugs with wings. Several of you have replied and there is broad agreement that the bugs in question are whitefly:

Susan (replying to her own question): “I have done some investigating myself and the bugs I have are whitefly. I have found that vegetable oil combined with dishwasher liquid diluted with warm water in a spray bottle works a treat. I have sprayed my beans, tomatoes, zucchinis and cucumbers and the bugs are now mostly (95%) dead. The plants remain lush and healthy days later.”

Angelo Eliades: “Tiny white flying insects that swarm when you spray then with water sound exactly like whitefly. They are tiny moths and can be controlled with eco-oil, neem oil or horticultural soap. Horticultural oils should never be used when the temperatures may reach 30 degC or more, as the leaves will burn, and that sounds like what might have happened with Susan. On really hot days, just hose the bugs off with a moderate pressure spray to reduce their numbers.”

Clare Quinlan: “It sounds like whitefly. A vacuum cleaner can be great to sucking the majority off. Constantly disturbing them is great to, but can get exhausting and boring standing there all day disturbing tiny creatures from eating their dinners. Garlic spray and eco can work but only if it gets on the actual fly apparently. I aim to leave whitefly up to beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings. I also leave my fennel to go to flower which creates a ladybug nursery where their numbers grow over summer.”

Anjana Mukherji: “Try 1 litre of tap water 2 drops of washing liquid soap and 4/5 drops of Neem oil. Shake well and spray.”

James Petty: “I have had similar problems. They fed on my tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, eggplants, jerusalem artichoke (stems and leaves), rocket, parsley, coriander, rosemary, carrots, parsnip, potatoes, cornflowers, and everlasting daisies. They killed several potato plants and (I suspect but don’t know) were the vector for a virus in my tomatoes. I initially assumed that they were whitefly, except that they weren’t white. However, after I sent them a photo, Museums Victoria IDed them as probably vegetable leafhopper (Austroasca viridigrisea). Here is AusVeg guide to the vegetable leafhopper.

“As for treatment, they resisted everything I tried: horticultural oil, neem, coffee spray – nothing worked. The most effective was a combination of vacuuming (daily) and ‘puffing’ diatomaceous earth all over the plants (leaves, stem, underside leaves). However, this took a long time and the puffing is also likely to impact beneficial bugs like predators and pollinators. And within a week, the hoppers were back to full numbers anyway. I have resigned myself to their presence and tried to reduce their habitat. They seem to love rosemary so I pruned it back to a stump.”

More on Queensland Fruit Fly

Pam Jenkins has written in to suggest that you read this report from Horticulture Innovation Australia. Pam adds “it looks like there may be some hope in integrating kaolin with exclusion netting especially for the home gardener … Kaolin looks like a great alternative to the previous regimes of cover spraying with toxic chemicals. It is going to affect pest insects that inject eggs, suck or chew on fruit and, so far, my reading suggests that it has little impact on beneficial insects and bees unless it is sprayed directly on to them. It has the added bonus of reflecting sunlight so helps prevent sunburn and slows evaporation from leaves in really hot weather. I also read that it doesn’t affect photosynthesis but I haven’t had it on leaves long enough to confirm that for myself.”

Dark Horse Cafe, Wine & Produce in Watsons Creek

Here’s a question for your next trivia night: what suburb in North East Melbourne has the smallest population and what is that population? Answer: Watsons Creek, with a population of just 51. Historically, Watsons Creek has actually been quite well known, at least in some circles, because of its antiques shop on the road from Kangaroo Ground to Yarra Glen. A few years ago, that antique shop closed and was replaced by Dark Horse Cafe, Wine & Produce which, as the name suggests, is both a cafe and a produce store, both of which are open Wednesday to Sunday. There is also an art gallery with local art next door.

Of particular relevance to this newsletter, the produce store sells quite a lot of local produce, including from
Buttermans Track (St Andrews); Coldstream Brewery; House of Gingerbread (Warrandyte); Kings of Kangaroo Ground; Napoleone Brewery & Ciderhouse (Coldstream); Rob Dolan Wines (Warrandyte South); Warrandyte Berry Farm (Warrandyte South); and Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods (Seville). Read their Local Food Directory page. Welcome Sharon and colleagues!

