LFC News April 24

Apr 242024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Matilda, Chris Chapple, Karen Throssell and Sarah Willits.

Baker’s yeast versus sourdough starter

Baker’s yeast is a particular species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which converts sugar into carbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide gas causes the dough to rise, whilst the ethanol either evaporates or is left in the bread. The heat used whilst baking then kills off the yeast. It is the same species, but a different strain, as that used in alcoholic fermentation. It is a manufactured product, grown in vats. It has only been around for the last 150-250 years.

Baker’s yeast is available in a number of different forms, the main differences being the moisture content. The most common form for non-commercial bakers in Australia is ‘dry yeast’, where live yeast cells are encapsulated in a thick jacket of dry, dead cells with some growth medium. Before use, dry yeast is re-hydrated, such that the live yeast can escape its jacket. Note that nutritional yeast is ‘deactivated’ (i.e. dead) Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is eaten for its taste or nutritional value.

A sourdough starter is a much more complicated substance than baker’s yeast. Whilst it will usually contain Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it will also contain a variety of other yeasts. It will also contain lactic acid bacteria, which convert carbohydrates into lactic and other acids plus other substances (it is these acids that give sourdough its sour/tangy taste). And the yeast and bacteria will be in a mixture of flour and water, on which they have been feeding.

A sourdough starter is created by simply mixing flour and water together and leaving it loosely covered but out in the open, after which various yeasts and lactic acid bacteria will, over time, enter from the air and start to feed and breed. Then, regularly remove around half of the starter and add new flour and water, so that the yeasts and bacteria have something new to eat.

Because baker’s yeast is a single substance, the results from using it are very predictable. It will rise bread faster than a sourdough starter. It is also easily available, easy to use and has a long shelf life.

Because a sourdough starter is a mix of substances which will differ somewhat from starter to starter, its results are less predictable. It also imparts a taste to the bread, which some/many people prefer, and results in a chewier texture. There is general agreement that sourdough starters, and more generally long-time fermentation processes, improve bread digestibility. They may also break down some of the gluten. However, a sourdough starter will rise the bread less quickly (and sometimes much less quickly) and requires time and effort to create and maintain.

Baker’s yeast and sourdough starter are interchangeable in most recipes, but non-trivially so. One rule of thumb is that 100g sourdough starter equates to around 3½g (1+ teaspoons) baker’s yeast plus 50g wet ingredients plus 50g dry ingredients.

Read more of my baking articles.

Want a job?

Bundoora Secondary College wants to employ a full-time Urban Agriculture and Environment Program Manager who will maintain the college’s farm, gardens, grounds and equipment. The expected experience/skills include: qualified or experienced gardener/horticulturist or relevant experience (e.g. farming background); experience with animals (e.g. goats, chickens); and backyard construction skills (e.g. fence building, animal enclosure building). Ideally, the applicant will have the flexibility and patience to work alongside teenagers, helping them to take part in school improvement projects. $70-75K pa.

Closing date: 5pm, Friday, 26th April. Read more and potentially apply. You are strongly encouraged to contact Brian Daniells, Assistant Principal, beforehand by phone (9467 1511) or email. Note that the closing date is this coming Friday so you will need to act quickly if you want to apply.

An Alphington Commons?

2 Wingrove Street in Alphington is a 9 acre area of land owned by Darebin Council. A small portion of this land is currently leased to various small businesses, mostly food-related. Some of these businesses (including Farmwall, Melbourne Farmers Markets, Reground and Sporadical City Mushrooms) have recently got together to form a group which they are calling The Alphington Collective.

The Alphington Collective “believes that the site at 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington can be transformed into a space that serves the community and the environment – The Alphington Commons.” Their vision is that “it will combine food precincts, for-purpose business and social enterprises … being the first regenerative mixed-use village.“. Read more.

They have recently launched a petition, which reads “I am calling on Darebin Council to work in active partnership with The Alphington Collective to develop and action a plan for the future use of the land at 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington (‘The Alphington Commons’).” Sign the petition.

The Greensborough pickle parties

As discussed last week, Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough have made their free ‘pickle party’ events a weekly Friday event during term times, 9-11am. Their first such party was last Friday and Sarah Willits has reported in: “It really was a fun event – with everyone cutting up, contributing ideas and developing their own jars of pickles. Any excess is used for food relief so nothing goes to waste.”

Another article from Angelo Eliades

Spice up your rodent defense with potent chili capsaicin-based repellent sprays.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Another video from Simone Boyd

Immature pumpkins – yes you can eat them.

Simone has two suggestions. The first is to feed them to your highland cows (only potentially applicable to a few people!). The second is to cook them like you would zucchinis (which are a variety of pumpkin which is always eaten when immature).

Achieving blisspoint (a poem by Karen Throssell)

[The poem below comes from a recently published a collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. You can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website.]

Why do we eat what we know is unhealthy?
Processed food devoid of all nutrients
It alters our brain, so we want more and more
Bypasses our natural feelings of hunger

Processed food doing positive harm
When did our produce become packaged product?
Eating makes money – don’t wait for hunger
Chemical agents affect our metabolism

When did our produce become packaged product?
Companies work on creating addiction
Chemical agents affect our metabolism
Our brains are hard wired to respond to rewarding

Taste testers work on achieving ‘Blisspoint’
ultra-processed and ultra addictive
Our brains are hard wired to respond to rewarding
Food is also adjusted for ‘mouth-feel’

‘Mouth feel’ almost important as taste
It alters our brain, so we want more and more
Plus the perfect equation of salt sugar fat
Why do we eat what we know is unhealthy?

Read more food-related poetry by Karen and 11 other newsletter readers on our website.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Cow banana.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (28th April), Ann Stanley will interview Georgia Savage from The Community Grocer. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Shani Shafrir on therapeutic horticulture (14th April).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s beetroot growing guide.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming Open Cellars of Nillumbik on the weekend of 15th and 16th June.

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

You go your whole life making a great spanakopita and then, BAM, one day you get 20 people asking for the recipe. Nobody expects the spinach inquisition.

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Make the most of food with dehydrating; Sunday, 28th April, 11am-1pm; free; Sandringham.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will take you through some of the simplest and most effective ways to ferment different types of foods. Learn about the science behind fermenting food and have a go at making your own fresh ferment to take home.

Intro to fermentation; Sunday, 23rd June, 11am-1pm; free; Sandringham.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will take you through some of the simplest and most effective ways to dehydrate different types of foods. Learn the ins and outs of dehydrating and have a go at making a dehydrated blend to take home.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Community cupping; Saturday, 27th April, 9.30-11am; $18 ($12 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Join Market Lane Coffee and The Fermentary for a coffee tasting session. Cupping is a system of tasting and evaluating coffee that is used by roasters to decide which lots they are going to purchase. When coffees are experienced comparatively, their different flavour profiles emerge and you will begin to understand a coffee’s sweetness, acidity or body.

Community garden talk; Tuesday, 30th April, 2-3pm; free; Ringwood.

Kat, from the Central Ringwood Community Centre, will talks about the benefits of a community garden and how the different activities that take place there can engage and inspire you.

Roasted chestnuts and mulled wine at Sylvester Hive; Sunday, 5th May, 2-4pm; free; Preston.

Go along for a social afternoon with locals and enjoy roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and toasted marshmallows. Take something sweet or savoury to share. Everyone welcome.

A taste of permaculture; Wednesday, 8th May, 10-11am; free; Croydon.

Jane Coleman, from Earth and Soul Permaculture, will explain permaculture including what zones are plus the concepts and resources that you need to start your permaculture experience.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 19th May, 10am-4pm; $161 ($27 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Presenter: Button. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Eat the weeds talk and mini market; Sunday, 1st June, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss edible weeds and how to use them. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Edible weeds walk; Sunday, 8th June, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Merri Creek Trail.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Sunday, 23rd June, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 23rd June, 11.30am-2pm; $80 ($32 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. Julia Laidlaw, from Sporadical City Mushrooms, will then share the world of zero waste mushroom farming at her farm on the edge of the park land.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Food preserving and using leftovers; Saturday, 4th May, 2.30-5pm; free; Richmond.

Learn the basic techniques for bottling olives, drying herbs/fruits, jams and pickles, as well as ways to store food and use leftovers to minimise food waste. Presenter: Maria Ciavarella. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Charcuterie board masterclass (grazing board); Sunday, 26th May, 10am-midday; $134 ($67 per hour); Richmond.

Kaitlyn, from Good Food Grazing, will teach you how to create the perfect charcuterie board with a variety of meats, cheeses and fruits. Enjoy a free mocktail and baked sweet treat. Take home a large grazing board of food.

Japanese cooking 101; on 3 consecutive Fridays, starting 7th June, 10.30am-midday; $85 ($19 per hour); Greensborough.

Week 1: dashi stock and miso soup. Week 2: gohan (steamed rice) and onigirazu (rice sandwich). Week 3: vegetarian side dishes. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Sourdough workshop; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will learn: the equipment needed to produce a sourdough; what kind of flour to use; the principal steps of bread making; what bread dough looks and feels like at its various stages of preparation and development; the processes of sourdough fermentation, mixing, kneading, folding and baking; Baker’s percentage and hydration; shaping loaves into a proofing basket, scoring and ways how to bake sourdough bread using a home oven; maintaining a starter and starter care; and ways how to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture. Take home: a piece of dough ready to be baked at home; a fresh sourdough starter and dry back up sourdough starter; flour to feed your starter; and a bowl cover. What to take: a bowl, tea towel, apron and good mood. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 22nd June, 10-11am; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Saturday, 22nd June, 11am-1.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach, brinjal moju (eggplant) and Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you will sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 22nd June, midday-1pm; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Fermenting at home; Sunday, 23rd June, 10am-1pm; $120 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 17

Apr 162024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Matilda, Bil Brosch, Cath Lyons, Edie Schmutter, Eve Fraser, Janelle Dunstan, Marcela Santos, Melissa Houselander, Pat Natoli, Pauline Crosbie, Sim Ritchie and Vanessa Veldman.

Montrose Community Cupboard

Montrose Community Cupboard is much more than a community pantry and undertakes a wide range of activities in pursuit of its mission to rescue food from landfill and re-distribute it to the local community.

They have two community pantries, a weekly Saturday market and monthly community meals. Whilst one of their community pantries has been around for some time, the other initiatives are all relatively recent.

Like many local pantries, their motto is “give what you can, take what you need“.

The two community pantries are located at Japara Bridge House, 49 Durham Road, Kilsyth and Montrose Church of Christ, 7 Leith Road, Montrose. The Kilsyth pantry is open 24/7 and has been around for some time, whilst the Montrose one is open Monday-Saturday 7am-9pm and Sunday midday-8pm and is newly opened. Members of the public can take what they want and are also invited to leave veggies, fruit, herbs, plants, seeds, seedlings or any non-perishable items.

The weekly market is on Saturdays, 3-4pm at either Japara Bridge House, 49 Durham Road, Kilsyth or Montrose Scout Hall, Unit 2/950, Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Montrose. See their website for which markets will be at which locations. All the food at the market is free.

The free, monthly, two course, community meals are usually on the 4th Sunday of each month, 6-7.30pm, at Montrose Public Hall, 1B Leith Road, Montrose. Everyone is welcome, as are donations of non-perishable food. Occasionally, due to holidays etc, the meals are sometimes at lunch time or don’t happen so check their Facebook page for details. Read an article about the meals in the Lilydale Star Mail.

Finally, they have a street library (books, dvds, etc) at 16 St James Avenue, Montrose.

Great work Pat and Sim!

More on warrigal greens

Following last week’s article on warrigal greens, Bil Brosch has written in: “I recently attended a workshop entitled ‘growing bush tucker’ with Aunty Jo Russell. A Wiradjuri woman, Aunty Jo spoke about the way that she uses warrigal greens – small leaves are picked and used fresh while the bigger leaves and stems are steamed. Steaming warrigal greens was a revelation to me and something that I’ll definitely try. I usually turn warrigal greens into pesto, my kids love pesto/pasta and it’s an awesome way to get more greens into them.”

SEEDs Communal Garden were on Gardening Australia

SEEDs Communal Garden, in Brunswick, featured on last Friday’s Gardening Australia program. Watch the 8 minute video.

An exhibition of old style kitchen equipment

As part of Australian Heritage Festival 2024, Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society has organised an exhibition of kitchen implements, tools and appliances used from the mid-1800s through to the early part of the 20th Century. On Sundays, 21st April, 28th April, 5th May and 12th May, each 2-5pm. At Schramms Cottage, Rieschiecks Reserve, Muriel Green Drive, Doncaster East.

‘Crowd harvest’ – seeds for Mother’s Day

Gardeners with excess seeds for edibles are invited to send them by post with a greeting for Mother’s Day to the Therapeutic Horticulturalist, Odyssey House Lower Plenty, 28 Bonds Road, Lower Plenty, 3093. Please send viable, open pollinating seeds and package them in individual and labelled packages. The people at Odyssey House will then grow them. The program runs from 1st May to 15th May.

Odyssey House has recently employed a therapeutic horticulturalist trained in permaculture approaches to assist residents on a journey towards healing. There is a large hot house, raised garden beds and land to commence a full horticultural therapeutic coaching program to assist the residents towards healing and healthy lifestyles.

Dan’s flower garden at Alphington Farmers’ Market

Someone called Dan apparently regularly does some gardening in the front garden of the Alphington Farmers’ Market. Here is a little blog piece that he has written about it.

Another article from Angelo

Beetroot growing guide.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Cornstarch versus cornflour

In Australia and the UK, the words cornstarch and cornflour are used interchangeably to refer to the starch derived from corn grain.

In the USA, however, the word cornflour is used to refer to a flour made from corn kernels.

Chicken and veg frittata (by Pauline Crosbie)

[This week’s recipe by newsletter reader Pauline Crosbie is from Diamond Valley Community Support’s recently published Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger, which focuses on using leftovers and zero-waste cooking.]

Serves 4. Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 cup leftover dip (e.g. Greek yoghurt or hummus)
250g leftover cooked chicken pieces without bones (thighs, breasts, tenderloins) or shredded chicken
3 cups cooked leftover vegetables, cubed
1 cup fresh chopped herbs (any combination to your liking)
½ cup grated leftover cheese (any) or more to taste

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180degC.

Place the eggs in a bowl and whisk lightly.

Add the dips and whisk to create a creamy mixture.

Mix through the cheeses.

In an oven proof baking dish, spread evenly the cooked chicken and vegetables. Pour over the egg mixture and decorate with herbs.

Cook for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (21st April), Ann Stanley will interview Murnong Mummas on Indigenous food connections. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Regan Defoe on Fawkner Food Bowls (7th April).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the CERES olives to oil page.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the grow your own garlic event on 19th April in Bayswater North.

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

What does it take for a cucumber to become a pickle? A jarring experience.

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Note that The Food Collective Market, Epping is now on Tuesdays rather than Thursdays.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Note that the weekly sessions at Panton Hill Community Garden have moved to Fridays.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sustainable living for renters; Sunday, 21st April, 1.30-4pm; free; Box Hill.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will help you upskill on lots of small sustainable actions that you can use in your daily life. Learn about: reducing waste (and lowering costs) in the kitchen; budget ways to grow your own food; simple steps to cutting your energy bills down; and ways to manage your water usage.

There will be lots of giveaways at the event including: a worm farm; a compost bin; a zine containing simple sustainable skills from Catie Payne and Su Dennett; a weed zine from permaculture art activist Brenna Quinlan; and copies of some of Anna’s own educational booklets.

Composting – a different approach with Diana Cotter; Tuesday, 23rd April, 11.15am-12.15pm; free; Fawkner.

Diana Cotter will introduce you to the concept of compost bins and worm farms, what happens inside them and how to keep bacteria and worms happy. Learn about different types of compost bins to suit gardens of all sizes, recycling the contents of your green bin and exactly what you can put in the compost.

Compost … nature’s climate champion! (family event); Saturday, 4th May, 10-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

Celebrate the start of International Compost Awareness Week. Take part in interactive activities and games as a family and learn what makes the perfect compost recipe as well as why compost critters are so important.

Farm Raiser community day and morning tea; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-2pm; free; Bellfield.

Many immigrants to Australia find it challenging to cook their recipes because the crops they treasure at home aren’t easily available here. Farm Raiser would like to help and try to grow some of these crops. They are therefore launching a new project to diversify the crops that they are growing. They have already introduced taro, cassava, 5 types of sweet potato, oca/NZ yam, yam beans and chinese yam to their fields, but they want even more variety. You are invited to the farm for a tour and morning tea where you can discuss what crops you miss from your home country. The Farm Raiser team encourages you to bring seeds, seedlings and cuttings of plants, as well as growing instructions, recipes and stories from home. They will then propagate the plants in their nursery and plant them out in a dedicated space which you will be able to visit. You will finish the day with a short working bee to prepare the space for the new crops. Feel free to take a plate to share for morning tea.

The photo right is of the taro and cassava that Farm Raiser are currently growing.

Coloured pencil persimmon workshop; Saturday, 25th May, 10am-4pm; $120 ($20 per hour); Park Orchards.

This workshop is tailored for individuals at an advanced beginner to intermediate level in drawing and beginner level in coloured pencils. Delve into the rich palette of persimmon. Work on various angles of presenting persimmon fruit for drawing, and investigate tools which will allow you to draw the specimen correctly and not rely on photographic material. Explore unique perspectives and angles to depict leaves and fruit, enhancing your drawing skills. Tutor: Miffy Gilbert. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Open Cellars of Nillumbik; Saturday, 15th June and Sunday, 16th June, both 11am-5pm; free; Nillumbik.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. 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 usually include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Swipers Gully Vineyard, Watson’s Creek Wines, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

Design your own garden; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

So you want to create your own edible oasis, but you just don’t know where to start? This workshop will focus on: defining what you really want from your garden; understanding your garden through site analysis; developing a base plan; plant choice and how and where to grow them; and incorporating animals into the garden design. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Bulleen Heights School cooking class (8 sessions); on 8 consecutive Wednesdays from 1st May, 11.15am-12.45pm; $192 ($16 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This course is for teenagers. Each week you will learn to make a main course. Take an apron and tea towel. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani. Run in partnership with Bulleen Heights School.

Raw food treats cooking workshop; Saturday, 4th May, 1-4pm; $175 ($58 per hour); Camberwell.

Jo-Anne Grist will demonstrate how to make: raw pistachio slice; raw chocolate brownie with pistachios; raw mini mango cheesecakes; lemon and coconut bliss balls; and fresh summer berry rocky road, You will take home a box of raw treats.

Zero waste cooking; Saturday, 25th May, 11am-midday; free; Forest Hill.

Learn how to cook sustainably with minimal waste and using an induction cooktop. Presenter: Alice Zaslavsky. Organised by Strathdon House.

Veggies in desserts; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The desserts are dairy-free and gluten-free using a variety of ingredients: nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, fats, spices, legumes and unrefined sugars. The menu will include: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

Greenbrook Community House in Epping have made their ‘let’s get cooking’ events a weekly Monday event during term times, midday-2pm. $10 per session.

Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough have made their ‘pickle party’ events a weekly Friday event during term times, 9-11am. Free. No need to book – just turn up.

LFC News April 10

Apr 102024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Chris Chapple, Hayden Marks, Karen Throssell and Selvie Balaratnam.

Warrigal greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides) by Melbourne Bushfood

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

As suggested by its alternative common name of New Zealand spinach, the leaves of warrigal greens taste a bit like English spinach but with a crunchier texture (so it’s less like eating a leaf). Because of their high level of oxalates, the leaves need to be blanched before eating. You can then cook and use the leaves as you would spinach, including sautéing, stir-frying or cooked in a quiche or pie.

The plant is a groundcover, spreading to around 2 metres. Plant in full sun or part shade. As it’s only able to handle light frosts, you will want to keep your plant sheltered. It is suitable for growing in pots. It is reasonably drought tolerant but will still need watering in summer.

Harvest individual leaves when they reach roughly the size of your hand. Avoid the woody stems as they can be tough and difficult to eat.

Read about more bush foods on our website.

Olives to oil by CERES

Olives to Oil is an annual event run by CERES where people drop off their olives, which are then pressed and turned into olive oil, which the people then pick up. This year’s event is for residents of Darebin, Merri-Bek and Yarra. The olives can be dropped off at CERES on either Sunday, 5th May or Sunday, 19th May, with the olive oil being picked up on Sunday, 16th June. If you have less than 20Kg of olives, then the service is free. Read more and potentially book your place.

Newsletter reader tip: get more pesto for your buck

Here is a tip from DIVRS, who are based in Preston. Parmesan and pinenuts are classic pesto additions but they can be budget busters. Instead of pinenuts, use any nuts that you have in the cupboard or just leave them out. Parmesan can be swapped for nutritional yeast flakes, which tastes similar. Add some leafy greens (e.g. silverbeet or kale) to stretch your pesto further and to increase its nutritional punch – just steam them for a couple of minutes first.

If you’d like to join the Darebin Urban Growers and learn how to grow basil and other herbs and veggies, email them (urbanfood@divrs.org.au).

Merri-bek is developing a new food system strategy

They want to hear from anyone who is interested in creating an alternative local food system in Merri-bek which is sustainable, just and vibrant. Closing date: Friday, 19th April. Read more. Have you say.

The Green Harvest online gardening supplies store is no more

The owners have apparently retired. It was one of the main sources of Certified Organic veggie seeds.

Sri Lankan pumpkin curry (by Selvie Balaratnam)

[Selvie is the co-owner of Selba Farm, who sell olive oil on most Sundays at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Although the farm is in Toolleen, Selvie actually lives in Mernda.]

Ingredients

500g pumpkin
1 medium size onions
100-150 ml coconut milk (or more if you wish; I use the tinned TCC coconut milk)
2 medium size green chillies (optional) or a teaspoon of curry powder(optional)
olive oil
2 tablespoons salt to taste

Method

Chop the onions into small pieces and simmer them in olive oil in a frying pan.

The pumpkin should be cut into 1cm cubes without the skin and the seeds.

When the onions are golden brown in colour, add the pumpkin pieces and the chillies to the pan and cook in low heat so that the pumpkin pieces get cooked. Let it cook for a while covering the pan with a lid. The pumpkin will cook in its own juice.

When the pumpkin is soft and cooked, add salt to taste and add the coconut milk.

Mix the contents well, mash the pumpkin pieces slightly with the back of the spoon and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Serve with rice, cooked pasta, or bread.

Seed (a poem by Karen Throssell)

[The poem below comes from a recently published a collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. You can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website.]

I remember warm dark days
before-days, when comfort-coiled
I waited for signs – drips of damp
tempting my tightness. Slowly I unfold
stretch. Now I know there is an Up
to aim for. I straighten, thrust.
Suddenly this burst of bright!
Mother released me.

I don’t remember this being part of the deal.
Just going about my business
with sun and rain—my perfect green
slow-grow. So what’s this on the wind,
the devil’ s mad brew?
Too fast, too tall, all show
roots can’t support – goodness all gone
Mother won’t be pleased.

And here we have her vengeance
Think you can bend me to your will?
Screw you, and your poisonous greed
And she groans, roars and cracks
wide open, gaping wound to be plugged
by them and all their detritus.
But who will survive her wrath? Why me.
She is my mother – I am reborn.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (14th April), Ann Stanley will interview Shani Shafrir on therapeutic horticulture. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Rob Rees on Cultivating Community (31st March).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the survey questionnaire on a possible repair cafe at Edendale.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the autumn harvest celebration day at Alowyn Gardens on 6th April.

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

I was the pianist in a piano bar. A customer walks up to me and asks “Can you play Strawberry Fields Forever?”

I replied, “No, after a few hours my fingers get tired.”

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grow your own garlic; Friday, 19th April, 10-10.45am; free; Bayswater North.

You will be given a hands-on demonstration on how to prepare the garden bed, as well as tips on planting, watering, harvesting and storage. You will also be given a bulb of garlic to plant at home (around 7-9 plantable cloves per bulb). Presenter: Kirsten Jones from Mirboo Farm in South Gippsland.

Back to basics composting; Thursday, 9th May, 6.30-8pm; free; Epping.

Learn how to set up, utilise and maintain various food waste recycling systems.

Winter gardening workshop; Saturday, 11th May, 11am-midday; free; Watsonia.

Angelo Eliades will discuss what to plant for a winter crop, the tasks that we carry out in winter, how to protect some crops from frosts and how to deal with waterlogging from rains.

Essential garden infrastructure for a thriving garden; Wednesday, 5th June, 7-9pm; free; Doncaster.

What tools and infrastructure do you need to run a flourishing food garden, and how to get it for free? Kat Lavers, from The Plummery, will talk about garden tools and infrastructure including alternatives to pots, stakes, shade cloth, nets, buckets, ties and what to look out for in hard rubbish, skips and op shops. She will also cover which tools are actually worth investing a few dollars in and how to look after them. The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

Permaculture Design Course (12 sessions); 10 Thursday sessions, starting 6th June, 9am-4pm, plus 2 Saturday sessions; $595 ($7 per hour); Bayswater North.

The topics to be covered will include: theory and principles of permaculture; creating integrated ecosystems; animals in permaculture; drought-proofing landscapes; soil rehabilitation and soil erosion control; managing bushfire risk; nutrient dense food production; water harvesting and management; ecological building and passive solar design; energy conservation techniques; recycling and sustainable waste management; and building personal and local community resilience. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 8th June, 10am-midday; $70 ($35 per hour); CERES.

Learn about the seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne’s inner north and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses. This session will also include a demonstration, and sampling, of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Plant-based cooking with Betty Chetcuti; Friday, 12th April, 11am-midday; free; Lilydale.

Betty Chetcuti, author of My Vegan Cookbook, will show you how to create plant-based dishes that will satisfy, nourish and nurture your body.

One pot wonders of the world – hainanese chicken; Friday, 26th April, 5-7pm; $95 ($48 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to poach chicken. Make two different dipping sauces to accompany the dish: a spicy chilli sauce and a salty soy and ginger sauce. Use chicken broth and garlic to flavour your rice. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Thursdays, starting 2nd May, 11am-1pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Lilydale.

Learn how to cook easily just for one person. Make the meals each week and eat together what you have made. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Taiwanese fermentation and preserve techniques with Cristina Chang; Sunday, 5th May, 11am-2pm; $225 ($75 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Cristina Chang will show you how to make the classic Taiwanese dish, soy braised pork belly bass (aka gua bao). Learn the basics of fermentation and preserve your own mustard greens to take home, how to make and steam buns from scratch and how to make gua bao and spring onion knots. At the end, enjoy the dishes made in class at a communal dining table and take the rest of your hard work home.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 3

Apr 032024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Brian Daniells, Chris Chapple, Duang Tengtrirat, Karina King, Marisa Fiume, Rachel Levin and Rob Rees.

Urban farming at Bundoora Secondary College

Bundoora Secondary College has an Urban agriculture and conservation program which is “designed to provide their students with opportunities to learn agricultural science, environmental science, technology, engineering and mathematics through experience with and exposure to agricultural practices, with a focus on sustainability.”

As illustrated in the photo right, they have 44 ‘Foodcubes’ in full production. These picturesque garden beds were on display at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

A Foodcube is a raised wicking garden bed made from 80% recycled plastic. Each bed holds around 100 litres of water in its base so they only need watering about once a fortnight during the hottest summers. Individual cubes are around 1 metre by 1 metre, but they can be linked together for watering purposes. Watch this video.

The college is working with both Foodcube and Local Food Connect to further develop its farm.

Staff and students were at last Sunday’s Eltham Farmers’ Market to sell some of their produce and are also planning to be at the 14th April market.

Strathdon House Kitchen Garden in Forest Hill

Strathdon House Kitchen Garden in Forest Hill is open to the public during house opening hours. At 449–465 Springvale Road.

The kitchen garden was established in 2019. It comprises around 20 garden beds and wicking beds of varying sizes and heights to cater for use by the community of different age groups (including children) and abilities. A group of volunteers plant, maintain and harvest the vegetable and herb crops. They also have seasonal planting and harvesting activities that members of the community are invited to participate in.

The kitchen garden is located in the grounds of Strathdon House, where a wide range of workshops focusing on environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing, including cooking workshops, take place. Produce harvested from the kitchen garden is sometimes used in these workshops.

Strathdon House itself was originally built in 1893 and its associated orchard was around 40 acres in size in the early 20th Century. The remaining two acres of this orchard is the last of its kind in Whitehorse City Council, with a variety of fruit trees including apples and plums.

They are always on the lookout for more volunteers to join the team in either the garden or the house.

To discuss any aspect of the community garden, contact Marisa Fiume from Whitehorse Council by email or phone (9262 6158). Or go to their website.

The Forest Hill Urban Harvest (aka food swap) is held in the garden on the 3rd Saturday of each month, 10-11.30am.

Welcome Marisa and Petrina!

There are now pages for 4 community gardens from Whitehorse on our website.

A repair cafe at Edendale?

Edendale Farm is currently considering the feasibility of running a regular repair cafe. To help them decide, they have developed a brief survey for members of the public to complete. The survey only takes a couple of minutes to complete. Complete the survey.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During March, the cooking teams were 1st Mitcham Scouts (see photo right), Blackburn Lions, Stable One, Team Random and The Running Mummas. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Some community garden news

Croxton / Marra Guwiyap, in Northcote, recent held a preserving workshop. Here are some photos from the event.

Sylvester Hive, in Preston, held an Easter family day event. Here are some photos from the event.

The leek and celery giveaway

Thanks to Amy, Ann, Boqi, Carrie, Cathy, John, Lenny, Nerida and Rita for picking up some leek and celery seedlings over the last week. That makes a total of 35 people over the last fortnight. The seedlings have now all gone.

Another article by Angelo

The do’s and don’ts of using sawdust for composting.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Tomatoes loves banana skins (by Duang Tengtrirat)

I (Duang) have been growing tomatoes every summer for at least 40 years. Generally speaking, they have done well but this year was different. The tomato plants were prolific, producing beautiful healthy and delicious fruits. Unlike other years, they made me feel more connected to them, to my past and in odd ways to myself too.

When I was a young child, my family had an orchard with mango, lychee and rose apple trees in Nan, Northern Thailand. I learned to grow vegetables there and to take them to market each morning. To mark the boundaries of the orchard, we grew bananas. This meant that we had copious amount of bananas all year round. Bananas everywhere! Green, ripe and over ripe! Returning from school, my mother had ready for me a basket with one hand of bananas. It was just the right weight for a five year old. I walked up and down the street selling a hand of bananas. Often someone bought them and, when I returned home, I would take another hand of bananas and walk in the opposite direction. This was a daily task and all the children in the family had other jobs. As I got older, I resented having to do this but someone had to do it. Being the youngest of the family, that someone was me.

My mother turned the overripe bananas into sundried bananas which kept for a long time. We bundled them up and sold them too. Drying bananas meant that we peeled them before cutting them lengthwise and drying them in the sun. At the end of preparing many hands of bananas, we had buckets of banana skins. These skins would go back to the orchard with me and get chopped into small pieces. They went back into the buckets, each less than half full. Then I filled the buckets to the brim with water, covered them up with a lid and left them for at least a week to ferment.

Once a week, the fermented banana skins went to water fruit trees or fruiting vegetables such as eggplants, cucumbers and chillies. My mother told me that leafy vegetables didn’t like bananas but fruiting vegetables do.

I left home when I was 16. Although I have been growing vegetables every year, I had not done anything with banana peels again. In fact, I seldom ate bananas feeling that I had had enough of them. Last year, I went back to my home in Nan and renovated part of the old house. Memories of my mother and the ways she lived, cooked, planted her gardens came back as if it were yesterday.

In October 2023, a very competent local farmer who is a dear friend gave me 20 seedlings of heritage tomatoes. I planted them and began to ferment banana skins and have been feeding the tomatoes with the fermented bananas once a week. This summer I have only fruiting vegetables: eggplants, capsicums, chillies, cucumbers and tomatoes. All of them have had nutrients from fermented banana skins. There is a bucket in the garden just like what I had in the family Nan garden many decades ago.

The connection with my mother has never been stronger. I hear her guidance, feel her presence and appreciate her wisdom in real time. My respect and gratitude to her, a woman who never had any schooling but had intrinsic wisdom to understand that banana skins, chock full of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, can be used as fertiliser for fruiting plants. How did she even know that by fermenting them first they became gentler on the plants even though banana skins can be placed directly on to the soil. Without fermenting, it takes longer to breakdown. How did my mother even know that banana skins have little or no nitrogen and therefore are not helpful to leafy greens. Lessons from my mother were all from what she did, how she did it and not from the spoken or written words at all.

Even one banana a day is still good to start fermenting in a clean plastic bucket with a lid. A kind of white foam starts on the top of the water and there’s either no smell, or only a slight sweet smell, from the fermenting banana skins. All fruiting vegetables and trees will thank you for this natural and simple fertiliser.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (31st March), Ann Stanley will interview Murnong Mummas on indigenous food. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Jules Jay on the Edible Hub at Hurstbridge (24th March).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was my baking articles.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming Kalorama Chestnut Festival on 5th May.

Word of the month – Astringency

Astringency, meaning the dry, puckering or numbing mouthfeel caused by the tannins in unripe fruits and some ripe fruits.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Meaning: it is more effective to be polite and kind than to be hostile or demanding.. This phrase is of Italian origin and dates back to the 17th Century. It was then popularised in the USA by Benjamin Franklin in the mid 18th Century through its inclusion in his book Poor Richard’s Almanack.

Note that it is actually a matter of some dispute whether flies are more attracted to honey than they are to vinegar. And it is apparently not the case for Queensland fruit fly.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“No single sort of garden suits everyone. Shut your eyes and dream of the garden you’d most love then open your eyes and start planting. Loved gardens flourish, boring ones are hard work.” by Jackie French.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Thanks to everyone who voted in the naming competition for this section. The result was in doubt until the very end, when joke (or pun) of the week edged the win by 54% to 46%.

If:
Peanut oil is made from peanuts.
Olive oil is made from olives.
Corn oil is made from corn.

Then:
What is baby oil made from?

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not (quite) local but interesting

Both of the events below are at the Rooftop Farm at Burwood Brickworks. Burwood Brickworks is a shopping centre but it is noticeably different than your average shopping centre, with lots of plants, natural light, recycled timber, solar panels and other eco-friendly features. At 70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East. The farm itself is on the roof of the shopping centre and covers around ½ an acre. It is open to the public whenever the shopping centre is open and is well worth a visit. The farm is managed by Cultivating Community. Here is a short drone video of the farm.

Cultivating heritage; cultural gardening for CALD women; Tuesday, 23rd April and again on Thursday, 9th May, both 11am-midday; free; Burwood East.

These two workshops are for women from diverse cultural backgrounds who speak different languages. Together, you will learn about gardening and cooking in ways that celebrate your unique cultures.

Rooftop garden volunteer club; monthly, starting 4th May, 9-11am; free; Burwood East.

This monthly gathering will include activities to keep the space green and the potential to take home some seasonal produce as a thank you. Help them and connect with new friends. Register your interest by going to their volunteering page and choosing the ‘Saturday morning volunteer club’ option for the ‘Please tell us what you are currently interested in registering or enquiring about?’ question.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard chickens; Monday, 8th April, 2-3pm; free; Ringwood.

Claire will discuss how to care for your chickens and their housing and maintenance requirements.

Gardening for kids; Tuesday, 9th April, 10am-2pm; $50 ($13 per hour); Preston.

Uncover the mysteries of soil life and the magic of plant propagation. Dive deep into the world beneath our feet and discover how seeds transform into flourishing plants. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Food cushion – ages 6+; Thursday, 11th April, 10-11.30am; $45 ($30 per hour); Camberwell.

For ages 6+. Draw, paint and decorate your own food cushion. You could make a cute ice cream, yummy strawberry or tasty hamburger to sleep on. The cushion will be sewn by the instructor.

Small space gardening (5 sessions); on Tuesdays, starting 23rd April, 9.30am-1.30pm; $127 ($6 per hour); Preston.

Want to grow your own food but don’t know where to begin? In this course, you will learn the principles of food growing in small spaces, including: how to design, build and maintain a productive garden; understanding soil health; small site assessment; plant choice, including companion gardening; plant propagation; community resilience – food growing for community building; and the wellbeing benefits of garden-based activities. Presenter: Shani Shafrir. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Hot compost; Sunday, 28th April, 2-3pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn all about hot composts – what they are, how they work, what goes in them and how to look after them – all while you make a hot compost! Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden. Click here to read about the garden.

Basin backyard beekeeping; Monday, 29th April, 10-11am; free; Ringwood.

The team from the Basin Backyard will discuss beekeeping, the health benefits of honey and all other bee-related information.

Bushfoods and indigenous plants; Thursday, 2nd May, 2-3pm; free; Northcote.

Tully Gibbons, an Aboriginal Educator at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, will discuss Wurundjeri bushfoods and the ecology of indigenous plant life.

Backyard beekeeping basics; Sunday, 2nd June, 11am-1pm; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about: the history and biology of a colony of European honey bees; protective clothing and occupational health and safety; hive components and assembly; bee biology and seasonal management; legislation; diseases and pests of bees; extracting honey; inspecting hive for disease; purchasing hives; and other products from the hive. Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Croquembouche workshop; Saturday, 20th April, 1.30-5.30pm; $137 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. A limit of 4 participants in total. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Yes chef! Cooking school for ages 8-13 (4 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 1st May, 4-5.30pm; $192 ($32 per hour); Brunswick East.

Each week will focus on different aspects of running a kitchen, like mise en place (French for “put in place”), safety and food hygiene, playing to our strengths (and the strengths of our team), how to work in a brigade, food storage, flavour profiles & ingredients and cleaning up. You will prep and cook a different meal each week, including lasagna, pie, cake and a roast dinner. Presenter: Cook Murph from Suntop Plaza. Organised by NECCHi.

Blokes in the kitchen (2 sessions); Fridays, 10th May and 14th June, each 9am-midday; $90 ($15 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn how to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Kefir making; Sunday, 12th May, 11am-3pm; $91 ($23 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to make milk kefir. Take home your own kefir making kit and grains. Organised by Strathdon House.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 18th May, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so that you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John. Organised by Living & learning Nillumbik.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 25th May, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 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 Amore Cheese.

Fermenting; Saturday, 1st June, 10am-1pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Kinglake.

You will learn how to make five simple ferments (kim chi, sauerkraut, lacto-fermented pickles, wild-fermented kombucha and sourdough mother) on the day and take them home. A light lunch will be provided including local breads, ferments, cheeses, preserves and pickles. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Preserving the season’s harvest; Saturday, 1st June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how make jams, pastes, pickles and the art of basic canning so that you can preserve your home harvest and extend your seasonal produce year-round. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Vegan cooking European style; Sunday, 2nd June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

The menu will include: pierogi ruskie (Poland and Ukraine); apfelrotkohl (Germany and Central Europe); Swedish meatballs (Swedish, but also all over Europe); tiramisu (Italian); tortilla de patatas (Spanish); and spanakopita (Greek). Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 27

Mar 282024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Jenna T., Leila Alexandra and Robin Gale-Baker.

More leeks and celeries to give away

Thanks to Alicia, Amanda, Anna, Carol, Chris, Christina, Felicity, Heather, Judy, June, Karen, Mardi, Niloo, Soo Mei, Tania, Vicki, Vicky, Virginia and Yuki for collecting some of our leek and celery seedlings.

But we still have a lot more leek and celery seedlings to give away! The leeks are variety Oxford and the celeries are variety Julius. Pick up from my home in Eltham. If you want some, simply email me to arrange a date. First come, first served.

Air fryers versus ovens

Despite their name, air fryers bake their food rather than frying it. In effect, they are simply small fan-forced ovens. The key difference between air fryers and ovens is simply size.

Because of their smaller size, air fryers typically take less time to heat the air and also have more rapid air flow. This, in turn, means that they typically cook faster than fan-forced ovens, say 25-50% faster. Furthermore, the use of a basket in which the food is placed, helps air flow and thus evenness of the cooking. They also use less energy, occupy less space and heat up the kitchen less.

Because of their larger size, ovens can cook multiple dishes at the same time. They can also cook in ways other than fan-forced and are therefore more flexible.

Finally, you will almost definitely already have an oven but may well not (yet) have an air fryer.

Read more of my baking articles.

Growing mustard greens or mizuna (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Want a leafy green to add to your salad which has a peppery bite (but is a bit milder than rocket) and that you can grow all year round? If so, try either mustard greens or mizuna (they taste similar). There are lots of varieties of mustard greens and, whilst they mostly taste similar, their leaves (and therefore both texture and mouth feel) vary substantially, from the large-leaved ‘Red Giant’ to the thin, frilly-leaved ‘Golden Frills’.

Mustard greens ‘golden frills’ Mustard greens ‘red giant’ Mizuna

While some mustard greens are widely used (especially in Asian cuisine), most are not well known in Australia. This is a pity as they are healthy, tasty, quick growing, and definitely best when harvested fresh from the garden. Just as mustard has quite a bite, so do the leaves of mustard greens. They are great for salads when young, and good in stir fries when a bit older.

Edible mustard greens are members of the genus Brassica, and more specifically from the species Brassica juncea and Brassica rapa. As such, they are related to cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, all of which are Brassica oleracea.

You can buy their seeds at most online seed websites and/or you can buy their seedlings at many nurseries.

Varieties of Brassica juncea

These include Japanese Giant Red Mustard or Mustard ‘Red Giant’, Frills (golden, purple or scarlet), Mizuna (both green and purple), Green Wave, Wasabina, Curled Mustard, Southern Giant, Golden Streaks, Osaka Purple, Gai Choi, Tender Green and Yukina Savoy.

The Tatsoi variety (sometimes classified as Brassica rapa) has less of a peppery taste but looks beautiful whilst growing.

Varieties of Brassica rapa

These include Mustard Spinach Komatsuna, Tokyo Bekana and Japanese Mibuna.

The Pak Choi, Bok Choy and Napa Cabbage varieties have less of a peppery taste but are widely used in stir fries.

Other mustards

There are two other main types of mustard.

Black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown mustard (a variety of Brassica juncea) and white mustard (Sinapis alba) are all grown for their seeds, which are used to make mustard.

Mustard biofumigant (a variety of Brassica napus) is a non-edible type of mustard grown as a soil fumigant. This plant releases compounds that attack soil-borne diseases and disinfects the soil. It is a long-term crop, meaning that it needs to grow for, say, 5 months and then be dug back into the bed.

Site and soil

Choose a sunny site or area of partial sun depending on the season. The soil should be well drained and contain plenty of organic matter. The soil should not dry out and should be kept weed-free.

Planting

Sow the seed directly into the soil at a depth of about 5cm. I prefer to broadcast the seed across the soil and then cover. Grow plants tightly together (rather than plant in rows) as this deters pests from eating the leaves. Germination takes 7-14 days.

You can plant mustard greens or mizuna at any time of year noting that, like other leafy greens, they tend to bolt early if grown over summer.

Pests

Pests include caterpillars, slugs, snails and earwigs. Use a deterrent for caterpillars, slugs and snails. For earwigs, put some stakes in the bed and place a down-turned pot stuffed with newspaper on top of the stake. The earwigs will head for the pot of newspaper and you can remove the pot daily or every few days and dispose of the paper and earwigs. Netting them is another option, but secure the hem to the ground to keep crawling pests out. Netting also prevents white cabbage butterflies laying eggs on the leaves, preventing the hatched caterpillars from stripping the juicy leaves, leaving only the ribs and veins.

Harvesting

Snip most leaves for use when they are 10-15cm high. They will still be tender at this height. You can also grow them as microgreens, snipping them when they are about 3cm high.

Read more articles by Robin on how to grow various vegetables.

An interview with Jules Jay from the Hurstbridge Edible Hub (by Ann Stanley)

I (Ann) recently took my surplus eggs and tomatoes to the food swap at the Hurstbridge Edible Hub and came home with cucumbers, passata and some garlic cloves to re-plant. I got the garlic cloves from pop-up garlic farmer, Vicky-Rae Elmore, along with some advice about when best to plant them.

While I was there, I had a chat with community organiser Jules Jay, whose energy, enthusiasm and expertise help to keep the Edible Hub a positive and vibrant place.

Why the name ‘Edible Hub?

As well as the twice a month food swap, there is the community garden which is a true community food-growing garden where anyone can pick anything at any time. There’s also a drop off point for free food, where community members can collect some goods that supermarkets would otherwise discard.

How did it all start?

Following the renovation of the Hurstbridge Community Hub at Graysharps Road in 2016, Tracy Bjorksten, Sabi Buehler and Pam Jenkins decided to rejuvenate and cultivate six wicking beds that had been established at the site then more or less abandoned. Jules joined them soon after and it grew from there.

(Sometimes, when councils are reluctant to approve a community garden, it is because they know that the initial enthusiasm is not always enough to fuel the project to the extent required for its ongoing viability.)

Tracy has now moved away from the area but Sabi, Pam and Jules, plus new participants Val, Leanne and Gala, meet every Thursday morning at 9.30, garden until 11, then sit for an hour or so chatting over tea and cake.

As a team, they also collaborate with other groups such as the local Social Connections Group in which older people from rural areas fold seed packets for the seed library.

The area seems to be well used

The success of the Edible Hub is about having multiple attractions, such as the tables that people use for lunch and the fairy tree that children come with their parents or grandparents to look at. There are the usual vegetable beds plus a small sensory garden with paths to wander along and plants to touch, see and smell. They have fruit trees, a book exchange, and community ‘share shelves’, where everyday items are shared and swapped, and a seed library.

What motivates you to be such a committed connector of people?

“I am an environmentalist at heart but I also have a Masters in Positive Psychology. Positive psychology attracted me because, when it comes to social and behaviour change, particularly in relation to the environmental challenges we face, I don’t find the ‘fear and threat’ approach useful. I prefer to ask, ‘what strengths do we have right here and where can we find hope?’ And I love working with the community.“

Do you think the grassroots level is the best place to seed social and behaviour change?

“Yes. Because of the ‘glacial’ pace of the higher levels of government, the most fertile opportunities for change are at the grassroots level. But local councils have a huge role to play facilitating community initiatives with grants. It’s not the job of local government to come up with ideas but to facilitate the good ideas of local people. I have only praise for the ways that the Nillumbik Shire does this. Talking to the right person is key.“

As well as convening the community garden, Jules co-runs the Nillumbik Repair Cafe, which helps people connect with each over reducing the mindless waste of objects that can be repaired or re-purposed by those with the skills and generosity to do so.

Read more about the Hurstbridge Edible Hub, including contact details.

Read more interviews with local community garden convenors.

If you would like Ann to visit your community garden and then write something for this newsletter, send us an email.

What seeds to plant in April

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

Brassicas

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
Radish

If you didn’t plant your cool season veggies in March, April is a good month. So, plant those broad beans, peas and garlic. Also, plant some leafy greens. It’s a bit late for planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds but, as they say, better late than never.

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

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

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (31st March), Ann Stanley will interview Rob Rees from Cultivating Community. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Fleur Baker on taking permaculture to the mainstream (17th March).

Our articles over the last month

Here are some of the articles from our newsletters over the last month that you might have missed:

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the website of the hazelnut farm, Burnarlook.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the Doncaster Garden Club.

This week’s moment of humour

Newsletter reader Jenna T. has suggested that I change the title of this section from joke (or pun) of the week to this week’s moment of humour. I’ve decided to put it to a vote of the readership. So:

  1. Vote to change the title to this week’s moment of humour.
  2. Vote to keep the title as joke (or pun) of the week.

In the meantime, the photo right is of an eggplant and this week’s written moment of humour is below.

A cabbage, a tap and a tomato had a race.

The lettuce was a head, the faucet was still running and the tomato was trying to ketchup.

Read more food-related humour on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens
What’s the buzz about bees; Wednesday, 10th April, 10-11am; free; Croydon.

Claire will explain the benefits of beekeeping for you, the bees and the environment. She will explain some of the equipment required, the best position for the hive, the most beneficial plants to have in your garden and maintenance.

Introduction to horticulture and garden design (10 sessions); on consecutive Wednesdays, starting 24th April, 9.30-11.30am; free; Pascoe Vale.

This course will cover: site assessment; garden design and biodiverse establishment; prioritising food and medicinal plants; ecosystem dynamics; soil health; plant care and propagation; pest control; crop rotation; companion planting; pollination; efficient irrigation; and composting. Presenter: Leila Alexandra. Organised by Sussex Neighbourhood House.

Essential crop rotation and succession planting (part 1); Wednesday, 1st May, 7-9pm; free; Doncaster.

Duncan Cocking, from Leaf, Root and Fruit, will discuss: the patterns that he sees in nature and how you can begin observing them too; the seasons of Melbourne; phenology; timing of planting and succession planting; and growing Christmas tomatoes. The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 4th May, midday-4pm; $82; Brunswick.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Bar Spontana with Fin Wines; Amelia Shaw with Musical Folk Wines; Co-Conspirator’s Brewing Co with Unico Zelo; Hotel Railway with Bobar Wines; Inner North Brewing Co with Wilkie Wines; Joey Smalls with Yugen Wines; The Penny Black with La Kooki Wines; Tino with Russel & Suitor Wines; and Welcome to Brunswick with Glenhope Vineyard.

Tea around the world; Thursday, 16th May, 7-9pm; free; Preston.

Sample tea from Indonesia, Morocco and Turkey with the Islamic Museum of Australia.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Sunday, 19th May, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

Learn everything from the inner workings of a beehive to the healing properties of raw honey. You will learn how to maintain a healthy hive, discover the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check. Weather permitting, they will also open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration. Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 25th May, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

Learn how to set up a worm farm and the easiest methods to manage and care for these most hard-working of creatures. This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Sunday, 26th May, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

Keeping backyard chickens with Felicity Gordon; Sunday, 26th May, 11am-midday; $15; Watsonia.

This workshop will cover all aspects of successfully keeping backyard chickens, including the benefits of keeping chooks, children & chooks, what breeds will suit you, chickens’ food & basic medical needs, chicken housing and how to keep them safe from foxes.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Vegetable fermentation workshop; Saturday, 20th April, 10am-1pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will make your own sauerkraut and brine ferment. You will learn: the basics of gut health; the gut microbiome; the role of probiotics and fermentation in gut health; health benefits of fermentation; what is fermentation anyway; what are the different types of fermentation; how to make your own ferments using different techniques; fermentation rules; what vegetables to use; brining methods; what role salt and temperature play; what equipment to use; and jarring and storage. You will take home two different ferments that you make. Take 2 jars (approx 700mil) with lids, apron, rolling pin, non-breakable mixing bowl and a good mood. Presenter: Oddie. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Natural soda workshop; Wednesday, 15th May, 6.30-8pm; $110 ($73 per hour); Collingwood.

Discover the goodness of fermented soda, brimming with probiotics, compared to traditional sugary options. Learn about the basics of fermented drinks. Make three soda flavours. Presenter: The Fermented Mumma.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 25th May, 9am-5pm; $220 ($28 per hour); CERES.

You will: make a variety of different breads, gaining the skills and confidence to make your own at home; enjoy some of your own handmade pizza for lunch; and take home some leaven to get you started baking bread at home. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Indian cooking; Saturday, 25th May, 10.30am-1pm; $65 ($26 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will make Indian butter chicken and basmati rice. You will enjoy some taste testing and should have some extra to take home too. Take an apron, knife, chopping board and a container to take home leftovers. Presenter: Oddie. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Gluten-free kitchen skills; Sunday, 26th May, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Be introduced to 20 different gluten-free flours, their texture, taste and how to use them. Then cook a collection of recipes. Presenter: Melanie Leeson from Mettle + Grace.

Cooking with bean curd; Sunday, 26th May, 11am-1pm; $28 ($14 per hour); Forest Hill.

Be guided through various recipes that showcase the different ways that you can cook with bean curd at home. Then take home the dishes that you created (take your own container). Organised by Strathdon House.

Yes chef! Cooking school for ages 14-18 (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Mondays, starting 27th May, 4-5.30pm; $192 ($26 per hour); Brunswick East.

Each week will focus on different aspects of running a kitchen, like mise en place (French for “put in place”), safety and food hygiene, playing to our strengths (and the strengths of our team), how to work in a brigade, food storage, flavour profiles & ingredients and cleaning up. You will prep and cook a different meal each week, including lasagna, pie, cake and a roast dinner. Presenter: Cook Murph from Suntop Plaza. Organised by NECCHi.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 20

Mar 202024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bruno Tigani, David Nickell, Marjanne Rook, Rob Francis, Teresa Day and Venu Metla.

How to make mead

A few years ago, I (Guy) was lucky enough to attend a mead making course organised by the Eltham and District Winemakers Guild and even luckier to have newsletter readers Angela and Wayne Harridge as my tutors. During the course, I successfully made my first 5 litre batch of mead and, since then, have become a complete convert, mostly drinking mead in preference to wine.

Mead is fermented honey, where the fermentation turns the sugars in the honey into alcohol. The end result is an alcoholic beverage which is an alternative to white wine but with its own unique taste. Mead has a similar alcoholic strength to wine and is golden in colour. Unlike white wine, mead is generally drunk at room temperature and does not go off quickly after the bottle has been opened.

All meads are made with honey, yeast and water. Beyond that, ‘botanicals’ are often added for flavouring purposes, for example fruit, spices or herbs. Different varieties of honey, different strains of yeast, different botanicals and variations in the fermenting process can all result in different styles of mead.

How long it takes for the honey to ferment depends on the room temperature (fermentation rates increase with temperature) but the total process from start to bottling typically takes 8-12 weeks. But it doesn’t actually require much effort as most of the time is spent waiting for the fermentation to complete.

A good recipe to start with is for a mead called ‘Joe’s ancient orange’ (JAO). Despite the name, it is a modern recipe which is easy to make as well as tasty. Read my full guide on how to make Joe’s ancient orange, a summary of which is given below.

  1. Gather your supplies.
    • A 5 litre demijohn (in which the mead will be fermented).
    • A bung with an air lock (to fit onto the top of the demijohn to keep oxygen out during fermentation).
    • A funnel (for putting the various ingredients into the demijohn).
    • Some potassium metabisulphite, aka PMS (for sanitising purposes).
    • A pump or tube (for syphoning the mead out without disturbing the yeast at the bottom).
    • Some accurate, small scales (for measuring out small quantities of sugar etc to add in at the end).
    • Some potassium sorbate (to inhibit yeast reproduction).

    One local place where you can most of these supplies (plus the yeast) is Greensborough Home Brew Supplies, who are located at 29 Beewar Street, Greensborough.

  2. Gather your ingredients.
    • 1.6Kg honey (raw).
    • 5 litres water (chlorine free).
    • 1 orange.
    • 1 cinnamon stick.
    • 2 cloves.
    • 15g raisins.
    • 1 teaspoon bread yeast.
  3. Prepare the ‘must’ (the mixture of the ingredients). Put all the ingredients except for the yeast and 1.2 litres of the water into the demijohn.
  4. Get the ferment started. Hydrate the yeast and then add to the demijohn.
  5. Wait. Add the rest of the water after, say, a week and then wait until fermentation is reasonably complete (say, 4-8 weeks).
  6. Rack. Syphon off the mead into a temporary holding container, dispose of all the ingredients plus the gunk in the bottom of the demijohn, and pour the mead back into the demijohn.
  7. Fine tune. Wait a week or two, then add sugar and/or acid to taste.
  8. Bottle.
  9. Wait then drink.Although you can drink it straightaway, mead tastes better the longer it is aged.

If you want to try and make some Joe’s ancient orange mead, you will have to read my full guide on our website.

On our website, we now have comprehensive, illustrated guides for how to make each of:

Local food producer news – Henley Farms

Henley Farms, who are from Kangaroo Ground and sell eggs, have again become a stallholder at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Alternatively, you can buy their eggs online, at Organic Fix in Eltham or at the new Two Sisters Fresh Produce fruit and vegetable shop in Research. Henley Farms are PROOF certified, which means that the chickens are raised outdoors with continuous and unrestricted daytime access to paddocks that are suitable for grazing and are provided with shade and shelter. All of their inputs, including feed, are Certified Organic

There are now 3 egg sellers at Eltham Farmers’ Market, including Belleview Farm from Park Orchards and Top Hundred Acres from Yan Yean.

Another great leek giveaway

Courtesy of Bruno Tigani, we have lots of leek seedlings to give away, mostly of the Oxford variety. Pick up a dozen or so at my house in Eltham. Plus, as a bonus, you can have some celery seedlings as well, variety Julius. If you want some, simply email me to arrange a date. First come, first served.

Want some hazelnuts?

Burnarlook is a small hazelnut farm in Gembrook. Their hazelnuts are grown in Gembrook’s rich red soils and the nuts fall to ground ready for harvest through March. For $40, plus $10 per person in the group, u-pickers are provided with a large 20 litre bucket, which can collect around 8.5kg of nuts. This cost compares well compared with supermarkets, with the added bonus being that the hazelnuts are farm fresh and self-picked in a beautiful, shady grove. Once pickers have picked their fill, they transfer the bucket of nuts to their own bags. Burnarlook especially welcome large group bookings by local community garden groups and would be happy to host a club ‘day out’ by arrangement. They apparently also have llamas that you can hang out with. Read more and potentially book your visit.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (24th March), Ann Stanley will interview Jules Jay on the Edible Hub at Hurstbridge. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Leila Alexandra on wild edible gardens (10th March).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was my baking articles. (Note that I have more of these in the pipeline, including shortening vs butter and baker’s yeast vs sourdough starter.)

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the Food Collective Market in Epping.

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

“You say tomato, I say tomato” doesn’t make that much sense when you read it.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Growing Friends autumn plant sale; Saturday, 23rd March and Sunday, 24th March, both 10am-4pm; free; Cranbourne.

This plant sale will be held at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne (RBGV) and is being organised by Cranbourne Friends RBGV. Around 400 different species will be available for sale, including grasses, strappy-leaf plants, groundcovers, climbers, border plants, small & large bushes and trees. Here are the plant lists alphabetically and by type

Not face-to-face but interesting

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) have organised a series of online classes during April and May with the overall theme of understanding nature in the garden. You can book individual sessions for $30 each (see the details below) or all 4 for $110.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Growing garlic at home; Saturday, 23rd March, 10.30am-12.30pm; $15; Coburg.

The workshop will include: understanding garlic and its varieties; garlic’s lifecycle and seasonal considerations; soil preparation; site selection; planting; watering and mulching; identifying and managing pests and diseases; how to tell when your garlic is ready to harvest; and best practices for curing and storing garlic. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

Open day celebrating 10 years of composting; Saturday, 23rd March, 11am-3pm; free; Richmond.

Learn about composting and worm farms. Gardening activities for the kids. Yarra Council staff to answer your questions. Food stalls. Organised by Finbar Neighbourhood House.

Meet the makers picnic; Saturday, 23rd March, midday-5.30pm; free; Bundoora.

Local producers will compete across various categories of homemade wine, beer, preserves and bread. Sample homegrown beverages and produce and talk to the makers themselves. Buy food and drink for lunch or take your own picnic basket. Listen to live music and watch other performances. Participate in the Aboriginal cultural experience with Aunty Brenda Fahey, which will feature hands-on activities like gum nut painting, dot painting on face & rocks, storytelling, crafting with emu feathers and macramé. There will also be fun activities and entertainment for children, including a pop-up space from Victoria University.

Mooroolbark Community Garden; Tuesday, 26th March, 2-3.30pm; free; Mooroolbark.

Hear from a member of the new Mooroolbark Community Garden who will give a presentation on the history of its formation, what’s happening now, how it is benefitting the local community, and how you can become involved.

Introduction to beekeeping; Wednesday, 3rd April, 10.30-11.30am; $15; Edendale.

This workshop will provide an introduction to bees and beekeeping for those considering introducing a beehive into their home garden, including: an overview of bee lifecycles; seasonal behaviour and the importance of bees in our world. Find out what is involved in becoming a beekeeper for the first time, including equipment, regulations and safety. Presenter: Bronwyn Woods from Bob’s Beekeeping Supplies.

The autumn harvest celebration day; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-5pm; free; Yarra Glen.

They will have pumpkin and fresh produce displays, home produce competitions for the largest, longest and most unusual vegetable and lots of fun activities for the kids. Organised by Alowyn Gardens & Nursery.

Farming for our future (ages 5 to 8); Tuesday, 9th April, 1-3pm; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is for children aged 5-8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore Honey Lane Organic Farm and meet some chickens. Make a recycled pot and propagate your own plant to take home.

Toward zero waste (ages 5 to 8); Wednesday, 10th April, 10am-midday; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is for children aged 5-8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Discover the wonderful world of worms and compost. Make your own piece of recycled paper to take home. Meet the CERES chickens.

Farm to fork (ages 3 to 5); Thursday, 11th April, 1-3pm; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is for children aged 3-5 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore the CERES market garden and visit the chickens and bees. Learn how to turn food waste into healthy soil for plants with help from worms. Learn how to safely plant seeds into soil and care for them as they grow.

Garden Festival; Sunday, 14th April, 10am-3pm; free; Fawkner.

The activities will include: crop planting; plant sales; cooking demonstrations; marshmallows by the fire; messy play area; floral crafts for kids; henna and face painting; kids scavenger hunt; and lunch plates by Merri Food Hub.

Milk carton printmaking; Saturday, 20th April, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); Forest Hill.

Explore milk carton etching, a simple and eco-friendly printmaking technique accessible to all. Discover how to design, engrave, ink and print your unique creations using a pasta maker. Uncover the fundamentals of printmaking while upcycling, leaving with your very own limited edition prints and a newfound appreciation for environmentally-conscious artistry. Organised by Strathdon House.

Mushroom foraging; Wednesday, 8th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $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. Presenter: Jess (Fraulein Fungi).

Seed saving 101; Saturday, 18th May, 10-11.30am; free; Bundoora.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will discuss how, when and which seeds to save and store. You will gather seeds from some of Maria’s vegetable stock and take some of these home.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

The basics of kombucha (2 sessions); on Sundays, 14th and 21st April, both 11am-2pm; $156 ($26 per hour); Forest Hill.

Explore the art and science behind crafting this probiotic-rich beverage. Organised by Strathdon House.

Pickling and curing olives; Saturday, 11th May, 10am-12.30pm; free; Wollert.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will discuss the theory of preserving and curing green and black olives. You will then break into groups to do some cooking. You will take home a jar of olives. Please take a plastic cutting board, a small paring knife, a re-usable water bottle and a mug.

Cheese making; Saturday, 11th May, 10am-1pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Kinglake.

Learn how to make feta, halloumi, labneh and ricotta cheeses. You will taste test the ricotta and halloumi once it’s freshly made. A light lunch of spanakopita and baked camembert will be provided. You will take home three cheeses as well as some cheese mould to make your own at home. Take along an apron, a glass jar and 3 or 4 containers to take your cheese home. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Kombucha, jun, mead and water kefir; Sunday, 12th May, 10am-midday; $180 ($90 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make four easy summer drinks. You will go home with 3 large jars full of kombucha, mead, beet kvass and water kefir with the SCOBY to be nurtured and ferment at home in your own kitchen, plus a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that will be ready the next day.

Sourdough for beginners; Saturday, 18th May, 10am-1pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to make sourdough bread with Michael and Therese Slee, including both sourdough culture care and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. You will go home with some freshly baked bread plus some sourdough culture (starter). Presenter: Tony Chiodo. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

For the love of coconut; Sunday, 19th May, 10.30am-2.30pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Panton Hill.

This class is for those who adore coconut in all its forms or love a rich curry sauce. On the menu: Thai grabong fritters using a red curry paste and coconut milk with grated pumpkin, sweet potato and snake beans; a curry paste of your choice (red, yellow or green) made from scratch in a traditional mortar and pestle; you will then use your paste to create a chicken or vegetarian curry using coconut cream and toasted organic coconut flakes; fluffy Thai coconut rice; and chewy coconut pancakes (kanom krok), which is a double layered pancake with a crispy bottom and creamy centre topped with spring onion, corn or pandan flavour. The ticket includes a Vietnamese iced coffee, coconut water, a local beer or wine, a shared banquet and a curry paste to take home. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 13

Mar 132024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Hayden Marks, Kate Anderson, Kerry Bradford, Sam Holman and Simone Boyd.

Sweet appleberry (Billardiera cymosa) by Melbourne Bushfood

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

The appleberry’s berries are textured like apples when unripe but go soft when ready to eat. They have an interesting mixed flavour reminiscent of stewed apples and kiwifruit. They can be used in jams, tarts, cakes or preserving.

The plant is a climber growing to up to 2 metres. In Spring, it produces clusters of bright, bell-shaped, pink flowers.

Plant in either full sun or shade, near a structure that it can grow up. Alternatively, grow in either a pot or a hanging basket. It is both hardy and drought tolerant. It can also tolerate poor soils.

The berries are ripe when they turn from green to yellow and start to soften. Gently pluck the berries off the branches, making sure not to damage the plant.

A related plant, with similarly edible fruit and a climbing disposition, is Billardiera scandens, commonly known as simply appleberry or apple dumpling.

Read about more bush foods on our website.

More on types of sugar

My article in last week’s newsletter on types of sugar generated quite a lot of interest.

Some people asked about honey versus sugar. This is actually a subject about which I have written before.

Kerry Bradford wrote in to ask where ‘raw sugar’ fits in. After consulting with Mr. Google, here is my response: “Different people seem to use the term ‘raw sugar’ to describe slightly different things but the most common usage is that it is ‘partially refined’ sugar, where most of the molasses has been removed but the sugar has not been bleached.”

More guidance on how to store your fresh produce

Lots of you read the guidance from CERES Fair Food from a few weeks ago, so I thought that I would link to the equivalent guidance recently produced by Sustainability Victoria.

And, here are the food storage charts produced by Merri-bek Council a few years ago.

CEO Anne Duncan on a year at Melbourne Farmers Markets

Melbourne Farmers Markets run the Alphington, Carlton and Coburg farmers’ markets. As you may or may not know, newsletter reader Anne Duncan became the CEO of Melbourne Farmers Markets about a year ago, taking over from Miranda Sharp. Anne recently wrote a short article reflecting on her year.

A local gin producer – Naught Distilling

Naught Distilling, from Eltham, make a range of gins, including australian dry, classic dry, overproof and sangiovese. The production process starts by using a base spirit distilled from wheat because wheat-based spirits carry lovely oils and create a velvety mouthfeel. This base spirit is then pumped into a 800-litre copper pot still, selected botanicals are added, and these botanicals are agitated and heated up in an overnight process to maximise oil extraction. The following morning, the mix is distilled and then condensed to create the gin.

You can buy their gin online. You can also buy their gin in many of the local independent stores, BWSs, Dan Murphys, Liquorlands and IGAs (see the specific stores on our website).

Naught also have a speakeasy-style cocktail bar, open Thursday to Sunday, where you can buy a variety of mostly gin-based cocktails plus food. 2/32 Peel Street, Eltham. Book your place..

On Saturdays, they run cocktail masterclasses. Book your place.

Read Naught Distilling’s page in our Local Food and Drink Directory. Welcome, Chris!

We now have pages for 5 local gin makes in our directory:

Community gardens that also have food swaps

It has been on my to do list for some time to cross-reference our local community gardens with our local food swaps. I have now done so and the result is an additional column on our list of the community gardens stating, for each community garden, whether or not there is a food swap at that location.

Of the 66 community gardens, 14 (i.e. 21%) also have food swaps. Putting this another way: of the 29 food swaps, 14 (i.e. 48%) are at community gardens.

Here are the 14:

The politics of food – some poems by Karen Throssell

Thanks to everyone who entered our random draw to receive a free copy of Karen Throssell’s collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. The winner of the lucky draw is Alicia Polakiewicz.

Commiserations to all the unlucky losers. But you can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website and pretend to yourself that you won!

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (17th March), Ann Stanley will interview Fleur Baker on taking permaculture mainstream. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Thuch Ajak on The United African Farm (3rd March) and Jaimie Sweetman on unusual food plants to grow (25th February).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was my baking articles.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the 5th May workshop in Bundoora on basic grafting.

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

The inventor of autocorrect has died. The funnel will be held tomato.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Not local but interesting

Healesville Organic Market 20th birthday; Saturday, 16th March, 8.30am-midday; free; Healesville.

They will be celebrating 20 years of community support for local; organic growers, producers, makers and bakers. Join them for live music, fresh coffee, treats, fun for the kids and all the usual stallholders. At Coronation Park, 105 River Street, Healesville.

The Great Trentham Spudfest; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-11pm and Sunday, 5th May, 8am-10pm; free; Trentham

This will clearly be a major event, with events happening throughout the two days, some of which are free and unticketed whilst others you need to buy tickets for. The ticketed activities include a variety of farm and spud hut tours. There will be around 70 vendors.

The Outdoor Provedore; 3rd Saturday of each month, 8.30am-12.30pm; free; Mansfield

This is a new monthly market created by newsletter reader, and occasional contributor, Simone Boyd. It is effectively a farmers’ market, with all the stallholders being food or drink producers, and no re-sellers. At the Botanic Park end of High Street, Mansfield.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Food forest gardening; Sunday, 17th March, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to turn your patch into a low-work thriving, vibrant ecosystem that gives year-round harvests. You will learn: the philosophy of forest gardening; practical gardening skills and tips; ecosystem dynamics in gardens and soil; easy no-dig techniques to build healthy soil; plants for food and medicine; plants for soil health, mulch,bees and biodiversity; ways to eat and cook unusual and medicinal foods. Presenter: Leila Alexandra.

Mt Evelyn community garden opportunity; Monday, 18th March, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Mount Evelyn.

This meeting will discuss a proposed permaculture designed community garden and brainstorm ideas. There will be a walk through of the proposed site.

Building healthy soils – cultivating fertility for veggie growing; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-1pm; $11; St Helena.

Learn about the cultivation and management of low-till market garden soils. Discuss agronomist soil testing and consulting, and thus the scientific aspects that underpin their soil practices. Participate in some garlic planting, using specialised compost and amendments. The workshop will include a guided tour of Caring Farms Co-Op.

Kalorama Chestnut Festival; Sunday, 5th May, 10am-4pm; free; Kalorama.

Savour the abundant chestnuts, gourmet food, Devonshire tea, coffee, artisan beer and mulled wine. Explore the diverse range of stalls, including: roasted chestnuts; poffertjes; homemade cakes; sausage sizzle; local restaurants; mulled wine; coffee, tea and chai; local handmade crafts; and local produce.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Friday, 10th May, 9am-3pm; $1,150 ($14 per hour); CERES.

The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens. Presenter: Justin Calverley.

Introduction to food photography; Sunday, 12th May, 1.30-4.30pm; $119 ($40 per hour); Warrandyte.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers, restaurant/cafe owners or anybody who loves food and wants it to look good. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: choosing the right lens; choosing the right background, props and accessories; lighting; and software.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Passata party vol. 4; Saturday, 23rd March, 9.30am-3pm; $21 ($4 per hour); Coburg North.

Learn how to pick, clean, boil, mash, sieve and bottle fresh tomatoes. Relax and enjoy the music. They recommend only wearing red – or clothes you are happy to get dirty in. Presenter: Rita. Organised by NECCHi (Newlands and East Coburg Neighbourhood Houses).

Easter egg decorating; Thursday, 28th March, 6-8pm; free; Greensborough.

Learn how to create your own Easter egg decorations. All art & craft materials, plus the eggs, will be provided. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Pickling party and morning tea; Thursday, 11th April, 9.30-11am; free; Greensborough.

Join them to pickle excess rescued food over a cuppa. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Thai wok classics; Sunday, 21st April, 10.30am-2.30pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn to season and care for your wok and the difference between aluminium, carbon steel and cast iron woks. Learn to prep your wok station. Learn how to make a couple of pastes and stir fry sauces to create multiple dishes. The dishes to be made include: pad Thai (your choice of chicken, prawn or vegetarian); stir fried Asian greens with garlic; stir fried eggplant with a sticky chilli jam and Thai basil sauce; steamed jasmine rice; and a dessert. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Macarons workshop; Saturday, 27th April, 2-4pm; $102 ($51 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making macarons. Take an apron. A limit of 4 participants in total. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Cooking with bean curd; Sunday, 28th April, 11am-1pm; $28 ($14 per hour); Forest Hill.

Be guided through various recipes that showcase the different ways that you can cook with bean curd at home. Then take home the dishes that you created (take your own container). Organised by Strathdon House.

Food for mind and gut; Sunday, 5th May, 10am-2.30pm; $150 ($33 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about foods that can help you to build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. You will also learn how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet. All the recipes centre on nutritionally dense vegetables and are both gluten- and dairy-free. The sample menu includes: vegan cream cheese; oat + mesquite crackers; beet sauerkraut; chickpea salad with orange tahini; coconut + turmeric pie; and miso puffed balls. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.

FFS … ferment four staples; Sunday, 5th May, 10am-3pm; $425 ($85 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. At the end, you will sit down for a chat and a bite to eat, including fermented foods and drinks to taste. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 6

Mar 062024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Barb Whiter, Claire Smith, Ellie McSheedy, Karen Throssell and Marcela Santos.

Some allotment community gardens in Whitehorse

All three gardens discussed below are allotment-based, currently full and with a waiting list.

Box Hill Jolimont Slater

 

Box Hill Community Gardens

Box Hill Community Gardens were established around 30 years ago on council land. There are 34 plots, 3 of which are standing plots. Most people grow vegetables for their own use.

Read their page on our website. Welcome Dennis and colleagues!

Jolimont Community Garden in Forest Hill

Jolimont Community Garden was first established in 1977 and was the first community garden in Australia. It comprises around 120 individual plots plus a few communal areas for herbs and perennials. Each plot is around 35 square metres (e.g. 9 metres by 4 metres) and the total size of the garden is almost 2 acres. Most of the plots are in-ground, with a few raised beds. Collectively, the plot holders are culturally diverse, with the vegetables being grown therefore also being diverse. There is some communal equipment, such as a lawn mower, wheelbarrows, spades tools and a trailer. Watch this video. Together with Slater (see below), the garden is one of two overseen by the Nunawading Community Gardens committee, who are responsible for both setting overall policies (e.g. no pesticides or herbicides) and for maintenance of the communal areas (e.g. some of the pathways).

Read their page on our website. Welcome Margaret, Dawn and colleagues!

Slater Community Garden in Blackburn North

Slater Community Garden was first established in 1982 and was one of the first community gardens in Melbourne. It comprises around 50 individual plots plus a few communal areas for herbs. Each plot is around 35 square metres (e.g. 9 metres by 4 metres) but some have been divided into half plots. The total size of the garden is around 1 acre. Most of the plots are in-ground, with a few raised beds. Collectively, the plot holders are culturally diverse, with the vegetables being grown therefore also being diverse. There is some communal equipment, such as wheelbarrows and tools. There are also four large water tanks which are fed by the large roof of a nearby stadium (mains water is connected but only used if the tanks run dry). Together with Jolimont (see above), the garden is one of two overseen by the Nunawading Community Gardens.

Read their page on our website. Welcome Lyn and colleagues!

The politics of food – some poems by Karen Throssell

Newsletter reader Karen Throssell has recently published a collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. Here’s the blurb: “Voracious is a mythical beast. He lives on profits and is always hungry. A Midas beast, all he touches becomes a commodity. He appears in, or is hinted at, throughout this collection of beautifully crafted poems. In her seventh poetry collection, Karen Throssell includes poems about obesity and anorexia, agribusiness, diets and fads, the supermarket duopoly, starvation as a weapon of war, food additives, ultra processed food, gluttony and greed. So the book is about the politics of food, its transformation via the capitalist economy from produce to product, and the resultant rise in ‘pretend food’ – food which is highly addictive but has no nutritional content. The seriousness of the subject matter is lightened with the author’s characteristic quirky wit, by the inclusion of ‘odes’ to various fruit and vegetables, poems about food and family and food traditions.”

Additionally, you can read an excerpt from the launch speech given by Anne Carson on our website.

To celebrate, we are giving away a free copy of the book to a newsletter reader chosen at random, to be picked up from my home in Eltham. To enter the random draw, just send me an email. Alternatively, you can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website.

Perfect persimmon (diospyros – divine fruit)

Orange oozy sumptuousness
skin-sliding off like a skun rabbit
(but the cheery orange stops you
balking at this comparison.)
Appeals to your inner messy kid, who wallows
in sloppy squelchy chin-dripping food
which no-one can eat and keep themselves clean.

Defies all the rules of ‘fresh off the tree.’
Actually has to sit on the sill till it’s old
and squashy enough to be sweet.
Too early and it’s puckering sour…
So – a fruit which is perfectly ripe
when it’s wrinkled and ancient.
Gives you a new perspective on aging…

A divinely beautiful fruit, bright shiny
apricot tones – glowing as it ripens on the ledge
perfect sunset globes gracing the tree’s naked arms.
Just for the artists, ripe after leaf fall
Much painted, printed and etched, in its native
Japan –you’d plant it for that art in your garden.

Male and female flowers grow on separate trees,
but sometimes there’s a special one:
both male and female, pink and creamy white
making a ‘perfect’ hermaphrodite.
So it doesn’t need its ‘other half.’
Gives you a new perspective on we spinsters…

In Ozark folklore it can predict
the severity of the coming winter.
In Korea the dried persimmon has
a reputation for scaring away tigers.
In our folklore it could be a symbol
of exquisite and succulent
mature spinsterhood.

Read more food-related poems by our newsletter readers.

Sugar: brown vs white vs caster vs icing

White sugar is basically 100% sucrose (C12H22O11), where it has been produced by ‘refining’ either beet sugar or cane sugar to remove the molasses and other substances. It is a crystalline substance, which comes in various crystal sizes. The largest crystal size is usually called granulated or table sugar, the next size down is usually called caster or superfine sugar, and the smallest crystal size is usually called icing or powdered sugar. Icing sugar often also has a small amount (2-5%) of anti-caking agent, such as corn starch, added to prevent clumping.

Brown sugar basically comprises sucrose (at least 90%) plus molasses (3-10% by weight). Traditionally, it was produced by only partially refining either beet sugar or cane sugar, with a number of named varieties depending on the precise process used (e.g. demerara, muscovado, rapadura and turbinado). Nowadays, however, brown sugar is often produced by adding back in sugarcane molasses to completely refined white sugar, with two main varieties (light brown and dark brown) depending on the amount of molasses.

Molasses (which is a singular noun, not plural) is a complex substance comprising around 75% carbohydrates, 22% water and 3% other things. As well turning the sugar brown, the molasses make it moister and softer.

In baking, let’s assume that the default is to use white granulated/table sugar, if only because of the cost. The question then becomes when should you potentially use the other sugars.

Caster sugar tastes the same as table sugar but, because of its smaller crystals, it dissolves more easily. This usually doesn’t make much difference but it does make caster sugar arguably more suitable in cases such as syrups, glazes, frostings, fillings and delicate pastries (such as sponge cakes). Caster sugar is a bit denser than table sugar so, if you are being accurate, recipe substitution should be by weight rather than by volume.

Icing sugar also tastes the same as table sugar but the corn starch in icing sugar can sometimes lead to unexpected results when baking. As the name suggests, it is usually used for icings, frostings or dustings. Also, because it dissolves the most easily of the white sugars, some people keep it on hand to add to drinks. Again, any recipe substitution should be by weight.

In comparison with white sugar, the molasses in brown sugar give it both a somewhat different flavour and a somewhat different texture. It also caramelises more readily. The American Sugar Association recommends using dark brown sugar in recipes that have a “richer flavour profile such as spice cakes, gingerbreads and barbecue sauces. On the other hand, recipes calling for light brown sugar include sweet sauces, marinades and rubs.” For texture reasons, brown sugar is also sometimes used as a topping over puddings. Because brown sugar is nearly all sucrose, recipe substitution with white sugar can be 1:1 by weight.

Alternatives to sugar divide into two main groups: 1) substances which contain a lot of sucrose/glucose/fructose but which have been made from plants other than sugarbeet or sugarcane; and 2) non-sugar sweeteners. The obvious substance in the first group is honey (as discussed in a previous newsletter), with other possibilities including coconut sugar, dates, fruit purees, maple syrup, maple sugar and palm sugar. Non-sugar sweeteners are substances which taste sweet to humans but do not contain any sucrose/glucose/fructose. Examples include the synthetic saccharin and the natural stevia. Substituting any of these for table sugar in a recipe is non-trivial.

Read more of my baking discussions.

Creative veggie peel stock (by Ellie McSheedy)

[Last week, Diamond Valley Community Support published its Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger, which focuses on using leftovers and zero-waste cooking. As it says in the introduction, “Together, we can transform our kitchens into hubs of sustainability, where nothing goes to waste and every ingredient is utilised. It’s about cultivating a mindful and conscientious mindset with the food we consume, appreciating the value of every ingredient and re-discovering the joy of cooking. Let’s live sustainably and get cooking!” Some of the recipes in the book are by readers of this newsletter, including the recipe below.]

Serves 8 cups. Prep time of 10 minutes, Cook time of 120 minutes.

Keep a container or food bag in the freezer to collect vegetable peelings, tops, tails, leaves and scraps. Once you have about 4-6 cups, you can make a stock. Homemade vegetable stock can be used as a base for soups, stews, sauces and various recipes. It’s a sustainable way to utilise kitchen scraps, enhance the flavour of your dishes and reduce food waste. Note that broccoli, cauliflower, potato peel and cabbage may make the stock bitter and they should not be included.

The ingredients:

  • 4-6 cups frozen vegetable scraps (e.g. onion peels, carrot tops, celery leaves, mushroom stems, herb stems, garlic, turnip, fennel bulbs and fronds, tomatoes, leeks, pumpkin, corn).
  • Water (enough to cover the scraps and they start to float).
  • Herbs and spices (e.g. bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns).

ln a large pot or slow cooker, add the frozen vegetable scraps, along with any herbs and spices that you would like to flavour the stock. Common additions include bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and peppercorns. Be creative with your flavour combinations.

Cover the scraps with cold water. Use enough water to fully submerge the scraps, typically about 8-10 cups of water for a standard-sized pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for at least 1½-2 hours, but longer cooking times (up to 4 hours) can potentially extract more flavour from the scraps.

