March

LFC News March 31 2021

Mar 312021

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Choon Yeok, Helen Simpson, Karen Olsen, Linda Wall, Megan Goodman, Mick Sheard, Robin Gale-Baker and Stuart Rodda.

We would love to hear from more of you and include some of your words about any food-related matters in future newsletters. Email us with your contribution(s)!.

Robin’s food growing tip – kaolin clay and Queensland Fruit Fly

Kaolin clay, best known by home gardeners as a spray to control gall wasp, has apparently proved to be successful in trials as a preventative for Queensland Fruit Fly infestation. Trials are ongoing.

Kaolin clay is an organically registered product, described as a ‘light spray oil emulsion’. It is made of clay (as the name suggests) and, when sprayed, provides a light, white covering for fruit, stems and leaves. It is effective on citrus, stone fruits, pome fruits (including apples) and tomatoes. The Department of Primary Industry has reported that sting marks on apples were reduced by 92% and that there were no larvae or maggots in the fruit in a trial run at Bathurst, NSW.

The spray is also ‘soft’ on beneficial insects. It deters grasshoppers, codling moth, leafrollers, mites, thrips, some moths and Plum curculio, as well as gall wasp. These insects are deterred from landing, feeding and egg laying by the unsuitable surface that the kaolin clay film creates. Note that it needs to be produced commercially to refine it to the correct particulate size as pure kaolin clay will kill trees.

To be effective, trees need to be fully sprayed and research thus far suggests spraying early in the season is essential. Spraying needs to be done three times, a week apart each time, and will not work unless all three sprays take place. To be effective, spraying should be to the point where the solution drips from the leaves. Rain will not wash it off until late in the season when its job will have been done.

Additionally, strong, healthy trees get the best results. This requires good soil and water management so that the trees are well fed and can draw on plenty of moisture. This in turn encourages the presence of beneficial insects and deters attacks by non-beneficial ones.

My experience is that I may have inadvertently protected the fruit on my 6 citrus trees by spraying kaolin clay from October to December to deter gall wasp. While many of my friends have citrus (particularly lemon trees) that have been devastated by Queensland Fruit Fly, my trees are completely free of this pest.

In summary, kaolin clay looks like a very promising treatment for Queensland Fruit Fly. I will be using it from August onwards but I will also be combining it with other methods including exclusion netting, pheromone and protein traps, and biodiverse planting under all my fruit trees to encourage beneficial insect predators.

A new group based in Moreland – Growing Farmers

Growing Farmers is a new group based in Moreland whose mission is “to support regenerative farming in urban communities“. Their main initial project, called Backyard Farmers, aims “to match aspiring urban farmers and volunteers with people who wish to maintain the productivity of their gardens“, starting in Fawkner. Click here to read a recent ABC article about the project.

Stuart’s not-so-small hand tool of the week – a power planter

Power planters are an auger-like digging tool for quickly making planting holes and are powered by an ordinary battery drill. You can dig many holes in a few minutes, including going deeper than most hand tools, to provide an easy growth path for roots plus the soil is broken up and piled around the hole ready to be packed back in around the plant. Also, they are fun to use! A robust version costs only $20 from Kogan (auger only, you supply the drill!) or you can buy one from specialist suppliers for upwards of $70. One drawback – if you hit a stone under the soil surface, there can be a strong kickback through your hands/wrist so be careful!

This brings us to the end of Stuart’s 7-part series on hand tools. Thanks, Stuart!

Read Stuart’s other articles about garden tools.

Yes, you did know

Sweet potatoes

Last week Mary Turner asked about the disease on her sweet potato leaves and when she should harvest the sweet potatoes.

Angelo Eliades has responded: “The photos are taken too far away for accurate diagnosis but if the brown patches have a yellow halo around them and they are on older leaves which eventually drop, then it’s likely to be the fungal disease Alternaria leaf spot. This disease is more prevalent when dry and rainy periods occur, or when plants are watered overhead wetting their leaves, especially in the evening. Harvest sweet potatoes when the leaves and ends of the vines begin turning yellow.”