News about local food organisations – Imbue Distillery

Imbue Distillery have opened a tasting room and boutique bottleshop in Ivanhoe. It is called Wander North and is at 13/149 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe. It is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, each midday-8pm.

Local food organisations in the news – 2020 Northern Business Achievement Awards

The 2020 Northern Business Achievement Awards were recently announced and they include four food organisations from North East Melbourne:

  • Blue Pear Pantry from North Warrandyte (Best Start-Up or Microbusiness).
  • Floridia Cheese from Thomastown (Business of the Year).
  • Moon Rabbit cafe from Preston (Philanthropy and Community Service Award).
  • Mocopan Coffee from Preston (Workplace Diversity Award).

What seeds to plant in February

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn

Cool season veggies

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mustard greens
Silverbeet

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Onion
Potato
Radish

Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

In principle, you can start planting some of the brassicas (broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower) but perhaps it would be better to wait until March.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Korean ChangKi Chung composes, and then photographs, stacks of food.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link was the DIVRS urban food program page asking for volunteers.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Pie in the sky Meaning: something good that is very unlikely to happen.. This phrase was coined by someone called Joe Hill in 1911 in a song entitled The Preacher and the Slave, which was a parody of the hymn Sweet By-and-By. The full phrase was “you’ll get pie in the sky when you die” and was Hill’s criticism of the Salvation Army’s philosophy of salvation of souls rather than the feeding of the hungry. The phrase was first used figuratively in its present meaning during the second world war.

Incidentally, Joe Hill was executed for murder in 1915 but, as discussed in Wikipedia, may well have been innocent. His will was written as a song and started with the couplet “My will is easy to decide, for there is nothing to divide.”

Read more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Bread feeds the body, indeed, flowers feed also the soul.” by The Koran.

Read more gardening quotes.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Submitted by Lee Hirsh: Did you hear about the cheese factory that exploded in France? All that was left was de brie.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – website calendars

Website calendars

By type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else, Free.

By Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

When looking at a calendar, remember that you can:

  • Filter the list of events by suburb or suburbs using the green ‘location’ button top left.
  • Show all the event descriptions using the ‘expand all’ button top right.

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced
January
February
March

Upcoming events – cooking

Newly announced
January
February
March
In Richmond

LFC News January 20 2021

Jan 192021
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Anita Merson, Belinda Lock, Chloe Thomson, Deb Thomson, Judith Chivers, Natalie Nigol, Pam Jenkins, Pauline Webb, Richard Rowe, Susan Arnold and Susan Palmer.

A major purpose of this newsletter is to make people who are growing or making food feel/aware that they are part of a wider, local food movement. Most weeks, I receive emails from readers which imply that it is at least partly succeeding in this endeavour (see the testimonials on the website). Just before Christmas, I received this lovely email from someone who wishes to remain anonymous: “Thank you, Guy. Your newsletter has been a wonderful support through a very difficult time. I know it takes an enormous amount of work on your part and that effort shows in the newsletter’s quality. It is a key part of our local community – thank you so much for what you have done and continue to do. I would call the newsletter a key mental health support in these last few months.“

Re-opening news

Abbotsford Convent Farmers’ Market has re-started.

The Croydon Herbal Health Crop Swap is no more.

The Box Hill South and Forest Hill urban harvests (aka food swaps) are planning to become hybrid events during 2021, with quarterly physical meetings combined with monthly online meetings. One of the organisers told me that: “online meetings have meant we can have glimpses of each other’s gardens for the first time, plus have guest speakers without having to manage physical equipment logistics.” They have also established a ‘seedling give & take hub’ at Box Hill South Neighbourhood House where people can give or take seedlings for growing food at home. “The hub has extended our ‘opening hours’, as well as our reach locally, with anecdotes of people coming who are new to food gardening or who want to know more about produce and plant swapping.“

As some of you will know, the re-opening of some Council venues has still not been determined and this is affecting the plans of those local activities that usually take place in those venues. So, for example, Pauline Webb from the Doncaster Garden Club has written in: “Our Committee will be meeting in early February to decide whether or not to re-start our monthly meetings. If we do, Council has told us that the Government rules include: no food or drink to be served; masks must be worn; and the hall is to have 30 people maximum (instead of the usual 60). As most of our members are over 70, we don’t know if they will be prepared to come either.” You can find out their decision by ringing Pauline between 4th February and 9th February (0409 063 060).