After simmering, strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the solid scraps and herbs.

Allow the stock to cool, then store it in containers. You can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze it for longer-term storage.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the job opportunity at Spurrell Foraging.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was a visit to the garden of Angelo Eliades.

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

There’s an old man, and every year, he and his son plant a tomato garden together. This particular year, however, the son is in jail, and so the old man writes him a letter. “My son, it is regrettable that you can’t be here to plant the tomato garden with me this year. The soil is too hard for me to dig myself. I look forward to the day you come home so we can continue this tradition together.“

The son writes back, “Father, don’t dig up the tomato garden, that’s where the bodies are buried.“

That night, the police show up at the old man’s house with a warrant to search the ground for bodies. After several hours of digging around, they find nothing, apologise to the man, and go on their way.

The next day, the man receives another letter from his son, “Father, given the circumstances, that was the best I could do. You should be able to plant the tomatoes now.“

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps

Note that the Mooroolbark Urban Harvest will henceforth be 10-11am (rather than 10-11.30am) and that they also have a new Facebook group.

Community gardens

Upcoming events at Mooroolbark Community Garden

Mooroolbark Community Garden is located in a large, open area and they are beginning to organise some non-food-related events at the location, namely:

  • Every Friday (weather permitting), starting at 6.30pm – musical jam sessions. Everyone is invited to go along with their instruments, vocals or just to hang out and enjoy the live music.
  • Last Sunday of every month, 9am-2pm – artisans market. The likely stalls will include ceramics, jewellery, textiles, candles, pet items, artwork and kids clothing

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Growing your own fruit and veg – Q&A with Claire; Friday, 8th March, 11-11.30am; free; Bulleen.

Get growing this autumn with all your burning questions answered by Claire. No need to book – just turn up at Bulleen Art & Garden nursery.

Morris Whisky tasting and masterclass; Thursday, 18th April, 6.45-9.30pm; $54 ($20 per hour); Croydon.

John Raphael will provide a guided tasting of 6 Morris Whisky whiskies. You will receive a cocktail on arrival.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Saturday, 27th April, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 27th April, at 10.30am-12.30pm and again 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Foraging workshop; Saturday, 27th April, 1-3pm; $15; Ringwood.

Join Jess Cogger on a walk in the wild. Learn how to identify plants and forage edible weeds that surround us all. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 27th April, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Introduction to horticulture and permaculture (15 sessions); starting Thursday, 2nd May, 10am-3pm; $1,050 ($14 per hour); CERES.

This course is designed as a taster for those who are unsure as to whether accredited training is for them, or whether horticulture and/or permaculture is the right pathway, or who are simply not able to commit to a full course at this stage. The three units offered (recognise plants; assist with soil or growing media sampling and testing; and plant and maintain permaculture crops) have been selected from the Certificate II in Horticulture and Certificate II in Permaculture. Presenter: Abigail Jabines.

Basic grafting; Sunday, 5th May, 10am-midday; free; Bundoora.

Kat Lavers will discuss: basic plant biology and what makes grafting work; how to graft safely and successfully; and simple grafting tools for home gardeners.

Mushrooms growing; Sunday, 5th May, 10am-4pm; $195 ($33 per hour); CERES.

In this hands-on introductory workshop, you will learn: the secrets to successfully growing oyster mushrooms at home; inoculation, sterilisation and basic mycology; and how to start master cultures. Presenter: Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery.

In March
In April
Regular events

New regular event: Brewery tours; every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 3-4.30pm; $38 ($26 per hour); Abbotsford. You will be taken through the historic Abbotsford site where Carlton Draught, Great Northern and Victoria Bitter are made. You will be guided through over 150 years of brewing history and knowledge as you experience the sheer scale of this iconic facility on the banks of the Yarra. You will then return to the brewhouse to sample your favourite brewery fresh beers, enjoy a meal plus some live music or sport.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Raw food treats cooking workshop; Saturday, 9th March, 1-4pm; $175 ($58 per hour); Camberwell.

Jo-Anne Grist will demonstrate how to make: raw pistachio slice; raw chocolate brownie with pistachios; raw mini mango cheesecakes; lemon and coconut bliss balls; and fresh summer berry rocky road, You will take home a box of raw treats.

Mini master cooks – autumn fruits; Friday, 5th April, 10.30am-midday; $49 ($33 per hour); Forest Hill.

Calling all mini cooks, make healthy apple cookies drizzled with passionfruit icing. BYO apron and container to take the cookies home in.

Mini master cooks – colourful pasta; Friday, 5th April, 12.45-2.15pm; $49 ($33 per hour); Forest Hill.

Calling all mini cooks, make rainbow pasta with herbed butter sauce. Make different coloured pasta using autumn vegetables such as beetroot and spinach. You will also make a herbed butter sauce using fresh herbs from the garden. BYO apron and container to take the pasta and sauce home in.

Miso making with Rieko Hayashi; Saturday, 20th April, 10.30am-1.30pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Get your annual miso made. They will have the chickpeas soaked and cooked, the koji and salt ready to go, and the jars there. You will mash and squish and roll and throw – ready to go home with 1 litre of miso that can be ready to eat within 3 months, or ferment for longer if you like. The ticket includes lunch.

Greek cooking; Saturday, 27th April, 10am-2pm; $150 ($38 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to prepare traditional dishes that you would expect to eat in the kitchen of a Greek family home. You will prepare all the meals together and then enjoy your feast. Presenter: Kelly Michelakis.

Fermenting at home; Sunday, 28th April, 10am-1pm; $120 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Milk kefir magic; Thursday, 2nd May, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

The art of pickling – winter veggies; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-midday; free; Hawthorn.

Learn about many different types of pickling techniques, how to get the most out of your veggies and all the essential food safety information. Take along a clean jar with your choice of cut up veggies so that you can pour your newly learned pickling liquid recipe into. Presenter: Kaye Cramond, from Grow Cook Store. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Filled pasta making class with Piera; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will learn how to make balanzoni and ravioli di pesce. You will also learn how to make two sauces (alla norma and quattro formaggi). Presenter: Piera Pagnoni. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Take a tour of the grounds of CERES where you will learn how to identify bush foods. Then participate in hands on demonstration of how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Monday, 6th May, 6-8.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach and brinjal moju (eggplant) alongside Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you will sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News February 28

Feb 282024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Andrew Ogbourne, Hayden Marks, Leila Alexandra, Robin Gale-Baker, Tahlia Sleeman and Yvonne du Plessis.

It may be pretty but is it tasty? The dangers of cross-pollination

As your pumpkins ripen, you may notice that what has grown is not always what you thought you had planted. Have you, for example, ever got a long, green or bluish-striped pumpkin when you thought you had planted a round Kent or even a Queensland Blue? ‘Cross-pollination’ is the culprit, where cross-pollination is when a flower on one plant is fertilised by pollen from another plant.

The photo right is of a ‘tromboncino’ grown from saved seed but it looks like that saved seed was the result of cross-pollination between tromboncino and kent pumpkins. Cross-pollination sometimes produces good produce and can be visually attractive. However it is a lottery and you may well find the results bitter or tasteless and the texture, watery or grainy. It seems such a shame to tend to a crop only for this to happen.

Cross-pollination usually relates to the grandparents of a vegetable rather than to its parents. This is because, when cross-pollination occurs, it affects the seeds (which contain DNA from each of the plants) but not the surrounding fruit (which only contains the DNA of the female parent). So, the fruit grows normally but any plants subsequently grown from the seeds within it will have uncertain fruit.

So, cross-pollination will not affect plants in the first season as long as you use commercial seed (which is never cross-pollinated) or the flowers have been bagged and hand-pollinated by you (so the bees and other pollinators have been prevented from accessing the flowers and thus potentially cross-pollinating them). The bees may be buzzing around transferring pollen between closely related family members but in this season the fruit produced will be whatever you planted. For example, if you plant both pumpkin and zucchini, your pumpkin plants in the first season will always produce pumpkins and your zucchini plants, zucchini.

In season two, however, saved seed from season one can contain the genetics of both parent plants and the progeny will be a cross between the two (just as it is in humans). So, seeds from that delicious pumpkin that you grew will be unlikely to give you the same pumpkin in the following season.

Only varieties within a single species can cross. The species Cucurbita pepo is a [prime example. Within this species are pumpkins, zucchinis and squash (such as spaghetti squash). They are closely related and can easily cross-pollinate. By contrast, whilst cucumbers (Cucumis sativa) are in the same family (Cucurbitaceae), they are a different species so will not cross with pumpkins, zucchinis or squash. However cucumber varieties can cross-pollinate with each other.

Other fruits that can cross-pollinate include cantaloupe and honeydew melon (but neither cross with watermelon).

Tomato varieties can in principle cross-pollinate but in practice hardly ever do. Ditto beans, broad beans and peas.

Brassicas are notorious for cross-pollinating if left to flower and to bad effect, often producing a bunch of leaves in place of a heart in hearting vegetables. Cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli can all cross with each other because they are actually all the same species. Ditto the various mustard greens.

Sweetcorn is a special case because the cross-pollination can affect the fruit in the first year. It should therefore be grown in isolation to preventive odd (and usually defective) fruit. Sweetcorn is wind-pollinated so the pollen can travel a long way on a strong wind. That means that one variety must be at least 35 metres from another (but preferably, to be absolutely sure, 1 km apart). It also means that you should check whether your neighbours are growing sweetcorn and determine the variety. Note that popcorn varieties will usually dominate sweet corn varieties.

Bees can travel vast distances – up to 8km – so they can bring pollen to your garden from a wide array of gardens and plant varieties on their travels. Commercial beehives can be a source of seed contamination and there is a withholding period of 7 days for some crops meaning, for example, that beehives which are moved from crop to crop by beekeepers must not be moved from an area where, say, brassicas are growing to another area where other brassicas are growing for 7 days. Rather, the hives would need to be moved to a neutral zone and wait it out.

When you are travelling in the countryside, you may see fully netted areas that provide enclosures with the netting hem weighted down so that no pollinators can enter the isolation area. This is how seed merchants control the genetics of their seed.

If you only ever use commercial seed, then cross-pollination will not be an issue for you. If, however, you are a seed-saver, or you swap seed with friends or select seed from a seed library, then you need to avoid certain seed or run the risk of a disappointing outcome. In other words, don’t save seed for cucurbits (pumpkins, cucumbers, gourds, rockmelons, watermelons, zucchini, etc), brassicas (cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc) or sweetcorn unless you are sure that cross-pollination has not occurred.

Lemon or lemon-scented myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) by Melbourne Bushfood

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

The leaves have a lemony flavour and can be eaten either dry or fresh, with either the whole leaf being used or milled finely in a powder. They are a fragrant and versatile flavouring which can be used in a wide variety of both sweet and savoury dishes, including ice cream, desserts, cocktails, poured into baked goods, sprinkle over fish and with white meat. The lack of acidity means that it doesn’t curdle dairy-based desserts. Avoid using with foods that require long cooking times (such as roast dinners). The leaves are also commonly used in teas and therapeutic products. They can also be distilled to give the essential oil citral.

The leaves are considered to have both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

The plant is a shrub which, in cultivation, typically grows to around 2 metres (it can be much taller in the wild). It has dense, green, aromatic foliage, with the leaves having a strong citrus fragrance when crushed. Ideally, plant in full sun or, failing that, in part shade. The plant is both drought tolerant and frost tolerant when mature, but somewhat tender when young.

To harvest, simply pluck the leaves off when required.

Melbourne Bushfood’s website has a number of recipes using lemon myrtle, including: crumbed fish with lemon myrtle and pepperberry; lemon myrtle and wattleseed shortbread; lemon myrtle cheesecake with a nutty wattleseed crust; lemon myrtle marinated chicken with native parsley; lemon myrtle tart; and poached pears with lemon myrtle syrup.

Want a job at Spurrell Foraging?

Spurrell Foraging are seeking new team members to help with the harvest and maintenance of their foraged produce in Silvan. Read more and potentially apply.

Want to volunteer at DIVRS?

Darebin Information, Volunteer & Resource Service (DIVRS) are looking for volunteers to join their Alphington and Preston teams on Thursday mornings to grow veggies to share with people in the Darebin community experiencing food insecurity. Read more and potentially volunteer.

Community garden news – Pentridge

Pentridge Community Garden in Coburg has recently incorporated, now has its own website, and has become independent of Moreland Community Gardening.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During February, the cooking teams were Mitcham Minions, Team KaruCB (see photo right), the Fruit Ninjas and the Happy Chefs. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

What seeds to plant in March

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

Brassicas  

Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Pak choy
Other cool season veggies  

Broad beans
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens  
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach
Roots

Beetroot  
Carrot
Radish
Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

 
Compared with February, some of the brassicas are now on the list, plus broad beans, rocket and spinach. The best months for planting brassicas are March and April. What I do is plant seeds in March so that, if they don’t germinate, I can try again in April (or cheat and buy some seedlings).

Read Helen Simpson’s article on growing brassicas and Robin Gale-Baker’s article on growing cauliflower.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (3rd March), Ann Stanley will interview Thuch Ajak on the United African Farm . Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Kirsty Bishop-Fox on zero waste (18th February).

Our articles over the last month

Here are some of the articles from our newsletters over the last month that you might have missed:

Corrections and clarifications – Angelo Eliades’ garden

Last week, I correctly said that there will be a visit to the garden of Angelo Eliades on Sunday, 17th March, 2-3.30pm in Preston but my description of that event was completely wrong (i.e. the wrong copy/paste). Here is the correct information.

A visit to the garden of Angelo Eliades; Sunday, 17th March, 2-3.30pm; free; Preston.

Angelo Eliades is a well-known permaculture gardener with a relatively small home garden packed to the brim with unusual food-producing plants, both indigenous and exotic. This includes sub-tropical species (e.g. bananas). Angelo will explain his watering set-up and planting techniques as well as discuss the plants. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was CERES’ Fair Food’s summary fruit and vegetable storage guide.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was a visit to the garden of Angelo Eliades.

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

He pasta away.
We cannoli do so much.
His legacy will become a pizza history.
Here today gone tomato.
How sad he ran out of thyme.
Sending olive my prayers to the family.
His wife is really upset, cheese still not over it.
You never sausage a tragic thing.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Summer fruit tree pruning workshop; Wednesday, 6th March, 10.30am-midday; free; Reservoir.

Angelo Eliades, from Deep Green Permaculture, will show you: how to assess your tree before pruning; where to make your pruning cuts; how much to take off; and how to prune different types of trees.

Whittlesea Food Collective talk; Friday, 8th March, midday-1pm; free; Lalor.

Aisha Khurram, Hardship Help Program Coordinator from Whittlesea Community Connections, will tell her story of how she came to oversee the Whittlesea Food Collective and how we can best access these services

Chinese green tea taste; Saturday, 9th March, 3-5pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Fitzroy.

You will sample three chinese teas (taiping houkui, huangshan maofeng and tieguanyin) served with seasonal fruit and homemade cookies. During the ceremony, they will discuss how tea has formed a key part of Chinese culture from the past until now. There will be a limit of 6 attendees.

Homepatch home and garden visit; Sunday, 10th March, 1-3pm; $10; Hurstbridge.

See how a family in a typical 1970s suburban home integrates permaculture principles into garden, home, household and community systems, with a focus on energy efficient features.

Summer fruit tree pruning workshop; Saturday, 16th March, 9-11am; free; Bundoora.

Christie, from The Fruit Tree Folk, will show you how to prune your fruit trees.

Large suburban property tour; Wednesday, 20th March, 5.30-7pm; $5; Lilydale.

This one acre garden has a variety of areas, both ornamental and edible. There are two beehives, chickens and a bath worm farm. They also have hot water heat pumps, water tanks, solar panels and batteries.

Urban food gardening (8 sessions); consecutive Thursdays starting 15th April, 10am-2.30pm; $80 for all 8 sessions (Government-subsidised fee); Edendale.

The Government-subsidised fee of $80 is only for those who are a permanent Resident and/or Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Coffee around the world with the Islamic Museum of Australia; Thursday, 18th April, 7-9pm; free; Preston.

Take a trip through Lebanon, Turkey and Vietnam with a coffee tasting guide from the Islamic Museum of Australia.

Composting workshop – from scraps to super soil; Saturday, 20th April, 10-11.30am; free; Bellfield.

Learn about all the tips and tricks to make great compost. Find out more about different containers, worm farming and bokashi buckets. Then take a tour of the Bellfield Community Garden to see first hand how your garden can benefit from compost. Click here to read about the garden.

In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Easter cookie decorating workshop; Saturday, 16th March, 1-4pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bayswater North.

Learn how to create fondant cookies, including how to colour, two tone and stencil your cookies. Presenter: Katie. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

A taste of India; Monday, 18th March, 1-2.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Julie, from Green Karma, will demonstrate some Ayurvedic Indian recipes .

Dumpling demonstration and tasting; Tuesday, 19th March, 11.30am-midday; free; Greensborough.

The Eltham Chinese Senior Citizens Group will showcase their expertise in crafting Chinese dumplings. This event is a celebration of cultural diversity through the art of cooking, providing an opportunity to learn, share, and savour the rich flavours of Chinese cuisine.

‘No waste’ cooking demo and food recycling; Wednesday, 20th March, 10am-midday; free; Reservoir.

This event is limited to Darebin residents. Open Table will demonstrate two use-it-up recipes: potato croquettes and anything goes pesto. They will then discuss the world of food waste recycling. Plus there will be an opportunity to speak to Darebin’s Climate Emergency team to give your feedback on their draft Climate Emergency Strategy.

Chinese cooking demonstration; Wednesday, 20th March, 6.30-8pm; free; Watsonia.

Jean Silk will demonstrate the process of creating hokkien char (stir-fried yellow noodles with prawns) and pan-fried vegetarian dumplings.

A taste of China and Thailand; Thursday, 21st March, 7-8.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Jean, from Jean’s Asian Cooking, will demonstrate some recipes from China and Thailand.

Exploring fruit possibilities with Alice Zaslavsky; Friday, 22nd March, midday-12.30pm; free; Carlton.

This workshop will explore the qualities of different fruits, including apples and plums in baking and in salads. Although this workshop is free, you must have an entry pass to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

Entertain with ambrosia apples, hosted by Alice Zaslavsky; Friday, 22nd March, 2-2.30pm; free; Carlton.

Learn about the cooking and entertaining opportunities of ambrosia apples. Although this workshop is free, you must have an entry pass to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

Sourdough hot cross buns workshop; Saturday, 23rd March, 10am-1pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Bayswater North.

Learn how to make sourdough hot cross buns. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Exploring fruit possibilities with Alice Zaslavsky; Saturday, 23rd March, midday-12.30pm; free; Carlton.

This workshop will explore the qualities of different fruits, including apples and plums in baking and in salads. Although this workshop is free, you must have an entry pass to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

BBQ-grilled plums, presented by Alice Zaslavsky; Saturday, 23rd March, 2-2.30pm; free; Carlton.

Learn how plums can uplevel your next BBQ. Although this workshop is free, you must have an entry pass to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

The Willsmere Station Community Garden sauce day; Sunday, 24th March, 9am-3pm; $45 ($8 per hour); Kew East.

Celebrate the tomato and make passata. You will have a hands on role in making the passata and leave with two bellissimo bottles of sauce. The event includes a vegetarian lunch. Click here to read about the garden.

Vegan chocolate making; Thursday, 11th April, 6.30-8pm; $80 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

Start by unravelling the story of cocoa butter. Then delve into the intricacies of chocolate making, from melting and mixing the perfect blend of ingredients to mastering the art of setting. Presenter: Tina Gelberidis.

In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News February 21

Feb 242024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Paraskevas, Ann Stanley, Ben Moore, Charles Yeo, Hayden Marks, Jaimie Sweetman, Kerri Wellington, Marcela Santos, Melanie Wilson and Peter Kamstra.

Chilean guava (Ugni molinae) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. There are regular tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie – read more and book your place on a future tour. Their tours on Saturday, 16th March are being badged as part of Permaculture Week and you get 10% off if you enter the coupon code PCWEEK-2024 at time of booking.]

Originating from Chile in South America, the chilean guava is small shrub getting to around 1 metre by 1 metre. It is sometimes known as the tazziberry.

It has little pink berries that ripen in Autumn. The berries taste a bit like strawberries and are a true children’s favourite.

The plant makes a great, small hedge that doesn’t require pruning unless to shape.

It doesn’t like a temperature under 10degC so, if you are in a cold area, it is best planted in a full sun but protected area. It can also handle being in pots, which then allows it to be moved under cover in winter.

Ours are located in full sun at the back of the forest where they are protected from dry winds and heavy frosts.

It loves a bit of moisture so compost and mulch well.

You can source seedlings easily in either nurseries or online and we often have them for sale in our nursery.

[Read about more of Jaimie’s unusual edible plants on our website.]

Local producer news – Ben’s Bees

You can now buy Ben’s Bees’ honey from his honesty hut at 20 Perth Street, Blackburn South. $12 for 500g or $30 for 1½Kg.

CERES’ fruit and veg storage guide

CERES Fair Food have just published a guide for storing your fruit and vegetables. It comes in two forms:

 

Corrections and clarifications – Botanikos

Last week, I correctly said that Botanikos are scheduled to be at Eltham Farmers’ Market on the 4th Sunday of every month but then incorrectly said that this meant they would next be at the market on 18th February. In fact, of course, it means that they should next be at the market on this upcoming Sunday (25th February). They sell botanically-infused simple syrups and shrubs as cocktail or mocktail mixers.

Want to raise some funds for your local community garden?

The University of Melbourne is undertaking a research project called Community Engagement for Disaster Risk Reduction (CEDRR), whose main aim is to grow community resilience to current and future risk through research and conversations with communities. If you participate in a 20-30 minute survey-interview engagement about your experiences of risk, they will donate $25 to a community garden of your choosing. Then, 4-6 months later, the research team will request you complete a 5-minute follow-up phone call, for which your garden will receive an additional $25. So, $50 in total. Click here to sign up.

If you are actively involved in a local community garden, contact Peter Kamstra by email (peter.kamstra@unimleb.edu.au) to discuss opportunities for CEDRR researchers to visit to say hi and to sign up participants at a convenient time. Croxton / Marra Guwiyap Community Garden did so and have raised over $1,000 to date.

Want to help maintain the healthAbility planter box in Eltham?

As you may or may not know, there is a planter box outside of healthAbility, 917 Main Road, Eltham where leafy greens and other veggies have been grown for the last decade. It is irrigated but obviously still needs occasional weeding and top watering. The main person who has done so for the last few years wishes to retire and is therefore looking for someone to replace her. The job involves a) deciding on & then planting new seedlings and b) occasional visits for weeding & top watering. It is a single, long, raised bed, around 1 metre high, so no bending is required. It is perpetually in the shade, so is best suited for leafy greens and herbs. If you are potentially interested, email me (Guy) and we can discuss over a coffee.

Want to own your own food shop?

Melganics Organic Produce Store at ECOSS in Wesburn is up for sale. It sells fresh fruit and vegetables as well as various dry goods. For more information, or to submit an expression of interest, contact Melanie Wilson by email (melganics1@gmail.com). Closing date: 1st March.

Get your aprons on!

As part of the Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival to be held on Sunday, 17th March, they are organising a baking competition. The categories are banana muffins, carrot cake, lemon slice and ‘your choice’. Enter by emailing your name, age and baking category to competitions@celebratemooroolbark.com. Closing date: Wednesday, 13th March.

Do you make any alcoholic beverages?

If you make any of beer, cider, mead or wine then you might be interested in some of the articles on this website.

Melbourne Bushfood

  
As you know, we regularly feature material about particular bush foods drawn from the Melbourne Bushfood website, courtesy of its owner Hayden Marks. We have now, rather belatedly, included a page about the Melbourne Bushfood organisation in our Local Food Directory.

Melbourne Bushfood are based in Fairfield. Their overall mission is to put Aussie native foods into stomachs across the world, whilst supporting their First Nations and small Aussie farmer allies. To progress this mission, they sell both native edible plants and food products made with native edible plants.

Their native edible seedlings cover the full range of native bush foods, including leafy greens, fruit plants and flower plants.

Their food products include jams & syrups, spices & powders, chocolate, teas and fresh & frozen fruits.

You can buy any of these seedlings or products are their shop, open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm, at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield. Alternatively, you can buy online.

Finally, they have partnered with Nyul Nyul Elder and Traditional Owner Bruno Dann, helping to grow his mob’s harvest and to purchase critical infrastructure needed for his remote community. Read more.

Read the Melbourne Bushfood page in our Local Food Directory.

Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger

At the upcoming Community food aid festival, this coming Sunday (25th February), 11am-3pm, at Edendale, Diamond Valley Community Support will be launching their Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger. Here is one of the recipes from that book by newsletter reader Jennie Ramage.

Vegetable dahl

1 cup dry lentils (puy, green, small black lentils. Don’t use the small red lentils as they won’t hold their shape)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger
3 cups mixed vegetables (e.g. silverbeet, collards, celery stalks & leaves, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli stalks, capsicums)
1 can coconut milk
2 cups water
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cardamom
1-2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
olive oil
squeeze of lemon
½ cup diced onion (or leek, spring onions, chives)
½ cup fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, coriander)

Rinse the soaked lentils and put aside.

Heat a large saucepan and dry fry the mustard seeds until they begin to pop. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the diced onion and the stalks of herbs and greens. Cook for 5 minutess or so, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or so, then add the spices.

Chop all the veggies into large cubes and stir in.

Drain the lentils, rinse and combine with the veggies.

Add the coconut milk and water and give it all a good stir.

Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours.

In the last 5 minutes, stir in shredded silverbeet leaves.

Note that:

  • Serve with brown rice, a dollop of yoghurt, extra parsley or coriander leaves and a hard boiled egg. Squeeze lemon juice onto each serving. Papadums or naan bread also make a nice accompaniment.
  • Dried lentils are a cheap source of vegetable-protein. Soak 1 cup of lentils in plenty of water overnight. (Tinned lentils may be used instead, but are not as economical.)
  • This is a very flexible recipe. It can be made with just 2 or 3 vegetables or as many as you have available.

Local people making a difference – Louise Ward (by Ann Stanley)

Inspired by her 2015 training in permaculture design, Louise has established an edible food forest at the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixon’s Creek, the function and conference centre that she owns with her husband, John.

Driven by a desire to improve the earth, and using the German system of hugelkultur, Louise, in collaboration with horticulturalist Jaimie Sweetman, has built soil, given life to many unusual plants and contributed to permaculture knowledge about the food forest method of growing food.

Louise is also involved in Global Gardens of Peace, which seeks to improve the mental health of vulnerable communities around the world through planting and tending gardens. She also supports her husband John’s work with disadvantaged people in Papua New Guinea (read more here) and has given 5 acres of the property at Dixon’s Creek to the establishment of a wildlife shelter.

Read more about food forest fundamentals. Listen to Louise talk about her food forest.

If you would like to nominate anyone (including yourself) to have their pen portrait in a future newsletter, drop me a line.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (25th February), Ann Stanley will interview Jaimie Sweetman on unusual plants for the layers of a food forest (deferred from previous weeks). Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Amy Ciara on Celtic nature connections and modern horticulture (11th February).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Botanikos’ online shop.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was The Whittlesea Garden Expo.

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

A curious customer asked a local tomato farmer if their tomatoes were genetically modified.

“No,” said the farmer.

“That’s correct,” said the tomato.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Rare, vintage and cellared; Saturday, 24th February, 1-3pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Thornbury.

3 Ravens will showcase 12 of their rare, vintage and cellared brews.

A visit to the garden of Angelo Eliades; Sunday, 17th March, 2-3.30pm; free; Preston.

Angelo Eliades is a well-known permaculture gardener with a relatively small home garden packed to the brim with unusual food-producing plants, both indigenous and exotic. This includes sub-tropical species (e.g. bananas). Angelo will explain his watering set-up and planting techniques as well as discuss the plants. Organised by .

Permaculture garden tour (Tenderbreak); Sunday, 17th March, 2-5pm; $10; Dixons Creek.

The property is a mudbrick home surrounded by one acre of food production on a 96 acre bush block. The features to be explored on the tour include: two dwellings with passive solar design; bushfire defence systems; solar power; wastewater worm farm treatment system; wood stove; fresh water and dam irrigation systems; large organic veggie garden; two large orchards; a hothouse; chooks; fences, gates, trellises and outbuildings made from recycled materials; a grain processing bench; swales; and a fish stocked multifunction dam.

Permaculture workshop with Matt Daniele of PEACE Farm; Thursday, 21st March, 2-4pm; free; Lilydale.

Matt Daniele, from PEACE Farm, will discuss: the permaculture concept and principles; how permaculture can be applied in the home garden; nutrient cycling; diversity of habitats and production; animal integration; and garden layout to maximise efficiency.

Urban property garden tour; Sunday, 24th March, 10am-midday; $10; Kilsyth.

The property features a solar system, multiple water tanks, a glasshouse, a seed saving box, a pond, a vegetable patch with wicking beds & fruit trees, chickens, beekeeping and a food forest.

Heritage apple tasting; Monday, 1st April, 3-5pm; $20; Templestowe.

Around 15 varieties will be available for tasting – mid-season apples. An orchard tour will also be included. All funds received go toward the maintenance and expansion of the collection. Organised by the Heritage Fruits Society.

SEEDs Communal Garden open garden; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-4.30pm; $8; Brunswick.

SEEDs Communal Garden is a community garden that provides opportunities for meaningful roles, community connections and friendships for the participants of Milparinka – a community organisation that supports people who have a disability. Established in 2015, SEEDs grows nearly a ton of food each year. It is maintained by its diverse community. It is a no-dig garden that uses composting to ensure rich soil. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Heritage apple tasting; Sunday, 7th April, 2-4pm; $20; Templestowe.

Around 15 varieties will be available for tasting – mid-season apples. An orchard tour will also be included. All funds received go toward the maintenance and expansion of the collection. Organised by the Heritage Fruits Society.

Organic vegetable growing; Saturday, 20th April, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

The workshop is a mix of classroom presentations and practical exercises, giving you a chance to get your hands dirty on a real working farm. You will learn to: build healthy soils; work with the seasons; and grow a productive garden, including vegetables, fruits and herbs. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Big Vegan Market; Saturday, 20th April and Sunday, 21st April, both 10am-6pm; $9; Carlton.

Shop from a huge variety of 100% vegan products.

Autumn native plant sale; Saturday, 20th April, 10am-4pm; free; Eltham.

Organised by Australian Plants Society – Yarra Yarra, there will be sales of native and indigenous plants plus books. The plant sellers will probably include APS Yarra Yarra growers, Goldfields Revegetation Nursery, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary Nursery, Sunvalley Plants Nursery and Vaughan’s Australian Plants.

Sustainable gardening (8 sessions); starting Tuesday, 23rd April, each 10am-2pm; $650 ($20 per hour); CERES.

This course will introduce you to the basics of horticulture, permaculture and organic gardening. The 8 sessions will cover: intro to sustainable gardening and permaculture principles; soils and their preparation; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; organic vegetable production; growing bushfoods and berries; seed saving and propagating; organic fruit production; and water management and guild planting. Presenter: Justin Calverley.

In February
In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Plant-based cooking demonstration and tasting with Frankie Cox; Thursday, 21st March, 6-7.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Frankie Cox will show you how to incorporate more plant-based ingredients in our everyday meals. She will talk about eating for impact and sharing some tips and tricks for using vegetables in cooking. There will also be some tasty samples to share as well!

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 3rd April, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Sourdough bread baking; Sunday, 21th April, 9am-5pm; $220 ($28 per hour); CERES.

You will: make a variety of different breads, gaining the skills and confidence to make your own at home; enjoy some of your own handmade pizza for lunch; and take home some leaven to get you started baking bread at home. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

In February
In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News February 14

Feb 142024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Drew Echberg, Henry Newton, Karen Dover, Melissa Lawson and Robin Gale-Baker.

The Macleod food swap is on pause

After 12 years of operation, the Macleod food swap is currently on pause pending them finding some people to organise it.

Botanikos

Botanikos, who are based in Wonga Park, make botanically-infused simple syrups and shrubs as cocktail or mocktail mixers. Each is made with fresh, local or Australian ingredients and each is infused with the flavours and aromas of various plants and herbs.

The simple syrup flavours include rosemary, thyme, lavender, bergamot, hibiscus, rose garden, lemon, lime, bitter orange, marmalade, indigo, chocola, salty pete, passionfruit and dragonfruit.

Shrubs are sour drink mixers made from apple cider vinegar, spring water, sugar, fruit and indigenous herbs (such as strawberry gum, lemon myrtle, pepperberry, anise myrtle, cinnamon myrtle and rivermint).

The business has a commitment to sustainability. Ingredients are local where possible, as are the bottles, labels and packaging. They minimise waste and any remaining waste products are composted.

You can buy their products online or at various markets (Eltham Farmers Market, Park Orchards Market and Yarra Valley Regional Food Group Farmers’ Market). My understanding is that they are scheduled for the 4th Sundays in each month at the Eltham Farmers Market and should therefore be there next Sunday (18th February).

Read the Botanikos page on our website. Welcome Karen!

What does a Persian eat for breakfast?

You can find out next Sunday (18th February) at the Eltham Farmers’ Market, when they will be host our local Persian community as represented by The Yarra Foundation, who are a Melbourne-based charity that raises money to support the education of disadvantaged children in Iran.

For breakfast, you will apparently be able to try any or all of:

  • Bandari sausages (as per the photo right).
  • Persian omelette.
  • Persian tea.
  • Persian sweets.
  • Olevieh (sandwiches).

There may even be some Persian entertainment!

Pauline Webb reports in – Brussels sprouts

[The photos are of Pauline’s seedlings and, as discussed below, my mature plants from a previous year. Note that the small plant in the centre of Pauline’s photo is an oca. [Read Jian Liu’s article on our website about growing oca.]

I (Pauline) feel that I have got in front with my Brussels sprouts this year by planting seedlings in January. I have historically been unsuccessful with my attempts to grow them. Alan Richmond, an Eltham gardener of note, used to speak to us at Doncaster Garden Club years ago and his information was to plant seeds in November and seedlings in January in Melbourne. The plant needs the summer to grow large and strong for the winter crop. Another friend with a Scottish background says that Melbourne is not cold enough for Brussels sprouts. My husband has put some netting and an old lace curtain over them and, so far, the cabbage white butterflies have not managed to lay eggs on them. Here’s to a cold winter and my first success!

[Editor: I have always found the timings for growing Brussels sprouts somewhat vexatious. When I first started veggie growing, I assumed that one should plant them at the same time as the other main brassicas such as broccoli and cauliflower, which, for seeds, is late summer or early autumn. Then I became aware that they take longer to grow than the other brassicas and therefore should be planted earlier, say mid summer. But I never had any success – the plants grew ok but the sprouts never really formed. Then in 2020, by chance, I came across Adams Farms in Coldstream, who specialise in growing Brussels sprouts and supply, amongst others, Coles. They told me that they plant their Brussels sprout seedlings in November through to February (i.e. much earlier than I was doing) and they gave me 18 of their seedlings. The result? I planted the seedlings in November and harvested literally thousands of Brussels sprouts from May onwards: 18 plants with an average of 60 sprouts each equals 1,080 sprouts! Both my experience and the existence of the Adams Farms show that it is perfectly possible to grow Brussels sprouts in Melbourne.]

[Since then, I have always wanted to plant Brussels sprout seedlings in November but have never really found anywhere where I can buy them at that time. I have also tried seed saving but that hasn’t really worked. So, I know what I want to do but currently am not really able to do it. Does anyone know where one can buy Brussels sprout seedlings in the spring? If so, email me. Should we try and organise some sort of bulk buy?]

[Note that currently, for want of a better option, our planting guide of what seeds to plant when follows the advice of the Gardenate website and says that Brussels sprout seeds should be planted in either December or January.]

Sour cream vs yoghurt

Sour cream and yoghurt are both fermented dairy products, with sour cream being fermented cream and yoghurt being fermented milk. They typically use different bacteria for the fermentation, which gives them somewhat different tastes. Creme fraiche is effectively a type of sour cream. Greek yoghurt is yoghurt that has been strained to remove some of its whey, thus making it thicker (and more similar in consistency to sour cream).

In both cases, the bacterial fermentation turns the sugars into lactic acid.

The differences between sour cream and yoghurt are less than the differences between some cheeses – it is effectively a historical accident that, unlike cheese, they have completely different names.

Because of their different source substance (cream versus milk), sour cream has much more fat (and therefore calories) than yoghurt. By contrast, it typically has less protein.

It is widely agreed that sour cream and yoghurt can be substituted for each other in recipes using a 1:1 substitution. However, note that:

  • The flavour might be slightly different.
  • Greek yoghurt is the closest in texture to sour cream.
  • You can effectively turn plain yoghurt into Greek yoghurt by straining out some of the whey using a piece of cheesecloth.
  • Having less fat, yoghurt is more likely to curdle when heated.
  • When substituting yoghurt for sour cream, you can also add some butter to raise the fat content.

Possible vegan substitutes for sour cream include:

  • Coconut cream, created by skimming off the top of coconut milk and adding some acid (e.g. vinegar or lemon juice) and salt.
  • Silken tofu, where you blend firm silken tofu with some acid (e.g. vinegar or lemon juice).

Read more of my baking discussions.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Duang’s Nan Experience website.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was The Whittlesea Garden Expo.

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

An IT programmer is about to go out and buy groceries. His wife tell him: “Buy a loaf of bread and, if they have eggs, buy a dozen.”

He comes back with 13 loaves of bread.

“But why?“, she asks.

“Because they had eggs“, he replies.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Note the newly re-started Food Collective Market in Epping.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Note the working bee on Sunday morning at the Renown Street Orchard in Coburg North.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Propagation workshop; Wednesday, 21st February, 5.30-7.30pm; $5; Northcote.

Learning how to create your own plants: growing from seed, growing from cuttings and caring for seedlings. Presenter: Shani Shafrir from Preston Connected. Organised by Marra Guwiyap Community Garden.

Introduction to beekeeping; Friday, 23rd February, 10.30-11.30am; free; Edendale.

This workshop will provide an introduction to bees and beekeeping for those considering introducing a beehive into their home garden, including: an overview of bee lifecycles; seasonal behaviour and the importance of bees in our world. Find out what is involved in becoming a beekeeper for the first time- including equipment, regulations and safety. Presenter: Bronwyn Woods from Bob’s Beekeeping Supplies.

Palestinian dinner with chef Aheda; Sunday, 25th February, 6-9pm; $79 ($26 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a sit-down dinner with Palestinian chef Aheda, where you will both celebrate the many flavours of Palestinian cuisine and have an evening of cultural immersion and culture preservation.

Introduction to mushroom growing workshop; Sunday, 3rd March, 10-11am; $53 ($53 per hour); Heidelberg West.

You will learn the basics of growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms at home. You will be guided through the entire process, from understanding the life cycle of fungi to hands-on techniques for cultivating your own mushrooms. Particular topics to be discussed include: how to set up your own mushroom growing area, including selecting the right environment and equipment; step-by-step instructions on starting your mushrooms from grain spawn to harvest; tips and tricks for successful cultivation, including moisture control, substrate preparation, and dealing with common pests and problems; and an overview of the most popular and easy-to-grow mushroom species. You will take home your own mushroom grow kit to get started right away. Presenter: Simon Hughes from the Urban Farming Collective.

Awara open garden; Saturday, 9th March, 11am-12.15pm; $22 ($18 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

Join Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens, on a tour of her 840m2 rental property. Learn how it was turned into a productive paradise and Leila’s wild gardening philosophy. Take home some seeds and cuttings. Optionally, enjoy a chat and garden tea post tour.

Wild edible gardening; Saturday, 9th March, 2-4.30pm; $53 ($21 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

You will learn nature-based gardening practices to turn your patch into a low-work food forest that gives year-round harvests. You will learn: the philosophy of wild edible gardening; ecosystem dynamics in gardens and soil; easy no-dig techniques to build healthy soil; plants for food, medicine, soil health, bees and biodiversity; and practical gardening skills and tips to get started. Facilitator: Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens.

Mushroom foraging; Thursday, 14th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $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. Presenter: Jess (Fraulein Fungi).

No-dig gardening to regenerate soil; Saturday, 16th March, 10am-3pm; $116 ($23 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

You will explore varies no-dig ways to build healthy soil with minimal labour. You will learn: the advantages of no-dig gardening; easy and instant ways to convert lawn to garden; principles of decomposition and closed loop fertility; composting techniques; where to forage the city for organic materials; and plants that heal and enrich the soil, including green manures and weeds. Facilitator: Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens.

Victorian Whisky Festival; Saturday, 16th March, 11am-4pm; $93; Preston.

The ticket includes whisky samples from 15 Victorian distilleries, a burger or hotdog (vegetarian options available) and a tasting glass to keep. The distillers will include Starward, Kinglake, The Gospel, Bakery Hill, Western Port Distillery, Hepburn Distillery, Whisky in Isolation, Swiftcrest, Morris, Imbue, NED, Bass & Flinders and Chief’s Son. There will be whisky cocktails, a rare whisky bar and takeaway bottle sales.

CERES Harvest Festival; Saturday, 23rd March, 10am-3pm; $5; Brunswick East.

This is an annual event which includes: farm tours & talks; kids activities (such as face painting); CERES Home Harvest Awards (for bakers, preservers and others); a scarecrow building competition; live music; stalls from local makers and growers; and some eating options.

Plants for a wild edible garden; Saturday, 23rd March, 10am-3pm; $116 ($23 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

You will learn how to successfully establish a diverse range plants in your forest garden, including: how to approach garden design based on plant needs; which plants will thrive in Melbourne’s climate; ways to incorporate a mix of food plants (fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs, bush foods) and plants for soil, mulch, fertility and ecosystem diversity; simple ways to understand seasonality and companion planting; and ways to incorporate unusual and medicinal foods into your diet. Facilitator: Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens.

Grow your own mushrooms; Wednesday, 27th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Awara open garden; Saturday, 6th April, 2-3.15pm; $22 ($18 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

Join Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens, on a tour of her 840m2 rental property. Learn how it was turned into a productive paradise and Leila’s wild gardening philosophy. Take home some seeds and cuttings. Optionally, enjoy a chat and garden tea post tour.

Savvy tricks to make your food go the distance; Thursday, 11th April, 10-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

Learn how to reduce your food waste, minimise your soft plastics and store food to make it last longer. Learn simple tricks like how to store herbs and what to look out for when you are in the supermarket plus share your own tips.

Plants and permaculture; Saturday, 13th April, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

This workshop is for those interested in living a permaculture lifestyle in relation to plants and how to use them in the kitchen and garden. You will learn how to utilise plants for food, medicine, fodder and fibre, whilst also providing habitat and systemic stability. Presenter: Taj Scicluna.

Urban food gardening (10 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 17th April, 9.30am-1.30pm; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The course will cover such topics as: growing in pots, raised beds, wicking beds and no-dig gardens; site analysis and design considerations; re-generating soil health and fertility; seasonal planning and crop rotation; companion planting and beneficial insects; upcycling waste through composting and worm farms; propagating plants from seed and cuttings; saving seed; and natural pest and weed management. Presenter: Melissa Houselander. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

The cook program (10 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 18th April, 9.30am-1.30pm; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and self-confidence to seek further study or work in hospitality. You will prepare, eat and gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking. You will also learn how to cook for a large group. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

In February
In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Japanese curry with Chika’s home cooking; Saturday, 2nd March, 10.30am-1pm; $57 ($23 per hour); Coburg North.

Unravel the secrets of Japanese curry using curry cubes and learn how to pair with glossy rice. Also featuring a quick summer garden salad incorporating freshly harvested vegetables from NECCHi’s own edible garden. At the end, eat the food as lunch. Menu: Japanese curry, steamed rice and Summer garden salad with Japanese twist dressing. Presenter: Chika. Organised by NECCHi (Newlands and East Coburg Neighbourhood Houses).

Thai cooking; Saturday, 9th March, 10.30am-1pm; $65 ($26 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will make Thai grilled pork or chicken salads and chicken galangal soup. You will enjoy some taste testing and should have some extra to take home too. Take an apron, knife, chopping board and a container to take home leftovers. Presenter: Oddie. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Japanese fermentation; Wednesday, 27th March, 6.30-9pm; $120 ($48 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn how to make miso, starting with the preparation of the soybeans and ending with the shaping of your miso. You will also make tsukemono pickles from fresh vegetables. You will take home some miso, which will then mature into robust flavours over time. Presenter: The Fermented Mumma.

In February
In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News February 7

Feb 072024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amy Aednat Ciara, Eve Fraser, Georgia Tracy, Gus Goswell, Julie French, Sam Holman, Samantha Leahy, Teresa Day and Virginia Solomon.

The products available at Farm Raiser’s farmgate

As you hopefully know from previous newsletters, the Farm Raiser urban farm in Bellfield have a farm gate on the opposite side of the road to 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield on Fridays, 10am-2pm and Saturdays, 9am-midday. What you might not know, however, is that they sell a few other products in addition to their own veggies, including: Dougharty Baker’s bread; some preserves made by Balnarring Preserves, Grand Ridge and others; Gippsland Pastured eggs; and biodynamic milk.

What you won’t know is that they are now stocking Stone & Crow Cheese cheese, where this relationship has been created following the article in this newsletter a few weeks ago about Stone & Crow Cheese.

Yes, (one of you) did know!

Last week, Meg Autin asked what might be wrong with her yellowing and spotty blueberry leaves. Amy Aednat Ciara has responded.

“Meg’s blueberries are showing signs of trace mineral deficiency (e.g. iron, manganese, etc). I would hazard a guess from where it is yellowing, and the necrotic spots occurring, that the soil is too alkaline. But best practice is to get a pH kit and to test the soil according to package instructions.”

[Editor: unlike most plants, blueberry plants need an acidic soil to thrive, preferring a soil pH of 4-5.]

Amy continues: “Tips with the standard pH liquid and powder kit. Really shake the powder very well! Big clumps make it harder to judge the colour. Make sure that the liquid solution turns the soil sample into a pasty mud-like consistency. Add soil if too wet and watery or more solution if too dry. Finally the pH scale is to the power of 10 so there is a 10x difference between the numbers. For example a pH of 5 where 7 might be needed, means the soil is 100 times too acidic! Also the final colour of the sample is best viewed in natural light.

“A short term solution to Meg’s problem would be to add sulphur if too alkaline or lime if too acidic, and follow package instructions carefully. Longer term, Meg can try adding more acidic or alkaline compost, compost teas or organic matter. Meg could also plant a plant that raises pH in the soil near it (e.g. a eucalypt), if it is too alkaline. Sometimes too much water and poor drainage creates an increased alkalinity too.”

A new honey provider – Amy’s Beekeeping

Amy’s Beekeeping sells raw and hay fever honey. There is zero processing apart from straining. As a small-scale producer in North Warrandyte, Amy aims to produce high quality honey with the health of the community and the bees at the heart of it.

The honey is only available during Spring and Summer. People can buy the honey using a honesty box system at 34 Glynns Road, North Warrandyte, or by contacting Amy by phone (0425 774774) or email (amyljames1973@gmail.com).

When requested, Amy also rescues bee swarms from homes and gardens.

Read Amy’s Beekeeping page on our website. Welcome Amy!

There are now 7 honey providers in our Local Food Directory.

If you live in Darebin, try out an induction cooktop

Darebin Libraries have some kits which people can borrow for up to 2 weeks. Each kit includes a Westinghouse WHIC01K portable induction cooktop, a magnet to test cookware compatibility, instructions and a portable induction cooktop manual. You will need to collect and return the cooktop to the same library. Read more and potentially apply.

A new enquiry into securing Victoria’s food supply

The Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee at the Victorian Parliament has just launched a new inquiry into securing Victoria’s food supply. The Committee is examining:

  • The impacts of urban sprawl and population growth on arable land and the farming industry in Victoria.
  • The use of planning controls to protect agricultural land in green wedge and peri-urban areas.
  • The resilience of the Victorian food system, including the production of food, its transportation and sale.

They have published a news article and a short YouTube video introducing the inquiry and inviting interested members of the public to make submissions. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 26th April.

Beat the heat! (by Julie French)

Who knows what the rest of the summer will bring by weather but it still might get hot. Preparing food for the heat ahead of time avoids, or at least minimises, cooking when you want to keep both yourself and your house as cool as possible. Also having plenty of cooling foods, that is, foods that actually help to bring your body temperature down, in your kitchen means that you can survive the heat of the day more comfortably.

Think of dishes that can be cooked ahead of time, or elements of dishes that are cooked when it’s cooler and that can be assembled when you are ready to eat. For example, salads full of summer vegetables that have a high water content are ideal for helping your body stay cool.

Pre-cook grains, potatoes, eggs and vegetables the day before the heat is forecast and you have the makings for tasty, nutritious dishes that won’t overheat your kitchen. If you have an outdoor cooking set-up, simply barbecuing your preferred protein and serving with a mixed salad or a cold ratatouille, is a great way to go too. Marinades or spice coatings add an extra flavour boost – chicken satays with a simple peanut sauce, or blackened fish in a cajun spice mix served with quick cucumber pickles.

Fattoush

100g day-old dense crusty bread (rub the bread with a clove of garlic for extra flavour)
virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
½ small red onion
3 very ripe, sweet medium-sized tomatoes
1 avocado
1 small continental cucumber, peeled
1 spring onion
½ cup mixed coriander and Italian parsley leaves
handful of fresh mint leaves, torn into small bits
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sumac
¼ cup vinaigrette (made from ⅔ cup virgin olive oil, ⅓ cup red wine or cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar)

The day before: tear the bread into small chunks (2-3 cms), put in a bowl with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and use your fingers to toss the bread around so that the pieces have a touch of oil on them. Toast in a 160degC oven until dry and golden in colour.

Finely slice the red onion and soak in a small bowl of cold water. Just before you put the salad together, drain the onion and squeeze out excess water. Cut the tomatoes into large chunks and the cucumber and avocado into 2cm dice.

Put the toasted bread into a large stainless steel bowl with the vinaigrette and soak for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, onions and salt and pepper and toss to mix. Add the herbs and sumac and toss again. Transfer to a serving dish.

Salade nicoise (adapted from Elizabeth David’s Summer cooking)

There is no precise recipe for this Provencal salad but it typically includes olives, hard-boiled eggs, anchovies and tuna and the dressing should contain garlic. You can also add any of lettuce hearts, cooked potato, green beans, tomato wedges, sliced cucumber, basil leaves or artichoke hearts.

Cut the ingredients into largish pieces and arrange them in a wide salad bowl so that each is kept separate and the whole dish looks colourful and fresh. Make up a vinaigrette (see recipe above) with garlic, and drizzle over the salad when you’re ready to eat.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a great way to use your cucumbers. The trick to making your tzatziki extra creamy is to strain the yoghurt to remove as much water as possible. Line a sieve with muslin (or a clean chux) and stand it over a deep bowl, mix together 1Kg yoghurt and 1 teaspoon salt, and place in the sieve. Leave to drain in the fridge overnight.

Mix 350g strained yoghurt with 2 seeded and grated small Lebanese cucumbers (skin left on), 1 clove garlic crushed with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried mint, ½ cup roughly chopped mint leaves and the juice of a lemon. (This recipe is from Malouf’s New Middle Eastern food.)

Season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve as a dip or an accompaniment to grilled meat.

Loubia

This is a good way of using your green beans.

50 ml olive oil
1 small onion finely diced
1 clove garlic finely diced
1 tablespoon cumin spice blend
300g thin green beans
400g crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and cumin spice blend and sauté gently until soft. Add the beans, tomatoes and tomato paste and enough water to just cover. Add salt and simmer uncovered, until the beans are tender and the liquid has reduced.

Tip into a serving dish and serve at room temperature drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil.

To make the cumin spice blend: lightly roast, grin and sieve 100g cumin, 50g coriander seeds and 25g black peppercorns. Mix them with 75g sweet paprika and 50g ground ginger.

Pauline Webb reports in

I (Pauline) planted my already finished cucumbers and close to finished tomatoes in October and November. Initially, I had good growth but then there was rain and the humidity hit. The lush growth on both developed powdery mildew and dry edges and I eventually stripped all the affected leaves off both veggies. With the cold snaps and rain, the fruit set was patchy.

In total, I have 5½Kg of pickled or fermented cucumber in the fridge and pantry, with some more having been eaten fresh.

The tomatoes were all early fruiting varieties as I was concerned re fruit fly. They have been ripening spasmodically and this last week have ripened faster. They have just had another pruning of all branches without fruit. In total, I have around 6Kg Russian pickled tomatoes in the fridge plus around 5Kg of cherry tomatoes. My concerns re fruit fly turned out to be unnecessary, as none were touched (but all my stone fruit were).

Beans have gone in where the cucumbers came out and I have also just planted sugar snap peas and radishes for a quick crop. [Editor: although peas are a cool season crop, sugar snap peas can also be grown in summer.]

Packshare Australia

Packshare Australia is a new voluntary organisation that “finds local businesses who accept packaging for reuse and those who give it away for free“, with the aim of reducing waste. From their map of participating organisations, it seems clear that their base is in North East Melbourne.

“Currently the packaging lifecycle is incredibly wasteful. Businesses spend huge amounts of money on packaging, carefully pack items for safe transit, send them out to consumers, who promptly tear it off and throw it all away. Packshare enables people to find businesses local to them who can re-use that packaging, easily locate them on a map, and donate it when they’re nearby.” Watch this video.

During February, they are holding a stationery drive at Alphington Farmers’ Market, where excess stationery is to be donated and then re-deployed. Watch this video.

Can you help Georgia?

Newsletter reader Georgia Tracy will be doing a trail-run for the Bob Brown Foundation to save Tasmania’s Tarkine forest, with the specific objective of having the Tarkine listed as a World Heritage National Park. Read more and potentially support Georgia’s efforts.

If you are planning to do something worthy and are seeking support, email me and I will include it in a future newsletter.

Want a Thai cooking and cultural experience?

Readers might recall an article from last year about a cooking and cultural tour in northern Thailand led by newsletter reader Duang Tengtrirat. The good news is that she will be offering three tours again this year – in July, August and September.

Duang grew up in Nan, a small town in northern Thailand, close to the Laotian border. Whilst she has spent her adult life in the USA and Australia, she has recently renewed her ties with her home town and re-discovered its charms and cultural life. She decided that she wanted to share it with people, before it’s discovered by mainstream tourism! Duang has renovated the old teak house that she grew up in and cooking classes are now held in the outdoor kitchen, where she learnt her cooking skills from her mother.

Nan Experience is a 10 day package that alternates days of cooking in Duang’s mother’s kitchen with outings to places of cultural and culinary interest, in and around Nan. Read more and potentially book your place.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (11th February), Ann Stanley will interview Jaimie Sweetman about unusual plants for the layers of a food forest (deferred from last Sunday). Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the program for the National Sustainability Festival.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was a tour of ‘the Plummery’ (garden tour).

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

My girlfriend told me to put tomato sauce on the shopping list, so I did. Now I can’t read it.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

NERP will have a stall at the Eltham Farmers’ Market, where their theme will be ‘involving kids in permaculture’.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not face-to-face but interesting

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) have organised a series of online classes during February and March with the overall theme of soil is your foundation. It includes sessions that will both build your knowledge of soil and explore different gardening approaches that support soil health. You can book individual sessions (see the details below) or all five for $140.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Microgreens growing; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will be walked through the process of producing microgreens. Presenter: Jess Holland, CERES’ microgreens manager.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

Learn everything from the inner workings of a beehive to the healing properties of raw honey. You will learn how to maintain a healthy hive, discover the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check. Weather permitting, they will also open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration. Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

Small space gardening; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn: how to maximise your small space to create an abundant oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals; and container gardening techniques and principles. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

The herbal apprentice (8 sessions); starting Saturday, 6th April, 10am-3pm; $995 ($21 per hour); CERES.

The course will include the following topics: medicinal plant cultivation; introduction to plant identification and botany; understanding common ailments; herbal language and terminology; patterns of traditional western herbalism; plant chemistry basics; introduction to medicine making; botanical animism; and community supported herbalism. Presenter: Taj Scicluna, aka The Perma Pixie.

Australian Distillers Festival; Saturday, 6th April, midday-7pm; $68; Abbotsford.

There will be around 30 distilleries from around the country plus live demonstrations, food and music. The ticket includes unlimited tastings plus a tasting glass.

Edible weeds; Sunday, 7th April, 10am-midday; $70 ($35 per hour); CERES.

Learn about the seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne’s inner north and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses. This session will also include a demonstration, and sampling, of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Urban foraging 101; Sunday, 7th April, 10am-12.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify useful trees even when they’re not fruiting. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. At the end you will have an outdoor picnic of hot and cold foraged foods. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Australian Distillers Festival; Sunday, 7th April, midday-5pm; $68; Abbotsford.

There will be around 30 distilleries from around the country plus live demonstrations, food and music. The ticket includes unlimited tastings plus a tasting glass.

In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cook Indian by the creek; Friday, 22nd March, 6.30-7.30pm; $50 ($50 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: samosa and mint coriander chutney.

Feta, haloumi and mascarpone cheese making; Saturday, 6th April, 10am-4pm; $240 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn all there is to know about making feta, halloumi and mascarpone, including: the cheese making process using cultures and rennet; sourcing the best quality local milk; salt-brining and dry-salting cheese; marinating feta in olive oil; and the health benefits of whey. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News January 31

Jan 302024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Benson Bannon, Bev Middleton, Bienne Tam, Helen Vander-Heyden, Meg Autin, Olwyn Smiley, Robin Gale-Baker and Sarah Willits.

Take action now to prevent QFF in your garden next season (by Robin Gale-Baker)

If you were hit by an outbreak of Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) this season, now is not the time to give up. In fact, it is the time to get busy to lower your risk of an outbreak next season.

The key task is to prevent QFF larvae pupating in the soil. If there is no QFF emerging from your soil next spring, then you are well ahead when it comes to a QFF-free orchard and veggie garden. And, you really don’t want to be spending money on lures for QFF that you have bred yourself!

To this end, pick up any fallen fruit daily and strip any fruit tree plus any tomato, chilli and capsicum plants that are infested. Larvae will emerge quickly from fruit laying on the ground (and can even drop from trees) and will burrow into the soil, beginning the long pupation process to emerge next season. This fruit should be:

  • Double bagged in black plastic and put in a sunny place for 14 days to solarise the fruit and kill the larvae; or
  • Frozen for 48 hours; or
  • Microwaved for 10 minutes; or
  • Baked in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

Place the treated fruit and vegetables in the waste bin – not in the green bin.

Do not compost fallen or infected fruit. Compost is QFF heaven! They breed in the warmth of the heap and, as you spread your compost, you also spread QFF. Make sure that any vegetable matter is buried in your heap and not exposed to QFF. Also, avoid pulling out plants such as tomato vines with fruit attached and leaving these on the ground. Bin them straight away.

Females will die off in autumn so, if no females are pupating in the soil, you only need deal with the males. Most males will die before winter, but some young males will survive, over-wintering in groups (leks) of about 10 in the canopy of trees, in particular lemon trees. In mid-autumn, place lures with Wild May in them in the canopy of lemon trees (if you have them) or other trees (otherwise) at a height of 1.5-2 metres, to deal with the males. Check the lures weekly as the liquid evaporates.

Wild May is a pheromone that smells like the female and attracts the males. It is organic. It can be difficult to find but should be available from the Sustainable Macleod shop in the autumn at cost price.

If you have chooks (or can borrow some short term) then you are in luck. Chooks scavenge for larvae and will clean the soil like no other. They are truly the gardener’s best friend in relation to QFF.

It can be very discouraging to endure a QFF outbreak and I have heard many a person say that they are ‘giving up for this season’. But that will simply prolong the agony into the following season. Good garden hygiene, proper disposal of infected fruit and using lures proactively during autumn and winter will position you well for a great harvest next summer.

Two new community gardens in Yarra Ranges

Lilydale

At 118 Main Street, Lilydale (outside of Bunnings). This garden is open to the public 24/7. To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact Benson Bannon by phone (0448 150 887) or email. Also, see their Facebook page.

Lilydale Community Gardens comprises a series of planter boxes on the footpath along the main road. Each of these boxes is a wicking bed. Herbs such as rosemary, mint, oregano and sage are grown, along with some small vegetables and some bee-attracting plants with flowers. There are also two olive trees growing in tubs. Seating is provided, including some with chessboard tables.

Some of the gardeners get together on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 11am for coffee and chat.

Read their page on our website.

Welcome to Benson and colleagues!

Mooroolbark

At 11-21 Charles Street (corner Charles and Station Street), Mooroolbark. This garden is open to the public 24/7. To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact Helen Vander-Heyden by phone (0407 405 665) or email. Also, see their Facebook page.

The garden is almost an acre in size and includes 12 large raised beds, all of which are communal. The aim is to provide a locally grown, organic, ethical, environmentally friendly, healthy, sustainable and self-funded community food source. Plus it is a place of being and sharing skills, knowledge and ideas for local community members of all ages, genders, ethnicity and abilities. They have a polytunnel where they grow veggie seedlings for sale and any excess produce is also available for sale.

The garden was opened in 2023 and is on a temporary site pending the Council deciding what to do with the site longer term.

There is a gardening club that meets every Wednesday morning 10am-midday. There is usually also someone there on Thursday mornings, 10am-midday, who you can chat with. For anyone that wants to be involved in the garden, they ask that you become a member in order to facilitate communications. Annual membership is $15 ($30 for families and free for concession card holders).

Read their page on our website.

Welcome Ayala, Caroline, Helen, Lorraine, Rhonda, Ronen, Tracey and colleagues!

Some other community garden news

Watch this video about the recent upgrade to the Brunswick Neighbourhood House Community Garden.

Croxton Community Garden / Marra Guwiyap Garden in Northcote has posted a number of photos from their recent working bee.

Pentridge Community Garden in Coburg have recently received a batch of mushroom compost from the Mushroomery.

Do you know?

Meg Autin’s blueberry leaves have been looking like in the photos below for a few weeks now. What might be the cause(s)? Email me with your responses.

    

The program for the 2024 National Sustainability Festival is now available

Read the program on their website. All the events will take place during February and the main events are in Melbourne CBD, most notably at the botanical gardens.

At least as far as the food-related events outside of the CBD, most are events that were happening anyway and have been previously announced in this newsletter. The main exception is
A tour of ‘the Plummery’ (garden tour), which will be happening multiple times during the month.

Chestnuts at Mt Dandenong

In the autumn of 2022, Judy Vizarri visited a property in Mt Dandenong and collected chestnuts. She then wrote up her visit for our website. A year later, in the autumn of 2023, Bienne Tam visited the same property and her writeup is now available on our website. Both articles are rather complimentary. If you would like to visit and collect chestnuts in the autumn of 2024, the owner’s name is Sylvie and her email address is sylvie9274@gmail.com.

Things to do with your excess zucchinis

A soothing face mask (from Bev Middleton)

Mash the zucchini, squeeze out the excess juice, and apply to the face and any other areas.

Put your feet up and relax for 10 minutes.

Rinse off and apply astringent.

Zucchini chocolate cake (from Robin Gale-Baker)

½ cup butter
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk
2½ cups of plain flour
5 tablespoons of the best cocoa you can buy
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups grated zucchini including skin

Pre-heat your oven to 160degC.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat in. Add the sifted dry ingredients, milk and vanilla. Add the zucchini. Mix well.

Pour into a greased or lined 23 x 30 cm tin.

Bake at 160degC for 45 minutes.

What seeds to plant in February

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn
Cool season veggies

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Onion
Radish
Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

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

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (4th February), Ann Stanley will interview Jaimie Sweetman about the layers of a food forest. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Peter Symes on Global Gardens of Peace (28th January), Louise Ward and Jaimie Sweetman on the Edible Forest in Dixons Creek (21st January) and Claire on some of the permaculture principles (14th January).

Our articles over the last month

Here are some of the articles from our newsletters over the last month that you might have missed:

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article about Queensland fruit fly.

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

A cheese sandwich walks into a pub.

The landlord says, “Sorry, we don’t serve food.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Corrections and clarifications

In last week’s newsletter, I wrongly stated that the Local Sustainability Fair (Ringwood) on Sunday, 17th March was from 10am to 4pm. It is actually from 10am to 2pm.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

A tour of ‘the Plummery’ (garden tour); 7 occurrences on various dates and times in February; $25 ($17 per hour); Northcote.

‘The Plummery’ is a small-scale 280m2 urban permaculture system which produces most of the veggies, herbs, fruit and eggs consumed by the household, as well as recycling all organic waste on site. The owner, Kat Lavers, currently manages a sustainable gardening program, My Smart Garden.

Summer pruning of apricot and cherry trees with Robin Gale-Baker; Saturday, 17th February, 1.30-4pm; $15; Macleod.

Apricot and cherry trees should be pruned on a warm, dry day in late summer or early autumn to protect them from infection through pruning wounds. You will be taught the principles of ‘thinning’ pruning to keep your trees low and manageable. Take your secateurs if you have them and they will teach you how to sharpen and care for them.

Mushroom farm tour; Saturday, 9th March, 2-2.30pm;$27 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Go on a walk-through tour of The Mushroomery, showing how the farm operates and how mushrooms are grown. Due to potential fungal contamination, it is important that you wear very clean clothes. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Ricotta festival; Sunday, 17th March, 10am-4pm; $10; Thomastown.

Wander from stall to stall led by the scent of fresh hot ricotta, whilst enjoying live music. There will also be demos of how to incorporate ricotta into your home cooking. There will be around 12 ready-to-eat food vendors, 10 other food vendors and 4 drink vendors (see the total list of vendors). Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Introduction to food photography; Saturday, 23rd March, 1.30-4.30pm; $119 ($40 per hour); Warrandyte.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers, restaurant/cafe owners or anybody who loves food and wants it to look good. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: choosing the right lens; choosing the right background, props and accessories; lighting; and software.

Introduction to permaculture; Sunday, 24th March, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about permaculture by exploring the ethics and design principles of permaculture and how we can create resilient, sustainable systems that work with nature and the natural limits of our planet. The topics to be covered will include: what is permaculture; permaculture ethics and design principles; designing with permaculture zones and sectors; energy and nutrient cycling; veggies, fruit and animals in permaculture systems; social permaculture; and practical ways to bring permaculture principles and ethics into your life right now. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Sunday, 24th March, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cupcakes and cocktails soiree; Wednesday, 14th February, 5-7pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Ivanhoe.

You will learn: the basics of buttercream; colouring buttercream; filling a piping bag; and piping techniques with three different piping tips. You will decorate 4 white chocolate raspberry cupcakes. Enjoy a complimentary cocktail by Imbue featuring their gin. Additional drinks and snacks can be bought on the day.

Japanese cooking 101: Chika’s Japanese home cooking (3 sessions); on 3 consecutive Fridays, starting 8th March, 1-2pm.; $80 ($27 per hour); Greensborough.

Week 1: dashi stock and miso soup. Week 2: gohan (steamed rice) and onigirazu (rice sandwich). Week 3: vegetarian side dishes. Presenter: Chika. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Urban Nanna’s scraptastic cooking; Friday, 22nd March, 1-2.30pm; $150 ($30 per hour); Croydon Hills.

Anna the Urban Nanna will show you how to make the absolute most of your weekly shop. Learn how to cook with scraps and discover scraptastic creations plus examples of useful books and resources to help you get the most out of your scraps.

Indian cooking; Saturday, 23rd March, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to make easy, delicious and healthy vegetarian Indian recipes. At the end of the workshop, you will sit down together for a shared feast of your own making. Presenter: Aditi Daware.

Vegan desserts; Sunday, 24th March, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn a variety of vegan sweet treats from different backgrounds and different techniques. The menu will include: baked cheese cake; raw fruit tart; fruit pierogi; Portuguese tarts; coconut jelly; and tiramisu. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

Sunflower cupcake decorating workshop; Sunday, 24th March, 11am-1pm; $100 ($50 per hour); Bayswater North.

Master the art of piping delicate buttercream sunflowers starting from plain pre-baked cupcakes. Take home 7 adorned cupcakes. Presenter: Maria from Enchanted Pots. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Rose cupcake decorating workshop; Sunday, 24th March, 2-4pm; $100 ($50 per hour); Bayswater North.

Master the art of piping delicate buttercream roses starting from plain pre-baked cupcakes. Take home 7 adorned cupcakes. Presenter: Maria from Enchanted Pots. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News January 24

Jan 242024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Hayden Marks, Jaimie Sweetman, Kate Woodstock, Kerri Wellington, Lynn Wallace and Marcela Santos.

Maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

    

The maqui berry, or Chilean wineberry (Aristotelia chilensis), is one of the unassuming plants in our edible forest due to its small berries and the fact that it’s not well known in Australia. It originates from South America.

The plant is a small tree (up to 4 metres) which grows well in full sun amongst other plants. It apparently won’t tolerate a high frost but it does well in our forest even with some frost.

The berries are so small that they do take a bit to harvest but they apparently have more antioxidants than blueberries, which makes it worth it. They taste almost eucalyptus-like to me (Wikipedia says that they taste like blackberries). They can be eaten fresh, ground up and used as a spice, or used as a super food powder.

Over time I am becoming more in love with this special plant. I highly recommend it if you can find a seedling to buy. Unfortunately one of ours blew over in the wind and this is why planting two and having cuttings available is always worth it when a plant may not be easily sourced.

Read more of Jaimie’s unusual edible plants on our website.

Midyim berry (Austromyrtus dulcis) by Melbourne Bushfood

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

The midyim berry has numerous, small, sweet berries which are best eat raw. They are one of the tastiest native fruits, with a touch of eucalypt and spice. The berries appear in late autumn.

The plant grows to around 50cm in both height and width. Grow in full sun (or part-shade with less fruiting). Suitable for growing in pots.

One plant can yield over 1kg of berries with correct care, with correct watering, fertilising and pruning key to a large bounty. They are generally drought tolerant but can experience problems with overwatering so water only when the soil becomes dry, and make sure the soil is well-draining. Fertilise with a native fertiliser immediately after harvesting and regularly spray with a seaweed solution. Trim lightly after harvesting to keep the plant bushy and well maintained.

Read about more bushfoods on our website.

Angelo Eliades’ articles

Lynn Wallace has written in.

“I do like Angelo’s articles. So science based and practical. Thank you, Angelo.”

[Editor: I agree, which is why I highlight all of his new articles plus index his previous articles on our website.]

“In last week’s newsletter, Angelo’s article about spent coffee grounds included a link to a previous article that he wrote about worm farms, which I also read.

“As I live on a property with 100% tank/rain water, it has never occurred to me that town tap water would be unsuitable for worm farms. Not everyone can produce lovely pure rainwater for themselves, let alone their worms. Maybe a trick that a friend used whilst stationed in New Delhi might help. The potable water there was treated quite heavily, with chlorine levels quite high. To remedy this, residents filled green or brown wine or beer bottles with the treated water. Left in the sun for a day, the chemicals evaporated (maybe Angelo knows the science!) and the water was sweet. Surprisingly, the water tasted a bit different depending on what colour the bottle was. I have since used this method in my home when living in a city with treated water. I stopper the bottles or not, depending on likelihood of debris getting in. Easy enough to do and problem solved, hopefully.

“ps. Angelo’s fruit fly traps are working a treat in my orchard. Several seasons of bad infestations have been followed by two seasons of lovely clean fruit and fruit flies (plus other nasties) in the traps. Both economical and effective.”

Powerhouse Cheese is no more

Following last week’s guide to local cheese, I have just found out that one of the cheesemakers listed – Powerhouse Cheese – is no more. That’s a great pity as they were, with their stinky cheeses, probably the most unique of the local cheesemakers. Thanks for the heads up, Chris Chapple!

Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre’s compost hub

During 2023, they processed 36,000Kg of food waste in their compost hub. Watch this video about the person who cycles round collecting the food waste. Read more about their compost hub.

Catfacing and sunscald tomatoes

The Kevin Heinze GROW garden has reported that they have had both catfacing and sunscald tomatoes this year – see the left hand and right hand photos below respectively.

  

They think that catfacing tomatoes are edible but that sunscald ones are not. From a brief Google search, the internet appears to think that both are edible.

Catfacing can happen when something goes wrong in either flower formation or pollination (read more on Wikipedia). Sunscalding can happen when the fruit is exposed to too much sun (read more on Wikipedia).

A new seed library at Bundoora Park

There is a new seed library at Bundoora Park Community Garden, Bundoora Park, 1069 Plenty Road, Bundoora. Read more on the Darebin Food Harvest Network website.

This is the 6th seed library in Darebin and the 19th that I am aware of in North East Melbourne. See the map on our website. If you know of any others, drop me a line.

All the seed libraries operate on a similar philosophy, namely:

  • Take – visit a seed library and take the seeds you would like to grow.
  • Grow – grow the seeds at home, but leave at least one plant to go to seed.
  • Save – save some seeds for next year from the healthiest plants.
  • Share – return some of the saved seeds to the seed library.

Renown Street Community Orchard

Renown Street Community Orchard, in Coburg North, was first established in 2018 and comprises numerous fruit trees plus some spots for annual veggies and plenty of herbs and flowers. Over the years, they have transformed the space from an unloved patch of weedy grass to a thriving, productive organic garden where a community of gardeners of diverse backgrounds and skill levels can learn and grow together.

The orchard sits on a parcel of Melbourne Water-owned land on Wurundjeri country, with the piped Merlynston Creek flowing underneath.

The orchard is open to the public and they are always looking for more people to join their orchard community, with the aim that lots of people will feel a sense of shared ownership of the orchard and feel comfortable to go along to do some gardening whenever they feel the desire. They have working bees from time to time, as publicised on their Facebook page.

Welcome Drew and colleagues!

13 community gardens in Merri-Bek now have pages on our website.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (28th January), Ann Stanley will interview Louise Ward about global gardens of peace. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article about whether or not coffee grounds can be used as a fertiliser in the garden.

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

What do you get if you divide a pumpkin’s circumference by its diameter? Pumpkin pie.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

If you are planning to go to a food swap or community garden over the next week, it would be prudent to check with them first that the event is actually happening because some of the regular activities don’t actually take place during January.

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Introduction to meadmaking (3 sessions); Saturdays 10th February (9am-midday), 24th February (10am-midday) and 9th March (10am-midday); $50; Eltham.

The cost of $50 includes membership of the guild until July 2024. You will also need to pay for the cost of your ingredients and utensils (expected to total around $65). Mead is the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage and uses honey as the primary fermentable sugar. This course will explore how to brew modern meads. Over the 3 sessions, you will be guided through the process and make your first mead. More specifically: the first session will cover learning about mead; the second, monitoring the ferment and potential problems; and the third, racking, tasting, finalising and bottling. Organised by Eltham & District Winemakers Guild.

Wicking pots and sun stress protection; Friday, 16th February, 9.30-10.30am; free; Princes Hill.

Yarra City Council’s Urban Agriculture team will demonstrate the construction of wicking pots (self-watering pots) and provide simple tips to minimise heat and sun stress through planning and maintaining your growing space, whether it be on a balcony, courtyard or something larger. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Community food aid festival; Sunday, 25th February, 11am-3pm; free; Edendale.

There will be some information stalls where you can learn about some of the local food aid organisations plus issues of food insecurity and food waste. They will be launching their Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger. There will also be food, music and activities for children (such as face painting). Organised by Diamond Valley Community Support.

Whittlesea Garden Expo; Saturday, 2nd March and Sunday, 3rd March, both 9am-3pm; $8; Whittlesea.

Guest speakers: Chloe Thomson and Melissa King. Around 40 stalls, including plants, flowers, pots, garden tools, garden design and garden art. Food, music and drinks.

Grow your veggie garden; Saturday, 16th March, 10-11am; $25 ($25 per hour); Kinglake.

Do you know how to prepare and get the best from your garden? Unsure what to plant and when? Go along learn what to do with the land you have, how to best prepare the area and the soil, and what to plant and how. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 16th March, 10am-midday; $70 ($35 per hour); CERES.

Learn about the seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne’s inner north and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses. This session will also include a demonstration, and sampling, of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Growing nutrient dense food; Saturday, 16th March, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

This workshop will introduce you to growing better quality, nutrient rich produce at home even if you only have a tiny growing space. It will include: selecting your crops; transforming your soil by focusing on the soil food web; an introduction to soil minerals and going beyond NPK; creating nutrient rich composts; fertilising your plants for maximum nutrition; and harvesting and preparing produce to maintain nutrients. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Jenny’s garden open garden; Saturday, 16th March and Sunday, 17th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Canterbury.

There is a mini orchard, including a quince, a pear, a lemon and several apple trees. There is also a bed of raspberries and a large potager garden, replete with tomatoes, rhubarb, asparagus, culinary herbs and other seasonal crops. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

The Herb and Chilli Festival; Saturday, 16th March and Sunday, 17th March, both 10am-5pm; $27; Wandin.

This festival will celebrate all things related to herbs and chillies. There will be stalls, demonstrations, talks, tastings, music and dance. There will be around 80 exhibitors.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 16th March, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

Learn how to set up a worm farm and the easiest methods to manage and care for these most hard-working of creatures. This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants. Discounted worm farms will be available for sale on the day.

Local Sustainability Fair (Ringwood); Sunday, 17th March, 10am-2pm; free; Ringwood.

This will be a sustainably focused community family event incorporating information stands, crafters, food vendors, children’s activities, guest speakers, performers and many vendors selling sustainable products. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre

In January
In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Buns and beer – cooking workshop at Molly Rose; Wednesday, 21st February, 6-8.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Collingwood.

Learn how to make a Taiwanese pepper bun. With a Molly Rose drink in hand, learn how to laminate a flaky Chinese-style dough, mix a pork filling, and fold and cook the buns. Presenter: Cristina Chang.

FFS … ferment four staples; Sunday, 25th February, 11.30am-4.30pm; $425 ($85 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. At the end, you will sit down for a chat and a bite to eat, including fermented foods and drinks to taste. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

German easter baking with Claudia Loeber-Rab; Saturday, 16th March, 10am-1.30pm; $80 ($23 per hour); Camberwell.

Dive into the rich traditions of German baking, crafting Easter egg nests and intricately braided Easter bread. Presenter: Claudia Loeber-Rab. Organised by Camberwell Community Centre.

Tomato passata making workshop; Sunday, 17th March, 10-1pm; $10; Watsonia.

You will learn how to process tomatoes, sterilise jars/bottles and how to seal them. You will then have a pasta lunch. Take along some glass jars with lids (if you have some). Organised by Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

Thai chicken larb salad; Tuesday, 19th March, 10-11.30am; $28 ($19 per hour); Doncaster East.

Thai chicken larb salad is a celebration of fresh flavours and textures – the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, sour and spiciness with aromatic herbs and the fresh crunch from lettuce. Organised by Pines Learning.

In January
In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News January 17

Jan 172024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amanda Wheeler, Ann Stanley, Christine Sammut, Norie Neumark, Robin Gale-Baker and Sam Holman.

Don’t be deceived by the downpour! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Last week on Monday and Tuesday the skies opened and around 63mm of rain fell on Melbourne. Two days of steady, intense rainfall might suggest that the ground would be sodden. But this is not actually the case.

Several days later at the Sustainable Macleod Community Garden, in a bed open to the skies, those carrying out new planting found that, whilst the soil was moist on the surface, it was very dry beneath. While there were patches that were moist to a decent depth, most of the bed (which has had plenty of compost over time and was harvested just over 3 weeks ago and then prepared for a new crop) was quite dry. After the new planting, the bed required hours of drip irrigation.

This is not an uncommon occurrence. Soil can quickly dry out and become hydrophobic in hot, dry weather. To be certain that your soil is moist, you must regularly dig down to the root zone to ascertain the moisture content. Alternatively, use a moisture meter – a prong that you insert into the ground which gives a reading of moisture content. (The more expensive these are the more likely they are to be accurate – it is worth avoiding the cheaper ones). Keep in mind that roots absorb 97% of the water that a plant needs so the root zone is where water needs to be.

In its December statistics, the Melbourne Bureau of Meteorology reported that, in Viewbank (which is near me in Macleod), it rained on 16 days but that only 2 of these exceeded 10mm. In terms of watering, anything less than 10mm simply does not count – it is simply not enough to penetrate the ground – so effectively there were only 2 days of rain that could be considered adequate in December.

To summarise, you could be forgiven for thinking that 16 days of rainfall in December, plus 2 days of heavy rain last week, would render the soil well and truly moist to a reasonable depth but the proof is in the pudding – or in this case, in digging down to a spade’s depth and discovering for yourself whether or not your soil has received the benefit of recent rain.

Another local cheese maker – Stone & Crow Cheese

Stone & Crow Cheese, who are based in Warrandyte South, make a range of unique cow and goat cheeses, from soft to hard. Head Cheese Maker Jack Holman has been making cheese for more than 20 years, first at Yarra Valley Dairy (where he rose to become their head cheese maker) and then at Stone and Crow (which he founded). You can buy their cheese at a variety of local shops, including Rob Dolan Wines, which is where they are physically located (21-23 Delaneys Road). Read their Local Food Directory page. Welcome Sam and Jack!

There are now 7 cheese makers in our Local Food Directory. Collectively, they cover wide range of cheeses, from hard to soft, from stinky to non-stinky, from goat to cow, and from Italian to uniquely Australian.

I’ve also updated my guide to local cheese. Here’s a table from that guide.

 
Name		  
Base		 What do
they sell?		 Where do they sell?
Own shop? Other shops? Online? Markets?
AVS Organic Foods Watsonia North vegan . yes yes .
Pantalica Cheese Thomastown Italian yes yes yes .
Stone & Crow Cheese Warrandyte South goat and cow . yes . .
That’s Amore Cheese Thomastown Italian, mainly soft yes yes yes .
The Cheese Rebels Epping . . . . .
Wholemilk Continental Cheese Company Heidelberg West Italian, mainly hard yes yes . .
Yarra Valley Dairy Yering goat and cow, mainly soft yes yes . .

 

Some more food swaps have ceased

Rosanna (was at Rosanna Fire Station Community House) and – unless someone tells me to the contrary – Mernda (was at Carome Homestead).

