LFC News June 29 2022

Jun 292022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alison Raven, Ann Stanley, Anna Matilda, Bruno Tigani, Carol Woolcock, Choon yin Yeok, Emma Duncan, Jan Connor, Lynette Mackenzie, Meg Montague, Megan Goodman, Nancy Mills and Robin Gale-Baker.

If you are Gmail user and didn’t successfully receive our newsletter last week, read this short guide on how to stop Google’s blocking of our future newsletters.

The more people who contribute material, the better this newsletter. If you have any interesting news, tips, photos or questions, email them to us.

How to grow lettuce (and other salad greens) by Robin Gale-Baker

[Presented below is a shortened version of Robin’s new article about growing lettuce (and other salad greens).]

[Editor: Lettuce comes in a variety of types, including iceberg (tight head), butterhead (loose head), looseleaf (no head) and cos/romaine. I usually grow looseleaf as it is the easiest to harvest leaf by leaf rather than having to harvest the whole plant at the same time. Here is an article about the various types of lettuce and other salad greens, and how to use them.]

As well as the various types of lettuce, other salad greens include corn salad, rocket/arugula, mustard greens, cress, watercress, mizuna, radicchio, endive, baby spinach and baby silverbeet. Some of these, along with sunflower, kale and peas, can be grown as microgreens. Add in herbs and edible flowers and create salads with a great range of colours, textures and flavours.

Robin’s first tip for growing lettuce is to use seed that is less than a year old because it loses its viability quickly after that. Lettuce germinates best at temperatures around 21C but poorly below 10C and above 26C. Plant year round.

Robin’s second tip is to germinate the lettuce seed in the light (i.e. do not cover with soil). Lettuce can be sown either directly or in punnets for later transplanting. If sown directly, they will need thinning. Spacing depends on the variety, and can vary from 10cm to 45cm, so follow the instructions on the seed packet.

Robin’s third tip is to keep the seed well watered until rooted. Any drying out will kill the seed. Spread the seed onto a firmed, watered seed bed, press the seed onto the surface, and check every day that it is still moist. Water well if not until the seed has germinated and is rooting into the soil bed. After this, keep the seedlings damp but not wet. When transplanting seedlings, water in with Maxicrop or Seasol to reduce shock. As lettuces are shallow rooted, they will continue to need regular watering or they will become tough and bitter. Water regularly every second day in summer and keep moist at all times to prevent bolting.

Robin’s final tip is to grow in well prepared soil containing compost and nitrogen. Lettuces are heavy feeders. Dig the soil over so it is loose and weed free, and incorporate compost, nitrogen (e.g. poultry manure) and potash (potassium) in the top layer for best results. The pH should be 6-6.8.

Read the full article.

Why depend on the supermarket when food is free? (by Ann Stanley)

The ABC have been reporting that a lettuce can currently cost more than $10. And some people have told me that, since the current inflation started, they are having to restrict what they can buy at the supermarket. So I thought I’d share some hopefully reassuring pictures of the free vegetables that we (my husband and I) currently have growing, or lying around, at our place in Warrandyte. Please note that my garden is best described as overgrown, and my gardening style is unscientific, sporadic, and haphazard. There’s nothing here that you can’t do!)
 

 

Clockwise from top left in the photo:

  1. A metre square fruit box that had about ten centimetres of compost in it, left over from when it was a compost bin. At the end of last season, I threw seeds from the garden in it randomly. The rain fell on it (thank you La Niña) and up sprouted a lot of green leafy vegetables. Some of the leaves are hot and spicy and some are bitter, but the cooking and other ingredients seem to reduce these tastes to almost nothing.
  2. Snow peas from seedlings traded at the Warrandyte Food Swap.
  3. Egyptian walking onions grown from last year’s bulbs. These videos explain how.
  4. Oxalis. A weed, obviously, but flavoursome. Don’t eat too much. I’d show you a picture of how much of this I have, but I’m too embarrassed.
  5. Warrigal greens. Grows weedily, seeds prolifically. Blanch before eating. Read Pam Jenkins’ recipe.
  6. An overgrown crop of rocket (or roquette, if you prefer) that grew from last year’s overgrown crop of rocket that probably grew from the one before that.
  7. A pumpkin from the seeds of last year’s pumpkin plus potatoes from the eyes of last year’s potatoes.
  8. Carrots from Food is Free Warrandyte. Very fresh and crispy.

Yes, you did know!

What to do with medlars?

Last week, Liz Cronin, from Warrandyte Food Swap, asked what to do with medlars, including some recipes. (She asked because they have a lot to give away at their next swap on Saturday, 2nd July, 9-10am and want to provide some advice.) Several of you responded.

Alison Raven: “I gave the medlars to the food swap, so feel I should pass on what I know! They are from my parents’ tree (in Panton Hill) and in the past we have made medlar jelly and medlar ‘cheese’ (a paste really, that I have used in cake baking). They are pretty fiddly to prepare, because of the seeds, so it’s not surprising they went out of favour in this age of fast and easy food prep – they are definitely a ’slow food’! Here are some recipes: medlar cheese, medlar tart and medlar jelly.“

Anna Matilda (aka Urban Nanna) has pointed out that she wrote a comprehensive article about medlars last year, including details on bletting, ideas on how to use them once ready, and links to a couple of recipes.

Meg Montague has provided a link to a 2003 article in The Age entitled Strange fruit, which is about medlars. She also says that she has found that chutney gives the best result.

Emma Duncan: “Don’t transport them when they’re really ripe as they can explode with the slightest pressure!“

How to grow tatsoi

Last week, I asked for any tips about how to grow tatsoi, having seen this unusual and attractive vegetable for the first time at Oakhill Farm. Lots of you responded, all confirming that it is tatsoi.

 
Nancy Mills: “My latest tatsoi (see picture above left) is self-sown – who doesn’t love a volunteer – and is much bigger than any I’ve deliberately planted. It appeared in a tomato pot during white cabbage butterfly season, withstood major attacks, and is now powering ahead. From my modest experience, I suggest planting tatsoi in early autumn and netting it during cabbage butterfly season – like other brassicas. It responds well to liquid fertiliser every two or three weeks.“

Carol Woolcock: “The tatsoi in my front tank is ready to harvest (see picture above right). Also, mizuna, garlic chives and carrots.“

Bruno Tigani: “Often tatsoi is grown at high density for baby leaf production, similar to how you grow baby spinach. It’s very easy to grow, year round from seed, direct sown. It’s fast to mature.“

Emma Duncan: “Grow like pak choy: cover to protect from white cabbage butterfly, full sun, well drained soil, water regularly. You can pick individual leaves from the outside. Use in salads.“

Ann Stanley: “Tatsoi tastes good and is nutritious. It is easy to grow straight into the ground from either seed or seedling.“

Choon yin Yeok: “You can buy tatsoi seedlings at many nurseries. They look good in my veggie patch. I stir fry them.“

Lynette Mackenzie: “I’m the volunteer looking after the veggies at Oakhill Farm. The keys to growing tatsoi are good soil, sunshine and water.“

Do you know?

What is wrong with these cumquats?

Jan Connor has written in: ““Can anyone identify what has happened with my current crop of cumquats (see the two pictures right)? About half of them are oddly misshaped, and their flesh is shrunken and light to dark brown in colour.” Email me with your replies.

How to over winter tomato plants?

Nancy Mills has written in: “I am trying to overwinter a black cherry tomato plant. Can anyone offer any advice about how best to do this?” Email me with your replies.

The Moon Rabbit cafe is looking for glass jars

Moon Rabbit is a social-enterprise cafe operated by Bridge Darebin. They are currently trying to re-stock their glass jars for serving up their coffee and other hot drinks, and thus avoid using plastic cups. If you have any spare jars, take them to the cafe at 218 High Street, Preston. Note that they can only accept jars that are clean, free of labels, hold 200ml-500ml, are made of clear glass and have a lid.

Some Community Grocer closures

As discussed on their website, Community Grocer’s Carlton market has closed and their Heidelberg West market will be closed after 2nd July. Their Fitzroy market remains open.

Another article by Angelo Eliades

Why are citrus trees and other evergreens planted in Spring?

[Editor: so the general rules for fruit trees, berries and vines are:

  • Plant evergreens in Spring (or, failing that, early Autumn).
  • Plant deciduous in Winter.]