Young Farmers Connect (YFC) – Melbourne

Young Farmers Connect (YFC) – Melbourne is “a group to connect young farmers in the Melbourne region. The group is for sharing ideas, stories, tools, equipment, skills, time and knowledge, and to create a network of young farmers in the region who are interested in promoting the local food movement.” Its members include a number of newsletter readers. The Melbourne branch is part of a national YFC organisation.

[In passing, one newsletter reader who is also a member of YFC – Melbourne recently said to me that the young in their title means ‘relatively new to farming’, not ‘young in age’!]

The DIVRS urban food program is looking for volunteers

DIVRS, which is based in Preston, is looking for both more growing spaces and more fruit trees to harvest. Read more and potentially register your interest.

Kevin Heinz GROW free gardening sessions for refugees and asylum seekers

Kevin Heinz GROW, with support from Moreland Council and VicHealth, is offering free weekly gardening sessions for refugees and asylum seekers at Peppertree Place in Coburg starting in February. Participants will have the opportunity to meet others in their community, learn how to grow vegetables, propagate plants and enjoy morning tea and lunch together each week. Anyone who is potentially interested in participating should contact Isabella by email (isabella@kevinheinzegrow.org.au) or phone (9848 3695).

Yes you did know(!) – apple problem

Last week, Velyne Moretti asked if her apples had Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF). Angelo Eliades has responded: “The small puncture marks with oozing sap look like QFF to me. The possible alternative is codling moth, but this would leave a larger hole in unripe immature fruit, with brown residue exuding from the hole as the larvae eat their way through the apple. Cutting the apple will yield a definitive answer. White, banana-shaped 1mm long eggs just below the skin, or a small creamy yellow carrot-shaped maggot 8-11mm long with dark cutting jaws at the narrow pointed head end which bends into a U-shape and jumps, indicates that it is QFF. If it’s codling moth, the culprit will be a plump, large, fast crawling caterpillar with a shiny rounded brown head.“

More on Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF)

Last week, Jo Buckle wrote in to say that she lost all her plums this year to QFF and asked for good sources of advice. A number of you have responded.

Anita Merson (plums), Pauline Webb (apricots) and Susan Palmer (apricots) have all lost lots of fruit this year to QFF.

Richard Rowe has published some guidance on the Edendale website. At the bottom of that page, is two videos of a webinar that Richard, Bronwyn Koll (QFF co-ordinator for Yarra Valley) and others ran last year.

Deb Thomson has found the graphic right helpful, effective and easy to do.

Chloe Thomson has produced some videos for Nillumbik Council: part 1, part 2 and part 3.

Pauline Webb has put an elderly hen in the area with infected trees hoping that she cleans any in the soil. She (Pauline rather than the hen) also rang the Department of Agriculture to be told that the easiest trap was a container of fly trap and powder that mixes with water (can be bought at hardware shops or there are also homemade recipes on the Internet). She was also told to boil, freeze or microwave the affected fruit.

All the links above have been added to the page on QFF on our website.

More on growing bananas in Melbourne

Angelo Eliades has written in: “Bananas will grow fine in Melbourne, and will ripen if we have a good summer, otherwise they need to be ripened indoors in a paper bag with an apple or two in there. Dwarf varieties only grow to around 1½-2m, taller varieties will grow 2½-4m or more. Pictured are my dwarf cavendish bananas ripening; my taller goldfinger bananas are currently in flower.

“Bananas are heavy feeders and need to be watered well in hot weather. Treat them like heavy feeder vegies like tomatoes, small feeds of slow-release fertiliser often and consistent water and they will fruit as long as the previous winter isn’t too cold, otherwise they will skip a year and fruit the following year.“

Do you know – aphids?