That brings the total down to 30 regular, local food swaps.

Want a job?

Garden Educator at the Fitzroy Learning Network

The Fitzroy Learning Network is seeking to recruit a Garden Educator to run their Introduction to urban gardening classes. These 2 hour classes will run each week in 2024 during term times and will cover such subjects as garden planning, what to plant where, setting up garden beds, propagation, pest control and vocational pathways. Hours: 3 hours per week during term times. Pay rate: $52 per hour. Closing date for applications: Sunday, 28th January. Read the position description, which includes the selection criteria and how to apply.

Strategic Communications Coordinator at Sustain in Preston

Sustain is seeking to recruit a Strategic Communications Coordinator to help lead the development and implementation of their communications strategy. Hours: 0.8FTE for 12 months. Pay rate: around $80,000 per annum pro rata. Based in Preston. Closing date for applications: Thursday, 25th January. Read the position description, which includes the selection criteria and how to apply.

At Oakhill Food Justice Farm in Preston

Sustain is seeking to recruit a Corporate Volunteer Coordinator and Oakhill Community Farmer. The volunteer coordination part is about running their education and corporate volunteer program. The Oakhill Farm part includes the day-to-day management of the farm. This position would suit someone interested in market gardening, building community and a fairer food system. Hours: 0.7FTE, with 0.4FTE on the volunteer coordination and 0.3FTE on Oakhill Farm. Closing date for applications: Thursday, 25th January. Read the position description, which includes the selection criteria and how to apply (scroll down to the second job on page).

More on food waste dehydrators

Last week, when talking about SEEDs communal garden’s new food waste dehydrator, I commented that it was “not clear exactly what is being produced“. In reaction, Norie Neumark, via Amanda Wheeler, has sent in a link to an article entitled The pros and cons of dehydrating food waste which, in turn, references an article by the Californian State Government.

Here is one of the paragraphs from the latter article: “Dehydrated food waste is not compost … Dehydrated food may need to be re-hydrated to be effectively composted and should be blended with other compostable materials, such as green waste, and then be composted.”

Putting this another way, food waste dehydrators do what they say on the tin, namely produce dehydrated food waste.

Want to buy some food-related art?

As per the photo right, Bulleen Art and Garden currently has some paintings of pumpkins by Lynne Foard for sale.

Megan is taking a break

When the pandemic lockdowns started in 2020, I assumed that these newsletters would have to stop because of lack of material. But Megan Goodman jumped to the rescue with her weekly Meg’s social isolation week articles and recipes. Then, once face-to-face activities resumed, she moved to a monthly contribution entitled Meg’s garden this month. That’s a total of 60 articles and 57 recipes. Megan is now taking some well-deserved long service leave. Thanks for all your contributions, Megan!

Potential use of coffee grounds as a fertiliser

Those of you with long memories may remember the debate in this newsletter during 2021 about the potential use of coffee grounds as a fertiliser. Jian Liu was a fan, whilst Sarah Hardgrove and Duncan Cocking were more sceptical.

Angelo Eliades has now waded into the discussion with a typically comprehensive analysis.

Read more of Angelos’ food-related articles.

Fun facts – growing pineapples

One of the overall points that Louis Glowinski made in his 1997 classic The complete book of fruit growing in Australia is that you can grow just about any fruit tree in Melbourne so long as you look after it appropriately. One of the fruits that I have been trying to grow is pineapples, which I grow in pots that I move into the greenhouse during Winter. I grow these pineapples by cutting off and planting the tops of organic, shop-bought pineapples.

One of my pineapples is currently in flower. Who would have guessed that pineapple flowers are small, purple and grow out of scales of the incipient pineapple?

Pineapple flowers are apparently usually pollinated by hummingbirds and hummingbirds don’t live in Australia. Luckily, however, pineapples are not technically fruit and apparently grow better when the surrounding flowers have not been pollinated.

Pineapple plants are monocarpic (i.e. they only flower once, then die).

Despite its common name, a pineapple plant is a bromeliad, not a pine nor an apple.

Read more food fun facts on our website.

Another video for you to watch

Chloe Thomson has visited Ting and Hannes’s garden in Coburg North. Their garden includes raised veggie beds, a two-bed composting system, a chook run and various DIY tee-pees and upcycled structures. They allow plants from the homegrown compost to grow in the garden, turning footpaths into mazes of cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchinis during summer.

We now have a total of 19 home garden videos on our website.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (21st January), Ann Stanley will interview Jaimie Sweetman and Louise Ward about the Edible Forest in Dixons Creek. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, with the latest being interviews with Claire Smith on permaculture principles on 31st December and Henri Muniz on Downs Community Farm in Seaford on 7th January.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was The Veggie Empire’s new online shop.

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

I decided to have scrambled eggs this morning … immediately after thinking “I’ll just flip this omelette.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

If you are planning to go to a food swap or community garden over the next week, it would be prudent to check with them first that the event is actually happening because some of the regular activities don’t actually take place during January.

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Urban foraging 101; 5 occurrences, each 10am-12.30pm, on Saturday, 20th January, Sunday, 21st January, Saturday, 10th February, Sunday, 11th February and Saturday, 2nd March; $90 ($36 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify useful trees even when they’re not fruiting. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. At the end you will have an outdoor picnic of hot and cold foraged foods. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Introduction to beekeeping (2 sessions); Saturday, 2nd March, 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday, 9th March, 10.30am-12.30pm; $225 ($24 per hour); Blackburn North.

This all day program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening on the following Saturday (9th March, 10.30am-12.30pm) as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. The background instruction includes equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. (which retails at $60). Organised by The Beekeepers Club.

Companion planting and mini market; Saturday, 2nd March, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss how plants can support each in the garden. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Potato fest; Saturday, 2nd March, 4-7pm; free; Bellfield.

Help them eat all of the 72kg of potatoes that were harvested in January 2024. Create your own jacket potato with BYO toppings. Organised by Bellfield Community Garden.

Food waste solutions – Bev Middleton; Sunday, 3rd March, 12.30-1.45pm; free; Edendale.

This outdoor session will explore practical solutions you can use for your food waste. There will be lots of other climate-related events at the same venue on the same day. See their event list. Presenter: Bev Middleton. Organised by the Nillumbik Climate Action Team.

In January
In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Tea blending workshop; Sunday, 21st January, 11am-12.30pm; $60 ($40 per hour); Brunswick East.

You will be given a quick history of tea and a tea tasting of some of the most unique teas from around the world. Learn about the intricacies of creating balanced tea blends from various types of teas, herbs, flowers and spices. You will then make a personalised tea blend to take home from a chosen tea base (green, black, rooibos or herbal) plus floral, citrus and native ingredients. Presenter: Amy Freund, from Crafternoon Tea.

Cook Indian by the creek; Wednesday, 24th January, 6.30-8pm; $55 ($38 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: butter chicken and flatbread.

Mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella with Kristen Allan; Saturday, 10th February, 11am-4pm; $345 ($69 per hour); Fitzroy North.

You will learn how to make mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheese. They will discuss the story of milk, beginning with life in the soil, how different seasons and types of animal influence it’s composition and how to source and select the best quality, local milk for making cheese. You will take home around 1Kg of cheese. Lunch will be served.

Goat – soft cheeses with Kristen Allan; Saturday, 9th March, 11am-4pm; $345 ($69 per hour); Fitzroy North.

You will learn how to make goats curd chèvre, soft ripened cheese and cream cheese fromage frais. They will discuss the story of milk, beginning with life in the soil, how different seasons and types of animal influence it’s composition and how to source and select the best quality, local milk for making cheese. You will take home around 1Kg of cheese. Lunch will be served.

Sri Lankan Banquet; Friday, 15th March, 6-8pm; $35 ($18 per hour); Kinglake.

Learn how to prepare traditional Sri Lankan street food with fresh produce and lots of spice. The menu will comprise two curries and rice. Then share the meal in the company of others. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

In January
In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News January 10

Jan 112024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Colleen Duggan, Jennie Ramage, Kate Anderson and Patrick Turnbull.

Growing green beans (by Jennie Ramage)

Here are my (Jennie) tips for a bumper crop of green beans:

  • Plant bean seeds in a place that has previously grown tomatoes/capsicums/eggplants (following the principles of crop rotation).
  • If following moon phase planting, plant the seeds in the waxing moon phase as the moon changes from a dark moon to a full moon.
  • Wait until at least late October to plant beans, when the chance of cold weather has passed (mostly passed, in Melbourne anyway).
  • For a continuous supply of beans through summer, start planting dwarf beans in late October and climbing beans one month later.
  • A further, late planting of climbing beans in January should produce beans until May.
Dwarf beans only
  • Stronger, taller plants will result if they are given support. Place stakes at either end of the row, with twine every few inches on either side of the row (see photo left below).
Climbing beans only
  • Use prunings from bamboo or fruit trees for long and thin supports (see photo right below) or place supports in a circle and tie at the top for a tee-pee.
  • Plant 3 or 4 seeds around each support.
  • Help the plants twist around the supports when they are very young, then they’ll be off and away.

   

Both dwarf and climbing beans
  • As the plants begin to flower, water with a fine mist in the early morning to improve flower setting. Note that this should be a fine mist and does not replace a proper watering at root level which can be done as needed according to the weather.
  • Weed well when the plants are very young. Then mulch with pea straw, which reduces evaporative water loss from the soil, feeds the microorganisms of the soil, and prevents the soil splashing up on the plants at times of heavy rain.
  • When the beans begin to form, start picking a few even if they are not big yet. This encourages the plant to produce more seeds. The plant will then hopefully flower profusely and your bean crop will be plentiful! After a week or so of picking smallish-sized beans, wait until they grow to a normal size and then pick daily.
  • Pick the beans in the afternoon or evening. If you pick in the morning, the tiny new beans that are about 1cm long have a tendency to fall off when knocked. I don’t know why but this doesn’t seem to happen if you pick beans later in the day.
  • If the beans are curly instead of straight this means that the soil has been allowed to become too dry or that a sap-sucking insect is feasting on your beans. Good ventilation/space between the rows can help prevent this.
  • Feed the soil with liquid or solids from a worm farm.
  • Remember, the more you pick, the more you get! Pick daily and avoid letting any beans grow so large that they develop their seeds. This is because, once the plant has produced viable seed, it has achieved its biological purpose of producing the next generation and may well then stop flowering so you won’t be picking beans from this plant for much longer.
  • Have some good recipes at hand for a bumper crop! Read my recipe for green bean and almond salad.

Happy growing and eating!

Crop rotation and moon phase planting

As Jennie mentioned both crop rotation and moon phase planting in her article above, I thought that I would say a few words about each of them.

Crop rotation

Crop rotation is about where you should plant your veggies.

The basic idea of crop rotation is that there should be a considerable gap in time between plantings of veggies from the same family in the same place. This helps stop particular diseases building up and also gives the soil a rest from particular burdens placed on it.

The second idea is that, at any particular location, heavy feeders should, where possible, alternate with light feeders.

The diagram shows a possible 6-year rotation. Let’s assume that alliums (onions etc) are planted in bed 1 in year 1. Then (reading down the column in the diagram) that bed would be planted with cucurbits in year 2, roots in year 3, brassicas in year 4, legumes in year 5, solanums in year 6, alliums again in year 7, and so on. And (reading down the diagonal in the diagram) alliums would be planted in bed 2 in year 2, bed 3 in year 3, bed 4 in year 4, bed 5 in year 5, bed 6 in year 6, back in bed 1 in year 7, and so on.

Read a longer version of this discussion on our website.

Moon phase planting

Moon phase planting is about when during the month you should plant your veggies.

In moon phase planting, different types of veggie are planted at different times in the moon’s 29½-day lunar cycle. The basic idea/assumption/rationale is that one wants root crops to grow downwards, and thus when the upward pull of the moon is lessening, and thus when the moon is waning. By contrast, one wants leafy and fruity crops to grow upwards, and thus when the upward pull of the moon is increasing, and thus when the moon is waxing. This gives the following phasing:

  • 1st quarter: leafy – plant crops where one eats the leaves/foliage.
  • 2nd quarter: fruits – plant crops where one eats the fruit.
  • 3rd quarter: roots – plant root crops.
  • 4th quarter: have a rest!

The obvious reason for following moon phase planting is that you believe it will result in better veggies. But there are actually two other possible reasons for following it, namely that a) it helps to impose discipline on your veggie growing activities and/or that b) it helps to give your life cadence.

To do it for discipline reasons, you have to understand one of its major implications, which is that if you miss the relevant week then you won’t be able to try again for at least a month, and possibly up to a year. Consider capsicum seeds, which are best planted in August or September. There will be usually be precisely one week in August, and another in September, where the moon is in its 2nd quarter. So, you only have two opportunities in the whole year to plant capsicum seeds and if you miss both these opportunities then you won’t have any capsicum plants from seed. So, if you want homegrown capsicums from seed, then you have to be organised and disciplined to get your act together in these two weeks.

The cadence reason is probably only of potential relevance if you are not in paid work. Those of us who are retired know that days and weeks can flow into each other, with time passing and little rhythm to one’s life. Anything that makes one day different than another, or one week different than another, is welcome. (So, for example, writing this newsletter helps give my life cadence.)

The Veggie Empire’s new online shop

The Veggie Empire, who grow veggies in Greensborough, now have an online shop via The Open Food Network. As well as The Veggie Empire’s own produce, the shop also stocks produce from some other local farms, as well as bread and coffee from Craftwork Roasting Co. in Eltham. Either choose a ‘seasonal veggie box’ that includes veggies that the farmers have handpicked or choose your own produce from what’s available that week. The online shop is open from 9am Thursday to 6pm Sunday. You can get your order delivered straight to your door or pick it up from the farm on a Wednesday.

Some food swaps which have apparently ceased

It appears that the Collingwood Yards and Joe’s Market Garden food swaps have both ceased.

That brings the total number of food swaps in North East Melbourne down to 32.

SEEDs communal garden’s food waste dehydrator

SEEDs communal garden in Brunswick have historically had a thriving compost system but it was one of the casualties of the pandemic. During 2023, they decided, with the help of a grant from the State’s Circular Economy Communities Fund, to acquire an industrial food waste dehydrator as an alternative way of processing food waste. As I understand it, the machine produces something akin to compost in a 24 hour period (the Internet is not clear exactly what is being produced).

In the first 4 months of use, the SEEDs’ dehydrator processed 1,800Kgs of food waste.

I was alerted to this initiative by a Facebook post from DIVRS, who are in a food relief organisation in Preston, expressing their thanks for receipt of some of the product.

Sustainable Macleod’s total volume of food production

Sustainable Macleod Community Garden have announced that the community garden has produced 5,000Kg of fruit and vegetables since 2018.

Ann Stanley’s local hero of the month – Somer Elan

Somer Elan volunteers his time to save some of the food from supermarkets in Melbourne that would be otherwise be wasted and re-distributes it at The Really Really Free Market it to people who need it. The Really Really Free Market operates at the Catalyst Social Centre, 144 Sydney Road, Coburg every Wednesday (except for a short break in January) and it is part of a world-wide anarchist-inspired movement in which collectives of individuals take the direct action of setting up pop-up markets for free groceries. Somer participates in weekly dumpster dives, sets up the market and finds it satisfying to see people leave with several bags of perfectly good food that would have been wasted.

Listen to Ann’s recent interview with Somer.

The Really Really Free Market is always looking for more volunteers to help out. Contact them by message on their Facebook page. Read more about the movement.

Nominations please!

Would you like to nominate anyone to be our next hero of the month? If so, email us and Ann will be in contact. I really would like to receive some people’s names as it helps make the newsletter more relatable but last time I asked for nominations, there weren’t any. Could it be that the use of the word ‘hero’ is a bit over the top and therefore off-putting? If we simply called it ‘person of the month’ or ‘this week’s pen portrait’, could you nominate someone, including possibly yourself?]

On the subject of nominations, I would like to promote more newsletter reader websites. In 2023, we discussed 13 such websites but then the nominations dried up. If you have a website that you think some of our readership might be interested in, email us. The website doesn’t have to be about food.

And, finally, Ann still wants to visit some of the local community gardens and write up the results for this newsletter. If you would be happy for Ann to visit your community garden, email us.

Want to receive another local, food-related newsletter?

If so, you could do worse than sign up to receive the CERES Fair Food newsletter written by Chris Ennis. To give you a flavour, here is an extract from their latest edition. “Food … gives us many opportunities to get out of our heads. Working in Joe’s Market Garden, I used to chastise myself for slacking off – regularly finding myself standing in a dream, gazing across the rows into the half distance.
Slowly, I came to recognise this was a kind of composting of the soul, a breaking down and renewing of self that’s as essential to a human as regular compost is to soil.“.

They don’t have a specific page on their website where you sign up to receive the newsletter. Rather, it is part of the footer than appears on every page. So, for example, go to their contact page and scroll to the bottom.

A final word of warning: they do send out a lot of newsletters (more than one a week).

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (14th January), Ann Stanley will interview Claire Smith about the permaculture principles 9-12. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, with the latest (24th December) being an interview with Chris Sprake from The Wellington, which is a community centre located in Collingwood.

Honey versus sugar

I recently came across this article, which I thought was quite interesting. Here is what I have learnt from my research.

Sugar is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Honey is around 40% fructose, 30% glucose, 20% water and 10% other substances (including pollen and minerals). So, whereas sugar is a simple substance, honey is much more complex.

Because of the 10% of other substances, honey has a taste that goes beyond sweetness and this means, for example, that baked goods taste somewhat different if made using honey rather than sugar. Some of these other substances in honey may also have some health benefits.

In sugar, the fructose and glucose are bound together to form sucrose. In honey, however, the fructose and glucose are mostly unbound. One byproduct of this is that honey actually tastes sweeter than sugar.

Honey has an ability to retain moisture and baked goods made using honey may stay therefore moist and tender for longer periods of time than those made using sugar. This can be important for recipes where dryness is a concern, such as whole-grain bread or muffins.

Honey is about 50% heavier than sugar.

When substituting honey for sugar in a recipe, the formulae to use are not obvious because, as discussed above, honey has less sugars but tastes sweeter and is much heavier. A brief survey of the Internet suggests that substituting equal weights (not volumes) is reasonable. Because of the 20% water in honey, reduce the liquid in your recipe by a fifth of a cup for every cup of honey used. And potentially add a bit of baking soda to counteract the acidity of the honey.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article about growing passionfruit.

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

Why do French people eat small breakfasts? One egg is an oeuf.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

If you are planning to go to a food swap or community garden over the next week, it would be prudent to check with them first that the event is actually happening because some of the regular activities don’t actually take place during January.

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Urban farm excursion; Friday, 23rd February, 11am-1pm; free; Greensborough.

Take a tour of The Veggie Empire’s local urban farm. Meet the farm’s team, take a tour with Josh and Scott, harvest fresh produce, and then join Chika from Greenhills in the gardens for a lunch made and enjoyed on-site. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Mushrooms growing; Sunday, 25th February, 10am-4pm; $195 ($33 per hour); CERES.

In this hands-on introductory workshop, you will learn: the secrets to successfully growing oyster mushrooms at home; inoculation, sterilisation and basic mycology; and how to start master cultures. Presenter: Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery.

Wangim cups; Tuesday, 27th February, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn about the Wangim Cup project – a circular economy, zero waste, re-usable coffee cup initiative in Darebin. Local cafes from across Darebin can participate. Patrons can use a cup at no extra cost and all you need to do is return the cup to any participating Wangim cafe.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); starting Wednesday, 28th February, 9am-3pm; $1,150 ($14 per hour); CERES.

The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens. Presenter: Justin Calverley.

Organic gardening for beginners (2 sessions); Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd of March, 10am-2.30pm; $85 ($9 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. Presenter: Kath Jones. Organised by Richmond Community Learning Centre.

The Prosecco Festival; Saturday, 2nd March, 11am-10.30pm; $70; Abbotsford.

There will be around 40 different proseccos to taste and all tastings are included in the ticket price. There will also be food and music.

Summer vegetables illustration (4 sessions); consecutive Thursdays, starting 7th March, 10am-midday; $144 ($18 per hour); Forest Hill.

Make some cool veggie art. Using pencils and watercolours, students will learn about the application of paint, look at composition and colour mixing while using a restricted palette. Take your own materials.

In January
In February
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cook Indian by the creek for kids; Thursday, 18th January, 11am-midday; $40 ($40 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: flatbread parantha and mint raita.

Cook Indian by the creek for kids; Monday, 22nd January, 11am-midday; $45 ($45 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: chicken tikka skewers and roti wrap.

Yes chef! Cooking for preschoolers (4 sessions); on 4 consecutive Thursdays, starting 15th February, 2-3pm; $136 ($34 per hour); Coburg North.

Children will need to be supervised by their parent(s) for each session. Week 1 – prepare your environment (set up the space, discuss how to work together and learn how to make a list). Week 2 – safety, hygiene and identifying strengths. Week 3 – preparation and storage (how to peel veg and how to store foods). Week 4 – team building (make pasta dough, how to anticipate what might be needed next and how satisfying cleaning up can be). Presenter: Cook Murph from Suntop Plaza. Organised by NECCHi.

Yusheng and dumplings; Saturday, 24th February, 11am-1pm; $28 ($14 per hour); Forest Hill.

Exploring the world of vegetarian cooking in this Chinese New Year celebration: yusheng and dumplings. Taste and take home your creations.

Zero waste cooking workshop; Sunday, 25th February, 10am-1pm; $25 ($8 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn cooking techniques and recipes that lead to zero waste cooking, getting the most out of produce in order to be both environmentally and financially sustainable. Presenter: Tony Chiodo. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Thai BBC classics; Sunday, 25th February, 10am-2pm; $190 ($48 per hour); Panton Hill.

You will re-create Thailand’s flame-grilled Isaan chicken with a coriander pepper paste marinade and green papaya salad and sticky rice and a side dish of north-eastern eggplant or fish laab. You will learn: using a mortar and pestle to bruise green papaya; lighting and tending charcoal; and how to use a sticky rice powder to add a textural element to your salads. At the end, eat a shared lunch with a local beverage of your choice. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Mexican cooking; Sunday, 25th February, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to work with fresh seasonal ingredients, traditional spices and ancient grains to create authentic Mexican meals. At the end of the workshop, you will sit down together for a shared feast of your own making. The menu will include corn tortillas (make your own), guacamole, traditional salsa verde, Mexican rice, re-fried pinto beans, Juanita’s pulled pork tacos, mole poblano (with chicken) and agua de jamaica. Presenter: Juanita from Juanita’s Kitchen.

Fermented soda workshop; Thursday, 29th February, 6.30-8pm; $110 ($73 per hour); Collingwood.

Discover the goodness of fermented soda, brimming with probiotics, compared to traditional sugary options. Learn about the basics of fermented drinks. Make three soda flavours. Presenter: The Fermented Mumma.

No waste cook club 18-25 years (4 sessions); on Fridays, starting 1st March, 11am-2pm; $107 ($27 per hour); Coburg.

Each week, you will cook and share a vegetarian meal with others using donated surplus food. In so doing, you will learn different recipes and cooking skills, including: cook healthy plant-based meals on a budget; grocery shop; plan meals; and gain knowledge on general nutrition, food safety, and storage. You will also get a bag of free, fresh groceries each week. Organised by Open Table.

Gnocchi making class; Saturday, 2nd March, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Host: Pia Gava. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Fermenting at home; Saturday, 2nd March, 10am-1pm; $120 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Macarons workshop; Saturday, 2nd March, 2-4pm; $102 ($51 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making macarons. Take an apron. A limit of 4 participants in total. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Sourdough bread baking; Sunday, 3rd March, 9am-5pm; $220 ($28 per hour); CERES.

You will: make a variety of different breads, gaining the skills and confidence to make your own at home; enjoy some of your own handmade pizza for lunch; and take home some leaven to get you started baking bread at home. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Monday, 4th March, 6-8.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach and brinjal moju (eggplant) alongside Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you will sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 6th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Japanese cooking 101: Chika’s Japanese home cooking (3 sessions); on 3 consecutive Fridays, starting 8th March, 1-2pm.; $80 ($27 per hour); Greensborough.

Week 1: dashi stock and miso soup. Week 2: gohan (steamed rice) and onigirazu (rice sandwich). Week 3: vegetarian side dishes. Presenter: Chika. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

In January
In February
Regular classes

LFC News January 3

Jan 042024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bev Middleton, Brendan Bolton, Bruce Plain, Rob Body and Teresa Day.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (7th January), Ann Stanley will interview Henry Muniz, from the Down’s Community Farm in Seaford. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, including:

Can you help Kevin Heinze GROW?

The Kevin Heinze GROW nursery in Doncaster needs an upgraded irrigation system. To do this, they need to raise around $6,000. Read more and potentially donate.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During December, the cooking teams were Crossway Life De Vine, Mitcham Baptist Church and Team Tulsi (see photo right). Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Some suggested reading

Making olive oil

Newsletter reader Brendan Bolton has written a paper on community olive oil initiatives in Victoria and elsewhere in Australia.

Growing passionfruit

Newsletter reader Angelo Eliades has written an article entitled How to grow and prune passionfruit vines for maximum fruiting.

Read more of Angelo’s food growing articles.

A zucchini flower with multiple stamens

Male zucchini flowers usually have a single long stamen in the centre of the flower with pollen on it but Rob Body has sent in this photo of a male flower with multiple stamens. Rob is using the pollen to hand pollinate some of his female flowers.

  
I thought that it might be helpful to say a few words about why this is (arguably) newsworthy.

For a flower to produce seeds, the female parts of the flower have to receive pollen from the male parts of a flower of the same species. Depending on both species and circumstances, the female and male parts might be from the same flower, from different flowers on the same plant, or from flowers on different plants. And the transmission of the pollen can be by bees, other critters, wind or gravity.

In most plant species, all the flowers are both female and male. The diagram right illustrates, and also shows the botanical names for the various parts. The male part is called a stamen. The number of stamens in a single flower varies by plant species, from one to many.

Unusually, zucchinis (and other cucurbits such as pumpkins and rockmelons) have separate female and male flowers on the same plant and the male flowers have a single stamen only.

Why do zucchinis (and other cucurbits) have separate female and male flowers, you might ask, wouldn’t pollination be simpler if the male parts of a flower could simply pollinate the female part of that flower? Well, from an evolutionary perspective, plants exclusively pollinating themselves (‘self-pollination’) leads, over time, to genetic uniformity and thus less ability for the species to cope with changes in circumstances. For this reason, most plants have methods for avoiding or discouraging self-pollination and the cucurbit method is to have separate female and male flowers, which at least stops a flower pollinating itself (the method of humans is for men to exist!).

Whereas self-pollination is a problem in nature (because of genetic uniformity), it is a benefit for human-cultivated plants (because it makes pollination more likely to occur), particularly if a flower can pollinate itself (because no bees are then necessary). For this reason, many edible plants have, through human selection over time, become self-pollinators. For example, most tomato flowers pollinate themselves. But flowers pollinating themselves is obviously not an option for cucurbits and hence cucurbit flowers are less likely to become pollinated than, for example, tomato flowers. In reaction, many people hand pollinate their cucurbits to increase the chances of pollination, where hand pollination involves brushing the innards of a male flower with a brush or equivalent to pick up the pollen and then brushing the innards of a female flower with the brush to deposit the pollen.

Hand pollination is not strictly necessary for cucurbits because bees will usually do the job for you. But it is necessary for sweetcorn (which also has separate male and female flowers) because it is wind pollinated (rather than bee pollinated) and the wind is not very effective at pollinating the small areas of sweetcorn that are grown in backyards.

Another video by Simone Boyd on Egyptian walking onions

Newsletter reader Simone’s new video is about when Egyptian walking onions should be harvested.

Previous Simone videos on Egyptian walking onions include how to plant them and how to use them.

Egyptian walking onions (Allium × proliferum) are unique because, as well as growing normal shallot-like onions underground, they also grow miniature onions at the tops of their stalks (see photo)! As these miniature onions, called bulblets, grow, the stalk bends under their weight until the bulblets touch the ground some distance from the parent plant. They then (with a bit of luck) take root and create new plants. Or you can cut them off and plant them yourself. They average, say, 4 bulblets per stalk, so the number of plants can quickly multiply. They are both fun and easy to grow.

It is pretty obvious why these onions are called walking, but why Egyptian?

You don’t know? Ok, here is another question for you: what was The Bangles’ greatest hit?

Some suggested viewing – soil

Bruce Plain suggests that you watch the following two videos: If no-till is so great, why isn’t everyone doing it? and I stopped buying compost for two years.

Both videos are by the same person, Jesse Frost, and he is obviously both articulate and knowledgeable about soil issues. He has also written a book, called The living soil handbook.

Which plants where?

Which plants where is a free Australian website that helps you decide what plants to plant in your garden. More specifically, under ‘search by location’, you enter your postcode plus various other filters and it gives you a list of plants that fit were those criteria and can be grown in your postcode. So, for example, I filtered by ‘height less than a metre’, ‘can be grown in full shade’ and ‘clay soil’ and it gave me a list of 25 species.

Note that, although it is free, you have to sign up and then log in. If you don’t, then it penalises you by giving your completely erroneous results!

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Really Really Free Market in Coburg.

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

If the tomato is technically a fruit, does that mean ketchup is a smoothie?

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

If you are planning to go to a food swap or community garden over the next week, it would be prudent to check with them first that the event is actually happening because some of the regular activities don’t actually take place during January.

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

The role of dingoes in our ecosystem; Friday, 5th May, 5-8pm; $22 ($7 per hour); Ivanhoe East.

Between 6pm and 7pm, Zali Jestrimski will talk about her study and work on dingoes, and running the dingo education centre at Wooleen Station in WA. She will discuss the role of dingoes in our ecosystem and their use in managing the feral animals. Light refreshments and drinks at bar prices will be available berfore and after the talk.

Not face-to-face but interesting

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) have organised a series of online classes during January with the overall theme of new year, greener garden. You can book individual sessions (see the details below) or all five for $150.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Gardening for renters; Monday, 22nd January, 7-8pm; free; Lalor.

Kathleen Tants will discuss how to have a thriving produce garden in your rental home and how to grow your produce in a non-permanent way.

Get buzzy with Ben’s beeswax wrap workshop; Tuesday, 23rd January, 10-11.30am; free; Croydon.

Learn about bees and their by-products. Make your own beeswax wrap and take it home. Presenter: Ben from Ben’s Bees.

Basic inoculation workshop; Saturday, 27th January, 2-4pm; $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. Presenter: Buttons. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Introduction to food photography; Sunday, 28th January, 9.30am-12.30pm; $119 ($40 per hour); Warrandyte.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers, restaurant/cafe owners or anybody who loves food and wants it to look good. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: choosing the right lens; choosing the right background, props and accessories; lighting; and software.

The herbal apprentice (8 sessions); starting Friday, 2nd February, 10am-3pm; $995 ($21 per hour); CERES.

The course will include the following topics: medicinal plant cultivation; introduction to plant identification and botany; understanding common ailments; herbal language and terminology; patterns of traditional western herbalism; plant chemistry basics; introduction to medicine making; botanical animism and community supported herbalism. Presenter: Taj Scicluna, aka The Perma Pixie.

Summer fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 3rd February, 9am-1pm; $65 ($19 per hour); Edendale.

Many of us focus on winter as the best time to prune our fruit trees but some fruit trees benefit much more from summer pruning (e.g. stone fruit). Learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. What you will learn: winter versus summer pruning; and how to shape and improve fruiting with summer pruning. Facilitated by Justin Calverley. Take your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Composting and mini market; Saturday, 3rd February, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss composting, the different types and the ways that we can use it. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 3rd February, midday-4pm; $82; Richmond.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes 30 complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Attria Wine Bar with Nomads Garden Wine; Corner Hotel with Susuro Wines; Klae with Pizzini Wines; Maeve Fox with Zonzo Estate; The Blacksmith Bar with Xanadu Wines; The Posty with Small Boots; The Precinct Hotel with Yering Station; Ugly Duckling with Tokar Estate; and Waygood  with Alkimi Wines.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-4pm; $149 ($25 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Presenter: Button. Organised by The Mushroomery.

The Haven open garden; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-4.30pm; $10; Mooroolbark.

This garden shows the diversity of what you can grow in a small area. It focuses on growing in pots and alternative containers as a renter. A small food forest area has been planted and is in its infancy. Chooks add another dimension to the garden.

The aussie veggie patch open garden; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-4.30pm; $10; Mooroolbark.

This garden shows the variety of produce that can be grown on a suburban block in a space that also caters to bees and chickens. Tim follows organic processes and enjoys experimenting with companion planting to get the best results from his garden.

Buttenshaw Farm open garden; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-4.30pm; $10; Montrose.

Buttenshaw Farm is an organic and permaculture based micro-seed farm and productive garden.

Foraging course (5 sessions); Tuesday, 6th February, 6-7.30pm; $339 ($45 per hour); Coburg.

You will learn about: the importance of wild foods; medicine as food; the difference between cultivated foods and wild food; sustainable wildcrafting; safe foraging; identification, nutrition and properties of several plants; and recipes for each of the plants. Presenter: Taj Scicluna (aka The Perma Pixie).

Beginners beekeeping course (5 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 7th February, 7-9pm; $255 ($26 per hour); Kinglake.

Each week, discuss a topic that is pertinent to keeping a strong and healthy hive. By the end of the course, you will have gained an understanding of: bees and their behaviour; proper control of an apiary; hive management; honey and extracting; and tools and equipment, with some assembly of frames and woodwork. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Summer vegetables illustration (4 sessions); consecutive Thursdays, starting 8th February, 10am-midday; $144 ($18 per hour); Forest Hill.

Make some cool veggie art. Using pencils and watercolours, students will learn about the application of paint, look at composition and colour mixing while using a restricted palette. Take your own materials.

Permaculture Design Course (100 hours); Saturday, 10th February, 9am-4.30pm; $2,350 ($24 per hour); CERES.

The course will comprise a combination of Wednesday evenings (6.30-9.30pm), weekend days (9.30am-4.30pm) and two weekend visits. It is a classroom-based, theoretical course with site visits, not a gardening course. Participants will develop: an appreciation of the fundamentals of permaculture and the historical context in which it was developed; an ability to incorporate ecological and energy literacy/understanding in the design process; an ability to read patterns in landscapes and understand how they influence design choices; an understanding of the design processes and the conceptual design tools used in permaculture, as background for later application topics; an ability to design food production and other agricultural systems in appropriate landscapes; an understanding of how communities function and how permaculture concepts can be used to build functional communities; an understanding of how trading functions and how permaculture concepts can be used to build more equitable economic systems; an understanding of how settlements can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an understanding of how buildings can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an appreciation of the technologies that are available to assist in building sustainable lifestyles – renewable energies and conservation of non-renewable resources; and a confidence in one’s ability to make a difference at the individual level. Trainers: Beck Lowe, Joel Meadows, Kat Lavers, Monique Miller and Taj Scicluna.

Small space gardening; Saturday, 10th February, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn: how to maximise your small space to create an abundant oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals; and container gardening techniques and principles. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Sunday, 11th February, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

Learn everything from the inner workings of a beehive to the healing properties of raw honey. You will learn how to maintain a healthy hive, discover the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check. Weather permitting, they will also open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration. Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Sunday, 11th February, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft and discover the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; and about sourcing sustainable materials, the basics of traditional tool use, and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

Introduction to permaculture (4 sessions); on consecutive Mondays starting 12th February, 10am-2.30pm; $60 ($3 per hour); Edendale.

To be eligible for the 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.

Introduction to horticulture and permaculture (15 sessions); starting Wednesday, 14th February, 10am-3pm; $1,050 ($14 per hour); CERES.

This course is designed as a taster for those who are unsure as to whether accredited training is for them, or whether horticulture and/or permaculture is the right pathway, or who are simply not able to commit to a full course at this stage. The three units offered (recognise plants; assist with soil or growing media sampling and testing; and plant and maintain permaculture crops) have been selected from the Certificate II in Horticulture and Certificate II in Permaculture. Presenter: Abigail Jabines.

Get buzzy with Ben’s beeswax wrap workshop; Wednesday, 14th February, 12.30-2.30pm; free; Bayswater North.

Learn about bees and their by-products. Make your own beeswax wrap and take it home. Presenter: Ben from Ben’s Bees.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); starting Thursday, 15th February, 9am-3pm; $1,150 ($14 per hour); CERES.

The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens. Presenter: Justin Calverley.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 17th February, midday-4pm; $82; Collingwood.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes 30 complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Bad Frankie with Dazma Wine Company; Commis with Vinteloper; Glou with Tillie J Wines; Goldy’s Tavern with Alle Vare Wines; Hotel Collingwood with Mary’s Myth Wines; Molly Rose Brewing with Little Brunswick Wine Co.; Paradise Alley with Dr Edge; The Craft & Co with Concrete & Clay; and The Mill Brewery with Blood Moon Wines.

North Fitzroy urban agriculture walk; Wednesday, 21st February, 10.30am-midday; free; Fitzroy North.

Join them for a walking tour of Fitzroy North’s urban agricultural spaces. Learn about the local community gardens, neighbourhood houses, Indigenous habitat gardens, and how you and your neighbours can grow food together to save money on groceries.

Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Preserving summer fruits; Thursday, 11th January, 10.30am-midday; free; Thomastown.

Maria, from My Green Garden, will discuss how to preserve all your summer fruits.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 13th January, 10-11am; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 13th January, midday-1pm; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Kids cupcake decorating workshop; Tuesday, 16th January, 11am-1pm; $56 ($28 per hour); Doreen.

For children aged 7-15. You will decorate 4 vanilla bean cupcakes. You will learn: how to fill a piping bag; how to colour buttercream; and piping techniques with 3 different piping tips. Host: Priyanka.

Kombucha brewing (young and old); Tuesday, 16th January, 1-3pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Does your child love drinking kombucha but you know it’s not the real thing? Kombucha brewing is easy and fun! This is brewing for beginners – kids as well – (8-15 years old). You will go home with your own SCOBY ready to brew at home plus a bottle of kombucha that you flavour during the class.

Healthy cooking demonstration; Thursday, 18th January, 6.30-8pm; free; Mill Park.

Julia, from Green Karma, will demonstrate some recipes that are money-savers and also sustainable.

Cooking with bean curd; Saturday, 20th January, 11am-1pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Forest Hill.

Explore a wide range of bean curd products, including tofu and fermented soybeans.

FFS … ferment four staples; Saturday, 20th January, 11.30am-4.30pm; $425 ($85 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. At the end, you will sit down for a chat and a bite to eat, including fermented foods and drinks to taste. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

Feta, halloumi and mascarpone with Kristen Allan; Saturday, 27th January, 10am-4pm; $345 ($58 per hour); Fitzroy North.

You will learn how to make feta (including marinated Persian feta), halloumi and mascarpone. They will discuss the story of milk, beginning with life in the soil, how different seasons and types of animal influence it’s composition and how to source and select the best quality, local milk for making cheese. You will take home around 1Kg of cheese. Lunch will be served.

Japanese fermentation; Wednesday, 31st January, 6.30-9pm; $120 ($48 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn how to make miso, starting with the preparation of the soybeans and ending with the shaping of your miso. You will also make tsukemono pickles from fresh vegetables. You will take home some miso, which will then mature into robust flavours over time. Presenter: The Fermented Mumma.

Milk kefir magic; Thursday, 1st February, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

No waste cook club 18-25 years (4 sessions); on Fridays, starting 2nd February, 11am-2pm; $107 ($27 per hour); Coburg.

Each week, you will cook and share a vegetarian meal with others using donated surplus food. In so doing, you will learn different recipes and cooking skills, including: cook healthy plant-based meals on a budget; grocery shop; plan meals; and gain knowledge on general nutrition, food safety, and storage. You will also get a bag of free, fresh groceries each week. Organised by Open Table.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 3rd February, 9am-5pm; $220 ($28 per hour); CERES.

You will: make a variety of different breads, gaining the skills and confidence to make your own at home; enjoy some of your own handmade pizza for lunch; and take home some leaven to get you started baking bread at home. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Pasta making class with Piera; Saturday, 3rd February, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will learn how to make orecchiette, garganelli and maccheroncini. You will also learn how to make two sauces (alla norma and quattro formaggi). At the end, enjoy the pasta you have made together with a class of wine. Presenter: Piera Pagnoni. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Jam making workshop with Rie’s Kitchen; Saturday, 3rd February, 10.30am-midday; free; Whittlesea.

Marie Vassallo, from Rie’s kitchen, will demonstrate how to turn your summer fruit into jam.

Jam making workshop with Rie’s Kitchen; Saturday, 3rd February, 2.30-4pm; free; Lalor.

Marie Vassallo, from Rie’s kitchen, will demonstrate how to turn your summer fruit into jam.

Summertime salads – Vietnamese classics; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-2pm; $190 ($48 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn what makes an Asian salad, the combination of textures and flavour to get your tastebuds singing. The techniques that you will learn include: simple smoking at home using a wok; how to hang and treat duck skin so it is crispy; and how to balance sweet, spicy, salty. On the menu: rice paper rolls (prawn or tofu); crispy five spice and cinnamon duck or chicken with an Asian microgreen salad and cumquat dressing; green mango or papaya salad with smoked fish, prawns or tofu; Vietnam classic dipping sauce; and coconut and Vietnamese iced coffee ice-cream. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Food for mind and gut; Sunday, 4th February, 10am-2.30pm; $150 ($33 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about foods that can help you to build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. You will also learn how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet. All the recipes centre on nutritionally dense vegetables and are both gluten- and dairy-free. The sample menu includes: vegan cream cheese; oat + mesquite crackers; beet sauerkraut; chickpea salad with orange tahini; coconut + turmeric pie; and miso puffed balls. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Thursdays, starting 8th February, 11am-1pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Lilydale.

Learn how to cook easily just for one person. Make the meals each week and eat together what you have made. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Healthy cooking for adults (6 sessions); on Fridays, starting 9th February, 10am-midday; $55 ($5 per hour); Kilsyth.

Got a full FOGO? Did your veggie garden overflow? Wondering how to minimise waste and stretch your food budget? These classes will explore creative ways to help with practical, sustainable tips and tricks, including a collaborative cooking session each week. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Blokes in the kitchen (2 sessions); on Fridays, 9th February and 8th March, each 9am-midday; $90 ($15 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 10th February, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 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 Amore Cheese.

Mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheese making; Sunday, 11th February, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make and go home with milky soft pillows of mozzarella and the best of the stretched curd cheeses including burrata (with an oozy filling of creamy stracciatella) and stracciatella (fine stringy strands of mozzarella, mixed with cream and salt). Presenter: Kristen Allan.

Cupcake decorating workshop; Sunday, 11th February, 11am-1pm; $130 ($65 per hour); Bayswater North.

Make your own decorated cupcakes starting from plain pre-baked cupcakes. Presenter: Maria from Enchanted Pots. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Cupcake decorating workshop; Sunday, 11th February, 2-4pm; $130 ($65 per hour); Bayswater North.

Make your own decorated cupcakes starting from plain pre-baked cupcakes. Presenter: Maria from Enchanted Pots. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Vegan chocolate making; Wednesday, 14th February, 6.30-8pm; $80 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

Start by unravelling the story of cocoa butter. Then delve into the intricacies of chocolate making, from melting and mixing the perfect blend of ingredients to mastering the art of setting. Presenter: Tina Gelberidis.

Making relish and quick pickling; Thursday, 15th February, 7.30-9pm; $10; Bundoora.

Maxine will demonstrate how to make a zucchini relish, and how to do quick pickling. Take 2 small-medium jars in which to take home relish and pickles. Organised by Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

Bubble tea making workshop; Friday, 16th February, 3-4pm; free; Bundoora.

For young people aged 12-18. Learn how to make bubble tea.

Croquembouche workshop; Saturday, 17th February, 1.30-5.30pm; $137 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. A limit of 4 participants in total. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Vegan cheese making; Sunday, 18th February, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to create your own array of vegan cheeses, milks, creamy spreads and dairy-free desserts. Limitless options for flavours and styles. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

Kombucha, jun, water kefir, wild mead and beet kvass; Sunday, 18th February, 10.30am-12.30pm; $180 ($90 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make four easy summer drinks. You will go home with 3 large jars full to be nurtured and ferment at home in your own kitchen of mead, beet kvass, kombucha and water kefir with the SCOBY – and a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that will be ready the next day.

Regular classes

LFC News December 6 2023

Dec 052023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bev Middleton, Biagio Pitruzzello, Cath Jones, Duang Tengtrirat, Hayden Marks, Julie French and Lynn Wallace.

This is the last newsletter for 2023. Seasonal greetings to everyone. Normal service will resume in early 2024.

The year in review

This newsletter

The newsletter is now in its 12th year, with me (Guy) as its editor for the last 9 years having taken over from the inimitable Robyn Currie.

We began the year with around 4,000 subscribers. 44 newsletters later, we now have around 4,200 subscribers. So the numbers are still increasing, albeit at a slower rate than in previous years.

10% of the new subscribers live in Banyule, 10% in Darebin, 10% in Nillumbik, 35% in the other municipalities of North East Melbourne and the final 35% from further away.

The graphic shows the geographic distribution of newsletter recipients in the various suburbs of North East Melbourne, where the area of each red blob is proportional to proportion of the population in that suburb who are newsletter recipients.

The most clicked links in 2023 in various categories were as follows:

Although the number of subscribers has almost doubled since before the pandemic (i.e. since 2019), the number of clicks of the event-related links in the newsletter now is no higher than in 2019 (in other words, people are, on average, clicking half the number of event-related links than they used to.). Read into this what you want but my impression is that behaviours have been changed either permanently or semi-permanently by the pandemic such that many people have become more home-based and less interested in events outside of their home.

Just about every newsletter contained at least one article on a food growing or food eating subject. This was only possible because of the regular contributions from Ann Stanley, Celesta Van der Paal, Jaimie Sweetman, Julie French, Megan Goodman and, last (in the alphabetical order) but certainly not least (in the contribution order), Robin Gale-Baker. Thanks to all of them!

Contributions from newsletter readers continue to greatly enrich the newsletters. Over the years, around 550 readers have made contributions. Again, thanks to all of them!

The website

The website is closely intertwined with the newsletter, with any new articles on the website being summarised in the newsletter and with most of the material from the newsletters also being somewhere on the website.

The number of people who visit the website roughly doubled during the pandemic and has remained at this level ever since, with roughly 400,000 people having visited the website over the last year. Around 50% of the visitors are from Melbourne, 30% from elsewhere in Australia and the final 20% from the rest of the world. Most of the visitors find the website by google searching and going to particular pages as a result.

The most popular page was, as always, the planting guide of what veggies to plant when followed by the page about food-related proverbs. In part because of her prodigious output, the most popular section is now Robin Gale-Baker’s growing guides.

There are now 130 producers in our Local Food and Drink Directory, 63 gardens with pages in our Community Gardening Directory, 30 swaps in our Food Swap Directory and around 40 organisations in our Food Justice Directory. All of the material has been approved by the relevant organisation and organisations are added as and when I (Guy) become aware of them and they respond positively to my communications with them.

Community gardens

Community gardens are at the core of many of the community food-related activities across North East Melbourne and, as stated earlier, 63 of them have pages on our website.

During the year, I became aware of 3 more community gardens, which now therefore have pages on our website, namely :

Many of the established community gardens continue to organise numerous events to which everyone is welcome, including:

Many of these gardens also organise monthly food swaps.

The results for the Healthy Soils Competition for students (by Bev Middleton)

To celebrate both World Soil Day (5th December) and Soil Week (5th-12th December), Soil Week Australia, who are based in Macleod, recently ran a healthy soils competition. The competition aimed to raise awareness about the vital role of worms and life in the soil in maintaining soil health and the importance of carbon in the soil. The topic, wonderful worms, healthy soil and climate, attracted around 180 primary and secondary schools and students from across Australia who showcased their creativity through a variety of entries, including rap songs, murals, wiggly worm dances, comic strips and even an imaginative interview with a worm.

Schools and students with winning entries in their category each won $500. Read the list of winning schools and students.

In our North East suburbs, entries from Concord School (Bundoora), Eltham East Primary School, Kew High School and Parade College (Bundoora and Preston) won prizes of $50 and $100 vouchers. There were also entries from Montmorency East Primary School, Montmorency Primary School and individual entries from students in Warrandyte.

The photo is of Sienna and Christiano with teacher Jodi from Concord School in Bundoora. Concord is a specialist school for students with special needs. Quite a number of their students submitted entries and won prizes and they also made a video.

Melbourne Bushfood’s bush food of the month – finger lime (Citrus australasica)

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

The innards of the finger-shaped finger lime fruit physically resemble caviar and taste not dissimilar to grapefruit or lime (i.e. sour citrus). You can use in sorbets, desserts or any other dish were citrus is needed. The fruit can also be either frozen or dehydrated.

There are lots of varieties, each with a different taste. The green varieties are more acidic and eucalypty, similar to limes, the red varieties are typically lighter in flavour with hints of grapefruit, and the yellow ones are more lemony.

The plant is a small tree growing up to 3 metres tall. Plant in full sun and use citrus fertiliser (rather than native fertiliser). You can also grow it in pots.

Harvest the fruit when mature. Mature finger limes are typically about 5-7cms long and 2cms in diameter. They should be plump, rounded and slightly soft.

Read about some other bushfoods on our website.

Pantalica Cheese

Established in 1973, the family owned and operated Pantalica Cheese Company, who are based in Thomastown, make a wide range of Italian cheeses, including bacio, bocconcini, halloumi, mascarpone, mozza bella fresca, parmesan and ricotta. Their milk is sourced from Gippsland. You can buy their cheeses from their shop (49-65 Trawalla Avenue, Thomastown, open Monday-Friday 8am-4pm and Saturday 8am-midday), online or at many IGAs.

Read their page in our Local Food Directory (which includes a lot more photos).

Welcome Biagio, family and colleagues!

We now have 7 local cheese producers in our Local Food Directory.

More on future Thai food experiences

Apparently, Duang Tengtrirat is planning to run three more tours in July, August and September 2024. She is still finalising dates and other details, but you can email her at Nan.experience3@gmail.com to express your interest and get sent the information when it’s been finalised. Read Julie’s article about this year’s tour.

Duang will be on this week’s Gardening Australia

Duang’s and husband Rob’s garden in Castlemaine will apparently feature on Gardening Australia on Friday, 8th December.

CERES weed dating

As you may or may not know, CERES organise monthly ‘weed dating’ sessions where you meet new people whilst gardening. These events take place at Joe’s Market Garden in Coburg and you have to register your attendance.

These weed dating sessions were recently the subject of an article in The Guardian. Thanks for the heads up, Lynn Wallace!

Another video from Chloe Thomson

As part of her Behind the garden gate series, Chloe Thomson recently visited a garden in Hurstbridge. Watch the resulting video.

Ayurvedic cleansing green kitchari bowl (by Cath Jones)

[Despite its rather odd name, this lentil-based dish is actually really yum, which is why I asked Cath if I could include it in this newsletter. The recipe below is adapted from Leah Vanderveldt’s cookbook The New Nourishing and serves 4. For those of you who don’t know, ‘Ayurveda’ is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent and ‘kitchari’ is a dish in Indian subcontinent cuisine made of rice and lentils.]

Ingredients

1 cup dried yellow split peas or lentils
½ cup long grain brown rice
3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 small crown broccoli finely chopped into an almost rice-like texture (about 2 cups total)
1 medium zucchini coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
1 cup packed baby spinach roughly chopped
¼ cup cilantro leaves
plain full-fat Greek yogurt for serving

Method

Rinse the yellow split peas or lentils and rice in a fine mesh colander under cold water until the water runs clear.

In a large lidded saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil or ghee. Add the ginger and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, fenugreek and turmeric. Cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the split peas or lentils and rice and stir to coat in the spices. Add the salt and pour in the water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas/lentils are tender but not mushy and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (You may need to add more water if the mixture becomes to dry or begins to stick to the bottom of the pan).

Stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and spinach, then remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm scattered with the cilantro and plain yogurt, if desired.

Note: to make it low FODMAP-friendly: Double the rice, skip the split peas or lentils, and omit the broccoli. And you can serve without the yogurt topping.

[We now have a total of 370 recipes on our website, all by local cooks. These recipes can be filtered by several factors, including author and main ingredients. So, for example, you can see that there are a total of 9 lentil-based dishes. If you have a recipe that you would be willing to share with the rest of us, simply email it to me]

Baking soda versus baking powder

I recently came across this article, which I thought was quite interesting. Here is what I learnt.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (aka bicarbonate of soda). When it is brought into contact with an acid, a chemical reaction occurs that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide which, in turn, have a leavening effect.

Baking powder comprises a base (most commonly baking soda) plus a dry acid (most commonly cream of tartar) plus a buffer (most commonly corn starch) to stop the base and the acid interacting. When it is brought into contact with a liquid, the same chemical reaction occurs as for baking soda.

Most current baking powders produce further carbon dioxide when heated and are thus known as double-acting baking powders.

Wikipedia lists 3 common bases for baking powder and 9 common acids.

Baking soda and baking powder can potentially be substituted for each other but only if you know what you are doing.

Baking soda and baking powder work much more quickly than yeast and don’t produce any flavours. Although yeast also leavens through the production of carbon dioxide, the underlying chemistry is completely different.

Baking powder was invented in 1843 by someone called Alfred Bird, who was motivated to develop a yeast-free leavener because his wife was allergic to yeast. He also invented egg-free custard as his wife was also allergic to eggs. What a husband!

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

The schedule for the balance of the year is as follows:

  • Sunday, 10th December: Somer on food rescue.
  • Sunday, 17th December: Guy Palmer on the local community gardens.
  • Sunday, 24th December: Claire on permaculture principles 5-8.
  • Sunday, 31st December: Claire on permaculture principles 9-12.

Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday mornings, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website. These are now proper podcasts, including titles and descriptions.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the realestate.com.au for sale page for Panton Hill Winery.

Word of the month – Bletting

‘Bletting’, meaning the softening of certain fleshy fruits, such as medlars and persimmons, beyond ripening, until the desired degree of sweetness/palatability is attained.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Salad days. Meaning: the exuberant days of one’s youth. Shakespeare invented this phrase to associate the fresh greenness of salad with the vigour and recklessness of youth. More specifically, in Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra used the phrase to explain away her early infatuation with Julius Caesar. Shakespeare was, perhaps, also contrasting the lightness of a dinner first course (Julius Caesar) with the richer and more substantial main course (Antony).

The phrase was the inspiration for the Monty Python spoof sketch Sam Peckinpah’s Salad Days, in which various carefree young things were hacked to pieces. Watch the sketch.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” by Emily Bronte.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Our fruit and vegetable business recently went into liquidation. We now sell smoothies.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Eltham Farmers’ Market will continue to take place on every Sunday throughout the festive season. The Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve markets will, however, have unique trading times, with the Christmas Eve market being 7-10am and the New Year’s Eve market being 8-11am.

The three Melbourne Farmers Markets market (Alphington, Carlton and Coburg) will take place as per normal on the weekend before Christmas. Their plans for the weekend before New Year have not yet been announced.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 29 2023

Nov 292023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Sanders, Jennie Ramage, Julie French and Robin Gale-Baker.

‘Hilling up’ all root vegetables (by Robin Gale-Baker)

‘Hilling’ or ‘hilling up’ of potatoes is a well-known technique for producing more tubers and preventing ‘greening’ (which is toxic to potatoes). Less well-known is that hilling up all root vegetables will lead to better produce. It will also prevent shoulder ‘greening’ of carrots.

Have you ever noticed the top of a carrot being green, particularly in situ in the row? This is caused by the carrot top growing above the soil, receiving direct sunlight and ‘greening’. The taste will be rather bitter (but it will not be toxic as potatoes are when they are exposed to sunlight). Obviously, you can simply cut the top off and use the rest of the carrot but an even better option is hilling it up instead – and then you can eat the whole carrot.

Hilling can be done in one of two ways.

  1. The first way is to create a hill or mound by hoeing the soil and pulling it up into a long, raised row. Seeds or seedlings are then planted directly into the top of the mound.
  2. The second way is to sow root vegetables in a ‘flat’ bed (i.e. a normal in-ground bed) and, once shoots emerge, soil is scraped from both sides and hilled up to cover the shoulder of the plant. The shoots should not be covered but any protruding shoulders of the veggies should.

Hilling has a number of general advantages including:

  • Providing good drainage.
  • Keeping weeds at bay.
  • Fluffing up soil, allowing roots to penetrate deeper and swell more easily so they take up more nutrients and water.
  • Protecting tender shoots from bad weather and supporting the plant’s stability in the soil.

Root vegetables are meant to fully develop underground but you may notice that they can sometimes protrude 3-4cm above the soil. This may be the result of seed that germinated just beneath (or on) the surface of the soil, or a lack of water. Protruding tops never taste good, they lack juice and have a tendency toward woodiness.

It pays to keep an eye on all root crops and, around a month after germination, check that the shoulders of your carrots, parsnips, turnips, beetroot, etc are covered. If not, or perhaps anyway, use a trowel to break up the soil either side of the rows and drag it into a mound over the tops leaving the new shoots exposed.

Then repeat your inspection every 3 or 4 weeks and hill when necessary.

Read more of Robin’s articles about veggie growing on our web site.

A Thai food experience (by Julie French)

[Julie visited Duang Tengtrirat in Thailand in July 2023 for a 10 day cooking and cultural tour. As well as being Julie’s friend, Duang is a reader of this newsletter and used to live in North East Melbourne. Julie has written up her trip for our website, with a shortened version below.]

    

How often do you get an invitation to be a part of a group visiting an unspoilt part of Thailand to experience an authentic taste of its food and culture, guided by a well-connected local person, passionate about her town and region? My invitation was from a good friend, Duang, and it was too good to resist. I had heard so much about her years growing up in a village in northern Thailand, especially her stories around food and learning to cook in her mother’s kitchen. Duang’s mother had recognised her daughter’s cooking curiosity and skill from an early age and Duang had grown up helping her to cook and learnt by observing what and how she cooked. She has carried those skills and love of cooking throughout her life and wanted to share this with her wide circle of friends using her mother’s traditional Thai kitchen as the base.

Duang’s 10 day cooking and cultural experience of her home town of Nan, close to the Laotian border, alternated days of cooking and learning about traditional northern Thai food with visits to places of interest in and around Nan. One of the standouts of the visits was to a farm which was an example of permaculture in practice. On arrival at the farm, the first thing that impressed was the lush picture book garden, a mix of insect attracting flowers and food producing plants grown in swales. A pond at a lower point on the farm supplied the family with fish; recycling of waste was evident from the large active compost pile; and power was generated by a small array of solar panels. The wet season was late so the surrounding fields were still dry, apart from one that had been flooded to enable at least some rice to be planted. Foraging in the flourishing food forest was followed by dinner preparation, much chopping and slicing and cooking over a coal brazier, culminating in a fabulous feast of Thai salads, charcoal grilled vegetables and fish and delicious sticky rice. It was hard to leave.

Read Julie’s full write up of the visit.

A newsletter reader tip – tomato watering (by Jennie Ramage)

Cut the bottoms out of 2 litre plastic milk containers. Place the containers upside down in a deep hole between the tomato plants, leaving around 5cm above the soil. Pack the soil firmly around the container (not too packed, but not too loose). When mulching, bring the mulch right up to the edge of the container, as well as right up to the stems of the tomatoes. It is best to place this watering system at the same time as planting the tomatoes so that you don’t disturb the roots of the plants. When watering the plants when they are young, water with a handheld sprinkler on the roots of the small plants. As the plants grow and their roots spread, and as summer heats up, fill the 2 litre containers with a handheld hose. The water then slowly seeps out of the inverted pouring hole, encouraging the roots of the tomatoes to grow deep in search of the moisture.

Growing avocados in a temperate climate

Read the article by Duncan Cocking (aka Lead, Root & Fruit), who lives in Kyneton. As with all of Duncan’s articles, the material is comprehensive.

As I can attest from personal experience, it is perfectly possible to grow avocados in Melbourne. As Duncan discusses, one important point to note is that the trees suffer from the heat of the Summer even more than from the cold of the Winter. So, young trees need protection (e.g. shade cloth) from both the cold and the harsh sun.

The Craftwork Roasting Company

Around a month ago, I mentioned that I had stumbled across a new cafe in Eltham called the Craftwork Roasting Company. Well, as well as being a cafe, they are also a coffee roaster and it is in this context that they now have a page in our Local Food and Drink Directory.

  

They roast coffee, which they then sell in bags online and at their shop (1/27 Peel Street, Eltham). There are 9 choices across espresso and filter at any one time, including 6 single origins, sourced through select merchants who work ethically and sustainably with coffee producers.

Their cafe (aka brew bar) and retail space has windows looking into the roasting and production area. Customers can browse brewing equipment, ceramic cups and Craftwork beans while they wait for their takeaway coffee. Or they can sit down to drink their coffee together with house baked pastries, cakes and bread.

Welcome Caleb and Rebecca!

Some new(ish) community gardens

Last Sunday, many of our local community gardens had open days. I (Guy) chose to go to two that I wasn’t familiar with, namely Mooroolbark (left hand photo) and Strathdon House in Forest Hill (right hand photo). I will provide more information about these two community gardens in the new year.

  

Some established food growing areas in Banyule

As part of the launch of their new food strategy last week, Banyule Council showed a number of us round Bellfield Community Garden (left hand photo) and the nearby Farm Raiser farm (right hand photo). In the photos, Paul, Eve and Patrick (all newsletter readers) are talking about what happens at these two places.

  

More on the Victoria Container Deposit Scheme (by Anna Sanders)

“Thanks for letting us know that the Victoria Container Deposit Scheme is now live. I pick up litter on my daily walk in Eltham and recently collected 3 cans that had the 10c deposit on them, so I took them to the milk bar to test the process, which worked. However, I’m not sure how many people are aware of the refund process yet because, on my walk home from the milk bar, I picked up another $1 worth of recyclables! Wouldn’t it be great if Coles and Woolworths made a big deal of the scheme and became one of the refund points? Let’s all get involved!”

Panton Hill Winery is up for sale

See the realestate.com.au website. This is obviously a major development in terms of Nillumbik wineries. But less obviously, it is also a major development in terms of Nillumbik real estate because the buildings are perhaps the most striking/beautiful suite of buildings in the whole of Nillumbik.

‘Crowd harvest’ – seeds for Christmas

Gardeners with excess seeds are invited to send them in a Christmas card or holiday card to one of the not-for profit organisations listed below who will, in turn, either germinate the seeds, store them or distribute them to people facing crisis yet know how to start seeds. Please package the seeds in individual and labelled packages so that food relief recipients can easily take them home. The program runs from 1st December to 15th December.

DIVRS in Preston; Liberty Church (c/o Ps Bob Taranto) in Epping; Odyssey House Victoria at 28 Bonds Road, Lower Plenty, 3093; or STREAT in Collingwood. Alternatively, Tiny Trowel, PO Box 4076, Box Hill South, 3128.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During November, the cooking teams were Melbourne Chinese Church of Christ, Mitcham Baptist Church, Rotary Nunawading and Team Francis (see photo right). Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Another video from Simone Boyd

Why you should plant tomato seedlings deep.

Our articles over the last month

Here are some of the articles from our newsletters over the last month that you might have missed:

What seeds to plant in December

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Sweetcorn
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish
Perennial

Asparagus
Chives

 
December is not a very good planting month: arguably too late for many summer veggies and, although you can plant leafy greens such as lettuce and mustard greens, they are likely to go to seed pretty quickly.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

There won’t be an episode on Sunday (3rd December).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the ABC article about the garden in Collingwood being under threat.

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

It’s so hot that our garlic took its cloves off.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sustain and Oakhill Farm holiday barbecue; Thursday, 21st December, 5-8pm; free; Preston.

They will be cooking up a variety of meat and non-meat options on the grill. Take your own drinks plus a side dish to share if you’d like.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 22 2023

Nov 222023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Ann Stanley, Chris Chapple, Jaimie Sweetman, Jennie Ramage, Jude Waldron, Lee Hirsh, Lee Tozzi and Lisa Claiborne.

Self-seeding edible annuals (by Jaimie Sweetman)

[Jaimie is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

In the Edible Forest, we have many self-seeding plants, each with its own purpose. They include:

  • Angelica (beneficial bugs, clay breaker and medicinal).
  • Calendula (medicinal).
  • Corn flowers (for tea).
  • Nigella (edible seeds).
  • Perennial sweet peas.
  • Violas (edible flowers).
  • Yam daisies (edible tubers).

Some we have only started with one plant and over the years this has multiplied to as many as we want.

None of these plants are hard to remove.

Also, letting plants self seed means the garden is always looking different. While it’s not for some as it creates a more wild aesthetic, it certainly makes gardening easier. And it’s a way to work with nature instead of against it.

Read about more of Jaimie’s unusual edible plants on our website.

Read the list edible flowers on our website.

Banyule’s Urban Food Strategy

In the past year Banyule Council, in conjunction with Sustain and community members, have been developing an Urban Food Strategy, which aims to be “a blueprint for creating, celebrating and enhancing Banyule’s food systems to ensure it is healthy, sustainable, equitable, inclusive and accessible.” The strategy was adopted unanimously by Banyule’s councillors on 25th September. Read the draft strategy and associated action plan.

The strategy is being launched tomorrow (Thursday, 23rd November) at 6-8pm at Bellfield Community Hub. The event is free. Learn about the aspirations and opportunities for Banyule’s urban food systems, hear Professor Michael Buxton discuss the importance of protecting our peri-urban areas, visit Bellfield Community Hub, and connect with others interested in Banyule’s urban food systems. Read more and book your place.

Yes, you did advise!

Last week, Rebecca Haschek asked what, if anything, she could plant in early December when she returns from holiday. Angelo Eliades and Jennie Ramage have sent in substantive replies.

Advice from Angelo Eliades

There’s a reason why there is a gardening calendar for every single month of the year, because different seeds can be sown and seedlings can be transplanted. Gardeners sometimes make the mistake in thinking that all their crops need to be planted in spring once the weather warms up, and that’s it!

Obviously, some seeds need to go in before December, and those won’t be possible for Rebecca to sow as seeds, but the seedlings that can be purchased are six weeks ahead, so it’s just like sowing the seeds in mid-October. For the veggie and herb seedlings that need to be planted before December, it will be too late, but there are others that can still be planted. It’s never too late to sow some kind of seeds or plant some kind crops in any month of the year, nature doesn’t stop in any month and neither should our gardening!

[Editor: from our planting guide, here are some of the veggies whose seeds you can plant in October and whose seedlings you can therefore plant in December: beans, beetroot, carrot, celery, chives, cucumber, gourd, jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, mizuna, mustard greens, okra, parsley, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, radish, rocket, rockmelon, silverbeet, spring onions, sweet potato, sweetcorn, watermelon and zucchini.]

Advice from Jennie Ramage

Often the hardest thing is to hold back planting summer crops until the soil has warmed. Planting in December will be a gift in this regard!

I have often put in a second planting of climbing bean seeds in late December. During a hot summer, which we are told is ahead of us, I would still be picking beans into April.

Buy tomato seedlings that look a bit stressed and that have flowers. If you can, buy them in single small pots rather than 6 in a punnet, so that their roots are not overly damaged when you plant them. Plant deeply into well dug soil, raise the soil up to the level of the first leaves, sprinkle with compost or worm castings, mulch with pea straw, sprinkle some cow manure on top. Water well. These plants have already been triggered to flower. Now with excellent growing conditions, the plants will be off and away and hopefully give you a good crop.

Zucchini (seeds) will still have time to crop. The soil will be warm and there won’t be cold weather that would set the plants back.

Basil (seedlings) will thrive, soil will be warm, plenty of growing time. Silverbeet, rocket, coriander seeds also. Make sure that you keep soil moist to germinate.

A final tip: put pea straw into a large bucket filled with water, then place the dripping wet mulch around your seedlings. The drier summer soil will get a soaking, the soil will stay protected from the hot sun, and the plants will thrive.

Some feedback on last week’s articles

From Lee Tozzi re the Coburg Community Garden Festival

The upcoming Coburg Community Garden Festival is being supported by the My Smart Garden program (of which Merri-bek is one of 10 council partners).

My Smart Garden was the City Winner in the Education Category of the 2023 Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Sustainability awards.

The EPA Waste prevention and reduction award that Green my Plate won was also from the 2023 Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Sustainability awards, not Merri-Bek Council.

[And I (Guy) note that a young lady from Epping, called Tanya Sharma, was the City Winner in the Young Legend Category for her actions to combat cigarette butt litter.]

From Ann Stanley re the Rs of waste management

“I loved your ‘re’ list and re-lated linguistic re-search. In high schools, we often say the three ‘rs’ in teaching are Relationship, Relationship, Relationship, because ‘if you can’t reach ’em, you can’t teach ’em ‘.

Thanks for making the effort to write in Ann and Lee!

The Railway Garden in Princes Hill

[Editor: A number of local community gardens were established during the Covid years and I have gradually been adding them to our Local Food Directory. This is one such.]

The Railway Garden is at North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House, 20 Solly Avenue, Princes Hill. It is open to the public and comprises 10 large garden beds, 6 wicking beds, a citrus bed, a fruit tree area and an indigenous plants bed. Read their technical manual.

The vision is of a collectively managed, open and inclusive garden and community meeting place where people gather to connect with one another, either through gardening activities or simply for the pleasure of being there. They strive to ensure a positive impact on the environment, for example, no pesticides, use organic gardening methods, recycle waste and nutrients where possible (eg through composting) and save seeds. Read their operational manual.

To discuss any aspect of the community garden, contact North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House by phone (9380 6654) or email. Also, see their website.

There are gardening groups on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. If you would potentially like to get involved in the garden, fill out an enrolment form and they will get in touch with you.

See more pictures of their garden on their page on our website.

Thanks for all the information, Lisa Claiborne!

We now have pages for 6 community gardens in City of Yarra and for a total of 61 community gardens around North East Melbourne as a whole.

‘The Secret Garden’ in Collingwood

6 years ago, a 5-year lease was granted for the purpose of “beautification, weed management and operation of a community garden” at the northern end of Ballarat Street, Collingwood. This community garden is now under threat of closure. Read this ABC News article about why it is under threat of closure and why some locals are resisting such closure. Read, and potentially sign, the petition to save the Secret Garden.

Some news from Community Grocer

The Community Grocer is “a not-for-profit social enterprise that runs fresh produce markets and programs to increase social, economic and physical access to fresh food.” In particular, they sell fruit and veggies at Fitzroy on Tuesday mornings and at Carlton on Friday mornings.

Their pickup hubs

If you want to buy their fruit and veggies but can’t make it to their markets, you can order online and pick up the order in the afternoon following the market. Place an order and pick up from Rose St Pantry in Fitzroy on a Tuesday afternoon. Place an order and pick up from Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre in Carlton on a Friday afternoon.

Grocer gift cards

Their Grocer gift cards are vouchers which you purchase and then donate to community members experiencing food insecurity.

Want to organise a once-off food swap in Armadale next year?

The ABC Community Garden in Armadale is planning to run a sustainability festival next year on 6th April. Among other things, they would like to include a food swap, but would need help from someone to run it smoothly. Is there anyone who would potentially be interested in spending a few hours on the day hosting a food swap? If so, email me and I’ll put you in contact with them.

The Victorian container deposit scheme (CDS) scheme

As you hopefully know, Victoria’s container deposit scheme (CDS) scheme has now commenced and you can now exchange eligible drink containers for 10 cents. Per the State Government’s CDS website, “Most aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. You can keep the lids on, we recycle them too.” The exceptions are: plain milk containers of all sizes, cordial or syrup containers, wine & spirit bottles, large beverage pouches and some large (1 litre or greater) containers including juice.

There are refund locations in many suburbs but they are not necessarily where you might expect. For example, the location in my suburb (Eltham) is the milk bar on Pitt Street.

As an alternative to keeping the refunds, you can nominate a community group to automatically receive your refunds. You do this on the VISY website or the corresponding phone app (CDS Vic North). Create an account, then click the ‘donations’ button, then choose your ‘donation partner’. The donation partners are grouped into categories and, from a quick look through the list, I identified the following food-related organisations: Feed One Feed All (category: Disaster Relief), OzHarvest (Human Services), Richmond Churches Food Centre (Human Services), The Community Grocer (Community Development) and Whittlesea Community Garden (Community Development).

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On this upcoming Sunday’s episode, Ann Stanley will chat with Lucinda Flyn about her permaculture garden in Hurstbridge.

Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of previous episodes are available on their website. These are now proper podcasts, including titles and descriptions.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Ann’s article about Murundaka.

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

A balanced diet is essential. Try a pastry in each hand. (submitted by Lee Hirsh)

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

You may have previously bought some of Island Home’s rather interesting Sri Lankan curry meals at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Well, they have now also started making ready-to-eat pan rolls. I bought their chickpea, potato and coconut one a few weeks ago and it was rather yum. Their standard schedule is the 2nd and 4th Sundays so hopefully they will be at this upcoming Sunday’s market and you can try one then.

Food swaps
Community gardens

As you can see, there are lots of open days on this upcoming Sunday, 26th November.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

How to make beeswax food wraps; Saturday, 25th November, 10-11.30am; $60 ($40 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn how to mix, apply, bake and care for your beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided and you will take home however many wraps you make in the session (most people average about six).

Crop planning and rotation (2 sessions); Saturday, 2nd December, 10am-2pm and Sunday, 3rd December, 10am-3pm; $359 ($40 per hour); Bundoora.

In the first session, you will discuss how the opportunities and limitations of a site combine to inform crop placement and rotation. You will also learn how to grow for a defined market. The second session will be a field trip where you find out about a methodology for crop planning and how this is used at this specific site. You will also discuss weed management and fertility practices, particularly when flipping beds/shifting from one crop to another, and how this impacts rotation plans (which crops should follow or never follow). Presenter: Keren Tsaushu from Five Tales Farm in Piedmont. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Vegetable garden planner workshop; Saturday, 2nd December, 2.30-4pm; $47 ($24 per hour); Bundoora.

You will get tips on: which vegetables to select to grow at a backyard-scale; how to best plant seeds and appropriately space out vegetables; companion planting; and best practice when it comes to the rotation of different families of vegetables. Presenter: Keren Tsaushu from Five Tales Farm. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Resin art with ink – cheese platter (2 sessions); Monday, 4th December, 7-9pm and Tuesday, 5th December, 7-8pm; $95 ($32 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Create a one of kind cheese platter in a relaxed and laid back environment. Local artist Stephanie Anne, from Sullcher Creative Design, will demonstrate the fine art of resin and ink. Learn how to manipulate and blend ink within the resin medium. No experience necessary. All resources included. Organised by Mt Evelyn Community House.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Hamed Allahyari – salamati; Wednesday, 6th December, 6.30-8pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Hamed Allahyari’s book, is called Salamati: Hamed’s Persian kitchen: recipes and stories from Iran to the other side of the world. Hamid will discuss his book and also make dadani dip.

Gingerbread making with Mumma Sweden; Thursday, 7th December, 6.30-8.30pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Collingwood.

You will make, and take home, a batch of freshly baked gingerbread delights, be they star-shaped cookies, gingerbread figures or something else. Presenter: Mumma Sweden.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 15 2023

Nov 152023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bruce Plain, Maude Farrugia, Nathacha Subero, Pauline Webb and Rebecca Haschek.

The garden at Murundaka Co-housing Community (by Ann Stanley)

[Following a callout in a previous newsletter, Ann Stanley recently visited the Murundaka Co-housing Community in Heidelberg Heights, walked round its garden with one of its residents, Sarah Swierzy, and then interviewed Sarah plus fellow resident Collette Couper. Ann’s full writeup of the garden visit is available on our website, with a shortened version below. Her interview with Collette and Sarah is available as a podcast on the 3CR radio website. Would you like Ann to visit your community garden? If so, email us.]

The Murundaka Cohousing Community is an all-rental, values-based, intentional community in Heidelberg Heights. The co-operative was established in 2011. There is a block of 18 custom-built apartments, with 2 free standing houses in neighbouring streets. This, and similar initiatives, are trying to address all of the problems of environmental sustainability, the shortage of housing and unaffordable rents.

Murundaka has a huge, rambling garden. This begins at the back door of the Common House, a large, custom-built space with two big sinks, plenty of bench space, tables, a wood burning heater, and cosy zones built around couches, bookshelves, art and a kids’ play area.

  

On the adjoining patio there is a comfortable seating area. A banana tree with a hand of still-green fruit enjoys the warmth of a north-facing wall of the apartment building where most of the residents live. There is a firepit.

Deeper into the garden is a large mulberry tree which the residents had recently spent an afternoon shaking to gather the fruit on a huge tarpaulin, but the tree was still laden, and the ground strewn with large juicy mulberries. Collette told me that mulberries had been, for a couple of weeks, a feature of the desserts at the common meal that takes place every Friday in the Common House.

The garden is well-planned and cared-for. The soil has been fed by the large composting system and worm farm and mature fruit trees now yield avocados, cherries, pears, cherry guava, apples, citrus fruits, apricots, other stone fruits, kiwifruit, grapes and feijoas.

There are individual veggie plots, in various states of cropping, with the last of the winter veggies going to seed and new seedlings ready for the warmth of summer. There is also a communal veggie plot.

At the end of the garden, there is a large chicken pen, empty of residents pending fox-proof renovation. The adjacent forage area is wild with borage and other volunteer plants, including edible weeds and herbs that have thrived on neglect.

There is a gardening committee that takes responsibility for the garden, organising gardening bees on the days of the monthly whole group meeting. Some of the residents are horticulturists and permaculture enthusiasts.

Murundaka is a local Wurundjeri word meaning ‘a place to stay or live.’ If living in a community means commitment to shared responsibility, sustainability and growing fresh food, the Murundaka co-housing community is an inspiring model of what could be the future of housing in Melbourne and in cities all over the world.

Read Ann’s full writeup of the Murundaka garden on our website.

Local Food Connect’s 2023 annual report

View/download the report.

Some newsletter reader tips

Pauline Webb on parsnips and mangelwurzel

The photo shows two root vegetables. The left hand vegetable is a 28cm parsnip that I (Pauline) recently pulled up. Note that the end broke where it had gone below the loam into clay.

The right hand vegetable is a mangelwurzel [editor: a variety of beetroot]. It is my first mangelwurzel ever. When I heard Jerry (Brisbane) on Gardening Australia talk about them, I was fascinated. I’m sure his grew very large but I am happy with my first attempt.

Bruce Plain on rats and carnivore urine

Some researchers at Harvard Medical School have recently published an article entitled The smell of danger: rats instinctively avoid compound in carnivore urine. Here’s the summary: “Researchers have discovered a single compound found in high concentrations in the urine of carnivores that triggers an instinctual avoidance response in mice and rats. This is the first time that scientists have identified a chemical tag that would let rodents sense carnivores in general from a safe distance.”

Read some other newsletter reader tips on our website.

As I said last week, I (Guy) think that tips from newsletter readers really add to the newsletter so, if you have any, send them in by email.

Can you advise?

Rebecca Haschek is on holiday, returning end November, and she hasn’t yet planted her summer vegetables. In fact, her vegetable plot is currently a mixture of overgrown parsley and kikuyu grass. What should she be doing in early December when she is back and can spend some time in the garden? Are there any summer crops she should plant or would it be better to focus on preparing for autumn sowing? Email your advice.

Want to volunteer?

Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct in Forest Hill is seeking volunteers to help out with their garden. They grow a variety of vegetables and herbs in raised garden beds as well as some decorative plants. The volunteers decide on the various plantings and rotations. They are, of course, able to harvest produce for their own use. If you are potentially interested, contact Megan McMahon by phone (8873 9121, Wed-Fri) or email (megan.mcmahon@whitehorse.vic.gov.au).

The Coburg Community Garden Festival

I realised a week or so ago that there were a lot of free, upcoming events in Coburg on Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December. But it is only this week that it has been pointed out to me (thanks, Nathacha!) that these are all part of something called the Coburg Community Garden Festival. In total, there are 15 events across 9 sites, with the following 7 of these being directly food-related:

To read more, go to the Zero Carbon Merri-bek website.

In passing, whilst I was on the Zero Carbon Merri-bek website, I noticed that an organisation called Green my Plate had recently won Merri-bek’s 2023 EPA Waste prevention and reduction award. Green my Plate “supply reusable, light-weight, plates and bowls to events, schools and anyone else wanting to minimise their waste.” Watch this 40 second video.

The Rs of waste management

City of Yarra Council has published a ‘circular economy map’ which shows the businesses and community initiatives in Yarra that are working to reduce waste and extend the use of resources. The categories of organisation are: regenerate & renew; refuse & reduce; reduce & repurpose; repair & restore; and recycle & recover.

Related to this, I recently came across the graphic right, which was entitled the 8 Rs of waste management.

Then my memory kicked in and I remembered seeing other similar lists but with more, less or different Rs. A quick piece of Googling revealed that these lists can contain any of the following:

  1. Recover.
  2. Recycle.
  3. Reduce.
  4. Refill.
  5. Refurbish.
  6. Refuse.
  7. Regenerate.
  8. Regift.
  9. Remember.
  10. Repair.
  11. Repurpose.
  12. Respect.
  13. Restore.
  14. Rethink.
  15. Return.
  16. Reuse.

Then my mind kicked in. Obviously, in at least some of the cases, the ‘re’ is a prefix which means ‘again’. For example, reuse = re-use = to use again. But what about reduce (how does one ‘duce’ again)? Some more Googling revealed that, in terms of their derivation, the 15 Rs above can be grouped into three linguistic categories:

  • Where the ‘re’ is a prefix for a commonly used word and where the concatenated meaning is to do that word again. Refill, regift, repurpose, rethink, reuse. Such words can be spelt with or without a hyphen (e.g. ‘re-use’ or ‘reuse’).
  • As above but where the concatenated word has become as commonly used as, and totally distinct from, the original word. Recycle, refurbish, regenerate, return. No hyphens allowed.
  • Where the ‘re’ is again a prefix to a Latin word, and means to do that word again, but where the Latin word never made it into the English language. For example, ‘respect’ comes from the Latin ‘respicere’, where ‘spicere’ meant ‘to look at’. Obviously no hyphens allowed.