[Editor: I harvest when the vines die back but, if in doubt, I leave them a bit longer as most of the bulking up is done in the last few weeks.]

Custard apples

Last week, I asked where I could buy custard apples locally. A number of you replied.

Karen Olsen: “I have found custard apples at the Vic markets and several Asian food grocers. I discovered custard apple when I moved into my first share house at university. Every week, one or two housemates would do the weekly shop at the Vic markets – the variety of the whole market, including custard apples, was a food revelation!”

Helen Simpson: “Many years ago I used to buy them in Coles. We used to have an ‘unusual fruit tasting’ every week and custard applies often featured.”

Choon Yeok: “I have bought custard apples from Woolworth and Coles before.”

My wife: “Woolworths sell them and currently have them in stock. You should have just asked me!”

Prickly pear fruit

Last week, Cathy Romeo asked about where she could buy prickly pear fruit locally (as the picture shows, she has found a place but it is not local).

Mick Sheard from Imbue Distillery replied: “We use prickly pear fruit in our gin. It is very difficult to buy in the shops and we usually get ours by either foraging (e.g. in Wattle Glen) or from roadside stalls (e.g. in Melton).”

Linda Wall also replied: “I’ve seen them for sale at Preston Market. I also have a prickly pear cactus in my garden and am happy to sell some of the fruit.”

‘Crowd harvest’ – tomatoes for Easter

Gardeners with excess tomatoes are invited to give them to one of the not-for profit organisations listed below who will, in turn, preserve them as passata, chutney, sundried or dell’olio and then distribute through their food relief programs. The program runs until 12th April. DIVRS in Preston or STREAT in Collingwood.

Meg’s garden this month

The pumpkin stems have only just started to brown but I harvest them anyway – seven large Queensland Blue are sitting like sentinels under the porch at the front door. I leave a section of stem intact for longer storage. Traditionally you wait until the stems have fully browned and then harvest your pumpkins after the first really cool day in autumn, but our few will be used within the next few months. This enables me to finally clean up the long and rambling vines that had spread across the driveway and were looking tired with their dusting of white powdery mildew.

It is a month of lasts, with the last tomatoes, beans and other summer crops gathered. The chillies and capsicums are now standing alone, unripe as the crops get cleared around them. It is also a month of firsts, and we celebrate the start of the apples (golden delicious), pears (corella) and figs (unknown). Veggie beds are cleaned out, turned over and made ready for new plantings of broccoli, peas and winter greens. The passionfruit vine is still delivering and the kids demand Grandma’s passionfruit custard slice. This is a cheat’s version of vanilla slice using lattice biscuits but it works well and, more importantly, uses a few passionfruit!

Passionfruit custard slice

Base (and top)
1 packet of lattice biscuits

Filling
300ml of strained passionfruit pulp (no seeds)
2 cups water
¾ cup sugar
100g custard powder
1 teaspoon gelatine

Icing
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon soft butter
1 tablespoon passionfruit pulp (with seeds)
a little hot water

In a 20cm square tin, arrange a layer of the lattice biscuits as the base.

In a small pot, mix the custard powder with a bit of the water to form a paste then add the remaining water, sugar and strained passionfruit pulp and stir over gentle heat until it starts to thicken.

Dissolve the gelatine in a little water and add to the custard, stir well and pour over the base.

Arrange a second layer of lattice biscuits on top. Refrigerate until set.

Make the icing by adding the icing sugar to a bowl and the butter on top. Mix the icing ingredients together, being very careful with the amount of water you add – just enough to bring the icing together to a spreadable consistency.

Smooth the icing over the top layer of lattice biscuits and set. Cut into squares using the biscuits as a grid.

Another new article from Angelo Eliades

The question is should eucalyptus leaves be composted or used as garden mulch?.

[The answer is no. No to composting because they release hydrocarbons which are harmful to earthworms. And no to mulch because they release allelopathic compounds which are harmful to many plants.]