Susan Arnold has written in: “My beans and other veggies are covered in tiny white bugs with wings (aphids?). When I hose, it disrupts them and they swarm around the plants but then return. I have tried garlic spray then Eco oil, but it seemed to burn the leaves and have little effect on the bugs. What are your recommendations please?” Email me with your thoughts.

Do you know – water tanks?

Belinda Lock has written in :”I have a water tank set up for roof run off connected to the veggie patch but I can’t seem to get it to work properly. I have tried a number of troubleshooting strategies that have resulted in slight improvements but I need it more automated in order to make it functional and efficient for my lifestyle. I would love to get in touch with someone that could provide that service.
I have tried plumbers (it has a pump attached) but none are too interested. I am after someone that looks at the whole system from start to finish and can fix the issue/s. It doesn’t seem to hold water the way it used to either. I am hopeful and excited that someone reading your newsletter might be able to help me.” Belinda lives in Blackburn South. Can anyone potentially help her or point her in the right direction? Watch this introductory video. Read more and potentially make a submission.

Better late than never!

In the 1st April, 2020 newsletter, Judith Chivers was announced as one of the four winners of Bearded Bee honey. Now, 9 months later and with the Covid-19 restrictions easing, Judith has finally managed to pick up her honey.

Vasundhara’s recipe of the week – peanut pasta

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked pasta/ spaghetti/ vermicelli
¼ cup green onions, diced

Peanut sauce ingredients
½ cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
½ cup canned coconut milk (full fat)
2½ tablespoons tamari/soy sauce
2 teaspoons chilli garlic sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar or sweetener of choice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
¼ cup coriander, chopped
½ teaspoon curry powder
1/3 cup water

Method

Cook your noodles according to package instructions.

Add the noodles to a colander, drain and rinse. Return them to the pot. Add a drizzle of sesame oil, mix, and set aside.

Prepare your peanut sauce by blending add all ingredients into a fine smooth paste. Dilute if you feel the need.

Mix the sauce with the noodles and serve with topped green onions and lime wedges, roasted chopped peanuts and coriander.

Read more of Vasundhara Kandpal’s plant-based recipes on our website. Vasundhara is a professional cook who operates a meals delivery service called Green Karma in Briar Hill, Eltham, Eltham North and Montmorency. Read her menu and order.

It’s insect hotel month!

January is the month when insect hotels are at their most active. At least chez mois, there are lots of hatchings in the first week followed by lots of layings in the second and third weeks. Here are 6 of the visitors to my insect hotels over the last week.

Resin bee (megachilidae) Potter wasp (eumenidae) Cuckoo wasp (chrysididae)
Mud wasp (crabronidae) Mud wasp (crabronidae) Mud wasp (crabronidae)

 

I initially thought that the wasp bottom left was a blue-banded bee, but Museums Victoria disabused me of that notion.

Have you got any pictures of your insect hotel activity that you would like to share with the newsletter readership? Email me.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link was Agriculture Victoria’s introductory video about Queensland Fruit Fly.

Joke (or pun) of the week

How many eggs can you eat on an empty stomach? Just one, because then your stomach won’t be empty.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

Website calendars

By type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else, Free.

By Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Highlighted events

I said that I would sometimes highlight those events which people have written in about rather than requiring me to seek out the events on the Internet.

This week’s highlighted event, as notified to me by Pam Jenkins, is: Dianne and John’s garden tour: Sunday, 14th February, 10.30am-12.30pm; $5; Eltham.

Email me with your events.

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced
January
February
March

Upcoming events – cooking

Newly announced
January
February
March
Richmond

LFC News January 13 2021

Jan 132021
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Robertson, Cath Lyons, Claire Smith, Jo Buckle, Michelle Smith, Pam Jenkins and Velyne Moretti.

Re-opening news

In last week’s newsletter, I wrote that most (but not all) food swaps have now re-opened. Claire Smith (the organiser of the Mooroolbark Food Swap) has written in to say that “whilst most food swaps have now re-started, some are currently meeting outside due to council restrictions on the use of their venues. For such cases, BYO chair if you need to sit at all, wear a face mask if you feel safer, use the hand sanitiser if available and sign in.”