Finally, what do you think of as the 3Rs? According to Wikipedia, they can be any of:

  • In teaching: reading, writing and arithmetic.
  • In sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
  • In animal welfare: reduction, refinement and replacement.
  • In IT: rapid, reliable and repeatable.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On this upcoming Sunday’s episode, Ann Stanley will chat with Claire about the 12 principles of permaculture.

Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of previous episodes are available on their website. These are now proper podcasts, including titles and descriptions.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the profile of Anna Matilda, the Urban Nanna..

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

I made some Indian food for dinner last night. I told my wife that I’d used butter but wished I’d had some ghee instead. She looked at me quizzically, and I continued “because it’s more traditionally Indian.”

“Ah,” she replied. “Thanks for clarifying.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

The placemaking festival; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-3pm; free; Coburg.

Enjoy various workshops, food and live music. The activities include: bushfoods by Joanne Russell (10-11am); a mindful guided walk (11am-midday); creating an indigenous plants corridor (midday-3pm); and kids painting and play workshops (1-3pm). There will also be a plant sale from 11am to 2pm. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House. Click here to read about the community garden.

Rosanna Primary School old school fair; Saturday, 18th November, 2-7pm; free; Rosanna.

There will be craft stalls, a silent auction, children’s rides & activities, live music and food & beverages. The Rosanna Primary Garden Club have been working hard to grow plenty of summer seedlings for sale and to create bush crafts. They will have lots of edibles, natives, flowers and indoor plants propagated by the kids and parent volunteers, as well as pot decorating and fairy garden making activities for the children.

Tour of Collingwood Children’s Farm; Saturday, 25th November, 10am-12.30pm; $27 ($11 per hour); Abbotsford.

Join a walking tour of their market style garden, cut flower production and native food production. Then join their Animal Husbandry team on a walking tour to learn about animal production systems operating in an urban environment with a regenerative agriculture framework and how they balance production goals with social impact and environmental sustainability. Learn about how animal production and small scale farming can be adapted to small blocks of land or even your own backyard.

Intro to home brew; Saturday, 25th November, 3-5pm; $6; Hurstbridge.

Part 1, 3-4pm – Getting started: what/where/how (e.g. a brief history of beer and the key ingredients, with samples to touch and smell); equipment required (e.g. kits, bottling gear, best places to buy them); tips for optimal fermentation; and brewing outcomes and variances in flavour. Part 2, 4-5pm – Next steps: where does home brewing lead (e.g. improving processes and beer quality); better equipment (e.g. fridges to control temperature, kegs rather than bottles, kegerators); and competitions, social and other outcomes. Beginners should feel free to just attend the first part. Current home brewers should feel free to just attend the second part. Facilitated by (T)Hursty Brewers Homebrew Club, more specifically Brian Jones, David Morton, Holger Detje and Jo Skuse.

Panel discussion; Wednesday, 29th November, 5.30-8pm; $27 ($11 per hour); Abbotsford.

Listen to some industry experts from across the supply chain discuss connecting with where our food comes from and aiming to provide the best possible product for consumers in an ethical manner. Mediator: Chris Williams. After the discussion, there will be time for networking and conversation plus a selection of light food and beverages.

Twilight garden festival; Friday, 1st December, 3-7pm; free; Coburg.

Immerse yourself in an array of activities, including: 3-4pm – how to create gardens for wildlife; 3.30–4.30pm and 5–6pm – draw plants together; 3.30-5.30pm – learn how to build an insect hotel; and 4.30-5.30pm – intro to composting. Music, food and plant sales will be available throughout. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House. Click here to read about the community garden.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Summer desserts class; Friday, 24th November, 10am-12.30pm; $190 ($76 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Jade, from My Pantry Door, will guide you through the process of making a variety of summer-themed desserts, including gin-infused berry cheesecake pots and chocolate-filled choux pastry.

Christmas tree cake class; Sunday, 3rd December, 1-4pm; $245 ($82 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Jade, from My Pantry Door, will guide you through the process of making Christmas tree cakes. You will also decorate your own cake to take home.

No waste cooking demonstration with Open Table; Saturday, 9th December, 10-11am; free; Reservoir.

Open Table will discuss how to reduce food waste whilst demonstrating how to cook use-it-up potato salad croquettes and panzanella salad.

Christmas cupcake class; Wednesday, 13th December, 10am-12.30pm; $145 ($58 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Jade, from My Pantry Door, will guide you through the process of making swiss meringue buttercream, colouring buttercream, and using piping skills to create simple bespoke and festive designed cupcakes. You will also get to take home 6 vanilla cupcakes decorated by you.

Gingerbread cookie house workshop; Saturday, 16th December, 1-2.30pm; $65 ($44 per hour); Forest Hill.

Erika will show you how to decorate your own holiday gingerbread house.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 8 2023

Nov 072023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Hayden Marks, Pauline Webb and Sue Dyet.

Melbourne Bushfood’s bush food of the month – old man’s saltbush (Atriplex nummularia)

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

The old man’s saltbush’s leaves have a rich salty flavour but with low bitterness. Fresh, they can be mixed into a salad or stir fry. Dried, they are an earthy substitute to regular salt and can be used as a seasoning on slow cooked meats, stews, curries and soups or added on to roasted vegetables to give a herby flavour. Traditionally, the dried leaves have been used as a flavouring in bread and sourdough.

Simply pluck off leaves as needed. Make sure to wash before using.

The plant is a hardy shrub with pale-green leaves that can grow to around 2 metres tall and wide. It has a tendency to shoot straight up (like bamboo) and thus benefits from regular pruning. It can be grown in any type of soil and is drought tolerant. It is suitable for growing in pots.

Read about some other bushfoods on our website.

Some newsletter reader tips

Sue Dyet on broccoli

If your broccoli head in the crisper is getting a bit ‘rubbery’, don’t throw it into the compost yet. Just cut 5cm from the stalk, compost that, then put the remaining stalk in water (any glass will do) and put it back in the crisper. It will then ‘stiffen up’. Keep changing the water as you eat it.

Pauline Webb on broad beans

When I (Pauline) picked the last of my broad beans last week, I cut the tall plants down to 200mm high. There were already new shoots of 50-80mm hiding in their bases. These shots are now 300mm and with flowers so it looks like I will be getting a second crop. Note that I pick most of my broad beans relatively early and cook them whole. Also note that the stray leggy leaves in the photo are self-seeded parsnips.

Read some other newsletter reader tips on our website.

I (Guy) think that tips from newsletter readers really add to the newsletter so, if you have any, send them in by email.

Ann Stanley’s local hero of the month – Bev Middleton

When Bev Middleton retired from full-time work and full time caring, she wanted to make a contribution to saving the environment. After a chance meeting with a regenerative farmer on a plane trip, she became passionate about soil conservation and began to learn about the role of soil in sequestering carbon, so that it is not released into the atmosphere to cause global warming.

Since then, Bev has journeyed to the Wimmera in Victoria and to Western Australia to visit farmers who are practising regenerative agriculture in order to improve the life of their soils, reduce their dependence on harmful inputs and restore ecosystems that have been degraded.

Having seen the success of these farmers in producing high quality food for market, Bev initiated Soil Week Australia, with the support of Healthy Soils Australia.

Soil Week Australia is aligned with the United Nations World Soil Day which is held annually on 5th December “to focus attention on healthy soil and to advocate for better soil management practices.”

Would you like to nominate anyone to be our next hero of the month? If so, email us and Ann will be in contact.

Read about Anna Matilda, the Urban Nanna

Whitehorse Council have just published a profile of newsletter reader Anna as one in a series of ‘Green Living Champions’.

Sustainable Macleod have now sold all of their tomato seedlings

Sustainable Macleod had its final sale of tomato seedlings at last Sunday’s Eltham Farmers’ Market. Pictured at Anthony, Maxine, Paul and Yvonne, all of them newsletter readers.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On this upcoming Sunday’s episode, Ann Stanley will chat with Lynn-eva Bottomley and Vicky Elmore about The Farmer Raiser Pop-Up Garlic Program.

Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website, including last week’s chat with Sarah and Collette from Murundaka Co-Housing in Heidelberg Heights.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the self-guided tour of urban agriculture in Yarra’s North..

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

On Monday morning, he brought in a turkey and provolone on wheat bread. Put it in the fridge. By lunch time it was gone.

On Tuesday, he brought in ham and cheddar on white bread. Put it in the fridge, again gone by lunch.

Today he brought a chicken caesar wrap. Gone by midday.

I hope he brings a pastrami and Swiss tomorrow. That’s my favourite.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

DIVRS will be selling tomato seedlings at the Alphington Farmers’ Market.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Good Life Growing – book launch with Hannah Moloney; Sunday, 12th November, 2.30-4.30pm; free; CERES.

Listen to a conversation between Gardening Australia presenter Hannah Moloney and local author, Jacyln Crupi (Garden Like a Nonno). Hannah will be launching her new book entitled Good Life Growing – How to grow fruit and veg anywhere in Australia. There will be time to ask Hannah questions and she will also be available for book signing at the end of the session.

Urban permaculture property garden tour; Sunday, 19th November, 3-5pm; $10; Kilsyth.

The property features a solar system, multiple water tanks, a glasshouse, a seed saving box, a pond, a vegetable patch with wicking beds and fruit trees, chickens, beekeeping, and a food forest.

Beginner beekeeping; Thursday, 23rd November, 10.30-11.30am; free; Nunawading.

Are you interested in keeping bees and harvesting honey made from the nectar of flowers in your local area? Ashton Edgley, from Hive to Hive Beekeeping, will discuss the importance of bees in eco/agriculture systems plus the history of beekeeping pollination and honey production. There will also be some tastings.

Banyule’s Urban Food Strategy launch; Thursday, 23rd November, 6-8pm; free; Bellfield.

Learn about the aspirations and opportunities for Banyule’s urban food systems, hear Professor Michael Buxton discuss the importance of protecting our peri-urban areas, visit Bellfield Community Hub, and connect with others interested in Banyule’s urban food systems.

Community composting conversation; Friday, 1st December, 11am-midday; free; Coburg.

Learn first hand about a community/cafe collaboration to reduce organic matter, mainly coffee grounds, going to landfill. Local neighbours, known as the Coburg Composters, will speak about the project, how it’s done and why.

Intro to composting; Friday, 1st December, 4.30-5.30pm; free; Coburg.

Get hands-on with compost bins, dive into the world of worm farms and explore the benefits of community composting hubs, fostering sustainability in your neighbourhood.

Worm farming workshop; Saturday, 2nd December, 10-11am; free; Coburg.

Tim, from Regeno, will discuss how to start and care for a worm farm, create your own castings, and make worm tea for your garden.

Summer fruit tree pruning with Chris England; Saturday, 2nd December, 10am-1pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Burnley.

Using the demonstration fruit trees in the orchard of the Burnley Gardens, you will learn how to summer prune fruit trees to get maximum fruit. Chris will also demonstrate how to get fruit on espalier fruit trees. This is a small group workshop, where you will ‘have a go’ under an expert’s watchful eye. Suitable for either beginners or as a refresher for experienced pruners.

Plant to harvest; Saturday, 2nd December, midday-1pm; free; Macleod.

Learn how to plant seeds and seedlings, and maintain them right through to harvest. You will also receive some free seedlings or seeds. Organised by Watsonia Neighbourhood House in conjunction with Sustainable Macleod.

Forage walk; Saturday, 9th December, 10am-midday; $35 ($18 per hour); Coburg.

Join Taj Scicluna, the Perma Pixie, on an outdoor adventure that will focus on identifying edible and medicinal weeds. Discover the properties and actions that these plants have to nourish and heal, and discuss recipes and ways to prepare these plants for palatability and practicality.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Christmas pudding making workshop; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-midday; $15; Watsonia.

Make a Christmas pudding to cook at home. Organised by Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

Marinating; Tuesday, 21st November, 6-8.30pm; $65 ($26 per hour); Hawthorn.

They will marinate feta cheese. Along with marinated mushrooms and marinated capsicums, each participant will go home with a couple of jars from the class and the class notes to try other fruits and vegetables in their own kitchens. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Gnocchi making demonstration; Tuesday, 21st November, 6.45-8pm; free; Coburg.

Antonio and Linda will show you how to make potato gnocchi with plain tomato sauce plus pumpkin gnocchi with burnt butter, sage and truffle sauce. A tasting of the dishes will be included.

The art of chocolate masterclass at Pidapipo Laboratorio; Saturday, 25th November, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 per hour); Fitzroy.

Learn everything there is to know about chocolate making. Expect to get your hands real dirty, including tempering, moulding, filling and tasting. Create your own set of chocolates to take home, along with a complementary Pidapipo chocolate bar and a copy of their book Gelato eight days a week.

Easy recipes on a budget with Open Table; Wednesday, 29th November, 4-5pm; free; Carlton.

Learn ways to better manage your grocery bills and make some healthy, easy meals. Facilitated by Open Table.

Get your dad in the kitchen!; Wednesday, 6th December, 4-6pm; free; Hawthorn.

This event is for dads (or father figures/guardian) and their children (at least 10 years old) to learn how they can cook easy and yummy meals together at home. Facilitator: Joel Feren.

Gingerbread house decoration; Sunday, 10th December, 10.30am-midday; $50 ($34 per hour); Camberwell.

This workshop is for children aged 7+. The child will decorate their own pre-constructed gingerbread house. Use royal icing to attach a variety of sweets and lollies. Decorate a range of Xmas tree, gingerbread man, hearts and candy cane cookies as part of the Christmas scene.

Gingerbread house decorating workshop; Wednesday, 13th December, 1-3.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Learn how to decorate your own gingerbread house from the Cake Decorators Association of Victoria.

Gingerbread house decoration; Saturday, 16th December, 2-3.30pm; $50 ($34 per hour); Camberwell.

This workshop is for children aged 7+. The child will decorate their own pre-constructed gingerbread house. Use royal icing to attach a variety of sweets and lollies. Decorate a range of Xmas tree, gingerbread man, hearts and candy cane cookies as part of the Christmas scene.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 1 2023

Nov 022023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Harridge, Ann Stanley, Megan Goodman, Rachel Bishop, Robin Gale-Baker, Sue Dyet and Vanessa Nitsos Chan.

Pruning established espaliered fruit trees (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[The photo is of an espaliered pear tree where Robin has pruned the left hand side but not the right hand side.]

With the arrival of a warm, wet Melbourne Spring, my espaliered fruit trees have gone gangbusters! The trees are putting on masses of new growth in all directions. However, most of this new growth actually needs to come off. Here are some tips to keep your espaliers healthy, in check and fruit bearing.

There are many espalier shapes, but here I will focus on the two most popular, namely a fan shape for citrus and horizontal shape for apples, pears and stone fruit. In both cases, your aim is to create a tree that is flat, uncluttered and full of fruiting spurs upon which the fruit will grow. Additionally, hard pruning will allow good air circulation which will prevent disease.

There are two main procedures: tying down new, sappy growth while it is flexible and pruning away outward and vertical growth.

With horizontal espaliers, begin by identifying which side branches you want to keep. If they have reached the end of the wire, prune the tip to prevent further growth. If you are starting on a new wire (that will be a higher wire) then select and tie down one side branch each side of the main trunk. Begin with this for two reasons: first, you are unlikely to accidentally cut this branch off and, second, if it snaps you can then remove it and select another to train along the wire. When tying, leave about 1cm between the branch and wire to prevent the wire growing into the branch or rubbing on the branch in windy weather.

With fan shape trees, choose which branches to expand the fan and tie these on to your frame, pruning any that have reached the maximum height or width of the frame at their tip.

You have now established the new frame and it is time to prune the foliage.

With both shapes, the foliage that protrudes forward needs to be removed or cut back to a fruiting spur. If it looks like a green, leafy, water shoot then prune this at the base, even if it is growing horizontally (water shoots generally grow vertically but on espaliers they go up and out). If there is wood at the base with fruiting spurs or buds, then shorten this for the moment and later you can thin the fruiting spur branches so that the branch isn’t too cluttered. At the end of the branch nearest the trunk, you will see two basal leaves on the wood; count three leaf groups above this and cut just above the third one. Shortened branches prevent growth hormone from going upward and re-direct it into these short stems to create fruiting spurs. Space fruiting spur branches at about 12cm intervals along the branch and remove any in between.

Once the outward branches have been pruned on a horizontal shape, start on the vertical growth on each side branch. Prune any water shoots to the base and shorten any woody branches as above. Prune away any growth beneath the side branches too. With a fan shape, thin out the branches, selecting the strongest and tie them to the frame. Of course, remove any diseased, crossed or broken branches.

With horizontal shapes, there will come a time each year when you need to prune the main trunk. By cutting the trunk just above the new wire, you force the buds just beneath the cut to develop and these become the new side branches. A vertical shoot will then develop into the main trunk and grow up to the next wire for the process to be repeated the following year.

Protect your espaliered fruit from birds and possums with netting. Because they are flat, espaliers are easy to net. Net can be hung over the top wire and draped down both sides even when an espalier is against a wall.

Espaliers require a lot of attention. In winter, prune for shape and in spring prune at least three times, a month apart, to reduce foliage and maximise fruit growth. It is surprising how quickly espaliers can get out of hand when there is plenty of rain and warmth, but attending to them is well worth the effort. They are very attractive, and will reward you with beautiful flowers, foliage and fruit.

A self-guided tour of urban agriculture in Yarra’s north

City of Yarra Council(?) have just published a self-guided tour of urban agriculture in Yarra’s north. It is a 3km walk from Rushall Community Garden in Fitzroy North to the Railway Garden in Princes Hill, with 8 points of interest in between.

You can now grow edible plants in Whittlesea’s nature strips

If you live in the Whittlesea municipality, you can now grow edible plants on your nature strip so long as they are in removable planter boxes.

I don’t know how many of our local councils allow this. I’m pretty sure that my one (Nillumbik) doesn’t.

Newsletter tip of the week – spent lettuces

From Sue Dyet: after you think a lettuce is finished for any reason, don’t pull it out but cut a stump about 5-10 cm long and then cut a cross in the middle/top of the stump about 1cm deep. Then wait for 4 smaller lettuces to appear from the rootstock. The photo right is of 4 mini lettuces about 2 months old that have grown from a single stem.

Thanks, Sue! It would be great if we had more tips from newsletter readers. Send us your tips by email.

Farewell to Miranda Sharp

Many of you will know that Miranda Sharp stepped down from her role of CEO of Melbourne Farmers’ Markets earlier this year, with Anne Duncan replacing her. Melbourne Farmers Market made the formal announcement in their latest newsletter.

Something for you to watch

As part of her Behind the garden gate series, Chloe Thomson recently visited Inge Kofoed Hansen’s garden in Diamond Creek. Watch the resulting video.

There are now a total of 15 videos on our website about local, edible home gardens.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During October, the cooking teams were Belmore Road Church of Chris, Blackburn Lions, Diane & crew (see photo right), Lifegate Church and MP Aiv Puglielli & staff. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Meg’s garden this month (by Megan Goodman)

As I write this, I am sheltering under the veranda and watching the hailstones gather in little piles over the decking. The cold snap has set back my spring planting even further but it has been great for the end of the brassicas by preventing them running to seed. I have lovely florets of broccoli and cauliflower to add to my vegetable pie (see recipe below). This is a great recipe for vegetables that need using. Any mix can be used. It is also adaptable as you can leave out the cheese or bacon or even the cream (use extra eggs).

Vegetable pie

500g diced and lightly steamed vegetables from the garden (so that they are only just soft)
2 potatoes, lightly steamed
1 small leek, finely sliced
olive oil
3 rashers bacon, trimmed
5 eggs
200ml cream
100g grated cheese
salt and pepper
puff pastry sheets x 2

Pre-heat oven to 200degC. Fry the leek in a little olive oil until soft. Cool.

Grease a pie dish/tin. Line with the puff pastry and blind bake with pie weight until it just starts to puff (about 15 minutes).

Cool and add all the vegetables and leek.

Mix together the eggs, cream, cheese salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables.

Lay the bacon rashers across the top and top with pastry sheet.

Bake for a further 30-40 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Read more of Megan’s recipes on our website.

The swift parrot is 2023 Australian bird of the year

Read the announcement in the Guardian, which includes the top ten.

Our articles over the last month

Here are some of the articles from our newsletters over the last month that you might have missed:

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Local Food Connect’s final bulletin about Fabbro Fields..

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

The bartender said, “Why do you have a sandwich taped to your head?”
The man said, “My family always wears a sandwich hat on Wednesdays.”
The bartender said, “It’s Tuesday.”
The man hung his head in shame and said, “Gosh, I must look pretty silly right now, then.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Gin and cheese sensory soiree; Thursday, 2nd November, 6-8pm; $49 ($25 per hour); Abbotsford.

Taste 4 gins paired with 4 French-style cheeses. Learn about the making processes and flavour notes from Daylesford Spirit and Long Paddock Cheese experts. After the tasting, try each gin in cocktails. Cheese boards will also be on offer.

Alphington garden site tour; Sunday, 12th November, 10-11am; free; Alphington.

Kim will introduce you to the DIVRS garden and will talk about what has (and has not!) worked on the site and in her home garden. The focus will be on gardening on a budget and they will be collating everyone’s tips and tricks for accessing ‘free’ garden resources around Darebin. DIVRS will also have a stall at the market where they will be selling tomato seedlings. All funds raised will be used to buy new gardening equipment and materials. DIVRS grow food for community in 4 spaces around Darebin. Last year, their team of around 20 volunteers grew around 1,200kg of vegetables (mostly leafy greens) for people experiencing food insecurity in Darebin.

Eltham Wine Show; Sunday, 19th November, 10.30am-2.30pm; $20; Bulleen.

Australia’s largest amateur wine show. Hundreds of wines will be available for tasting – red, white, sparkling and fortified grape wines. Also, meads, ciders, country wines, kombuchas and liqueurs. Wine awards and presentations.

Community compost gathering; Saturday, 25th November, 2-5pm; free; Fitzroy.

Meet some of the local leaders in community composting, including Dave Goodman (Kensington Town House Compost Hub), Jo Buckle (Gore Street Community Compost), Michael Mobbs (Sustainable Chippendale Street Compost), Kath Jones (Finbar Neighbourhood House), Alex Fearnside (Urban Coup Co-Housing Community), Avi Tan (North Melbourne Pump House Compost Hub), Xuan Wang (City Compost Network) and Clytie Binder (Churchill Fellow on Community Composting). At 3pm, there will be a biochar demonstration by Kath Jones. At 4pm, Xuan Wang will discuss the benefits and barriers of community composting in Australia.

Poultry and extreme heat; Sunday, 26th November, 10.15am-1.15pm; $64 ($21 per hour); Doreen.

Sarah Hunter will discuss how extreme heat can impact poultry and the techniques available to actually reduce temperatures through garden and free range design, as well as the short term practices that can be adopted to rapidly reduce heat impacts on chickens in an emergency situation. The concepts to be discussed include: how heat affects chickens; design techniques for poultry cooling; preparing your space for summer; and ‘instant’ techniques to cool your chickens during a heatwave. The workshop will also look at an establishing new orchard space on the farm where they are putting in place methods for heat mitigation.

Gardening and planting workshop; Sunday, 26th November, 11am-1pm; free; Brunswick.

Prepare a garden bed for planting, learn to arrange and plant seedlings, and learn about the seasonal planting calendar. Presenter: Melissa Houselander. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Worm farm – set your worms up for success; Sunday, 26th November, 1.45-3.15pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn all things worm farm with Corinne from Easy Peasy Gardens. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden. Click here to read about the garden.

The Veggie Empire urban farm tour; on Tuesday, 28th November, 10-11.30am and again on Sunday, 3rd December, 11am-midday; $11; St Helena.

The Veggie Empire, a farming duo (Scott and Josh) living with disability, will be hosting a guided tour of their urban farm. Together they have created a social enterprise that includes a market garden, food plant nursery, revegetation project and worm farming operation. As well as a guided walk around the farm, the tour will include a talk on how they’ve got to where they have and an explanation of the model they have used to get there. Following the tour, catering will be provided. Seedlings and produce will be available for purchase.

Introduction to beekeeping (2 sessions); Saturday, 2nd December, 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday, 9th December, 10am-12.30pm; $225 ($24 per hour); St Helena.

This program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. The background instruction includes equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. (which retails at $60). Organised by The Beekeepers Club.

St John’s Christmas gingerbread house making event; Friday, 8th December, 7.30-9.30pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Create a gingerbread House – complete with an abundance of lollies, gingerbread people and snow. Tickets are for two people, sharing one gingerbread house. Then partake in a light supper with tea and coffee, followed by a short Christmas talk from a guest speaker. Organised by St John’s Anglican Church.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Let’s masak-masak; Saturday, 4th November, 2.30-6pm; $15; Box Hill.

Want to learn how to cook authentic Peranakan dishes? Aunty Anita Wee will show you how to cook ayam pongteh (chicken stew) and Nyonya Allison Pereira will then to show you how to make telur cincalok (egg with fermented shrimp) and sambal belachan (chilli with shrimp paste). Please take something to share for afternoon tea, when you will taste the food that you learnt to make.

Cosmo cupcake soiree; Saturday, 18th November, 5-7pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Ivanhoe.

You will learn: the basics of buttercream; colouring buttercream; filling a piping bag; and piping techniques with three different piping tips. You will decorate 6 vanilla bean cupcakes in a Christmas themed style. Enjoy a complimentary cocktail by Imbue featuring their gin.

Kombucha, jun, water kefir, wild mead and beet kvass; Friday, 1st December, 6.30-8.30pm; $180 ($90 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make four easy summer drinks. You will go home with 3 large jars full to be nurtured and ferment at home in your own kitchen of mead, beet kvass, kombucha and water kefir with the SCOBY – and a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that will be ready the next day.

Christmas cooking gift ideas; Friday, 8th December, 1.30-3pm; free; Greensborough.

Learn how to make some Christmas treats with Marie from Rie’s Kitchen.

Vegan chocolate making; Thursday, 14th December, 6.30-8pm; $80 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

Start by unraveling the story of cocoa butter. Then delve into the intricacies of chocolate making, from melting and mixing the perfect blend of ingredients to mastering the art of setting. Presenter: Tina Gelberidis.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 25 2023

Oct 252023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Claire Smith, Hayden Marks, Jennie Ramage, Jules Jay, Lee Ann Balcam and Susan Palmer.

Ann Stanley visits Rushall Community Garden

[Ann, who is both a regular contributor to this newsletter and the host of The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show, has decided that she is going to visit a number of the community gardens in North East Melbourne and write up the results for this newsletter. Would you like Ann to visit your community garden? If so, email us.]

[Ann’s first visit was to Rushall Community Garden in Fitzroy North. Read her full writeup on our website, a shortened version of which is given below.]

Rushall Community Garden is well planned. The spring crop is lush and beautiful in irregular-shaped beds with close plantings of healthy silverbeet, fennel, asparagus and every other spring thing. There is a large water-tank, a tidy composting system, thriving worm farms, and a propagation area, all separated with neat paths. There are both individual allotments and space for communal gardening projects.

Lyn, one of the gardeners, told me how it worked and this gave me a sense of how the garden is managed. Lyn put herself on the waiting list several years ago and spent the long wait volunteering in working bees and in the public areas just outside the fence until, eventually, she had the opportunity to share a plot with another member. That’s when her own food growing started. Seeing plants grow from seed into food has given her much joy ever since.

There are communal plots as well as individual ones and Lyn explains that taking from these works on an honour system, which is the case also for taking fruit from the fruit trees. “People help themselves. Any surplus is put outside the fence for passers-by from the local community to take.”

She explains that the Committee oversees the buying in of products such as mushroom compost and manure, which are then made available for use. This ensures that the garden stays organic and “there is some control over what comes in.” The worm castings are similarly distributed once they are ready for members to use.

Lyn explained that members can join smaller groups to take charge of different parts of the garden management. There is the compost group, the seed-raising group, the group that looks after the communal beds and the ‘wormies’ group, in charge of the worm farm. Members can be part of these groups whether or not they have a plot themselves.

Michelle Edwards and Kathy Chambers are the current convenors of Rushall and Michelle explained, “There’s lots of ways of being involved. We have a committee of 10-12 people and each one of the committee members with also take care of one part of management of the garden.”

While acknowledging that some compromises have had to made because the garden is in an urban environment, Michelle says, “There is so much to be joyful about. We’ve got lots of insect life, lots of bird-life. It’s a nice little pocket away from the urban world. To come up here with the open sky, without the big buildings around you, is just amazing.”

[Read the full writeup of Ann’s visit on our website.]

Melbourne Bushfood’s bush food of the month – Tasmanian pepperberry or mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata)

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

Both the leaves and the berries of the Tasmanian pepperberry have a strong peppery taste and can be used as a replacement for regular black pepper. As such, when dried they are used as a spice and pair well with curries, cheese, salad dressings and sauces, giving them a spicy flavour. The berries were also used traditionally as medicine to cure skin diseases.

The plant is dioecious (separate male and female plants) so you will need both male and female plants to obtain harvest berries.

The plant is an evergreen shrub which grows up to 3 metres tall. It has yellow/creamy white flowers that turn into red berries that then darken as they ripen. It grows best in part shade and is also suitable for growing in pots.

Melbourne Bushfood sell a variety of pepperberry products including pepperleaf spice, pepperberry spice, pepperberry syrup and pepperberry & strawberry jam.

Yes, you did know (sort of)!

Last week, Suzy Georges asked where she could buy some mesophilic starter culture and organic animal rennet. Three of you responded:

The last Fabbro newsletter

As you will know from previous newsletters, Nillumbik Council recently voted 3:2 to refuse Local Food Connect permission to submit a planning application for establishing an urban farm at 2 Bell Street, Eltham. If you want to know more about the project’s history, read the Fabbro bulletin that was distributed yesterday.

Think your community garden should win an award?

Community Gardens Australia have introduced some community garden awards. The community garden categories are: community champion, bush tucker garden, sustainability champion, biodiversity champion and permaculture champion. The individual categories are community gardener of the year and young community gardener of the year. The closing date for nominations is 31st October. Read more and potentially nominate.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On this upcoming Sunday’s episode, Ann Stanley will chat with David Holmgren, co-originator of permaculture, about the recently premiered film, Reading Landscape. Reading Landscape is a collaboration between David, the late Dan Palmer, and filmmaker Dave Meagher. In the film, David ‘reads’ the landscape in his bioregion around Hepburn in Central Victoria. In so doing, he shows us how to connect with the places that are local to us, using our five senses, restoring us to a more natural relationship with the land that feeds us in so many ways.

Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Leila Alexandra’s upcoming open garden days (on Sundays, 12th and 26th November, both 10-11.30am..

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

Two visual jokes this week, both submitted by Susan Palmer.

    

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Hurstbridge Hub community garage sale; Saturday, 11th November, 10am-2pm; free; Hurstbridge.

There will (hopefully) be lots of sellers in the one place, with live music and a sausage sizzle. If you would like sell some of your own stuff, book your stallholder place at a cost of $10.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Pasta love with Jaclyn Crupi and Pieross; Wednesday, 1st November, 6.30-8pm; $75; Eltham.

Author Jaclyn Crupi and Chef Pieross show how to make, eat and celebrate pasta like an Italian nonna at a celebratory dinner. The evening will include a pasta making demonstration, a copy of the book Pasta love and dinner comprising pasta featured in the book, a glass of wine and dessert. Organised by Eltham Bookshop.

Local producers night (gin); Friday, 10th November, 7-9pm; $90 ($45 per hour); Eltham.

Hillmartin, Imbue, Kinglake and Naught distilleries are joining forces for an evening to offer a selection of 8 cocktails, 2 crafted by each distillery. The ticket includes two dishes and the opportunity to savour three cocktails of your preference.

Tequila masterclass; Friday, 10th November, 7-10pm; $54 ($18 per hour); Croydon.

John Raphael will take your through six tequillas with three matching cocktails. There will also be a drink on arrival.

Farm Raiser tour, working bee and lunch; Sunday, 19th November, 10am-3pm; free; Bellfield.

The session will start with a tour of the farm. There will then be a working bee, with a break for lunch. The working bee will include planting, weeding, fencing and worm farming and there will be a variety of tasks for a variety of different abilities. They will provide the lunch but feel free to take something to share. Organised by Farm Raiser.

In October
In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Gingerbread house for adults; Friday, 8th December, 6-9pm; $69 ($23 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will show you how to bake, then build the house then ice and decorate the house with lollies. You will take home the finished product. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Festive preserves; Saturday, 9th December, 10am-1pm; $81 ($27 per hour); Forest Hill.

You will be making two preserves, namely mango peach preserve and tomato and fresh herb preserve. Take your own recycled jars.

Christmas cookie creations; Saturday, 9th December, 10am-2pm; free; Kilsyth.

Bake and decorate a batch of festive cookies for Christmas. Take an apron and reusable container to take your goodies home. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Feta masterclass; Sunday, 10th December, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make feta. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

Gingerbread house for children; Saturday, 16th December, 10-11.30am; $53 ($35 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will show you how build the house with gingerbread panels that she has baked, then ice and decorate the house with lollies. You will take home the finished product. All children will need to be accompanied by an adult. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

In October
In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 18 2023

Oct 172023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Claire Smith, Judith Cooke, Kathryn Brookes, Kerry Barrett, Leila Alexandra, Pauline Webb, Suzy Georges and Vicki Jordan.

Forage gardening (by Leila Alexandra)

[Leila, from Pascoe Vale South, runs a garden consultancy called Barefoot Food Gardens, where she turns her forage gardening ideas into reality. She also has two upcoming workshops on forage gardening on Sundays, 5th and 19th November, both 10am-12.30pm. She is also having an open garden at her home on each of Sundays 22nd October, 12th November and 26th November, each 10-11.30am.]

Forage gardens are abundant habitats that connect us to an ancient way of being, in harmony with nature’s rhythms and all living creatures. They are ecosystems with all kinds of food plants, medicinals, soil-improving plants, insectary plants, mulch plants, native species, flowers, wild foods and edible ‘weeds’.

Such wild gardens can’t be designed; rather, the focus is on creating conditions for them to flourish and increase in complexity and productivity over time. The role of the gardener is one of intuition, reflection and nurturing, with moments given to tending here and there. The philosophy is what is important.

Forage gardens are similar in concept to food forests, the main difference beings that forage gardens look more like a garden than a farm or forest and are suitable for small spaces, the urban environment and modern lifestyles.

Ecosystem understanding

The first step to creating a forage garden is learning to see your garden, both above and below the ground, as an ecosystem. Ecosystems provide plants with all their needs:

  • Light: multilayers create varying degrees of shade.
  • Water: climate and topography creates varying moisture.
  • Soil: groundcovers and leaf litter protect soil, there is decomposition and disturbance.
  • Diversity of life: pest and disease balance, fertility from nutrient cycling.

Create complex habitats in which the processes mimic those of natural ecosystems. See all living things, including weeds (many of which are edible) and garden creatures, as friends that live together in harmony. Plant a range of species, including small trees and shrubs, flowers, groundcovers, nitrogen fixers and complementary plants. Let plants live out their life, flower, sow seed and decompose in situ (chop and drop).

Care for the soil by practising minimal soil disturbance, keeping the surface covered, and building soil health – add organic matter, plant green manures, deep-rooted perennials, nitrogen-fixing plants and wild plants.

Effortless and experimental

Once a forage garden is established, it requires little work. As you establish the garden, practise close observation and experiment – you’ll learn intuitively which activities are worthwhile. Tune in and spend time amongst the plants as they change with nature’s cycles – they will be your teachers. And don’t be afraid to go against prevailing advice – keep experimenting!

The Bayswater North Food Swap is apparently continuing

Last report, I erroneously reported that Baywater North Food Swap is ceasing. Apparently, what is actually happening is that it is continuing but under new auspicing, with Outer Eastern Permaculture Swap ceasing to be involved and Maroondah Council taking over. Thanks for the heads up, Claire Smith, and apologies if I misled anyone.

Alana Camilleri is Australia’s young gardener of the year

Alana, who is a member of the Doncaster Garden Club, was recently awarded Young Gardener of the Year by Garden Clubs of Australia. She is currently in Year 12. The photo right is of Alana receiving her award.

Do you know?

Suzy Georges is interested in making some feta, ricotta and cottage cheese so she is currently gathering her supplies. She wants to know where she can buy some mesophilic starter culture and organic animal rennet. Suzy lives in NSW so she is presumably looking for online suggestions. Email me with your suggestions.

The best bars in Melbourne

A recent article in The Age discusses ‘the best 30 bars in Melbourne’. Of these 30, 13 are in North East Melbourne and 2(!) are in my home suburb of Eltham.

Here are the 13 ordered by suburb:

  • Brunswick East: Bahama Gold.
  • Carlton: Bar Bellamy; March.
  • Coburg: Olivine.
  • Collingwood: Commis.
  • Eltham: Little Drop of Poison; Naught Distilling.
  • Ivanhoe East: Vinoshis Beverage Shop.
  • Fitzroy: Black Pearl; Izakaya by Tamura; Odd Culture; The Everleigh.
  • Thornbury: Capers.

Here’s one thing that bugs me about such lists: how does the author (Tomas Telegramma) know? Either he has been to all 2,840 bars in Melbourne*, which would be around 10 bars for each and every day of 2023 thus far, which would a) probably be a Guiness world record and b) not leave him in any state to write the article. Or the list is simply the best 30 bars that he happens to have been to, which would a) be something completely different than the 30 best bars in Melbourne and b) be of potentially marginal value only.

*Source: Victorian Commission for Gambling & Liquor Association, as quoted by the World Cities Culture Forum. From the same source, the cities in the world with the most bars are São Paulo and Tokyo, both with around 30,000.

Stimulated by the above, I decided to search The Age website to see if any other Eltham food establishments had made any other top lists. Not surprisingly, given that there are 24(!) cafes in Eltham, their list of 50 top Melbourne cafes (from 2021) does indeed include one from Eltham. But, most surprisingly, it is not a cafe that I have ever heard of before, let alone been to: Craftwork Roasting Co. at 1/27 Peel Street. I immediately went there and it is a perfectly respectable cafe (as well as being a coffee roaster). It is open until 2pm every day except Sunday.

Lemon yoghurt cake (by Vicki Jordan)

Ingredients

1¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons lemon juice
the rind of 2 lemons
¾ cup oil
1 cup natural yoghurt
2 cups self-raising flour

Method

In a bowl, mix the rind, oil, eggs and sugar using either a fork or a hand mixer.

Add the remaining ingredients and combine well.

Pour into a greased round tin and bake at 175degC for 45-50 minutes.

Leave to cool then turn out and dust with icing sugar or, while warm, drizzle with a sugar/lemon syrup made by boiling some sugar and lemon juice.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Bev Middleton talking about soil. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article on preparing and preserving green olives..

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

A woman is cooking.

Suddenly the husband appears behind the wife’s back and says: ““Careful, careful, put more fat in the pan! You’re frying too many at a time. Too many! Flip them! Flip them! Come on! Put more fat in there. Oh dear lord. How are you gonna make space for the fat now, look, they’re sticking to the pan! Careful! Careful now! You never listen to me when I cook! Never! Flip them over already. Hurry! Are you crazy? Take it easy! Easy! Nooo, don’t forget the salt. Put salt on them. Salt!”

The wife stares at her husband: ““What’s wrong with you? You think I can’t fry a few eggs?”

The husband answers calmly: “I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I’m driving.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming events – not local but interesting

Mead and honey wine tasting evening; Saturday, 4th November,5-6.30pm; $30; CBD.

This session will include: guided tastings of 15 meads; a cheese board; a cocktail; and a discussion of the history of mead making. Presenter: Merryn from Honing Wine.

Upcoming events – not food-related but interesting

Arthurs Creek annual garden walk; Sunday, 22nd October, 9.30am-5pm; $30; Arthurs Creek.

Multiple gardens to visit. Art works, cottage plants and crafts to see. Teas, coffees and light lunches available. Purchase tickets at the hall on the day. All proceeds will go towards the upkeep and restoration of the hall.

No mow lawn – tips and alternative options; Monday, 23rd October, 7-8pm; $28 ($28 per hour); online.

This session will discuss the key issues in owning and managing a traditional lawn, including: the resources used to maintain the classic lawn and why this is hard work and not sustainable; the problems lawns create for our local environment; recognising what you want to achieve with a no mow lawn; what are the alternative options and the benefits they bring; why artificial turf is never a good option; and different plants to use as a lawn alternative. Presenter: Teresa Day from Sustainable Gardening Australia.

Wildflower gardens – attracting native insects; Tuesday, 14th November, 6.30-7.30pm; $25 ($25 per hour); online.

Dr Lena Alice Schmidt will show you how to create a floral banquet to encourage native insects to your garden. Organised by Sustainable Gardening Australia.

Sam Cox’s Wattle Glen garden; Saturday, 25th November and Sunday, 26th November, 10am-4.30pm; $10; Wattle Glen.

Tour the home garden of landscape designer Sam Cox, who practices in the Australian natural style of landscape design. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Spring celebration at Sylvester Hive; Sunday, 22nd October, 1-3pm; free; Preston.

Shani Shafrir will discuss how to save seeds and seed propagation. Take a plate to share.

Ethiopian food and rap; Saturday, 28th October, 5-7pm; free; Richmond.

Join them for an evening of Ethiopian cuisine and rap presented by Sinq Foods. From savoury stews to injera, experience the rich culinary heritage of Ethiopia. Listen to performances by 2PAC Azmariw and Seble. Organised by Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House

West Brunswick Community Garden plant and produce sale; Sunday, 29th October, 10am-3pm; free; Brunswick West.

There will be plants, cakes, biscuits, jams and preserves for sale. Plus a BBQ, wine tasting, tea & coffee and a raffle. Plus activities for kids, including scarecrow-making. There will also be tours of the food forest.
Click here to read about the garden.

Forage gardening workshop; on Sunday, 5th November, 10am-12.30pm and again on Sunday, 19th November, 10am-12.30pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

Learn how to turn your yard into a thriving, vibrant ecosystem that gives you year-round food and requires minimal time, physical effort or money once established. You will discuss: why forage gardens are so enjoyable; how to see your garden and soil as ecosystems; practices to cultivate intuitive gardening; and tips and tricks to create a forage garden, including ways to connect, getting started, plants & propagation and soil health. Facilitator: Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Sunday, 26th November, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

You will learn everything from the inner workings of a beehive to the healing properties of raw honey. You will also learn how to maintain a healthy hive and swarm management. Weather permitting, they will open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration.

Mooroolbark Community Garden open day; Sunday, 26th November, 10am-3pm; free; Mooroolbark.

There will be a plant sale, sausage sizzle and a visit from Munchie the earthworm.

Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct open day; Sunday, 26th November, 11am-2pm; free; Forest Hill.

There will be garden talks, kids activities, a free BBQ and a food demonstration.

Warrandyte Community Garden open day; Sunday, 26th November, 1-4pm; free; Warrandyte.

They are opening the gates for all to visit. Click here to read about the garden.

The Veggie Empire urban farm tour; on Tuesday, 28th November, 10-11.30am and again on Sunday, 3rd December, 11am-midday; $11; St Helena.

The Veggie Empire, a farming duo (Scott and Josh) living with disability, will be hosting a guided tour of their urban farm. Together they have created a social enterprise that includes a market garden, food plant nursery, revegetation project and worm farming operation. As well as a guided walk around the farm, the tour will include a talk on how they’ve got to where they have and an explanation of the model they have used to get there. Following the tour, catering will be provided. Seedlings and produce will be available for purchase.

DIY mushrooms; Saturday, 9th December, 10am-4pm; $175 ($29 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.

In October
In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Preserving fruit and tomatoes in Fowlers’ bottles with Marg; Thursday, 26th October, 7.30-9.30pm; free; Bundoora.

Marg will demonstrate preserving fruit and tomatoes using the Fowlers method. She will cover: the Fowlers preserving process; equipment required; preserving liquids and acids; preparation of fruit; preparing bottles and filling with fruit and syrup/water; sealing bottles and placing in the preserving unit; filling preserver with water; processing bottles and temperature control; removing bottles and checking clips; checking vacuum seal; and bottle storage. Participants will take home a bottle of preserves.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 2nd November, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Drying fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices with Robin; Thursday, 9th November, 7.30-9.30pm; free; Bundoora.

Robin Gale-Baker will demonstrate various ways of drying and storing fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. This will include using an electric dehydrator, electric oven and sun drying. She will show participants how to grind roots such as ginger and turmeric to a fine powder. Participants will get hands-on experience of the drying process and take some dried produce home.

Miso ball making class; on Saturday, 11th November, 10am-midday and again on Friday, 17th November, 7-9pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Miso balls can sit in your fridge for whenever you need soup or something to accompany noodles. Make your own and go home with a container of 12 little ready to eat miso balls that you can pop into your fridge or even freeze. End the session with a warm bowl of miso soup. Facilitator: Rieko Hayashi.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 11th November, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so that you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John. Organised by Living & learning Nillumbik.

Raw food treats cooking workshop; Saturday, 11th November, 1-4pm; $175 ($58 per hour); Camberwell.

Jo-Anne Grist will demonstrate how to make: raw pistachio slice; raw chocolate brownie with pistachios; raw mini mango cheesecakes; lemon and coconut bliss balls; and fresh summer berry rocky road, You will take home a box of raw treats.

Cooking with bean curd; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-midday; $25 ($13 per hour); Forest Hill.

Explore a wide range of soybean curd products, including tofu and fermented soybeans. Hui will guide you through the world of vegetarian cooking, sharing insights on how to embrace a plant-based diet while ensuring you get all the essential nutrients you need.

I can’t believe it’s vegan!; Wednesday, 29th November, 10am-12.30pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Balwyn North.

Create savoury and sweet dishes. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Gluten-free Christmas baking; Wednesday, 6th December, 10am-12.30pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Balwyn North.

Create some quick sweet and savoury treats. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In October
In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 11 2023

Oct 102023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Harridge, Ann Stanley, Citu and Isabelle Fouard.

Spiced tomato and lentil soup

[This recipe is by Citu, from Brunswick East, and came to us via CERES Fair Food. CERES Fair Food have numerous recipes on their website.]

Serves 4.

Ingredients

one cup of puy/French lentils, cooked until al dente
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as sunflower)
one large onion, diced
a thumb size of ginger, finely chopped
two cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 cloves (or fewer if you are clove shy)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole all spice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400g tinned tomatoes
3 cups stock or water
1 teaspoon chilli powder
garam masala, a generous pinch
5 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
coriander, to garnish
basmati rice or naan, to serve (optional)

Method

In a small dry pan, toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves and all spice for a minute or so until crunchy and fragrant. Mortar and pestle/grind them into a powder (you can use pre ground spices if you’d prefer but whole spices have a fresh intensity when you grind them yourself).

Warm oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently for about 5 minutes, then add the ginger and garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes until the onion is translucent and the ginger and garlic are aromatic.

Lower the heat, add the ground spices and allow to bloom for a minute or so, then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally for about five minutes, until it’s a dark brick red – don’t burn it though.

Add the tinned tomato and 3 cups of stock/water and stir to combine. Add the al dente lentils and bay leaves (if using) and season with salt and pepper. If you want a kick of chilli, you can add some powder or flakes at this point.

Simmer the soup gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before you turn off the heat, add the garam masala and curry leaves (if using).

Serve immediately with basmati rice, naan or just as it is.

The Baywater North Food Swap is ceasing

After many years, the Baywater North Food Swap is ceasing, with the last swap being on Saturday, 4th November. Congratulations to Karen Cheah and colleagues for organising it over the years.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Paul and Robin Gale-Baker talking about the Transition Movement (part 2 of a two part interview). Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

A new article by Angelo Eliades

Preparing and preserving green olives.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Rain Szeto is an American artist who creates detailed illustrations that portray the organised chaos of everyday activities in homes, shops and cafes.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Nillumbik Council’s update on the proposed urban farm at Fabbro Fields.

Word of the month – Fool

‘Fool’, meaning a dessert made with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Heard it on the grapevine. Meaning: to learn about something via informal sources. This phrase dates back to mid-18th Century America when telegraph wires were being installed. The wires, which were often suspended between poles placed at regular intervals, supposedly looked a bit like either the wires used to train grapevines or the vines themselves, giving rise to the term ‘grapevine telegraph’. This ‘grapevine telegraph’ was then one of the main ways that rumours spread during the American Civil War, thus giving rise to the meaning of the phrase.

The equivalent Australian phrase is ‘bush telegraph’, which came into existence in the late 19th Century and was modelled on the phrase ‘grapevine telegraph’.

I heard it through the grapevine is also the name of a song released by the Miracles in 1966, by Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1967 and, most famously, by Marvin Gaye in 1968.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” by Miles Kington.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Two slices of bread got married. The ceremony was going quite well until someone decided to toast the bride and groom.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Eltham-based Seeds of Plenty will be selling tomato and capsicum seedlings at Eltham Farmers’ Market. As discussed in a previous newsletter, they will have a huge range of different varieties for sale.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Northern Diwali; Saturday, 28th October, midday-9pm; free; South Morang.

Celebrate Diwali. The activities will include: live DJ, fireworks, Bollywood dancing, carnival rides, food stalls, henna tattoos and multicultural stage. Organised by Mission Smile.

Yarra Valley Spring Plant Fair & Garden Expo; Saturday, 11th November and Sunday, 12th November, both 10am-5pm; $15; Wandin.

The plant fair will feature a wide variety of plants showing off flowers and foliage. Top growers from the Yarra Valley and beyond will display and talk about their plants. There will be around 60 stalls. The guest speakers will include Clive Larkman, Merryle Johnson, Reuben Nieuwesteeg, Sophie Thomson and Vasili Kanidiadis.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Food waste minimisation tips – from storage to shopping; Friday, 13th October, 12.30-2pm; free; Bayswater North.

Maroondah Council’s Waste Educator will show you how to reduce your food waste, minimise your soft plastics and store food to make it last longer. From how to store herbs, what can go into your freezer and what to look for when you are in the supermarket. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Weight management – a calorie density approach; Sunday, 22nd October, 11am-12.30pm; free; Richmond.

Jenny Cameron will discuss using a calorie density approach to losing weight and strategies to avoid falling into the ‘pleasure trap’ of our modern food supply. Organised by Green Karma.

Lilydale Community Gardens – gardening talk; Tuesday, 31st October, 2-3pm; free; Lilydale.

Hear about plant propagation, companion planting, embracing beneficial weeds, self-seeding herbs & vegetables, together with a demonstration of cutting methods. Take along your cuttings and seeds to swap. There will also be a plant sale (cash only).

Cheese and wine tasting with Gaëtan from Long Paddock Cheese; Saturday, 4th November, 1.30-4.30pm; $49 ($16 per hour); Brunswick East.

Gaëtan, from Long Paddock Cheese, will run you through how each cheese (5 cheeses in total) is artisanally made and why he has paired each cheese with each wine.

CERES weed dating – for the love of farming; Saturday, 11th November, 5-8pm; $47 ($16 per hour); Coburg.

Go meet a new friend, lover, or anything in between (or beyond) amongst the plants at CERES Joe’s Market Garden. If you like plants and gardening, you’ll know that you and your date will have at least one thing in common! There will be live local music with food and drinks available for purchase from the bar. Your ticket includes a brief farm tour, a dusk weed dating session and a welcome drink.

Eltham Wine Show; Sunday, 19th November, 10.30am-2.30pm; $20; Bulleen.

Australia’s largest amateur wine show. Hundreds of wines will be available for tasting – red, white, sparkling and fortified grape wines. Also, meads, ciders, country wines, kombuchas and liqueurs. Wine awards and presentations. Pay at the door. If you want to enter one of your wines, etc to the show, download an entry form, noting that the closing date is 20th October.

Urban Nanna’s festive hints and tips; Thursday, 30th November, 6-7.30pm; free; Ringwood.

Join Anna the Urban Nanna to learn about low-waste ways to celebrate the festive season, including gift and wrapping ideas, waste-savvy recipes and eco-friendly decorating tips. Some homemade festive snacks will be supplied during the presentation.

Plants and permaculture; Sunday, 3rd December, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

The subjects to be covered include: regenerative garden design; practical gardening skills and tips; how to increase plant and food diversity in your garden; self cycling garden systems; nutrition and properties of plants; plants for food, medicine, fodder, nectar and habitat; and forest garden systems. Presenter: Taj Scicluna.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (2 sessions); Wednesdays, 6th and 13th December, both 6.30-8.30pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. At the end of the session, eat what you have made or take it home. Tutor: Taariq Hassan.

In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cookie decorating demonstration; Wednesday, 18th October, 10-11am; free; Croydon.

Steph and Tanja, from Choice Cakes & Decorating Centre, will demonstrate cookie decorating. Learn tips and tricks, and be inspired to take your decorating to the next level.

Aussie eats – cooking for CALD; Saturday, 28th October, 12.30-4.30pm; free; Kilsyth.

This demonstration is designed for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) participants to share in a favourite Aussie meal with a twist while practising their English skills. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Mood and food workshop (4 sessions); on consecutive Tuesdays, starting 14th November, 11am-1pm; $25 for all four sessions; Hurstbridge.

For those aged under 65. Dive into the world of food and mood, boost your energy, clear your mind, and whip up a tasty, budget-friendly meal in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Delivered in collaboration by Merri Health, healthAbility and Nillumbik Shire Council.

Kimchi workshop; Saturday, 25th November, 10am-midday; $52 ($26 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make kimchi. Take an apron and a medium-sized jar to take home your own freshly made kimchi. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Jam and pickles workshop; Saturday, 25th November, 1-3pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn some tips and tricks to get you started on preserving techniques for jam and pickles. Take an apron and two medium-sized jars to take home your seasonal fruit jam and your pickles. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Gluten-free kitchen skills; Sunday, 26th November, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. After an introduction to gluten-free flours and their texture, taste and how to use them, you will have the opportunity to cook a collection of recipes, including: a cake using your own gluten-free flour blend; crackers to pair with a seasonal dip; pizzas; and a short-crust pastry dough for quiche. At the end, the class will sit down to eat lunch together.

Thai condiments made simple; Sunday, 26th November, 10.30am-3pm; $180 ($40 per hour); Panton Hill.

You will learn how to make the following sauces: sweet chilli sauce; three sister’s paste; Thai stir fry sauce; and Thai green seafood sauce. You will then make: Thai fish cakes; stir fried prawns; Thai eggplant; and Thai green seafood sauce with crispy fish. At the end, enjoy your banquet together with a beer, wine or coconut water. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Buche de noel workshop; Friday, 1st December, 6-9pm; $91 ($30 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will show you how to make buche de noel (Christmas log). You will be making your own buche de noel to take home and it can be kept in the freezer until Christmas. Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Sourdough breadmaking; Saturday, 2nd December, 10am-12.30pm; $71 ($28 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 dough to bake. Take a 2 litre container with a lid and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Baking for Christmas; Saturday, 2nd December, 10am-2pm; free; Kilsyth.

Bake your own pressies for Christmas this year. Take an apron and reusable container to take your goodies home. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Authentic Mexican; Saturday, 2nd December, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: Mexican cuisine; improve your culinary skills; and work with seasonal ingredients. Presenter: Matt Baker from Whe-Eat. Menu: blackened chicken thighs with quinoa; Mexican corn on the cob; Mexican white bait fritters tortillas with salsa crude; cactus and tomatillos salsa; crispy pulled pork carnitas; and dark chocolate mole.

Sourdough bread baking; Sunday, 3rd December, 9am-5pm; $190 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News October 4 2023

Oct 042023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Duang Tengtrirat, Emma Wasson, Hayden Marks, Julie French, Michaela Carter, Paul Gale-Baker and Tahlia Sleeman.

People sometimes write to me with nice comments about the newsletter. I really appreciate such comments and they are, indeed, one of the main motivating factors for me carrying on producing a newsletter each week. Occasionally I receive a comment that is too poetic not to quote here. For example, here are two of the comments that I have received in the last few weeks.

“Thank you for the magic that arrives in my inbox each week.”

“This is such a wonderful newsletter … you are making a real difference. The time will come when people will appreciate food growing again and you will have done a great deal to help prepare the community for the harder times to come (as well as bring us much joy in the present!).”

Update on the proposed urban farm at Fabbro Fields in Eltham

Nillumbik Council has voted not to support the proposal for an urban farm at Fabbo Fields (aka 2 Bell Street) in Eltham. The vote of the councillors was 3 not supporting, 2 supporting, 1 not voting due to a conflict of interest and 1 not voting due to absence. The vote followed a community consultation where 53% were in favour of the concept and 46% were not. Read the official Council statement. Obviously this is very disappointing for Local Food Connect, whose project it is.

Kohlrabi – a friendly alien (by Julie French)

[Julie, from the Montmorency Community Group, cooks with less popular or familiar veggies and fruit. Here she discusses how to use and cook kohlrabi. A somewhat longer version of the article – which includes recipes for kohlrabi and chickpea soup and for buttery roasted kohlrabi – can be found on our website.]

The first time that I saw kohlrabi it looked to me like a small alien spaceship, a round purple bulb supported on a thin stalk, with thinner stems growing out and up from the sides of the bulb itself. The word kohlrabi comes from the German for cabbage ‘kohl’ and broccoli ‘rabi’ and it tastes a little like peeled broccoli stalks. Best used when no bigger than a tennis ball, this strange looking vegetable can be either purple or pale green. It’s nutritious, low in calories and high in vitamin C.

You can buy kohrabis at Thriving Foods Farm’s stall at Eltham Farmers’ Market and other markets.

Preparation is simple – trim away all the stalks and peel thinly making sure to remove any woody bits near the base of the side stalks. The simplest way to use kohlrabi is to steam it and then toss it in butter or olive oil, fresh parsley and lemon juice. It can be roasted – try it with garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese or make a gratin. It can also be eaten raw – add it to coleslaw, or use in a Thai salad instead of green papaya (see recipe for som tum below). I’ve also added it to cabbage when making sauerkraut, and it can be an ingredient in kimchi.

Som tum with kohlrabi (by Duang Tengtrirat)

Ingredients
2 small kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 long red chillis (or more if you like spicy)
3 cherry tomatoes, halved
a small handful of green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
¼ cup roasted peanuts
pinch of coconut sugar (optional)
1-2 teaspoons tamarind pulp (or lemon juice)
juice of 1-2 limes
soy sauce to taste

Method
In a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the garlic and chilli with a little salt. Add the green beans and bruise, then the tomatoes and lightly bruise to release the juice. Add a good dash of soy sauce, the sugar, tamarind and lime juice. Taste and adjust.

Add the kohlrabi and use a spoon to mix it in well.

Add the peanuts and serve.

[Read more articles by Julie on cooking various unusual vegetables.]

[If Julie’s article inspires you to want to eat kohlrabi, you might be interested in Robin Gale-Baker’s article on our website about how to grow kohlrabi.]

Hayden’s unusual bush food of the month – native thyme

[Hayden Marks is the founder of Melbourne Bushfood, who sell a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

Native thyme (Prostanthera incisa), which is a part of the mint family, holds a deeper flavour than found in other mints, with earthy notes and a slight pepperiness.

To harvest, just pluck fresh leaves off the growing plant or cut off whole stalks. Both leaf and stem may be used – fresh, or chopped and dried for later use. Just remember that the flavour will fade over time after harvesting.

The plant is an evergreen shrub which grows to around 2 metres tall and wide. Alternatively known as cut-leaf mint-bush, it flowers in early spring, with small, bright pink/purple flowers, similar to other mint-bushes. It is fast growing, with annual pruning encouraging new growth. It also grows well in pots, playing a similar role to a rosemary shrub.

Here is a recipe for wattleseed and thyme damper.

Willsmere Station Community Garden’s first ever crop swap

As you may know from previous newsletters, Willsmere Station Community Garden held its first ever crop swap (aka food swap) on 9th September. Tahlia Sleeman has now reported in: “Our first Crop Swap was small, but enthusiastic! The array of produce laid out on the table was quite astonishing. We had contributions of vibrant fresh herbs, wonderful citrus marmalades & cordials, heads of cauliflower, medlar jelly, incredible sourdough loaves, lush silverbeet, wild apple paste, lots of lemons and – the winner of the ‘most unusual’ item – water chestnuts. We can’t wait to see what pops up at the next swap on Saturday, 14th October.”

Want to volunteer in Preston?

Bridge Darebin is looking for a volunteer garden coordinator to spend around 3 hours per week. The responsibilities will include: water all planters/pots/garden beds; weed and maintain?planters/pots/garden beds; decide on what to plant; collect worm castings, place into soil in planters/pots/garden beds; and occasionally guide ad hoc garden volunteers. Read more and potentially apply.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Paul and Robin Gale-Baker talking about the Transition Movement. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Something for you to watch

Mark Valencia, aka Self Sufficient Me, from Queensland, produces numerous videos about all aspects of growing veggies and fruit.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Robin Gale-Baker’s article on seaweed tonics versus liquid nitrogen fertilisers.

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

A Grandfather tells his Grandson, “When I was a boy, you could go into a store with change in your pocket and come out with a loaf of bread, lunch and a bottle of milk.”

The Grandson replies, “You can’t do that anymore Grandpa, there’s too many cameras now“.

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be at Eltham Farmers’ Market, where their topic of the month will be bushfire preparedness: “It’s time to clean up your property, update and practice your fire plan and chat to your friends and neighbours about the subject..”

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Mush Fest, a community fungi festival; Saturday, 14th October, 10am-3pm and Sunday, 15th October, midday-5pm; free on Saturday, $10 on Sunday; Kensington.

On Saturday, tour the Kensington Stockyard Food Gardens and wander through the community market. Book yourself into workshops on: how to brew your own kombucha by The Good Brew Company at 11.30am-12.30pm (cost $45); how to make mushroom risotto by Tuan from Elder Roots at 12.45-1.45pm ($10); and how to cultivate King Straphoria mushrooms by Tamara Griffiths at 1.30-3.30pm ($45). On Sunday, there will be a mushroom cooking demo between midday and 1pm, a talk about how mushrooms protect tigers and a panel discussion on mushrooms and medicine.

Not food-related but interesting

Degrowth Spring Festival; Sunday, 8th October, midday-6.30pm; free; Brunswick East.

Degrowth is an idea that critiques the global capitalist system which pursues economic growth at all costs. The day will involve workshops, talks, stalls, a seed/seedling swap, music, food, and dancing (see the graphics right). Hear from community groups, activists and researchers on the day who are doing work in the degrowth space and learn how you can get involved.

Loving our lizards through reptile-friendly gardening; Monday, 30th October, 7-8.30pm; free; Nunawading.

Ecologist David De Angelis will discuss how you can attract lizards to your garden. He will cover the features of a good lizard longue and the types of lizards we are likely to find locally. This event will be streamed live but not recorded.

Sustainable Macleod Clean Energy Expo; Sunday, 19th November, 11am-3pm; free; Macleod.

The expo will showcase a range of clean energy solutions, including insulation, solar power, heat pumps, insulating coatings, with energy assessments to help residents to decide how to make the best use of what is available for their homes. Bryce Gaton will also run a workshop (cost $10) on whether or not it’s now the time to make the switch to an electric car.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Fermenting hope in a world out of balance; Thursday, 12th October, 6.30-8pm; $19 ($12 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Join Sharon Flynn of the Fermentary in conversation with Kirsten Bradley, author of The Milkwood Permaculture Living Handbook – to discuss ideas for fermenting hope, community and regeneration, in a world out of balance. There will be some light nibbles, drinks and book signings.

Introduction to bees; Saturday, 14th October, 9.30am-midday; $20 ($8 per hour); Kinglake.

Listen to some local beekeepers talk about bee antics, discover how to get started and what’s involved in looking after your own bee hive. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Spring gardening workshop (for children); two occurrences on Saturday, 14th October at 11.30am-12.30pm and 1-2pm;free; Macleod.

Children will be able to sow veggie seeds and plant seedlings – and take home their plants. They can also learn about composting and get hands-on with worms. For kids who enjoy getting arty fun, there will be a junior art area with Jodi Wiley. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Oakhill Farm’s 2nd birthday party; Saturday, 28th October, 2-4pm; free; Preston.

Enjoy some birthday cake, pick up some free seedling and mushroom mulch, take a tour of the farm and catch a mushroom growing demonstration by Buttons from the Mushroomery. They will also be running chalk drawing and seed sowing activities for kids of all ages.

Composting workshop and community garden tour; Sunday, 19th November, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Bellfield.

Learn the tips and tricks to make great compost. Find out more about different containers, worm farming and bokashi buckets. Then take a tour of the community garden to see first hand how your garden can benefit from compost. Organised by Bellfield Community Garden.

Eltham Wine Show; Sunday, 19th November, 10.30am-2.30pm; $20; Bulleen.

Australia’s largest amateur wine show. Hundreds of wines will be available for tasting – red, white, sparkling and fortified grape wines. Also, meads, ciders, country wines, kombuchas and liqueurs. Wine awards and presentations.

Growing native edibles; Thursday, 23rd November, 10.30am-midday; free; Carlton North.

Explore the diverse world of Australian native foods and learn how to harvest them in your own garden. Engage your senses as you see, touch, and smell these plants, and savour the experience by trying a selection of teas made with native ingredients. Presenters: Cultivating Community.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 25th November, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps; learn skills that are transferable to the home environment; and bundling techniques. This is a hands-on workshop where participants will make their own washable and re-usable ready-to-use beeswax wraps. Presenter: Emma Grace.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 26th November, 10am-4pm; $149 ($25 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Presenter: Button. Organised by The Mushroomery.

In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Water kefir, wild mead and beet kvass; Sunday, 22nd October, 11.30am-2pm; $180 ($72 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make and take home three large jars full of mead, beet kvass and water kefir with the SCOBY, plus a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that’ll be ready the next day.

Farmhouse sake (doburoku); Thursday, 2nd November, 7-8.30pm; $125 ($84 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own sake using rice, koji and water and time. This is a 3 step process and you’ll take home stage one in a 3 litre jar – with koji for step 2 – and a couple of bottles for the final bottling step. Also taste some doburoku at different stages of its fermentation process.

Colombian cooking workshop; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-1pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Balwyn North.

Learn how to make empanadas using corn flour and a variety of fillings. You’ll also get to make a dessert. Presenter: Verena Puello, from Donde Mama. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Christmas cookie decorating; Saturday, 18th November, 1-4pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Ringwood North.

Decorate pre-made biscuits with fondant icing, stamp out your design and embellish with food safe paint, sparkles and other edible bling. Organised by North Ringwood Community House.

Sourdough breadmaking (2 sessions); on Saturdays, 18th and 25th November, both 10am-12.30pm; $150 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

In the first session, Nadine will take you through the basics of sourdough breadmaking. In the second session, you will make a seeded sourdough loaf. You will also get to sample different loaves, including a fruit loaf and olive and herb loaf. 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.

In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 27 2023

Sep 262023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Dan Ross, Megan Goodman and Robin Gale-Baker.

Foliar spraying (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Foliar sprays, such as Seasol or Maxicrop, are ones that are primarily absorbed through the leaves of a plant. They contain trace elements and minerals that are vital for the health of the plant and often not available from the soil. They are made from seaweed.

Foliar sprays are not nitrogenous. For a nitrogen-based liquid, buy Charlie Carp. Be aware that amendments containing primarily trace elements and minerals cannot be substituted for nitrogenous ones or vice versa. Rather, they do very different jobs. Read my previous article on this subject.

It is important to apply foliar nutrients by spraying rather than using a watering can. Spraying produces a mist of tiny droplets that adhere to the leaves and allow the plant to absorb maximum trace elements and minerals.

Foliar sprays should be applied to vegetables about every 3 weeks throughout spring and summer, and on garlic from August onward. Crops such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage like a regular dose during the winter months.

Want any more tomato or capsicum seedlings?

If you want any more tomato or capsicum seedlings, you may wish to consider buying them from Eltham-based Seeds of Plenty at Eltham Farmers’ Market on either Sunday, 1st October (i.e. next Sunday) or Sunday, 15th October. They have a huge range of tomato seedlings; for example, when I went to see them, they had the following varieties for sale:

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – Standard size – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Dwarf
Micro
Alices Dream
Amish Paste
Atomic Grape
Atomic Sunset
Beefsteak
Berkley Tie Dye
Black Beauty
Black Cherry
Black Russian
Blue Gold Berries
Brandywine
Chocolate Stripes
Costoluto Florentino
Dancing With Smurfs		 Giant Tree
Green Zebra
Grosse Lisse
Ice
Indigo Rose
Karma Apricot
Karma Purple Multiflora
Lucid Gem
Midnight Sun
Mint Julep
Oxheart
Pineapple
Prosperity
Red Current		 Red Pear
San Marzano
Santorini
Sugar Lump
Thai Pink Egg
Tigerella
True Colours
White Beauty		 Banana Toes
Bendigo Moon
Bendigo Rose
Clare Valley Red
Geranium Kiss
Golden Gypsy
Kookaburra Cackle
Metallica
Pepper Like Stripe
Saucy Mary
Shadow Boxing
Sneaky Sauce
Striped Antho
Uluru Ochre		 Bonsai
Fat Frog
Little Red Riding Hood
Micro Tom
Orange Hat
Regina Yellow
Window Box

 
Says Dan Ross, the owner of Seeds of Plenty: “I really love growing all these different tomatoes and am really happy to be selling them and actually meeting customers.”

   

This is the first year that Seeds of Plenty have grown and sold seedlings but they have been selling vegetable and other seeds online for many years. Their range is huge, covering most vegetables and herbs and, within this, many different varieties of each.

Another new repair cafe

North Carlton. 2nd Saturday of each month, 10am-midday. Book your slot. North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House, 20 Solly Avenue, Princes Hill.

That makes a total of 13 repair cafes on our map of North East Melbourne.

What seeds to plant in October

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

Cucurbits

Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Rockmelon
Watermelon
Zucchini
Other warm season veggies

Beans
Okra
Peanut
Sweetcorn
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Rocket
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish

Other veggies

Asparagus
Celery
Chives
Globe artichoke
Rhubarb
Spring onions
Sweet potato

 
Compared with September, the solanums (capsicum, chilli, eggplant and tomato), basil and coriander drop out of the list, whilst the cucurbits (cucumber, gourd, pumpkin, rockmelon, watermelon and zucchini) stay in. Note, however, that these lists are the months that it is ideal to plant particular seeds and that you can sometimes plant in other months. So, for example, if your tomato seeds didn’t germinate in September, it’s better to try again in October (or buy some seedlings) rather than face the prospect of no homegrown tomatoes.

Helen Simpson has previously written ‘how to grow’ articles for us about many of the warm season veggies, namely: basil, chilli, cucurbits and tomatoes. Robin Gale-Baker has previously written about how to grow eggplants and capsicums, parsnips and potatoes. And Helen has written more generally about Spring veggie garden preparation.

Meg’s garden this month (by Megan Goodman)

It is time to blow the dust off the outdoor furniture, brush of the cobwebs and get ready for Spring. The grass is growing strongly but so are the weeds. I really need to get onto the weeding and spring cleaning. This leaves little time for the veggie patch but I have been emptying the herb pots, refreshing the potting mix and starting new seeds and seedlings ready for Spring growth.

It is so tempting to buy when you see the tomato seedlings already stocked in the local nurseries- but it is still too early in North East Melbourne. I am testing my patience and potting on my seedlings under cover. Along with the tomato seedlings, there is also the sparkle of Christmas decorations that have started to be displayed in store. Time to soak all my leftover packets of dried fruit to make a traditional Christmas fruit cake or a small pudding.

Small Christmas pudding

300g mixed dried fruit of your choice (use any leftovers you have)
100ml alcohol or orange juice
100g dark brown sugar
75g butter
100g plain flour
60g breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg and one egg yolk
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon, grated
nutmeg
1 green apple, grated
1 tablespoon golden syrup

Soak the fruit in the alcohol or juice at least overnight but preferably a few days.

Beat the butter and sugar then add the egg and golden syrup. Sift over all the dry ingredients and then add the breadcrumbs. Add the fruit and apple. Mix well to combine. Spoon into your pudding bowl and cover well with foil tying it down.

Steam for at least 3 hours (place a pudding bowl in a large pot in water and keep topped up to about two thirds). Alternatively, use your slow cooker (about 8 hours). Remove and replace foil tightly before storing in a cool dry place.

Read more of Megan recipes on our website.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Angelo Eliades talking about spring planting. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During September, the cooking teams were Belmore Road Church of Christ (see photo right), Team Random, Team Terrific and Vermont Girl Guides. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Some things for you to read

An article on gardening habits by Duncan Cocking

Five habits of good gardeners. The five habits are:

  1. Watering your plants.
  2. Observing your garden.
  3. Fostering connection.
  4. Composting.
  5. Planning.
An article on olive harvesting by Angelo Eliades

Harvesting olives, a guide on when and how to pick them.

Read more food-related articles by Angelo.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article on why bean plants develop white spots on their leaves.

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

A parent teaching their child some arithmetic asks: “if I had 4 chocolate treats and you asked for one, how many would I have left?”

The child replies: “As it is you, you’d probably still have 4.”

Read more food-related jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Loving our lizards through reptile-friendly gardening; Monday, 30th October, 7-8.30pm; free; Nunawading.

Ecologist David De Angelis will discuss how you can attract lizards to your garden. He will cover the features of a good lizard longue and the types of lizards we are likely to find locally. This event will be streamed live but not recorded.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Summer veggies workshop (garden tour); Saturday, 14th October, 1-4pm; free; Park Orchards.

Visit a large suburban garden including around 500 orchids, 100 bonsai and a large veggie garden. Plant your own punnets of summer-growing vegetables under the guidance of experienced members of Waverley Garden Club. Organised by Waverley Garden Club.

Community soup night; Wednesday, 1st November, 5-7.30pm; free; Preston.

Share some soup, hear an update from the farm and taste what’s in season on Wurundjeri Country. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Nutrition and menopause – nourishing the transition; Wednesday, 8th November, 6.45-8.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Understanding how to nourish your body during oeri-menopause and menopause is essential to positive health benefits through menopause and beyond. Join them for a free pilates session from 6.45pm followed by an information session at 7.30pm where a local dietitian will discuss: metabolic change at mid-life and your diet; nutrition for your heart and bone health; foods to support hormonal health; and where to access nutrition resources and support.

Grounded at TarraWarra; Friday, 10th November, 3-6.30pm; $88 ($25 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Begin in the vineyards, planted 40 years ago, for a guided look through the estate’s blocks of chardonnay and pinot noir. Then visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art, where new artworks from the Netherlands, Colombia, Indonesia and Wurundjeri Country are on display in an exhibition called The Soils Project. Gülsen Özer will then join you for a creative movement workshop, before TarraWarra winemaker Sarah Fagan leads you underground to the estate’s cellar door for some wine tastings. Finally it will be time to enjoy cheese and charcuterie, along with a glass of your favourite estate wine.

Chardonnay + fromage; Saturday, 11th November, midday-3pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Warrandyte South.

The ticket price includes a 75ml pour of 4 wines plus 4 matched cheeses. You will explore 4 vintage chardonnays from Rob Dolan Wines’ plus 4 matched cheeses from Stone & Crow Cheese Company. Meg Brodtmann will handle the pairings.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 11th November, midday-4pm; $82; Fitzroy.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Bonny Bar with A.R.C. Wines; Ichi Ni Nana with Susuro Wines; La Vineria with Pizzini Wines ; Lost Boys Bar with Stappa Wines; Near & Far Bar with Konpira Maru; Odd Culture with Pool Wines; The Belfry with Meredith Wine; The Fitz Café & Rooftop with Alles Klar Wines ; and The Rochey with Patch Wines.

Awara open garden; Sunday, 12th November, 10-11.30am; $20 ($14 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

Join Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens, on a tour of her 840m2 rental property. Leila will discuss how the lawn was transformed into a productive paradise, and the philosophy of forage gardening and how it translates in practice. Enjoy a chat and garden tea post tour.

Installing drip line irrigation with Angelo Eliades; Sunday, 12th November, 1-3pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn how lay out and install drip line irrigation systems, including: how drip irrigation works; what all the irrigation bits and pieces on sale are and what they do; the different ways to lay out irrigation systems; how to connect the pieces together to construct a working watering system; and how to use and repair these irrigation systems. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Food photography; Sunday, 12th November, 2-5pm;$109 ($36 per hour); Eltham.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as the right lens, composition, exposure, lighting and software.

Smart storage to reduce food waste workshop; Thursday, 16th November, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Ringwood.

This workshop will cover: tips to use your fridge and freezer wisely, to prolong the life of your food; pantry storage to minimise waste; know the difference between ‘use-by’ and ‘best before’ dates; storing and maximising herbs; and what you can do with commonly leftover ingredients. Presenter: Kirsty Bishop-Fox from Sustainability Pathways.

Kitchen medicine – garden farmacy; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-2.30pm; $120 ($27 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: an introduction to herbal medicine making; plant identification; guidelines for foraging and wild-crafting; medicinal uses for plants; and how to introduce medicinal herbs into the kitchen for medicine. What you will get: a remedy and a seedling. Take a walk through the CERES garden beds and bring the wisdom of traditional herbal medicines into a modern context. You will explore traditional and modern uses of the plants and how to introduce these plants into the kitchen as medicine. Presenter: Naabi Methe.

Working with water with Dan; Saturday, 18th November, 10am-3.30pm; $15 ($3 per hour); Edendale.

The workshop will explore the human relationship with water, how it fits within our ecology and moves through the land. It will cover: principles and patterns for catching, storing and distributing water; reading water’s behaviour in the landscape; how to work with rainwater, grey water and mains supplies to bring more life to our surroundings; and principles and design approaches to improve your management of water at home. It will also involve walking, talking and designing to explore living examples of water management around Edendale’s buildings, gardens and nearby waterways. Presenter: Dan Milne.

Mushroom farm tour; Saturday, 18th November, 2-2.30pm; $27 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Go on a walk-through tour of The Mushroomery, showing how the farm operates and how mushrooms are grown. Due to potential fungal contamination, it is important that you wear very clean clothes. Organised by The Mushroomery.

In September
In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Japanese cooking class – curry; Friday, 13th October, 1-2.30pm; $15; Greensborough.

Chika will demonstrate how to make traditional Japanese curry. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Christmas cake workshop; Saturday, 11th November, 1.30-3pm; $56 ($38 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will show you how easy it is to make your own Christmas cake. Take a cake tin (20cm square or round tin) to take your cake home. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Gingerbread house workshop; 2 occurrences on Tuesdays, 14th and 21st November, 7-8.30pm; $30 ($20 per hour); Greensborough.

Ros and Trudy will show you how to construct your own, decorated gingerbread house. You will then take it home. All materials will be provided. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Japanese cooking class – shiratama mochi rice sundae; Wednesday, 15th November, 1-2.30pm; $15; Greensborough.

Chika will demonstrate how to make shiratama mochi rice sundae. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 17th November, 6.30-8.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Park Orchards.

Make Chinese dumplings from scratch. The dough you 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.

In September
In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 20 2023

Sep 192023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Colleen Duggan, Jaimie Sweetman, Jo Buckle, Lee Hirsh, Liz Morrigan, Maude Farrugia and Monica Ludekens.

The berries of mahonias (by Jaimie Sweetman)

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

There are around 70 species of in the Mahonia genus. All have berries which are edible but extremely sour.

Some mahonias, such as Mahonia aquifolium, have the common name of Oregon grape and originated in North America. The Native Americans would probably not have eaten these berries as they didn’t have access to sugar but now they can make a tasty dessert by mashing the berries in a bowl and adding sugar and milk. At the Edible Forest, we dehydrate our berries and put them in tea blends as they are really high in vitamin C.

The mahonia in the photos below is Mahonia napaulensis.

The yellow flower spikes appear in May and early June and their colour they really does stand out in Winter. The berries are ripe in early spring (i.e. now). The best thing about mahonias is the unusual time that they it flower and fruit when not much else is flowering or fruiting.

Mahonia are very spiky. So, if you want a living fence that has the potential to keep out deer or unwanted guests, they are potentially your solution.

Some species reach up to three metres in height but can be contained to a smaller size by pruning.

Read more of Jaimie’s articles about unusual edible plants on our website.

More on hot composting

Last week, Alice Glenn asked for suggestions or offers on hot composting bays at local community gardens that she could visit. Lots of you responded, including Colleen Duggan, Jo Buckle, Liz Morrigan, Maude Farrugia and Monica Ludekens. Thanks, everyone!

Jo Buckle’s response included a number of interesting points:

Jo has kindly sent in a couple of photos of her composting bays. The left hand photo shows the bays running along the inside of her fence, with the hole through which her Sharewaste colleagues push through their food scraps above the right most bay (above the cat, which is apparently called Bertie). The right hand photo shows the hole from the street side of her fence, together with a mural and instructions for how people should push through their food scraps.

  

Something for you to read

Why do bean plants develop white spots on their leaves, and is it a problem? by Angelo Eliades.

Quattro formaggio pie (by Julia Busuttil Nishimura)

Julia, who is from Fitzroy North, developed this recipe as a way of using lots of little bits of cheese leftover in your fridge as part of Sustainability Victoria’s I Love Leftovers Challenge.

Serves 4-6.

You can use 2, 3 or 4 cheeses. Just make sure that one of the cheeses is a melting cheese, like mozzarella or provolone.

Ingredients

For the filling:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely sliced
3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
3 tablespoons mascarpone or pure cream
2 eggs (1 for filling and 1 for egg wash)
325g mixed cheeses, such as fontina, taleggio, provolone, mozzarella, comte, parmesan
a handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper

For the sour cream pastry:
400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
salt
200g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
100g full-fat sour cream
iced water, as needed

Method

To make the sour cream pastry:

Combine the flour and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl or on a work surface. Toss the butter through the flour to coat then, using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it is pebbly. You want to rub the butter into flatter pieces rather than into something that resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the sour cream and, with a gentle touch, bring the pastry together. Sprinkle over some iced water, as needed, if the dough is a little dry. Shape into a rough square, wrap in baking paper or place into a container and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.