Three new videos from Karen Sutherland

Karen, who lives in Pascoe Vale South, specialises in growing native bush tucker. She has recently published three videos:

What seeds to plant in April

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

Brassicas

Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Pak choy

Cool season veggies

Broad beans
Coriander
Fennel
Garlic
Peas

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach

Other

Beetroot
Carrot
Chives
Parsley
Potato
Radish
Shallot

If you didn’t plant your cool season veggies in March, April is a good month. So, plant those broad beans, peas, garlic and brassicas. Also, plant some leafy greens.

Read Robin Gale-Baker’s 2020 articles on growing broad beans, cauliflower and garlic.

Read Helen Simpson’s 2016 articles on growing brassicas and garlic. Also, autumn plantings more generally.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade Meaning: be optimistic and have a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune.. This is one of those rare sayings which originated with a known person on a known date: someone called Elbert Hubbard invented the phrase (with slightly different wording) in a 1915 obituary about someone called Marshall Pinckney Wilder (who was both a dwarf and a successful actor). The idea is that, whilst lemons suggest sourness, making lemonade is turning them into something positive or desirable. In other words, negatives can be turned into positives.

Incidentally, Elbert Hubbard was a Christian anarchist. Christian anarchists believe that God should be the sole authority and therefore reject the idea of human governance. They tend to be pro Jesus but anti Paul. Pro the Sermon on the Mount but anti Romans 13. Pro faith but anti church. Pro ‘turning the other cheek’ but anti ‘eye for an eye’. Interpret “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” as ‘advice to free oneself from material attachment’ rather than ‘support for taxes’. Believers in pacifism and nonviolence. The most well-known Christian anarchist was Leo Tolstoy.

As Charlie Harper said to his less successful brother Alan in the sitcom Two and a Half Men: “The difference between you and me is, when life gives me lemons, I make lemonade. When you get lemons, you just bite into them and suck them inside out.”

Or, as the narrator said in the game Battleblock: “When life gives you potatoes, make potato salad.”

Gardening quote of the month

“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever.” by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Joke (or pun) of the week

What room has no doors, no walls, no floor and no ceiling? A mushroom.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

Website calendars

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

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

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced

Seed raising workshop: Sunday, 18th April, 11am-12.30pm; free; Reservoir.
Introduction to gardening (8 sessions): 8 consecutive Wednesdays starting 21st April, each 9.30am-midday; $250 ($13 per hour); Greensborough.
Tea time at Heide: Thursday, 20th May, 2-4pm; $22 ($11 per hour); Bulleen.
Introduction to growing vegetables: Saturday, 22nd May, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); Surrey Hills.
Edible weeds walk: Saturday, 22nd May, 10.30am-12.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.
Edible weeds walk: Saturday, 22nd May, 1.30-3.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.
Kitchen medicine – garden farmacy: Sunday, 23rd May, 2-4.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Permaculture workshop: Wednesday, 31st March, 6-8pm; gold coin donation; Preston.
Community gardens: more than just growing food: Wednesday, 31st March, 7-8pm; free; Balwyn.