Eltham Food Swap has now re-started on the 4th Sunday of each month, 9.30-10.30am at Eltham Farmers’ Market. The next swap will therefore be on 24th January. One of the organisers of the swap, Bev Robertson, has written in to say that they would like some more people to volunteer to help organise the future swaps. If you are potentially interested, contact Bev by email (cantalabnb@bigpond.com).

Another new seed library in Darebin

Jika Jika Community Centre, 1B Plant Street, Northcote (corner of Plant and Union streets).

That makes 4 in total, with the other 3 being:

  • Alphington Community Centre, 2 Kelvin Grove, Alphington.
  • Newton Street Community Garden, 9 Newton Street, Reservoir.
  • Sylvester Hive Community Garden, corner of Dean and Gray Streets, Preston.

Best edible gardens in schools in North East Melbourne

Each year for the last 43 years, The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) has given out awards to a variety of schools for their gardens. Their 2020 awards were recently announced and they include:

  • Diamond Creek Primary School: Best Edible Garden among primary & special schools with less than 280 pupils.
  • Oxley Christian College, Chirnside Park: Best Edible Garden among P-9, P-12 and all secondary schools.

A key person at the edible garden at Diamond Creek Primary School is newsletter reader Jessica Betts. Congratulations, Jessica!

To be in the running to win an award, a school has to apply. From the awards page, it appears that the applications for 2021 will probably open at the beginning on March.

Woolly aphids

Last year, Jo Buckle asked for advice about the woolly aphids on her apple tree. She has now written in with an update: “Advice ranged from ‘do nothing’ to using organic sprays. I’m not keen on sprays, even organic, and I’m also quite lazy, so I chose the ‘do nothing and worry’ option (although I did re-prune and feed the tree). In spring, sure enough, the apple tree was infested with around a million aphids. However after a few weeks I noticed some little alien type red and black creatures on the backs of the leaves and, with the help of Google, I identified them as ladybird larvae. These little helpers eventually ate all of the aphids and then disappeared. My apple tree now has an abundance of growing apples. I have to admit that, until now, I have considered organic gardening to be a compromise where if you love nature you’re prepared to have a substandard (or no) harvest. This is the first time that I have actually witnessed the things that I read about in gardening books!”

Do you know – apple problem?

Velyne Moretti has a problem with the apples on her tree (see the photo). Is it the dreaded Queensland Fruit Fly? Email your response.

Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) – sources of advice?

Jo Buckle has written in to say that she lost all her plums this year to QFF and is looking for the best sources of advice for next year.

One of the main problems with QFF is that it can infest a wide range of fruit trees, not just plums. Watch this introductory video from Agriculture Victoria.

The National Fruit Fly Council divides home growers into ‘gardeners’ (that’s you) and ‘less able gardeners’ (that’s them over there)! Re QFF, their advice for less able gardeners is effectively: don’t grow fruit trees!

Here is some advice re QFF that has appeared in previous newsletters.

There is lots of advice re QFF on the Internet but what do you think are the best sources of advice? Email me with your suggested links.

Do you know – maize seeds?

Michelle Smith wants to grow some maize in order to make flour for human consumption. She is looking for advice about what varieties to grow. For example, early learning, manning white, multi-coloured aztec or silvermine? Email me with your thoughts and I’ll pass them onto Michelle.

Guy’s food growing tip – bananas

Last week, I harvested my first ever bunch of homegrown ripe bananas! Here is what I have learnt:

  • It is possible to grow bananas successfully in Melbourne. Furthermore, they taste yum.
  • The plants need protection in both Winter (cf. the frost) and Summer (cf. the intensity of the afternoon sun). I use shade cloth in both cases.
  • The plants grow quickly, become enormous (mine are around 5 metres high) and can’t be pruned.
  • The trick to getting the bananas to actually ripen is, according to local banana grower Stephen Onians, frequent fertilisation in small amounts.
  • A banana plant only ever has one bunch of bananas and then slowly dies (although it produces multiple pups before it dies).

I’m current experimenting with growing veggies in the chopped up logs of the cut down plants that have had bananas. I’ll report back at some stage.

Has anyone else had their bananas ripen successfully this year? Email me.