To make the pie:

Pre-heat your oven to 180degC. Line a large round baking tray with baking paper.

Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the onions with the thyme and a pinch of salt and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft and beginning to colour. Transfer to a bowl.

Whisk one of the eggs with the mascarpone or cream in a small bowl and add to the onions.

Grate or crumble the cheeses into the bowl along with the parsley. Mix well and season to taste.

On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough in half and roll out in half to a 28 cm round, 3-4 mm thick. Drape the pastry onto the prepared tray. Tip the filling onto the pastry base and spread it out, leaving a 4 cm border. Roll out the second half of the pastry dough, then drop it over the filling. Press the pastry edges together and use your hands to crimp the edges towards the pie, sealing in the filling. Make a small hole in the top of the pie to allow the steam to escape.

Whisk the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the egg wash all over the pastry. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45- 50 minutes, until the pie is golden. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Virginia Solomon talking about suburban homesteading. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was The Darebin Fruit Squad’s free citrus tree pruning workshop on Saturday, 14th October, in Bundoora.

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

A man decides that he wanted to make his own honey, so he purchased 100 bees from his local beekeeper. When he got home ,he counted his bees and discovered that he actually had 101 . Being an honest man, he called the beekeeper back to tell him that he had taken one too many.

“That’s ok,” the beekeeper told him, “the extra one is a freebee.”

(Submitted by Lee Hirsh.)

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Generating one’s own energy for both home and travel; Thursday, 28th September, 7.30-9.30pm; Eltham,

Guy Palmer [Editor: yes, that’s me!] first installed a battery-based solar system in 2013, the main aim being not to use any grid electricity for most of the year. In 2019, he bought an electric car, the main aim being to utilise his surplus generated energy. In this presentation, Guy will talk about the battery, the electric car and how the whole thing works together to minimise his external energy footprint. Organised by Nillumbik Climate Action Team. At Platform 3095, 965 Main Road, Eltham. Just turn up.

Malahang Community Festival; Sunday, 12th November, 10am-4pm; free; Heidelberg West.

Featuring: entertainment by local and First Nations performers; circus workshops; art workshops; face painting; live reptiles; basketball tournament and soccer clinics; tai chi and zumba sessions; scouts rope bridge and sport try outs; food and drink trucks; and a community BBQ. At Malahang Reserve, Oriel Road, Heidelberg West. Just turn up.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Reducing food waste at home; 3 occurrences on Wednesdays, 11th October, 25th October and 8th November, each 5-7pm; free; Preston.

The workshop will highlight ways to extend the life of seasonally-available produce and ways to put commonly-discarded parts of a plant to good use. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Archie Rose x Cheese Culture x Moon Dog pairing experience; Thursday, 12th October, 7.30-9.30pm; $84 ($42 per hour); Preston.

5 rums, 5 cheeses and 5 beers will be matched together. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing, Archie Rose and Cheese Culture.

Backyard beekeeping basics; Saturday, 11th November, 11am-1pm; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

The session will cover: protective clothing and occupational health and safety; hive components and assembly; bee biology and seasonal management; legislation; diseases and pests of bees; extracting honey; inspecting hive for disease; purchasing hives; and other products from the hive. Presenter: Ashton Edgley-Ashton.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 11th November, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

Learn how to set up a worm farm and the easiest methods to manage and care for these most hard-working of creatures. This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants. Discounted worm farms will be available for sale on the day.

Introduction to horticultural permaculture (4 sessions); consecutive Wednesdays starting 15th November, 10am-2.30pm; $50 for all 4 sessions; Edendale.

To be eligible for the 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. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In September
In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Tasty meals; Sunday, 29th October, 2-3.30pm; free; Ivanhoe.

Julia, from Green Karma, will demonstrate a range of handy hacks such as turning your leftover rice into a veggie burger.

Pasta making class with Piera; Saturday, 11th November, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will learn how to make orecchiette, garganelli and maccheroncini. You will also learn how to make two sauces (alla norma and quattro formaggi). At the end, enjoy the pasta you have made together with a class of wine. Presenter: Piera Pagnoni.

Mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheese making; Saturday, 11th November, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheeses. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Sunday, 12th November, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. The menu: napoli sauce, gnocchi, ricotta , arancini, risotto, mushroom florentine sauce, bechamel sauce and tiramisu. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

In September
In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 13 2023

Sep 132023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alice Glenn, Ann Stanley, Georgia Tracy and Graham Rou.

Getting to know bush tucker

Over the weekend, I went to a really interesting event organised by Sustainable Ivanhoe where Hayden Marks, founder of Melbourne Bushfood, talked about a range of bush foods and invited us to taste test about 10 of them (see left photo below).

Of the bush foods that we tasted, the one that I liked the best was perhaps Geraldton wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum) (see right photo below).

    

Later that day, I visited the Melbourne Bushfood shop and nursery in Fairfield and bought a Geraldton wax seedling to plant in my garden. The shop is at 49 Sparks Avenue, is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm, and has a wide range of bush food plants for sale.

Here is a summary of what Hayden said about Geraldton wax.

This herb has zesty and uplifting leaves that are used as a garnish to bring a lemony flavour to your dish. Alternatively, blend the leaves with some oil and a pinch of salt to create a green salsa-verde paste. The flowers, whilst not super palatable, are edible in small quantities and can be used to decorate desserts and dishes.

The plant grows to around 2 metres high and requires full sun to part shade. It can be grown in the ground or in pots. It is relatively hardly and fairly easy to grow in the Melbourne climate. Endemic to Western Australia, it is adapted to dry lands, so water sparingly and ensure the soil at the base is dry before giving it another drink. The colourful flowers are great for attracting bees to the garden.

Different varieties of Geraldton wax taste different so, before you buy a seedling to plant in your garden, eat one of the leaves to make sure that you like the taste of that particular plant.

Do you want?

Graham Rou is moving house and has 1-1½ cubic metres of unused veggie soil from Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery to give away. Also, there are quite a few lengths of wood which could be used to build a large perimeter. Graham lives in Box Hill North. If you are interested in the soil and/or wood, contact Graham by phone (0404 374 919) or email (grou@y7mail.com). First come, first served.

Can you suggest?

Newsletter readers Alice Glenn and Steph Hughes have started a business called Compost Kids setting up and maintaining compost bins at schools. To help them develop their thinking, they are wanting to visit some community gardens or equivalent on Wednesday, 20th September. They are particularly interested in hot composting bays – different designs and processes that people are using to compost fairly large amounts of organic waste quickly. If you have any suggestions about who they should potentially visit, email me and I will pass your suggestions on to them.

Croxton / Marra Guwiyap Community Garden (Northcote)

As you will see from the events listings later in this newsletter, Croxton / Marra Guwiyap Community Garden are having an open day on Sunday, 8th October, 11am-2pm. As well as alerting me to this event, they have updated the description of their garden on our website. They have also sent in the photo right with some of the items that they were able to purchase with the generous donations from their last year’s open garden.

It is always good when people send in photos to be included in future newsletters. If you ever have a photo that you think might be of interest to some of our readership, email it to me.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Chelsea McNab talking about ECOSS, Ecological and Social Sustainability. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Audio recordings of previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the video about Yarra Valley ECOSS.

Word of the month – Amuse-bouche

‘Amuse-bouche’, meaning a complementary bite-sized hors d’œuvre.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

On the wagon. Meaning: having given up drinking alcohol. Also off the wagon. Meaning: returned to drinking alcohol after an attempt to give it up. These phrases date back to the temperance movements in early 20th Century America and began as ‘on the water-cart’, before migrating to ‘on the water-wagon’ and finally to ‘on the wagon’. The water-carts were used to damp down dusty streets during dry weather and did not contain water for drinking. The phrase ‘on the water-cart’ meant that someone who had given up drinking alcohol would rather drink water from one of these carts than drink alcohol.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” by Lady Bird Johnson.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

A man walks into a bakery, points to some bread and asks “is this gluten free?”

The cashier replies, “no, it costs $4.50.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Keeping backyard chickens; Wednesday, 4th October, 6.30-8pm; free; Doncaster.

Ella, from Chooktopia, will cover the essentials of how to keep healthy, happy chooks in your backyard, including chook health, nutrition, housing, safety from predators and pest control. She will also talk about Council and local law considerations and guidelines and will take you on a virtual tour of her chookyard.

Diabetes and healthy eating for older adults; Thursday, 5th October, 11am-12.30pm; free; Lalor.

Someone from DPV Health will discuss diabetes and the importance of eating a healthy diet.

Queensland fruit fly – what you can do; Saturday, 7th October, 10.30-11.30am; free; Lilydale.

Kirsty Bishop-Fox will discuss: how to identify Queensland fruit fly (QFF) in fruit; how deter or manage QFF in your garden; and how to dispose of QFF when you do find it in your fruit or vegetables. She will also show you how to make a cheap and effective detection trap out of re-claimed materials that are easy to come by.

Croxton / Marra Guwiyap Community Garden open garden (Northcote); Sunday, 8th October, 11am-2pm; free; Northcote.

This open day is an opportunity for locals to check out the garden and meet their neighbours. Everyone is welcome. The planting team will be there to show off their vegetable crops, share their tips and knowledge and encourage people to join. Food, entertainment, and sample produce will be available. A shed generously donated by the Lions Club will be officially ‘opened’. Click here to read about the garden.

Kevin Heinze GROW Spring Fair (Coburg); Saturday, 14th October, 9am-3pm; free; Coburg.

There will be a wide variety of tomato and other vegetable seedlings for sale, plus perennials, herbs, succulents, shrubs and trees. Also, enjoy their homemade cakes and coffee. The tomato varieties will include Black Krim, Black Russian, Dr Walter Heirloom, Grosse Lisse, Juliette Hybrid, San Marzano, Tigerella, Tommy Toe and Valiant.

Kevin Heinze GROW Spring Fair (Doncaster); Saturday, 14th October, 9am-3pm; free; Doncaster.

There will be a wide variety of tomato and other vegetable seedlings for sale, plus perennials, herbs, succulents, shrubs and trees. Also, enjoy their homemade cakes and coffee. The tomato varieties will include Black Krim, Black Russian, Dr Walter Heirloom, Grosse Lisse, Juliette Hybrid, San Marzano, Tigerella, Tommy Toe and Valiant.

Citrus tree pruning workshop; Saturday, 14th October, 10am-midday; free; Bundoora.

You will learn how to prune citrus trees, including: how to assess your tree before pruning; where to make your pruning cuts; how much to take off; improving the shape and size of the tree; and increasing sunlight exposure. Take some secateurs if you have them.

Rushall Community Garden open day; Saturday, 14th October, 12.30-3pm; free; Fitzroy North.

See community gardening in action and pick up some homegrown goodies. The activities will include: seedlings and fresh garden produce for sale; baked goods, homemade jams and preserves; gardeners working their plots and sharing tips; and a BBQ, homemade lemon cordial, coffee and tea. Click here to read about the garden.

Unwrapped – food and beverage quick bites; Tuesday, 17th October, 7-9.15am; free; Epping.

The session will start with an express tour of the Melbourne Market. Three speakers will then discuss the ever-evolving food and beverage sector, including the evolving dynamics of consumer preferences and the balance between sustainable packaging practices, durability and logistics. The three speakers are: Mark Maskiell, CEO from Melbourne Market; Manpreet Sidhu, GM from Costa Group; and Stuart Mead, MD from Viking Food Solutions.

Edible weed walk; Sunday, 22nd October, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Heidelberg West.

Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for an edible weed walk along Darebin Creek. Many of the common urban weed species of Melbourne are edible and can provide valuable and nutritious fresh food. Learn to enjoy dandelion, sow thistle, mallow, amaranth, wild onions, wild celery and stinging nettle. Learn about some of the ecological uses of weeds as soil improvers, soil indicators and compost additives. Also, many weeds are used by health practitioners for their curative properties.

Urban food gardening (8 sessions); consecutive Thursdays starting 26th October, 10am-2.30pm; $80 for all 8 sessions; Edendale.

This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Community garden tour; Saturday, 28th October, 10am-2.30pm; $10; Banyule.

Take an electric bus around Banyule to visit each of their five community gardens: Bellfield, Buna (Heidelberg West), Macleod, St Johns (Heidelberg) and Watsonia. The tour will end with lunch at Bellfield Community Garden.

Home brewing; Saturday, 28th October, 10am-2.30pm; $100 ($22 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own beer; all about full grain brewing; and the fermentation process. What you will get: samples of different beers; and recipes to take home. 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.

Organic vegetable gardening; Saturday, 28th October, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to get the most from your garden and have an abundance of vegetables, fruits and herbs; insights into seasonal produce growing; and the skills and knowledge to create an abundant and productive garden. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Foraging workshop; Saturday, 28th October, 1-3pm; $10; Ringwood.

Join Jess Cogger on a walk in the wild. Learn how to identify plants and forage edible weeds that surround us all. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Edible weeds; Sunday, 29th October, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

Basic inoculation workshop; Saturday, 4th November, 2-4pm; $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. Presenter: Buttons. Organised by The Mushroomery.

In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Mid-autumn moon cakes; Monday, 25th September, 6-7.30pm; free; Brunswick.

Cristina Chang will show you how to make moon cakes. Think mung bean, red bean and curried pork.

Cheesy stuffed arancini (for children); Thursday, 28th September, 11am-midday; $15; Lilydale.

For children aged 6-12. Parental supervision is required for 6-9 year olds. Learn how to make arancini balls with Glen from Glen Cooks Food. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

The cook program (9 sessions); on Thursdays starting 5th October, 9.30am-1.30pm; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and self-confidence to seek further study or work in hospitality. You will prepare, eat and gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking. You will also learn how to cook for a large group. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Jaclyn Crupi; Wednesday, 18th October, 2-3pm; free; Northcote.

Jaclyn Crupi, author of Pasta Love, will discuss all things pasta.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 19th October, 11am-1pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Lilydale

Learn how to cook easily just for one person. Make the meals each week and eat together what you have made. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Warm up with no waste cooking; Thursday, 19th October, 7-8.30pm; free; Thomastown.

Open Table will share some tips and tricks about reducing food waste and how to make delicious zero waste recipes.

Nutrition and food literacy (6 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 26th October, 9.30am-12.30pm; $70 ($4 per hour); Preston.

You will explore nutritional theory, healthy eating concepts and gain hands-on culinary skills. You will learn about the nutrients specific to each food group and their benefits, including how energy is balanced to maintain a healthy weight. The course will also cover how to decipher labelling on food packaging to build a healthy meal plan on a budget. Presenter: Bernadette Scicluna. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Croissants workshop; Saturday, 28th October, 1.30-4pm; $64 ($26 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make the dough, the art of the fold, rolling the perfect croissant and how to prove and cook your eight croissants at home. Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Healthy cooking hacks for families; Saturday, 28th October, 2-3.30pm; free; Lalor.

Julia, from Green Karma, will show you some delicious and healthy recipes that will feed your whole family in an economical and sustainable way.

Macarons workshop; Wednesday, 1st November, 6-8pm; $91 ($46 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making macarons. Take an apron. A limit of 4 participants in total. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 4th November, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify and harvest bush foods; how to grow and maintain bush foods in the home garden; and how to incorporate bush foods into everyday recipes. Tour the CERES bush food gardens and gain knowledge of bush foods from further afar – tropical delights from the north, peppery spices form the south. During the workshop, you will learn how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. The group will make a bush food inspired lunch and afternoon tea – all food prepared on the day will be vegetarian and vegan friendly. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy.

In September
In October
Regular classes

LFC News September 6 2023

Sep 062023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Bruce Plain, Fay Loveland, Jade Hence, Kathryn Brookes, Leila Alexandra, Liz Cronin, Nathacha Subero, Pam Jenkins, Pauline Webb , Richard Kottek, Richard Smith, Robin Gale-Baker, Tahlia Sleeman, Teagan Crouch and Virginia Solomon.

I (Guy) am now back from my holiday in Western Australia so the weekly newsletters will now resume. The fruit shops in northern Western Australia sell an interesting variety of tropical fruits that you rarely see for sale in Melbourne and cannot grow here. I was particularly taken with the black sapote (photo right) and custard apple.

Testing your seed for viability (by Robin Gale-Baker)

It can be disappointing to sow seed and none of it comes up. There is, however, an easy way to check whether your seed is viable and how viable it is. Now is the time to test any seed you might want to sow this spring.

Seeds have varied lifespans. Parsnip and angelica, for example, need to be sown fresh soon after they are harvested and certainly within a few months. The onion family (which includes chives, leeks and garlic) are the same. Sometimes these are referred to as ‘very sensitive seed’. Short life expectancy seed (2-3 years) includes carrot, celery and sweetcorn. Mid life expectancy (4-5 years) applies to beans, capsicum, lettuce, peas, radishes and silverbeet. Long life expectancy (5 years plus) applies to tomato and to many seeds that are best bought commercially because they cross-pollinate between varieties in home gardens – these include brassicas, pumpkins, melons and cucumbers.

To test for viability, you will need:

  • Kitchen paper.
  • Permanent pen.
  • Zip-lock bag.
  • Seed.

In summary, you will label the kitchen paper, wet it, spread the seed, roll it up and place it in a closed zip-lock bag for 7 days in a warm place. After 7 days, you will unwrap it and check whether the seed has germinated. If it has, this suggests that your seed is viable.

In more detail:

  • Tear off as many sheets of kitchen towel as you have seed packets to test.
  • Write the name of each seed type on the BOTTOM of the sheet in permanent pen.
  • Stack the sheets neatly on top of each other and dip them in water. Either press them down to expel as much water as possible or fold the bundle in half and do the same so that you end up with damp but not wet sheets. Don’t twist or scrunch the sheets as this makes them very difficult to separate.
  • Gently peel one labelled sheet off at a time and place on a bench – be careful as they will tear easily.
  • Sprinkle seed across the TOP of the sheet.
  • Roll the sheet up tightly from the TOP to the bottom. This ensures that, when you unroll, the label will be visible.
  • Fold the roll in half and place it in a zip-lock bag unless you have a very wide bag which will accommodate the width of the kitchen paper. Zip the bag closed. (You can put multiple rolls in one bag) .
  • Leave the bag in a warm place for 7 days.
  • Unroll each bundle and check whether the seeds have germinated.

To test for percentage of seeds that are viable:

  • Place exactly 10 seeds across the top of the sheet.
  • Count the number of seeds that have germinated and multiply by 10. This gives you your percentage e.g. If 7 seeds out of 10 germinate, you have 70% viability.

Note that it is easier working with medium to large seeds. It can be difficult to count out 10 very tiny seeds but you will get a rough idea even if you sprinkle a few extra).

Finally, don’t be discouraged if you get a low germination rate. Simply sow more seed to make up for this. If, for example, you want 50 seedlings and your germination rate is 25%, (i.e. 25 out of every 100 seeds will germinate) then sow 200 seeds to arrive at 50 seedlings.

A new community garden in Mooroolbark

There is a new community garden in Mooroolbark, at the corner of Station and Charles streets. They did some initial planting on Saturday (see photo). More information will follow in due course but in the meantime here is an article from the Mt Evelyn Star Mail.

A new food swap in Kew East

On the 2nd Saturday each month, 10-11am. At Willsmere Station Community Garden, corner Willsmere Road & Carnegie Avenue, Kew East, Victoria, 3102. Congratulations to newsletter reader Tahlia Sleeman and colleagues at the community garden for setting this up.

There are now 33 regular, active food swaps in North East Melbourne. See the map on our website.

Yes, you did know!

In the last (9th August) newsletter, Judith Cooke asked for advice about organic suggestions for dealing with black aphids on alliums. Here are the responses:

Angelo Eliades: Black aphids on onion family plants can be difficult to get rid of if pest controls aren’t used correctly. Aphids breed very quickly and can produce offspring every few days, so the schedule for spraying horticultural oil (such as Eco Oil) needs to be quite frequent to break their breeding cycle. For aphids, apply two sprays, 3-5 days apart, preferably 3 days apart in this case, and repeat up to 3 sprays over a 4-8 week period. The application rate of horticultural oil for aphids is approximately 5ml/litre of water. To increase the effectiveness of this controls, hose off the plants the next day after spraying using a moderate pressure jet of water that’s strong enough to blast the pests away while not damaging the plants. The combination of these controls used over a 9 day period should eliminate any aphid problem.

Pam Jenkins: I used white oil a couple of times with little success. I then added in drenching the plants in used washing up water daily for a few days between sprays. No sign of the aphids now.

Pauline Webb: I gave my garlic chives with black aphids a dose of Seasol last week to (surprisingly) find none a few days later. I had done similar a couple of months earlier to no avail. Good timing? Luck?

Richard Kottek: I have sadly found out over the years that, once a garden or site has been infected, that is the end of the story with growing alliums. The only thing I have found is to grow alternatives such as European wild garlic (an edible garlic flavoured herb), society garlic, asafoetida or (as an onion alternative) onion weed.

Do you want?

Richard Smith, who lives in Cheltenham East, has a dwarf Jonathan apple tree to give away. First come, first served. Contact Richard by phone (0432 085 271) or email (brookys_4@hotmail.com).

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Nick Rose on urban agriculture. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

An audio recording of previous episodes is available on their website.

Bits and pieces

Warrandyte Food Swap’s 8th birthday!

Warrandyte Food Swap’s 8th birthday was last Saturday. They have written in to say that they “had a great swap with lots of fantastic local produce, a cake to share and a hamper that was raffled off to one lucky winner.” See the photo right.

Entries for the 2023 Eltham Wine Show are now open

The 2023 wine show will be on Sunday, 19th November. Entries are now open and will close on 20th October. Download the entry form as either a word document or in pdf format.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During August, the cooking teams were Karinya Counselling Centre & Syndal Community Care, The Blackburn Lions, The Mitcham Baptists and Tulsi’s Crew (see photo right). Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

An SGA lawn survey

Sustainable Gardening Australia are undertaking a very brief (1 minute) survey of what people use their lawns for and how many are pulling them out. They would appreciate any responses from newsletter readers. Complete the survey.

Some videos for you to watch

Yarra Valley ECOSS, who are based in Wesburn, has published a 2-minute video about one of their initiatives called Pollination Place.

Simone Boyd, from the online veggie seed shop, Heirloom Naturally, has published a 9-minute video on how to plant rhubarb crowns.

What seeds to plant in September

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

Cucurbits

Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Rockmelon
Watermelon
Zucchini
Other warm season veggies

Basil
Beans
Capsicum
Chilli
Eggplant
Sweetcorn
Tomato
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Rocket
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish
Other veggies

Asparagus
Celery
Chives
Coriander
Globe artichoke
Leeks
Rhubarb
Spring onions

 
It’s Spring time! Time to get planting! I try and plant all my warm season veggie seeds in September – that way, if they fail to germinate, I can try again in October.

Read Helen Simpson’s articles on our website about growing basil, chillies, cucurbits, tomatoes and Spring veggie garden preparation more generally.

Read Robin Gale-Baker’s articles on our website about growing eggplants & capsicums and tomatoes.

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

People who say that their wedding day was the best day ever have obviously never had two Kit Kats fall out of a vending machine.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be at Eltham Farmers’ Market, where their topic of the month will be Queensland Fruit Fly, with a talk and trap-making demonstration 10-11am.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Insects – their importance and value in your garden; Tuesday, 12th September, 6.30-7.30pm; $28 ($28 per hour); online

Denis Crawford will show you how to avoid plant damage without killing all the insects and thus how to manage insects to create improved garden health and biodiversity. This session is being organised by Sustainable Gardening Australia, who organise regular online sessions on gardening matters.

The everlasting gardener; Saturday, 23rd September, 10am-3pm; $125 ($25 per hour); Edendale

This workshop will introduce you to some simple ways of reminding your body to move easily and safely in your garden. Explore the movements involved in gardening tasks like; weeding, shovelling, pruning, lifting, digging, pushing a wheelbarrow or mower and relieving residual stress. Discover the ‘less pain, more gain’ approach. Presenter and Feldenkrais practitioner: Jenni Evans.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Introduction to permaculture (2 sessions); on Saturdays 9th and 16th September, both 10am-3pm; $150 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

Learn permaculture fundamentals in this hands-on course, combining concepts and practices of sustainability, gardening, horticulture, ecology, community development and design thinking. Participants can expect a combination of permaculture concepts and practical applications. and they will be encouraged to apply their learning to their own lives (household, community, neighbourhood, etc).

Community meal sharing; Thursday, 21st September, 11.30am-12.30pm; free; Balwyn.

Kylie Ryan from Boroondara Cooks will discuss the ins and outs of their community meal sharing program. Learn how this service is helping feed the community.

Irrigation and water management (2 sessions); on Saturday, 23rd September, 10am-2pm and Sunday, 24th September, 10am-3pm; $359 ($40 per hour); Bundoora and Bellfield.

Geoff Connellan will deep dive into identifying limitations, opportunities and considerations when it comes to water management and growing crops. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Watering your garden workshop; Saturday, 23rd September, 2.30-4.30pm; $47 ($24 per hour); Bundoora.

Geoff Connellan will discuss: how to best set up your at-home irrigation system; how to access your water quality; at what time of the day it is best to water; and how much water to give your plants. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Women’s health – how nutrition can improve hormone health; Tuesday, 26th September, 7-8pm; free; Richmond.

Nina Trinquet and Jenny Cameron will discuss the role of nutrition in balancing hormones, particularly as it relates to women’s common health conditions such as PCOS, heavy painful periods, endometriosis and menopause. Organised by Green Karma.

Buzzing around; Thursday, 28th September, 11am-midday; free; Edendale.

For children aged 3-8. The child will need to be accompanied by a supervising adult. Through dance, art, observation and play, the children will discover how the honey bees live their busy lives. They will play with props to understand how bees collect nectar, make wax and honey and look after their babies. They will learn the bees’ famous waggle dance and find out how well the bees work together.

Spoil to soil; Monday, 9th October, 9.30am-12.30pm; free; Brunswick.

Harness the power of your kitchen and garden spoils by turning it into free, nutrient-rich fertiliser for your plants. Learn about small and large space composting options, plus how to build a DIY worm farm. Presenter: Melissa Houselander. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Rosés from around the world; Tuesday, 10th October, 6-8pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Abbotsford.

Jenny Polack will take you on a tour around the world by trying rosés from Austria, Australia (Victoria), Croatia, France (Provence) Lebanon and Slovenia.

Urban food gardening (10 sessions); on consecutive Fridays, starting 13th October, 9.30am-1.30pm; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The course will cover such topics as: growing in pots, raised beds, wicking beds and no-dig gardens; site analysis and design considerations; re-generating soil health and fertility; seasonal planning and crop rotation; companion planting and beneficial insects; upcycling waste through composting and worm farms; propagating plants from seed and cuttings; saving seed; and natural pest and weed management. Presenter: Melissa Houselander. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Your happy vegetable garden memory turned to art; Sunday, 15th October, 1.30-3.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Go and share your stories of your happiest vegetable garden memory. Bring a photo of your memory if you have one to show. They will then use your stories to make some art facilitated by Kitty Harrison from The Curved House. Paint your own pot and plant some herbs to take home.

Awara open garden; Sunday, 22nd October, 10-11.30am; $20 ($14 per hour); Pascoe Vale South.

Join Leila Alexandra, from Barefoot Food Gardens, on a tour of her 840m2 rental property. Leila will discuss how the lawn was transformed into a productive paradise, and the philosophy of forage gardening and how it translates in practice. Enjoy a chat and garden tea post tour.

DIY mushrooms; Sunday, 22nd October, 10am-4pm; $175 ($29 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.

Watch it grow; Tuesday, 24th October, 4-5pm; free; Edendale.

For children accompanied by a parent or guardian. Your child will learn all about: what a seed needs to grow; the environmental benefits of growing some of your own food; and why worms are such amazing creatures when it comes to recycling food waste and creating quality soil. Visit the Edendale veggie gardens, worm farms and compost areas. The children will also get to plant a seed in a biodegradable pot that they can take home with them.

In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Bliss ball treats with Liana; Wednesday, 13th September, 10-11.30am; free; Montrose.

Liana will show you how to make bliss balls.

Milk kefir magic; Thursday, 14th September, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Cooking with bean curd; Friday, 15th September, 6-8pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Forest Hill.

Explore a wide range of soybean curd products, including tofu and fermented soybeans. Hui will guide you through the world of vegetarian cooking, sharing insights on how to embrace a plant-based diet while ensuring you get all the essential nutrients you need.

Cookie decorating; Wednesday, 20th September, 3-5pm; free; Coburg.

For 12-17 year olds. Join Lori and Vanessa in some fun cookie decoration.

All day art day – feeling fruity fantastic; Friday, 22nd September, 9.30am-3.15pm; $89 ($15 per hour); Forest Hill.

For children aged 6–12. The children will whip up apple dumplings in the cooking session, create a fantastic fruity collage and a fruit themed recycled paper pencil holder. Take a snack lunch, hat, sunscreen and smock/apron.

Junior chefs – main course; Monday, 25th September, midday-3pm; $5; Hawthorn.

For young people in High school. Gnocchi is on the menu and chefs are welcome to take home any leftovers.

Junior chefs – desserts; Wednesday, 27th September, midday-3pm; $5; Hawthorn.

For young people in High school. Cookies are on the dessert menu and chefs are welcome to take home any leftovers.

The basics of pickling (2 sessions); on Sundays 1st and 8th October, each 11am-2pm; $74 ($12 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn the art of pickling, both non-fermented (quick-pickle) and fermented. Learn about the history, significance, and health benefits of pickling. Experiment with fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices, and create unique fermented pickle recipes.

Jaclyn Crupi – pasta love; Wednesday, 4th October, 6.30-8pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Jaclyn Crupi’s book Pasta Love is a celebration of pasta and the people who make it. Unlock the secrets of starchy salty pasta cooking water, hear stories of the Italian grandmothers that Jaclyn has made pasta with, and learn their pasta-making ways. Jaclyn will demonstrate how to make a semola rimacinata flour and water pasta dough and then shape it into cavatelli, orecchiette, fusilli al ferretto, lorighittas and more.

More than a loaf of bread; Saturday, 7th October, 10am-12.30pm; $51 ($20 per hour); Brunswick.

Interested in learning how to bake grissini, English muffins and pita (pocket) bread? Michael and Therese Slee will discuss the versatility of basic bread dough. You will be provided with the dough, which will have risen overnight, ready for shaping and baking. The session will end with a taste test, where participants will sample their creations accompanied with butter, dips, cheeses and vegemite. Take a container for your fresh baked goods. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Herbal tea workshop with Monique; Saturday, 7th October, 10.30-11.45am; $59 ($47 per hour); Northcote.

The workshop will include: a discussion of the benefits and indications of different herbs to help you understand more about plant medicine and its effects; you choosing from this range of organic herbs to create a blend that’s suited to your tastes; and brewing your teas to enjoy together. You will receive: an amber jar to take your tea home in; the chance to taste different tea blends; and 20% off a Naturopathic Consultation with Monique (valid for 3 months).

Cooking with your grandkids; Tuesday, 10th October, 11am-12.30pm; $10; Hurstbridge.

For a grandparent and their grandchild/ren. There will be a dietitian-led cooking lesson where you learn about the nutritional value of what you are cooking. Then eat what you have cooked together.

Cooking from the pantry (9 sessions); on 9 consecutive Tuesdays from 10th October, 9.30am-midday; $50 ($2 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This is a cooking course that will develop your basic skills and confidence around the preparation of food. Taste test your creations and share a meal at the end of each class. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 12th October, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Sourdough bread making; Sunday, 15th October, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John.

FFS … ferment four staples; Sunday, 15th October, 11.30am-4.30pm; $425 ($85 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

Cooking with your grandkids; Tuesday, 17th October, 11am-12.30pm; $10; Box Hill.

For a grandparent and their grandchild/ren. There will be a dietitian-led cooking lesson where you learn about the nutritional value of what you are cooking. Then eat what you have cooked together.

Kombucha / Jun M.O.B.; Thursday, 19th October, 6.30-8.30pm; $150 ($75 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will demonstrate how to feed your mother/SCOBY (choose between kombucha or jun). You will then flavour your own batch ready for second phase fermentation using fruits, herbs and spices. Take home your selected SCOBY and your personally flavoured bottle of kombucha/jun. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Croquembouche workshop; Saturday, 21st October, 1.30-5.30pm; $134 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Vegan chocolate making; Sunday, 22nd October, 10-11.30am; $80 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

Start by unravelling the story of cocoa butter. Then delve into the intricacies of chocolate making, from melting and mixing the perfect blend of ingredients to mastering the art of setting. Presenter: Tina Gelberidis.

Three ways with red curry paste; Sunday, 22nd October, 10.30am-3pm; $190 ($42 per hour); Panton Hill.

You will make your own red curry paste from scratch, then use it to cook three very distinct dishes: as a stir fry to make a dry Choo Chee fish curry (pumpkin for vegetarian substitution); without dry spices to make a sour orange curry using fresh fish, bamboo, snake beans and tomatoes; and with dry spices, coconut cream and ground cashews to make the creamy Gaeng Paenang curry made with your choice of chicken or traditional pork. Skills learned will include how to use a traditional mortar and pestle, the use of stock for deglazing, how to dry roast and grind your own spices and how to use a wok. At the end, team your lunch with a fresh Asian salad and rice, a local wine and beer and enjoy a shared feast. Go home with your own curry paste. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Sunday, 22nd October, 11am-2pm; $86 ($29 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) & pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas. Organised by Platform 3095.

Finger foods to make at home; Tuesday, 24th October, 6-8.30pm; $65 ($26 per hour); Hawthorn.

Learn to make a set of small, tasty treats and share them with a glass of wine at the conclusion of class. While waiting for the blinis, tartlets and dumplings to cook, run through an extensive list of easy things to wow your guests. Take home whatever doesn’t get gobbled up throughout the class! Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Cooking for one; Tuesday, 24th October, 7-8.30pm; free; Eltham.

Learn some delicious and healthy recipes for one from Julia from Green Karma. Do you find yourself accumulating leftovers in your fridge that end up in the trash before they can get used? Are you wasting food that could be re-purposed into another meal? Julia will show you some economical and sustainable recipes which are perfect for one, like sushi, veggie pancakes and curry.

In September
In October
Regular classes

LFC News August 9 2023

Aug 082023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Celesta Van der Paal, Erica Hoggett, Fay Loveland, Jo Townsend, Judith Cooke and Reşat Sürücü.

Worm farming (by Celesta Van der Paal)

I have been inspired by Jian Lui’s enthusiasm for worm farms.

The photo right shows four trays of compost made in only 10 weeks, and that’s during the coldest months of the year. I’ve recycled all my soft food scraps over that time and the only food that has not decomposed are pumpkin seeds.

I had used a Tumbleweed worm factory many years ago, but it was so slow. It worked, but it took six months to make one tray of vermicompost. I have a lot of food scraps and a large garden so I need a constant supply of the good stuff. I had a re-think. I collected more information and took onboard tips from Felicity Gordon and Hannah Maloney’s composting guide in her book The good life, how to grow a better world.

Now I have three worm farms with happy worms that churn through all my soft food scraps every two weeks, creating several trays of sweet fluffy compost every two months.

Here’s what I do.

I prioritise warmth because I want to speed up metabolism. The boxes are placed facing a north easterly aspect, with complete protection from the westerly sun from early afternoon onwards.

I have two green waste bins in my kitchen, one for soft fruit and veggie scraps, and one for tough or solid scraps (e.g. avocado stones, citrus peel, corn cobs). The tough food scraps go in the green bin. The soft scraps get processed for the worm farms. As I consume or prepare food, I chop the soft scraps into small pieces about the size of a 20 cent coin and store them in a small bin. When I have enough scraps to fill a pasta pot, I chuck it in the pot, fill with water and bring to the boil. Immediately I turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. I then spread a layer of soft scraps in each worm farm tray and pour in some of the cooking water. The boiling process softens the scraps just enough to speed up the decomposition process in the trays, and the worms love it. I always add a hand spade of gritty soil with each layer of food. Chopping your food into smaller pieces takes less than a minute to do but it makes a huge difference in accelerating the time that it takes to produce vermicompost.

I always use coconut coir for the tray bedding and I top up with coir as I go.

Some community pantry guidelines

As you will know from previous newsletters, there are lots of ‘community pantries’ dotted around North East Melbourne, where these pantries are cupboards full of food which are open to whoever needs food, accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and require no appointments. There is usually a voluntary organisation which provides much of the food but the typical philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well. Our website has the details about 17 of these pantries.

One such pantry is the Albert Street Community Cupboard, which is at 331 Albert Street, Brunswick and is managed by SEEDs Communal Garden. They have produced a useful set of guidelines about what donations they will accept, namely:

  • Non-perishable foods that are:
    • Labelled in original packaging (including ingredients/allergens).
    • Unused and unopened.
    • Within use by date and within 6 months of best before date.
  • Fresh produce that is:
    • Whole/not cut.
    • Not mouldy or rotting.
    • Does not need refrigerating.

Incidentally, another service provided by the SEEDs Communal Garden.is a community compost hub which provides 24 hour community access for people to drop off their food waste. They also offer a pickup service for local businesses looking for a solution for bigger amounts of food waste. They process the contributed food waste through a variety of systems, including hot composting, worm farms and an industrial
food waste dehydrator. This reduces the amount of food waste going to landfill as well as feeding the communal garden.

Another local repair cafe

The Whitehorse repair cafe will be on the 2nd Saturday of each month, 10am-midday, at Strathdon House, 449-465 Springvale Road, Forest Hill. Just turn up – no need to book. Have a look at their website. Email them.

That makes a total of 12 local repair cafes that are discussed on our website.

Do you know?

Judith Cooke asks: “We have black aphids attacking our garlic and spring onions in our community garden in West Brunswick. We have hosed and sprayed with white oil to no avail. Any organic suggestions?” Email your replies to me (Guy).

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

An audio recording of last week’s episode (Chelsea McNab on ECOSS and food security in the Yarra Valley) is available on their website.

The next few episodes will feature: Erin Goedhart on backyard food growing (13th August); Olwyn Smiley on insects in the garden (20th August); and Dan Milne on water in living systems (27th August). Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Another video from Thanh Truong

Melbourne-based fruiterer Thanh Truong’s videos are always worth watching. His latest video is about how to choose, store and eat broccoli.

Garlic dip (by Reşat Sürücü)

This recipe is by Reşat Sürücü, who lives in Coburg. It was first published in the August edition of Whittlesea Council’s Living Green newsletter. Read the Living Green newsletters and/or sign up to receive them.

Ingredients

6 medium carrots / around 500g-ish, grated
olive oil
200-300g Greek-style yoghurt
1 garlic clove, crushed (or more if you like things garlic-y)
pinch of salt

Method

In a frying pan, cook the carrots in ½ tablespoon of olive oil, until just softened.

Turn off the heat and add the crushed garlic, stir through and leave to cool.

Once cool, add the yoghurt slowly, tasting to get the balance of flavours and consistency to your liking.

Add salt to taste.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Chloe Thomson’s YouTube channel.

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

“Make me one with everything,” said the Buddhist to the tofu hot dog vendor. Then, after getting his tofu hot dog, the Buddhist hands the vendor a $20 bill. The vendor takes the money and begins helping the next customer.

The Buddhist looks puzzled and asks the vendor, “Where is my change?”

The vendor replies, “Change comes from within.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be at Eltham Farmers’ Market, where their topics of the month will be a) Queensland Fruit Fly and b) re-use and re-purposing (so take along your paper coffee cups so that they can be re-purposed as pots).

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Various free workshops at Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm

Thursday, 17th August, 2-3pm – seasonal planting. Thursday, 24th August, 2-3pm – constructions and support making for climbing plants. Thursday, 7th September, 2-3pm – edible flowers. Thursday, 14th September, 2-3pm – growing from seed. At 70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East. Just turn up.

Not food-related but interesting

A concert of songs and stories of friendship; Sunday, 13th August, starting 3.30pm; $20 ($8 per hour); Preston.

All of Us (who used to be called Sophie’s Choir) are a choir who regular perform at Eltham Farmers’ Market. At this concert, the music will include: an ode to earthly pleasure by King Henry VIII; an offering from Nick Cave; Missy Higgins’s stirring story of her love for her sister; the fiery passion of a Monteverdi madrigal; and songs inspired by Tolkien’s sagas and Tiffany Eckhardt’s dog.

The everlasting gardener (4 sessions); 4 consecutive Wednesdays, starting 23rd August, 7.30-9pm; $145 ($24 per hour); Edendale.

This workshop will introduce you to some simple ways of reminding your body to move easily and safely in your garden. Explore the movements involved in gardening tasks like; weeding, shoveling, pruning, lifting, digging, pushing a wheelbarrow or mower and relieving residual stress. Discover the ‘less pain, more gain’ approach. Presenter and Feldenkrais practitioner: Jenni Evans.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Fruit tree pruning workshop; Thursday, 10th August, 4-5pm; free; Heidelberg West.

Yuki Cameron will take you through the ins and outs of pruning both young and mature fruit trees so that you can maintain, shape, minimise disease and maximise fruit production on your deciduous fruit trees. Organised by Buna Reserve Community Garden.

Mooroolbark Community Garden grand opening weekend; Saturday, 2nd September, 10am-4pm; free; Mooroolbark.

There will be a sausage sizzle, raffles and an opportunity to meet the people who made it all possible.

Spring/Poorneet pruning workshop; Sunday, 17th September, 10am-12.30pm; $21 ($8 per hour); Preston.

You will learn how to: carry out formative pruning to shape young trees; maintenance prune to maintain the size of established trees; and renovation prune to tidy up overgrown trees and reduce their size. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Kids composting workshop; Tuesday, 26th September, 10-11am; free; Doncaster.

Aimed at primary and secondary school aged children. Go along and learn how to compost, worm farm and bokashi to help reduce food waste. Learn some of the science behind composting, fun facts about worms and become an expert at indoor composting. Meet some real live worms and learn some tips to boost their breeding and appetite.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 30th September, 10.30am-1pm; $135 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms. This hands-on, beginners workshop will cover basic oyster mushroom growing. It will be 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 prepared during the workshop, plus 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).

Growing nutrient dense food; Sunday, 1st October, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

This workshop will introduce you to growing better quality, nutrient rich produce at home even if you only have a tiny growing space. It will include: selecting your crops; transforming your soil by focusing on the soil food web; an introduction to soil minerals and going beyond NPK; creating nutrient rich composts; fertilising your plants for maximum nutrition; and harvesting and preparing produce to maintain nutrients. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Urban foraging 101; Saturday, 7th October, 10am-midday; free; South Morang.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will discuss the basics of urban foraging, including: ID notes on a range of common edible flowers, fruits & leafy greens; the ins and outs of being an ethical forager; a checklist of commonly found plants in Victoria; a taste-test of a few foraged-food snacks; and suggestions on areas you may like to try out your new knowledge.

Marketing your product; Saturday, 7th October, 10am-2pm; $125 ($31 per hour); Northcote.

This workshop is part of Farmer Incubator’s Pop Up Garlic Farmer course. You will receive an introduction to food marketing and an exploration of the many ways to sell your food product, including how to have an effective farmers’ market stall, the experience of a small farm selling direct to retailers & restaurants and the benefits of value-adding. This workshop will take place in a restaurant and you can purchase your own food on the day. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Edible weeds walk; two occurrences on Saturday, 7th October at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Growing food at home (10 sessions); Consecutive Thursdays from 12th October, 9.30am-1pm; $93 ($3 per hour); Heidelberg West.

With a focus on small urban spaces, participants will gain the knowledge and skills to plan and maintain an abundant year-round productive garden. The course will cover such topics as: site assessment and design considerations; growing in pots, containers, raised and in-ground garden beds; soil types, testing and amendments; building and sustaining soil health; cultivating plants and maintaining the garden; seasonal planning and crop rotation; companion planting and beneficial insects; organic and natural methods to manage pests and weeds; various methods to recycle waste and make compost, including worm farming; propagating plants from seeds and cuttings; and collecting, saving and storing seeds. Organised by Olympic Neighbourhood House.

Growing great tomatoes; Saturday, 14th October, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: choosing varieties; garden set-up; and common problems. Presenter: Carol Henderson. Topics to be covered include: how to choose which tomato varieties to grow; whether to grow from seed or seedling, in pots, raised beds or directly into soil; when and how to plant and tips for success; training growth with stakes, cages or string vs free range; pros and cons of pruning and how to do it; preventing common problems; feeding; and crop rotation.

Edible weeds walk; two occurrences on Saturday, 14th October at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Composting, worm farming and Bokashi; Saturday, 14th October, 1.30-2.30pm; free; Ringwood.

Learn about three home composting systems: traditional compost, worm farm and bokashi. Discover which system best suits your household, learn the basics of setting up each system, as well as some dos and don’ts for each one.

Composting, worm farming and Bokashi workshop; Tuesday, 17th October, 10.30am-midday; free; Bayswater North.

Cultivating Community will discuss: the differences between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ composting; how to set up a compost bin, worm farm system and Bokashi bin; and the differences between these three systems & how they can each benefit your garden.

In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Kombucha workshop; Tuesday, 22nd August, 6-7.30pm; $35 ($24 per hour); Hawthorn.

Jennifer will take you through the process of making fermented tea with your SCOBY and have samples of different flavour combinations for you to try. You will learn about first and second ferments and will take home your own SCOBY to get you first brew going at home. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Inner peas – cooking program (4 sessions); on consecutive Thursdays, starting 31st August, each 4.30-6pm.; free; Hawthorn.

Inner Peas is a social cooking program for people aged 16-25. The program aims to help you make easy, healthy and affordable recipes as well as make new friends and learn strategies to take care of your mental health. Each week you will make and then share a meal. Week 1: Mexican. Week 2: Indian. Week 3: Italian. Week 4: Korean.

Fermenting vegetables for beginners with Jen Willis; Thursday, 5th October, 7.30-9.30pm; free; Macleod.

Jen Willis will discuss the basics of fermenting vegetables and the difference between pickling, canning and fermenting vegetables to preserve them. You will take home a jar of fermented vegetables.

Sourdough; Saturday, 7th October, 10.30am-1.30pm; $130 ($43 per hour); Kinglake.

The Fermented Mumma will break down this traditional bread making method into simple easy-to-follow steps. You will take home a ready-to-bake sourdough as well as instructions, a jar of bubbly starter (natural yeast), a proving basket and ongoing online support. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Handmade sobagaki workshop with Rieko Hayashi; Saturday, 7th October, 11am-1pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Sobagaki is a form of soba, with the same ingredients as soba noodles – similar in some ways to gnocchi in a way but made with buckwheat flour. Watch Rieko Hayashi make soba noodles, and then make the dough and shape your own sobagaki. Rieko will also teach you how to eat this meal.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Monday, 9th October, 6-8.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach and brinjal moju (eggplant) alongside Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you’ll sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Food storage workshop with Open Table; Saturday, 14th October, 2-4pm; free; Carlton.

Learn how best to store your food to make it last longer. Presenters: Open Table.

Soft fresh cheese making including goats cheese; Sunday, 15th October, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make: fresh curd, chevre, quark, ashed chevre and fig/vine leaf wrapped fresh cheese. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News August 2 2023

Aug 012023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Celesta Van der Paal, Chloe Thomson, Douglas Bell, Eve Fraser, Jaimie Sweetman and Rebecca Bester.

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

You may know yerba mate as an ingredient in many tea blends and its caffeinated leaves have been used for centuries to make a drink similar to black tea. First consumed by indigenous Guaraní people in Paraguay, it is now a popular drink in many South American countries.

This evergreen tree will not grow well outdoors in Melbourne but it will do well inside in a lit up room with consistent watering and looks quite nice as an indoor plant. We have ours in a hot house, where it has been growing quite happily for a couple years and is now getting big enough to harvest.

They do not mind a good prune and this can be simply done by harvesting leaves for cups of tea. They like fertile soil so, if growing in a potting mix, they will benefit from regular feedings.

In summary, this tree can be an indoor plant which both looks good and is useful, providing a great alternative to normal caffeinated drinks.

Read about more of Jaimie’s unusual edible plants on our website.

Yes, you did know!

What to top dress garlic with

Last week, Jennie Ramage asked what she should top dress her garlic with. We only got one reply but, as it was from Angelo Eliades, that’s actually enough!

Here is Angelo’s response: “With top-dressing, the idea is that, as a top-up feed, you sprinkle a small amount of the same fertiliser that was originally used in the main feed, and then water it in. With garlic, this would mean adding some more of the same fertiliser that you used when you planted the garlic.

“Top-dressing is a traditional practice but, in my opinion, is not a sound practice these days. Fertilisers need to be incorporated (mixed) into the soil so that the soil organisms can break them down and slowly release the nutrients in a form available to the plants. If fertilisers are left on the soil surface then the nitrogen in the fertiliser will volatise into the atmosphere and be lost. Furthermore, only highly soluble, and therefore very fast acting, synthetic chemical fertilisers can be sprinkled and watered in, and organic gardeners don’t use such fertilisers. If they are used, plants are force-fed while taking up water and, if used on garlic at the late stages of development, the high levels of soluble nitrogen will promote (force) green growth at the expense of bulbs, resulting in lots of garlic leaves at the top, and disappointingly small bulbs below the soil.

“Rather, if you want to do something, my suggestion is that you either lightly dig in some organic fertiliser into the soil or place it under the mulch (if such mulch exists).”

How to keep rats out

Last week, Vicki Jordan asked what hole size in a wire fence would allow bees and other pollinators in but keep rats out.

Douglas Bell: “After a lot of trial and error, the only way that I have succeeded in keeping out rats is to have a structure fully enclosed in aviary mesh with an aperture size of 12½ by 12.5½mm (see photo right). The bees pass through it easily. I use mesh where the wires are 0.7mm in diameter because the 1.24 mm thickness mesh is much harder to work with, more expensive and (in my garden) unnecessary. I dig a 10-12 cm trench around the border and set the mesh in the bottom of it, curved outwards to stop rats and rabbits burrowing underneath.”

Angelo Eliades: “Generally, rats can squeeze through any gap or hole that is larger than their head, and a rat’s skull is around 15-20mm in width, so they can fit through surprisingly small openings around 20-25mm in diameter or wider. The mesh size of any wire has to be smaller than that to keep them out.”

Newsletter reader tip – kiwifruit is in season

Celesta Van der Paal has written in to remind people that kiwifruit are currently in season in Melbourne. There aren’t many local kiwifruit growers but one such is Rayner’s Orchards in Woori Yallock. They are currently selling their kiwifruit for $6/kg in 1kg packs in their shop and the fruit should continue to be available until mid September. Their shop is at 60 Schoolhouse Road, Woori Yallock and is open 7 days a week, 9am-4pm.

Not food-related by interesting

Newsletter reader, Chloe Thomson, has started producing videos about selected Melbourne home gardens. The series is called Behind the garden gate and is being published on YouTube.

There are 5 in the series thus far, each featuring a garden in a different suburb of North East Melbourne: Alphington, Park Orchards, Preston, Reservoir and West Brunswick.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

An audio recording of last week’s episode (Dan Milne on water in living systems) is available on their website.

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Chelsea McNab talking about ECOSS and food security in the Yarra Valley. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream. You can also email the host, Ann Stanley, at localfoodconnectionsradio@gmail.com

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During July, the cooking teams were Belmore Road Church of Christ, Freeman & friends, Grace Church, One Community Church and Vermont PS. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Another article from Leaf, Root & Fruit

Duncan Cocking has published the 6th and 7th articles in his 37-part(!) series of articles on establishing a vegetable patch from scratch:

Some free, online magazines

FYI, all editions of ABC Organic Gardener, Better Homes and Gardens Australia and Gardening Australia (and many other magazines) are available for free from many libraries, including Boroondara Library Service, Eastern Regional Libraries, Moreland City Libraries, Whitehorse Manningham Libraries and Yarra Plenty Regional Library. Access is via something called ‘Overdrive’ if using a computer or via an app called ‘Libby’ if using a phone. So, for example, yprl.overdrive.com/library/magazines is the link to Overdrive on the Yarra Plenty Regional Library website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Sustainable Macleod online shop.

As you will know from last week’s newsletter, the Sustainable Macleod online shop currently offers a range of Queensland Fruit Fly control products (Wild May, lure bottles and netting) at cost price. The online shop is managed by Paul and Robin Gale-Baker and I (Guy) would like to take this opportunity to thank them for this and their other significant contributions to the local food movement. In this particular case, they had to interrupt their holiday in Queensland to add the items to the shop in time for the newsletter being distributed. Thanks Paul and Robin!

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

An eight-year old boy had never spoken a word. One afternoon, as he sat eating his lunch, he turned to his mother and said, “The soup is cold.”

His astonished mother exclaimed, “Son, I’ve waited so long to hear you speak. But all these years you never said a thing. Why haven’t you spoken before?”

The boy looked at her and replied, “Up until now, everything has been satisfactory.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

As may know from previous newsletters, Farm Raiser, who are an urban farm based in Bellfield, have a farmgate stall on Fridays 10am-2pm and Saturdays 9am-midday, opposite 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield. They now sell bread, milk, seasonal fruit and preserves as well as veggies. These farmgate stalls have been added to the website calendar and also to the list below.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not explicitly food-related but interesting

Waste busters; 2nd Thursday of each month, 10.30-11.30am; free; Mount Evelyn

This is a group to inspire, encourage and support you to make changes to reduce your waste. Share ideas, brainstorm solutions and hear from guest speakers. Organised by Mount Evelyn Community House.

What to do about waste?; Thursday, 31st August, 10.30-11.30am; free; Mount Evelyn

Join Yarra Ranges Council’s Waste Education Officer to learn more about the council’s waste and recycling collections. Learn about ways to reduce your waste, ask questions and find out more about changes currently happening to the waste collections. Organised by Mount Evelyn Community House.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Rachel’s Farm (film premier); Sunday, 6th August, 2-4.30pm; $25; Hawthorn East.

Film director and actress Rachel Ward is also a farmer. Her film Rachel’s Farm provides insight into her voyage from wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture to embracing a movement to restore the health of Australia’s farmland, food and climate. Here’s the trailer. Following the film, there will be a Q&A with Rachel Ward together with Dani Valent, Joost Bakker, Maree Lowes and Monique Ryan.

Rachel’s Farm (film premier); Sunday, 6th August, 4-6.30pm; $24; Carlton.

Film director and actress Rachel Ward is also a farmer. Her film Rachel’s Farm provides insight into her voyage from wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture to embracing a movement to restore the health of Australia’s farmland, food and climate. Here’s the trailer. Following the film, there will be a Q&A with Rachel Ward together with Cinnamon Evans, Joanna Lauder, Joost Bakker and Paul Sinclair.

Composting workshop; Saturday, 19th August, 1-2.30pm; free; Forest Hill.

Adam Grubb, from Very Edible Gardens, will discuss which compost system is right for you plus how to problem solve and manage your system.

Cultivating Community workshop; Saturday, 9th September, midday-2pm; free; Carlton.

Learn about all matters related to growing food, food waste, composting and the circular economy.

Introduction to growing microgreens; Sunday, 24th September, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); Preston.

You will learn: how CERES produces certified organic microgreens for wholesale in Preston; how to grow pea shoots, radish, and sunflower sprouts at home; and how to plan for a continuous supply of these. Presenter: Jess Holland.

Farming for our future (ages 5 to 8); Tuesday, 26th September, 10am-midday; free; CERES.

This workshop for children aged 5-8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore Honey Lane Organic Farm and meet some chickens. Make a recycled pot and propagate your own plant to take home.

Farm to fork (ages 3 to 5); Wednesday, 27th September, 1-3pm; free; CERES.

This workshop for children aged 3-5 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore the CERES market garden and visit the chickens and bees. Learn how to turn food waste into healthy soil for plants with help from worms. Learn how to safely plant seeds into soil and care for them as they grow.

In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 6th September, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Preserving and drying citrus; Thursday, 21st September, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Learn how to make the most of your excess citrus through preserving or drying.

Family miso soup ball making with Rieko Hayashi; Saturday, 23rd September, 10am-midday; $35 ($18 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own little, ready to eat miso balls and take home a container of 12 of them to pop into your fridge or even freeze. End the session with a warm bowl of miso soup. Presenter: Rieko Hayashi.

Introduction to fermenting at home; Sunday, 24th September, 10am-1pm; $80 ($27 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; samples of fermented products to taste in class; and notes and recipes. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

No waste cooking workshop; Wednesday, 27th September, 10-11.30am; free; Bayswater North.

Join them for an educational cooking experience that focuses on simple ways to reduce household food waste. Be inspired to get creative with vegetable scraps, odds and ends and excess seasonal produce, as well as picking up some money-saving tips and tricks. Presenter: Open Table.

In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 26 2023

Jul 262023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Gayle Parkes, Hong Van Pham, Judith Chivers, Marcela Santos, Megan Goodman, Nathacha Subero, Robin Gale-Baker, Tania Rostan and Vicki Jordan.

Begin your Queensland Fruit Fly prevention strategy now! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Now is the time to begin your campaign against Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF). Don’t delay! This pest is the scourge of fruit and vegetable growers throughout the northern suburbs and without doubt will extend its reach this season. The good news is that, after a number of years trying to achieve QFF free fruit and veggies, the Sustainable Macleod Community Garden did so last season. QFF was present – caught in lures and traps – but no produce was infested.

Here’s how it was done:

  • August: all leftover fruit still on trees was removed (excluding citrus).
  • August onwards: Wild May lures were placed in fruit trees. The males are attracted to these and indicate the presence of QFF. Check them weekly and top them up.
  • September onwards: Ceratraps were hung in trees. Ceratraps are a protein trap that attracts males and females. Ceratraps last 3-4 months depending on climate before needing replenishment. Check them weekly to see if you have caught any QFF.
  • September onwards: the temperature at sunset was monitored. QFF mate at sunset when it is 16degC or warmer. When this temperature occurs, it is an indicator that QFF may soon emerge and lay eggs.
  • As soon as flowers on fruit trees were pollinated by bees and other pollinators, the trees were netted with 2mm x 2mm insect netting which was weighted down around the hem. This included all citrus. All vegetables were netted when planted as most are self-fertile, and weighted down around the hem. (It may be necessary to hand pollinate eggplant, chillies and capsicums).
  • Any fallen fruit was microwaved and disposed of in the waste bin twice weekly. None was put in the compost!

At Sustainable Macleod, we favour netting as our primary strategy. If QFF cannot get to the produce then they cannot harm it. We use the lures and traps as back-up and as indicators of whether or not QFF is actually present.

Mistakes that we made early-on included: not weighing down the netting to prevent QFF from crawling under it; not netting early enough or not netting everything; pulling out spent plants with fruit on it, say chillies, at the end of the season, and not disposing of it straight away or exposing it in compost where QFF could then lay eggs in it; and not checking lures and traps despite our good intentions.

Starting early and being vigilant are the keys to success. You will not see any damage until you cut open ripe fruit or veggies so damage may be occurring right under your nose. Given the time and money, we expend on our edible gardens, executing a strategy to protect our produce makes sense, and we can succeed even if our neighbours are failing.

Where to obtain supplies:

  • Supplies are surprisingly hard to buy locally. As a service to the community, Sustainable Macleod sells Wild May, lure bottles and netting at cost price. Go to our shop to purchase.
  • Ceratraps can be bought online in bulk quantities so join together with friends to share the cost. The cheapest way to purchase is to buy 5 litres and 20 traps for around $210. Google Ceratraps and look for the best deal.
  • Netting can be purchased from some nurseries, including Bulleen Art and Garden. It is typically 6 metres wide and about $5 per metre. Avoid buying packaged netting, which is too narrow to do the job.

A final note: make sure that any product you buy is specific for QFF and not just fruit fly. There are a number of ‘fruit fly’ products on the market, especially sticky traps, that do not contain the pheromones which attract QFF and are therefore a waste of money and will not support your efforts to be QFF free.

Reservoir, Rezzadent, Wilam-nganjin and fufu

The Rezzadent is a bi-monthly (i.e. once every two months) publication aimed at residents of Reservoir. It is an interesting read, in part because it doesn’t contain any adverts.

The latest edition contains a two page article about the Wilum-nganjin Community Garden in Reservoir (see graphic near right).

Another article that caught my eye was about a new west African cafe called La Gout Afrique. One of their specialities is called ‘fufu’ and it is apparently one of the most famous west African ‘swallow’ foods. ‘Swallow’ foods are dough-like creations which you meant to eat without chewing. Rather, they are an accompaniment to soups/stews which you use to scoop up the soup/stew. Read more.

Intrigued, I decided to go to La Gout Afrique and sample their fufu. From the 5 fufus on their menu (see graphic far right), I chose ‘egusi soup with fufu’, where (according to Wikipedia) egusi are ground melon seeds. As you can imagine, the taste was unusual. The act of swallowing without chewing (which took some discipline) made it even more unusual. It’s definitely something that you should do at least once.

13 Moira Avenue, Reservoir. Open Tuesday to Saturday, midday-8.45pm. One word of warning: most of the west African dishes on the menu are only available by pre-order, which means that you have to ring them in advance. 03 9357 3521 or 0436 427 752.

Can you help with a cookbook about reducing food waste?

The Food Collective Project, which is based in Greensborough, are putting together a cookbook to raise community awareness around food insecurity and reducing food waste. They are looking for people to contribute any of:

  • Budget friendly, zero waste recipes.
  • Money saving tips when grocery shopping.
  • Hints on food storage.

All contributors will go in a draw to win a hamper from local market stallholders.

If you are potentially interesting in contributing, contact Marcela Santos by email (pr@dvsupport.org.au) or phone (9435 8282).

Do you know?

What to top dress garlic with?

Leaf, Root & Fruit’s July planting guide included the following statement “My garlic is establishing well. Now is the time to top dress the plants to give them more nutrients to put into bulb formation.” but didn’t elaborate. Jennie Ramage has written in to ask what should she top dress her garlic with? Send me your responses by email.

How to keep rats out?

To keep the rats out of her veggie path, Vicki Jordan is considering putting a wire fence around it. What hole size will allow bees and other pollinators in but keep rats out? Send me your responses by email.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

An audio recording of last week’s episode (Claire on the practical application of the permaculture ethics) is available on their website.

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Dan Milne talking about water in living systems. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream. You can also email the host, Ann Stanley, at localfoodconnectionsradio@gmail.com

Is Greasy Zoe’s the third smallest restaurant in Melbourne?

According to this article in The Age, the answer is ‘yes’, given its capacity of 8 seats. But Greasy Zoes is in Hurstbridge and is Hurstbridge really now considered to be part of Melbourne? And the second restaurant smallest on their list is in Cockatoo, which is even further away from Melbourne.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Iranian artist Mahnaz Miryani makes realistic, miniature food scenes which she then photographs. Tiny trays transport pastries, eggs, cakes and other dainty morsels. The scenes are made out of polymer clay which is hardened in the oven before being painted.

Meg’s garden this month (by Megan Goodman)

There are already hints of Spring in the jonquils flowering on the road verges and the buds on the fruit trees. The pine pollen is starting to be released in dust clouds of yellow which gather on the surface of everything. In the garden, silverbeet, Asian greens and other brassicas are doing well at the moment, particularly the senposai (which is a cross between Japanese mustard and cabbage). We are succession planting seedlings of broccoli and cabbage now. Cabbages planted in early May will be ready for harvesting next month and are perfect for overnight coleslaw.

Coleslaw

Half a green cabbage, finely shredded
1 carrot grated
1 brown onion, grated
¾ cup sugar
white pepper

The dressing:
1 cup white vinegar
¾ cup sunflower oil
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed

Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Layer with the onion and the carrot and sprinkle with the pepper. Do not mix.

Place the vinegar, oil , mustard, salt and celery seed in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Pour over the vegetables but do not mix.

Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight. Drain well and toss before serving.

Read more of Megan’s recipes on our website.

What veggie seeds to plant in August

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

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens  
Rocket

Alliums

Leeks
Onion
Spring onions  

Warm season veggies  

Capsicum
Chilli
Eggplant
Tomato

Other

Asparagus
Beetroot
Coriander
Globe artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish

 

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article about 15 ways to use your eggshells.

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

Two children ordered their mother to stay in bed one Mother’s Day morning. As she lay there looking forward to breakfast in bed, the smell of bacon floated up from the kitchen. But after a good long wait she finally went downstairs to investigate. She found them both sitting at the table eating bacon and eggs. “As a surprise for Mother’s Day,” one explained, “we decided to cook our own breakfast.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Open Gardens Victoria upcoming gardens and events; various dates and times; mostly $10; various locations.

Open Gardens Victoria will be having numerous open gardens and other events over the rest of the year. For example, their open gardens during October include Christmas Hills, Hurstbridge, Lilydale and Wonga Park. And their upcoming online events include bird friendly gardening on Thursday, 31st August and maximum flowers for summer on Thursday, 7th September.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Urban food gardening group (10 sessions); on Tuesdays from 1st August, midday-4pm; $112 ($3 per hour); Coburg.

Learn the foundations of growing plants by working in a fun and relaxed environment. This is a continuing program so people can join any time.

Backyard chickens; Wednesday, 9th August, 11am-midday; free; Croydon.

Claire will discuss how to care for your chickens and their housing and maintenance requirements.

Grafting workshop; two occurrences on Friday, 11th August (10am-midday and 1-3pm) and two on Saturday, 12th August (10am-midday and 1-3pm); $20; Fairfield.

Learning the reasons for, and the science of, grafting. Learn when to graft and what to graft. See examples of grafts. Then practice on some apples. Take a sharp knife if you have one. Maximum of 6 participants. Presenter: John Pinniger. Organised by Heritage Fruits Society.

Winter pruning workshop with Angelo Eliades; Saturday, 12th August, midday-2pm; suggested donation of $5-10; Coburg.

Angelo will be giving a winter pruning to deciduous fruit trees before they start blossoming. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House. Click here to read about the garden.

Gut health; Sunday, 20th August, 12.30-1.30pm; free; Richmond.

What makes your gut healthy and happy? Dr. Peter Johnston has expertise in the prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic diseases through the use of whole foods. Organised by Green Karma.

Getting to know bush tucker; Saturday, 9th September, 11am-12.30pm; $20; Ivanhoe.

Hayden Marks, from Melbourne Bushfood, will discuss the versatility and benefits of bush food. You will be able to taste some of these foods as well as learn how our indigenous peoples used them for food and medicine. You’ll also learn how to incorporate these ingredients into your everyday meals.

Wicking bed workshop; Sunday, 10th September, 2-3.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn the how and why of wicking beds, including detailed explanation and notes on how to put together these water-saving, high-cropping beds. Presenter: Paul Gale-Baker. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Wine and Vine Festival; Saturday, 16th September, midday-7pm; $58; Abbotsford.

There will be around 20 wineries plus live music and food. The ticket includes unlimited tastings for a 3-hour period plus a tasting glass.

Spring veggie garden design and planting; Sunday, 17th September, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

The topics to be covered will include: soil preparation (e.g. soil testing, pH balancing, organic matter incorporation, soil amendments); plant selection and placement (e.g. sunlight requirements and plant heights); planting techniques and timings (e.g. transplanting vs and direct sowing); succession planting; companion planting; propagation methods (e.g. seed saving, division, cuttings and grafting); pest and disease management (e.g. organic pest control methods and early detection and prevention measures); and preparing for the warmer months (e.g. watering and irrigation practices and summer heat protection. Presenters: The Edible Garden and Fence. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Beeswax wrap workshop; Tuesday, 19th September, 2.30-4.30pm; free; Nunawading.

Learn how to make and maintain beeswax wraps for keeping food fresh and hygienic without the use of single-use plastics such as cling-wrap. Whitehorse and Manningham residents only.

Beeswax wrap workshop; Wednesday, 20th September, 2.30-4.30pm; free; Doncaster.

Learn how to make and maintain beeswax wraps for keeping food fresh and hygienic without the use of single-use plastics such as cling-wrap. Whitehorse and Manningham residents only.

In July
In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cooking with Sebastian; Saturday, 29th July, 11am-1pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Ringwood North.

Sebastian will create a roast pumpkin and curry soup with a homemade bread, which you will then eat. Organised by North Ringwood Community House.

Opera cake; Saturday, 29th July, 1.30-4.30pm; $98 ($33 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make this classic French dessert which features layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, chocolate ganache and silky smooth espresso buttercream. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Preserved lemon workshop; Saturday, 19th August, midday-1pm; free; Macleod.

Make preserved, salted lemons using lemons freshly picked in the community garden. You will get to take a small jar of preserved lemons home. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Black forest cake; Saturday, 2nd September, 1.30-4.30pm; $98 ($33 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

You’ll learn how to make a moist and tender chocolate cake, whip up a fluffy cream filling, layer in the tart cherries, top it with chocolate shavings and, finally, decorate the cake with a touch of elegance. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Halloumi cheese making, traditional ricotta and ricotta salata; Saturday, 16th September, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make halloumi cheese, traditional ricotta and ricotta salata. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 16th September, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 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 Amore Cheese.

Cheese making; Saturday, 16th September, midday-4pm; $130 ($33 per hour); Kinglake.

Learn how to make ricotta, feta and halloumi cheese. You will make enough to take some home and also to taste test at lunch. Take along an apron, a glass jar and at least four plastic containers to take your cheese home. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Sourdough bread baking; Sunday, 17th September, 9am-5pm; $190 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

In July
In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 19 2023

Jul 192023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley and Lee Hirsh.

This week is an unusually slow news week so we have been able to sneak in some recipes for making a) gin and b) deep-fried jam sandwiches!

Are you supportive of an urban farm in Eltham? Last change for you to have your say

As discussed last week, Nillumbik Council currently has a consultation page asking you to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question “Are you supportive of an urban farm at Fabbro Fields, Eltham?” plus provide any additional comments that you wish. Now is the last chance for you to have your say as the closing date is 20th July.

If you want to know more about Local Food Connect’s proposals for the farm, there are a number of documents for you to read on our website.

Making gin is both quick and easy (part 2)

In the 14 June newsletter, I (Guy) provided the basic method for making gin at home and said that I would expand on it in a future newsletter (i.e. this one).

There are four key points to bear in mind:

  1. Whereas most spirits are defined by the source of their alcohol, gin is defined by the presence of juniper berries. In a home setting, this means that you make gin by adding juniper berries to vodka (vodka being a reasonably tasteless source of alcohol).
  2. The whole point of making gin at home is to experiment with the botanicals that you add to give the gin flavour. Any seed, berry, root, fruit or herb can count as a ‘botanical’ and you can add whatever botanicals you want.
  3. The two most commonly used botanicals are coriander seeds and citrus peel (e.g. lemon or orange). The rest is up to you. For example, I like to include mustard seeds but my wife doesn’t and we have both learnt not to include nasturtium leaves.
  4. Unlike commercial gin (which is distilled), homemade gin is a pale yellow colour.
Method

Buy a cheap bottle of vodka and either pour into a clean sterile bottle or drink a bit (to leave space for the botanicals).

Add 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of juniper berries, 5 grams (1 teaspoon) coriander seeds and whatever other botanicals you want (except for citrus peel). Leave for 24 hours.

Taste, add more botanicals if desired, add any fresh citrus peel, and leave for another 24 hours.

Taste and, if you want a stronger taste, leave for another 24 hours, shaking at least once.

Use a sieve to filter out the juniper berries and botanicals and leave for another 48 hours.

If you feel the need, filter out any remaining sediment.

Drink!

Read a longer version of this article on our website.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

An audio recording of last week’s episode (Dan Milne on Fabbro’s Farm) is available on their website.

This upcoming Sunday’s episode will feature Claire (no surname) on the practical application of the permaculture ethics Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. Listen on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Another article from Leaf, Root & Fruit

Duncan Cocking has published a fifth article in his 37-part(!) series of articles on establishing a vegetable patch from scratch:

Every newsletter needs a good graphic

Vanessa McKeown, from the United Kingdom, creates and then photographs everyday objects made out of food.

15 ways to use your eggshells

  1. Use eggshells to start seedlings indoors.
  2. Garden mulch.
  3. Nourish your tomatoes with a boost of calcium.
  4. Feed eggshells to your chickens.
  5. Use crushed eggshells in the garden to deter pests.
  6. Add them to the compost.
  7. Wild bird food.
  8. Boil eggshells in your coffee.
  9. Toss eggshells in your bone broth or stock pot.
  10. Add them to your apple cider vinegar.
  11. Homemade eggshell toothpaste.
  12. Make an eggshell face mask.
  13. Whiten your laundry.
  14. Scrub your tough-to-clean pots.
  15. Eat your eggshells.

Read more at the Rural Sprout website.

Deep-fried jam sandwich (by Delia Smith)

From Delia Smith, as featured in last Friday’s Guardian.

Start with sliced white bread. Over this, spread a layer of good-quality strawberry jam.

Butter the outside of the sandwich and remove the crusts.

Pinch the sandwich closed, delicately, like you are sealing ravioli.
Let it chill, then cover the sandwich in batter. Keep in the freezer until you’re ready to fry.

Place the sandwich in a deep-fat fryer, giving each side a minute and a half. It should turn golden and puff up.

Rest for a few moments, then roll in caster sugar while it is still warm.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Nillumbik Council’s consultation page re an urban farm in Eltham.

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

I accidentally swallowed some food colouring. My GP said that l will fine. But l feel I’ve dyed a little inside. (submitted by Lee Hirsh)

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

The Buzz@Catalyst (2 sessions); Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd July, both 10am-4pm; free; Coburg.

Saturday will, at 10am, start with local beekeeper Tim sharing their story about keeping backyard bees and an introduction to beekeeping. Following some free lunch there will be a chat with garden experts Indi and Matt from 1pm about planting native gardens for pollinators before a hands-on planting in the Catalyst Cabbage Patch in the last hour. Saturday will end at 4pm. Sunday will, at 10am, start with a honey tasting of some raw monofloral honeys. Following lunch, Marisol, Lauren and Bec will discuss some of the health benefits and herbal medicines that can be created with raw honey. Sunday will end at 4pm.

Continuous hot composting; Saturday, 29th July, 9am-midday; $21 ($7 per hour); Preston.

Joel Meadows will go beyond the basics to look at what is really happening in a hot (or not) compost pile, how to understand the ingredients you put in your pile and how to make the balance that will supercharge our compost pile. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Permaculture design information session; Monday, 31st July, 6-8pm; free; Ringwood.

Kushala will discuss sustainable techniques. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Community soup night; Wednesday, 2nd August, 4.30-7.30pm; free; Preston.

Before soup, Farmer Lisa will show you what’s been happening around the farm. Adam Bell from Open Table will then introduce you to the new biodigester (which will turn food scraps into cooking gas for meals and liquid fertiliser for gardens). Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Medicinal mushrooms with Caine Barlow; Sunday, 6th August, 1-4pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Caine Barlow will discuss the cultivation and use of functional mushrooms, focusing on what is needed to be successful at home.

Intro to composting; Sunday, 13th August, 10.30am-12.30pm; $21 ($10 per hour); Preston.

You will learn about: different options for composting at home (cold composting, worm farms and bokashi bins); the advantages and limitations of each composting system; how to set up and maintain a cold compost or worm farm; what foods and organic waste can go into each system; and how to balance you waste inputs to get healthy compost. Presenter: Shani Shafrir. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Introduction to beekeeping (2 sessions); Saturday, 2nd September, 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday, 9th September, 10.30am-12.30pm; $225 ($25 per hour); Blackburn North.

This all day program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening on the following Saturday (9th September, 10.30am-12.30pm) as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. The background instruction includes equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. (which retails at $60). Organised by The Beekeepers Club.

DIY Beeswax wrap workshop; Saturday, 9th September, 10.30am-12.30pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Brunswick.

Emma will show you how to make beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided, though you can BYO fabric to be waxed and transformed into wraps. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Australian plants expo; Saturday, 9th September and Sunday, 10th September, both 10am-4pm; $5; Eltham.

Sales of native & indigenous plants, books on related subjects, native flower displays, environmental displays, talks, demonstrations, workshops, giftware and refreshments. The plant sellers are likely to include APS Yarra Yarra growers, Friends of Melton Botanic Gardens nursery, Goldfields Revegetation nursery, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary nursery, Natural Plantscape nursery, Sunvalley Plants Nursery and Vaughan’s Australian Plants. Organised by the Australian Plants Society – Yarra Yarra.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Wednesday, 13th September, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

In July
In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Warm up with winter Asian cooking; Thursday, 27th July, 7-8.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Jean, from Jean’s Asian Cooking, will demonstrate some hot Asian recipes, followed by tastings.

Brioche and puff pastry; Saturday, 26th August, midday-4pm; $85 ($21 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make the perfect brioche dough, which is rich, buttery, and perfect for a variety of sweet and savory pastries. Next, learn how to make flaky and crispy puff pastry from scratch. You will learn how to laminate the dough with layers of butter, which creates the signature texture and flavour of puff pastry. They will also show you how to make a cheese twist, palmiers and vanilla slices. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 9th September, 10am-5pm; $250 ($50 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.

Turkish cooking, an introduction; Tuesday, 12th September, 6.30-8.30; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Join Arzu Yilmaz to learn how to make four different vegetarian dishes: a lentil soup, a meze, Turkish borek and a dessert. Arzu will also talk about her experiences as an Istanbul girl and her Turkish identity. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In July
In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 12 2023

Jul 122023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Effie Bridge, Julie French, Kate Woodstock, Kerry Wise, Lee Hirsh and Pam Jenkins.

Some important consultations

Are you supportive of an urban farm in Eltham?

As discussed in previous newsletters, Local Food Connect has been working to achieve an Eltham community farm (Fabbro’s Farm) at Bell Street for several years. Further progress is dependent on Nillumbik Council judging there to be sufficient community support for the idea. In this context, their consultation page asks you to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question “Are you supportive of an urban farm at Fabbro Fields, Eltham?” plus provide any additional comments that you wish. Closing date: 20th July.

The image right is an architect’s view of Fabbro’s shed showing the addition of a covered area to facilitate outdoor education, farm gate sales and general community enjoyment of the farm.

If you would like to know more about the project, here is some of the material produced thus far by Local Food Connect:

Banyule’s draft urban food strategy

Banyule has published a draft urban food strategy and action plan and is seeking your reaction via a survey. Read the draft strategy. Complete the survey. Closing date: 3rd August.

Turn up for turnips (by Julie French)

[If Julie’s article inspires you to want to eat turnips, you might be interested in Robin Gale-Baker’s article on our website about how to grow turnips.]

A lot of people turn up their noses at turnips, as did I until I tried a creamy turnip soup and discovered that this humble vegetable has a lot to offer in both flavour and in nutrition.

Both their roots and their leaves (turnip greens) can be eaten. They are high in fibre and in a number of vitamins (e.g. vitamin C and folate) and minerals (e.g. calcium). Make sure to choose fresh firm turnips, not too large. They should have a matt glow to their skin and smell slightly peppery.

The British have traditionally seen turnips as feed for cattle, not so the French. A classic dish of theirs is lamb navarin, a stew of spring lamb and baby turnips. Add turnips to soups and stews, glaze them, or prepare them as a gratin, soufflé or puree.

Turnips partner well with butter, cream, gruyere or blue cheese, thyme, savoury, tarragon, rosemary, watercress, roasted garlic, leeks, other root vegetables, lamb, duck, ham and bacon.

Try them in a simple cream of turnip soup: soften a chopped onion in some butter, add 350 grams diced turnip plus a diced small potato and cook in a covered pan for 10 minutes on a low heat. Add 4 cups of vegetable or light chicken stock to cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Allow to cool, then puree and season to taste. You can add a dash of cream if desired.

Turnip puree makes a delicious side dish. Cook 500g turnips with 250g potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and mash or puree in a blender, add ¼ cup of orange juice, a dessert spoon of brown sugar, a good pinch of ginger and 50g melted butter. Mix all together and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turnip gratin – peel and grate 750g turnips and sprinkle with a little salt. Melt 60g butter in a frying pan and cook the turnips over a low heat, stirring constantly to prevent them sticking, for about 10 minutes. Transfer the turnips to a buttered gratin dish and pour over 150ml cream to just cover them. Sauté 20g fresh breadcrumbs in 60g butter and then scatter them over the turnips. Bake in a 190degC oven for 30 minutes or until a deep golden-brown.

Stephanie’s glazed turnips

400g turnips, peeled
salt
40g butter
2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 fresh bay leaf (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the peeled turnips in a saucepan of lightly salted, simmering water for 5 minutes if large. Drain and cut the large ones into 2cm pieces or halve the medium sized ones.

Heat the butter and sugar in a wide-based saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Tip in the turnips and shake to coat with the syrupy liquid.

Add the stock and bay leaf, then cover and simmer for 12 minutes.

Test the turnips with a skewer. If tender, remove the lid, increase the heat to high and shake the pan so that the liquid evaporates, coating the turnips with a golden sauce. If the turnips are not cooked, and the stock is seeming to evaporate too quickly, add a little water, cover again and test after another 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yes, you did know! (maybe)

Last week, Rebecca Haschek asked whether the insect on her mandarin tree is a good guy or not. Several of you responded:

  • Museums Victoria: the photo is not of sufficient quality for the insect to be identified.
  • Kerry Wise: definitely a good guy. Maybe a soldier fly (whose larvae are super composters).
  • Effie Bridge: it is a good guy.
  • Pam Jenkins: It looks like a fly from the Anthomyiidae family. Its maggots grow in decomposing animal carcases. Neither a good guy nor a bad guy.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

An audio recording of last week’s episode (where yours truly was interviewed) is available on their website.

Listen to next week’s episode on 3CR (855 AM) on Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Another article from Leaf, Root & Fruit

Duncan Cocking has published a fourth article in his 37-part(!) series of articles on establishing a vegetable patch from scratch:

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was PIP magazine’s list of 65 ways to reduce your use of plastic..

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

What did the espresso say to the coffee bean? You keep me grounded. (submitted by Lee Hirsh)

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

The Eltham Farmers’ Market on Sunday will feature:

Food swaps

The Ringwood Food Swap on Sunday is part of a wider Community Day that happens at Central Ringwood Community Centre, Rosewarne Lane every 3rd Sunday, 10am-midday. As well as the food swap, the community day typically includes: knife/scissor sharpening; a clothes share (no need to bring your own clothes); and a bike care & repair tutorial. Attendance is free and you can just turn up without needing to book.

Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Afternoon tea blending with The Cottage Herbalist; Sunday, 23rd July, 2-4pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Caroline Parker will discuss tea blending, foraging, medicinal herb benefits and her upcoming book. You will taste some seasonal botanicals, chatting about their physical and medicinal properties, traditional uses and energetics. You will also hear about some basics of tea blending and brewing techniques, including the process of making jun.

Composting 2-ways; Saturday, 29th July, 10-11.30am; $25 ($16 per hour); Kinglake.

Kathleen Tants will show you some simple tricks to make your own rich compost at home. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

The how-to of worm farming with Felicity Gordon; Saturday, 5th August, 2-3.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn all there is to know about worm farming from Felicity Gordon.

Care of backyard chickens; Thursday, 10th 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.

Pruning workshop; Saturday, 12th August, 2-4pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Templestowe.

Areas to be covered include: introduction to pruning tools, care and maintenance; tree shapes; and pruning for fruit. This will be a hands-on pruning workshop. BYO secateurs, sterilised on the day. Organised by Heritage Fruits Society.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Friday, 1st September, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 2nd September, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Saturday, 2nd September, 10am-4pm; $149 ($25 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 2nd September, 10.30am-1pm; $135 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms. This hands-on, beginners workshop will cover basic oyster mushroom growing. It will be 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 prepared during the workshop, plus 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).

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 2nd September, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Weed walks with Miranda; Sunday, 3rd September, 9am-midday; $60 ($20 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to identify and utilise common weeds as food and medicine. Learn about the edible and medicinal properties of these plants and how to incorporate them into your daily routine for improved health and wellness. Forage some of the weeds. Presenter: Miranda Mueller, co-author of Plants of Power. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Basic inoculation workshop; Sunday, 3rd September, 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.

Resin art with ink – cheese platter (2 sessions); Monday, 4th September, 7-9pm and Tuesday, 5th September, 7-8pm; $95 ($32 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Create a one of kind cheese platter in a relaxed and laid back environment. Local artist Stephanie Anne, from Sullcher Creative Design, will demonstrates the fine art of resin and ink. Learn how to manipulate and blend ink within the resin medium. No experience necessary. All resources included. Organised by Mt Evelyn Community House.

In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Marmalade making with Priya Woolston; Saturday, 15th July, midday-1pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn how to make marmalade. They will be using cumquats from the community garden, picked that morning, and everyone will take home a jar of marmalade. The demonstrated techniques are applicable to all citrus fruit. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Warm up with Italian cooking; Thursday, 3rd August, 7-9pm; free; Watsonia.

Rosa, from Rosa’s Traditional Italian Cooking, will prepare lasagne bolognese from scratch and how to make bolognese sauce. You will get a chance to taste the pasta.

Warm up with no waste cooking; Thursday, 10th August, 7-8.30pm; free; Ivanhoe.

Open Table will share helpful tips and tricks about reducing food waste and how to make zero waste recipes.

FFS … ferment four staples; Sunday, 13th August, 11.30am-4.30pm; $425 ($85 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the class: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

Warm up with no waste cooking; Tuesday, 15th August, 6.30-8pm; free; Lalor.

Open Table will share helpful tips and tricks about reducing food waste and how to make zero waste recipes.

Warm up with winter soups; Tuesday, 15th August, 7-8.30pm; free; Eltham.

Join Marie, from Rie’s Kitchen, to taste, share, get some tips and recipes for making great soup.

Pizza and calzone cooking demonstration; Thursday, 17th August, 7-8pm; free; Thomastown.

Learn how to make pizza and calzone with Hilda and Laurie. Then taste the results. Suitable for vegetarians.

Colombian cooking workshop; Wednesday, 6th September, 10am-1pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Balwyn North.

Learn how to make empanadas using corn flour and a variety of fillings. You’ll also get to make a dessert. Presenter: Donde Mama. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News July 5 2023

Jul 062023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Lucy McRobert, Rebecca Haschek and Robin Gale-Baker.

Since I (Guy) started writing this newsletter in 2015, people sometimes send me emails saying nice things about it. The number of different people who have done so has now exceeded 500 in total. Have a look at the 501 testimonials.

Plant your bare-rooted fruit trees now (by Robin Gale-Baker)

We are bang in the middle of the season (June, July and August) for planting bare-rooted fruit trees and many/most nurseries are selling them. But what are they exactly and why are they worth planting?

Bare-rooted fruit (and nut) trees are grown in the paddock and dug up when dormant. 90% of their roots are trimmed off, and they are placed in bags of damp sawdust and sent to the nurseries for us to purchase. Only deciduous trees go dormant and thus only deciduous fruit trees (e.g. apples, pears, apricots, cherries, plums and peaches) can be obtained bare-rooted.

There are several advantages to planting bare-rooted trees. First, they are generally cheaper than potted trees. Second, planting them in winter allows them to establish while dormant and they will take off energetically in spring as long as they have been well-pruned at time of planting.

To plant, dig a hole as deep as the roots but twice as wide. If there are any broken roots, cut these off with sharp secateurs to prevent suckering. As Melbourne’s soil is mostly clay-based, add some gypsum (clay breaker) and some compost and then fan out the roots. Make sure the graft is above ground. Backfill and water. If you think it necessary to stake the tree, do that now and remember to use soft-tie to tie the tree to its stake.

Pruning is key. To balance the 90% of root removal, prune off 90% of the whippy branches. Your tree will come unpruned and if it is a vase shape you are after, cut out the central leader – that’s the vertical, centre branch. Select 3 or 4 side branches and prune these by about two-thirds, to an outward growing bud. The tree will look brutalised but this is necessary. In spring, you will reap the reward as the remaining buds burst into flower and the tree takes off.

Recently, I (Robin) helped prune an orchard on a property purchased this year. It was clear that the fruit trees, which are 3 or 4 years old, were not pruned at time of planting. All have central leaders intact and this has adversely shaped the trees. Some of these leaders I was able to be prune out but others not and would require cutting at about knee height to allow new shoots to emerge. Over time, 3 or 4 shoots will need to be selected and developed with extra shoots pruned off so that a decent shape can be established. Vase shaped trees are not just aesthetic but allow sun to penetrate and air to circulate in the centre of the trees, keeping them free of fungal infections.

Grafted fruit trees (by Lucy McRobert)

[Lucy is a horticulturalist at Nillumbik Nursery in Diamond Creek. Nillumbik Nursery currently has around 100 varieties of grafted fruit trees for sale. They also write a monthly newsletter with gardening tips which you can sign up for here.]

Grafting combines the desirable attributes of two plants by physically splicing together the rootstock (lower half) and the scion (upper half). This allows your favourite fruits and trees to grow in conditions they would otherwise find less than ideal.

Grafted plants are more expensive due to the additional time and expertise required to produce them.

Why grafted?

Fruit trees are almost always grafted. Here are three reasons why.

  • Dwarf rootstock limits the size of the tree. This is great for those with limited space, container growing or increasing diversity of plants in an area. It can also mean less work. You probably don’t want or need to produce commercial quantities of fruit. Producing more than you can consume (or give away) is resource intensive and can leave you with wasted fruit.
  • Vigour can be increased by using fast-growing rootstock, thus reducing how long we need to wait.
  • Resilience and disease resistance: using rootstock that is tougher and more tolerant of local conditions creates tougher, hardier plants that may otherwise fail to thrive. Fruit trees (including citrus) are almost always grafted, but this technique is no longer limited to fruit trees and deciduous ornamentals. Although ‘native’ encompass all Australian plants, growing conditions around the country are varied and grafting makes it much easier to grow species outside their native range, like growing plants indigenous to WA in Melbourne.
How to care for grafted plants?
  1. Select a plant with a firm, stable, well-healed graft union (the meeting point between rootstock and scion).
  2. Plant at the same depth as it was in its pot. To prevent infection, don’t cover the graft with soil and mulch.
  3. Monitor for growth below the graft. This is growth from the rootstock, not the scion. Remove any shoots below the graft. Remember that rootstock is selected for its vigour and can take over if not monitored and maintained.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

As you should know from previous newsletters, there is now a weekly radio show “about the power of locally grown food to connect us more strongly with our communities and the land we inhabit.” ‘Local Food Connections’ is on 3CR (855 AM) every Sunday morning, 10-10.30am and is hosted by our very own Ann Stanley. Tune into the station (855 AM) or listen to the livestream at https://www.3cr.org.au/streaming.

Audio recordings of past shows are available on their website. Their first show featured Angelo Eliades (on sustainability and permaculture) and their second featured Anna Matilda (on foraging and rental permaculture). Note that Angelo and Anna are both occasional contributors to this newsletter. Also note that, for ‘technical reasons’, the first show only starts at 3:30 minutes into the recording.

The next show, on 9th July, will feature yours truly.

Do you know?

Rebecca Haschek has sent in the photo right of an insect on her mandarin tree. Is it a good guy or not? Email me with your responses.

Want a job?

Open Table is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 0.6 to 0.8 EFT. Based in Coburg. Applications close: 10th July. Read more and potentially apply.

Open Table is a not-for-profit organisation that shares free food with those in need in neighbourhoods across Melbourne. They use surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away and turn it into nutritious meals to share with the community, in order to reduce food insecurity and food waste.

Something for you to read

Duncan Cocking, from Kyneton-based Leaf, Root & Fruit, has begun writing a 37-part(!) series of articles on establishing a vegetable patch from scratch. The first three articles are now available and cover:

For his writing career to be viable, Duncan needs some of his subscribers to upgrade to be paying subscribers. Subscription is $80 pa. Subscribe here.

Once again, it’s Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July is now in its 12th year.

From PIP magazine, here is a list of 65 ways to reduce your use of plastic.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During June, the cooking teams were Crossway Baptist Church, Tulsi’s crew, Team Frawlsta and Team CCC. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

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.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Gardening Australia’s visit to the Edible Forest.

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

A screwdriver goes into a bar. The bartender says, “Hey, we have a drink named after you!” The screwdriver asks, “You have a drink named Philip?”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Make your own beeswax wrap; Sunday, 9th July, 2-3.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Share your tricks and tips while you make beeswax wraps. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Billy Cart Bread Co.; Saturday, 15th July, 1-3pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Thornbury.

Talk yeast, grain and fermentation. Match local bakeries’ signature breads, savoury and sweet treats with a collection of beer styles.

Beeswax wraps; Wednesday, 26th July, 10-11am; $10; Box Hill South.

Make our own beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided. Organised by Box Hill South Neighbourhood House.

Composting workshop; Friday, 4th August, 10-11am; free; Box Hill South.

Learn the basics of home composting: how to set your compost up, how to maintain it and what not to add to your compost. Organised by Box Hill South Neighbourhood House.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 5th August, midday-4pm; $82; Brunswick.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Amelia Shaw Bar with Pizzini Wines; Co-Conspirator’s Brewing Co with Fin Wines; Hotel Railway with Philip Lobley Wines; Inner North Brewing Company with Bobar Wines; Joey Smalls with MoBo Vino; The Brunswick Green with Wangolina; The Cornish Arms Hotel with Saint & Scholar; and Welcome to Brunswick with Good Clean Fun Wines.

Mushroom farm tour; Saturday, 5th August, 2-2.30pm; $27 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Go on a walk-through tour of The Mushroomery, showing how the farm operates and how mushrooms are grown. Due to potential fungal contamination, it is important that you wear very clean clothes. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 12th August, midday-4pm; $82; Brunswick East.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Atticus Finch with Vino Intrepido; Bouvier Bar with Rhino Tiger Bear; Craftsmans Corner with Best’s Wines; Eydie’s with Konpira Maru; Noisy Ritual with Noisy Ritual ; Teller with Valentine Wines; The Quarry Hotel with Rob Dolan Wines; and Uncle Joe’s Wine Bar with Greenhouse Knight.

Grow your own mushrooms; Thursday, 17th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Collectors whisky tasting with Craig Molyneux; Thursday, 17th August, 7-9pm; $97 ($49 per hour); Abbotsford.

Craig Molyneux collects Australian whiskies from up-and-coming distiller. The whiskies available for tasting and discussion will be: Straight Batt Single Malt, Coastal Stone by Manly Spirits Co., Hidden Lake Single Cask 938, Bellarine Distillery Bad Boy Billy, Waubs Harbour Small Cask Bond 3, Anthropocene VI Small Reserve Release and Koroit Whisky.

Introduction to worm farming; Thursday, 24th August, 7-8pm; free; Mill Park.

Learn the ins and outs of worm farming with Kathleen Tants.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 26th August, 10.30am-12.30pm and again 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cooking from the pantry (8 sessions); on 8 consecutive Tuesdays from 18th July, 9.30am-midday; $50 ($3 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This is a cooking course that will develop your basic skills and confidence around the preparation of food. Taste test your creations and share a meal at the end of each class. This course will run in a supportive group session and has possible pathways to further study. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Warm up with a no waste cooking workshop; Tuesday, 18th July, 6.30-8pm; free; Greensborough.

Open Table will share helpful tips and tricks about reducing food waste and how to make zero waste recipes.

Cooking class (10 sessions); Wednesdays, from 19th July to 6th September, 1-3pm; $160 ($8 per hour); Ringwood.

This class is designed for those new to cooking and who have little to no experience preparing and cooking food. The various sessions will cover: essential cooking techniques; kitchen safety; how to create simple, healthy meals; how to add more nutrition to your food; and how to cook low-cost foods in response to the cost-of-living pressures. Instructor: Shabina. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Gozleme and baklava workshop; Wednesday, 26th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu will teach you how to make gozleme and baklava from scratch. Turkish coffee will be served. Includes ingredients. BYO some containers (you will be going home with what you cook, usually about 1.2 kg of baklava and 3-4 gozlemes), apron and oven tray. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Friday night sake making; Friday, 28th July, 6-8pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own sake using rice, koji and water and time. This is a 3 step process and you’ll take home stage one in a 3 litre jar – with koji for step 2 – and a couple of bottles for the final bottling step. Also taste some doburoku at different stages of its fermentation process.

Truffle cooking demonstration and dinner; Friday, 28th July, 6.30-10pm; $155 ($44 per hour); Kew.

Chef Joe Vargetto will make three dishes (cannoli, roast chicken and moscato zabaglione) as he shares his ideas and tips on using truffles. You will get to enjoy all three dishes accompanied with wine.

Croquembouche; Saturday, 5th August, midday-4pm; $134 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Croissants; Saturday, 12th August, 1.30-4.30pm; $64 ($21 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make the dough, the art of the fold, rolling the perfect croissant and how to prove and cook your eight croissants at home. Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Warm up with Italian cooking; Thursday, 17th August, 7-9pm; free; Mill Park.

Rosa, from Rosa’s Traditional Italian Cooking, will prepare fresh homemade pasta and sauce. You will get a chance to taste the pasta and even have a go at making some yourself.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 18th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Park Orchards.

Make Chinese dumplings from scratch. The dough you 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.

French patisserie – advanced; Saturday, 19th August, 1.30-4.30pm; $74 ($25 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make escargot, danishes and pain au chocolate (chocolate croissant). Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

The food of Southern Thailand; Sunday, 20th August, 10am-2pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Panton Hill.

Start with fish cakes served with rice noodles and Thai cucumber pickle; then learn how to blend Thai aromatics to make a citrusy chu chee paste that you will also upscale into a Thai red curry paste by adding dry spices. From these two pastes you will make a chu chee seafood curry. Finally, learn to make Thailand’s kanom khrok (coconut pancakes). Then sit down for lunch. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Veggies in desserts; Sunday, 27th August, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The desserts are dairy-free and gluten-free using a variety of ingredients: nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, fats, spices, legumes and unrefined sugars. The menu will include: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse.

In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News June 21 2023

Jun 192023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bev Middleton, Christine Reading, Ebony Addinsall, Jennifer Chellew, Kellie Wishart and Michelle Smythe.

The Edible Forest recently featured on Gardening Australia

The Edible Forest, a 1 acre food forest in Dixons Creek, featured on Gardening Australia last Friday (16th June). Watch the 8 minute video starring owner Louise Ward and head gardener Jaimie Sweetman.

Yes, that’s our very own Jaimie Sweetman, who writes about unusual edible plans for this newsletter!

If you have never been to the Edible Forest, it is well worth a visit. Tours, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour. Note that they are closed during June and July.

The new, Melbourne community radio show – ‘Local Food Connections’ – is about to start

‘Local Food Connections’ will be on 3CR every Sunday morning, 10-10.30am, from 25th June onwards. “A show about the power of locally grown food to connect us more strongly with our communities and the land we inhabit.” Tune into the station or listen to the livestream at https://www.3cr.org.au/streaming.

The show will be hosted by our very own Ann Stanley, who conducts interviews for this newsletter! And it is sponsored by Local Food Connect.

CareNet has a new initiative – The Social Grocer

CareNet, who are based in Templestowe, are a food relief organisation that rescues surplus food from local businesses and groups and makes it available to the community. In addition to their longstanding hamper program and mobile pantry, they have now started a social enterprise called The Social Grocer where their customers can go and help themselves to whatever they would like and are encouraged to pay what they can. It is a sustainability initiative that aims to reduce food waste and increase food accessibility. It is for anyone in the community to participate in, not just those experiencing hardship. All profits go towards CareNet’s food relief program. The Social Grocer is currently open every Thursday, 10am-midday and is located at the Manningham Christian Centre, 143-145 Parker Street, Templestowe.

As the organiser, Kellie Wishart says, “We have big plans for The Social Grocer. Ultimately we would like to be in a shop front, we would like to offer coffee and sweets and also stock a range of new to market sustainable products.”

Correction of a really bad typo – Farm Raiser

Last week, I talked about how Farm Raiser was expanding its farm gate. My precise words were “their farm gate opposite at 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield is not open on Saturdays (9am-midday) as well as Fridays (10am-2pm).” (Obviously?) I should have said “now open on Saturdays (9am-midday)” rather than “not open“.

My apologies to Caitlin, Charlotte, Eve, Kirsty and Patrick.

Here is the correct announcement: Their farm gate opposite at 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield is now open on Saturdays (9am-midday) as well as Fridays (10am-2pm).

 

Want to intern at a Certified Organic farm?

Day’s Walk Farm is a Certified Organic farm based in Keilor which grows seasonal vegetables. They run a structured intern program from September to December. This can facilitate early steps into the world of agriculture and is suitable for keen learners of either organic market gardening or agroecology. Applications are now open and close 7th July. Read more and potentially apply.

Your weekly facts about earthworms

Bev Middleton, from Soil Week Australia: earthworms are both strong and athletic. They can lift objects that weigh up to 50 times their own body weight, which is (sort of) like a human lifting a small car. They can travel through soil at a speed of about 45 centimetres per hour, which is (sort of) like a human running at 480 kilometres per hour.

Charles Darwin via Guy Palmer:

  • Each year (at least in Darwin’s garden), earthworms swallow and excrete around a 0.5 cm thick layer of soil (so 5cm in 10 years, and then more slowly).
  • This equates to around 10 tons on an acre of land.
  • It involves around 50,000 worms at any one time who collectively weigh around 160Kg.
  • So, anything larger than the worms can swallow gradually sinks.
  • Which, in turn, preserves these larger objects.
  • So, archaeologists ought to be grateful!

Soil Week Australia is currently running a competition for school students on the topic of ‘wonderful worms’. Read more and potentially enter.

Another limerick

Last week, I gave a couple of example limericks generated by the ChatGPT artificial intelligence software. In reaction, Jennifer Chellew has sent in a limerick about me (Guy) produced by a human (i.e. Jennifer) “with no artificial intelligence added“.

Loving the newsletter produced by Guy
Telling of pests like the Queensland fruit fly
It hints what to grow
Suggests when to sow
and lists markets with organics to buy.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Mound of butter is a painting by French realist painter Antoine Vollon completed in 1885. The painting has visible thick brush strokes which are probably meant to illustrate the marks after the butter knife was used to spread butter. In those days, there were (obviously) no fridges and butter was usually stored wrapped in a cheesecloth in a cool place.

See more food-related art on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Duncan Cocking’s article on how to grow blueberries.

If you are interested in growing blueberries, you might also be interested in both Robin Gale-Baker’s article and Jian Liu’s article on the subject.

Word of the month – Slumgullion

‘Slumgullion’, meaning a watery, inferior or insubstantial stew.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

By the skin of your teeth. Meaning: Something just barely accomplished; a narrow escape. This is a phrase from the Bible where (in the King James Version) Job is tortured by Satan and then says “My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” Obviously teeth don’t have skin so the reference might be to any of gums, enamel or skull.

There are actually lots of figurative phrases in English which relate to teeth. For example, armed to the teeth, as rare as hen’s teeth, better than a kick in the teeth, cut your teeth on, fed up to the back teeth, get your teeth into, give your eye teeth, kick in the teeth, lie through your teeth, like pulling teeth, set your teeth on edge, and through gritted teeth.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy there is always the garden.” by Minnie Aumonier.

This quote was submitted by Christine Reading, who says “Now in my late 70’s, my small garden is my joy and l love making ‘tussie-mussies’ (small fragrant posies) to give away to brighten peoples’ day. Minnie Aumonier’s quote was given to me around 50 years ago by my gardening mentor.” Thanks, Christine!

Read more gardening quotes.

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

If you’re waiting for a waiter at a restaurant, have you also become a waiter?

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Worm farms and composting; Wednesday, 28th June, 10am-midday; free; Fawkner.

Develop the skills you need to help your plants thrive and make your home gardening more sustainable with advice from their specialist horticulture team. Get your hands dirty as you learn to build a worm farm and create a compost heap. Complimentary coffee and morning tea will be served. Organised by The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.

Introduction to permaculture (2 sessions); Saturdays 29th July and 5th August, both 10am-3pm; $150 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

Learn permaculture fundamentals in this hands-on course, combining concepts and practices of sustainability, gardening, horticulture, ecology, community development and design thinking. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

Grafting and tree sales day; Saturday, 5th 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 the Heritage Fruits Society.

Grafting and tree sales day; Sunday, 6th August, 10am-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 the Heritage Fruits Society.

Fermenting workshop; Saturday, 12th August, 10am-1pm; $100 ($33 per hour); Kinglake.

The Fermented Mumma will teach you all you need to know to starting fermenting at home. Menu: sauerkraut, carrot kimchi and fermented garlic onions.

SEEDs Soup Festival; Sunday, 13th August, 11am-5pm; free; Brunswick.

Join them in celebrating SEEDs Communal Garden at their annual ‘winter soup’ fundraiser, where the where soup is made from locally sourced and community grown produce. There will be workshops, garden grown meals, a mini market, live music and dancing.

DIY mushrooms; Sunday, 20th August, 10am-4pm; $175 ($29 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.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Chai tea blending; Monday, 10th July, 10.30-11.30am; free; Eltham.

Learn how to blend chai tea, connect with others and have a chat. Take your own jar and you can take your chai blend home. Organised by Eltham Library.

The cook program (10 sessions); on Thursdays, 9.30am-1.30pm, starting 13th July; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and self-confidence to seek further study or work in hospitality. You will prepare, eat and gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking. You will also learn how to cook for a large group. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 15th July, 10am-5pm; $250 ($50 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.

Milk kefir magic; Tuesday, 1st August, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Sausage making with Frank; Sunday, 13th August, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Frank will show you how to make sausages, from selecting the finest cuts of meat to grinding, seasoning and casing. Lunch will be provided (sausages, a glass of wine, water, tea and coffee) and you take home some sausages. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Gnocchi making class; Saturday, 19th August, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Host: Pia Gava. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

No waste cooking workshop; Saturday, 19th August, 2-3.30pm; free; Ringwood.

Join them for an educational cooking experience that focuses on simple ways to reduce household food waste. Be inspired to get creative with vegetable scraps, odds and ends and excess seasonal produce, as well as picking up some money-saving tips and tricks. Presenter: Open Table.

Herbal candy and gummies workshop; Sunday, 20th August, 10am-1pm; $125 ($42 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Miranda Mueller will guide you through how to infuse seasonal herbs into candy, creating cough drops. Discover the wonders of sage and other foraged herbs renowned for their soothing properties and antimicrobial benefits. Also explore the realm of immune-boosting gummies, using a combination of seasonal fruits and herbs. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

In June
In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News June 14 2023

Jun 132023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Eve, Jaimie Sweetman, Lynn Wallace, Marisa Rooney, Meg Montague, Olwyn Smiley, Pam Rowley, Susan Palmer, Suzannah Morrison and Trish Kent.

Illawarra plum pine (Podocarpus elatus) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour. Note that they are closed for June and July.]

The Illawarra plum pine is native to the East Coast of NSW and QLD. They are dioecious, meaning that there are separate male and female trees which need to wind pollinate each other in order to fruit. This means that you need a few of them.

They go well in a hedge and the more you have the more likely they will fruit. We have three in the forest: two are female and produce fruit, whilst the other one is male.

They are conifers and are therefore evergreen.

They are a rainforest plant that will cope with Melbourne weather provided that it is in a well drained area. They can withstand dappled shade or full sun. A great plant for a native edible garden.

They are widely regarded as one of the best bush tucker foods. The fruit has two parts, a fleshy edible part and a seed pod at the end of it. The fleshy edible part resembles a grape in texture with a taste of pine that is enhanced when cooked. They can be eaten raw or cooked.

They are slow growing and will therefore do ok in a pot for a number of years.

A new community garden in Coburg – Coburg Common

Coburg Common is at 19 Victoria Street, Coburg. The garden is membership-based, but is also open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am-1pm, at which times there are also plants for sale. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in gardening, for a nominal fee of $20 per annum or $10 for concession card holders. There are no individual plots and the produce is shared amongst the members. To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact them by email (coburgcommon@gmail.com) or phone (0488 901 076). Also, see their Facebook page.

Coburg Common first came into existence in 2020, when 6 garden boxes were rolled onto a barren site and slowly but surely the garden has taken shape since then. Coburg Common is operated by a volunteer group called The Gardening Mob Inc (GMI). GMI was formed by some of the volunteers who previously ran Peppertree Place in Urquhart Street Coburg before it was taken over by Kevin Heinze GROW. The Uniting Church kindly allows the volunteers to utilise some land beside the church. GMI’s purpose is to enhance the opportunity for gardening for people of all abilities and to increase socialisation in the community through gardening, related activities and skill sharing and knowledge. They use sustainable practices and aim to be socially inclusive in all their endeavours.

Operations are partly funded through plant sales, many of which have been donated by the local community. The eclectic array of garden decor, pots and furniture is recycled or re-used hard rubbish rescues and donations. The artwork displayed in the garden was created by volunteers at various stages.

News from the Farm Raiser farm

As you may well know, Farm Raiser is a not-for-profit urban, organic vegetable farm in Bellfield. Whilst not certified, they follow organic principles and don’t use any chemicals.

An expanded farm gate

Their farm gate opposite at 12 Perkins Avenue, Bellfield is now open on Saturdays (9am-midday) as well as Fridays (10am-2pm).

A volunteering opportunity

Each Friday morning, they run a volunteer session from 10am-1pm, where they prepare beds, plant crops, weed, mulch, harvest, etc. They provide a morning tea and a warm nursery to hang out in if it’s raining. You get to take home some fresh vegetables at the end of the day, as their way of saying thanks for the support. If potentially interested, email Eve at volunteer@farmraiser.com.au. Note that a Working With Children Check is required as they are located at Waratah Special Developmental School.

There are now two Certified Organic vegetable stalls at Eltham Farmers’ Market

The extant stallholder is Thriving Foods Farm, who are there every Sunday. They also attend Alphington, Carlton and Coburg Farmers’ Markets.

The new stallholder is Spring Creek Organics, who will be there on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. They also attend Abbotsford Convent and Carlton Farmers’ Markets.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During May, the cooking teams were The Young Ones, the Park Orchards netball team, The Rangers and the Belmore Road Church of Christ. Look at some photos of the teams, plus those of previous teams.

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Celesta asked for advise on how to dry large chillies. Here are your responses:

Susan Palmer: Depending on my mood and how many chillies I have, I either use a dehydrator or freeze them. When dehydrating larger chillies, I make a single lengthwise cut to help the drying process.

Olwyn Smiley: I puree them with oil and freeze in small containers. So easy when a dish calls for chilli. Taking it out of the freezer at the start of the meal preparation means it has thawed just enough to chisel out as much as is needed. I make up and freeze harissa in the same way.

Lynn Wallace: Collect the fruit as it ripens and freeze. When enough fruit has been gathered or when the season is over, de-frost, blitz with some coarse salt and good quality fresh oil, and pour into sterilised jars (5 minutes in a microwave with a slurp of water). Keeps for years in the fridge. Taste test before use because it can be very concentrated and might blow your head off.

Yet more on using spent coffee ground

From Meg Montague: “I had several wheelie bins of grounds delivered a year ago. They were tipped out on top of the persistently sprouting stumps of a bay tree that I was desperately trying to stop suckering and shooting. The coffee grounds completely covered the stumps for many months. Result, no more bay tree shoots – they have been smothered and destroyed. I am now getting a second delivery which I will place in the same spot just to be sure!”

Do you want?

Do you want some free limes? Pick up from Eltham. Contact Trish Kent by email (Patricia.kent2017@gmail.com)

Your weekly facts about earthworms

Bev Middleton, from Soil Week Australia: If an earthworm gets injured or cut in half, the half with its head can regenerate a new body.

Charles Darwin via Guy Palmer: With a few exceptions, earthworms are hermaphrodite but procreate sexually.

Making gin is both quick and easy

One of the things that I (Guy) occasionally do is make gin. It’s really quick and easy. Here’s the basic method:

  1. Buy a cheap bottle of vodka.
  2. Add 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of juniper berries.
  3. Add whatever botanicals you want.
  4. Leave for 3 days.
  5. Use a sieve to filter out the juniper berries and botanicals.
  6. Leave for 2 days.
  7. Drink.

I will expand on some of this in a future newsletter (hopefully next week).

Do you eat tiddly oggies?

Ferguson Plarre’s toddly oggies are apparently 30 years’ old this month. To celebrate, each of their bakeries is giving away a free mini tiddly oggie with every purchase made on 23rd June, from 11am until sold out.

Something for you to read

Duncan Cocking, from Kyneton-based Leaf, Root & Fruit, is apparently transitioning from being a gardening service to someone who writes about edible gardening. His first two articles are about:

Some things for you to watch

Eltham-based Green Karma have been videoing some of their recent ‘heal with food’ presentations, including those on both autoimmune diseases and dementia.

Some things for you to listen to

The City Compost Network

Listen to Kath Jones. Kath, from Finbar Neighbourhood Garden in Richmond, was recently interviewed by someone called Xuan. The podcast is mostly about composting and is around 49 minutes long.

Listen to some more podcasts by The City Compost Network.

The Producers

Listen to Giorgio Linguanti. Giorgio, from That’s Amore Cheese in Thomastown, was recently interviewed by Dani Valent and Anthony Huckstep. The podcast is mostly about his cheesemaking career and is around 33 minutes long.

Listen to some more podcasts by The Producers.

Not food-related but interesting

Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes have opened a pop-up shop at 25 Separation Street, Northcote. The shop will be opens Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am-4pm from now until the end of July. Their aim is to rescue and re-home pre-loved items and reduce landfill. There will be a free rummage room, bargain-priced rescued items, a low-priced re-love gift shop, art and craft freebies at the re-purpose station and local artists’ upcycled products.

Ever used ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is artificial intelligence software that has been much in the news recently. It is free to use and you can ask it whatever you want so, when I had a few minutes spare earlier this week, I asked it to write a limerick about this newsletter (i.e. the Local Food Connect newsletter). This is what it came up with:

There once was a newsletter so bright,
Local Food Connect’s culinary delight.
With recipes galore,
And food news to explore,
Every subscriber’s appetite took flight.

And here is how it responded when I asked it to write a limerick about me (i.e. Guy Palmer):

There once was a man named Guy Palmer,
Whose wit and charm were quite the charmer.
With a smile so bright,
He’d light up the night,
A gentleman with charisma to armor.

If you ask it the same question twice, you often get different answers. For example, when I asked it again to write a limerick about me, it came up with:

There once was a fellow named Guy,
Whose laughter could reach to the sky.
With jokes so clever,
He’d make you feel better,
His humour would never run dry.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the drone video of Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm.

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

Tea is like F5 to me, it’s refreshing.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Weeds, weeds, weeds!; Saturday, 17th June, 1.30-3pm; gold coin; Montmorency.

George Paras will discuss how to tackle weeds without becoming overwhelmed, Take weed samples for identification. At Montmorency Community Hub, 1 Mountain View Road, Montmorency. Book your place by phone (0417 110 837) or email (prowley49@tpg.com.au).

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Winter alcohol-free wine tasting; three occurrences on Saturdays, 17th June, 8th July and 22nd July, each 2-3pm; $22 ($22 per hour); Abbotsford.

They will explain how non-alcoholic wine is made. You will also taste four red wines. Organised by Sip & Enjoy, Melbourne’s first non-alcoholic drinks store.

Introduction to chocolate tasting; Saturday, 24th June, midday-1.30pm; $33 ($22 per hour); Brunswick East.

You will explore the many flavours of cacao by learning how to taste chocolate from local bean-to-bar makers. Through each of these, Finn Doyle (aka Cacao About Town) will discuss the history of cacao and how it’s transformed from tropical fruit to the chocolate that we love, as well as ethical issues facing the industry today.

Autoimmune disease; Sunday, 30th July, 11am-12.30pm; free; Richmond.

Dr. Malcolm Mackay will discuss the nutrition and lifestyle approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other common autoimmune diseases. He will explain the role of the gut microbiome in regulating the immune system and present dietary strategies for reducing inflammation and creating a healthy microbiome. Organised by Green Karma.

Winter fruit tree pruning with Chris England; Saturday, 5th August, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Richmond.

Presenter Chris England. Learn how to prune different types of fruit trees – apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums and citrus. Learn how to keep trees healthy and to a workable height and to recognise the different types of growth, and prune for maximum fruit. BYO secateurs.

Permaculture Design Course (100 hours); Wednesday evenings and weekend days, starting 5th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $2,200 ($22 per hour); CERES.

Participants will develop: an appreciation of the fundamentals of permaculture and the historical context in which it was developed; an ability to incorporate ecological and energy literacy/understanding in the design process; an ability to read patterns in landscapes and understand how they influence design choices; an understanding of the design processes and the conceptual design tools used in permaculture, as background for later application topics; an ability to design food production and other agricultural systems in appropriate landscapes; an understanding of how communities function and how permaculture concepts can be used to build functional communities; an understanding of how trading functions and how permaculture concepts can be used to build more equitable economic systems; an understanding of how settlements can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an understanding of how buildings can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an appreciation of the technologies that are available to assist in building sustainable lifestyles – renewable energies and conservation of non-renewable resources; and a confidence in one’s ability to make a difference at the individual level. Trainers: Adam Grubb, Beck Lowe, Ian Lillington, Joel Meadows, Kat Lavers, Monique Miller and Taj Scicluna.

How to drink Australian (book launch); Monday, 7th August, 6-9pm; $30 ($10 per hour); Abbotsford.

Jane Lopes and Jon Ross, co-authors of How to Drink Australian, will discuss their book. For $80, you can get a signed copy of the book.

Grocery bill savings workshop with Open Table; Wednesday, 9th August, 4-5pm; free; Carlton.

Learn ways to better manage your grocery bills and budget more effectively. Facilitated by Open Table.

In June
In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Induction cooking workshop – electrify everything; Tuesday, 20th June, 6.30-8pm; free; Epping.

Join Open Table for a cooking demonstration, showing you how to reduce food waste and cook up delicious meals on induction. They will be making a seasonal fruit chutney for you to try.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (2 sessions); Wednesdays, 12th and 19th July, both 6.30-8.30pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. At the end of the session, eat what you have made or take it home. Tutor: Taariq Hassan.

Japanese cooking class – soup; Thursday, 13th July, 1-3pm; $15; Greensborough.

Make and enjoy traditional Japanese soup.

Elderberry syrup and fire cider with Miranda; Saturday, 5th August, 9-11.30am; $125 ($50 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Discover the medicinal properties of elderberries, their rich antioxidant content, and the essential vitamins and minerals they offer. Explore the history and folklore surrounding elderberries and their traditional use in natural medicine. Learn how to properly identify, harvest, and prepare elderberries for creating various forms of elderberry medicine, including syrups, tinctures, teas, and more. Take home both a bottle of elderberry syrup and a little elderberry plant. Fire cider uses vinegar as its base to create a tonic that is circulatory enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral. Its fermentation/extraction takes 6 weeks but in this class you will learn how to make it. You will takes home a bottle of your own fire cider. Presenter: Miranda Mueller. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 5th August, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John.

In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News June 7 2023

Jun 072023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Celesta Van der Paal, Julie French, Olaf Falafel, Pam Jenkins, Rob Rees, Sarah Young, Vanessa Veldman and Vicki Jordan.

How to use and cook celeriac (by Julie French)

[Julie, from the Montmorency Community Group, has volunteered to write a series of articles ab out how to use and cook various unusual vegetables. First up is celeriac. Thanks Julie!]

One of the pleasures of the change of seasons is to see old veggie friends appear in the market stalls at the Eltham Farmers’ Market. A favourite of mine is the rough and knobbly celeriac root, which I queue up for at Silvertine Farm no matter the weather. Not the most attractive of vegetables, it doesn’t call out “eat me”, but it is tasty and worth adding to your winter repertoire. Celeriac is a variety of celery cultivated widely around the Mediterranean and has a long history – it was mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey.

Celeriac can be prepared and eaten in many ways and is a good alternative to potato, especially if you’re trying to cut back on carbohydrates. As well as being low in carbs and fat, it is high in fibre and a good source of vitamins B6, C and K. It also contains important minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium and manganese. Finally, it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its supposed anti-inflammatory qualities.

All parts of the celeriac, can be used – including the skin if you scrub it really thoroughly. The bulb itself can be roasted, mashed, gratineed, used in fritters and tarts or used raw (as in the classic French rémoulade). The stems and leaves can be used in the same way you’d use celery.

A tip before you start: once peeled and cut, celeriac will discolour. This makes no difference to the flavour but, if you want it to look less grey, rub the peeled bulb with some lemon, or drop sliced/cut pieces into some acidulated water.

Things to do with celeriac:

  • Substitute celeriac for potatoes to make chunky chips.
  • Mash it on its own or add some potato to make a creamier mash (celeriac has a higher water content than potato).
  • Peel, shave thin slices horizontally, pat dry and deep fry to make celeriac crisps.
  • Make a gratin with thinly sliced celeriac – boil slices until just tender then arrange in a buttered dish, sprinkle each layer with grated parmesan, salt and pepper, pour over a little cream and top with parmesan, some dobs of butter and breadcrumbs. Bake at 200degC.
  • Make a winter veggie bake with celeriac, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, onion, tinned chopped tomatoes and whatever else you have to hand. Cook at 190degC till the veggies are tender, then top with some sliced haloumi drizzle with olive oil and bake for a further 15 minutes.
  • Grate it and use it in fritters (see recipe below).
  • Finely chop the stems to garnish soups.
  • Add stalks, stems and skin to your vegetable stock pot.
  • Make a salad such as a classic French céleri-rémoulade (see below).
Celeriac and potato cakes

1 large celeriac, peeled and grated
2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs
grated rind from a large lemon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Put the celeriac into a clean tea towel and squeeze to remove as much water as you can. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together well.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add a little oil and a knob of butter. When the butter is sizzling, add tablespoonfuls of the mixture (be careful not to crowd the pan) and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden.

Serve with slices of smoked salmon or smoked trout and sour cream.

Céleri-rémoulade (from Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book)

Cut one good sized celeriac into julienne (matchstick) lengths and mix with 200-250 ml good quality Dijon mustard flavoured mayonnaise. Decorate with chopped parsley.

[If Julie’s article inspires you to want to eat celeriac, you might be interested in Robin Gale-Baker’s article on our website about how to grow celeriac.]

Preserving chillies (by Celesta Van der Paal)

[This is the third article that Celesta has written for the newsletter in recent weeks. Thanks, Celesta! I have set up a page on our website to where her various surveys of supermarket products will be collated.]

The easiest way to preserve small, thin chillies is simply to dry the fruit. After a bit of experimentation, this is how I (Celesta) do this.

Use a large embroidery needle with an eye that is large enough to thread cooking twine through the eye.

Sterilise the needle. Thread the twine/string through to measure about 50cms (or as long as you would like your string of chillies to be), then cut the string.  Make a knot at the end of the string and start threading on the chillies.  Insert the needle at the junction of the pedicel (aka stalk) and the calyx (the green part that is attached to the chilli). For the first chilli, tie a knot around the calyx to stop the chilli falling off.  Then continue to thread on more chillies, one at a time, keeping adequate space between each chilli to allow for air flow around the entire fruit.  No extra knots are needed as the chillies stayed in place by remaining gripped to the string.

Hang in the laundry or equivalent.

Leave for about two months and then store in sterilised dry jars.

A year later, these stored chillies are still dry and mould free and can be used in cooking whole or flaked using a small blender.

I have also had success drying garlic and oregano in the same way.  I tie twine around large bunches of oregano and, for garlic, I tie twine around the green stem then tie this string to the line.

The lists below show where our dried products of chilli, garlic and oregano are sourced in our two major supermarket chains:

     

  • Chilli flakes: 2 brands from India; 3 packed in Australia (PIA).
  • Crushed chilli: 2 brands from China; 1 PIA; 1 produce of Australia.
  • Garlic powder: 1 brand from China; 1 from India; 1 from USA; 1 PIA.
  • Minced garlic: 4 brands from China; 1 produce of Australia.
  • Dried oregano: 1 brand from India;1 from Greece, 1 PIA.
  • Semi-dried oregano: 1 brand produce of Australia.

It is interesting to see how many products are marked as packed in Australia, which effectively hides their source.

Now that I’m paying attention, I also think that it is quite revealing to see how much imported food is on our supermarket shelves.

Do you know?

Celesta has only used the method above for small, thin chillies but she would also like to dry larger chillies. Are food dehydrators the way to go? What methods do you use. Email us with your thoughts.

More on using spent coffee grounds

Following last week’s article about Reground being a bit short of gardeners to deliver their free, spent ground coffee to, Vicki Jordan has written in: “I had coffee grounds delivered around 3 months ago and the worms love it! I keep the grounds covered and add them to my compost periodically. I’m extremely happy with the result.“.

In 2018, Gardening Australia did a 5 minute segment about Reground’s service, including an interview with newsletter reader Stuart Rodda.

The Wangim Cup Project

The Wangim Cup Project is a Darebin initiative where you can borrow a re-usable coffee cup at one of the participating cafes and return it at a later date to any of the cafes. In other words: borrow then use then return. The objective is to reduce the use of single-use cups. 26 Darebin cafes are participating.

In some ways the initiative is analogous to boomerang bags and, indeed, ‘wangim’ means ‘boomerang’ in Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. And, like boomerang bags, there is some ‘leakage’ in the system, whereby the number of cups available reduces over time unless replenished. In this context, an organisation called Awareaway is helping the Wangim Cup Project to rescue unwanted re-usable cups. If you have any spare re-usable cups, you can drop them off at any of Alphington Farmers’ Market (at the Northcote Bakery Store), The Northcote Bakeshop or the Moon Rabbit Cafe in Preston.

Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm

In last week’s newsletter, we discussed a number of upcoming events at Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm. The farm is an interesting place so I thought that I would say a few words about it. The farm is on the roof of a shopping centre and covers around ½ an acre. It is open to the public whenever the shopping centre is open and is well worth a visit. At 70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East. Here is a short drone video of the farm.

Cultivating Community recently took over the management of the farm. Here is some of the blurb from their marketing material: “Together in collaboration, Cultivating Community and Burwood Brickworks will develop the rooftop farm into a thriving landscape that improves social connections. Food will be grown that can be provided to communities and projects throughout Melbourne who may be facing barriers to culturally appropriate fresh food. The location will also be activated as a pathway to employment for a variety of organisations including in particular CALD groups and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Over time, some produce will be commercially sold to secure ongoing funding directly to consumers or local cafes and restaurants or school canteens. An activities and workshop calendar will offer opportunities for people of all ages to engage in food systems knowledge as the rooftop farm becomes a learning and education space. You will also start to see a stronger cultural diversity of products grown to represent local communities.”

The shopping centre itself is noticeably different than your average shopping centre, with lots of plants, natural light, recycled timber, solar panels and other eco-friendly features. It is worth a visit in its own right. It is also the only place in Melbourne that I (Guy) know of where you can sometimes buy Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream!

Thanks to Rob Rees, CEO of Cultivating Community, for providing some of the information above.

Are you a serious baker?

The John Reid Fellowship is providing $8K in funding “for young or emerging leaders in the local grains movement, to undertake a project that connects them with people in the local grain economy to build solidarity networks across all aspects of the food system.” Closing date: 2nd July. Read more and potentially apply.

Thanks for the heads up, Sarah Young.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

‘Carrot dog’, submitted by Pam Jenkins.

‘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 throughout the Winter 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, Liberty Church Epping or STREAT in Collingwood.

Your weekly facts about earthworms

Bev Middleton, from Soil Week Australia: Earthworms are expert tunnellers and can burrow up to two meters below the ground. Their tunnels help with soil aeration and nutrient distribution by creating channels for water to flow through.

Charles Darwin via Guy Palmer: Earthworms are everywhere. They are mainly nocturnal, blind (but can sense light) and deaf.

Soil Week Australia is currently running a competition for school students on the topic of ‘wonderful worms’. Read more and potentially enter.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Jian Liu’s article on how to use spent coffee grounds.

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

When vegetarians give up something they have to go cold tofu. (Submitted by Olaf Falafel)

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be at Eltham Farmers’ Market from 9-11am, where their topic of the month will be soil. Drop by to ask any questions about compost, nutrient tea, rock dust, leaf mould, green manures, vermiculture, hugelkultur or mulch.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Wicking bed workshop; Thursday, 6th July, 10am-2pm; $45 ($11 per hour); Panton Hill.

Melissa Houselander will show you how to make a wicking bed from scratch by building a wicking bed for the Panton Hill Community Garden. You will learn: about the concept of a wicking bed and how it works; what materials to use; how to layer your wicking bed; tips and tricks for growing plants in your wicking bed; and ongoing maintenance and care for your wicking bed. A light lunch will be included.

Introduction to horticulture (8 sessions); Monday for 8 weeks, starting 10th July, 10am-2.30pm; $70 ($2 per hour); Eltham.

This course is ideal for people considering a career in horticulture. No prior experience is necessary. Working as a team with fellow participants, you will gain a broad overview and practical, hands-on experience about such topics as: introduction to plant recognition; propagation; planting; soil properties; environmentally sustainable work practices; and career pathways / further study in the horticulture industry. You will spend some time outdoors (getting your hands dirty!) along with some time in the classroom. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

The fungus amongst us; Saturday, 29th July, 10am-12.30pm; $60 ($24 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.

How to become self reliant workshop; Saturday, 29th July, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn from the owners of Big Little Farm who are a living example of self reliance and community building. The class will include: growing your own food (vegetables, fruit, berries and the infrastructure and seasonal requirements); developing closed loop systems; strategies to capture, store and move water without paying a cent to water companies; developing and maintaining healthy soil; how to compost for maximum harvest returns; animal integration and how to raise animals for meat; building and maintenance, reclamation methods; home economics (preserving food, home-made toiletries and basic medicines); becoming your own maintenance and repair man or woman; and how to live well on less, the economics of self reliance and community building. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Japanese cooking class – vegetarian/vegan; Sunday, 25th June,2-4pm;free; Reservoir.

Learn how to make some simple vegetarian and vegan Japanese food. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Creative cooking (10 sessions); Thursdays for 10 weeks, starting on 13th July, 2-4pm; $100 ($5 per hour); Coburg.

Learn to cook well-balanced, nutritional food on a budget. Get essential tips on wasting less food and using more garden produce. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

Miso making M.O.B.; Wednesday, 19th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will have the legume (soy beans and chickpeas) soaked and cooked, the koji and salt weighed, jars ready and music on. You will mash and squish and roll and throw – ready to go home with 1 litre of miso that can be ready to eat within 3 months – ferment for longer if you like. Enjoy its taste over different periods of fermentation. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

FFS … ferment four staples; Saturday, 22nd July, 1-6.30pm; $425 ($77 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course: kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir butter, milk kefir with SCOBY, whey soda and kvass.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 27th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Make pad thai from scratch; Friday, 28th July, 5.30-8.30pm; $85 ($28 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make pad thai from scratch, including the sauce. You will have a choice of vegetarian or chicken pad thai as each batch is made individually. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 29th July, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 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 Amore Cheese.

In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 31 2023

May 312023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anne Shea, Fiona Parsons, Jennie Ramage, Megan Goodman, Rob Rees, Robin Gale-Baker and Susan Palmer.

Dealing with suckers (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Suckers on a plum tree emerging from both the trunk and the ground.

For the health of fruit trees, it is important to remove suckers at pruning time. Suckers are the shoots that grow from the rootstock beneath the graft on fruit trees. Most fruit trees are grafted, sometimes having several grafts on the one tree. The rootstock is a different variety of tree than the graft and will not produce the same fruit. The graft will appear as a bulge low down on the trunk – usually around 20cm from the ground.

There are four main reasons to remove suckers:

  • Suckers detract from the vigour of the tree, reducing flowering and fruiting.
  • Suckers can outgrow the main trunk and make it difficult to distinguish the trunk from the sucker(s).
  • Suckers can overwhelm the tree, creating multiple unwanted trunks.
  • Suckers are often thorny and pose a danger of injury when you are pruning including puncture wounds from brushing against them, removing them or stepping on pruned branches. Pruned branches should be collected and disposed of straight away as they can easily penetrate footwear or wheelbarrow or car tyres.

Sometimes suckers grow from the trunk and, at other times, they grow directly from the roots. To remove them from the trunk, it is important to make a clean cut, as close to the point they emerge as possible. To remove them from the roots, scrape back the soil and try to locate the root from which they are growing and cut at the junction between the root and sucker, then replace the soil.

Do not leave a stub. Stubs create branching which is the equivalent of a heading cut where multiple shoots emerge from a single cut.

The best time to prune suckers out is when they are young & thin and it is possible to get your secateurs ‘in’ – right next to the trunk or root. The bigger the sucker is in diameter, the harder this is to do and you may need to resort to using a pruning saw or choppers. Unlike pruning tree branches, it is often awkward to get a good angle on suckers because they are emerging from the ground or the trunk low down. They can also grow very close to the main trunk, if not right up against it.

The other thing to look for is suckers growing some way from the trunk. These will be suckers from the roots and must be removed.

Suckers must be dealt with annually but check every few months and remove any re-growth. Some trees may be relatively easy to keep sucker free while others are so vigorous that it’s a constant job.

After some debate, the farm gate at Joe’s Market Garden is remaining open

On 22nd May, ABC Melbourne reported that the farm gate at Joe’s Market Garden was to be closed, for the Winter at least (listen to their 10 minute podcast where, from the 5:46 minute mark, Cinnamon Evans, the CEO of CERES, who run Joe’s Market Garden, is interviewed about the subject). On the same day, the Broadsheet website reported the same thing.

On 25th May, however, CERES announced on Facebook that the farm gate would remain open over winter, but only on Saturday mornings. The market garden itself will remain operational 7 days per week and its produce will still be found in the CERES Fair Food veggie boxes.

It is not yet clear what the longer term future holds. As CERES said in their Facebook post above: “The market garden and farm gate have been operating at a significant financial loss. We need to make some changes.”

Want some spent ground coffee?

Fiona Parsons, from Reground, has written in to say that they are currently a bit short of gardeners to deliver their spent ground coffee to. They deliver everywhere in metro Melbourne and each delivery is about 1 tonne / 1 cubic metre of coffee. It is a free service and there is no cost to the gardener. Book your free delivery.

For those of you who don’t know, Reground is a social enterprise, based in Alphington, who collect spent ground coffee and chaff from cafes and businesses and deliver it to homes and community gardens around Melbourne and Geelong. Their objective is to keep it out of landfill and return it to the soil where, in their view, it belongs.

Some people are passionate advocates for using spent coffee grounds in their garden. For example, read Jian Liu’s article on our website, which also discusses how it should, and should not, be used.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

How many vegetables can you see in the photo right?

A poem

[From Jennie Ramage, who says: “I used to say this poem to young children, both my own and those in school kitchen garden groups that I ran. Now I just say it to the bees. Hint: extend the ‘zzz’ sounds.“]

“I’m busy busy busy” said the bee
“I shan’t be home for dinner or tea,
it takes me hourszzz and hourszzz
to visit all the flowerszzz”

We now have a total of 19 food-related poems by newsletter readers on our website.

Your weekly facts about earthworms

Bev Middleton, from Soil Week Australia: Worm castings, also known as worm poo, are very nutrient rich. They contain beneficial bacteria, enzymes, micronutrients (including iron, sulphur, magnesium, zinc, copper and calcium) and macronutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus).

Guy Palmer: The last book that Charles Darwin ever wrote was called The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms, published in 1881. It is a very readable book about the impact of earthworms on the soil.

Changes in Eltham cafes

The Merika Cafe & Restaurant has open up. At 1425 Main Road (up the hill, behind the 7/11 petrol station). Open Wednesday to Sunday, 8am-3.30pm. As well as normal cafe fare, its menu features something called ‘chimneys’, both savoury and sweet, which are filled with whatever. For example, I (Guy) had a chimney filled with poached eggs, spinach, cheese and hollandaise sauce followed by another chimney covered with nutella and chocolate chips and filled with chocolate ice cream. Unusual and rather yum!

The Chocolate Lemon Cafe has moved to Warrandyte (down by the river near the children’s playground).

Some new articles from Angelo Eliades

Why honey never spoils. [Hint: because if contains zero water, is acidic and has some anti-bacterial agents.]

Can honey be used for rooting plant cuttings?. [HInt: the answer is ‘yes’.]

Some suggested viewing

Susan Palmer suggests that you watch the following videos about how to make mini cakes shaped like animals: video 1, video 2, video 3, video 4 and video 5.

Meg’s garden this month (by Megan Goodman)

The top of my water heater is draped with lengths of drying borlotti beans that rattle in their casings and are nearly ready to be stored. Inside, the seeds are speckled pink. They can be used fresh and make great baked beans, but can also be dried for later use. Saving seed from beans (and peas) is simple. You leave them on the plant for as long as possible, until they start to dry, then harvest and place somewhere to dry out. In this weather, you can’t leave them on the plant too long as they will be affected by mildew. Don’t use them all in your winter cooking – make sure you save some seed to plant next season.

In between the showers, I have planted out more leafy greens and this season’s garlic. I have also pulled out the prolific nasturtium seedlings that have sprouted everywhere. If allowed to grow, they will take over the garden beds, smothering everything else. Once planted, it is unlikely that you will ever be without nasturtiums, although the newer varieties may revert over time to the more common orange flowers. Just leave your seedlings on the ground to break down or add them to your compost.

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.

Making bread (by Anne Shea)

This unusual bread recipe uses some interesting techniques like extra yeast, a high moisture first kneading with warm water, and a cold start in the oven. All of which has two loaves of crusty white bread ready from mix to eating in a little over an hour. They cost less than $3 to make and this recipe has saved me many Saturday morning trips out for a nice loaf. It’s often easier and definitely cosier to stay in and warm up the house with the baking of bread. I can get hot bread and jam ready before my kids even get out of bed! The recipe was first published in Amy Dacyczyn’s now very-out-of-print The Frugal Gazette.

Ingredients

5-6 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute whole wheat flour for 1 or 2 cups)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups hot water (around 50degC)
1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds

Method

If you don’t have a food processor: Mix 4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in hot water and beat 100 strokes, or three minutes with a mixer. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead for 8 minutes.

If you have a food processor: Combine the dry ingredients in the processor bowl. Turn on the machine and slowly pour the water in the tube until the dough forms into a ball. Let the dough ball spin 20 times.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let it rise for 15 minutes.

Punch down. Divide into two pieces. Shape into two round loaves and place on a baking sheet. Cut a cross ½ inch deep on top with a sharp knife. Brush with water and sprinkle with seeds.

Place on the middle shelf of a cold oven. Place a cake pan of hot water on the lowest shelf. Heat the oven to 200degC. Bake for 40-60 minutes until golden brown.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Thanh Truong’s video about how to choose and cut pomegranates.

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

What do bakers give people on special occasions? Flours.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not (quite) local but interesting

All three events below are being organised by Cultivating Community and held at Burwood Brickworks Rooftop Farm.

How to save and germinate seeds; Monday, 5th June, 11am-12.30pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Burwood.

Learn how to create seed banks and about the germination process.

Recycled plant containers and propagating indoor plants; Friday, 16th June, 10-11.30am; $50 ($34 per hour); Burwood.

Learn what to do with those items you may think about throwing out and how they can be re-purposed for your indoor plants.

Bush tucker food for balconies; Tuesday, 27th June, 10-11am; $50 ($50 per hour); Burwood.

Relevant if you live in an apartment or have limited growing spaces.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Soil management masterclass and field trip (2 sessions); Sunday, 4th June, 10am-2pm and Friday, 16th June, 10am-4pm; $359 ($36 per hour); Bundoora.

For aspiring farmers. The first day will equip you with the skills to assess soil conditions. Learn how to engage an agronomist effectively, interpret soil test results, and conduct practical field tests to assess soil qualities. The second day will be a field trip to explore the impact of soil type and context on site management. Discover how different soil conditions require tailored approaches and refine your skills in developing effective soil management plans. Facilitator: Agronomist Ian Mott. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Introduction to soils workshop; Sunday, 4th June, 2.30-4.30pm; $47 ($24 per hour); Bundoora.

Agronomist Ian Mott will discuss: how to assess soil conditions; resources for conducting soil tests, what to test for (e.g. contamination, identifying hazards, fertility, suitability to particular crops) and where to do so; how to interpret and improve or amend soil conditions; and tools and resources for planning, management and further learning. Organised by Farmer Incubator.

Winter pruning and care of fruit trees with Robin Gale-Baker; Saturday, 10th June, 1-3pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn how to prune nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and quince trees and how to maintain these trees so that you will get disease-free fruit and healthy leaves in the summer. If you have sharp secateurs or loppers please bring them but, if not, you can use what they have in the tool library. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Shopping guide according to Aegean longevity cuisine; Sunday, 11th June, 10am-1pm; free; Doncaster.

Learn how to shop for healthy and proper ingredients. Explore the importance of understanding hidden preservatives in food, the impact of excessive sugar and salt consumption, and how to identify additives on food labels. Start by walking through some shops and then convening for a more in-depth discussion. Finally, learn some techniques specific to Aegean longevity cuisine.

Winter pruning and care of fruit trees with Robin Gale-Baker; Saturday, 17th June, 1-3pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn how to prune nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and quince trees and how to maintain these trees so that you will get disease-free fruit and healthy leaves in the summer. If you have sharp secateurs or loppers please bring them but, if not, you can use what they have in the tool library. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Wild mushroom foraging and fermentation for beginners; Saturday, 8th July, 10am-3pm; $180 ($60 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to identify wild mushrooms and gather them safely. Take a guided walk to search for mushrooms in their natural habitat. The Fermented Mumma will show you how to use field guides, spore prints, and other tools to identify mushrooms by their colour, shape, texture and scent. You will also learn about the different parts of a mushroom, including the cap, stem, gills and pores, and how to distinguish between edible and poisonous species. After the foraging expedition, you will have the opportunity to taste and smell a variety of mushrooms, including some that are safe to eat and others that are not. To finish off, the Fermented Mumma will cook up a feast of fermented mushrooms. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Small changes, big impact (kitchen edition) workshop; Saturday, 15th July, 11.30am-1pm; free; Ringwood.

Join Anna The Urban Nanna as she shares some waste management tips in the kitchen.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Thursday, 20th July, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Mushroom foraging; Thursday, 20th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $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.

Beeswax wraps; Sunday, 23rd July, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps; learn skills that are transferable to the home environment; and bundling techniques. This is a hands-on workshop where participants will make their own washable and re-usable ready-to-use beeswax wraps. Presenter: Emma Grace.

Growing an abundance of organic food; Sunday, 23rd July, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

This workshop will cover: soil enrichment techniques; crop selection and planning; seed starting and transplanting; green manure; fruit tree planting and maintenance; nutrient management; and composting. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 17th June, 10am-3pm; $250 ($50 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.

Sustainable cooking workshop for kids; Thursday, 29th June, 10am-midday; free; Chirnside Park.

Children are to be accompanied by an adult. Your kids will learn how to make a quick and easy ‘cheat’ pizza, with a scone style base. You will also be shown some tips on how to use up bits and bobs in your fridge to avoid wasting food waste and save money at the same time. Note that you will need to bring: a mixing bowl; a baking tray; a wooden spoon (or regular spoon or butter knife); a board or mat for rolling (cutting board is fine); a rolling pin (if you have one); a spatula (if you have one); a container (should there be leftovers to take home); and an apron (recommended). Facilitator: Kirsty Bishop-Fox, from Sustainable Pathways. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Truffle and praline workshop; Tuesday, 21st July, 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.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 22nd July, 9am-5pm; $190 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

The art of baking sourdough with Fei; Sunday, 23rd July, 1-4pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will learn how to make sourdough bread from start to finish, from mixing and kneading the dough to proofing, shaping and baking. You will also cover how to maintain a sourdough starter. You will take home a starter culture and a loaf of freshly baked bread. Presenter: Fei from Munchen Bakery. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 24 2023

May 242023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alex Childs, Ann Stanley, Anne Duncan, Bev Middleton, Sarah Watson and Vic Langsam.

Want to be part of a new, local radio show – ‘Local Food Connections’?

Our very own Ann Stanley will be hosting a weekly new show called ‘Local Food Connections’ on 3CR on Sunday mornings, 10-10.30am from 25th June onwards. It will cover such topics as local food systems, community supported agriculture, urban farming, food justice, indigenous food knowledge, foraging, edible weeds, community gardens, food swaps and permaculture.

The program needs some on-air presenters, panel operators and producers to join Ann and her team of volunteers. Training in radio broadcasting is available. If potentially interested, contact Ann by phone (0423 431745) or email (annstanley.wes@gmail.com).

The program also needs more guests to be interviewed. Again, if potentially interested, contact Ann by phone (0423 431745) or email (annstanley.wes@gmail.com).

And, obviously, the program needs listeners. So, tune in to 3CR every Sunday morning, 10-10.30am from 25th June!

Want a job?

Business Leads Melbourne Farmers Markets

“The Business Lead of our markets will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day market staff and operations, managing stallholder relationships, identifying new income opportunities and managing budgets. Initially focussed on supporting the growth of Carlton Farmers’ Market, this role will report to the Chief Executive Officer.” Full-time position. Based in Alphington. Submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@mfm.com.au.

Facilities Manager at Melbourne Farmers Markets

“The Facilities Manager will be responsible for managing infrastructure use, maintaining the infrastructure and grounds and being the point of contact for tenants at the [Alphington Community Food] Hub. The Market Facilities Manager will also be responsible for managing and maintaining the infrastructure used at our off-site locations.” Part-time (0.6FTE) position. Based in Alphington. Submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@mfm.com.au.

Sustain’s 2022 annual report

Sustain’s 2022 annual report has just been published. Amongst their various activities, Sustain operate a food hub in Alphington and an urban farm in Preston.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Ukrainian artist Yulia makes fabric dolls whose heads are vegetables or other food items.

Your weekly fact about earthworms

[Over the next few months, Bev Middleton will be supplying us with weekly facts about earthworms.]

Earthworms don’t have teeth. Instead, they swallow soil, organic matter and dead microorganisms and their strong muscles and digestive juices then break it down.

As previously reported, Bev’s organisation Soil Week Australia is currently running a competition for school students on the topic of ‘wonderful worms’. Entries can be in any digital format, including video, making a magazine, drawing a picture, recording a speech, writing a play, painting a mural, designing a video game or writing a book review. There will be a number of cash prizes. Closing date: 15th September. Read more and potentially enter.

Random food-related observation of the week

Apropos of nothing, Vic Langsam has sent in the following: “May I suggest a simple clean way to cut a birthday cake or any other. Before you start, prepare a large mug ⅔ full of boiling water. Make sure that no young child is close by. Each time you slice, put the knife back into the boiled water.”

In reaction, I thought we could potentially start a regular section in this newsletter on random food-related observations. If you have any food-related observations that you would like to share with our readership, email them to us.

Its pomegranate harvesting season

How to choose and cut pomegranates

Melbourne-based fruiterer Thanh Truong’s videos are always worth watching. His latest video is about how to choose and cut pomegranates.

A new mural at Reservoir Library

Features pomegranates (see photo right). Created by local artist Textaqueen. Thanks for the heads up, CERES Fair Food.

Some suggested viewing

Edible gardening for renters

Leaf, Root & Fruit, an edible gardening, design and landscaping service based in Kyneton, have produced an 18-minute video on edible gardening for renters. They have also written an article on the same subject.

Short videos on food growing

Big Little Farm, a permaculture homestead based in (I think) Silvan, produce lots of short videos on a wide range of food-growing subjects. [Note: in Instagram, videos are distinguished from posts by having a ‘play’ icon in the top right corner.]

Pumpkin soup (by Sarah Watson)

[Sarah Watson is the owner of Nillumbik Nursery and this recipe first appeared in their May newsletter.]

Ingredients

1kg pumpkin, cut into small cubes
500g potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 large onion
finely chopped / crushed garlic and ginger to taste
1 cup red lentils, washed
3-4 teaspoons curry powder
3 teaspoons veggie stock
8 cups water
half a celery, finely diced
pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
serve with natural yoghurt, fresh coriander and crusty bread toasted

Method

Fry the onion in oil, then add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and fry on high heat for a couple of minutes.

Add the pumpkin, potato, water (6 cups), lentils, veggie stock, celery, pepper, bay leaves and boil until the potato and pumpkin are soft (30-40 minutes).

Remove the bay leaves and mash (it takes a lot of mashing) but you can blend if you like no texture.

Then add more water and put the bay leaves back in.

Put it in the slow cooker for a few hours (but this is not really necessary to slow cook).

[Editor’s note: There are lots of different recipes for pumpkin soup. Some years ago, two of my best friends made some pumpkin soup and the two tasted completely different. I organised for them to taste each other’s soup and, interestingly but on reflection perhaps not surprisingly, both thought that their own soup was superior. I much preferred one but decided that it would be diplomatic to state that they were both equally as good.]

If you have any recipes that you would like to share with our readership, email them to us.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Alys Fowler’s guide to laid-back gardening in the Guardian.

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

A jumper cable walked into a bar. The bartender said, “I’ll serve you, but don’t start anything!”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Zero Waste Victoria; various dates; free; Chirnside Park, Kilsyth and Mount Evelyn.

From now until the end of June, Zero Waste Victoria are organising numerous free events in Chirnside Park, Kilsyth and Mount Evelyn on all aspects of waste.

Guided walk in Maranoa Gardens; Sunday, 28th May, 11am-12.30pm; free; Balwyn.

Meet at the front entry gate to Maranoa Gardens, if entering off Parring Road..

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Songs in the garden; Thursday, 25th May, 3-6pm; free; Heidelberg West.

Local musician Alcides Neto will perform live – go enjoy some Brazilian music plus some nibbles. Also, see what is growing Buna Reserve Community Garden.

Permaculture Design Course (10 sessions); Tuesdays 9am-3pm, 6th June to 8th August; $595 ($6 per hour); Ringwood.

Learn how to read the landscape and design a productive ecosystem in partnership with nature to create natural abundance. You will also learn how to regenerate degraded landscapes and ecosystems, and apply the principles to design for a property of any size. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Food photography; Sunday, 25th June, 9.30am-12.30pm; $109 ($36 per hour); Eltham.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as the right lens, composition, exposure, lighting and software.

Beeswax wrap workshop; Sunday, 2nd July, 11am-1pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Brunswick.

Emma will show you how to make beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided, though you can BYO fabric to be waxed and transformed into wraps. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Weight loss and gut health workshop; Friday, 7th July, 10am-midday; $99 ($50 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

In the first part of this workshop, you will learn about the importance of health as the foundation of any weight loss program. It will cover such topics as the benefits of exercise, the importance of sleep and stress management techniques. You will also learn about the role of hormones, gut health, and inflammation in weight loss. In the second part you will learn about the role of movement in weight loss and how to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. It will cover such topics such as different types of exercise, how to create an exercise routine and how to stay motivated. You will also learn about the benefits of strength training and how to build muscle mass. In the final part, you will learn about the role of nutrition in weight loss and how to make healthy food choices. It will cover such topics as the benefits of whole foods, how to read nutrition labels, and how to create a balanced meal plan. You will also learn about the benefits of specific diets, such as the Mediterranean diet and the ketogenic diet. Presenter: Angela Gioffre. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Make your own reusable produce bags; Friday, 7th July, 10am-12.45pm; free; Croydon Hills.

Make your own reusable produce bag. No prior sewing skills are required. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Pruning and care of fruit trees; Saturday, 15th July, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to grow a variety of fruit and nut trees in your backyard; pruning techniques; and pest and disease management. Presenter: Carol Henderson.

Plants and permaculture; Sunday, 16th July, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

The subjects to be covered include: regenerative garden design; practical gardening skills and tips; how to increase plant and food diversity in your garden; self cycling garden systems; nutrition and properties of plants; plants for food, medicine, fodder, nectar and habitat; and forest garden systems. Presenter: Taj Scicluna.

Winter/waring fruit tree pruning; Sunday, 16th July, 10.30am-12.30pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Preston.

You will learn how to: carry out formative pruning to shape young trees; maintenance prune to maintain the size of established trees; and renovation prune to tidy up overgrown trees and reduce their size. You will also learn how to prune trees with special pruning requirements (such as figs, pomegranates and persimmons) plus winter fruit tree pest control. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

In May
In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

In May
In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 17 2023

May 162023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Isabelle Fouard, James Petty, Karen Olsen, Kat Greenham, Lee Hirsh, Louise Nolan, Lucinda Flynn, Pauline Webb, Rachel Bishop and Rebecca Bester.

Cross pollinated pumpkins

Louise Nolan has sent in the photo right which, she says, are the results of cross pollination between her Butternut and Jap pumpkins.

Cross pollination is when a flower on one plant is fertilised by pollen from another plant (in contrast to self-pollination, where a flower is fertilised by pollen from the same plant).

It is almost definitely the case that the cross pollination that Louise refers to relates to the grandparents of the pumpkin rather than to its parents. This is because, when cross pollination occurs, it affects the seeds (which contain DNA from each of the plants) but not the surrounding fruit (which only contains the DNA of the female parent). So, the pumpkin grows normally but any plants subsequently grown from the seeds within it will have uncertain fruit.

Because pumpkin seeds are often the result of cross pollination, they should not be used by home growers to grow new plants. In other words, don’t seed save pumpkin seeds. Ditto cucumbers, gourds, rockmelons, water melons or zucchini.

By contrast, most other vegetables usually self-pollinate so the seeds will be the same variety as their parent plant and they can safely be seed saved.

Note that, in the wild, it is cross pollination which dominates. This is because evolution has led to plants developing barriers to self-pollination as a way of avoiding inbreeding. Self-pollination of vegetables has largely arisen over time through the intervention of humans so that we can grow distinct varieties.

More on The Veggie Empire and Gardening Australia

As you know, The Veggie Empire recently featured on last Friday’s Gardening Australia (watch the 6 minute video. Rachel Bishop, the organiser of ‘the Empire’, has now written in: “Thanks so much for promoting Gardening Australia via your newsletter last week when our segment aired. The team had the best day with Costa and the crew. We loved what they did in featuring Josh and Scott and the amazing work that they do.”

I am going to use Rachel’s mention of Costa as an excuse for including a photo of Costa that I once took at the Sustainable Macleod Community Garden. If you can’t immediately see him, he is on the far right.

More on Abbotsford Convent Farmers’ Market

I (Guy) visited the market on Saturday. It is in the same place as the previous market. There were around 45 stalls, lots of them familiar from other farmers’ markets. It cost a gold coin to enter.

Future markets will be monthly on the 2nd Saturday of each month, 8am-1pm.

More on Harriet’s Hungry Worms

Thanks to everyone who entered our little competition for free copies of the new illustrated book Harriet’s Hungry Worms. The lucky winners of the random draw were Rhi Canaway and Vicki Jordan.

Want to join a co-op?

Greenvedge, which is an organic fruit and vegetable food co-op based in Warrandyte, is looking for new members. You choose what you want and they order fortnightly at wholesale prices. Being a co-op of volunteers, all members contribute with their labour to the running of the co-op. This means packing the fruit and vegetables at a local location on allocated Mondays plus some admin. If you are potentially interested in joining, contact Alison Margaritis by phone (0409 408309).

Another repair cafe

Chirnside Park. 1st or 2nd Sunday of each month, 10am-midday (see their Facebook page for details). At 33 Kimberley Drive.

Thanks for the heads up, Rebecca Bester!

That makes a total of 11 local repair cafes on our website map.

Yes, you do know!

Last week, someone asked for advice on activating their green cone bio-digester. Lots of you have responded. Thanks, everyone!

Kat Greenham: “I add some bokashi mix/activator and that has been helping.”

Karen Olsen: “There is a simple metal spiral stake with a screw on the bottom that you can buy from most places – inexpensive and effective.”

Lucinda Flynn: “I use a green cone and it is phenomenal; I have had it for years and it just keeps going with no need to empty it. It sounds as if the contents and soil around are just too dry. Every time I water the garden, I also water the compost. It should be really moist to allow micro-organisms to grow and attract worms into it.”

Pauline Webb: “I have had a green cone bio-digester for around 5 years, since Manningham Council promoted them – installed it 4-5 years ago. It came with a sachet of starter powder – probably of mycorrhizal origin. Mine is never dry, worms abound, the volume drops readily after every feeding of excess food scraps, weeds and excess veggie material not suitable for mulching. My suggestion for activation it to re-start it with mycorrhiza (Neutrog Popul8 liquid or Munash mycorrhiza powder) and watered. Note that if the digester is buried into clay soil, that can apparently be an issue.”

James Petty: “To activate the bio-digester, add a shovel of well-rotted compost (which will add bacteria, fungi etc). Some other suggestions/notes:

  • “Add dry carbon materials – shredded newspaper, shredded autumn leaves, coffee grounds, etc – which should absorb some of the odour.
  • “Sprinkle in a little water – moist but not soaking is ideal.
  • “Chop up your food scraps into smaller pieces. Avoid putting tough stuff like avocado skins in.
  • “The unit might just be too small to handle the amount of waste.
  • “It’s currently cold and composting is slower in cold weather.“

Angelo Eliades: “If the ground around the bio-digester is pretty hard and dry and the contents also seem to be pretty dry, then it’s not going to work at all. Adding activators won’t do much either. Soil micro-organisms require a warm, moist, dark environment filled with organic matter to feed on. The ideal moisture content for any composting material is that of a kitchen sponge squeezed out in a single hand, the moisture content should be felt, and a drop of water should be able to be squeezed out of the material. Add water to maintain sufficient moisture levels to encourage microbial decomposition. Additionally, the more the material in the bio-digester is cut up into smaller pieces, the more surface area is exposed for the micro-organisms to act on.

“Note that it’s simple to make your own compost activators, and the herbs comfrey, nettles and yarrow well work well for this purpose. I (Angelo) have written a detailed article on this subject on my website.”

Some suggested reading material

A few of you have recommended Alys Fowler’s guide to laid-back gardening in the Guardian, whose sections are:

  • Throw out your spade.
  • Ease off weeding.
  • Embrace rot and death.
  • Stop chasing fast growth.
  • Compost in situ.
  • Encourage plant promiscuity.

Cauliflower tacos with feijoa salsa

[This recipe is by someone called Citu and came to us via CERES Fair Food. CERES Fair Food have numerous recipes on their website]

Serves 4.

If you want to make this salsa outside of feijoa season you could substitute it with a tart kiwifruit.

Ingredients

The roast cauliflower
1 head (around 700g) of cauliflower broken into bite size florets
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

The feijoa salsa
3 feijoas, peeled, diced
¼ red onion, diced
30g jalapenos, diced (jarred or fresh)
handful of coriander, roughly chopped
half a lime, juiced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper

The slaw
half a red cabbage, finely shredded
handful of coriander or parsley
half a lime, juiced
splash of vinegar (or more to taste)
salt and pepper
fetta, to crumble on top (optional)

Method

The roast cauliflower
Pre-heat your oven to 190degC.

In a large bowl, combine the florets with the oil and spices. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly to coat the pieces evenly before transferring to a baking tray. Place in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes until the florets are deeply golden and tender with a bit of crunch.

The feijoa salsa
Pile the feijoa, red onion and coriander onto a large chopping board and, using a large knife, chop until it forms a salsa consistency. Transfer to a small bowl, add the vinegar and lime juice and season to taste.

The slaw
Mix the shredded cabbage with vinegar/lime, coriander, salt and pepper. Using your hands, massage the slaw briefly to tenderise the cabbage and meld the flavours.

Cooking the tortillas
Place some tortillas directly over a medium flame and allow them to puff up slightly and char around the edges (about 15-20 seconds on each side).

Place all the elements on the table and pile your tacos high, crumbling fetta on top if you want.

[If you have any recipes that you would like to share with our readership, email them to us.]

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the 6 minute video of The Veggie Empire on Gardening Australia.

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

Submitted by Lee Hirsh: The older you get, the better you get (unless you’re a banana).

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Make a reusable produce bag; Thursday, 25th May, 10am-midday; free; Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to make your own reusable produce bag out of re-claimed lace. In this session, you will cover: how to select the right fabric; how to sew a running stitch and french seam; and how to put together your bag. Facilitator: Tamara Russell, from Karhina. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Detoxification – foods for cleansing, healing and rejuvenation; Sunday, 28th May, 10.30am-1.30pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Coburg.

The body has a natural detoxification system but we are exposed to all sorts of environmental pollutants so the body requires a helping hand to efficiently detoxify. With regular cleansing, you can assist your body to clear away this accumulation of modern living and the best place to start is by cleaning up your diet. This workshop will explore: how and when to cleanse; what foods, herbs and spices to favour and avoid; and ways to effectively cleanse based on your unique needs. Presenter: Phillipa. Organised by Recharge Lab.

Behind the bar – Imbue Distillery; Friday, 2nd June, 5.30-7.30pm; free; Diamond Creek.

Imbue Distillery gin tastings. Free to attend, free to taste, and no bookings required.

Women’s health – how nutrition can improve hormone health; Sunday, 4th June, 1-2.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Nina Trinquet and Jenny Cameron will discuss the role of nutrition in balancing hormones. They will discuss women’s common health conditions, including PCOS, heavy painful periods, endometriosis and menopause. Organised by Green Karma.

Cooking up compost; Saturday, 17th June, 10-11am; free; Chirnside Park.

You will learn what materials, processes and tools you need to get started plus what can and can’t go in a backyard compost. Facilitator: Kirsteen Macleod, from the Compost Depot. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Demystifying wine; Monday, 19th June, 6-8pm; $100 ($50 per hour); Abbotsford.

Learn from Jenny Polacke how to taste wine and a little bit about winemaking. By the end, you will understand what you like and don’t like in a wine and be able to describe it.

Cooking up compost; Thursday, 22nd June, 6-7pm; free; Kilsyth.

You will learn what materials, processes and tools you need to get started plus what can and can’t go in a backyard compost. Facilitator: Kirsteen Macleod, from the Compost Depot. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Introduction to garden bed construction, power tools and hand tools; Sunday, 2nd July, 10am-1pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to construct garden beds and the required hand and power tools. The session will include: square and rectangular raised garden bed construction; hexagon raised garden bed construction; the tools, fixtures and fastenings required to take control of your own garden construction; a demonstration of drills, drivers, drop saws, mitre saws, circular saws, angle grinders, hammer drills and reciprocating saws; and what safety gear you need and how to equip yourself in a cost effective manner. Presenter: Brendan, from Big Little Farm. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Edible weeds; Sunday, 9th July, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

In May
In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Recipes to reduce food waste; Saturday, 3rd June, 10-midday; free; Chirnside Park.

Learn how to make a quick and easy meal out of leftovers and food scraps. In this session, you will cover: ideas for using random leftovers so nothing in your fridge goes to waste; tips for waste-free packed lunches; advice on how to get your portions right to avoid waste; and how to make a quick and easy zero waste meals out of leftovers. Facilitator: Kirsty Bishop-Fox, from Sustainable Pathways. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Shrubs and herbal infusions with Kelly Burns; Wednesday, 7th June, 6.30-8pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Kelly Burns will discuss herbalism and medicinal herbal infusions. You will make two types of shrub which you will then take home. A shrub is essentially a herb- or fruit-steeped sweet vinegar that you can enjoy drizzled like a dressing or added to sparkling or flat water, as you would a cordial. Sweet and tangy shrubs are also a great way to host a herb or to intensify a desired flavour. Herbal shrubs can be made and imbibed as medicinal tonics and many traditional shrubs are based on herbs, roots, barks and specific plant concoctions and were sipped with the purpose of healing. You can make a shrub by cold infusion or by cooking, depending on the ingredients and state of the fruit or how difficult you feel the flavours will be to pull out.

Creative ways to reduce food waste; Thursday, 15th June, 10am-midday; free; Kilsyth.

Learn how to make the most of the food you already have in your fridge and pantry, making the most of your leftovers and food scraps by turning them into meals. The session will cover: menu planning tips to avoid wasting food; how to maximise leftovers; know the difference between ‘use-by’ and ‘best before’ dates; using commonly left over ingredients to make quick meals; how to make vegetable stocks with food scraps; and how to make vinegar with waste or second quality fruit. Facilitator: Kirsty Bishop-Fox, from Sustainable Pathways. Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Wednesday, 21st June, 6-8.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach and brinjal moju (eggplant) alongside Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you’ll sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Kombucha / Jun M.O.B.; Wednesday, 21st June, 6.30-8pm; $85 ($57 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will demonstrate how to feed your mother/SCOBY (choose between kombucha or jun). You will then flavour their own batch ready for second phase fermentation using fruits, herbs and spices. Take home your selected SCOBY and your personally flavoured bottle of kombucha/jun. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Truffle and praline workshop; Friday, 7th July, 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.