April

The art of espalier: Thursday, 1st April, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Growing in polytunnels: Saturday, 3rd April, 9am-1pm; $96 ($24 per hour); Coburg.
Spoke and Spade (garden tour): Saturday, 10th April at 10-11am and again at 11.30am-12.30pm; $15; Heidelberg West.
Keeping the soil healthy and productive: Saturday, 10th April, 10am-1pm; free; Brunswick.
Bakery Hill whisky distillery tour and tasting: Saturday, 10th April, 2-3.30pm; $59 ($40 per hour); Bayswater North.
Cameron Street garden (garden tour): Sunday, 11th April at 10-11am and again at 11.30am-12.30pm; $15; Coburg.
Greg’s organic backyard (garden tour): Sunday, 11th April at 10-11am and again at 11.30am-12.30pm; $15; Fawkner.
Bee hive tour: Sunday, 11th April, 10.30am-12.30pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Yarrambat.
Beales Road Farm tour: Tuesday, 13th April, 1-2pm; $10; Greensborough.
Urban agriculture micro-business tour: Saturday, 17th April, 9.30am-4pm; $100 ($15 per hour); CERES.
Jules and Robin’s permaculture property tour: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-midday; $10; Hurstbridge.
Food production in small vegetable gardens: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-1pm; free; Brunswick.
Organic vegetable gardening: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.
Herb and companion planting: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-3pm; $110 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Taste Heide: Saturday, 17th April, 3-4.30pm; $20 ($14 per hour); Bulleen.
Brewers Feast Festival: Saturday, 17th April, 11am-8pm and Sunday, 18th April, 11am-5pm; $20; Abbotsford.
Bakery Hill whisky distillery tour and tasting: Sunday, 18th April, 2-3.30pm; $59 ($40 per hour); Bayswater North.
Urban foraging: Sunday, 18th April, 2-4pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Forest Hill.
Heritage apple tasting: Sunday, 18th April, 3-5pm; $15; Templestowe.
In praise of veg: Wednesday, 21st April, 6.30-8.15pm; free; Richmond.
The joy of backyard chooks: Thursday, 22nd April, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Growing high profit crops: Saturday, 24th April, 9am-1pm; $96 ($24 per hour); Coburg.
Wild food and medicine walk: Saturday, 24th April, 10am-midday; $25 ($13 per hour); Northcote.
Autumn plant sale: Saturday, 24th April, 10am-4pm; free; Eltham.

May

Growing fruit and veggies in small spaces: Saturday, 1st May, 9.30am-12.30pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Veggie gardening for beginners: Saturday, 1st May, 11.45am-1pm; free; Box Hill.
Build a bee hotel: Sunday, 2nd May, 9.45-10.45am; $5; Box Hill.
Olive oil festival: Sunday, 2nd May, 10am-3pm; $10; Thomastown.
Intro to permaculture (two sessions): Sunday, 2nd May and Sunday, 16th May, both 10am-3pm; $220 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Food forests for balcony gardens: Tuesday, 4th May, 7-8.30pm; free; Coburg.
Beginners composting and worm farming workshop: Wednesday, 5th May, 10am-midday; free; Ringwood.
Healthy productive compost and worms: Thursday, 6th May, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Complete urban farmer (14 sessions): starting Friday, 7th May, 9am-3pm; $880 for ACFE eligible participants ($10 per hour); CERES.
Food photography: Saturday, 8th May, 9.30am-12.30pm; $106 ($35 per hour); Eltham.
Veggie gardening for beginners: Saturday, 8th May, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Advanced composting workshop: Saturday, 8th May, 10am-midday; free; Ringwood.
Edible weeds: Saturday, 8th May, 10am-midday; $50 ($25 per hour); CERES.
Edible weeds walk: Saturday, 8th May, 10.30am-12.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.
Beekeeping workshop: Saturday, 8th May, 1-3.30pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Brunswick East.
Edible weeds walk: Saturday, 8th May, 1.30-3.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.
Produce in pots: Sunday, 9th May, 9.30am-midday; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Olive magic: Saturday, 15th May, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.
Home brewing: Saturday, 15th May, 10am-3pm; $80 ($16 per hour); CERES.
Build a bee hotel: Saturday, 15th May, 2.30-4.30pm; $100 ($50 per hour); Fitzroy.
Organic growing with biodynamic methods (2 days): Saturday, 15th May 9.30am to Sunday, 16th May 4.30pm; $250 ($18 per hour); CERES.
Ageing and wellness information session: Tuesday, 18th May, 2-3pm; free; Surrey Hills.