Read more of Guy’s food-growing tips.

The 2021 Urban Agriculture Forum will be held in the month of April. If you would like your upcoming event to be associated with this festival, apply here.

‘Crowd harvest’ – summer herbs

During January, take your surplus herb plants in pots, freshly cut herbs or dried herbs to NewHope Community Care in Blackburn North. They have clients who could make use of these herbs. Read this Facebook post for more information.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link was Angelo Eliades’ article on leaf problems on cherries and plums.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Did you hear about the Italian chef that died? He pasta way.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

Website calendars

By type of event: All once-off events (Cooking, Everything else, Free).

By Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming Home Harvest home garden tours

During February and March, LFC and NERP will be jointly organising some tours of people’s gardens. The first two will be:

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced
January
February

Upcoming events – cooking

Many of the upcoming cooking classes are in Richmond, which is at the edge of our North East Melbourne 'catchment area'. A number of you have requested that I separate out the Richmond classes from the other cooking classes, so that they latter can be more easily assimilated and this is what I have done below (with the exception of the newly announced events).

Newly announced
January
February
March
Richmond

LFC News January 6 2021

Jan 062021
 

Welcome to new joiners Alison, Ananya, Ann, Anna, Anne, Archna, Belinda, Carol, Catherine, Charlie, Charmaine, Cheryl, Chrissie, Damian, David, Deirdre, Delldint, Des, Emma, Erik, Georgia, Holly, Jo, Jo-Anne, Joel, John, Kate, Kate, Kathryn, Klara, Kristie, Kul, Lucy, Lyn, Lyn, Michelle, Mike, Mike, Nick, Nisha, Paul, Paula, Pauline, Per, Richard, Robert, Rosina, Sue, Toni and Vicky.

Now up to 3,100 subscribers! Yay!

My very best wishes to everyone in 2021.

I thought that I would start this newsletter by saying a few words about its envisaged shape in 2021. In summary, my hope and plan is that it combines the strengths of the 2019 (i.e. pre-pandemic) version with those of the 2020 (i.e. ‘peri-pandemic’) version.

The core of the 2019 (and earlier) newsletters was a calendar of upcoming, local food-related events, both once-off events (e.g. workshops) and regular events (e.g. food swaps). With face-to-face events now starting to happen again, the calendar will again become a key component of the newsletters.

When the local face-to-face events ceased in 2020, and were only partially replaced by online events, it looked like there would be insufficient material for the newsletters to remain weekly. But then the readership came to the rescue, asking/answering questions about food-related matters, offering tips, sending in photos and providing recipes. I would really like these levels of interactivity to continue into 2021 and I know that many of you would too. But this, dear readers, will depend on you. So, if you ever have anything that you would like to say or ask in future newsletters, email me.

So, the hope and plan for 2021 is to re-institute the calendar of events from 2019, whilst retaining the levels of interactivity achieved during 2020. And, as always, this will supplemented by regular food-growing articles (e.g. by Robin Gale-Baker and Angelo Eliades), garden visit writeups (e.g. by Judy Vizzari and Ann Stanley) and any local food-related news that I am aware of.

The newsletter will continue to be closely linked to the Local Food Connect website. All material from every newsletter will also be on the website, but organised by topic rather than chronologically. And whenever something is added to one of the website’s databases (local food producers, community gardens, food swaps, food is free organisations, etc), this will be highlighted in the newsletter.

If you have any thoughts about what you would like to read about in future newsletters, email me. If you would like to contribute, either as a once off or potentially more regularly, email me. If you know of any local food-related news or events, email me. Or if you would be willing for your garden to be visited by one of our roving reporters, email me.

Finally, here is my favourite food-related joke from 2020:
I recently visited a monastery and, as I walked past the kitchen, I saw a man frying chips.
I asked him “Are you the friar?”
He replied “No, I’m the chip monk.”

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Cecilia Macaulay, Delldint Megan Fleming, Joan Denison, Judy Vizzari, Jules Jay and Robin Gale-Baker.