Taiwanese banquet cooking class; Saturday, 8th July, midday-2.30pm; $126 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

Cristina Chang will cover the fundamentals of Taiwanese cuisine, ingredients and flavours whilst you learn how to make a range of Taiwanese dishes. Sample menu: spring onion pancakes, smashed cucumber salad, Taiwanese beef noodles and glutinous rice balls.

French patisserie – advanced; Saturday, 8th July, 1.30-4.30pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make escargot, danishes, and pain au chocolate (chocolate croissant). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

In May
In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 10 2023

May 102023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alison Worrad, Celesta Van der Paal, Chris Chapple, Lee Hirsh, Oren Rozensweig, Ros Bonomi and Soren Kean.

Abbotsford Farmers’ Market is re-opening

As reported in The Age (see article right, published on 5th May), Abbotsford Farmers’ Market is re-opening on Saturday, 13th May. This time round it will be run by Regional Farmers Markets, who also run Heathmont Farmers’ Market. It is not yet clear whether the market will be weekly or monthly.

What’s your favourite farmers’ market?

Vote in the delicious Harvey Norman produce awards. Closing date: 31st May.

The Veggie Empire on Gardening Australia

As envisaged in last week’s newsletter, The Veggie Empire did feature on last Friday’s Gardening Australia. Watch the 6 minute video.

There are now videos of 52 local food producers on our website.

Do you know?

Banyule Council has been promoting the use of green cone bio-digesters to help manage household waste and to divert some of it from landfill. Read their website page on the subject. One of our newsletter readers (who wishes to remain anonymous) is interested in people’s experiences with using this equipment. He says “There are only two of us (small eaters, with not a lot of waste) and it seems to be getting higher and there are odors are times. It looks like the rats have had a dig but didn’t get in. The ground around it is pretty hard and dry and the contents also seem to be pretty dry. I’ve seen activators but they are from UK and expensive. Does anyone have any DIY activator ideas? Should I add some water or what else should I do?” Email us with your ideas.

Do you want?

Ros Bonomi is offering her bathtub for free. It is a perfectly good bathtub but she is about to renovate her bathroom and unfortunately the bath tub has to go. If no one wants it, it will have to go into landfill. It’s a pretty standard size: 165cm from rim to rim. Pickup from Diamond Creek.

If you are potentially interested, email us and we will put the two of you in touch.

Want to know about foraging mushrooms?

At the North East Region Permaculture stall at this Sunday’s (14th May) Eltham Farmers’ Market, they will have someone on hand to chat with you about foraging for mushrooms, particularly how to identify pine mushrooms, when & where to find them and ways to cook & eat them.

As detailed later under events, there are also numerous mushroom foraging activities coming up over the coming month or so. Jess (Fraulein Fungi) will be leading a session on Thursday, 25th May, 6.30-8.30pm at Collingwood. And Anna Matilda (The Urban Nanna) will be leading sessions at Forest Hill on Saturday 13th May, Sunday 21st May, Saturday 27th May, Sunday 4th June and Saturday 10th June, each 10am-3pm.

A young/emerging farmer opportunity

Sustain are making a 900m2 space in Alphington available for someone to operate their own sole trader business, sell their produce and engage the community within the space. Sustain will cover the rent and water for a minimum of 1 year. Closing date: 15th May. Read more and potentially apply.

Harriet’s Hungry Worms

Harriet’s Hungry Worms is a new illustrated book for children about, you guessed it, worms. Here’s the blurb: “Packed with worm facts, Harriet’s Hungry Worms is the ideal companion for worm warriors and curious composters keen to roll up their sleeves and put their kitchen food scraps to good use. Before they know it, young readers become equipped with the basic information that they need to start putting their own kitchen food scraps to good use!”

We have two copies of the book to give away. Just send us an email confirming that there are some children in your family who might appreciate the book and we will select two of you at random to receive the free copies.

For those of you who don’t win the free copies, you can buy the book at a 20% discount by apply the coupon code ‘hungry’ on the publisher’s website. This reduces the cost from $35 ($25 + $10 p&p) to $30 ($20 + $10 p&p).

Another local repair cafe

Richmond Repair Corner at Burnley Backyard, 49 Tudor Street, Richmond. On the last Sunday of each month, 10am-midday.

That makes a total of 10 local repair cafes on in our website database.

The history of aprons

[Variants of the material below have been circulating the Internet for some time. The original version was written by someone called Tina Trivett in 1999, who posted it on a random (and long lost) poetry website.]

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons required less material. And, along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the autumn, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time apron’ that served so many purposes.

Sweet chilli ginger sauce (by Celesta Van der Paal)

A bountiful crop of home grown chillies has motivated me (Celesta) to preserve the chillies in a range of sauces and pastes. Hot chillies are both easy to grow and easy to preserve. A calcium deficiency and irregular watering can result in blossom end rot, but this can be easily avoided by adding calcium (e.g. gypsum) to your soil and providing a consistent supply of water.

Here is my favourite recipe for sweet chilli ginger sauce.

Ingredients

100g long red chillies
5cm ginger, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups sugar
2 cups rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Method

Combine the chilli, ginger, garlic and ¼ cup of water in a processor and process until finely chopped.

Combine the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan over low heat without boiling until the sugar dissolves. Simmer until the syrup has thickened a little.

Add the chilli mix and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fish sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour into warm sterilised jars and seal with sterilised lids. When cool, store in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Note that Coles sells 6 brands of sweet chilli sauce, of which 4 are imported from Thailand and 2 are produced in Australia. Woolworths sells 8 brands of sweet chilli sauce, of which 4 are imported from Thailand and 4 are produced in Australia.  Every brand in each supermarket, except Mingle, adds xantham gum as a stabiliser/thickener. Mingle use tapioca flour and monk fruit extract.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the page in our Local Food Directory about The Veggie Empire.

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

Submitted by Lee Hirsh: Becoming a vegetarian is a huge missed steak.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Abbotsford Farmers’ Market is re-opening under new ownership and is taking place this coming Saturday.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Community olive harvesting day; Thursday, 18th May, 10am-midday; free; Fitzroy.

Learn how to safely harvest from the ground. The harvested olives will go into the CERES Olives to Oil communal oil pressing and participants will receive a small amount of oil to be collected after the oil is pressed.

Nutrition and lifestyle for autoimmune diseases; Sunday, 21st May, 1-2.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Dr. Malcolm Mackay will discuss the nutrition and lifestyle approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other common autoimmune diseases. He will explain the role of the gut microbiome in regulating the immune system and present dietary strategies for reducing inflammation and creating a healthy microbiome. Organised by Green Karma.

Intro to backyard farming – planning your garden; Saturday, 27th May, 9-11am; $20 ($10 per hour); Preston.

Jemma will give you a guided tour of the farm. Learn how to make key growing decisions, where to source useful inputs and what to plant now. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Type 2 diabetes – prevention and reversal; Saturday, 10th June, 11am-midday; free; Fitzroy North.

Nina Trinquet will discuss whether or not reversing diabetes is possible. Organised by Green Karma.

Herbalism and gut health with The Perma Pixie; Wednesday, 14th June, 6.30-8.30pm; $45 ($23 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Taj Scicluna, The Perma Pixie, will share some herbalism insights. For example, probiotics need to be nurtured, and ingesting a variety of phytochemical can help with this. Herbs are high in phytochemical compounds that can assist the transofrmation and stabilisation of gut health.

Grow your own seedlings; Saturday, 24th June, 9-11am; $20 ($10 per hour); Preston.

Create a seed-raising mix and grow some seedlings. In this workshop, Jemma will discuss where to source inputs and seeds to have the best possible chance of growing healthy starts for your backyard garden. Organised by Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

Wild mushroom foraging and fermentation for beginners; Saturday, 24th June, 10am-3pm; $180 ($60 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to identify wild mushrooms and gather them safely. Take a guided walk to search for mushrooms in their natural habitat. The Fermented Mumma will show you how to use field guides, spore prints, and other tools to identify mushrooms by their colour, shape, texture and scent. You will also learn about the different parts of a mushroom, including the cap, stem, gills and pores, and how to distinguish between edible and poisonous species. After the foraging expedition, you will have the opportunity to taste and smell a variety of mushrooms, including some that are safe to eat and others that are not. To finish off, the Fermented Mumma will cook up a feast of fermented mushrooms. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Drink bottle carrier; Saturday, 24th June, 10am-3pm; $30 ($6 per hour); Kinglake.

Make a hands-free cross-body bag to fit your drink bottle and phone. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Winter fruit tree pruning workshop; Saturday, 1st July, 9am-1pm; $65 ($16 per hour); Edendale.

Winter is the best time to prune most deciduous fruit trees. Join Justin Calverley and learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. Take your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Pizza making workshop and afternoon tea; Saturday, 20th May, 2-4pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn how to fire a pizza oven, make the dough and cook pizza. Take some toppings to share. The dough, tomato passata and cheese will be supplied. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Milk kefir magic; Tuesday, 23rd May, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Cheese making at home; Saturday, 10th June, midday-4pm; $130 ($33 per hour); Kinglake.

Learn how to make ricotta, feta and halloumi cheese. You will make enough to take some home and also to taste test at lunch. Take along an apron, a glass jar and several plastic containers to take your cheese home. Organised b y Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Italian kids cooking; Thursday, 29th June, 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. Teacher: Carmela. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Authentic Mexican; Saturday, 1st July, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: Mexican cuisine; improve your culinary skills; and work with seasonal ingredients. Presenter: Matt Baker from Whe-Eat. Menu: blackened chicken thighs with quinoa; Mexican corn on the cob; Mexican white bait fritters tortillas with salsa crude; cactus and tomatillos salsa; crispy pulled pork carnitas; and dark chocolate mole.

French patisserie – croissants; Saturday, 1st July, 1.30-4pm; $60 ($24 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make the dough, the art of the fold, rolling the perfect croissant and how to prove and cook your eight croissants at home. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News May 3 2023

May 032023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Celesta van der Paal, Claire Smith, James Petty, Janet King, Leila Alexandra, Olwyn Smiley, Paul Gale-Baker and Virginia Solomon.

The Veggie Empire will be featuring on Gardening Australia

The Veggie Empire, which is a small regenerative urban farm in Greensborough, were recently visited by Gardening Australia. The rumour on the grapevine is that they will be featured in this Friday’s episode (5th May) .

Yes, you do know!

Last week, Claire Stronge asked about sourcing wood suitable for large garden structures/wigwams to grow sweet peas and climbers. There were a variety of replies. Thanks, everyone!

  • Janet King: bamboo canes. “Claire can have some from my black bamboo clump.“
  • Olwyn Smiley: bamboo canes. “I use bamboo canes cut from the rampant running bamboo that has strayed under neighbours’ back fences into the ‘right of way’ adjoining the bike track behind my house.“
  • James Petty: fig branches. “A winter prune of a mature fig tree should give you plenty. They are not flexible like hazel but they are sturdy. Note that the branches may root at the cut end if submerged in soil.“
  • Virginia Solomon: hazel canes. “I have hazelnut trees and would love to trade know-how for canes. I have 4 trees – they probably need a good thinning but I don’t know how to split and prepare them. I never get any nuts because they are all the same variety, but I too would love to use my own hazel canes instead of shop bought bamboo.“
  • Paul Gale-Baker: mulberry branches. “If you know someone with a mulberry tree which throws up tall vertical branches – watershoots – ask them for some after they’ve pruned. They are frequently very long and with enough flexibility to be used for structures – and there are usually plenty of them. I have them in profusion after fruiting on my mulberry.“
  • Claire Smith: “Join your local Buy Nothing group and ask if anyone is giving away garden stakes or is growing bamboo and is happy to have some canes cut down. Your local community Facebook pages could also be a source of garden stakes and the like.“

More on cucumber pickles (by Celesta van der Paal)

I (Celesta) was pleased to see Anna Matilda’s recipe for bread and butter pickles in a recent newsletter. It is a similar recipe to that which I have used for several years. Just make sure you properly sterilise your jars.  So easy and satisfying to see a dozen jars of pickles in the fridge.  Half a jar of bread and butter cucumber pickles placed in a fresh and fluffy white bread roll for lunch – yum!

I (Celesta) began making my own cucumber pickles when I realised that the products I had been purchasing were imported.  I had been buying a salad vegetable that was grown who knows where and processed in a factory on the other side of the world.  Here are the results of my recent quick survey of cucumber pickle products on the supermarket shelves at the moment. 

  • Aldi: Deli Originals Dill Cucumbers (product of India); Fehlberg Dill Cucumbers (India).
  • Coles: Coles Bread & Butter Pickles (product of India); Coles Special Burger Pickles (India); Fehlbergs Burger Pickles (India); Fehlbergs Sandwich Stackers (India); McClures Pickles (India); Sandhurst Sandwich Stackers (India); Wicked Pickles (India).
  • Woolworths: Always Fresh Bread & Butter Cucumbers (product of India); Byrne Co Burger Pickles (India); Fehlbergs Burger Pickle (India); Fehlbergs Pickle Chips (India); Fehlbergs Sandwich Stackers (India); McClures Pickles (India); Sandhurst Sandwich Stackers (India); Macro Certified Organic Burger Pickles (Poland); Three Sisters Pickles (Australia); Westmont Pickles (Australia).

At Coles, the pickled cucumber products took up nearly two metres of space by two shelves, with 100% being imported!

Another newsletter reader’s website – Leila Alexandra

Leila (aka The Barefoot Elder), has started an edible gardening guidance business called Barefoot Food Gardens. She offers consultations, workshops, storytelling and tours of her rental garden. She specialises in low-work, no-dig, permaculture and forage approaches to growing food at home.

See Leila’s website. Also, see her Facebook page and her Instagram page.

Read about other newsletter readers’ websites on our website.

If you have a website, tell us (guy@localfoodconnect.org.au) and we’ll include it in a future newsletter. It doesn’t have to be about food.

Another video about Egyptian walking onions from Simone

Simone’s new video is about how to plant Egyptian walking onions.. Her three main tips are:

  • Don’t separate out the bulblets.
  • Orient the bunch of bulblets such that the maximum number of pointy ends are upwards.
  • Plant around 20cm apart.

This is by no means Simone’s first video about Egyptian walking onions. Her previous videos include how she uses them,
checking on progress and red onions.

Like Simone, I am a fan of Egyptian walking onions. They are unique because, as well as growing normal shallot-like onions underground, they also grow miniature onions at the tops of their stalks (see photo)! As these miniature onions, called bulblets, grow, the stalk bends under their weight until the bulblets touch the ground some distance from the parent plant. They then (with a bit of luck) take root and create new plants. Or you can cut them off and plant them yourself. They average, say, 4 bulblets per stalk, so the number of plants can quickly multiply. They are both fun and easy to grow.

It is pretty obvious why these onions are called walking, but why Egyptian?

You don’t know? Ok, here is another question for you: what was The Bangles’ greatest hit?

Wonderful worms

Soil Week Australia are running another soils competition in 2023, with the topic of wonderful worms. The competition is open to all primary school, secondary school and homeschool students. Entries can be in any digital format, including video, making a magazine, drawing a picture, recording a speech, writing a play, painting a mural, designing a video game or writing a book review. There will be a number of cash prizes. Closing date: 15th September. Read more and potentially enter.

Not quite local but interesting

The Pascoe Vale Food Collective is a community-run initiative where local residents can purchase ethically produced pantry wholefoods and cleaning products, package-free. The Collective is open for distribution to both members and visitors on the 2nd Saturday of each month, 9.30-11.30am. At Pascoe Vale Senior Citizens Centre, James Reserve, 33A Prospect Street, Pascoe Vale. Take your own containers for filling if possible.

The collective is currently looking for some volunteers to help out on distribution days with setting up for the day, filling orders, organising pantry goods, as well as assisting with tidying and front-of-house duties. If you would potentially be willing to volunteer, contact Penny by email (pascoevalefoodcollective@gmail.com).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Helen Simpson’s guide to growing garlic.

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

Last night, I dreamed I was swimming in an ocean of orange soda. But it was just a Fanta sea.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Composting at home 101; Wednesday, 10th May, 6.30-8pm; free; Lalor.

Learn all the basics of composting from where to start, how to set up and how to maintain.

Mushroom foraging; 5 occurrences on Saturday 13th May, Sunday 21st May, Saturday 27th May, Sunday 4th June and Saturday 10th June, each 10am-3pm; $128 ($32 per hour); Forest Hill.

Join Anna, the Urban Nanna, for an educational session about wild mushrooms: when, where & how to find them, what to look for and how to use them. The 4 hours will be split up into 4 sessions: education; group exploring; consolidation of learning; and picnic lunch. You will find and identify a range of wild, edible mushrooms. You will learn the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to mushroom specifics. You will examine examples of the types of mushrooms to look for on the day, and be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify them. There will also be information on how to safely prepare and enjoy eating the mushrooms you find. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Vegepod demonstration; Tuesday, 23rd May, 10.30-11.30am; free; Balwyn.

Planning a vegetable garden in a small space or an apartment? Vegepod will present a range of solutions.

Introduction to horticultural permaculture (4 sessions); every Monday for 4 weeks starting 29th May, 10am-2.30pm; $60 for all 4 sessions; Eltham.

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.

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 17th June, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Growing berries; Saturday, 24th June, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: the wide range of berry fruits that can be grown in Victorian gardens; how to cultivate the plants for great yields and great flavour; berry selection; planting and fertilising; and how to prune and trellis a range of different berry fruits. Presenter: Poppy Turbiak.

Fermenting for justice – with Dolly Kikon; Sunday, 25th June, 1-3pm; $45 ($23 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This workshop will include a presentation on Naga ferments and tasting a few dishes. Dolly will share Naga fermented food cultures and the importance of recognising indigenous knowledge and tradition for a sustainable shared future.

In May

Note that 7th May to 13th May is International Compost Awareness Week, which explains the numerous composting workshops in that week listed below.

In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Simply scrumptious cooking workshop; Saturday, 6th May, 3-5pm; free; Kilsyth.

Chef Nicky will show you basic knife skills before making a simple menu of dishes. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Modern Asian fusion cooking workshop; 3 occurrences on Thursday 11th May, Thursday 18th May and Thursday, 25th May, each 1-3pm; free; Kilsyth.

Joyce will show you modern ways of presenting Asian cuisine. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Learn to cook Mauritian samoussa and achard; Wednesday, 24th May, 6-8pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to make Mauritian-style samoussas (little fried triangles of pastry filled with curried veggies) and achard (a pickle of Indian origin). Finish with tasting and sharing the dishes together.

Taiwanese banquet cooking class; Saturday, 17th June, 5-7.30pm; $126 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

Cristina Chang will cover the fundamentals of Taiwanese cuisine, ingredients and flavours whilst you learn how to make a range of Taiwanese dishes. Sample menu: spring onion pancakes, smashed cucumber salad, Taiwanese beef noodles and glutinous rice balls.

Colombian cooking workshop; Saturday, 24th June, 10am-1pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Join Verena Puello, head chef at Donde Mama, as she shows you how Colombians make empanadas using corn flour and a variety of fillings. You’ll also get to make a dessert. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

French patisserie – croquembouche; Saturday, 24th June, 1.30-4.30pm; $105 ($35 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Introduction to fermenting at home; Sunday, 25th June, 10am-1pm; $80 ($27 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; samples of fermented products to taste in class; and notes and recipes. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

The art of baking sourdough with Fei; Sunday, 25th June, 1-4pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will learn how to make sourdough bread from start to finish, from mixing and kneading the dough to proofing, shaping and baking. You will also cover how to maintain a sourdough starter. You will take home starter culture and a loaf of freshly baked bread. Presenter: Fei from Munchen Bakery. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 26 2023

Apr 282023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Colleen Duggan, Lisa Conley and Robin Gale-Baker.

Soaking seeds before planting (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Seed soaking is a technique used by gardeners for some, but not all, seeds. The seeds that are suitable for soaking before planting are those that need lots of moisture and light to germinate and/or have a tough or wrinkly outer covering. Tiny seeds are not suitable. For veggies, the main seeds that can usefully be pre-soaked are:

  • Peas, beans and broad beans.
  • Cucumbers, pumpkins and sweetcorn.
  • Silverbeet (aka chard) and beetroot.

There is not much dispute about the lists about though some people are not in favour of soaking beans, saying that they sometimes split within hours.

Seeds comprise an embryo inside an outer, protective covering. In simple terms, germination occurs when the embryo ‘shoot’ breaks through the outer covering. To do this, the seed needs a source of constant moisture, and light or darkness depending on what it is (e.g. lettuce germinates in light but tomato seed needs to be covered with soil which provides darkness). The thicker the seed casing the slower the seed germinates (the thick casing of some seeds is protective because the seed may be subjected to stresses such as cold, bruising, being trodden on, etc and needs to survive these till spring).

Pre-soaking seeds has a number of potential advantages: it triggers germination, speeds it up, provides a quick start where a short growing season for a vegetable is critical, and breaks down any inhibitors on the seed more quickly than in nature. There is no evidence that it increases germination in quality seed – either the seed is viable or it is not.

When soaking seeds, cover them with lukewarm water (not hot water). Depending on the thickness of the seed coat, soak anywhere between 8 and 24 hours. In preparation for this article, I soaked 5 lots of seed including bean, pea, broad bean, borlotti bean and beetroot. None of them split until day 5 so I think any seed soaked for up to 24 hours will be fine. I soak my seeds overnight, putting it in lukewarm water just before I go to bed and planting it when I get up the next morning.

Seeds as small as silverbeet and beetroot right up to large pumpkin seeds are easy to handle when wet. They can be placed in drills relatively easily and spaced well so that little thinning is required. On the other hand, seeds such as lettuce would be a nightmare to spread as they would clump together and separating them would be impossible.

Some people add vinegar to the soaking water in the belief that this will emulate the acidic condition of an animal’s stomach and break down the casing more quickly but this is unproven. Others suggest adding some Seasol or Maxicrop to the water; whilst this may give the seed some extra nutrients to see it on its way, I have not found this to be necessary.

The photo right is after around 48 hours in water.

Want to help create a cookbook?

The Food Collective, who are based in Greensborough, are seeking contributions of recipes, food saving tips and artwork from local community members, school and community groups. Their cookbook will contain sections for recipes and tips that are aimed towards helping those with smaller budgets plus resources to help make produce go further. If potentially interested, contact Kerri Wellington by phone (9435 8282) or email (kerri.wellington@dvsupport.org.au).

Do you know?

Claire Stronge writes in: “I struggle with sourcing wood suitable for large garden structures/wigwams to grow sweet peas and climbers. In the UK, I always made them with flexible hazel foraged in our local woods. I’d love to stop using bought bamboo canes but I’m not sure what locals use here. Any advice?” Email us with your responses.

Potato peels for dinner?

[Here is another a recent tip from CERES Fair Food that I thought was quite interesting.]

Soak the peels in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain, dry thoroughly with a tea towel then toss in olive oil and salt or whatever flavour combo takes your fancy. Bake in a 200degC oven for about 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. They’re the fanciest crispy chip going round!

Meg’s garden this month

In my garden, the long wands of small blue Easter daisy (Asters) flowers have finally opened. They signal Autumn and return after being cut back to the base each year. The apples and quinces are now also ready. We have harvested basketfuls of quince this year from a single tree. As quinces are hardy, this tree is unwatered in our garden, but the abundance reflects the benefits of the recent wet weather. The quince paste has been made and I have opted for the slow cooker method this year as I like a softer paste rather than a ‘quince cheese’.

The soil is now very dry and needs rejuvenation with lots of organic matter and the final clearance of summer crops allows us to top up the beds. I have finally harvested the pumpkins (as the stems turn brown) and they are sitting in a row on the front porch drying. The Queensland Blues are quite large this year and I am wondering if I will be able to cut them without a bandsaw when the skins harden.

This is the time to plant salad crops and leafy greens which love the cooler weather and will not bolt to seed. I am looking forward to fresh salad mix with my favourite dressing. Simply mix until the honey is incorporated. Note that you can also include a sprinkle of aster petals with your greens.

Dressing for a green salad

One small spring onion (white part only), very finely diced.
Half a clove of garlic, very finely chopped (not crushed).
¼ cup of sherry vinegar.
1 cup good olive oil.
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.
1 teaspoon honey.
Salt to taste.

What seeds to plant in May

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

Brassicas

Kale
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Pak choy

Cool season veggies

Broad beans
Coriander
Fennel
Garlic
Peas

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach

Other

Carrot
Chickpea
Chives
Onion
Parsley
Radish

 
If you haven’t planted your cool season veggie seeds yet, plant them now. It’s now a bit late for planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds (but it’s ok to plant seedlings).

Read Helen’s guides on growing garlic.

Read Robin’s guides on growing broad beans and garlic.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Whitehorse Council’s Sustainable Living Week.

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

Three fonts (Comic Sans, Helvetica, and Times New Roman) walk into a bar.”Get out!” shouts the bartender. “We don’t serve your type here!”

Read more jokes.

 

Not food-related but interesting

Climate action and resilience course (6 sessions); on consecutive Tuesdays from 2nd May, 6.30-8.30pm; $60 ($5 per hour); Thornbury.

Worried about climate change, but not really sure where to start? Join them to find out how you can best use your skills, energy and passion for a better future. Learn about the causes and effects of climate change and how we can become more resilient to it as individuals, households and communities. The 6 sessions are entitled: C4C climate conversation; finding our niche; action; emotional climate resilience; practical climate resilience; and exploring what we want to do as a group together. Read more. At Span Community House, 64 Clyde Street,
Thornbury. Book your place.

Not face-to-face but interesting

Thrifty gardening; Wednesday, 21st June, 6-7.30pm; free; online.

Maria Ciavarella will present on being a successful gardener without spending a lot of money. The topics to be covered will include: how to use home made compost in different ways; seedlings from seed and basic seed saving tips; striking plants from cuttings; DIY organic fertilisers; and making self-watering pots

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Dementia and food; Saturday, 6th May, midday-1.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Dr Peter Johnston will discuss diet and dementia. Organised by Green Karma.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 27th May, midday-4pm; $80; Collingwood.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes 30 complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Bad Frankie with Philip Lobley Wine; Fee Fee’s Bar with Empire of Dirt Wine; Glou with Little Brunswick Wine Co; Goldy’s Tavern with MoBo Vino; Gum Bar with Vallee du Venom; Hotel Collingwood with Mt Langi Ghiran; Molly Rose Brewing with Pacha Mama; Paradise Alley with Konpira Maru; and The Craft & Co with Concrete & Clay.

Hot compost workshop; Sunday, 28th May, 2-3pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn all about hot composts – what they are, how they work, what goes in them and how to look after them while you make a hot compost. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Cultivating Community workshop; Saturday, 10th June, midday-2pm; free; Carlton.

Learn about all matters related to growing food, food waste, composting and the circular economy.

Home brewing; Saturday, 17th June, 10am-2.30pm; $100 ($22 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: make your own beer; all about full grain brewing; and the fermentation process. What you will get: samples of different beers; and recipes to take home. 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.

Open Cellars Weekend; Saturday, 17th June and Sunday, 18th June, both 11am-5pm; free; Nillumbik.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. 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 Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 18th June, 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Turkish cooking, an introduction; Monday, 8th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Join Arzu Yilmaz to learn how to make four different vegetarian dishes: a lentil soup, a meze, Turkish borek and a dessert. Arzu will also talk about her experiences as an Istanbul girl and her Turkish identity. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Induction cooking demonstration; Wednesday, 10th May, 12.30-2pm; free; Ivanhoe.

Join Open Table for a cooking demonstration of how to reduce food waste and cook meals on induction. They will be making leftover fritters and doing some pickling, so take a jar if you’d like to take some home.

Kombucha introduction; Thursday, 11th May, 10am-midday; free; Eltham.

Deano, from Good Brew, will tell you everything you need to know about how to brew kombucha and its benefits. There will be an opportunity to taste test the good brew range and also purchase starter kits. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Induction cooking demo at Preston Market; Saturday, 13th May, 11am-1pm; free; Preston.

Open Table will discuss the benefits of induction cooking. Drop in at any time, with the discussions running for 15 minutes every half an hour.

Food literacy (6 sessions); 6 consecutive Thursdays, starting 18th May, 10am-1.30pm; $65 ($3 per hour); Preston.

You will explore nutritional theory, healthy eating concepts and gain hands-on culinary skills. You will learn about the nutrients specific to each food group and their benefits, including how energy is balanced to maintain a healthy weight. The course will also cover how to decipher labelling on food packaging to build a healthy meal plan on a budget. The sessions will be led by a certified nutritionist. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 20th May, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will take home a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home, plus some starter so you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Induction cooking workshop; Saturday, 27th May, 11am-12.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Open Table will discuss the benefits of induction cooking, while presenting some recipes. They will be making stale bread gnocchi and whipping up some quick pickle so take a jar so you can take some home.

Gozleme and baklava workshop; Monday, 12th June, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu will teach you how to make gozleme and baklava from scratch. Turkish coffee will be served. Includes ingredients. BYO some containers (you will be going home with what you cook, usually about 1.2 kg of baklava and 3-4 gozlemes), apron and oven tray. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

How to make fresh gnocchi; Thursday, 15th June, 6.30-8.30pm; $36 ($18 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Make gnocchi from scratch the Italian way using basic pantry ingredients coupled with two sauces. Enjoy tasting the dishes with the other participants. You will take home your freshly made gnocchi. Take a container and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Italian cooking (2 sessions); Thursdays, 15th and 22nd June, both 6-9pm; $195 ($33 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Lucia Silverii will teach you the time-honoured techniques of southern Italian cooking. The first session will cover pasta with zucchini and tuna and lemon biscuits. The second session will cover chicken scallopine and almond biscotti. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Make and eat savoury Japanese pancakes; Friday, 16th June, 11am-1pm; $15; Greensborough.

Chika will show you how to make savoury Japanese pancakes. You will also get to enjoy them for lunch. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Truffle and praline workshop; Friday, 16th June, 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.

Mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheese making; Sunday, 18th June, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella cheeses. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 19 2023

Apr 202023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Matilda and Chris McCombe.

Want a job?

Estia Health in Wattle Glen are looking for a part time cook. 6 days a fortnight. Requires a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and some experience within a commercial kitchen. Read the position description and potentially apply.

Cut your avocados crossways

[Here is a recent tip from CERES Fair Food that I thought was quite interesting.]

Save more avo for your toast by cutting it widthwise; the smaller area of exposed flesh means less oxidation. Then, when storing, put it in a snug mug, airtight and alright!

Bread and butter pickles (by Anna Matilda)

[Anna, from Forest Hill, is otherwise known as The Urban Nanna and her website includes a number of her recipes. Her website also includes a longer and illustrated version of the recipe below.]

Ingredients

2 kg firm cucumbers
500g brown onions
¾ cup pure salt
30g yellow mustard seeds
3-4g chilli flakes (omit if you like)
2½ cups white sugar
750ml white vinegar
¾ teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

Wash and trim the cucumbers, then slice to 2-3mm thick rounds. Peel the onions, cut in half then slice to your liking. Add both to a non-reactive bowl.

Add the salt and combine thoroughly. Cover and leave on the bench overnight.

Wash the cucumber and onion mix thoroughly. Drain, then wash and drain again.

Spread the cucumber and onion mix over a clean tea towel and use a second tea towel to vigorously rub and scrunch it until it is mostly dry. Return to the bowl.

Add the mustard seeds and chilli flakes and stir to mix well.

Sterilise your jars and lids.

In a big non-reactive pot, combine the vinegar, sugar and turmeric. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, using tongs, stuff the cucumber and onion mixture into jars. Pack them tightly.

Using a heatproof jug, pour the hot vinegar mix into jars. Use a sterilised chopstick or butter knife (dip in boiling water for a minute to sterilise), to gently jiggle & poke the cucumber and onion mixture to dislodge any air bubbles. Top up with hot vinegar mix if needed.

Working quickly so as not to lose heat, use a clean cloth dipped either in straight vinegar or boiling water to wipe the rims of jars before sealing with hot sterilised lids.

Cool, label and store for a month before eating. This is to let the flavours mellow and mature. Refrigerate once opened.

Will keep for 1-2 years unopened in a cool dark cupboard. Will last several months in the fridge once opened.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Japanese artist Manami Sasaki transforms ordinary toast into edible works of art using vegetables, fruits and herbs. The creations range from geometric pattens to portraits and landscapes.

Look at more food art on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the position description for the Projects and Research Manager job at Sustain.

Word of the month – Orts

‘Orts’, meaning little bits of food left over from a meal.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Living on the breadline. Meaning: barely scraping by, or surviving on minimal income. In 1876, someone called Louis Fleischmann opened a bakery in New York, which became successful. Then, as related in Mr. Fleischmann’s obituary, he noticed a crowd of hungry tramps standing over the grating at the bakery, scenting the hot loaves that were being turned out in the basement. Mr. Fleischmann offered to feed one of the men, and soon a line formed. He then decided to give bread to every hungry man who would come for it. The breadline grew until every night as many as 500 loaves were handed out to the men.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides.” by W.E. Johns.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Submitted by Susan Palmer: When bees move into a new hive, do they have a house swarming party?

Read more jokes.

 

Not food-related but interesting

Whitehorse Council are organising a Sustainable Living Week to be held from 28th April to 7th May. Look at the full program and book your places. Here is a list of the various events:

  • Friday, 28th April: storytime “let’s walk (instead of driving)”; upcycle art exhibition 2023 opens (and finishes 11th May).
  • Saturday, 29th April: how to nature journal; flora and fauna treasure hunt; plant ID walk and talk.
  • Sunday, 30th April: vertical gardens; keep cup making; an afternoon with Matthew Evans, the Gourmet Farmer.
  • Monday, 1st May: Bushy Creek nature walk; all-electric homes (webinar).
  • Tuesday, 2nd May: storytime “recycling”; passive houses.
  • Thursday, 4th May: alkira plant swap; storytime “gardening”; climate action through gardening.
  • Friday, 5th May: storytime “grow vegetables”; learn to make re-usable produce bags; nocturnal possum prowl.
  • Saturday, 6th May: sashiko mending; earth pigment pastels; join a community bike ride.
  • Sunday, 7th May: gang-gang cockatoos; wild basket weaving; incredible invertebrates; regenerating Australia – movie and meet-up.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grow food at home (9 sessions); on Fridays, 9.30am-1.30pm, starting 28th April and ending 23rd June; free subject to ACFE eligibility; Fawkner.

No matter the size of your urban growing space, learn to grow nutrient-dense food, using regenerative gardening practices. The course will covers topics such as: growing in pots and containers, raised beds and no-dig garden; building and sustaining soil health; seasonal planning and crop rotation; companion planting and beneficial insects; natural methods to manage pests and weeds; recycle waste into compost and worm farms; and growing edible plants from seed and cuttings. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Diet for good mental health; Sunday, 30th April, 11am-12.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Larisa Freiverts will talk about how food impacts our gut health and thereby impacts our mood, depression and anxieties. Organised by Green Karma.

Heritage apple tasting; Sunday, 7th May, 2-4pm; $15; Templestowe.

Around 15 varieties will be available for tasting – mid/late-season apples. An orchard tour will also be included. All funds received go toward the maintenance and expansion of the collection. Organised by Heritage Fruits Society.

Beginners composting workshop; Tuesday, 9th May, 7-8.30pm; free; Doncaster.

They will show you: how to choose a system that suits your lifestyle; adding organics; and using the finished compost. The session will cover the three main types of composting – traditional compost, worm farming and bokashi.

Become a master composter; Wednesday, 10th May, 10am-midday; free; Whittlesea.

Learn some tips and tricks when it comes to home composting in your own backyard. Council Waste Officers will be available to answer questions.

Rum, cheese and beer masterclass; Thursday, 11th May, 7-9pm; $79 ($40 per hour); Preston.

5 rums, 5 cheeses and 5 beers will be matched together. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing, Jimmy Rum and Cheese Culture.

Growing funghi at home; Saturday, 20th May, 11am-12.30pm; $20 ($14 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Neil Symington will share some important concepts and practical advice for growing different types of funghi at home, including button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and shiitakes. The session will include a practical demonstration of several important techniques including: pasteurising the substrate; inoculating growing containers; and creating a suitable fruiting environment. Neil will also discuss how to avoid common issues such as contamination, poor yields, slow growth or disfigured mushrooms.

Organic vegetable gardening for beginners; Thursday, 8th June, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Learn how to grow vegetables all year round, without harmful chemicals, in whatever space you have. Learn how to select a location for a veggie garden, prepare and improve the soil, work out what to plant when, grow produce from seedlings and seeds, care for your growing plants and protect them from pests, as well as how to grow vegetables in pots and containers. Organised by Diamond Valley Library.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 10th June, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Taiwanese pastry workshop; Saturday, 22nd April, 1-3.30pm; $116 ($46 per hour); Brunswick.

Cristina Chang will cover background information on Taiwanese and other Asian pastries. Also how to make both Taiwanese mooncake and shao bing (a crispy, flaky flatbread).

The cook program (9 sessions); on Thursdays, 9.30am-1.30pm, starting 27th April; $50 ($1 per hour) subject to ACFE eligibility; Brunswick.

The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and self-confidence to seek further study or work in hospitality. You will prepare, eat and gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking. You will also learn how to cook for a large group. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Low and slow masterclass (BBQ); Friday, 28th April, 5.30-9.30pm; $99 ($25 per hour); South Morang.

They will be cooking on a Weber kettle and Weber smokefire and will show you various tips and tricks.

Vegetable fermentation workshop; Saturday, 6th May, 10am-1pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will make your own sauerkraut and brine ferment plus you will taste many other fermented products. You will learn: the basics of gut health; the gut microbiome; the role of probiotics and fermentation in gut health; health benefits of fermentation; what fermentation actually is; what the different types of fermentation are; how to make your own ferments using different techniques; fermentation rules; what vegetables to use; brining methods and what roles salt and temperature play; cleanliness; and what equipment to use. You will take home the ferments that you make. Take two jars and an apron. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Inner peas – cooking program (4 sessions); On consecutive Thursdays, starting 11th May, each 4-6pm; free; Hawthorn.

Inner Peas is a social cooking program for people aged 16-25. The program aims to help you make easy, healthy and affordable recipes as well as make new friends and learn strategies to take care of your mental health. Each week, you will make and then share a meal. Week 1: Mexican. Week 2: Indian. Week 3: Italian. Week 4: Vietnamese.

Get your dad in the kitchen!; Wednesday, 14th June, 4-6pm; free; Hawthorn.

This event is for dads (or father figures/guardian) and their children (at least 10 years old) to learn how they can cook easy and yummy meals together at home. Facilitator: Joel Feren.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

From time to time, we come across a new cooking venue who then get added to the list below.

One such is Brunswick Kitchen in Brunswick. They do many different classes on various days of the week. Most are around 2½ hours long and cost around $120. They also sometimes do cheaper classes for children.

Another such is Juanita’s Kitchen in Preston. They do plant-based cooking classes on various days of the week. Most are 2½-3 hours long and cost around $120-145.

A third such is Margot & Montanez in Camberwell. Their classes focus on making alfajores biscuits filled caramelised milk. The classes are monthly on Sundays, 10am-1pm and cost $109 ($36 per hour).

LFC News April 12 2023

Apr 122023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Harridge, Chris Chapple and Harry Ladopoulos.

Selecting green coffee beans for roasting (by Harry Ladopoulos)

[Harry is the head roaster at Specialty Coffee Army, who are based in Mernda. You can buy their roasted coffee beans and ground coffee either online or at Eltham Farmers’ Market (2nd and 4th Sundays). Here he writes about how to select green coffee beans for roasting.]

All of the coffee’s flavour potential is held within the green bean and is unleashed during the roast. So, unless these coffee beans are carefully selected and you take the opportunity to tweak the roast and flavour to your liking, you will not achieve a delicious roast.

There are several factors that contribute to the overall green coffee bean quality. It’s essential to recognise these factors from the beginning – when you’re selecting and purchasing.

When selecting the right green coffee beans you will need to consider a range of factors.

Origin

Each place has different conditions – soil, humidity, climate, etc – which will have a big impact on the flavour and aroma of the coffee. Also, being able to see which farm the coffee was grown at is usually a sign of a good quality batch.

Altitude

Generally, higher altitudes means lower temperatures. As a result, there is slower growth which, in turn, allows the sugars to develop more. The coffee beans gain a more complex taste profile, sweetness, and typically more acidity compared to those grown at lower altitude and warmer temperature.

Processing

The processing method will have a substantial influence on the final taste of the coffee. The two most popular processing methods are:

  • Natural – drying the entire coffee cherry with the seed still inside, usually on raised beds in the sun. This method produces heavy-bodied, sweet, smooth and complex coffees.
  • Washed – the seed is removed from the fruit before drying using water. This method produces coffees that are cleaner, brighter, fruitier and more acidic.
Appearance

You want to make sure that the green beans are similar in size and colour, relatively uniform.

The same colour means that they have been treated and ripened in similar ways, consequently making them reach the same level of roast simultaneously.

Beans of similar size will roast at the same speed.

Selecting uniform green beans is important to achieve repeatable and consistent roasts.

Traceability and ethically sourced

If you, like most roasters and microroasters, do not have the ability to buy directly from farmers, I (Harry) suggest selecting importers with a reputation for sourcing beans in a way that is fair to the farmers and doesn’t harm the environment. The importer should be committed to transparency and provide full traceability of the green coffee.

South Morang Farmers & Makers Market is no more

I have just discovered that the South Morang Farmers & Makers Market was discontinued at end 2022 because of “the number of competing markets in the area.”

As several people commented on Facebook, “which other local markets?”

Some food swap changes

A new food swap in Coburg

The Crop Swap at Joe’s Market Garden is, as the name implies, at CERES Joe’s Market Garden, 34 Edna Grove, Coburg. It is on the 3rd Saturday of every month, 11am-12.30pm.

A new location for the food swap in Forest Hill

The Forest Hill Urban Harvest has moved to Strathdon House, 449/465 Springvale Road, Forest Hill and is now 10am-midday.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Iranian artist Mahnaz Miryani creates tiny trays with pastries, eggs, cakes and other dainty morsels, each made of polymer clay.

Want a job?

Projects and Research Manager at Sustain

This role will oversee the planning, implementation, coordination, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of Sustain’s research and policy work. It is a one year contract for a part-time position (0.6 FTE). Based in Preston. Read the project description. Send your CV and a cover letter to Nick Rose by email.

Fundraising and Partnerships Coordinator at Sustain

This role will leading the development and implementation of a donor, partnerships and grants strategy and related initiatives that will diversify income streams and establish a sustainable funding base to support Sustain in achieving its core purpose. It is a one year contract for a part-time position (0.6 FTE). Based in Preston. Read the project description. Send your CV and a cover letter to Nick Rose by email.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Joe’s Market Garden page in our Local Food Directory.

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

A weasel walks into a bar. The bartender says “wow I’ve never served a weasel before, what can I get you?” “Pop“, goes the weasel.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Seed saving workshop; Saturday, 15th April, 4-5pm; $15; Macleod.

Find out how to save seed using both dry and wet methods including fermentation which removes diseases, and how best to store your seed. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Bee biosecurity at CERES; Friday, 28th April, 6.30-8pm; free; CERES.

Ally Driessen, Bee Biosecurity Officer from Agriculture Victoria, will give an update on the Varroa situation in NSW, walk you through the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice, and explain the Bee Pest Blitz program. Mike from All About Beekeeping will show you some bee biosecurity products (such as hive beetle traps, and test kits for foul brood and Varroa mite) to help beekeepers fulfil their responsibilities and keep their hives strong and healthy.

Wine appreciation (8 sessions); 8 sessions on consecutive Tuesdays, starting 2nd May, 7.30-9.30pm; $100 ($6 per hour); Eltham.

Want to know more about wine, and educate your palate? Learn about: different wine styles and how they are made; what you taste and smell in wine, and what balance means; the smell and taste of basic wine components; appreciating the magic of wine composition; and identifying wine faults. Facilitator: Karen Coulston. Organised by the Eltham & District Winemakers Guild.

Grow your own food (4 sessions); 4 sessions on consecutive Sundays, starting 7th May, 9.30am-2pm; $112 ($6 per hour); Preston.

This course will provide an introduction to the principles and techniques of urban agriculture, including how to design, build and maintain a productive farm in a limited space. You will gain a range of skills and knowledge including: understanding production systems such as ground growing, wicking beds, mushroom growing and hydroponics systems; crop planning; water/soil/pest management; plant propagation; and education and employment pathways in urban farming. This course was designed in partnership with Sustain.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 13th May, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

Organic guide to urban farming course (5 sessions); on Sundays between 14th May and 18th June, each 10am-2pm.; $123 ($5 per hour); Richmond.

The course will cover: grow what you can, where you can (site design from balconies to orchards, polycultures and plant guilds, container growing, light conditions, companion planting); soil, more than dirt (organic carbon, water smart spaces, soil food web, biointensive growing, making biochar); everything seedy, sow what now (seed planting, raising from seed, all seasons planning, seed saving); composting, worm farming and waste (a compost solution for everyone, waste and recycling); and re-wilding, regenerating, re-connecting (permaculture, biodiversity, biological pest control, community connections and initiatives). Tutor: Kath Jones. Organised by Richmond Community Learning Centre.

Mood and food workshop; Tuesday, 23rd May, 11am-1pm; free; Eltham.

For those aged 40-65. Discover the connection between what you eat and how you feel. There will then be a cooking session of a healthy affordable lunch that you will eat together. Facilitated by dietitian Maria Hyde and social worker Mariam Mohamed. Presented in collaboration with Merri Health, healthAbility and Nillumbik Council.

Egg carrier bags; Saturday, 3rd June, 10am-3pm; free; Kinglake.

Make an egg bag for collecting eggs. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

DIY mushrooms; Saturday, 3rd June, 10am-4pm; $175 ($29 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.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Wednesday, 7th June, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cupcake decorating to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with Saajeda Elsayed; Thursday, 20th April, 11am-midday; free; Doncaster.

Join Saajeda Elsayed to decorate cupcakes and take some home.

Pasta making workshop; Saturday, 29th April, 10am-1.30pm; $63 ($18 per hour); Abbotsford.

Joseph Monroe will be making a filled pasta with a simple sauce, using a mixture of produce collected from around Collingwood Children’s Farm mixed with traditional, high-quality pasta ingredients. The session will start with a tour of the farm to collect fresh eggs, basil and other salad goodies, and will end with a few select bottles of red courtesy of the Noisy Ritual Winery. Organised by Collingwood Children’s Farm.

Blokes in the kitchen (2 sessions); Fridays, 12th May and 9th June, both 9am-midday; $90 ($15 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Chocolate making workshop; Friday, 19th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Park Orchards.

Join them for this hands-on introduction to couverture chocolate which will cover: tempering of milk and dark chocolate; filling truffle shells with supplied ganache for centres; dipping and decorating truffles; and chocolate discs topped with roasted nuts and dried fruit. There will be plenty of sampling along the way and you will take home all that you make presented in a gift box. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Fermenting workshop; Saturday, 20th May, 10am-1pm; $100 ($33 per hour); Kinglake.

The Fermented Mumma will teach you all you need to know to starting fermenting at home. Menu: sauerkraut, carrot kimchi and fermented garlic onions. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Middle Eastern cooking; Saturday, 20th May, 10am-1pm; $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.

Truffle and praline workshop; Friday, 2nd June, 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.

Sourdough breadmaking (advanced); Saturday, 3rd June, 10am-12.30pm; $70 ($28 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Nadine will help to expand your knowledge to add fruit, seeds or olives and parmesan to your loaves and teach you how to make different shapes, focaccia and ciabatta. Take a 2 litre container with a lid and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Saturday, 3rd June, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. The menu: napoli sauce, gnocchi, ricotta , arancini, risotto, mushroom florentine sauce, bechamel sauce and tiramisu. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

Indian cooking – South Indian (2 sessions); Wednesdays, 7th and 14th June, both 6.30-8.30pm; $118 ($30 per hour); Hurstbridge.

The food of South India features the use of tamarind, shredded coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk, mustard seeds, kari leave and dried red chillies. Dishes include plenty of rice and lentils often powdered and cooked by steam. Tutor Taariq Hassan. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News April 5 2023

Apr 052023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Emily Connors, Genevieve Rigot, Holly Gallagher, Jelena Kasabasic, Sarah Young and Virginia Solomon.

Joe’s Market Garden

Joe’s Market Garden now have a page in our Local Food Directory.

Joe’s Market Garden is a 2½ acre Certified Organic farm located next to the Merri Creek in Coburg. They grow mostly leafy greens, herbs and fruiting vegetables. Their farmgate at 34 Edna Grove, Coburg is open Thursdays to Sundays, 8.30am-1pm where, as well as their veggies, you can also buy coffee, toasties and fresh-baked pastries. Their produce can also be found in the CERES Fair Food veggie boxes.

It is Melbourne’s last surviving inner city market garden, having been farmed continuously by Chinese and Italian gardeners for over 150 years. CERES began farming here in 2003 under the guidance of Joe Garita.

Irrigation water is taken from the mains supply and a 100,000 litre underground water tank which collects rainwater from neighbouring townhouses.

Read their Local Food Directory page.

Welcome Emily and colleagues!

More on dyeing eggs naturally

With Easter imminent, this is a topical subject.

Jelena Kasabasic has written in with a suggestion: pick some herb leaves with interesting shapes, place them on an egg, tightly wrap a stocking over them and then put them into whatever colour you want.

Several of you have also recommended this article on natural dyed Easter eggs. It provides both a step-by-step guide plus the following list of colorations:

  • Red cabbage: blue.
  • Red onion: red-brown.
  • Yellow onion: orange-caramel.
  • Beetroot:: dark pink to red.
  • Turmeric: bright yellow.

Some tips for winter vegetable planting

In the April Sustainable Macleod newsletter, Robin Gale-Baker has written an article with 10 tips for winter vegetable planting in Melbourne. Here are her some of her tips related to brassicas (cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc):

  • Plant brassicas so that the lower leaves are partially or wholly submerged in the soil. This prevents wobble which leads to poor anchorage in the soil and small heads.
  • Net all brassicas and secure the bottom of the net with weights to prevent the white cabbage butterfly from laying eggs on the foliage. These eggs turn into very hungry caterpillars.
  • Lay dripline if possible between rows of brassicas. Brassicas thrive on regular watering. As the plants expand, the leaf coverage makes it difficult for enough rain or even hand watering to get to the soil. Water right throughout winter.

Here is the newsletter of which the tips are a part. The newsletters are monthly and you can sign up to receive them on the Sustainable Macleod website home page.

Darebin Fruit Squad in the news

On 3rd April, the Darebin Fruit Squad featured in The Age (see graphic right). Thanks for the heads up, Holly Gallagher and Sarah Young!

As you probably know, articles on The Age website are behind a paywall. As you may or may not know, however, they are available for free from many library websites for registered users, including my own (Yarra Plenty Regional Library).

If you would like to support the Darebin Fruit Squad, one way to do it is to buy one of their t-shirts.

 

Could food be fairer?

Chris Ennis, the founder of CERES Fair Food, has recently written a short article on how his thinking about fair food has evolved over time.

His initial answer to the question Could food be fairer? was to provide an alternative to the way that Coles and Woolworths treat their farmers, supporting small organic and regenerative growers.

It then evolved to include fairer employment of vulnerable people.

It then evolved to include compostable and recyclable packaging.

It is now evolving to include more affordable groceries, and from ‘only organic‘ to ‘organic and‘,

Read the article,

Chris writes around one article a week and you can find them all at this page of the CERES Fair Food website.

Want to buy a book for your children?

If so, then Genevieve Rigot suggests that you consider A kid’s herb book, which “explores the worlds of herbs with fun activities, projects, songs, stories, healing remedies”.

A recipe for vanilla figs

This recipe has been provided by North East Region Permaculture (NERP). You can find NERP at Eltham Farmers’ Market on the 2nd Sunday of each month. At next Sunday’s market (9th April), they will have an expert on hand to chat with you about all things poultry, including chickens, ducks, geese and quail.

Ingredients

1¼ kg slightly under-ripe figs
1 kg sugar
½ litre water
½ vanilla pod, split lengthwise

Method

Peel three narrow strips in each fig or prick them all over with a small sharp fork.

Put the sugar, water and vanilla pod into a large pot or preserving pan and bring to the boil. Add the figs, a few at a time, allowing the syrup to come to the boil before adding the next batch.

Cook, uncovered, over the lowest possible heat for 5 hours, or until the figs are soft and translucent. Remove the vanilla pod.

While the figs are still hot, fill warm sterilised jars and top up with the syrup. Seal.

Keep for years if seal is unbroken. Once opened, eat within a month.

Eat with yoghurt or light sour cream as a dessert, or just on their own as a sweet treat.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the position description for the job at Fawkner Food Bowls.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: Someone’s replaced my passport photo with a picture of a marzipan fruitcake – I think my identity has been stollen.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Fresh herbs and herbal teas; Thursday, 27th April, 10am-midday; free; Whittlesea.

Delve into the world of herbal teas. Learn how to grow and use fresh herbs in both tea and cooking and the benefits of so doing, especially leading into Winter. At Whittlesea Community Garden.

Autumn seasonal gardening with Kaye Roberts-Palmer; Thursday, 27th April, 11am-midday; free; Doncaster.

Prepare your plants for the winter months and find out how to have the best soil for a productive winter vegetable patch.

Introduction to permaculture (2 sessions); Saturdays, 29th April and 6th May, 10am-3pm; $120 ($12 per hour); Coburg.

Learn permaculture fundamentals in this hands-on course, combining concepts and practices of sustainability, gardening, horticulture, ecology, community development and design thinking. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House

An afternoon with Matthew Evans, the Gourmet Farmer; Sunday, 30th April, 2-5pm; free; Box Hill.

Speakers: Matthew Evans and Adam Grubb. Matthew lives and works on the Fat Pig Farm in Tasmania. He has featured on the Gourmet Farmer series on SBS and has written 13 books. He will talk about the ways that food and farming can frame the future, including food security, soil health and the sequestration of carbon through regenerative methods. Adam is from Very Edible Gardens. He will talk veggies: where did they come from, what do they need, and the things you can do to get started growing veggies successfully at home.

Beeswax wrap workshop; Monday, 8th May, 6-8pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Brunswick.

Emma will show you how to make beeswax wraps. All materials provided, though you can BYO fabric to be waxed and transformed into wraps. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Advanced composting workshop; Wednesday, 10th May, 7-8.30pm; free; Doncaster.

They will show you how to advance your composting journey, including: speeding up your compost; troubleshooting issues; and how harvest and use your compost.

Wild mushroom foraging and fermentation for beginners; Saturday, 20th May, 10am-1pm; $180 ($60 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn how to identify wild mushrooms and gather them safely. Take a guided walk to search for mushrooms in their natural habitat. The Fermented Mumma will show you how to use field guides, spore prints, and other tools to identify mushrooms by their colour, shape, texture, and scent. You will also learn about the different parts of a mushroom, including the cap, stem, gills, and pores, and how to distinguish between edible and poisonous species. After the foraging expedition, you will have the opportunity to taste and smell a variety of mushrooms, including some that are safe to eat and others that are not. To finish off, the Fermented Mumma will cook up a feast of fermented mushrooms. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Mushroom foraging; Thursday, 25th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $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.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 28th May, 10am-12.30pm; $60 ($24 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.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Childrens Easter chocolate making workshop; Saturday, 8th April, 10am-midday; $10; Ringwood.

For children aged 7-14. Shabina will show the children how to make rocky road. They will then participate in an Easter egg hunt, where they will search for hidden eggs filled with chocolate treats. The children will get to take home their own handmade rocky road creations. Organised by the Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Easter chocolate workshop; Saturday, 8th April, 1-3pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Fitzroy.

Create unique and personalised Easter cards using chocolate and edible decorations. You will be provided with a blank card made of high-quality Belgian chocolate, and various tools and materials are available to decorate the card, such as edible colours, sprinkles, and chocolate figures. An instructor will be present to provide guidance.

Kombucha / Jun M.O.B.; Thursday, 20th April, 6.30-8pm; $85 ($57 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will demonstrate how to feed your mother/SCOBY (choose between kombucha or jun). You will then flavour their own batch ready for second phase fermentation using fruits, herbs and spices. Take home your selected SCOBY and your personally flavoured bottle of kombucha/jun. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Hospitality (8 sessions); Tuesdays, starting 2nd May, 9.30am-midday; $50 ($3 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This is a cooking course that will develop your basic skills and confidence around the preparation of food. This course will run in a supportive group session and has possible pathways to further study. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); Thursdays, starting 4th May, 11am-1pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Lilydale.

Learn how to cook easily just for one person. Make the meals each week, and eat together what you have made. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Sourdough breadmaking; Saturday, 6th May, 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 dough to bake. Take a 2 litre container with a lid and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Honey ferments M.O.B.; Wednesday, 10th May, 6.30-8pm; $110 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Learn how to make 3 different ferments all with a focus on honey: wild mead; jun (similar to kombucha); and honey fermented garlic. Go home with 3 jars of ferments. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

French patisserie – Mother’s Day cake; Saturday, 13th May, 1.30-4.30pm; $125 ($32 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make and bake a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting which you will then apply to your cake. To finish off, create your own decoration to make that cake extra special. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

French patisserie – macarons; Wednesday, 17th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making macarons. Take an apron and a container. A limit of 4 participants in total. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

How to make fresh ravioli; Thursday, 18th May, 6-8.30pm; $49 ($20 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Make fresh spinach and ricotta ravioli and a sauce. Enjoy tasting the dishes then take some fresh ravioli home to cook for the family. Take a container and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 26th May, 6-8.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

Make Chinese dumplings from scratch. The dough you 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.

Sourdough breadmaking (2 sessions); Saturdays, 27th May and 17th June, both 10am-12.30pm; $150 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

In the first session, Nadine will take you through the basics of sourdough breadmaking. In the second session, you will make a seeded sourdough loaf. You will also get to sample different loaves, including a fruit loaf and olive and herb loaf. 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.

Filled pasta with Piera; Saturday, 27th May, 10am-1pm; 140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will be making both balanzoni (large green tortellini-like pasta filled with ricotta, mortadella & parmesan cheese) and ravioli di pesce (half-moon shaped pasta filled with mascarpone, crab meat, snapper, thyme & lemon). At the end, enjoy the pasta you have made together with a class of wine. Host: Piera Pagnoni. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Feta, haloumi and mascarpone cheese making; Saturday, 27th May, 10am-4pm; $240 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn: the cheese making process using cultures and rennet; salt – brining and dry-salting cheese; and marinating feta in olive oil. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

French patisserie – macarons (advanced); Saturday, 27th May, 1.30-4.30pm; $115 ($38 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Extend your macaron making skills to make two fillings and different shapes and bi-colour macarons. Take an apron and a container. A limit of 4 participants in total. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Gluten-free kitchen skills; Sunday, 28th May, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. After an introduction to gluten-free flours and their texture, taste and how to use them, you will have the opportunity to cook a collection of recipes, including: a cake using your own gluten-free flour blend; crackers to pair with a seasonal dip; pizzas; and a short-crust pastry dough for quiche. At the end, the class will sit down to eat lunch together.

Farmhouse sake / doburoku night; Wednesday, 31st May, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own sake using rice, koji and water and time. This is a 3 step process and you’ll take home stage one in a 3 litre jar – with koji for step 2 – and a couple of bottles for the final bottling step. They will also cover amazake – the sweet, more immediate (overnight) drink.

In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 29 2023

Mar 302023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Genevieve Rigot, Linda Cornelissen, Max Sargent, Megan Goodman and Robin Gale-Baker.

Rose hips (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Rose hips are the fruits of roses.

Rose hips are often overlooked these days which is a pity as they have significant health benefits, are tasty in a range of foods and drinks, and provide colour in the garden in autumn and winter.

Rose bushes only produce hips if their flowers are not cut off. The hip is the rounded, or oval, leathery seed pod beneath the flower petals. It develops after pollination. Cutting off roses for fresh flowers removes the hip (note, however, that, as with other flowering plants, removing dead rose flowers causes the plant to cease putting energy into producing seed and this then goes into producing more blooms).

The hip is generally red or orange when ripe in late autumn but can be yellow, purple or black. It contains both seeds and hairs, the hairs being an irritant that can cause itching and which need to be removed for culinary purposes. The hairs are in fact used to make itching powder, sold for pranks by joke shops. For harvesting, select hips in autumn that are firm and colourful and leave those that are either wrinkly or mushy for the birds.

To propagate from hips, scrape the seeds out and bury them in shallow soil. They will need a winter’s chill to germinate and, in the case of the dog rose (Rosa canina), two winters. Because of the length of time before germination, label the area carefully.

The health benefits of eating rose hips include a very high content of Vitamin C – the highest of almost any food. In his book The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia, Louis Glowinski recounts that, during World War 2, the British government issued recipes for rose hip syrup and encouraged people to forage for rose hips to boost the health of the nation. There have also been some studies that indicate rose hips may reduce arthritic pain to a small extent. Finally, they are regarded as high in antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties and improve collagen in skin.

The culinary uses are wide: jellies, syrups, pies (often combined with other fruit such as apples or berries), puddings, jams, sauces, vinegars, fruit leathers, sugars and honey, soup and (of course) rose hip tea. Rose hip wine, brandy and mead are all made in various European countries.

Not all rose hips taste good but all are edible, and almost all roses produce hips. Some hips are sweet and tangy, others tart but edible, and some decidedly unappetising. Ideally, it is best to harvest hips after the first frost to improve their flavour but, as we rarely get early frosts, this is not usually an option here in Melbourne. The tastiest rose hips come from Rogusa roses, which are recognisable by stems with a multitude of fine prickles, very close together. Other delectable hips are those of the dog rose (Rosa canina) and the apple rose (Rosa villosa).

To prepare rose hips for culinary purposes, cut them from the bush with secateurs, trim the top and bottom with a sharp knife, then cut them in half. Scrape out the seeds and hairs, leaving a shell. Rinse thoroughly in cold water to remove any remaining hairs. They can then be used fresh, or dried for future use (using a slow oven or a dehydrator) or frozen. Do not use aluminium saucepans or utensils as these discolour the hips and destroy the Vitamin C content. You will find plenty of recipes for rose hips dishes on the Internet.

More on gleaning

In last week’s newsletter, we included a Jean-Francois Millet’s famous painting called The gleaners, where gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after these fields have been commercially harvested. Read more on Wikipedia.

In reaction, both Linda Cornelissen and Max Sargent have written in to point out that there is a 2000 French documentary film called The Gleaners and I that features various kinds of contemporary gleaning. Again, read more on Wikipedia.

Want a job?

Fawkner Food Bowls is looking for a person to facilitate some weekly sessions for pre-school children. Your role will be “to lead planned activities in food growing, art and nature play, but also to encourage child-led explorations and free play.” $120 per 1½-2 hour session. ABN required. Read the position description. Closing date: 5th April.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The left hand picture below, on options to dye Easter eggs naturally, is currently doing the rounds on the Internet.

Some people have responded that, if you have the right types of chicken then, as per the right hand photo below, there is no need to dye the eggs.

  

Bundoora pop-up garlic farmers

Pictured are two of the pop-up garlic farmers who will be farming at Bundoora during 2023. Lynn-eva Bottomley and Vicky Ellmore are both newsletter readers and recipients of $1,000 Local Food Connect sponsorships.

Know anything about electroculture?

Genevieve Rigot would like to know if any of you are experimenting with electroculture. If so, can you tell the rest of us a bit about it? Email me.

I (Guy) hadn’t heard of the word ‘electroculture’ until Genevieve wrote in. Google says that it is a method of plant cultivation that makes use of electrical currents to promote plant development. It is apparently an old practice (e.g. read this article) that appears to be going through something of a renaissance, at least in China.

Meg’s garden this month

Fluffs of dandelion seed tumble in the air and float across the garden, making me wish that I had kept up with the weeding in the past few months. It is time to tackle the end of summer crops and clear the beds of weeds ready for new plantings.

I have been harvesting nashi pears for a couple of weeks now and they herald the early apples and then the remainder of the pears in Autumn. They are sweet and dry moist and lovely grated in a muffin.

The zucchini are affected by powdery mildew and something is gnawing the fruit. I am happy to sacrifice the remaining zucchini as we are well and truly over the glut. However, the pumpkins are in the same garden area. This year I am experimenting with pantyhose stretched over each fruit. The idea is that the cover will stretch as the fruit develops and prevent nibbles by passing vermin. Or it may be that the pantyhose just get eaten as well as the fruit.

What seeds to plant in April

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

Brassicas

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
Radish

 
If you didn’t plant your cool season veggies in March, April is a good month. So, plant those broad beans, peas and garlic. Also, plant some leafy greens. It’s a bit late for planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds but, as they say, better late than never.

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

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

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article in The Age about some cheapish, local restaurants.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: Pretend you are a contestant on The Apprentice by holding your phone like it’s a tray of Ferraro Rocher.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Mushroom growing 101; Wednesday, 19th April, 6.30-9.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 22nd April, 10.30-11.30am; $10; Forest Hill.

Learn how to make beeswax food wraps to keep your food fresh. Take along your own cotton fabric square to add your own personal touch to your wrap, or use fabric scraps provided.

Compost and worm farm workshop; Sunday, 30th April, 11am-1pm; free; Brunswick.

Learn the ins and outs of making the most of your compost and worm farms as well as how to prepare a garden bed and plant some seedlings. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Composting and worm farming workshop; Saturday, 6th May, 2-4pm; free; Camberwell.

Join Catherine from Sustainable Gardening Australia and learn about composting in its various forms including: what is compost and how is it made; hot vs cold composting; worm farming; bokashi; backyard chooks; maximising returns through compost, castings and teas; and common problems and remedies. A variety of composters will be on display.

Heathcote in the city; Saturday, 13th May, 10am-4pm; $230 ($38 per hour); Abbotsford.

Presented by Heathcote Winegrowers Association, there will be around 80 wines available for tasting, plus a chance to meet the faces and makers behind these wines. The participating wineries will include: Heathcote Winery, Lake Cooper Estate, Mia Valley Estate, Munari Wines, Noble Red Wines, Pook Road, Red Edge, Rogues Lane Vineyard, Sanguine Estate, Silver Spoon Estate, Sutherland Wine, Tellurian, Vinea Marson and Wren Estate. There will also be food and live music by Bendigo Blues & Roots musicians.

Spoon carving workshop with an axe and knife; Saturday, 20th May, 10am-4pm; $230 ($38 per hour); Coburg North.

Learn the basics of sharpening tools, carving with an axe, and carving safely with small hand tools. You will be splitting a log of wood into a spoon sized chunk and then working with hand tools such as an axe, a hook knife, a straight carving knife and a gouge to carve a cooking spoon from a fresh piece of green wood. You will also learn how to coax the spoon you design from the green timber, chip by chip. By the end of this workshop, you will have your own hand-carved cooking spoon ready to take home and use in the kitchen. Presenter: Eli Beke.

Olives to oil; Sunday, 21st May, midday-3pm; $15; Preston.

You bring the olives and they press them into olive oil for you to enjoy. Book a time to bring your olives. The first 50kg will be processed for you for free and after that there will be a charge of $5. The tickets are free if you are a resident of City of Yarra, Darebin or Merri-Bek. Organised by CERES.

Olives to oil harvest festival; Sunday, 21st May, midday-4pm; $15; Brunswick East.

You bring the olives and they press them into olive oil for you to enjoy. Book a time to bring your olives. The first 50kg will be processed for you for free and after that there will be a charge of $5. The tickets are free if you are a resident of City of Yarra, Darebin or Merri-Bek. During the day, there will be music, workshops and face-painting. Organised by CERES.

Smart storage to reduce food waste workshop; Tuesday, 23rd May, 10-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

This workshop will cover: tips to use your fridge and freezer wisely, to prolong the life of your food; pantry storage to minimise waste; know the difference between ‘use-by’ and ‘best before’ dates; storing and maximising herbs; what you can do with commonly leftover ingredients; how to make vegetable stocks with food scraps; ways to turn stale bread into quick delicious snacks or meals; and tips for making quick, easy meals from leftovers, instead of takeaway. Presenter: Kirsty from Sustainability Pathways.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cup cake decorating (for children); Wednesday, 19th April, 1-2pm; $15; Brunswick.

This workshop is for 6-12 year-olds. Learn how to create edible mini works of art with simple decorating techniques. Cupcakes for decoration will be provided. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Sushi sushi (for children); Thursday, 20th April, 11am-midday; $12; Lilydale.

For children aged 7+. Make your own sushi. Organised by Lilydale Community House

Catering 4 success (8 sessions); Tuesdays, 2nd May to 20th June, each 10am-2pm; $48 ($2 per hour); Bayswater North.

Do you want to nail that charcuterie board or take your cheese and biccie platter to the next level? Do you want insider information on how to make sure you have just enough food? This course will teach you how to wow with a share board at your next event. Organised by Glen Park Community Centre.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 4th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Traditional arancini and cantucci biscuits workshop; Saturday, 13th May, 10am-1pm; $180 ($60 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will learn how to make two classic Italian dishes: arancini and cantucci. Arancini are crispy, fried rice balls filled with ingredients like cheese, meat, and vegetables. Cantucci are traditional almond cookies that are perfect for dipping in coffee or Vin Santo. You will also learn about the history and cultural significance of these dishes, and how they’re typically served in Italy. Presenter: Rosa. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Sourdough for beginners; Saturday, 13th May, 2-5pm; $60 ($20 per hour); Brunswick.

Michael and Therese Slee will show you how to make sourdough bread, including sourdough culture care and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. You will get to sample freshly baked bread in class and then take home some sourdough culture (starter) to get you started at home. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Miso M.O.B.; Thursday, 18th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will have the beans soaked and cooked, the koji and salt weighed, jars ready and music on. You will mash and squish and roll and throw – ready to go home with 1.5 litres of miso that can be ready to eat within 3 months – ferment for longer if you like. Enjoy its taste over different periods of fermentation. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 20th May, 9am-5pm; $190 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

FFS … ferment four staples; Saturday, 20th May, 1-5.30pm; $365 ($81 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course: a jar of kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir with SCOBY and a jar of kvass – including jars and airlocks for fermenting at home

Italian sweets workshop; Sunday, 21st May, 10am-1pm; $180 ($60 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn from an Italian nonna how to make ciambelle, cannoli and amaretti. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Preserving the season’s harvest; Sunday, 21st May, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to preserve surplus foods; how to make jams; and improve your culinary skillset. Presenter: Lauren Mueller. Learn how to make jams, pastes, pickles and the art of basic canning so that you can preserve your home harvest or extend your seasonal produce year round.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 22 2023

Mar 232023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alex Childs, Anna Rosa Pascuzzo, Doris Ram, Emma Wasson and Paul Miragliotta.

Since I started recording such things, more than 500(!) people have now contributed to this newsletter. See the list. Thanks everyone!

If you are one of the 3,500 people who have not yet contributed, we would, of course, be delighted to hear to from you. If you have any interesting (or even not-so-interesting) news, tips, photos or questions, email them to me (Guy).

Buna Reserve Community Garden in Heidelberg West

One of the first community gardens that I (Guy) visited after moving to North East Melbourne was Buna Reserve Community Garden but, for one reason or another, it never made it onto our website. Thanks to Alex Childs from Banyule Community Health, that has now changed!

Buna Reserve Community Garden in Heidelberg West is becoming membership based, but with membership being free. Any members of the public are welcome to attend working bees and other events and go into the garden whenever volunteers are there. The address is 16 Buna Street, Heidelberg West.

The garden comprises a number of raised beds. It is a safe and harmonious place for community to come together to learn and share gardening and other skills and develop friendships. Its main aim is to grow more than enough food so that they can share it with our community; for example, they share produce with the Aboriginal Foodshare at Barrbunin Beek Gathering Place.

They follow permaculture principles and crop rotation as much as they can. They are also interested in syntropic-agroforestry principles, mimicking nature and utilising nature’s services as best they can. They seed save and there are 6 compost bays. Often they will share some food and a cuppa together as well. Some local play groups are involved and sometimes they organise events.

Read their page on our website.

Welcome Alex, Mel and colleagues!

That brings the total number of local community gardens who have a page on our website to 63.

Some tips for storing and using eggs

When developing Henley Farms’ page on our website some weeks ago, I noticed that they have some ‘useful tips’ on their website.

How to store eggs
  • Always store eggs in the fridge or a cool place at 5–14degC [Editor: I had a chat with Venu from Henley Farms and this tip mainly applies to bought eggs. For eggs from your own chickens, you can store them in either the fridge or at room temperature.]
  • Keep eggs away from highly flavoured or aromatic foods as they may pick up flavours.
  • Allow eggs to warm up to room temperature before using, especially when whipping whites.
  • Avoid using high heat when cooking eggs as it makes them tough.
How to use eggs
  • To shell a boiled egg easily, remove the egg from heat and immerse into cold water. Peel under cold running water.
  • The freshest eggs are best for frying or poaching.
  • Older eggs are best for hard boiling or scrambling. They can also be used for cakes, quiches etc.

Want a job?

Worker at Henley Farms

Henley Farms, a small egg producer located in Kangaroo Ground, are looking for one or two people to work for 3-4 hours per day, 5-7 days a week. Hours and timings are flexible (e.g. it could be either before or after school drop offs or pickups). Both hours and rates are negotiable. The daily duties will include: sight the waterer to check water; sight the fencing to ensure it’s in good condition; collect eggs; use the washer to clean eggs; and grade eggs. If interested, ring Venu Metla on 0407 934567 for a chat.

Crew leader at Day’s Walk Farm

Day’s Walk Farm, a Certified Organic market garden located in Keilor (22km from the Melbourne CBD), is looking for a crew leader to join their farm team. They want to bring in somebody who has experience farming elsewhere, as bringing in these skills would make a tremendous contribution to their farm. In a near full time role, the crew leader will be up to date with the dynamic state of affairs in the big veggie patch, whilst also keeping fellow farmers engaged in the energetic culture of market gardening. Applications close: Monday, 10th April. Contact them by phone (0407 085370) or email (almightyveg@dayswalkfarm.com.au) to request a full position description and all the details (or ask any questions). Then send in your CV and cover letter. If successful, applicants will attend a half day paid trial at the farm.

Trainee garlic farmer

Farmer Incubator are looking to recruit 4 trainee farmers to manage their fundraiser garlic crop. Located at Bundoora, Keilor or Wesburn. They will be supported through a season of growing and on farm learning with some mentoring, participation in classes and field trips. 90 hours at $27 per hour. Read the position description. Applications close: Sunday, 26th March.

40 under $40

Yesterday’s Age newspaper included an article on “Melbourne’s top restaurants for getting bang for your buck“. Of the 40 restaurants discussed, 14 are from North East Melbourne, namely:

  • Abbotsford: Tom Toon Thai Cafe.
  • Box Hill: Shaanxi-Style.
  • Brunswick: Maalu Maalu, Neruda’s and Vola Foods.
  • Camberwell: Dale La Pau.
  • Carlton: Hareruya and Mandina Kitchen.
  • Doncaster: Vegie Mum.
  • Eltham: Little Drop of Poison.
  • Epping: Abruzzo Lab.
  • Northcote: Shamiat.
  • Reservoir: La Pinta.
  • Thornbury: Taita’s House.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The Gleaners is a painting by French artist Jean-François Millet painted in 1857. It depicts three peasant women ‘gleaning’ a field of stray stalks of wheat after the harvest. Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested. Gleaners were amongst the poorest in society and Millet was painting their plight sympathetically.

See more food-related art on our website.

‘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 6th April.

DIVRS in Preston or STREAT in Collingwood.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article about imperfect gardening.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: If anyone says ‘you’re as keen as mustard’ take it as a condiment.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not (quite) local but interesting

Mushroom workshop series; Sunday, 2nd April, 10-11.30am; $10; Kensington.

Build your skills and get your resources to prepare your own mushroom growing kit to take home. At Kensington Stockyard Food Garden. Facilitated by Mycelium Futures. Part funded by Melbourne City Council.

Home Harvest Manningham is returning

After a gap of 6(!) years, the monthly Home Harvest Manningham presentations are returning. In 2016 and 2017, these were perhaps the best attended food growing presentations across the whole of North East Melbourne. They are free and feature well known speakers. They start at 6.30pm but there is a food, seed and garden swap 15 minutes before each session (i.e. starting at 6.15pm). Here is the 2023 schedule:

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Volunteer day at a new community education farm; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-midday; free; Bundoora.

Farmer Incubator is looking for volunteers to help prepare garden beds at their new Community Education Farm located at Bundoora Park Farm. The tasks on the day will include broad forking the area, digging in compost and forming the beds. Everyone welcome.

Sustainability book chat; Tuesday, 28th March, 7-8pm; free; Greensborough.

Read, watch and chat about issues of sustainability on our planet, and how we can grow the future we want to see. Organised by Sustainable Greensborough. The book for this month is Country: future fire, future farming by Bill Gammage, Bruce Pascoe and Margo Neale. “For millennia, Indigenous Australians harvested this continent in ways that can offer contemporary environmental and economic solutions. Bill Gammage and Bruce Pascoe demonstrate how Aboriginal people cultivated the land through manipulation of water flows, vegetation and firestick practice. Not solely hunters and gatherers, the First Australians also farmed and stored food. They employed complex seasonal fire programs that protected Country and animals alike. In doing so, they avoided the killer fires that we fear today. Country: Future Fire, Future Farming highlights the consequences of ignoring this deep history and living in unsustainable ways. It details the remarkable agricultural and land-care techniques of First Nations peoples and shows how such practices are needed now more than ever.”

Seed saving in a community garden; Thursday, 30th March, 10am-midday; $6; Hurstbridge.

Look at different plants in the community garden to recognise when seeds are dry and ready to harvest. Find out about the typical shapes of seeds and flowering stalks from different plant families, which can make identification easier. Learn about cleaning your harvested seeds and storing them for use next season. Presenter: Marina Bistrin.

Vegetable gardening 101; Saturday, 1st April, 2-3.30pm; $15; Ringwood.

Learn the basics of vegetable gardening with Olwyn. Discover how to create a sustainable and productive garden, with tips on soil health, seed selection, and natural pest management. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Kids in the garden – micro greens and sprouts; Thursday, 20th April, midday-2pm; $15 ($8 per hour); Forest Hill.

For children aged 5-12 accompanied by a guardian. Learn how to grow your own micro greens and sprouts for salads and sandwiches. This workshop will encourage kids to take an interest in how our food is grown and learn different ways to increase their nutrient intake.

Seed propagation workshop; Sunday, 30th April, 2-3.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn how to raise seedlings from seed for your veggie patch or patio/balcony garden with Kaye Roberts-Palmer from Blue Bee Garden Design. You will take home a tray of seedlings for you garden/patio/balcony, or you can leave them to be planted at Regent Community Garden. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Kalorama Chestnut Festival; Sunday, 7th May, 10am-4pm; free; Kalorama.

Savour the abundant chestnuts, gourmet food, Devonshire tea, coffee, artisan beer and mulled wine. Explore the diverse range of stalls, including: roasted chestnuts; poffertjes; homemade cakes; sausage sizzle; local restaurants; mulled wine; coffee, tea and chai; local handmade crafts; and local produce.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Friday, 12th May, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 13th May, at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Autumn seasonal cooking; Sunday, 2nd April, 11am-1pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to prepare seasonal dishes using fresh produce from your garden in this practical cooking class. Scott Hitchins will offer useful tips and make freezer-friendly herb pastes and purees. Enjoy sampling the dishes together and take home jars of pastes and purees made on the day.

Cook Indian by the creek; Friday, 14th April, 5-6.30pm; $65 ($44 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: chicken biryani, raita and chutney.

Preserving and fermenting workshop with Insun Chan; Thursday, 11th May, 2-3.30pm; free; Lilydale.

Learn about the health benefits of kimchi from Insun Chan, learn how to incorporate it into your meals and take some of your own kimchi home. Take a 20 litre mixing bowl, chopping board, knife, apron, and one litre glass jar with lid to take kimchi home. Organised by Lilydale Library

Indian cooking workshop series (3 sessions); starting Thursday, 11th May, 2-4pm; $210 ($35 per hour); Alphington.

Manu will teach you how to cook a range of Indian dishes. Organised by Alphington Community Centre.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes
Rosa’s cooking classes

Doris Ram has written in to say how much she enjoyed one of Rosa’s cooking classes. ““I really enjoyed myself in the cooking class and the lovely Rosa and Vince also shared seeds and veggies from their veggie garden too. I can’t wait to go back for more classes.” In this context, I (Guy) thought that I would provide some more detail on Rosa’s upcoming cooking classes. They are on various Saturdays and Sundays, 10.15am-3pm; mostly $165 ($35 per hour); Bundoora. Here are the classes between now and end July:

  • 1st April: 3 course delights.
  • 15th April: delicious dinner & dessert.
  • 16th April: traditional Italian feast.
  • 6th May: Mother’s Day special.
  • 7th May: traditional sausages.
  • 4th June: traditional salami.
  • 18th June: traditional salami.
  • 24th June: traditional Italian dinner & dessert.
  • 2nd July: traditional salami.
  • 8th July: 3 course delights.

LFC News March 15 2023

Mar 162023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Beth Ciesielski, Doris Glier, James Petty, Kate Rosier, Lucinda Flynn, Lucy Richards, Lyn Richards, Pam Jenkins, Sarah Young and Virginia Solomon.

All Seasons Cooking Classes

All Seasons Cooking Classes, who are based in Croydon, make seasonal preserves & pickles, dahl mix, veggie slice mix and flavoured couscous. Each is made in small batches, with no nasties. All are vegan and most are gluten-free. Most of the dry ingredients come from Terra Madre and are Certified Organic. The aim is to help people easily create healthy, fast and tasty meals. The packaging is all either recyclable or compostable.