Upcoming events – cooking

Newly announced

Kids cooking with Jill: Monday, 12th April, 10am-midday; $8; Yarra Glen.
Cupcake decorating: Thursday, 15th April, 10am-midday; $45 ($23 per hour); Chirnside Park.
Cupcake decorating: Thursday, 15th April, 1-3pm; $45 ($23 per hour); Chirnside Park.
Sourdough basics: Thursday, 13th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $95 ($32 per hour); Fitzroy.
Beginners cheese making class: Saturday, 22nd May, 10am-3pm; $180 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.
Preserving the season’s harvest: Saturday, 22nd May, 10am-3pm; $110 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Cook from the Siciliano book: Saturday, 22nd May, midday-2.30pm; $129 ($52 per hour); Kew.
Chocolate discovery class: Saturday, 22nd May, 1.30-2.30pm; $48 ($48 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Artisan bread making: Sunday, 23rd May, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Italian pasta making: Sunday, 23rd May, midday-2pm; $74 ($37 per hour); Fitzroy.
Cupcake decorating workshop: Monday, 24th May, 12.30-2.30pm; free; Doncaster East.
The ultimate biscuit class: Tuesday, 25th May, 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.
Sri Lankan cooking class: Tuesday, 25th May, 6-9pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Surrey Hills.

March

The mighty booch – DIY kombucha: Wednesday, 31st March, 6.30-8.30pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Fitzroy.

April

Become a junior chocolatier: Wednesday, 7th April, 9-9.45am, 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am; $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Become a junior chocolatier: Thursday, 8th April, 9-9.45am, 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am; $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Sourdough bread workshop: Saturday, 10th April, 9am-11.30pm; $165 ($66 per hour); Brunswick East.
Vegan cooking Italian style: Saturday, 10th April, 10am-3pm; $110 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Beginners bread making: Sunday, 11th April, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Feta and haloumi cheese making: Sunday, 11th April, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.
Lets make dumplings: Sunday, 11th April, 11am-3pm; $125 ($31 per hour); Alphington.
Sicilian cannoli: Sunday, 11th April, 2-4pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Fitzroy.
The ultimate biscuit class: Tuesday, 13th April, 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.
Become a junior chocolatier: Wednesday, 14th April, 9-9.45am, 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am; $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Become a junior chocolatier: Thursday, 15th April, 9-9.45am, 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am; $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Sourdough bread workshop: Saturday, 17th April, 9am-11.30pm; $165 ($66 per hour); Brunswick East.
Sourdough bread baking: Saturday, 17th April, 9am-5pm; $180 ($23 per hour); CERES.
From milk to cheese: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-3pm; $180 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.
Beginners bread making: Sunday, 18th April, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Gluten-free kitchen skills: Sunday, 18th April, 10am-3pm; $110 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Vietnamese classics: Sunday, 18th April, 10.30am-3pm; $160 ($36 per hour); Panton Hill.
Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters: Sunday, 18th April, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.
Become a junior chocolatier: Saturday, 24th April, 9-9.45am and again at 10-10.45am; $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Choux pastry workshop: Saturday, 24th April, 11am-12.30pm; $55 ($37 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Artisan bread making: Sunday, 25th April, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Chocolate discovery class: Sunday, 25th April, 11am-midday; $48 ($48 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Chinese dumplings class with Jo Kendray: Sunday, 25th April, 5-7pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Fitzroy.
The ultimate biscuit class: Tuesday, 27th April, 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.
Sourdough breadmaking workshop: Wednesday, 28th April, 10am-1pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Surrey Hills.
Sourdough basics: Wednesday, 28th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $95 ($32 per hour); Fitzroy.
Truffle and praline workshop: Thursday, 29th April, 6-10pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Blackburn.
Vegetarian cooking class: Thursday, 29th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.