Read more of Angelo’s food-growing articles.

A video for you to watch

Ann Stanley suggests that you watch this 8 minute video about a group called the Kosgangsters, who are a local food co-operative in South Africa.

[Editor: one of my favourite pages on our website is our video page, which comprises around 40 carefully curated videos about food.]

Meg’s garden this month

The structure of the garden is revealing itself as the trees lose the last of their leaves. I have cut the grapevine back hard and pruned and tied the berry canes. The rain and cold has made the rhubarb leaves large and the stems thick and a bright red. I am looking forward to warm baked rhubarb this weekend (see recipe below).

It is also time to plant seed potatoes for harvest in early summer. This year I have selected reliable ‘King Edward’ and ‘Royal Blue’. Due to lack of space, I have planted them in one of the main veggie beds- always dangerous as I expect I will have potatoes popping up in that bed for years to come. It also means that the bed will be occupied for a long period of time- but when the reward is new potatoes why would that matter?

Rhubarb with vanilla

1 bunch rhubarb (about 750g)
1 cup orange juice
1 piece of orange peel
½ vanilla pod (or a little vanilla paste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Slice rhubarb into pieces about 5cm long and arrange in a single layer in an ovenproof dish.

Add the peel and vanilla, sprinkle over sugar and then pour over orange juice.

Bake at 160degC for 30-40 minutes or until rhubarb is soft but still retains its shape.

Read more of Megan Goodman’s other recipes on our website.

What veggie seeds to plant in July

Here is a list (see the July planting guide for more detail):
Beetroot
Coriander
Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Onion
Peas
Radish

The shortest list of the year.

Not food related but interesting

There will be an art exhibition for environmental sustainability from the 1st to the 24th July at Lot275 Gallery, Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Hub, 275 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe. The local artists will include newsletter reader Felicity Gordon. The opening night is Friday, 8th July, 5-7pm, at which you will receive (from Felicity, I think) a food plant seedling to take home.

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

The waiter said to me, “I’m glad you enjoyed your dinner. How did you find the steak?”
I replied, “Super easy. It was right next to the potatoes.“

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – introduction

You can view various calendars on our website by type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else and Free.

You can also view various calendars on our website by Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Ageing in rural Nillumbik – let’s talk land management; Saturday, 23rd July, 11.30am-1pm; free; St Andrews.

Open Food Network is working in partnership with Nillumbik Council and Fair Share Fare on a project to explore how to keep farmland and food systems thriving as the landowners age. At this event, you will hear three people’s views on the subject: Lydia Heap (Smiths Gully General Store), Thanisa Adams and Mel Nelson (Dunmoochin Landcare). Then stay for lunch to catch up, connect, and chat further about the topic.

Mushroom foraging; Thursday, 11th August, 7-9pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn what spores are exactly and what their prints mean before moving on to tools and techniques for efficient and environmentally-conscious mushroom hunting and correct foraging etiquette. Then you will learn how to identify wild mushrooms, the common species that you’re likely to come across, which edible mushrooms you can use in cooking, and medicinal species, as well as hallucinogenic species, and the downright dangerous. Finally, you will learn about ways to cook mushrooms, preservation techniques and tincture preparation, before ending with a tasting of some wild mushrooms.

DIY mushrooms; Saturday, 20th August, 10am-4pm; $165 ($28 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery. You will be shown the secrets to successfully growing mushrooms at home. You will learn the growing methods for oyster and shitake mushrooms, including inoculation and sterilisation, and be introduced to basic mycology. You will undertake practical sessions and learn how to start master cultures.

Bees in your backyard; Saturday, 20th August, 10-11am; free;; Balwyn.

Learn about native bees, pollination and increasing urban biodiversity with Katrina Forstner. Katrina will share her knowledge and skills to get you started in setting up a native bee friendly garden. You will also make a bee hotel to take home. Organised by Balwyn Library.

Compost and worm farms; Sunday, 21st August, 9.30-10.15am; $15 (reimbursable at the nursery); Diamond Creek.

Joel Watson will discuss whether you should have a compost bin, a compost bay, a worm farm or all three. He will also discuss how you create great compost and keep your worms alive. Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Growing mushrooms at home; Sunday, 21st August, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms. This hands-on, beginners workshop will cover basic oyster mushroom growing. It is a skill sharing ‘tips and tricks’ lesson from an experienced commercial mushroom grower who started growing very basically at home in a small space with no technical equipment in the inner city. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit that you have prepared during the workshop, the materials and instructions needed to prepare a kit at home (re-purposed plastic bucket & lid, oyster mushroom grain spawn, enough straw for a grow kit, bag for pasteurising straw, small bottle of isopropyl alcohol for sterilisation).

In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cake decorating using coloured fondants; Sunday, 7th August, 1-4pm; $79 ($26 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Amanda will show you the basics of cake decorating using coloured fondants. You will design, mix colours and then ice and decorate a basic store-bought cake to take home. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Italian kids cooking class; Thursday, 18th August, 4.30-6.30pm; $35 ($18 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Your child will learn how to make Italian pasta from scratch. When they are finished cooking, the group will sit down to enjoy their home-cooked dinner. The class is taught by Carmela. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Demystifying bread; Thursday, 18th August, 6.30-9pm; $60 ($24 per hour); Park Orchards.

Nadine will demonstrate the technique of bread making and baking. Bring a container to take home your dough to bake at home. Suitable for beginners. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Gingerbread house workshop; Friday, 19th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Park Orchards.

Decorate a gingerbread house using piping icing techniques, lollies and more. All material included and you walk away with your own decorated gingerbread house. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

An artisan chocolate dessert class; Sunday, 21st August, 10am-1pm; $154 ($51 per hour); Alphington.

Nidhi, from Cocoa & Chili, will show you how to make ganache, hand rolled truffles, chai tiramisu and mascarpone filling.

Cheddar cheese making; Sunday, 21st August, 10am-5pm; $170 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own cheddar cheese; how to make ricotta cheese; and about different cheeses. Presenters: Janet Clayton and Charlene Angus from Cheeselinks.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Wednesday, 24th August, 6-9pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will make two different curries, coconut sambal and a side dish. Afterwards, you’ll sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

In June
In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News June 22 2022

Jun 222022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Claire Smith, Jian Liu, Liz Cronin, Rebecca Haschek and Robin Gale-Baker.

The more people who contribute material, the better this newsletter. If you have any interesting news, tips, photos or questions, email them to us.

Cherry/strawberry guava (by Jian Liu)

[Last week, we had Megan Cassidy’s take on cherry/strawberry guava trees. This week, we have Jian Liu’s. Jian, from Camberwell, has her own website, called Melbourne Foodforest, where she writes articles to help people to develop their own food forests. She recently published an article about why and how to grow cherry/strawberry guava. Here she summarises that article.]

Cherry/strawberry/cattley guava (Psidium cattleyanum) is an evergreen tree or shrub that is native to Brazil. It can be planted virtually anywhere and it will likely flourish, including in those tricky dry shady positions in the lower canopy of your food forest.

There are many reasons to grow cherry/strawberry guava:

  1. It is a prolific producer of plump deep purple berries, a bit larger than a cherry in size. They are sweet and juicy. They are also highly nutritious, being a source of Vitamins A and C, fibre, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, trace minerals and antioxidants.
  2. It is a pretty evergreen tree with glossy leaves and attractive bark. It can be grown as a dense hedge or in a tree form. It produces fluffy yellow-white flowers in the warmer seasons.
  3. It is not cold-sensitive like other, more ‘tropical’, guavas and can handle mild frosts and temperatures down to -5degC.
  4. It is drought tolerant and should be ok even without any supplemental water during the summer.
  5. It is disease-free, with no pests that bother it.
  6. It is not fussy about soil types and will happily grow in soils high in salt, sandy, clay soil or high pH limestone soils.
  7. It has a long fruiting season, giving you a steady harvest over late spring / early summer to early winter.
  8. It will fruit in its second to third year, so great for impatient gardeners.
  9. It will grow happily in either full sun and shade.

The fruit is juicy and sweet, with strawberry undertones. It has a delicate texture and a custardy inside similar to other guavas. The fruit has tiny pips and is safe to eat for young children. You can simply crunch through the pips (surprisingly fun!) or spit them out.