Re-opening news

Most (but not all) markets have now re-opened. Ditto food swaps. Around half of the community gardens appear to have re-opened and the other half not. I have therefore reverted to the pre-pandemic format for these newsletters, whereby these events are listed in the right hand sidebar. Note that I haven’t been able to confirm all of the envisaged events so you might want to check before actually going.

Many face-to-face events have also started happening again, as listed later in this newsletter. Some events are continuing online but their numbers are dwindling.

Food is Free Blackburn

Food is Free Blackburn started during the pandemic. Like other food is free initiatives, it comprises a cupboard which is periodically stocked with fruit, vegetables, bread and other food which is made freely available for members of the public to take. Corner of Hill Street and Main Street. Organised by Delldint Megan Fleming. Read the Food is Free Blackburn page in our Local Food Directory. Join the Food is Free Blackburn Facebook group. Welcome Delldint!

That brings the total up to 5 food is free initiatives in North East Melbourne.

A new food swap in Hurstbridge

The 2nd Saturday of each month, 10-11am, so the first swap is on this coming Saturday, 9th January. At Edible Hub Hurstbridge, Hurstbridge Community Hub, 50 Graysharps Road. Contact person: Jules Jay (julie@rebuspress.com.au). Join their Facebook group. Congratulations to Jules and also Lucinda (Flynn) for resurrecting this swap.

That brings the total up to 35 regular food swaps across North East Melbourne.

A possible new community garden in Oakhill Village, Preston

Darebin Council is currently seeking expressions of interest for a dedicated group of local gardeners to take over the establishment and maintenance of the garden. There are some Council funds available to contribute to the establishment of the garden plus some in in-kind support and other resources. For more information about how to register your interest, contact Natalie Nigol, Darebin Sustainable Food Officer by email (natalie.nigol@darebin.vic.gov.au).

Judy visits the garden of Jules Jay and Robin Longworth in Hurstbridge

If you have ever come across either North East Region Permaculture Group (NERP) or the Edible Hub Hurstbridge community garden, then you have probably also come across Jules Jay, who is active in both organisations. Less well known is that Jules and partner Robin live on an 18-acre property near Hurstbridge where they lead a permaculture lifestyle. Judy Vizzari recently visited them and has written up the results.

As Judy discusses, Jules and Robin have 270,000 litres of water storage, a massive netted orchard, a perennial food garden and a large veggie patch. They also have chickens, roosters, muscovy ducks, geese and two cows. In terms of their self-sufficient philosophy, Judy says “we talked about the eggs and their uses (Jules recommends chicken eggs for eating and duck eggs for cooking). She told me that the birds are the farm’s main focus, then described the work involved in breeding and caring for them, including sessions of humane slaughtering and highly organised plucking and cleaning. Jules and Robin are ‘nose to tail’ eaters and utilise all parts of the bird – they’re either cooked and consumed (meat and offal), or used to make soup and stock, whilst fats are rendered for lard and feathers are consigned to compost.”

Read the full visit writeup.

Want to become a garlic farmer?

Most of the details of Farmer Incubator’s 2021 Pop up garlic farmer program have now been finalised. The course starts on Saturday, 20th February and registrations close on 7th February. Read more and potentially register.

Does your group want a webinar on decluttering?

Newsletter reader Cecilia Macaulay presents webinars on decluttering as her job. For example, Declutter your body, create a garden of food in your fridge on Sunday, 10th January, 2-3.30pm. If your group is potentially interested in hosting one of Cecilia’s webinars, email her to discuss.

What seeds to plant in January

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mustard greens
Parsley
Silverbeet

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish

Perennials

Chives

 
January is not a good planting month: too late for all summer veggies except beans and sweetcorn and, although you can plant leafy greens such as lettuce and mustard greens, they are likely to go to seed pretty quickly.

Newsletter reader growing tip: pruning herbs over summer

From Robin Gale-Baker: “To save water over the summer, I’m cutting back my herb border. Pruning off the long stems saves water as these take up a lot during hot weather. There is plenty of soft new growth under the long stems which, if required, I can protect with shade cloth for a week or two so that they don’t burn. I will also water every second day for the next couple of weeks but then not much after that.”

Did you see Poppysmack on the TV over the holidays?