May

Sourdough bread workshop: Saturday, 1st May, 9am-11.30pm; $165 ($66 per hour); Brunswick East.
Wild fermentation class (pickling and sauerkraut): Saturday, 1st May, 10am-1pm; $85 ($28 per hour); Dixons Creek.
Cheese making: Saturday, 1st May, 10am-2pm; $130 ($33 per hour); Kinglake.
Master Vietnamese finger food: Saturday, 1st May, 10.30am-3pm; $160 ($36 per hour); Panton Hill.
Choux pastry workshop: Saturday, 1st May, 11am-12.30pm; $55 ($37 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Indian cooking: Saturday, 1st May, 10am-3pm; $110 ($22 per hour); CERES.
Beginners bread making: Sunday, 2nd May, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Intro to fermenting at home: Sunday, 2nd May, 10am-midday; $70 ($35 per hour); CERES.
Cook from the Siciliano book: Wednesday, 5th May, 7-9.30pm; $129 ($52 per hour); Kew.
The mighty booch – DIY kombucha: Thursday, 6th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Fitzroy.
Seasonal ferments: kimchi + kombucha : Saturday, 8th May, 9-11.30am; $135 ($54 per hour); Brunswick East.
Cook from the Siciliano book: Saturday, 8th May, midday-2.30pm; $129 ($52 per hour); Kew.
Middle Eastern cooking: Saturday, 8th May, 3.30-5.30pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Balwyn North.
Lets make dumplings: Sunday, 9th May, 11am-3pm; $125 ($31 per hour); Alphington.
Chai tea workshop: Sunday, 9th May, 2-3.30pm; $20 ($14 per hour); Alphington.
Vegan Italian experience – pasta and dessert class: Sunday, 9th May, 4-6.30pm; $69 ($28 per hour); Fitzroy.
The ultimate biscuit class: Tuesday, 11th May, 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.
Dumplings workshop: Friday, 14th May, 10am-12.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Surrey Hills.
Sourdough bread workshop: Saturday, 15th May, 9am-11.30pm; $165 ($66 per hour); Brunswick East.
Beginners bread making: Sunday, 16th May, 8am-2pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.
Parmesan cheese making: Sunday, 16th May, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.
Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters: Sunday, 16th May, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.
Cook from the Siciliano book: Wednesday, 19th May, 7-9.30pm; $129 ($52 per hour); Kew.

In Richmond

Dumpling party: Thursday, 1st April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Nonna’s comfort food (Italian): Tuesday, 6th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 8th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
La cucina della Puglia: Thursday, 8th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Thai cooking master class: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia: Friday, 9th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 10th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 10th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 11th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 11th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 11th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 13th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 15th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
The cuisine of Central Italy: Thursday, 15th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Street food of Asia: Friday, 16th April, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 16th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 17th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 17th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 17th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 18th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 18th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Pizza making party: Sunday, 18th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 20th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 22nd April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
A night in Rome: Thursday, 22nd April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Pizza making party: Friday, 23rd April, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
Indian cooking master class: Friday, 23rd April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 24th April, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 24th April, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Going native Australia: Saturday, 24th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
A seafood feast: Tuesday, 27th April, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 29th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 30th April, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
Chinese cooking master class: Friday, 30th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 1st May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Thai cooking master class: Saturday, 1st May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Street food of Asia : Saturday, 1st May, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 2nd May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Vietnamese cooking master class: Sunday, 2nd May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Japanese cooking master class: Sunday, 2nd May, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 6th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 7th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Thai cooking master class: Friday, 7th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 8th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Japanese cooking master class: Saturday, 8th May, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 8th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 9th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 9th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 9th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 13th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Street food of Asia: Friday, 14th May, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 15th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 15th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 15th May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 16th May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 16th May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Pizza making party: Sunday, 16th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
Pasta e basta!: Tuesday, 18th May, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
La cucina della Sardegna: Thursday, 20th May, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Thursday, 20th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Pizza making party: Friday, 21st May, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
Indian cooking master class: Friday, 21st May, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Saturday, 22nd May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 22nd May, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Going native Australia: Saturday, 22nd May, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
Dumpling party: Sunday, 23rd May, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
Vegan cooking master class: Sunday, 23rd May, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.

LFC News March 24 2021

Mar 252021

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cathy Romeo, Karen Olsen, Lee Hirsh, Mary Turner, Natalie Nigol, Robin Gale-Baker, Stuart Rodda and Vasundhara Kandpal.

We would love to hear from more of you and include some of your words about any food-related matters in future newsletters. Email us with your contribution(s)!.