The fruit should ideally be eaten when deep purple, soft to the touch and when it has a strong strawberry aroma. At this stage it has developed all its sugars and a rich flavour. Picked earlier, when pale pink, you will find that it is quite tart and doesn’t have the same complexity of flavour. The longer you leave the fruit on the tree, the deeper the colour and the sweeter the taste. Eventually they will drop off the bush, so remember to look on the ground for any ripe fruit.

Finally, watch Jian’s video about growing cherry/strawberry guava.

Growing perfect peas (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[Presented below is a shortened version of Robin’s new article about growing peas.]

[Peas come in bush (low) varieties and climbing varieties and can be grown in the ground or in pots. There are three types: podded peas (garden or English peas); snow peas (flat, edible pods; used in Chinese cuisine); and sugar snap peas (pods edible when young). Sugar snap peas are effectively halfway between garden and snow peas and are the ones that I (Guy) usually grow, eating them like snow peas when young and like garden peas when older. Peas are generally a cool climate plant in Victoria but sugar snap peas can actually be grown all year round.]

Robin’s first tip for growing peas is to water the seeds at planting but then not again until they shoot. If they have not appeared after two weeks, dig around to see if they are still there, and plant again if necessary. They may have rotted or been eaten by rodents. Peas do not take kindly to being separated for planting so they are best direct sown but if you do want to grow them and transplant them, sow in individual containers or egg cartons and tear the carton apart and plant each cell.

Robin’s second tip is to plant in slightly alkaline soil (pH 7-7.5). Many articles suggest liming your soil before planting but make sure you first pH test your soil so that you know what you are dealing with. Liming soil that is already alkaline will lead to stunted growth and crop failure. If your soil is poor or badly drained, add some compost or well-rotted cow manure a month before planting. If your soil is good, add some compost only. Don’t add high nitrogen fertiliser as this will produce lush growth at the expense of flowers and pods. Nodules on the roots of peas convert nitrogen from the air into nitrogen that the plant can use so they will self-provide.

Robin’s final tip is to support peas with a trellis or frame. Plant climbing peas around the base of a tomato cone or a teepee made of bamboo to a depth of 5cm. Using a tomato cone is a good way to ‘store’ cones after summer. (Broad beans can also be grown in this way). You can also use a trellis on a fence to support climbing peas or create a trellis from posts and wire sheets. If the pea plants grow higher than your support structure, pinch out the tips and this will curtail growth. Even bush peas generally need some support such as a low trellis.

Read the full article.

Want a job?

Horticulture Researcher at Gardening Australia. “We are looking for an experienced Horticultural Researcher and story teller with excellent writing skills and a strong eye for detail.” Location negotiable: Melbourne or Sydney. Closing date: 26th June.

What to do with medlars?

Warrandyte Food Swap has been given a sizeable quantity of medlars, which are currently laying out to ‘blet’. These will be available at the next Warrandyte Food Swap on Saturday, 2nd July, 9-10am. The organisers would like to provide some advice to people on what to do with the medlars, including some recipes, but they don’t know enough to do this. Can you help by providing some advice and/or recipes? Email me and I will pass your suggestions on to them.

A new community garden in Mooroolbark?

A small group of people are interested in getting a community garden up and running in Mooroolbark. If you are potentially interested in helping during the very early stages with ideas, have marketing skills, communication skills and experience in dealing with local councils in regards to planning and permits and the like, they would be (more than) happy to have you join their informal (at this stage) meetings. Contact Claire Smith by email.

Some news from St Johns Riverside Community Garden in Heidelberg

They have apparently given a Queens Jubilee Tree Canopy Grant for $19,400(!) for planting trees along the embankment behind the community garden. The grant will also cover the removal of woody weed species. If you would like to help with the woody weed removal, email Katrina Philip.

Is this tatsoi?

On a visit to Oakhill Farm earlier this week, I saw a veggie growing in their veggie patch that I had never seen before (see picture right). I thought it looked both unusual and rather attractive. My Google friend suggests that it is tatsoi (Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa). Any tips on how to grow? Email me.

Podcast of the week

Earlier this year, PIP magazine published an article listing 15 of their favourite sustainability podcasts.

‘Crowd harvest’ – Winter citrus

Lemon trees and other citrus are often heavily laden in the middle of winter. Gardeners with excess are invited to give them over the coming month to one of the not-for profit organisations listed in the next paragraph who will, in turn, provide them to those facing food insecurity. Read this Facebook post for more information.

DIVRS in Preston, Elisha Care in Croydon, Now and Not Yet Cafe in Warrandyte or STREAT in Collingwood.

Another article by Angelo Eliades

How to harvest bananas and ripen them indoors in temperate climates. [Editor: as I have discussed before in this newsletter, you really can grow bananas in Melbourne but they need protection in both summer and winter.]

Read more of Angelo’s food-growing articles.

Not food related by interesting

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how ‘repair workshops’ are becoming ‘a thing’. Well, now it appears that ‘clothes swaps’ are also becoming ‘a thing’. For example, there is a clothes swap in Greensborough this coming Friday (24th June) and another in Hurstbridge on Saturday (25th June).

Mushroom risotto (by Betty Chetcuti)

[Betty Chetcuti, from Hawthorn East, has recently published a book entitled My vegan cookbook – nurture, nourish, heal. This is one of the recipes from that book.]

Serves: 4. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking: 45 minutes.

The enoki mushrooms provide a creamy and stringy texture akin to cheese.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil or water
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 large carrot, chopped finely
2 sticks celery, chopped finely
4 cups vegetable stock
300g arborio rice
300g mushrooms or 40g dried then re-hydrated mushrooms, sliced
50g enoki mushrooms
50g plant-based butter, margarine or water
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon grated hard vegan cheese
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely

Method

Fry the onion, carrot and celery in the oil or water for 5 minutes on low heat.

Add the rice and stir for 3 minutes.

Heat the stock and add one cup to the rice, stirring until absorbed. Then add another cup until the rice is cooked but still al dente (firm in the centre).

Cook the mushrooms in the plant-based butter, margarine or water until soft.

Season with salt and pepper.

Gently mix through the risotto and add the grated cheese and parsley.

Serve immediately.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Robin’s article about growing parsnips.

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

Two lawyers enter a restaurant. They both pull up suitcases onto the table they are on and each takes out a sandwich. Seeing this, a waiter comes up to them and tells them that they can’t eat their own food in the restaurant. With an irritated tsk and a shake of the head, the two lawyers exchange their sandwiches.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – introduction

You can view various calendars on our website by type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else and Free.

You can also view various calendars on our website by Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Corowa Distilling Co. boilermaker tasting; Thursday, 23rd June, 7-8.30pm; $38 ($26 per hour); Brunswick East.

Join Matt Barnard from Corowa Distilling Co and taste through a selection of Corowa whiskies, each matched to a Bridge Road beer.

Protecting and supporting our sustainably managed farmland; Friday, 24th June; free; Edendale.

The Protecting our Sustainably Managed Farmland project identifies a number of permanent protection and collective ownership models that can secure important peri-urban landscapes threatened by encroaching development, and support new and young farmers seeking access to sustainably managed farmland. At this event, the project partners will present their key findings and recommendations from the year-long collaboration. The presenters will include Annemaree Docking (PlanItRural), Cecilia Riebl (Trust for Nature), Joel Orchard (Young Farmers Connect), Linda Martin-Chew (PlanItRural) and Rohan Clarke (Ethical Fields and Regen Farmers Mutual). Organised by Sustain.

Introduction into wine masterclass; Sunday, 3rd July, 3-5pm; $32 ($16 per hour); Northcote.

Broc will take you through the basics of wine, from how to taste to the processes behind your favourite drop. The class will include 6 different wines.

Introduction into wine masterclass; Saturday, 16th July, 3-5pm; $32 ($16 per hour); Northcote.

Broc will take you through the basics of wine, from how to taste to the processes behind your favourite drop. The class will include 6 different wines.

Grafting and tree sales day; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-midday; free; CERES.

Purchase scion/budwood from a wide range of varieties of apples and other fruits. Purchase 2-year-old ready-to-plant apple and plum trees. The session will also include a grafting demonstration. Organised by Heritage Fruits Society.

Grafting and tree sales day; Sunday, 7th August, 9am-midday; free; Templestowe.