Local food producer PoppySmack, who make a variety of Asian sauces, recently featured on a TV advert by the insurer AAMI. Lucky, they’re with AAMI. It (Poppysmack, not AAMI) is a two-person operation, namely sisters Tran (who lives in Blackburn) and Hanh (who lives in Warrandyte), both of whom feature in the advert.

Angelo’s latest article – fruit tree problems

Angelo Eliades, who lives in Preston, has written an article entitled fruit tree problems – new leaves tightly curled and turning yellow on cherries and plums.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

The ‘ISO chooks’ in Eltham and surrounds

As many of you will know, Joan Denison’s ‘ISO chooks’ have been sweeping across Eltham and surrounding suburbs and now number around 3,000(!). Some of them have reached Incredible Edible Eltham’s railway station planter boxes.

Permablitz Melbourne’s food hero of the month – grapes

“Summer and grapes go together like hot weather and a chilled glass of wine, for those who like a tipple, or frozen grapes for the kids (and even us ‘big’ kids). Learn why grapes are so great for the garden.” Read more.

Read more Permablitz’s food heroes of the month.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link was Robin Gale-Baker’s video on how to grow mint.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Take the cake This is a phrase with several different meanings, including opposites. Let’s start with the meaning which relates to the original derivation: carry off the honours. Per Wikipedia, the cakewalk was a type of competitive dance held in the mid-19th century, generally at get-togethers on black slave plantations before and after emancipation in the Southern United States. The winners were said to have ‘taken the cake’, which was often the prize.

Nowadays, take the cake can be used to mean either ‘to be especially good’ or (sarcastically) the opposite, ‘to be especially bad’. Or it can have a less judgemental meaning, namely ‘to be the most extreme instance’. The British take the biscuit has a similar set of alternative possible meanings.

For no obvious reason, the related phrase cakewalk means ‘very easy’, perhaps because someone got confused between take the cake and the unrelated piece of cake, where the latter also means ‘very easy’.

Phrases that can be their own opposites, like take the cake, are sometimes referred to as ‘Janus phrases’ after the two-headed god that looked both ways simultaneously. Common ‘Janus words’ include ‘fast’ (which means both to move quickly and to stay put), ‘sanction’ (which means both to give approval to and to penalise), ‘screen’ (which means both to display and to conceal from view), ‘dust’ (which means both to make free of fine particles and to sprinkle with fine particles), left (which means both to leave and to remain) and ‘oversight’ (which means both a watchful care and an inadvertent omission).

Read more proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Until we can comprehend the beguiling beauty of a single flower, we are woefully unable to grasp the meaning and potential of life itself.” by Virginia Woolf.

Read more gardening quotes.

Joke (or pun) of the week

A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

As has become traditional, the list of events below covers the next two months and is divided between non-cooking and cooking events. Clicking the name of any event will take you to the corresponding page on our website where you can read more detail (including the event description) and/or register/book your place. This format is similar to the pre-pandemic format but a bit shorter.

The events listed are restricted to face-to-face events and do not include online events. Obviously, they are also restricted to those that I am aware of. If you know of any local, food-related events that are not listed then please email me. If someone emails me about their event then, because I believe in rewarding effort, I will highlight it in the next newsletter.

For example, Cecilia Macaulay has written in to make me aware of her next webinar. Declutter your body, create a garden of food in your fridge: Sunday, 10th January, 2-3.30pm; $donation; organised by Cecilia Macaulay. Read more and book on EventBrite.

You can also look at the various calendars on the website, including:

The website calendars have a number of features which allow you to filter or re-format the list of events to suit your purposes. These include:

  • Filtering by suburb or Council area (click the green button top left called ‘locations’).
  • Alternating between a list format and a calendar format (click the button top right called ‘agenda’).
  • Registering/booking your place for a particular event (click the button on the right of the event called ‘tickets’).
  • Reading the event description for a particular event (click the button on the right of the event called ‘+’).

There are also website calendars for all the recurring events including community garden get togethers, food swaps, free meals and markets.

Finally, there are separate website calendars for each of the Council areas in North East Melbourne.

Upcoming events – not cooking

January
February

Upcoming events – cooking

January
February