Re-opening news

A new community garden, called Regent Community Garden, is starting in Reservoir. Their launch party is on Sunday (i.e. 28th March), 1.30-4.30pm.

Mooroolbark Urban Harvest (aka food swap). is celebrating 5th birthday on Saturday, 10th April, 10-11.30am. Red Earth Community Park, Brice Avenue, Mooroolbark. Wear your best party gear. There will be birthday cake and tea or coffee provided (but you’ll have to bring your own mug).

The Basin Food is Free Community Garden has resumed its working bees. 1st Sunday and 3rd Thursday of each month. Rear, 2 Liverpool Road, The Basin.

Yuck Ice cream FOOD

YUCK Ice cream FOOD, who are based in Croydon North, makes ice cream with fresh, raw vegetables. There are 5 flavours: celery & fennel, garlic & onion, peas & parsley, radish & zucchini and red chilli pickles. The vegetables are blended with sugar, honey, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and double thick cream to make the ice cream. There is no cooking (hence all the nutrition from the vegetables is retained) and no use of gums (unlike most ice cream). It is a unique food which can be eaten at any time of day. You can buy the ice cream every week at Eltham Farmers’ market. Welcome, Jimmy!

Three new articles from Robin

The March newsletter from Sustainable Macleod contains three articles from Robin Gale-Baker:

Fermenting tomato seed to remove disease.
Rusty vegetables? (an article about rust fungal diseases).
Should I use a wound paint on pruning cuts? (answer: no).

Stuart’s not-so-small hand tool of the week – a flamethrower

As drastic as it sounds, a flamethrower can be used safely to quickly kill weeds without using nasty chemicals, and also destroy any seeds which the weedy plants have already made before they can fall to the ground and continue the cycle. If you can, use an existing LPG cylinder, cheap flamethrowers are around $50 and you can cover a large area quite quickly. This tool is not for the normal small home garden.

Read Stuart’s other articles about garden tools.

Want some kefir grains?

Karen Olsen, who is based in Eltham, regularly has spare kefir grains to give away (a batch every week or so). If you want some, email Karen with your phone number and she will put you on her list to contact when a batch is ready for you.

In passing, Karen would like to give a shout out to Robyn at Peninsula Fresh Organics, who gave her the grains in the first place – she finds that kefir grains can vary in flavour, depending on where they come from, and Robyn’s ones make a lovely brew.

Some more sources of free spent coffee grounds

A few new, local sources of free spent coffee grounds. If possible, you should ring them in advance.

All Are Welcome Bakery; 190 High Street, Northcote.
Northcote Social Club; 301 High Street, Northcote; 9489 3917.
Rhubarb Rhubarb Organics; C247 Preston Market, Cramer Street. Preston; 9478 7344.

There are now 29 local sources of free spent coffee grounds listed on our website.

You might have noticed that all 5 of the new sources are from within Darebin. Furthermore, 22 of the 29 sources listed on our website (i.e. 75%) are from within Darebin. This is not a coincidence. Rather, it is because Darebin is more organised than elsewhere when it comes to local food (which is also why there are more community gardens in Darebin than anywhere else) and it is also because Natalie Nigol from Darebin Council tells me when there are new cafes added to their Cafe to Garden program.

Do you know?

Sweet potatoes

Mary Turner has written in: “A disease on the leaves of my sweet potatoes started slowly but is gradually overtaking the whole plant. What is the disease and do I need to destroy the plant before harvest?“. She also asks, “How to I tell when my sweet potatoes are ready to harvest?”” Email us with your replies.

Prickly pear fruit

Cathy Romeo has written in: “I recently bought some prickly pear fruit in Mount Beauty – I spotted them on the nature strip as I was driving, where an elderly couple had little fruit stall. Although I have bought some for now, I am interested in knowing where one can get them from in Melbourne. Can anyone suggest anywhere local where I can buy prickly pear fruit?” Email us with your replies.

Custard apples

Inspired by Cathy’s question, I also have a question: “Can anyone suggest where I can buy custard apple fruit (not the plant, just the fruit)?” Email us with your replies.”