Purchase scion/budwood from a wide range of varieties of apples and other fruits. Purchase 2-year-old ready-to-plant apple and plum trees. The session will also include a grafting demonstration and a tour of the orchard. Organised by Heritage Fruits Society.

Care of backyard chickens; Thursday, 11th August, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Have all your questions answered by Maria from Sunset Valley Chicks. She will cover everything from the correct care of chickens, worming, keeping the birds healthy and proper housing. Organised by Diamond Valley Library.

Growing fruit and veggies in small spaces; Sunday, 14th August, 9.30am-12.30pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: which produce plants are suitable to grow in small areas; coping with shade and sun for produce growing; and how to make the most of any available space for growing produce. Presented by Kirsteen Macleod. Topics will include fruit, vegetables and berries for small spaces, growing produce in pots and containers, maximising productivity in any size space and plant selection.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Food preserving workshop; Saturday, 25th June, 10am-midday; free; Mernda.

Maria Ciavarella will discuss what you need to preserve food in jars, what foods you can preserve and how to preserve the food in jars. She will use the example of berry jam. Organised by Mernda Repair Cafe.

Kombucha brewing workshop; Thursday, 30th June, 7-11pm; $54 ($14 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to brew your own kombucha. Plus, receive your own kombucha SCOBY starter kit to create your own brew. Organised by The Good Brew Company.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-12.30pm; $64 ($26 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn all the steps to make your own sourdough at home with this simple recipe. You will take home a sourdough starter and some home dough to bake. Take a 2 litre container with a lid and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

One pot wonders of the world – slow cooking in a master stock; Friday, 12th August, 5-9pm; $85 ($21 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. Learn how to make a classic Chinese master stock and learn how it varies as you head into Vietnam. You will then use that master stock to braise a duck or chicken maryland and eat it for dinner with rice and simple Asian greens.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 12th August, 6-9pm; $75 ($25 per hour); Park Orchards.

Make Chinese dumplings from scratch. The dough you will prepare can be used for either boiled dumplings (shui jiao) or potstickers (guo tie). Then make vegetarian dumplings. Facilitator: Miki. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Truffle and praline workshop; Saturday, 13th August, 6-10pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Blackburn

Learn how to create handmade chocolates from start to finish using your creative influences to make unique flavours and shapes. They will cover flavour combinations, ganache based flavours, nut pralines, enrobing methods and finishes. You will take home all you make in the workshop along with the recipes and an instruction booklet.

Pasta making workshop; Monday, 15th August, 10-11am; $30 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn how to make a basic egg pasta dough which you will then turn into many different forms of pasta, including linguine, fettucine and pappardelle. Learn how to use a hand pasta machine and the types of pasta you can make with such a machine. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

In June
In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News June 15 2022

Jun 152022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Colleen Duggan, Megan Cassidy, Paul Morland, Robin Gale-Baker, Sarah Mathers and Simone Boyd.

If you are Gmail user and didn’t successfully receive our newsletter last week, read this short guide on how to stop Google’s blocking of our future newsletters.

The more people who contribute material, the better this newsletter. If you have any interesting news, tips, photos or questions, email them to us.

Cherry/strawberry guava (by Megan Cassidy)

[Megan, from Greensborough, is active within Sustainable Greensborough, one of whose activities is a monthly book club where they read, watch and chat about issues of sustainability on our planet. Their meetings are on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7.30-8.30pm, with their next meeting being on 28th June.]

[Last week, when discussing food forests, Megan mentioned what Bill Mollison called stacking in time – when you use food plants that will fruit/produce early or later than others, to extend your growing season. One of her examples is cherry/strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum), which fruits into winter.]

The tree is evergreen, and can grow to 3-6 metres, although it can be kept pruned to a more manageable shrub size. In principle, it can therefore occupy the understorey layer of your food forest. Mid-green leaves with contrasting yellow veins, and an ability to grow in full sun or part shade, mean it can be used to create a hedge, a screen or a feature in your garden. New growth is a striking orange-red colour, which is makes for a pretty display.

The cherry guava flowers in spring, but the fruit doesn’t ripen until April-June of the following year. The fruit are small, round and sweet, ranging from 2-4 cms across. They are also high in vitamin C, which comes in handy to keeps colds at bay when they ripen at the beginning of the cold weather! The fruit can be eaten fresh, skin and all, including the tiny hard seeds. If you are lucky enough to have a surplus, you can stew or jam them, or turn them into a yummy syrup!

[Note that there are a number of different fruit trees that are called guavas. In addition to the cherry/strawberry/cattley guava (Psidium cattleyanum), there is the apple/lemon/common guava (Psidium guajava), the purple guava (Psidium rufum), the Chilean guava (Ugni molinae) and the pineapple guava or feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana). Furthermore, the cherry/strawberry/cattley guava has both red-fruiting (P. cattleyanum var. cattleyanum) and yellow-fruiting (P. cattleyanum var. littorale) varieties.]

Growing perfect parsnips (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[As many of you will know from her many contributions in this newsletter over the years, Robin Gale-Baker, from Sustainable Macleod, has written numerous articles about growing
various vegetables, herbs, fruit trees and general growing techniques. Presented below is a shortened version of her new article about growing parsnips.]

Robin’s top tip for growing parsnips is to use fresh seed. Sowing it in the first 4-6 months is best and it will not last beyond one year.

Robin’s second tip is to cultivate the soil to a fine tilth. Like all root vegetables, parsnip does best in soil prepared to a fine tilth. Remove any roots, clods or stones and cultivate soil until fine and powdery. This allows the roots to develop unimpeded and results in long, straight parsnips. Parsnips themselves aid the development of microbial activity in the soil. Soil pH should be between 6-7.

Robin’s third tip is to keep the ground moist from seed sowing to emergence of seedlings. Plant in furrows about 2cm deep. Sow at intervals of about 6-7cm and later thin out. The seed is of sufficient size that you can sow individual seeds for good spacing. Water well once the seed is sown and then water twice a week deeply until the seedlings emerge. Keep the soil well watered after that.

Robin’s final tip is to thin the seedlings at 5-6 weeks. The seeds are slow to germinate and may take 3-4 weeks to emerge from the soil. They need a temperature below 12degC to germinate so don’t sow in warmer weather. Once they are 5-6 weeks old, thin the seedlings to about 12cm intervals. Pulled seedlings do not re-establish well, if at all.

Finally, parsnips do not need fertiliser and, indeed, fertiliser can make the tops grow at the expense of the roots. Also, don’t worry about frost as frost actually sweetens the root, working wonders for flavour just before harvest.

Read the full article.

[A final issue is about when to plant parsnip seeds. Traditional wisdom for Victoria is, I think, to plant them in August, September or October, with a view to harvesting the following winter. But Robin has planted hers in May this year, aiming both to use very fresh seed and cold soil. Virginia Solomon, from NERP, thinks that both September/October and May/June are ok but avoids July/August because of the risk of the seeds rotting.]

Want a job?

Community Garden Coordinator in Thornbury

Span Community House, located in Thornbury, is looking for a community garden coordinator to maintain and further develop Span’s Community Garden. The role will be to lead, supervise and support people within a community garden setting, create learning opportunities, manage the community compost program, engage and support a diverse range of community members and volunteers of all abilities. 12 hours per fortnight, including 2 hours each Wednesday 10am-midday. $29 per hour. Closing date: 22nd June. Read more and potentially apply.

Cooking tutor in Brunswick

Brunswick Neighbourhood House is looking for a qualified tutor to run a course on cooking and food-related topics. The course will run for 4 hours each Thursday (9.30am-1.30pm) for 9 weeks from 11th July. It will provide new and transferable skills to participants, as well as functioning as an opportunity for social engagement. For more information, please contact Sarah Mathers, Programs, Marketing & Volunteer Coordinator by email (bnhorg@gmail.com).

Bellfield Community Garden is currently closed

The Bellfield Community Garden is currently closed whilst the whole area is being re-developed.

As stated on the CICG website, there will be “a relocated, larger community garden with re-purposed infrastructure from the current garden, toilets, secure storage, BBQ facilities and links to an urban farm.” The picture on the right illustrates the possible design.

Yes you did know (sort of)

Last week, Tereza Ash asked about where to obtain cuttings of tree collards, which are a perennial variety of brassica.

Angelo Eliades has responded: “I tried to grow tree collards around a decade ago in a propagation project in Brunswick with the guys from VEG. The plant grew strongly to around two metres tall but then succumbed quickly to pests and diseases as the weather cooled down. I have never met anyone who has successfully grown this plant for longer than a year in Victoria. Maybe our conditions just don’t suit it.”

As I said, last week, Daleys sometimes sell them online but are currently out of stock. I have asked Daley to notify me when they are next in stock, at which time I will tell Tereza (and the rest of you).

Podcast of the week

Plants Grow Here is a weekly podcast on Spotify. Their latest podcast is a discussion with Angelo Eliades about companion planting. It is 90 minutes long and choc-a-bloc with info.

Yet more on unusual pumpkins

Simone Boyd, from the online veggie seed shop, Heirloom Naturally, has produced two more videos about her unusual pumpkins:

Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck and Violina di Rugosa Sibley

 
That brings Simone’s total up to 8 videos of pumpkins covering 10 varieties. Thanks, Simone! You can watch all the videos on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the signup sheet for Nillumbik Nursery’s newsletter.

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

Have you ever tried eating a clock? It’s really time-consuming, especially if you go for seconds.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – introduction

You can view various calendars on our website by type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else and Free.

You can also view various calendars on our website by Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Open Cellars Weekend; Saturday, 18th June and Sunday, 19th June, both 11am-5pm; free; various wineries in Nillumbik.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik, each with an individual style, where the grapes are hand-picked and hand-crushed by family and friends in the traditional style, with wines developed on site. This is a chance to sample wines at wineries not always open to the public. You will also find food to complement the wine, as well as live music and artworks from local artists at some venues. There is no entry fee, or tasting fee, at any of the venues. The participating wineries include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch, Shaws Road Winery, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

The future of agribusiness – partner roundtable; Wednesday, 22nd June, 9.30am-2pm; free; Whittlesea.

This event is for rural landowners and businesses, agribusinesses, farmers, land management providers of those interested in a career in the agricultural industry. You will hear from leaders in agritourism, agrifood and climate resilient agriculture. You will also have an opportunity to share your knowledge and ideas with others, including what programs and services the City of Whittlesea might develop to support the agribusiness sector.

Wine and cheese masterclass with Emily Kinsman from ECK Wines; Thursday, 23rd June, 7-9pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Forest Hill.

Wine and cheese pairing masterclass including 6 cheeses and wines from Emily Kinsman of ECK Wines & Armstead Estate.

Shortest lunch; Saturday, 25th June and Sunday, 26th June, both 11am-5pm; $50; various wineries in the Yarra Valley.

12 family-owned wineries in the western part of Yarra Valley will open their doors and barrel rooms and sheds. Meet the maker, listen to live music at every venue, fill your stomach, and drink their wine. The participating wineries are: Billanook Estate, Chirnside Park; Tokar Estate, Coldstream; Fin Wines, Dixons Creek; Steels Gate, Dixons Creek; Sutherland Estate, Dixons Creek; Boat O’Craigo, Healesville; Brumfield Winery, Seville; Payne’s Rise, Seville; Seville Hill, Seville; Whispering Hills, Seville; Kellybrook Winery, Wonga Park; and Yering Farm Winery, Yering.

Make beeswax wraps; Saturday, 16th July, midday-2pm; $10; Forest Hill.

Make your own beeswax wraps. Take along your own fabric scraps to use up or take some from the Strathdon House scrap bag.

Set up your own worm farm; Thursday, 21st July, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Join staff from Edendale Farm and learn how to set up a worm farm. This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. Organised by Diamond Valley Library.

Fruit tree pruning and care; Thursday, 21st July, 7-8pm; free; Mill Park.

Kathleen Tants will discuss fruit tree pruning and care, including how to prepare your fruit trees for the Winter.

Healthy productive compost and worms; Saturday, 6th August, 9.30am-12.30pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: the importance of compost for soil health; how to fix common composting problems; and setting up and looking after a worm farm. Presented by Kirsteen Macleod. Learn how to make compost, the essential ingredient for a thriving and healthy garden. Look at worm farms and Bokashi as other options. They will also show you how to make a DIY worm farm using recycled products.

Basic inoculation workshop; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-midday; $87 ($44 per hour); Alphington.

You will get a hands-on go at inoculating your own mushrooms. You will also be given a tour of the mushroom farm. Take a clean 2-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Wicking bed wow; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-1pm; $189 ($38 per hour); Ringwood.

Find out what wicking beds are, how to make them and how to utilise them. Construct your very own wicking bed to take home.

Herb planting workshop; Sunday, 7th August, 10-11.30am; $60 ($40 per hour); Park Orchards.

The workshop will start by potting up herbs into terracotta pots and labelling them to create your own potted herb garden. Then there will be a walk through the community house garden and an opportunity to choose suitable herbs to make a tisane hot herbal drink. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 7th August, 10am-4pm; $165 ($28 per hour); Alphington.

You will learn the growing methods for oyster mushrooms, including inoculation, sterilisation and be introduced to basic mycology. You will undertake practical sessions and learn how to start master cultures. You will also be given a tour of the mushroom farm. Take a clean 2-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Foundation to organic gardening course (3 sessions); on 3 consecutive Sundays from 7th August, 10am-1pm; $65 ($7 per hour); Richmond.

The course will cover: garden design – from raised beds to orchards; soil composition – get the dirt on dirt; propagating and seed sowing; four seasons planning; and composting systems to suit your needs. Organised by Richmond Community Learning Centre.

Introduction to horticultural permaculture (4 sessions); on 4 consecutive Mondays from 8th August, 10am-2.30pm; $50 for all 4 sessions; Eltham.

To be eligible for the $50 government subsidised fee, you need to be either a permanent resident and/or an Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. This practical, hands-on course will give you an understanding of what permaculture is and how it can be applied in both a home garden setting and a commercial setting. The course will be run by Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 9th July, 9am-midday; $61 ($20 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will take home both a crusty loaf and you own sourdough starter. Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Christmas cookie decorating workshop; Friday, 5th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Park Orchards.

Decorate cookies using piping icing techniques. Learn how to pipe icing onto cookies and use layering techniques to create unique festive cookies. All materials included. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-midday; $120 ($60 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: the process behind producing curd; how to make hand-stretched fresh mozzarella; and how to shape mozzarella into bocconcini and trecce. What you will get: guided cheese tasting with a glass of wine; and freshly made mozzarella to take home. Organised by That’s Amores Cheese.

Introduction to fermenting at home; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: the basics to successfully start fermenting vegetables at home; ideas about creating your own fermented condiments; and how to use fermented products in day to day life. What you will get: vegetables that you will prepare in class and take home to ferment; and samples of fermented products to taste in class. Presenter: Monique.

Truffle and praline workshop; Saturday, 6th August, 6-10pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Blackburn.

Learn how to create handmade chocolates from start to finish using your creative influences to make unique flavours and shapes. They will cover flavour combinations, ganache based flavours, nut pralines, enrobing methods and finishes. You will take home all you make in the workshop along with the recipes and an instruction booklet.

In June
In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News June 8 2022

Jun 092022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Hanh Truong, Megan Cassidy, Sally Warner, Sally Watson, Simone Boyd, Stuart Rodda, Tereza Ash and Therese Scales.

If you are Gmail user and didn’t successfully receive our newsletter last week, read this short guide on how to stop Google’s blocking of our future newsletters.

Formative pruning of bare-root fruit trees (by Therese Scales)

[Therese is a horticulturalist at Nillumbik Nursery in Diamond Creek. Thanks to both Therese and Sally Watson (the owner of Nillumbik Nursery) for this article. Nillumbik Nursery write a monthly newsletter with gardening tips which you can sign up for here.]

    

Why prune fruit trees? Shouldn’t we just let them grow to their natural form?

As simple as that sounds, it is not the way you get the best results from a fruit tree.