And the winner is …

The winner of Open Gardens Victoria’s recent productive patch competition was newsletter contributor Jian Liu, who lives in Camberwell. “Boldly, the garden utilises aquaponics and, by recycling household waste, the Liu’s have developed a ‘closed system’ for nutrient collection and soil improvement.” Read more.

Jian’s article about her pond is one of my favourite articles on our website. Her Instagram account is also incredible popular.

Vasundhara’s recipe of the week – beet wellington

Ingredients

3 medium beetroots
1½ cups walnuts
500g mushrooms
4 large sprigs of rosemary
1 x 320g sheet of dairy-free puff pastry
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200degC fan-assisted.

Peel and roughly chop the beetroot, then transfer it to a baking tray. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle with olive oil, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the walnuts to a food processor and process them until they have completely broken down. Then add the mushrooms and rosemary to the food processor and process everything together until the mixture turns into a smooth paste.

Transfer the mushroom mixture to a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry for 12-15 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan (add a splash of olive oil if necessary). When it’s done, transfer the mushroom mixture to a large mixing bowl and leave it to one side.

Add the beetroot to the food processor and blitz into gritty form. Then transfer the processed beetroot to the mixing bowl with the mushroom mixture. Add the apple cider vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper (give the mixture a taste to make sure you have seasoned it appropriately). Stir everything well to combine, then leave the mixture to cool completely (we leave it outside during the winter to cool down quickly).

Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking paper and unroll the sheet of puff pastry on top of the baking paper. When the wellington mixture has cooled, use a spoon to transfer it down one side of the pastry, stacking it approximately 5cm wide and tall. You will need to leave approximately 3cm on one side, as well as above and below the mixture.

Next, carefully lift one side of the pastry and cover the mixture, pressing down around the edges to enclose the wellington tightly. It is important that the pastry is tight around the mixture to prevent the wellington collapsing when it is in the oven.

Trim any leftover pastry, then brush the wellington with olive oil. Use a sharp knife to cut slices along the top of the pastry to allow the moisture to escape, then bake the wellington in the oven at 200degC fan-assisted for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

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.

The history of this newsletter and the website: 2018

When I first joined Local Food Connect in 2012, the subject of local food producers was much discussed at Committee meetings and, when establishing the Local Food Directory in 2014, I simply assumed that the local food producers and their interactions with the public were, or should be, at the centre of the local food community that we were trying to foster. But this has turned out not really to be the case. This first became apparent to me through my involvement in setting up Eltham Farmers’ Market: there are lots of interactions at farmers’ markets between producers and the public but these interactions are basically the same regardless of whether or not the producer is local; and, as a corollary, some local food producers who do not participate in markets only have, and only seek to have, limited interactions with the local community.

Rather, I concluded that the centre of the local food community that we were trying to foster is more the numerous community gardens that exist in North East Melbourne together with the food swaps and workshops that are often associated with them. For those who have never been to a food swap or a community garden working bee, these are essentially social events involving people who have a common interest, namely growing veggies and fruit trees. It is also clear from my interactions with newsletter readers that many/most of the readership have a similar home growing interest. In other words, it is more the home growing of food that binds us together than the local commercial growing and making of food.

I therefore decided that I wanted to talk to, and hopefully visit, each of the 60 or so community gardens and work with each of them to develop material for the website. Hence the community gardening section of the website was borne. But I also recognised that this would be a major task so I waited until the other parts of the website were stable before commencing it. In the event, it took me from mid 2017 to mid 2019 to develop a proper database of all the community gardens, with pages on each of these gardens. I progressed Council area by Council area, starting with the most active areas (e.g. Darebin) and ending with the least active (e.g. Whitehorse).

In passing, some community gardens and food swaps are much more vibrant and active than others. If you want to get involved but have found that your local one is pretty dormant, you can drop me an email and I might be able to recommend some others near you.

Read the earlier history.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link last week was Lucinda’s article on preserving tomatoes.