These rules generally apply to stone fruit, apples and pears:

  1. A strong framework of balanced branches needs to be developed to hold a good crop of fruit in years to come.
  2. Fewer branches hold larger fruit.
  3. A smaller tree makes it easy to pick fruit and to net the tree, as well as produce less excess fruit at risk of Queensland Fruit Fly.
  4. Opening the inside of the tree into a vase shape reduces the risk of pests and diseases developing.
  5. It allows sunshine in so fruit can ripen.
  6. Make sure your secateurs are clean and sharp. A clean cut will heal better than a tear. Remember to also clean your snips when you move between trees to prevent the spread of disease.
  7. Choose four higher outward growing branches (not crossing) to form the framework by which the fruit will produce fruiting spurs.
  8. Choose branches which are not directly opposite one another at the same point around the trunk to avoid splitting.
  9. Prune just above an outward facing bud to encourage outward growth. The cut needs to be angled away from the bud to protect it and allow water to run off. Be careful not to cut too close to the bud (to avoid damage) yet not too far from it (which may result in die back of the stem).
  10. The first prune should have about 60 percent of the growth removed. In subsequent years, you will not need to prune as severely. The formative pruning takes about four years. As well as removing branches which are crossing, diseased, dying or dead, the idea is to develop about eight branches around the trunk. So you want a lateral branch growing from each of the 4 branches you started with. In this time, remove any fruit before it gets too heavy for the small branches.
Do I really have to drop all fruit for 4 years?

In an ideal world … yes. It will encourage strong healthy branches and payoff in the long run.

If you just can’t wait… If you absolutely need to see some fruit from your labour… If you smile and nod when you’re told it all needs to go (only to get home and secretly enjoy your first fruit)… Significant fruit thinning is the bare minimum to allow for ongoing success.

Can you prune to contain the size?

Yes, but it isn’t a matter of doing it once and then you’re done. Rather, it will need to be done at least annually.

Food forests (by Megan Cassidy)

[Megan, from Greensborough, is active within Sustainable Greensborough, one of whose activities is a monthly book club where they read, watch and chat about issues of sustainability on our planet. Their meetings are on the 4th Tuesday of every month, 7.30-8.30pm, with their next meeting being on 28th June.]

A food forest is a way to pack a lot of diversity into a small space, mimicking the layers of a true forest, so that it all works together to create a functioning and largely self-supporting ecosystem.

As illustrated in the diagram right (from Permaculture a beginner’s guide by Graham Burnett), there are 7 layers that are generally expected in a food forest, namely:

  1. Canopy layer.
  2. Understory layer.
  3. Shrub layer.
  4. Herbaceous layer.
  5. Rhizosphere layer.
  6. Groundcover layer.
  7. Vertical layer.

Each of these layers take up a different part of the ‘space’ available, which maximises the potential yields you can harvest. This is what Bill Mollison referred to as stacking in space.

Stacking in time

When designing your food forest, you need to think about including some fruit trees that are ready to harvest in autumn/winter, so that you have a crop after the main season of spring/summer has passed. Bill Mollison called this stacking in time – when you use varieties of food plants that will fruit/produce early or later than others, to extend your growing season.

More on unusual pumpkins

Simone Boyd, from the online veggie seed shop, Heirloom Naturally, has produced two more videos about her unusual pumpkins:

Anna Swartz and Blue Ballet Buttercup

Sally Warner has also written in: “I began growing Ebisu pumpkins on the recommendation of the erstwhile owner of New Gippsland Seeds, Sue. It is a small-medium pumpkin which has a lovely rich pumpkin taste. I eat the skin, thus it is easy to prepare. I think it is the best tasting pumpkin. It doesn’t, however, keep as well as butternut or other pumpkins.“

Do you know?

Tereza Ash wants to grow tree collards. She has been told that they should be grown from cutting rather than seed. But she doesn’t know anyone who she can get a cutting from, not do any of her local nurseries sell them. Do you have a tree collard that she could potentially have a cutting from, or know someone who does, or know of a nursery who sells them? If so, email me.

I had never heard of tree collards before Tereza wrote to me so I have now done a little research of my own. They are a perennial brassica, producing blue-green or purple leaves which taste similar to kale. They grow up to 3 metres in height but can be kept much smaller. They are in the same Acephala group of Brassica oleracea as kale. Daleys sometimes sell them online but are currently out of stock. Read more on the Project Tree Collard website.

The key point is, of course, that tree collards are perennial (as opposed to biennial or annual). Other edible, perennial brassicas are apparently kosmic kale and jersey cabbage.

A newsletter reader’s veggie growing tip

From Sally Warner: “Like me, do you ever collect your old shoe laces and then wonder what to do with them? Problem solved, they are perfect for tying up climbing vegetables, such as peas or beans, to their frame. They can be re-used many times, plus they are easy to use and undo.“

It would be good to include more reader tips in future newsletters. Email me with your best tips.

Every newsletter deserves a good picture

This picture of a carrot has been submitted by Stuart Rodda.

Another new article from Angelo Eliades

Three useful herbs which can be used as natural compost activators and much more. Spoiler alert: the three herbs are comfrey, nettles and yarrow.

Read more of Angelo’s food growing articles.

Not food related but interesting

Pablo Naranjo, who is one of the most popular guitarists at Eltham Farmers Market, has released a new album entitled Ecos del Frio. Listen to the album here. He will be launching it at The Bergy Seltzer in Sydney Road, Brunswick, on Sunday, 12th June, starting at 8pm. He is playing at the Thornbury Local on Saturday, 6th August 6, starting at 8pm.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Moreland Council’s vegetable and fruit storage charts (high resolution pdf).

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

What are the best things to put in a pie? Your teeth!

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

North East Region Permaculture will be having a stall at Eltham Farmers’ Market this coming Sunday (12th June). The theme is garden planning using the path of the sun and they will have an interactive model to help explain how to calculate the path of the sun through the year, plus they will hand out sun path diagrams for Melbourne.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – introduction

You can view various calendars on our website by type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else and Free.

You can also view various calendars on our website by Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grapes and global warming wine masterclass; Thursday, 9th June, 7-8pm; $32 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

Explore the taste profile of 8 Ricca Terra wines, matching them to their taste profiles on the game board, whilst learning about the alternative grape varieties which are flourishing in Australia’s current climate.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 16th July, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms. This hands-on, beginners workshop will cover basic oyster mushroom growing. It is a skill sharing ‘tips and tricks’ lesson from an experienced commercial mushroom grower who started growing very basically at home in a small space with no technical equipment in the inner city. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit that you have prepared during the workshop, the materials and instructions needed to prepare a kit at home (re-purposed plastic bucket & lid, oyster mushroom grain spawn, enough straw for a grow kit, bag for pasteurising straw, small bottle of isopropyl alcohol for sterilisation).

Movie themed cocktail making class; Friday, 22nd July, 7-8.30pm; $95 ($64 per hour); Brunswick.

James will demonstrate how to make two classic cocktails: The Martini from James Bond; and The Singapore Sling from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Then it will be your turn to roll up your sleeves, as you will be shown how to make: The Cosmopolitan from Sex and the City; The French 75 from Casablanca; and The Manhattan from Some Like it Hot.

The fungus amongst us; Saturday, 23rd July, 10am-12.30pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Alphington.

Explore the Darebin park lands through a fungal lens. Participants will be guided to see and get close to the local world of fungi. The park adventure will be led by local ecologist Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher. Founder of Sporadical City Mushrooms, Julia Laidlaw, will then share the world of zero waste mushroom farming at her farm on the edge of the park land.

Beekeeping – how to get started; Sunday, 31st July, 9.30-10.45am; $20 (reimbursable at the nursery); Diamond Creek.

Mike Hall will tell you about how to get started with bee keeping, why keep bees, sourcing your bees, registering them, equipment, disease control and feeding. Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Introduction to growing microgreens; Sunday, 31st July, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); Preston.

What you will learn: how CERES produces certified organic microgreens; how to grow pea shoots, radish, and sunflower sprouts at home; and how to plan for a continuous supply of these (enough for all your salad needs. Presenter: Daniel O’Farrell. Organised by CERES.

Home brewing; Sunday, 31st July, 10am-3pm; $80 ($18 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: make your own beer; all about full grain brewing; and the fermentation process. Presenter: Paul Rigby. The workshop will be a practical demonstration of full grain brewing covering ingredients (including malt, hops, yeast and water), equipment, brewing theory, and (most importantly) the brewing process (including mashing, lautering, boiling, sanitation, fermentation and packaging). Samples will be available for tasting.

Fruit tree pruning with Kaye Roberts-Palmer; Tuesday, 2nd August, 11am-12.30pm; free; Doncaster.

Learn about pruning, fertilising, pests to watch out for and how to get the most out of your backyard fruit trees. Organised by Doncaster Library.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

A Palestinian banquet by chef Aheda; Thursday, 9th June, 6-8pm; $63 ($16 per hour); Coburg.

Aheda will serve classic Palestinian dishes using recipes handed down from her grandmother and her grandmother before that, going back over 1,000 years. Throughout the night, Aheda will speak about the significance of her food, culture and resistance. All funds will go to Aheda’s goal of launching a Palestinian food truck.

Rice paper rolls workshop; Friday, 17th June, at 4.30-5.30pm and then again at 6-7pm; $20 ($20 per hour); Eltham

Designed for beginners, PoppySmack will show you how to make perfect rice paper rolls. At the end of the session, you will get to enjoy your finished products with a selection of PoppySmack’s sauces.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 25th June, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

Nadine will demonstrate the technique of sourdough bread making and baking. Take a container to take home your dough to bake at home. This class is best suited to those who have some experience with bread making, however it is not essential. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

An artisan chocolate baking class; Sunday, 10th July, 10am-1pm; $154 ($51 per hour); Alphington.

Nidhi, from Cocoa & Chili, will show you how to make ganache, hand rolled truffles, chocolate brownies and caramel sauce.

Beginners cheese making class; Sunday, 17th July, 10am-3pm; $200 ($40 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make hand-stretched fresh mozzarella and create bocconcini; how to make primo sale; and how to make fresh ricotta. What you will get: Italian style lunch; and primo sale and freshly made mozzarella to take home. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Cup cake bouquet workshop; Friday, 29th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Park Orchards.

Decorate cupcakes using buttercream icing and then arrange into a bouquet. Topics to be covered will include: how to make Italian buttercream frosting; different butter cream frosting; how to add different colour frosting in a piping bag; how to pipe six different types of flowers; how to pipe leaves; how to do two tone colour effects; and how to make a bouquet to hold the six cupcakes. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News June 1 2022

Jun 022022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ben Wrigley, Bev Middleton, Carmen Bruest, Cecilia Macauley, Megan Goodman, Natalie Nigol and Robin Gale-Baker.

If you are Gmail user and didn’t successfully receive our newsletter last week, read this short guide on how to stop Google’s blocking of our future newsletters.

Bordeaux Mix has been banned in the UK and 17 EU countries! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Bordeaux mix was first discovered in France in the 19th century by a botany professor from the University of Bordeaux who was studying downy mildew on grapes. He noticed that road side spraying of grapes with a mix of copper and lime, carried out to prevent theft of grapes by passers-by, also prevented a range of fungal diseases. Since then, Bordeaux mix has been a staple spray in French vineyards, and in vineyards and orchards around the world.

Bordeaux mix is a combination of copper sulphate and quick lime. As these are both natural ingredients, Bordeaux mix can be marketed as ‘organic’ and used on Certified Organic farms. However, when it builds up over years of use, it becomes a heavy metal pollutant, and it does not break down in soil.

Bordeaux mix is a preventative only – that is, it is sprayed on the bare limbs of fruit trees in winter to prevent diseases developing in spring such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, leaf curl, blight, canker, apple scab, black spot, brown rot and (on raspberry leaves) raspberry rust . Spraying it after leaves have appeared will burn them, burn any developing flowers and kill beneficial insects. Of course, should there be any fruit developing, it will coat these and, because it adheres despite rain, there is a risk that if there is a lack of rain during the growing season, you will ingest copper when the fruit is ready to eat. It is also sometimes sprayed on fruit and vegetables including potato, tomato, peas, beans, celery and cucumber, and on grapes, strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, walnut, olives and cherries.

Bordeaux mix has been banned in the UK and 17 EU countries. This is because it is highly toxic to wildlife, particularly earthworms, livestock, fish and beneficial insects including bees. Furthermore, there is concern about copper leaching into waterways from contaminated soil or run-off. It also degrades fertility and soil microbiology. Copper application to crops exacerbates some pests, including mites, nematodes and some fungi that attach to insects as a parasite (entomopathogenic fungi).

Should you choose to use Bordeaux mix:

  • Wear protective clothing, including gloves and glasses, during both the mixing and spraying.
  • Cover the soil and understory with thick newspaper or cardboard and dispose of it in the waste bin after spraying.
  • Keep chooks locked up both during spraying and afterwards, until you are sure there is no mix on the ground or in their reach.

There is apparently considerable opposition to the banning of Bordeaux mix in Europe, particularly from the viticulture industry, and this is the reason that 10 EU countries are still permitted to use it. In Australia, regulations allow organic farmers to use copper sulphate at a regulated rate per hectare.

Various alternatives to Bordeaux mix are being explored in Australia. As summarised in a Review of impacts on soil biota caused by copper residues from fungicide application by Lukas Van-Zwieten, Graham Merrington and Melissa Van-Zwieten: “‘A recent review of alternative fungal control agents has recently been published (Van Zwieten et al. 2004b), with products including: selected biological control agents; compost; inoculated compost; surfactants and biosurfactants; antifungal compounds; compost tea; pH modifiers and bicarbonates; foliar calcium and silicone; milk products and other organic amendments (e.g. molasses); essential oils (e.g. tea tree) and polymer coatings all showing promise as alternatives to copper for disease control.”

In the home garden, fruit trees can be sprayed with lime sulphur when bare. Lime sulphur is both an anti-fungal and pesticide. It is regarded as organic because it is a mix of sulphur and builder’s lime (not garden lime). It is used in the same way as Bordeaux mix and, in my experience, is very effective. For more information on how to use lime sulphur, refer to this article by Angelo Eliades.

References Bordeaux mix:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/bordeaux-mixture
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7481.html
https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/withdrawn-chemicals
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13593-018-0503-9

References lime sulphur:
“https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2020/01/23/winter-pest-and-disease-control-with-lime-sulphur/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/using-lime-sulfur-in-gardens.htm.

Food storage

I recently came across these handy food storage charts produced by Moreland Council. The left hand chart is for vegetables and the right hand one is for fruit.

    

Jpg images are never really good enough quality for printing purposes. If you want to print off the charts, use this high resolution pdf version.

Want to identify a plant?

Carmen Bruest has written in to point out that, since iOS 15, iPhones have had the inbuilt facility to identify plants (or other things). Read this page for a demonstration and instructions.

Android phones have a similar capability using Google’s Lens app.

My (Guy) experience, however, is that specialist plant identification apps are better at correct identification. After trying many of the apps, I think that the best one is PlantNet, which is available in both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.

The Zoe Behind Greasy Zoes

Read this interview with Zoe Birch, the chef and owner of the Greasy Zoes restaurant in Hurstbridge.

Greasy Zoes is a unique restaurant and a unique experience: an ever changing set menu of multiple (my memory is around 8-10) courses, using seasonal ingredients; tiny/intimate, with a current seating capacity of only 8(!); and a mouth-watering cost ($175 per head). Like Coober Pedy, it is something you should do at least once if possible. Ideally, try and find someone who will shout you the experience!

Podcast of the month

The Urban Plant Health Network, which is part of Agriculture Victoria, publish around 6 podcasts a year on gardening matters. There are currently 17 podcasts available.

Meg’s garden this month

We have had the first hint of frost here on our south facing block and the broad beans are starting to lean towards the lessening light. Like the broad beans, we move the chairs on our deck outwards chasing the autumn sun as the days grow shorter. It is a good time to get some tasks done in the garden and I will spend time constructing supports for the broad beans so that they are strong when they have the weight of their pods to bear. I will also construct some extra frames ready for peas which I will plant this month.

The rain has assisted the growth of the root vegetables sown last month and the seedlings now need to be patiently thinned to provide space for growth. The tops of thinned seedlings can be used in a mixed salad with the rocket which has self-seeded amongst the broad beans.

The light fades and it is time to head inside. We are missing those late summer days already. This slice is one where you can open a jar of summer preserves such as apricots to give you a little taste of sunshine.

Coconut and jam slice

The base
1¼ cups plain flour
125g butter, chopped
90g cream cheese, chopped

Beat all of the ingredients until well combined (will be a little crumbly) and press into a 20cm slice pan. Bake at 180degC for 20 minutes and allow to cool.

The topping
½ cup of jam (I like apricot)
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut
50g melted butter cooled

Spread the jam over base.

Then beat together the sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in the coconut and butter. Spread the coconut mix on top of the jam. Bake at 180degC for 15-20 minutes.

Cool well before cutting.

Note: if using homemade jam, add a little lemon juice to maintain colour.

Read more of Megan Goodman’s other recipes on our website.

What veggie seeds to plant in June

Here is a list (see the June planting guide for more detail):
Broad beans
Coriander
Garlic
Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Onion
Peas
Radish

The list is pretty short. It’s your last chance to plant broad beans and garlic, and arguably too late for them.

Some of our articles you might have missed over the last month

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Simone Boyd’s online veggie seed shop.

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

Every loaf of bread is a tragic story of a group of grains that could have become whisky but didn’t.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Zen permaculture, starting at the kitchen sink; Sunday, 5th June; $280 including lunch; Hepburn Springs.

Learn patterns from nature for setting up productive areas inside your home and life, and expand from there. The things you should do become the things you want to do, and this changes everything. It will be a playful, regenerative day where you will use your body and re-wire your thinking. Featuring Cecilia Macauley and located in a Japanese guesthouse. Cecilia is also holding an event on Sunday, 4th September entitled Declutter your body, create a garden of food in your fridge.

Upcoming face-to-face events – introduction

You can view various calendars on our website by type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else and Free.

You can also view various calendars on our website by Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Introduction to home brewing; Wednesday, 8th June, 7-9pm; $5; Hurstbridge.

The purpose of the meeting is twofold. First, for those interested in starting brewing beer at home, go long and learn how it’s done and what types of kits are available on the market. Second, for more experienced home brewers, discuss the possible formation of a local grain brewing group. The event is sponsored by Hurstbridge Men’s Shed.

Winter wine and cheese night with Boat O’Craigo; Friday, 10th June, 6-8pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Croydon.

Explore a range of French-made cheeses paired with condiments and local wines from Boat O’Craigo. Chris Downes from Calendar Cheese and Travers Graham from Boat O’Craigo Wines will be hosting the evening. Organised by Platter Pantry.

Men – top foods to keep your motor running; Tuesday, 14th June, 11am-midday; free; Warrandyte.

What you put into your engine (your body and brain) does make a difference. Find out which foods help your engine to run smoothly and with full power. The presenter will be a qualified dietitian from Access Health. Organised by Warrandyte Library.

Wine tasting and regenerative agriculture; Thursday, 16th June, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Rosanna.

The Kangaron range of wines from Crittendens’s Estate on the Mornington Peninsula are grown using regenerative agriculture practices. The ticket price includes a tasting of three of the wines, namely Chardonnay, Rose and Pinot Noir. There will be finger food, and a (short) discussion on regenerative agriculture and the importance of carbon in building healthy soil. Organised by Soil Week Alliance.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 18th June, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms. This hands-on, beginners workshop will cover basic oyster mushroom growing. It is a skill sharing ‘tips and tricks’ lesson from an experienced commercial mushroom grower who started growing very basically at home in a small space with no technical equipment in the inner city. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit that you have prepared during the workshop, the materials and instructions needed to prepare a kit at home (re-purposed plastic bucket & lid, oyster mushroom grain spawn, enough straw for a grow kit, bag for pasteurising straw, small bottle of isopropyl alcohol for sterilisation).

Meet the maker – Nerida, the PavQueen; Saturday, 18th June, 3-4pm; $19 ($19 per hour); Alphington.

Go along to hear about what Nerida, from Pav Queen, loves about pavlovas and taste from her range.

Meet the maker – Nerida, the PavQueen; Saturday, 18th June, 4.30-5.30pm; $19 ($19 per hour); Alphington.

Go along to hear about what Nerida, from Pav Queen, loves about pavlovas and taste from her range.

How to prune your fruit trees with Angelo Eliades; Sunday, 19th June, 10am-midday; $51 ($26 per hour); Preston.

You will learn how to: carry out formative pruning to shape young trees; maintenance pruning to maintain the size of established trees; and renovation pruning to tidy up overgrown trees and reduce their size. For gardeners of all experience levels, this session will cover: the basic theory and fundamentals of fruit tree pruning; how to prune trees with special pruning requirements such as figs, pomegranates and persimmons; and winter fruit tree pest control. Organised by Oakhill Farm.

DIY hot compost with Kelly Gillespie; Sunday, 19th June, 1-3pm; $51 ($26 per hour); Preston.

Learn how to get your compost living life in the fast lane. Organised by Oakhill Farm.

Worm farming with Angelo Eliades; Saturday, 25th June, 10am-midday; $51 ($26 per hour); Preston.

Learn everything you need to know to set up and maintain worm farms. This workshop is for all ages and will include demonstrations on how to set up a new worm farm, construct an in-ground worm farm from recycled materials, and build your own worm farm from recycled foam boxes. It will also cover what to put in your worm farm and what not to, how to harvest and use the worm castings and liquid from the worm farm, and how to care for worms during hot summers and wet winters. Organised by Oakhill Farm.

Berries and vines with Angelo Eliades; Sunday, 3rd July, 10am-midday; $51 ($26 per hour); Preston.

Learn how to grow a range of berries and vines in the garden and in pots, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries (and their hybrids), grapes, passionfruit, kiwifruit, goji berries, and some native bush foods. The session will cover: their growing and feeding requirements; harvesting, pruning/maintenance; and protection from pests. It will also include instructions on propagation. Organised by Oakhill Farm.

Growing micro greens at home with Sustainable Gardening Australia; Thursday, 14th July, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Box Hill.

Learn how to grow microgreens on your own kitchen window sill. This class will cover both indoor and outdoor growing as well as crop selection, planting, growing conditions and harvesting. Participants will learn: how to select and sow seeds; growing strategies to produce an optimal crop; and how to care for and harvest microgreens. Organised by Box Hill Library.

In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Fruit bottling; Saturday, 4th June, 11am-2pm; $11; Abbotsford.

Members of the CWA will show you the fundamental techniques for bottling fruit. They will be working with what is currently in season – apples, pears and pineapples – but you’ll be able to use the skills gained in this workshop to preserve other fruit. Take home the jars that you prepared. Organised by Collingwood Children’s Farm.

Waste minimisation cooking; Saturday, 11th June, 11am-1pm; $16 ($8 per hour); Abbotsford.

This workshop will be a part demonstration / part hands-on workshop sharing ideas about waste minimisation, with recipes using random veggies, cheese, bread, pasta and milk. The focus will be on ideas and recipes about how to use up vegetables, herbs, random bits of cheese, tail-end bags of pasta, stale bread and close-to-date milk for some seasonal dishes. Following this, participants can sample the food prepared. Presenter: Melanie Ryan. Organised by Collingwood Children’s Farm.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 18th June, 9am-midday; $61 ($20 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will take home both a crusty loaf and you own sourdough starter. Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Bush foods; Saturday, 18th June, 11am-1pm; $11; Abbotsford.

The workshop will provide a cooking demonstration using some popular native foods and introduce participants to: the native foods that will thrive in Melbourne gardens; their tastes, aromas and health benefits; tips on growing the plants; culinary uses; and possible garden designs. Presenter: Julie Weatherhead and Anthony Hooper from Peppermint Ridge Farm. Organised by Collingwood Children’s Farm.

Waste-free lunchbox ideas; Sunday, 26th June, 2-3pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn some tasty ideas on how to make your lunchbox waste-free and get ready for Plastic Free July! Learn to make healthy and yummy lunch recipes (without all the packaging) that can be made quickly and easily and share ideas on what you can make at home. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

A Devonshire tea workshop (thermomix); Saturday, 9th July, 2-4pm; $15 ($8 per hour); Eltham.

The menu will include: Butter; Buttermilk Scones; Whipped Cream; Jam Drop Biscuits; Chai Tea Powder; Chai Latte; and Strawberry Jam. Presenter: Tess Murray.

Middle Eastern cooking; Thursday, 14th July, 10.30am-1.30pm; $80 ($27 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn about the flavours of Middle Eastern cooking. Try out recipes and cooking methods while preparing a three course menu. Stay and share your freshly prepared dinner with the group. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Asian dumplings class; Sunday, 24th July, 2-4.30pm; $106 ($42 per hour); Fitzroy.

Dee Williams will show you how to make a pork-based dumpling, which may also be modified into a vegetarian version. You will also learn how to make a black spiced vinegar dipping sauce. You will then plate and devour your creations with your new found foodie friends!

In June
In July
Regular classes