The owner, Sarah Young, is also an instructor at some cooking classes, for example Kitchen basics on Saturday, 1st April, 10am-1pm at the The Food School in Mount Evelyn.

Welcome Sarah!

There are now 19 makers of condiments in our Local Food Directory. If you know of any others, email us.

And the winner is …

A few weeks ago, we published an interview with Rowe Morrow and offered our readership the chance of getting a free copy of her new book The Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture. The winner of the lucky draw was Stormie de Groot.

Yes you did know!

Last week, Nada Cunningham asked what was attacking her eggplants and what might be possible solutions.

James Petty and Pam Jenkins agree that the culprit is the native poroporo fruit borer (Leucinodes cordalis), whose larvae eat vegetable plants in the capscium and solanum genera.

James adds: “If there is a reddish-coloured grub inside the eggplant, then this is it. I’m not sure of defences other than a healthy population of predators. Read more.“

Pam adds: “My solution is to bag the fruit or grow what I can under nets. Spraying with Dipel on a regular basis should work. Read more.“

Yet more on vanilla slices

The annual Victorian Baking Show was held earlier this month in Bendigo. See the list of winners. The winner for the best vanilla slice was the North End Bakehouse in Shepparton, which is a bit too far for me to taste test.

There were some winners in other categories from North East Melbourne:

  • Luke Farrell from Bakers Delight in Camberwell placed first in the ‘Grain Loaf Condensed Square’, ‘Turkish Pide Loaf’ and ‘White French Stick’ categories, second in the ‘Sourdough Rye’, ‘White Loaf Condensed Square’ and ‘White Vienna’ categories and third in the ‘Pane Di Casa’ and ‘Wholemeal Loaf Upright’ categories.
  • Adriano Capretto from Whittlesea Bakehouse placed first in the ‘Fruit Flan’ category and second in the ‘Plain Meat Pie’ category.
  • Robert Dutton from Coles in Doncaster placed second in the ‘White Hi Top Half Married’ category and third in the ‘White Vienna’ and ‘Wholemeal Pipe Loaf’ categories.

Congratulations to Luke, Adriano and Robert.

Newsletter reader’s website of the week – Going Green Solutions

As you hopefully know, single use plastic catering ware is now banned in Victoria. So, if you need any catering ware, the obvious choice is plant-based and Certified compostable. One such supplier is newsletter reader Lucinda Flynn, via her company Going Green Solutions. They are a long time supplier of BioPak goods and all their pricing is matched with theirs including free shipping.

Read about other newsletter reader websites on our website.

Do you have a website? If so, email us and we will highlight it in a future newsletter. It doesn’t have to be about food.

Some suggestions for your reading and watching

Imperfect gardening

Lyn Richards suggests that you read this article in The Saturday Paper about imperfect gardening by autumn gardeners.

Another video from Simone

Red Egyptian walking onions.

Some newsletter reader photos

Tomato
Doris Glier		 Zucchini whale and calf
Virginia Solomon

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Nillumbik Nursery’s March newsletter.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The Listening Chamber is a painting by the surrealist Rene Magritte painted in 1953. How big do you think the apple is? Whilst it could be any size, our brain automatically thinks of it as massive because of its confined circumstances.

Magritte also painted similar green apples in a number of settings, including in front of the face of a bowler-hatted man.

See more food-related art on our website.

Word of the month – Toothsome

‘Toothsome’, meaning of palatable flavour and pleasing texture.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

As sure as eggs is eggs. Meaning: will definitely happen.

According to Wiktionary, the original phase was “as sure as eggs is eggs and not eyren“, where ‘eyren’ was the Old English (and thus southern English) plural form for ‘eggs’ and ‘eggs’ was the Old Norse (and thus northern English) plural. Perhaps surprisingly, in a victory by the Vikings over the Anglo-Saxons, ‘eggs’ became the preferred version in standard English and ‘eyren’ ceased to be. The phrase was originally a celebration and affirmation of this choice.

According to some other sources, however, the phrase is a corruption of “as sure as X is X” which, as a tautology, is obviously true.

In either case, wouldn’t “as sure as eggs are eggs” be more grammatically correct, you might ask. Well, yes, but apparently grammar doesn’t apply to sayings; for example, “who would’ve thunk it?” or “them’s the breaks“.

Finally, “as sure as eggs is eggs (aching men’s feet)” was (of course) the title of the seventh and final section of the song ‘Supper’s Ready’ by the band Genesis in 1972.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before.” by Vita Sackville.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: My nan recently had a hip operation, now whenever she makes me a sandwich she serves it on a roof tile with a side of rosemary fries in a miniature bucket.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

The park on park; Saturday, 29th April and Sunday, 30th April, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Park Orchards.

Tour this ½ acre garden designed by Laurie Landscapes. There are around 14,000 plants and 70 established trees. A river cut from a section of the nearby Yarra River filled with aquatic plants and fish weaves its way through the living area, whilst two large waterscapes with turtles and fish are visible from most angles of the home. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard bee keeping for beginners; Tuesday, 21st March, 7-8.30pm; free; Coburg.

Robert, from Bee Sustainable, will give participants a basic understanding of bee behaviour, establishing and managing a hive, and the items that make up a bee hive and their construction. There will be live bees and honeycomb to look at in a secure exhibition cabinet. The workshop will also cover the equipment a beekeeper needs to work with bees, key tasks in spring, honey extraction and swarm control. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Digestion – cultivating and balancing gut health; Sunday, 26th March, 10.30am-1.30pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Coburg.

You will learn the tools to understand your unique digestive capacity and ways to improve your gut health and digestive strength through the foods you eat, and more importantly, how and when you eat them. A vegetarian lunch is included. You will also receive a booklet covering how to understand your own digestion and how best to care for it plus a complimentary bio-resonance scan.

Hot composting, compost liquids and teas; Thursday, 30th March, 7-8.30pm; $35 ($24 per hour); Warrandyte.

Hot composting, liquid compost and compost tea can do radical things to your garden and the production and resilience therein. This workshop will discuss such questions as: Why don’t more people practice these technologies? Are they really time consuming? What’s the real benefit? How do you really do it to have confidence in success and get the great results? Do they really make all the difference?

Urban farm funk and ferment party; Saturday, 1st April, 3-7pm; $103 ($26 per hour); Brunswick East.

This will be an afternoon of funk and ferment with Simone Watts, chef and farmer at Barragunda Estate, and Hemi Rakei Reidy, head chef at CERES Merri Cafe. A roving menu will showcase organic produce with a focus on slow food and fermentation. There will also be local craft beers, natural wines and alcohol-free ferments plus live music.

Heart health; Sunday, 2nd April, 11am-12.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Dr Malcolm Mackay will discuss the role of nutrition in heart disease. Organised by Green Karma.

Victorian Whisky Festival; Sunday, 2nd April, midday-4pm; $80 ($20 per hour); Collingwood.

This is an opportunity to experience many Victorian whiskies. 12 of Victoria’s 15 whisky distilleries will be participating, namely Backwoods, Bakery Hill, Bass & Flinders, Bellarine Distillery, Chief’s Son, Gospel, Jimmy Rum, Kinglake, Morris, NED, Starward and Whisky in Isolation. The ticket price includes all whisky samples.

Formidable Vegetable + Mal Webb & Kylie Morrigan; Sunday, 9th April, 5.30-9pm; $27; Diamond Creek.

Formidable Vegetable are back to launch their new album Micro Biome. They aim to inspire folks from 5 to 95 to grow their own food, restore their own ecosystems and live a better life with funky home-scale solutions to the many problems of the world. 5.30pm -Formidable Vegetable kid’s show. 6.30pm – Mal Webb. 7.30pm – Formidable Vegetable.

Heritage apple tasting; Monday, 10th April, 2-4pm; $15; Templestowe.

Around 15 varieties will be available for tasting – mainly mid-season apples. An orchard tour is also included. All funds received go toward the maintenance and expansion of the collection. Organised by the Heritage Fruits Society.

Turning food waste into energy; Thursday, 20th April, 4-6pm; free; Coburg.

Join them to learn all how food waste can be turned into energy and liquid fertiliser using a ‘biodigester’. A biodigester is a standalone unit that transforms organic waste (food scraps) into cooking gas whilst also creating a liquid fertiliser for the garden. They will demonstrate how to use a biodigester as well how to use the cooking gas that it produces. Organised by Open Table.

Diet for good mental health; Saturday, 22nd April, 11am-12.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Larisa Freiverts will talk about how food impacts our gut health and thereby impacts our mood, depression and anxieties. Organised by Green Karma.

Turning food waste into energy; Saturday, 6th May, 10am-midday; free; Coburg.

Join us to learn all how food waste can be turned into energy and liquid fertiliser using a ‘biodigester’. A biodigester is a standalone unit that transforms organic waste (food scraps) into cooking gas whilst also creating a liquid fertiliser for the garden. They will demonstrate how to use a biodigester as well how to use the cooking gas that it produces. Organised by Open Table.

Youth world food garden – why waste it?; Saturday, 6th May, 2-5pm; free; Preston.

This workshop is for those aged 14 to 25 years old who interested to learn more about gardening, cooking, food justice and sustainability. It will focus on the food waste caused by the food system and the effects that this has on the environment. It is the sixth of six workshops being organised in partnership between the Just Food Collective and Sustain: the Australian Food Network.

Composting, worm farming and bokashi bins workshop; Monday, 8th May, 10-11.30am; free; Bayswater North.

Cultivating Community will discuss: the differences between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ composting; how to set up a compost bin, worm farm system and Bokashi bin; and the differences between these three systems & how they can each benefit your garden.

In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Water kefir M.O.B.; Tuesday, 28th March, 6.30-8pm; $85 ($57 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Water kefir is a much quicker lactic-acid based ferment than kombucha. In this workshop, they will demonstrate how to feed your water kefir SCOBY grains and then each attendee will flavour their own batch ready for second phase fermentation using fruits, herbs and spices they have available to you. Go home with water kefir SCOBY grains and your personally flavoured bottle of kefir. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Milk kefir magic; Friday, 21st April, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 6th May, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify and harvest bush foods; how to grow and maintain bush foods in the home garden; and how to incorporate bush foods into everyday recipes. Tour the CERES bush food gardens and gain knowledge of bush foods from further afar – tropical delights from the north, peppery spices form the south. During the workshop, you will learn how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. The group will make a bush food inspired lunch and afternoon tea – all food prepared on the day will be vegetarian and vegan friendly. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy.

In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News March 8 2023

Mar 072023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Snyder, Carmel Malone, Jan Akeroyd, Nada Cunningham, Tahlia Sleeman, Val Sandeman and Virginia Solomon.

Crabapples – an oft overlooked resource! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Crabapples are a resource often overlooked by gardeners. There are many benefits of planting a crabapple or two – beautiful flowers and foliage, great for pollinators and, of course, the apples have many culinary uses. Crabapple, like apple, belongs to the Malus genus and the Rosaceae family and is a small to medium tree, though can become sprawling if unpruned. There are around 20 varieties available in Australia.

Crabapples come in many colours in foliage, flower and fruit. Foliage ranges through green, red and purple, some turning in autumn to reds and purples. The flowers range from white to white-pink, pale pink, deep pink, red and purple. The fruit can be red, orange, yellow or purple. Crabapples are regarded as a ‘blossom’ tree in spring and a tree of autumnal colour in autumn. The fruit can last from summer to winter, hanging in winter like baubles, after the tree sheds its leaves and providing winter colour.

Trees can be bought potted or bare-rooted in winter. If space is at a premium, buy one grafted onto dwarf root stock.

Crabapples are unfussy about soil but prefer it well drained. Plant in a sunny spot for best results. Dig a hole large enough that all the roots can spread out, add some compost and backfill, water and mulch. In its first few years, water it regularly but once established it will rarely need watering.

Prune for shape and to remove broken, dead and diseased limbs in winter. Crabapples are such good attractants for pollinators that they are often grown in apple orchards to increase pollination. They are self-fertile so one is enough in a home garden (unless you want more).

Crabapples are often regarded as ornamental trees rather than ‘fruiting’ trees. The main difference between an ornamental and edible one is fruit size. Ornamental trees may have no fruit or only very small, inedible fruit while edible ones have fruit that is at least 3 cm in diameter. The crabapple fruit is quite sour so is generally processed with a sweetener to make it palatable. Having said that, some are sweet enough to be eaten from the tree. The fruit is generally ripe for harvest in autumn.

Crabapples have a very high pectin level and can be made into syrup that is added to other fruit for jam and jelly making. Crabapple jelly is perhaps the best known use for the fruit but other uses include cakes, breads, scones and muffins, as an addition to an apple dessert, fruit leathers, sauces, pastes, butters and juices, pickling and cordial making.

Sally Wise, a Tasmanian author in her book A year in a bottle has a recipe for crabapple lemonade that I have made and it is delicious. The ingredients are crabapples, sugar, lemon, cider vinegar and cold water. The mix needs to sit for two weeks in a food safe bucket before being ready to use. At this point it will be fizzy. Her book also includes recipes for crabapple jelly, jam and cheese.

A new community garden at Willsmere Station Community Garden in Kew

Willsmere Station Community Garden in Kew was established in 2019. It is membership-based, with some communal areas and some individually allocated plots. It has 50 individually allocated plots plus a communal food forest which provides opportunities for harvest sharing, raised plots that are wheelchair accessible, shared wicking beds and a children’s area with raised circular garden beds. At the corner of Willsmere Road and Carnegie Avenue.

The garden’s objectives are:

  1. To establish and maintain a community garden in Kew.
  2. To improve food security and promote healthy eating by providing opportunities for locals to grow fresh, nutritious produce and share supplementary harvest.
  3. To enhance the use of green space in Kew by providing a beautiful and peaceful meeting place.
  4. To increase community connection and reduce social isolation by creating an open and welcoming community garden for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
  5. To strengthen local neighbourhood dynamics by collaborating with community partners.
  6. To build a strong sense of place by acknowledging the area’s story and heritage.
  7. To reduce their environmental impact by employing ecological gardening principles, avoiding synthetic or harmful chemical inputs, conserving water and providing composting facilities for food waste diversion & soil enrichment.
  8. To encourage local biodiversity and provide a space for the community to connect with nature and the rhythms of the seasons.
  9. To increase the number of locals engaged in, and informed about, sustainable food growing through practical skill workshops and knowledge sharing.
  10. To ensure longevity of the gardening community by using sustainable management practices which are open, participatory and non-judgemental.

Read their page on our website.

Welcome Tahlia and colleagues!

That brings the total number of local community gardens who have a page on our website to 62.

The Really Really Free Market has returned

After a hiatus of 5 years, the Really Really Free Market is back! Every Wednesday, 10am-5pm at the Catalyst Social Centre, 144 Sydney Road, Coburg. If you never went to any of the previous markets in Preston, they are unique events – everything is given away for free!

I’m not clear about the scope of what is being given away. The previous market had all sorts of stuff but the new market is described as a “rescued and donated groceries market“.

Really Really Free Market (RRFM) is a food rescue collective based on the principles of mutual aid, which gathers and re-distributes as much food as possible to the wider community. It aims to shed light on both food waste and alternative models of distributing resources. RRFM is an open organisation that encourages anyone with capacity to join in and help with the collection and distribution on food. Currently, food rescue runs are on Tuesdays – meet at the rear garden of Catalyst Social Centre at sunset.

Why not plant potatoes in Autumn?

Following the advice last week not to plant potatoes in Autumn, a number of you have contacted me to ask why. My understanding is that, whilst they will grow all year, potatoes are essentially a warm-season crop which grow worst in Winter. So, the best planting months are such that the plants are harvested before Winter. So, Spring or early Summer.

Note that our planting guide is concerned with the best planting months, not the only planting months, and that many homegrown vegetables can be grown outside of these months. As Jan Akeroyd wrote in: “I planted some potatoes in April or May in temporary raised beds that I was using to create compost for use elsewhere in the garden. The plants got burnt by our first frost but kind of came back. From then on I covered them when we might get a frost (not often in Melbourne winters these days!). I didn’t water them and the vines died back in late spring without flowering and I figured that there wouldn’t be anything in the beds. When I needed the soil for another garden project in November, I started digging the soil and compost out and discovered a large healthy crop of potatoes. I think the moral is that, whilst there is an ideal time to plant each type of veggie, there is often a lot of wiggle room. Also, whilst commercial growers are looking for the most cost-effective way to do things, home gardeners are often happy to put in extra effort to compensate for less than ideal conditions (like covering plants at night when a frost is likely).”

Do you know?

None of Nada Cunningham’s eggplants are well. Can you identify the culprit and supply a possible solution to the problem? Email me with the answers.

Eltham Farmers’ Market news

A Certified Organic veggie stallholder

Thriving Foods Farm is not a new stallholder but a longstanding stallholder that I have just found out is Certified Organic.

NERP will be at the next market

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be at the next market with a stall focussing on preserving the harvest and dealing with the gluts. They will have selected preserves for tasting and a bunch of free recipes, plus their usual mix of free seeds and the odd plant or vegetable to share.

More on vanilla slices

Carmel Malone has written in to recommend the slices at the bakery in Northampton in Western Australia. I will be going and taste testing them as soon as Carmel (or someone else) gives me the relevant plane ticket.

The Nillumbik Nursery newsletter

The Nillumbik Nursery send out a rather lively newsletter once a month. Read their March edition. Read previous editions. Sign up for future editions.

From their March edition, here is a list of the benefits of using compost:

  • Compost is a soil conditioner.
  • Compost improves soil structure.
  • Compost attracts beneficial organisms … not just worms, but also good bacteria, fungi and insects that help keep your soil biome healthy and diverse.
  • Compost improves drainage.
  • Compost improves water and nutrient holding capacity and reduces water runoff; it acts like a sponge.
  • Compost opens up, or ‘fluffs’, clay; gypsum (a clay-breaker) works best when used with compost.
  • Compost reduces the potential for erosion.
  • Adding compost sequesters carbon in the soil.
  • Composting reduces organic waste going to landfill.

Not local but interesting

The Thorpdale Potato Festival

The Thorpdale Potato Festival is on Sunday, 12th March, 9.30am-4.30pm. Thorpdale is in Gippsland. $22 per adult. It will include potato picking, potato races, abseiling wall, face painting, petting zoo, reptile show, shearing demos, sheep shearing demos and stunt bikes.

The Ballarat Begonia Festival

The Ballarat Begonia Festival is on Sunday, 12th March, 9.30am-4.30pm. $22 per adult. It will include a parade, some aerial acrobatics, speakers and lots of begonia in flower.

Lemon myrtle, rosehip and hibiscus iced tea (by Angela Snyder)

[Angela runs The Food School Yarra Valley in Mount Evelyn. They have lots of upcoming cooking classes.]

Making iced tea with lemon myrtle, rosehips, jasmine, and hibiscus is a simple and delicious way to cool off during the summer months. The combination of these ingredients creates a unique flavour that is sure to please.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of dried lemon myrtle leaves
2 tablespoons of dried rosehips
2 tablespoons of dried jasmine
2 tablespoons of dried hibiscus
6 cups of cold water
4 tablespoons of honey (optional)

Method

Place the dried herbs in a large pot and add 6 cups of cold water.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Strain the mixture, discarding the solids, and pour the liquid into a large pitcher.

Add honey to the pitcher if desired for sweetness.

Place the pitcher in the refrigerator to cool for several hours.

Serve the iced tea over ice and garnish with lemon slices and mint leaves if desired.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Judy’s article about collecting chestnuts in Mt Dandenong.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: They told me I shouldn’t put jam on my trigger finger but I’m sticking to my guns.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Remember that Carlton Farmers’ Market is now on Saturdays rather than Sundays.

For the time being at least, I am going to include the weekly Really Really Free Market (RRFM) markets as honorary farmers’ markets in the list above.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Edible weeds presentation with Adam Grubb; Saturday, 18th March, 11am-midday; free; Northcote.

This workshop will give you all sorts of tips and tricks for safe foraging of local and edible weeds, positive identification of plants, and general inspiration on how to appreciate the less-conventionally beautiful plant life in your own backyard.

Banyule’s Urban Food Strategy – community co-design workshop; Saturday, 25th March, 9am-12.30pm; free; Bellfield.

Banyule City Council, in partnership with Sustain, is developing an Urban Food Strategy. At this second workshop, they will present the consultation findings and unpack the key themes and recommended priority focus areas for action.

Farming for our future (ages 5 to 8); Tuesday, 18th April, 10am-midday; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop for children aged 5-8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore Honey Lane Organic Farm and meet some chickens. Make a recycled pot and propagate your own plant to take home.

Farm to fork (ages 3 to 5); Wednesday, 19th April, 1-3pm; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop for children aged 3-5 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore the CERES market garden and visit the chickens and bees. Learn how to turn food waste into healthy soil for plants with help from worms. Learn how to safely plant seeds into soil and care for them as they grow.

Seed saving; Saturday, 29th April, 10-11.30am; free; South Morang.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will show you how, when and which seeds to save and store.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 29th April, at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 29th April, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Introduction to composting, worm farms and Bokashi bins; Monday, 1st May, 1-2.30pm; free; Ringwood.

Learn all about composting your food scraps at home. Learn about how to set up and maintain a compost bin, worm farm and Bokashi bin and how to decide which system suits you best.

In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Laksa + Hanoi spring rolls; Sunday, 19th March, 11am -2pm; $128 ($43 per hour); Brunswick.

They will show you have to make both laksa and Hanoi spring rolls. You will take home a sample of their laksa paste.

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 22nd April, 10am-3pm; $250 ($50 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.

Pasta making workshop; Saturday, 29th April, 1-3pm; $55 ($28 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.

Food waste workshop with Open Table; Saturday, 29th April, 2-4pm; free; Carlton.

Learn how to decrease your food waste and innovative ways to make your food go further. Facilitated by Open Table.

Preserving the harvest – then and now; Tuesday, 2nd May, 2-3pm; free; Mooroolbark.

Claire Coutts will demonstrate quick, easy and economical ways to preserve the produce from your garden, using basic utensils and methods.

In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News March 1 2023

Mar 012023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Ian Culbard, Judy Vizzari, Kate Anderson, Megan Goodman, Tara Behen and Vanessa Veldman.

Want to collect some chestnuts?

Last May, Judy Vizzari sent me an article about a visit that she had made to Mt. Dandenong. Whilst there, she had visited a property and collected chestnuts. In her article, she suggested that you also visit the property and collect nuts.

But the chestnut-collecting season (March and April) had finished so I decided to hold the article back until the beginning of this Autumn. Today, as I understand it, is the first day of the 2023 chestnut-collecting season so I have now published Judy’s article on our website.

Here is how Judy writes about her first sight of the chestnut trees: “I was impressed by a species of the beech family, Castanea sativa, commonly called the sweet or Spanish chestnut, for their enormous size and edible nuts. They spread their branches wide and are laden with spiny green balls (from golf to tennis ball sizes) that hang heavily on leafy boughs until autumn, when the leaves turn golden and fall and the balls brown before dropping to carpet the ground below them. It’s then that the spiny outer coatings split to reveal richly shining brown nuts packed within their protective coats.”

She then goes on to say: “We collected as many nuts as we wanted (for the low price of $4 a kilo), nuts that were fresh from the ground, shining and healthy, just right for roasting.”

Judy concludes with: “Visitors to Mt Dandenong can contact Sylvie by email (sylvie9274@gmail.com) so, why not make an autumnal visit (March to April) to Mt Dandenong, collect some chestnuts and absorb the calm and quiet of this beautiful place?”

Read the full article.

Want a job?

John Howell Fruit 4U, who are based in Wandin North, are looking for fruit pickers. If you are potentially interested, call John on 0402 115630.

Ageing in rural Nillumbik

Open Food Network Australia and Fair Share Fare recently undertook a project to explore land management options for ageing landowners in Nillumbik. Read their final report.

More on vanilla slices

Ian Culbard has written in to praise the vanilla slices at Watsonia Bakehouse. “They also have award winning pies, some of the best we’ve tried, and their range of cakes and treats are always really good. Their cheesecakes (or any other cake) are a no-brainer when it comes to birthdays.”

For research purposes only, I (Guy) went to Watsonia Bakehouse for taste testing. They have two types of vanilla slice, one with icing and the other without. The one without icing was more creamy whilst the one with icing was more custardy. Both were yum.

Any recommendations for my further research?

Meg’s garden this month

Each year the vegetable garden is different. The tomatoes and capsicums have been very late this year and have suffered in the cool wet summer. The stone fruit has mostly been lost to fungal diseases and the collected fruit needs to be carefully disposed of. It’s discouraging. Yet I have a glut of berries, beans, zucchini and squash. Blueberries are abundant and look wonderful against the red-green foliage. The pumpkins are also rampant and developing well with a view to harvest in Autumn when the stems die back and start to brown and harden.

In between the Queensland Blues and Crooknecks are even a few melons of an indeterminate variety that have self-sown from the compost. The first of these is light green inside. It looks like a honeydew and it is sweet, but has a more robust flavour. I slice it thinly and serve it topped with a sprinkle of raw sugar that has been ground with 3-4 mint leaves in a mortar and pestle. This topping works well and can be made with all types of sugars and fruit, making a simple summer dessert.

Read some of Megan’s recipes on our website.

What seeds to plant in March

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

Brassicas  

Broccoli
Cabbage
Kale
Pak choy
Other cool season veggies  

Broad beans
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens  
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach
Roots

Beetroot  
Carrot
Radish
Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

 
Compared with February, some of the brassicas are now on the list, plus broad beans, rocket and spinach. The best months for planting brassicas are March and April. What I do is plant seeds in March so that, if they don’t germinate, I can either try again in April or cheat and buy some seedlings.

Note that planting potatoes in March is no longer recommended. I had a long chat with professional potato grower Elaine Pantorno, from Gembrook Potatoes, and she recommends only planting in August to December. Incidentally, Gembrook are at Eltham Farmer’s Market every Sunday and are a great source for potatoes to plant (or eat).

Read Helen Simpson’s article on growing brassicas and Robin Gale-Baker’s article on growing cauliflower.

Not food-related but interesting

Jane Edmanson recently visited the garden of Chloe Thomson in Hurstbridge. Watch this 8 minute video from Gardening Australia.

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

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: I’ll never forget that morning 42 years ago when my dad left the house and told us he was going to get milk. Mainly because he forgot to put trousers on. How we laughed.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Carlton Farmers’ Market, which is now on Saturdays, re-starts on 4th March.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local events but interesting

The Edible Garden; Saturday, 11th and Sunday, 12th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Mount Waverley.

Zofia’s garden system is almost fully sustainable, with solar panels and water tanks. Chickens lay eggs and provide manure, there’s a worm farm and ponds for edible water plants. She has beehives for pollination and honey and a diverse range of fruits and vegetables.

The cottage garden; Saturday, 11th and Sunday, 12th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Glen Waverley.

Terry’s garden on a suburban block includes rose, citrus & other fruit trees, medicinal plants, herbs and native grasses.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Rosé blending workshop; Friday, 3rd March, 6-8pm; $53 ($27 per hour); Fitzroy.

You will be guided through making your own rosé. Learn about the different methods of rosé-making as you taste your way through some wines, snack on some cheeseboards and make your own custom blend to take home.

Pruning apricot and cherry trees with Robin Gale-Baker; Saturday, 4th March, 2-4pm; $15; Macleod.

Pruning should happens in February/March while it is hot, and preferably breezy, so that wounds dry out quickly, preventing disease entering the wood. Learn how to prune using the ‘thinning’ method, which keeps trees small and manageable.

Gin making workshop with Gabrielle Callahan; Saturday, 4th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Gabrielle will show you how to make your own gin from vodka, juniper and botanicals. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Fruit tree pruning workshop; Wednesday, 8th March, 10.30am-midday; free; Reservoir.

Angelo Eliades from Deep Green Permaculture will show you: how to assess your tree before pruning; where to make your pruning cuts; how much to take off; how to prune different types of trees; and how to keep your tools sharp and clean. Organised by DIVRS.

Yarra Seed Library Group; 2nd Thursday of each month, so next occurrence on Thursday, 9th March, 10am-midday; free; Carlton North.

There is a seed library at Carlton Library. In this monthly event, they (the Yarra Seed Library Group): sort and organise seeds; share and learn seed-saving, storing, and propagation techniques; and garden in some beds in the library courtyard. Everyone is welcome.

Cheese and wine tasting evening with Gaëtan from Long Paddock Cheese; Friday, 10th March, 6-8pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Fitzroy.

6 cheeses from Long Paddock in Castlemaine will be paired with 6 wines from ReWine to best pronounce and enhance the flavours of the cheese and the wine.

Sparkling wine masterclass; Saturday, 11th March, 3-5pm; $49 ($25 per hour); Northcote.

They will take you through 6 sparkling wines.

Preparing an autumn/winter veggie garden; Saturday, 11th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

March is the month to prepare your garden for planting in April. The workshop will cover site selection for various plants, soil preparation, choosing appropriate vegetables, how to plant for best results and when and how to harvest. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Autumn veggie gardening for beginners; Saturday, 18th March, 10-10.45am; free; Diamond Creek.

What can you plant now in Melbourne? Tips to set you up for success. Seeds or seedlings? Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Japanese tea ceremony; Tuesday, 21st March, 2-3pm; free; Camberwell.

The Japanese tea ceremony will be explained in detail. This will be followed by a ceremonial demonstration of how to correctly prepare tea the Japanese way.

Wine and cheese tasting masterclass; Saturday, 25th March, 3-5pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

They will pair 6 wines with 6 cheeses.

The cultivation of functional mushrooms at home; Saturday, 2nd April, 1-4pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This workshop will cover the cultivation and use of functional mushrooms, including turkey tail, shiitake and various ganoderma species. Presenter: Caine Barlow.

Autumn plant sale; Saturday, 22nd April, 10am-4pm; free; Eltham.

Organised by Australian Plants Society – Yarra Yarra, there will be sales of native and indigenous plants plus books. The plant sellers will include APS Yarra Yarra growers, Goldfields Revegetation Nursery, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary Nursery, Sunvalley Plants Nursery and Vaughan’s Australian Plants.

Yarra Valley Autumn Plant Fair & Garden Expo; Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd April, both 10am-5pm; $14; Wandin.

The expo will feature a wide variety of plants showing off autumn flowers and foliage. Top growers from the Yarra Valley and beyond will display and talk about their plants. The guest speakers will include James Lucas, Jane Edmanson, Paul Kirkpatrick, Peter Teese, Stephen Ryan and Vasili Kanidiadis.

Urban food gardening (9 sessions); Wednesdays, starting 26th April, 10am-2pm; $80 for all 9 sessions (Government subsidised fee); Eltham.

This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Fermenting vegetables for beginners with Jen Willis; Saturday, 18th March, 4-5.30pm; $15; Macleod.

Jen Willis will discuss the basics of fermenting vegetables and the difference between pickling, canning and fermenting vegetables to preserve them. Organised by Sustainable Macleod.

Cooking up culture with Yacob Manhua; Friday, 24th March, midday-1.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Yacob Manhua will show you how to make papeda (aka sago congee or bubur sagu), which is one of the staple foods in Indonesian cuisine.

Milk kefir magic; Friday, 24th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Passata party vol. 3; Sunday, 26th March, 10am-4pm; $15; Coburg North.

Learn how to pick, clean, boil, mash, sieve and bottle fresh tomatoes. Relax and enjoy the music. They recommend only wearing red – or clothes you are happy to get dirty in. Organised by NECCHi.

Kraut M.O.B.; Wednesday, 12th April, 6.30-8pm; $85 ($57 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Choose between a red or white cabbage as your base and flavour with the plethora of herbs, spices and vegetables that they will provide. You will take home a jar of kraut plus all the accoutrements you need to make more.

Pasta making – gnocchi and fettucine; Sunday, 23rd April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Rosa will show you how to make gnocchi using fresh potatoes with a mushroom sauce, and some fettuccine with a napoli sauce. You will then eat what’s been made for lunch. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Introduction to fermenting at home; Sunday, 23rd April, 10am-1pm; $80 ($27 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; samples of fermented products to taste in class; and notes and recipes. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In March
In April
Regular classes

LFC News February 22 2023

Feb 212023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Connor Mcallister, Holly Gallagher, Jennifer Chellew, Leanne Hall, Lucy Richards, Melissa Lawson and Melissa Murphy-Webster.

An interview with Rosemary (Rowe) Morrow

Ann Stanley has interviewed permaculturalist Rosemary (Rowe) Morrow about local food production, adapting to change in an unpredictable world, and honouring indigenous knowledge. Read the full interview on our website. I (Guy) have tried to summarise the interview below but it is difficult to do justice to it in a few words so I really do suggest that you read the full interview.

Rowe has recently re-written her book, The Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture (originally published as The Earth User’s Guide to Permaculture), a work that shows us many of the ways that food can be produced locally, with a thorough discussion of the reasons why it should be. The updated version takes into consideration the changed world that we live in. Says Rowe, “in 1971, no-one was talking about megacities or about oceans, about refugee camps, pandemics and natural disasters. Since that time, whole villages in India have been lost because of glacial melting.“

Rowe has taught permaculture in refugee camps around the world and believes that “Refugee camps spread permaculture faster than anywhere else.“. From her point of view, a productive garden in a refugee camp is based on the same principles as an urban food garden on vacant land in an overcrowded and polluted city or food production in a suburban backyard. All should involve restorative practices in response to climate change and loss of biodiversity and often, especially in the case of displaced people, loss of community and identity. All should involve food production that maximises available water, soil, light and labour and all, ideally, should be infused with the permaculture ethics of ‘earth care, people care, fair share’.

For those of us lucky to live a more settled existence, Rowe says that “All the best work in sustainability around the world is being done at the local council level. It’s a local council-led movement. Cities are becoming cleaning and greener.” She recommends that each of us go about “seeing and naming” all the species of plant and animal in our own backyards because “you must know and love your ecosystem (not just individual plants) so that you can protect it.” On the subject of cities, Rowe speaks with enthusiasm about underground carparks that are turned into chicken homes, high rise buildings with worm farms and built-in water storage, and the possibility of whole urban communities living in vertical villages. She also believes that “Australia leads the way in regenerative agriculture“.

Read the full interview.

Want a copy of Rowe’s book?

Melliodora Publishing are offering a free copy of Rowe’s book, The Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture, to a lucky newsletter reader. Closing date: 1st March.

If you don’t win the free book, you can still purchase a copy for $47.45.

A new local egg producer – Henley Farms

Henley Farms, from Kangaroo Ground, produce organic-fed, pastured, free range eggs. The farm is Pastured Proof certified, which means that the chickens are raised outdoors with continuous and unrestricted daytime access to paddocks that are suitable for grazing and are provided with shade and shelter. Customised mobile caravans provide shelter, nest boxes and perches which are moved regularly to fresh pasture. They have a stocking density of just 150 birds per hectare. The chickens feed on Certified Organic feed that comes from Country Heritage Feeds. They listen to classical music as they lay eggs. Henley Farms do not use any chemicals, artificial fertilisers, antibiotics, hormones, fungicides, pesticides, herbicides or egg colour additives.

You can buy their eggs online, either via once-off purchases or, at a 12% discount, by committing to a dozen eggs each week for 12 weeks. Or at the following shops: Dynamic Vegies, Eltham; Eltham Gourmet Poultry; North East Organics, Research; and Organic Fix, Eltham. They are also sometimes at Eltham Farmers’ Market.

It is noteworthy that all three of my local shops specialising in Certified Organic produce stock their eggs, namely: Dynamic Vegies, Eltham; North East Organics, Research; and Organic Fix, Eltham

Read Henley Farms’ page in our Local Food Directory. Welcome Venu!

Want to have your soil tested for free?

Through its new GardenSafe program, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria is offering free soil testing for a) soil quality (e.g. soil composition, organic carbon, soil nutrients, phosphorus and potassium) and b) trace elements (e.g. lead, arsenic and chromium). Read more. Register your participation. Thanks for the heads up, Jennifer Chellew!

Want some free sawdust?

Carpentry by Stu in Coburg North often have free sawdust to give away. $10 deposit to take a bag and bring it back. Generally the bags are 1½-2 wheelbarrows’ worth and a variety of timber. Only available sometimes so ring Connor Mcallister beforehand on 0435 784813. 69 Charles Street, Coburg North. Entry via Lens Street.

Read about more local people who give away sawdust, wood shavings, manure, coffee grounds, coffee husks, etc on our website.

And the world’s most beautiful garden is …

The results of the 16th annual International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) have just been announced. There were several different categories. The winner of the ‘beautiful gardens’ category is pictured right.

Newsletter reader tip

Melissa Murphy-Webster has written in to say that her experience is that cabbage white butterflies stay away from carnivorous plants. So, she now puts such plants near her most valuable veggies.

Thanks for the seeds

In our 30th November newsletter, we invited gardeners with excess seeds to send them in a Christmas card to one of a number of local not-for profit organisations, one of which was the Darebin Information, Volunteer & Resource Service (DIVRS) in Preston. Holly Gallagher, from DIVRS, has now written in to say thank you to everyone who contributed.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was again the article about the best vanilla slices in Melbourne.

As there is obviously a lot of interest amongst our readership in vanilla slices, people might (or might not) be interested to know that the biggest vanilla slice that I have ever eaten was from Peppers Paddock General Store in Wattle Glen. See picture right, with the 50 cent coin providing scale. It was yum as well as big.

You might also be interested to know that The 2023 Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph will be taking place on 19th August at Merbein, which is near Mildura. According to their website, around 5,500 people attended the 2022 event, with around 20,000 vanilla slices being sold.

Would anyone like to tell us about any notable vanilla slices they have eaten? Email me.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: Don’t miss the last day of a wedding cake making course – it’ll end in tiers.

Read more jokes.

 

Not local but interesting

Ecotopia Festival; Friday, 17th March, 3.30-9pm; $15; Wesburn.

This annual event marks the start of permaculture week in the Yarra Valley. This year’s theme will be African culture and there will be African food tastings and cooking demos. The live music will include Mount Kujo, Kofi Kunkpe Music, Yarra Valley Drummers and Jayda Jean Music. There will be a variety of food stalls.

Stallholder applications are now open. If you would potentially like to have a stall, email them.

Yarra Valley permaculture week; Friday, 17th March to Sunday, 26th March.

There will be a variety of events in a variety of places over the week.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Note that, when the Carlton Farmers’ Market re-starts in March, it will be on Saturdays rather than the previous Sundays.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Heritage apple tasting; Sunday, 5th March, 5-7pm; $15; Templestowe.

Around 15 varieties will be available for tasting – mainly early/mid-season apples. An orchard tour is also included.

Cheese and beer masterclass; Thursday, 16th March, 7-9pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.

6 cheeses will be matched with 6 beers. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing and Cheese Culture.

CERES Harvest Festival; Saturday, 18th March, 10am-3pm; $10; CERES.

This is an annual event which includes live music, farm tours; workshops & talks, face painting and a scarecrow-building competition plus food and craft stalls.

Urban property garden tour; Tuesday, 21st March, 6-7.30pm; $5; Kilsyth.

The property features a solar system, multiple water tanks, a glasshouse, a seed saving box, a pond, a vegetable patch with wicking beds and fruit trees, chickens, beekeeping and a food forest.

Edible forest tour; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-midday; $15; Dixons Creek.

Go and have a guided tour of Edible Forest Yarra Valley Estate to see an acre of edible delights followed by an optional morning tea where you can have a drink and taste something harvested from the forest. The forest contains around 500 edible or medicinal plants.

Make a wicking bed; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-midday; $21 ($11 per hour); Hurstbridge.

This hands-on session will demonstrate the ins and outs of wicking beds. You will see how two different types of beds are constructed, and get a better understanding of wicking-bed design by helping to build the internal layers. The session will cover: the pros and cons of wicking beds; design principles and construction; commercial beds vs making your own out of re-purposed materials; planting out your beds; and soil management and maintenance over time.

Foundation to organic gardening course (2 sessions); Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th of March, 10am-2.30pm; $75 ($8 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.

Organic vegetable gardening; Saturday, 15th April, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to get the most from your garden and have an abundance of vegetables, fruits and herbs; insights into seasonal produce growing; and the skills and knowledge to create an abundant and productive garden. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Sustainable gardening (8 sessions); starting Tuesday, 18th April, 10am-2pm; $625 ($16 per hour); CERES.

This course will introduces you to the basics of horticulture, permaculture and organic gardening. The 8 sessions will cover: intro to sustainable gardening and permaculture principles; soils and their preparation; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; organic vegetable production; growing bushfoods and berries; seed saving and propagating; organic fruit production; and water management and guild planting. Presenters: Justin Calverley and Lizzie.

In February
In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Nutrition and cooking (8 sessions); on Saturdays, starting 25th February, 9.30am-midday; $87 ($4 per hour); Preston.

You will explore nutritional theory, healthy eating concepts and gain hands-on culinary skills. You will learn about the nutrients specific to each food group and their benefits, including how energy is balanced to maintain a healthy weight. The course will also cover how to decipher labelling on food packaging to build a healthy meal plan on a budget. The sessions will be led by a certified nutritionist. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Turkish cooking class; Sunday, 19th March, 2-4.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Join Arzu for this cooking and cultural discussion workshop. Learn how to make lentil soup, kisir, Turkish borek and baklava. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Aheda’s Palestinian feast; Saturday, 25th March, 6-10pm; $65 ($60 per hour); Brunswick.

Chef Aheda will prepare a Palestinian feast. The night will provide the chance for deep connection, story telling, listening and sharing a meal.

Kids school holiday cooking program; Thursday, 13th April, 10am-midday; $40 ($20 per hour); Hawthorn.

Put the fun back into food. This class will introduce Middle Eastern flavours and teach easy and exciting recipes. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Gnocchi making class; Sunday, 16th April, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Host: Pia Gava. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Indonesian food experience; Tuesday, 18th April, 10.30am-1pm; $40 ($16 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Tina Vankooten will demonstrate how to prepare and cook a number of Indonesian dishes including: Indonesian spring roll; chicken satay & peanut sauce; beef rendang; and curry laksa. Organised by Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre.

In February
In March
In April
  • Kitchen basics; Saturday, 1st April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.
  • Sausage making with Frank; Sunday, 2nd April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.
  • Cake decorating using coloured fondants; Sunday, 2nd April, 1-5pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Surrey Hills.
  • Men in the kitchen; Tuesday, 4th April, 6.30-9pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Regular classes

LFC News February 15 2023

Feb 152023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Sanders, Chris Chapple, Dassana, Eli Beke, Jaimie Sweetman and Pam Jenkins.

The more people who contribute material, the better this newsletter. If you have any interesting news, tips, photos or questions, email them to me (Guy). If you want to discuss possible articles or contributions, give me a ring (0411 520850).

Cinnamon yam (Dioscorea polystachya) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

[Editor: the term’ yam’ is used to refer to many plants in the genus Dioscorea, each of which has starchy, edible tubers. The most commonly cultivated yam is the Guinea yam (Dioscorea cayenensis), which is native to Africa.]

Originating in China, the cinnamon yam (Dioscorea polystachya) is a vine which has beautiful heart-shaped leaves that climb up structures in full sun to semi shade. A true perennial, it dies down over winter ready to re-merge in spring. It grows large tubers (aka yams) underground which can get to up to 30cm long.

One of the most interesting parts of this plant is the bulbils that it gets on the vine itself and which are like little mini yams. The vine bulbils look and taste like mini potatoes once steamed with some butter; they make a great treat and are just fun to have in the garden. These bulbils are also a way to propagate the plant and their existence is why the plant is sometimes called the Chinese or air potato.

In our garden, the vine dose not spread or become weedy but if you do live on bushland it might be one to keep an eye on. In general, though we find this vine to be a lovely non-invasive unique plant that is a must for food forests or just simply on a balcony terrace.

Did I mention that the flowers smell like cinnamon?

Where cabbage white butterflies sleep (by Pam Jenkins)

I (Pam) recently discovered where about 15 of my male cabbage white butterflies rest for the night. After some aggressive flapping to establish their seniority, they settled under some bean leaves sheltered by a shade cloth wind break. There are several names for a group of butterflies but I think the name ‘rabble’ suits this lot best. The females were still out foraging … As mother used to say “A woman’s work is never done“.

Want a job?

At Community Grocer in Carlton

Market Manager at the Community Grocer’s Carlton market in Lygon Street. $31 per hour for 10 hours per week, mostly on market days (on Fridays). Read the position description. Applications close on 27th February. Apply to Tess Gardiner at careers@thecommunitygrocer.com.au.

At Bear Bagels and Baked Goods in Coldstream

Bear Bagels and Baked Goods in Coldstream are after a qualified baker, an apprentice baker and a bakery (retail) assistant or someone keen to look after the bakery and do some basic baking prep (mixing doughs, etc). If potentially interested, contact them by email (grrrr@bearbagels.com.au).

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Vicki Jordan asked what was causing the damage to her tomatoes. Both Dassana and Anna Sanders agree that it is either the native budworm (Helicoverpa punctigera) or its close relative, the tomato grub (Helicoverpa armigera).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article about the best vanilla slices in Melbourne.

Word of the month – Chiffonade

‘Chiffonade’, meaning shredded or finely cut vegetables or herbs used especially as a garnish.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

The best thing since sliced bread. Meaning: something amazing, outstanding or praiseworthy, often of a new invention or discovery.. The first bread slicing machine was invented in 1928, with the first sliced bread being sold later that year by the american Chillicothe Baking Company. Their advertising slogan included the phrase “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped.” 11 years later, in 1939, another bakery advertised their two wrapped half-loaves as “the newest thing since sliced bread“. Then, 12 years later, in 1951, american journalist Dorothy Kilgallen wrote an article which included the phrase “[Stewart Granger] “is the greatest thing since sliced bread“.

In Australia, sliced bread is often labelled as either ‘toast’ (about 18mm thick) or ‘sandwich’ (about 12mm thick). Bread slicing machines can have settings from 5mm thick to 30mm thick.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Gardening is the greatest tonic and therapy a human being can have. Even if you have only a tiny piece of earth, you can create something beautiful, which we all have a great need for. If we begin by respecting plants, it’s inevitable we’ll respect people.” by Audrey Hepburn.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: I’m so old I can remember when not all caramel was salted caramel.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Summer fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 18th February, 9am-1pm; $65 ($19 per hour); Edendale.

Many of us focus on winter as the best time to prune our fruit trees but some fruit trees benefit much more from summer pruning (e.g. stone fruit). Learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. What you will learn: winter versus summer pruning; and how to shape and improve fruiting with summer pruning. Facilitated by Justin Calverley.

Youth world food garden – fighting for a fair food system; Saturday, 4th March, 2-5pm; free; Preston.

This workshop is for those aged 14 to 25 years old who interested to learn more about gardening, cooking, food justice and sustainability. It will focus on the food and social justice movements that have arisen from issues in the food system, where individuals and groups have fought for a better food system. It is the fourth of six workshops being organised in partnership between the Just Food Collective and Sustain: the Australian Food Network.

Worms are wonderful; Tuesday, 7th March, 1.30-2.30pm; free; Bayswater.

Learn how to benefit from worms, manage a worm farm, encourage worms in your garden and benefit from the organic products they create. Hosted by Sue Davis from Suez Worms. Orgaanised by Bayswater Library.

Youth world food garden – taking charge of what we eat; Saturday, 1st April, 2-5pm; free; Preston.

This workshop is for those aged 14 to 25 years old who interested to learn more about gardening, cooking, food justice and sustainability. It will focus on the decolonisation and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples and their foods that is required for a fairer food system. It is the fifth of six workshops being organised in partnership between the Just Food Collective and Sustain: the Australian Food Network.

Beekeeping practical hands on – intermediate class; Saturday, 8th April, 10am-4pm; $252 ($42 per hour); Edendale.

So you have bought your first bee hive and just want to have a bit more practice so you are really confident doing the general day to day beehive inspections. They will start the day with a small amount of practical discussion followed by a hands on day opening and inspecting the hives. Hands on activities will include: disease inspection for biosecurity code of practice; swarm control techniques; splitting hives; preparing nucleus hives; robbing honey; and preparing hives for winter. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

Spoon carving workshop; various Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-1pm; $130 ($43 per hour); Coburg North.

Learn the basics of spoon carving as you work on your own handmade spoon. You will work with hand tools such as a knife, hook knife and gouges to learn how to carve an eating spoon. You will also learn how to coax the eating spoon from the wood, chip by chip. By the end of this workshop, you will have your own hand-carved spoon ready to take home and use in the kitchen. Presenter: Eli Beke from Wedge and Edge Woodcraft. Next occurrence: Sunday, 26th February.

In February
In March
In April
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Lunchbox makeover (thermomix); Monday, 27th February, 7-9pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Blackburn North.

The menu will feature: tandoori chicken wrap; breakfast on-the-go; banana & oatmeal energy bars; zucchini, ham & corn bites; three cheese spinach scroll; vegetarian sausage rolls; and pea pesto with ricotta. Presenter: Kaye Jones.

Make a sourdough loaf; Saturday, 4th March, 10am-1pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Hurstbridge.

John Doyle will demonstrate: making and looking after a sourdough starter; how to accurately measure and mix ingredients; dough handling and kneading skills; proving and baking your loaf; and making your own pizza bases. You will mix and knead your own dough ready to prove, shape and bake at home. You will also take home some of John’s 35 year old sourdough starter. All ingredients and materials are provided, along with a pizza lunch.

Making the sugo at Mister Bianco; Tuesday, 14th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $169 ($56 per hour); Kew.

Learn from Joe Vargetto how to make the perfect sugo with a cooking demonstration by Joe Vargetto. Then enjoy a three course homestyle meal with house wine. You will also go home with your own bottle of sugo that is made on the night.

Indian cookery demonstration; Thursday, 23rd March, 6.30-8pm; free; Watsonia.

Vasundhara Kandpal, from Green Karma, will demonstrate veggie pancakes, dahl and vegetable korma. The use and importance of different spices will be explained, including cumin, asafoetida, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and bay leaves. Organised by Watsonia Library.

In February
In March
In April
  • Kitchen basics; Saturday, 1st April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.
  • Sausage making with Frank; Sunday, 2nd April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.
  • Cake decorating using coloured fondants; Sunday, 2nd April, 1-5pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Surrey Hills.
  • Men in the kitchen; Tuesday, 4th April, 6.30-9pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Yarra Glen.
Regular classes

LFC News February 8 2023

Feb 072023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Camilla Walker, Melissa Houselander, Rob Body and Vicki Jordan.

Meeting some of Farmer Incubator’s popup garlic farmers (by Ann Stanley)

[Farmer Incubator’s Pop Up Garlic Farmers 2023 program starts on 18th February and is still open to new applicants, with spaces available at Bolinda, Bundoora and Wesburn. In late 2022, Ann Stanley met with one of the 2022 participants (Dania), together with her ‘mentor’ (Siobhan) and the overall coordinator of the program (Lizzie). Read Ann’s full interview writeup, with a summary given below.]

Dania – the would be farmer

Garlic is a good crop for Dania to grow because, as a mother and high school teacher of Japanese, she already has plenty to do and growing garlic doesn’t take much effort. Dania joined the program because “I have always been interested in growing food and I wanted to see something through from start to finish.“. She grew 5 different varieties of garlic and explained to me (Ann) how it is important to pick the scapes (tender stems and flower buds) for some varieties so that the plant’s energy can go into growing bigger bulbs. These shoots look and cook a bit like beans but have a mild garlic flavour.

Siobhan – the farmer

Siobhan grows garlic at her 9 acre Wild Wren Farm in the Dandenong Ranges. She says “The first year of the experience with the Farm Incubator pop-up garlic program exceeded my expectations.”

Lizzie – the coordinator

Lizzie became the coordinator of the 2022 program after having participated as a pop-up garlic farmer herself in the 2021 program and learned a lot. During the pandemic, she gave up her job to study horticulture and says “I sacrificed income for time and happiness and found in the local food, urban agriculture and horticultural world a great supportive environment that shares knowledge and resources.”

Read Ann’s full interview writeup.

Want a job?

A horticulture teacher to teach Certificate I in Agrifoods to a group of VCAL students with special needs at the Concorde school in Watsonia. $65 per hour for 7 hours per week (on Wednesdays). Read the position description. To discuss or to apply, contact Karen Fitzsimons, Chief Executive of Olympic Adult Education, by phone (0434 236311) or email (manager@oae.vic.edu.au).

Do you know?

Vicki Jordan wants to know what is causing the damage to her tomatoes (pictured right). They are in raised beds so she does not think it is rabbits. Possums or grubs or both? Email your replies.

Maybe you know but just haven’t told us yet?!

Last week, Joanne Van Eeden asked for a good book or article on hot house growing for her to read. No one responded. Can anyone respond this week? Email your replies.

Panton Hill Community Garden weekly workshops

Every Tuesday, 9-11am, horticulturalist and newsletter reader Melissa Houselander is at the Panton Hill Community Garden at Panton Neighbourhood House and will talk about some aspect of edible gardening. Everyone is welcome to join this group and participate.

The best vanilla slices in North East Melbourne

Urban List has published a list of the best vanilla slices in Victoria. These sorts of lists often seem rather arbitrary but in this case the list includes the best vanilla slice that I have ever tasted, namely those from Briar Hill Traditional Bakehouse. They also highlight Le Croissant in Camberwell.

A double headed zucchini flower

Rob Body has sent in this photo of a double headed male flower on one of his zucchinis.

Not food-related but interesting

I recently wanted a list of the indigenous plants in my municipality. My local indigenous nursery publishes a list but it is only the ones that they sometimes grow and I wanted a more comprehensive list. Eventually, I found three related, amazing resources, namely The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH) and The Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA). These websites list many more indigenous plants than does my local indigenous nursery; in my case, 951 compared with 187.

The ALA website provides similar functions to the AVH website, but uses a more limited set of data, and is not discussed further here.

The AVH and VBA websites largely use the same data and both, for any given municipality, provide the ability to download a list of the species that have been found growing naturally somewhere in that municipality. The AVH website is more user friendly but does not distinguish between those plants which are indigenous to the area and those which have been introduced. The VBA website is more primitive but does categorise each plant as either native or introduced.

To download a list from the AVH website: go to the advanced search page; choose your ‘botanical group’ (e.g. ‘plants’) and your ‘local government area’ (e.g. ‘Nillumbik’); click the ‘search’ button bottom left; click the ‘download’ button top right; select ‘species checklist’, select your download reason; and click the ‘next’ button bottom right. The website also has an additional searching facility, whereby you can enter an address and it will give you a list of the plants observed within 1km , 5km or 10km of that address.

To download a list from the VBA website: go to the website; log in as a guest; click the ‘search’ button top left and select ‘species and surveys – species lists & maps’; in the ‘type’ dropdown box top left, select ‘LGA’ and then your LGA of choice (e.g. ‘Nillumbik’); choose your ‘discipline common filter’ (e.g. ‘flora’); click the ‘search’ button and wait for the results to be returned; then click the ‘export’ button bottom left (or the ‘print’ button and then copy/paste if the ‘export’ button doesn’t work).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article about restoring native grasslands.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: Steaming vegetables may well keep in more of the goodness but it’s ruined my ironing board.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Natural wine explained; Saturday, 18th February, 3-5pm; $53 ($27 per hour); Northcote.

They will take you through the unique wine making techniques behind this traditional wine making process.

Compost and worm farm workshop; Saturday, 25th February, 10am-midday; free; Brunswick.

Learn the ins and outs of making the most of your compost and worm farms as well as prepare a garden bed and plant some seedlings. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Mushroom growing 101; Wednesday, 15th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Mead making workshop; Saturday, 18th March, 9am-1pm; $100 ($25 per hour); Doncaster East.

The $100 fee does not include any equipment but an equipment kit is available for purchase at $160. Steve Walker will discuss: the different types of meads; importance of cleaning/hygiene; recipe and the processes; making a yeast starter; aerating the must; pitching the yeast; adding staggered nutrient additions during fermentation; and bottling. Organised by The Beekeepers Club.

Food and mood (age group 50-64) (2 sessions); Tuesdays, 21st and 28th March, both 10.30am-1pm; $20 ($5 per hour); Fawkner.

If you have a balcony, a courtyard or a patio, there are ways you can maximise space to create your own little oasis. In this course, you will learn about how to grow food in pots or containers, what plants to grow and when.

Bio Gro tour; Thursday, 23rd March, 9am-midday; free; Doncaster.

Bio Gro is the facility which will recycle Manningham’s food and garden waste (FOGO) into compost. See first-hand how your food and garden waste will be processed and ask any questions along the way. The tour will include bus transport to and from the Bio Gro organics facility in Dandenong South.

Kevin Heinze GROW Autumn Fair (Coburg); Saturday, 25th March, 9am-3pm; free; Coburg.

There will be many plants for sale. Plus site tours, cake and coffee.

Kevin Heinze GROW Autumn Fair (Doncaster); Saturday, 25th March, 9am-3pm; free; Coburg.

There will be many plants for sale. Plus site tours, cake and coffee.

DIY mushrooms; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-4pm; $175 ($29 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.

Ricotta festival; Sunday, 26th March, 10am-4pm; $8; Thomastown.

This event will feature vats of fresh hot ricotta, Italian food and drinks pop-ups, a local producer marketplace and live entertainment. For the children, there will be a petting farm and a mobile play centre. The ready-to-eat food vendors will be Boca Gelato, Cannoleria, Curly Spuds, Primo Street Pizza, Senza Wellness Food and That’s Amore Cheese. The drink vendors will be: Imbue Distillery, Pizzini wine bar and Stomping Ground. The other food stalls will be Backyard Honey, Barkly Smokehouse, Battisti, Bippi, Il Baronello and Puopolo Artisan Salumi.

Tea and chocolate pairing experience; Sunday, 26th March, 2-3.15pm; $75 ($60 per hour); Brunswick.

Taste around 10 different types of teas and chocolates. Discover how you can pair tea and chocolate according to a flavour tea wheel by contrasting, complementing or enhancing. Match teas with chocolates and brownies from Ratio Cocoa Roasters.

Growing herbs for health; Thursday, 30th March, 7-8pm; free; Thomastown.

Kaye, from Blue Bee Garden Design, will tell you how to care for your herbs, some unusual herbs to try and their interesting culinary and medicinal histories. Organised by Thomastown Library.

Preparing your winter harvest; Saturday, 1st April, 9.30-11.30am; free; Kilsyth.

Optimise your soil conditions, watering schedule, pest control and learn tips and tricks to ensure a bumper veggie crop. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Australian Distillers Festival; Saturday, 1st April, midday-7pm; $70; Abbotsford.

There will be around 35 distilleries from around the country plus live demonstrations, food and music. The ticket includes unlimited tastings plus a tasting glass.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 1st April, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

Introduction to growing microgreens; Sunday, 2nd April, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); Preston.

You will learn: how CERES produces certified organic microgreens for wholesale in Preston; how to grow pea shoots, radish, and sunflower sprouts at home; and how to plan for a continuous supply of these. Presenter: Jess Holland.

In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Sunday, 19th February, midday-3pm; $81 ($27 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) & pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas.

Middle Eastern cooking; Thursday, 9th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Balwyn North.

Try out some vegetarian Persian recipes and cook together with Shella in a hands-on Middle-Eastern cooking class experience. You will learn the fundamentals of Middle Eastern cooking with traditional ingredients and flavours, The menu: Persian summer salad with fresh herbs and vegetables; golden buttery crispy saffron rice cake layered with vegetables and aromatic spices; and pleated sheets of filo pastry, soaked and flavoured with sweetened condensed milk and topped ground cinnamon and a sprinkle of nuts. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 24th March, 6-8.30pm; $75 ($30 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.

Preserving the seasons; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn preserving so you are able to safely preserve and pickle at home. You will go through proper canning techniques and in the process make a tomato chutney and a cucumber pickle, which you will get to take home. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Veggies in desserts; Saturday, 25th March, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The desserts are dairy-free and gluten-free using a variety of ingredients: nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, fats, spices, legumes and unrefined sugars. The menu will include: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse.

Authentic Mexican; Sunday, 26th March, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: Mexican cuisine; improve your culinary skills; and work with seasonal ingredients. Presenter: Matt Baker from Whe-Eat. Menu: blackened chicken thighs with quinoa; Mexican corn on the cob; Mexican white bait fritters tortillas with salsa crude; cactus and tomatillos salsa; crispy pulled pork carnitas; and dark chocolate mole.

Hot cross buns; Tuesday, 28th March, 6-9pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Hawthorn.

Learn how to make your own hot cross buns, with organic ingredients and free from preservatives and artificial additives. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Ladies day in the kitchen; Thursday, 30th March, 9.30am-midday; $35 ($14 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss tasty snack type meals, with seasonal and affordable ingredients, plus salads. Organised by Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre

Kitchen basics; Saturday, 1st April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Learn knife skills and cooking techniques like blanching, roasting and sauteing. You will cook a menu of saag aloo (lightly spiced potatoes) and a pea, basil and goat’s cheese omelette. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Sausage making with Frank; Sunday, 2nd April, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

Frank will show you how to make sausages. Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

Cake decorating using coloured fondants; Sunday, 2nd April, 1-5pm; $99 ($25 per hour); Surrey Hills.

$99 if you bring your own cake or $109 if you want them to supply the cake. Amanda will show you the basics of cake decorating using coloured fondants, teaching you how to cover a cake in fondant icing and decorate it with exploding stars. You will: level your cake; cover it in ganache and fondant; colour the fondant using your choice of colour(s); cut out shapes to use in your decoration; and wire up decorative elements. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Men in the kitchen; Tuesday, 4th April, 6.30-9pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss tasty snack type meals, with seasonal and affordable ingredients, plus salads. Organised by Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre.

In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News February 1 2023

Feb 012023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Emma Wasson, Gavin Shaw, Holly Gallagher, Jess Ness, Joanne Van Eeden, Kayte Kitchen, Lynn Wallace, Melissa Houselander, Nathacha Subero, Robin Gale-Baker and Vasundhara Kandpal.

Key local indigenous pollinator plants (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Attracting pollinating insects into our gardens is something that most gardeners take seriously. Many gardeners, however, know more about ‘cottage plants’ (i.e. plants originally imported from Europe and other parts of the world) than our local indigenous plants.

Here’s a list supplied by Paul Davis, the Banyule City Council Biodiversity Adviser, of local indigenous plants which are known key pollinators. Not only will they attract bees and other pollinating insects but they will also increase diversity.

Austral Indigo Indigofera australis
Carpobrotus modestus Inland pigface
Chrysocephalum apiculatum Common everlasting
Chrysocephalum semipapposum Clustered everlasting
Dianella admixta Black-anthered flax-lily
Dianella amoena Matted flax-lily
Goodenia ovata Hop goodenia
Pelargonium australe Austral storks-bill

 
These plants can be incorporated into any garden whether it is an Australian native one or an orchard or veggie garden or even a verge garden. They are hardy plants, capable of growing in poor conditions, require little water, don’t need fertilising or management for pests, and provide habitat for birds, insects and small animals. They also have attractive forms and flowers.

For suitable plants, check out the following nurseries:

Abbotsford Farmers’ Market is no more

Melbourne Farmers Markets have announced that the Abbotsford Farmers’ Market has been closed permanently. It is not clear why. This is obviously sad news.

They have also announced that there won’t be any Carlton Farmers’ Markets during February.

What’s the best gin in Australia?

Well, according to recent World Gin Awards, the answer is Hillmartin Distillery’s rare dry gin. Hillmartin Distillery are a father daughter duo (Gavin and Amy Shaw) who are based in Plenty. Amongst other places, you can buy their gin at Eltham Farmers’ Market (on the 1st or 3rd Sundays) and at Nillumbik Cellars (in Diamond Creek). Congratulations Gavin and Amy!

Live near Preston and want to volunteer?

DIVRS in Preston is looking for an experienced propagator to join their propagation team. DIVRS grow food for food relief across four gardens in Darebin and do almost all their own propagation on site at 285 High Street, Preston. This is a volunteer role on Tuesday afternoons, 1-3pm, and will involve some general gardening as well. They’re always looking for gardeners of any level of experience to volunteer across the week at their various sites. For more information or to join the team, contact Holly Gallagher by phone (0402 353287) or email (urbanfood@divrs.org.au).

Do you know?

Joanne Van Eeden has just build her own polycarbonate hot house for growing vegetables all year round. But using it is more complicated that it first appears. Does anyone know of a good book or article on hot house growing for her to read? Email your replies.

Yes, you did know (sort of!)

Last week Kristine Hendley asked if anyone had experience in growing fruit trees in rocky areas or, alternatively, in wicking beds.

Re rocky areas, I (Guy) responded: “This is a common problem for many of us. I dig a large hole (using a mattock if necessary), at least twice the diameter of the root ball, and fill it with a mixture of potting mix and the original clay soil/rock. Near the centre of the hole is pure potting mix, with the proportion that is clay soil/rock then increasing as one moves away from the centre. The idea is to avoid any sort of discontinuity of soil composition which would then act as a barrier for the roots.”

Re wicking beds, Kayte Kitchen responded: “I have had a fair bit of success growing fruit trees in IBC wicking beds in various versions. All dwarf trees but a full range. We grow all of our produce in IBCs now as we have large eucalyptus trees and clay soil that affected our in-ground gardens. You are welcome to come and have a look anytime, I live in Greensborough.”

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Some banana dolphins.

Newsletter reader suggestion

Lynn Wallace suggests that you read this article about restoring native grasslands. She thinks that the article is fascinating and notes that it is skewed towards urban backyard situations. It includes a list of native plants that spread readily from seeds and rhizomes.

Some single use plastics are now banned in Victoria

As per the State Government’s website, the ban covers single-use plastic drinking straws, cutlery, plates and drink stirrers plus food service items and drink containers made from expanded polystyrene.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article on how to stop mint from spreading in the garden.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: I swear it was easier to split the atom than to cut a pickled onion on a plate.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Note that not all the community garden events below may be happening as some gardens take the month of January off.

Not local but interesting

Growing lions mane mushrooms at home; Saturday, 4th February, 10-11.30am; $60 ($40 per hour); Kensington.

You will mix up your own 4kg bag of lions mane mushroom. Suitable for both beginners and seasoned growers.

Corrections and clarifications

Growing food in small spaces (9 sessions); on 9 consecutive Fridays, starting 3rd February, 9.30am-1.30pm; free; Fawkner.

The title of this event is Growing food in small spaces, not growing plants in small spaces as previously stated. Sorry Melissa!

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Tea and chocolate pairing experience; Sunday, 5th February, 2-3.15pm; $75 ($60 per hour); Brunswick.

Taste around 10 different types of teas and chocolates. Discover how you can pair tea and chocolate according to a flavour tea wheel by contrasting, complementing or enhancing. Match teas with chocolates and brownies from Ratio Cocoa Roasters.

Bio-craft workshop; Friday, 10th February, 6-8pm; $81 ($41 per hour); Brunswick.

Awareaway, I Am Flora and Brunswick Daily have teamed up to bring you a workshop where you will learn about sustainability, regenerative products and circular processes. You will craft your own hanging planter or pair of earrings from a locally grown gourd whilst chatting about sustainability. Wine, kombucha and light snacks will be served.

Urban food gardening group (9 sessions); Tuesdays, starting 7th February, midday-4pm; $120 ($3 per hour); Coburg.

Learn the foundations of growing plants by working in a fun and relaxed environment. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

Introduction into wines; Saturday, 11th February, 3-5pm; $32 ($16 per hour); Northcote.

They will take you through the basics of wine, from how to taste to the processes behind your favourite drop. The session will include 8 very different wines to demonstrate the difference in grapes and wine making techniques.

Prepare for autumn planting; Thursday, 16th February, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Find out what to plant and how to prepare your garden for your autumn vegetables.

Bio Gro tour; Thursday, 23rd February, 9am-midday; free; Doncaster.

Bio Gro is the facility which will recycle Manningham’s food and garden waste (FOGO) into compost. See first-hand how your food and garden waste will be processed and ask any questions along the way. The tour will include bus transport to and from the Bio Gro organics facility in Dandenong South.

Learn to make wine (3 sessions); Saturdays, 25th February 9am-midday, 11th March 9-11am and 25th March 9-11am; $50 ($7 per hour); Eltham.

Learn about the art of winemaking using a fruit available throughout the year – raspberries (the frozen kind). The techniques taught can be applied to all types of winemaking. Follow the instructors as they take you through the process and, over the sessions, you will make your first wine. Enjoy samples of different wines that can be made from local produce along the way. Organised by the Eltham & District Winemakers Guild.

The Prosecco Festival; Saturday, 25th February, 11am-8.30pm; $70; Abbotsford.

There will be around 30 different proseccos to taste and all tastings are included in the ticket price. There will also be food and music.

Introduction to permaculture; Sunday, 26th February, 10am-midday; free; Coburg.

Learn the basics of permaculture with Karen Sutherland, from Edible Eden Design.

Whittlesea Garden Expo; Saturday, 4th March and Sunday, 5th March, both 9am-3pm; $10; Whittlesea.

Guest speakers: Millie Ross, Chloe Thomson and Nathan Stewart. Around 40 stalls, including plants, flowers, pots, garden tools, garden design and garden art. Food, music and drinks.

Weight management – a calorie density approach; Sunday, 5th March, midday-1.30pm; free; Eltham.

Jenny Cameron will talk about using a calorie density approach to losing weight and strategies to avoid falling into the ‘pleasure trap’ of our modern food supply. Organised by Green Karma.

Healthy eating and nutrition; Wednesday, 8th March, 2.30-3.30pm; free; Doncaster East.

Learn how to energise your day through healthy eating habits, basic nutrition principles and how you can get the most out of your meals every day. Organised by Pines Learning.

Basic inoculation workshop; Saturday, 11th March, 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.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 12th March, 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Open Farm Day; Saturday, 18th March, 10am-4pm; free; Edendale.

Locally based farmers, producers and growers will be on hand to share their wisdom about local farming in the Green Wedge, with demonstrations, workshops and a range of local products to buy. There will also be farm animals, street performers, live music and face painting. The participating businesses will include Apted’s Orchards, Balloonaversal, Billy Van Creamy, Buttermans Track Winery, Hildebrand Grove, Naturally Goat, Oz Tibet Kitchen, Provenir, Quists Coffee, The Basin Backyard, The Snake Hunter and Valley Rural.

The Herb and Chilli Festival; Saturday, 18th March and Sunday, 19th March, both 10am-5pm; $27; Wandin.

This festival will celebrate all things related to herbs and chillies. There will be stalls, demonstrations, talks, tastings, music and dance. There will be around 80 exhibitors.

Introduction to permaculture (2 sessions); Sundays, 19th and 26th March, 10am-3pm; $120 ($10 per hour); Coburg.

Learn permaculture fundamentals in this hands-on course, combining concepts and practices of sustainability, gardening, horticulture, ecology, community development and design thinking. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

In February
In March
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cooking class (8 sessions); Wednesdays, 8th February to 29th March, 1-3pm; $160 ($10 per hour); Ringwood.

Shabina will teach you how to shop for, and use, whole, nutrient-dense ingredients to create meals that are both good for you and taste good. You will learn how to balance flavours, textures and colours. You will also learn how to read nutrition labels and how to plan meals that are tailored to your dietary needs.

Laksa + Hanoi spring rolls masterclass; Thursday, 9th February, 6.30-9pm; $128 ($51 per hour); Brunswick.

Linh and June will show you have to make both laksa and Hanoi spring rolls. You will also get to take home a sample of their laksa paste.

Sour pickle M.O.B.; Friday, 3rd March, 6.30-8.30pm; $95 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will pile the table high with pickles, make the brine, set out the spices and have 3 litre jars ready. Go along and talk about lacto-fermented pickles – versus heat and vinegar – eat a pickle and take home your own 3 litre stash. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Passata making day; Saturday, 4th March, 10am-1.30pm; $100 ($29 per hour); Bundoora.

Get ready for a fun day. The class will include a step-by-step demonstration of how to prepare the passata sauce.

Home made miso M.O.B.; Friday, 10th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will have the beans soaked and cooked, the koji and salt weighed, jars ready and music on. You will mash and squish and roll and throw – ready to go home with 1.5 litres of miso that can be ready to eat within 3 months – ferment for longer if you like. Enjoy its taste over different periods of fermentation. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Advanced sourdough bread; Saturday, 11th March, 10am-12.30pm; $80 ($32 per hour); Park Orchards.

You will make a seeded sourdough loaf, demonstrated by Nadine. There will be samples of different sourdough loaves to try, including a fruit loaf and olive and herb. You will need to bring a container to take home your dough to bake at home. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Sourdough hot cross buns and spicy kvass; Sunday, 12th March, 11am-2pm; $270 ($90 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Michael James will show you how to make sourdough hot cross buns. They will not be baking them at the class as they need prove overnight but they will give you some of the sourdough starter to take home and some buns to bake. Sharon Flynn will then make Easter kvass using stale-ish HXBs, charing then brewing them. Go home with a jar of kvass to ferment.

Sweet treats; Sunday, 12th March, 6-10pm;$165 ($41 per hour); Bundoora.

Learn how to make a number of different traditional Italian desserts, namely ciambelle (traditional Italian donuts), cannoli filled with Italian cream, and amaretti (almond biscuits).

Recipes to reduce food waste; Wednesday, 15th March, 10-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

This workshop will cover: ideas for using random leftovers so nothing in your fridge goes to waste; tips for waste free packed lunches; how to get your portions right to avoid waste; and how to make a quick and easy zero waste meal out of leftovers.

Preserving with Maria; Saturday, 18th March, 10am-1pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will make jams, pickles, sauces and bottle the best of locally produced organic fruit. You will learn how to sterilise bottles to keep your preserves safe and understand why these techniques work. You will also gain an understanding of how different preserving methods can make a significant difference to the flavour and quality of the food. You will take home a jar of each preserve made.

French patisserie – fraisier; Saturday, 18th March, 10am-2pm; $135 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making fraisier, which is a dessert made with fresh strawberries, genoise sponge, diplomat cream and strawberry syrup. A sandwich lunch is included.

Tomato passata making workshop; Sunday, 19th March, 10am-1pm; $20 ($7 per hour); Watsonia.

You will learn how to process tomatoes, sterilise jars/bottles and how to seal them. You will then have a pasta lunch. Take along some glass jars with lids (if you have some).

Deluxe Asian seafood class; Sunday, 19th March, 10am-2.30pm; $200 ($44 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. It is the sauces that give Asian food their flavour and by the end of class you will be able to make punchy Asian sauces. The menu: grilled scallops or mussels with a XO sauce; whole deep fried Australian barramundi with a three flavoured chilli tamarind sauce and deep-fried Thai basil; tart green mango salad with a rice vinegar dressing and crispy fish floss; and choo chee prawn curry.

Vietnamese egg roll – cooking class; Tuesday, 21st March, 10-11.30am; $28 ($19 per hour); Doncaster East.

Learn the art of making crispy, crunchy and savoury Vietnamese egg rolls.

Gozleme and baklava workshop; Tuesday, 21st March, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu will teach you how to make gozleme and baklava from scratch. Turkish coffee will be served. Includes ingredients. BYO some containers (you will be going home with what you cook, usually about 1.2 kg of baklava and 3-4 gozlemes), apron and oven tray. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In February
In March
Regular classes

LFC News January 25 2023

Jan 252023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Charlotte Bartlett-Wynne, Colleen Duggan, Kayte Kitchen, Kristine Hendley, Lisa Conley, Lynne Siejka?, Megan Goodman, Wayne Tonissen and Zofia Di Stefano.

Recent developments at the Farm Raiser farm

Farm Raiser is a not-for-profit urban, vegetable farm in Bellfield who sell their vegetables in weekly mixed boxes. Some recent changes:

They deliver to the following suburbs: Alphington, Bellfield, Heidelberg West, Heidelberg Heights, Ivanhoe, Northcote, Preston and Thornbury.

Want to develop your farming skills as a subsidised cost?

Farmer Incubator’s Pop Up Garlic Farmers program is a way to try farming in a risk free and supported environment while building skills, knowledge and networks as you go. You’ll get the opportunity to meet experienced farmers, visit established small-scale farms and hear from experts across a diverse range of fields. Then put your new knowledge into practice by taking a crop of garlic from seed to market using organic and regenerative farming practices at your selected pop up garlic farm. In total, there are 8 workshops from February to November. Read more.

Local Food Connect is making two $1,000 scholarships available for local participants, preferably from Nillumbik, Banyule or close by, but you will need to act quickly as the 2023 course starts on 18th February. Apply for a scholarship.

The City of Whittlesea’s Resilient Communities workshop series

You might have noticed in our calendar that there are some upcoming events in South Morang and Wollert. These are part of a series of workshops being organised by Whittlesea Council. The organiser, Lisa Conley, has sent in the following words on the purpose and nature of the workshops.

“The workshops aim to up-skill community members in the art of sustainable, climate-resilient living and community-building. Each workshop will focus on learning skills an individual can apply in their life, while also illuminating how the topic at hand connects to the larger system and environment. Attendees will be encouraged to create with their hands, share ideas, and continue their practices after the workshop. A celebration showcase will be held in November where workshop attendees can display various creations made during the year and every participant will receive a certificate of recognition for workshop attendance. Workshop topics will cover a range of skills such as home gardening, preserving food, seed saving, keeping chickens, foraging, coping with climate grief, and developing a sense of biophilia (love of the natural world). For any questions, contact me by phone (9217 2525) or email (lisa.conley@whittlesea.vic.gov.au).“

Do you know?

Kristine Hendley asks: “Has anyone had experience in growing fruit trees in rocky areas? I have re-located to Maiden Gully and my block is very rocky. It has been suggested that I either dig out around 1½ metres of rock and fill it with dirt or else build up over the rock in raised garden beds. Alternatively, has anyone one had experience growing fruit trees in wicking beds?” Email your replies.

Meg’s garden this month

There is always an abundance of fruit and vegetables in Summer. Even with the wet and cool start to the season, the zucchini is now piling up and being offloaded to friends and family. Zucchini can be pickled, as can cucumbers (best if you grow a pickling variety). There are around 25 zucchini recipes on the LFC website.

I [Meg) am always looking at ways to use the glut and avoid food waste, although it is often a challenge in summer. The freezer is a good resource, although the sight of sad browned bananas frozen whole in the bottom of the freezer from months past is never a good one. For the summer glut, fruits such as peaches, plums and apricots can be stewed and frozen for later use. Broad beans and later green beans can be blanched (added to boiling water for about 1 minute then immediately plunged into cold water) and then frozen for later use. I also freeze small amounts of cherries, berries or currants that are about to turn (freeze spread on trays then add to a container). They can be used for smoothies or the like or I keep adding to the amount until I have sufficient for making mixed berry jam.

Read some of Megan’s recipes on our website, including zucchini pickles.

Newsletter reader tip

Wayne Tonissen has written in: “I think that timing is the key to a successful veggie garden. My neighbours have just been planting summer vegetables. They are 8-10 weeks too late and they will be disappointed with results. They can’t now fix that but they can get their winter veggies planted at the right time. That is, very soon: you need to plant cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc by the end of February for best results. When I asked a local nursery for seeds for these recently, they said that they were out of season, no stock. This advice is compounding a common misconception. When I did get some seeds, the packet said ‘plant summer and early autumn’.“

What seeds to plant in February

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn
Cool season veggies

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Onion
Potato
Radish
Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

In line with Wayne’s tip above, you can start planting the main brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc).

Another new article by Angelo

How to stop mint from spreading in the garden.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

More on Eltham eateries

Apparently Ginger Garlic has changed hands.

Not every white butterfly is a cabbage white

This Facebook post about different white butterflies is currently doing the rounds. Of the four butterflies pictured, only the cabbage white will lay eggs on your veggies. I have lots of white butterflies in my garden at the moment and, when I checked carefully, at least some are white migrants.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s article on the best ways to harvest and dry fresh herbs.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: Make toast sound fancier by calling it ‘twice-cooked bread’.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

There will apparently not be any Carlton or Abbotsford farmers’ markets during January.

Food swaps

Note that not all the food swaps below may be happening as some swaps take the month of January off.

Community gardens

Note that not all the community garden events below may be happening as some gardens take the month of January off.

Not local but interesting

The edible garden; Saturday, 11th March and again on Sunday, 12th March, both 10am-4.30pm; $10; Mount Waverley.

Newsletter reader Zofia’s garden system is almost fully sustainable, generating her own electricity through solar panels as well as harvesting water from water tanks. Chickens lay eggs, providing manure and re-working the compost from kitchen waste, leaves & lawn cuttings. There’s a worm farm and ponds for edible water plants and beneficial insects and frogs that control mosquitoes. She has bee hives for pollination and honey. There are espaliered trees such as apples, lime, pears as well as other fruit trees – apricot, avocado, nectarine and lemon. There is an extensive vegetable garden. The infrastructure (fences, outdoor furniture, etc) is made up of discarded items found on demolition sites and hard rubbish. Read about Zofia’s garden on our website.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Youth world food garden – food for everyone; Saturday, 4th February, 2-5pm; free; Preston.

This workshop is for those aged 14 to 25 years old who interested to learn more about gardening, cooking, food justice and sustainability. It will explore the challenges with sourcing food that is culturally relevant to us and the food insecurity that results from those challenges. It is the third of six workshops being organised in partnership between the Just Food Collective and Sustain: the Australian Food Network.

Heal with food – cancer; Saturday, 25th February, 11am-12.30pm; free; Eltham.

Dr Despina Handolias will discuss the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of cancer. This is one of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Future talks will cover such subjects as asthma, depression & anxiety, obesity and reproductive health.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Wednesday, 1st March, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

14 sessions over a period of a 14 weeks. Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly sessions starting Thursday, 2nd March, 9am-3pm; $895 ($11 per hour); CERES.

14 sessions over a period of a 14 weeks. Presenter: Justin Calverley. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Beginning beekeeping course; Saturday, 4th March, 9.30am-4pm; $252 ($39 per hour); Edendale.

What you will learn: getting started with backyard beekeeping; how to maintain a healthy hive, the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check; and the wonders of pure raw honey and an understanding of honey extraction. Weather permitting, they will open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration working with hives. Take a packed lunch. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

Prevent and manage cancer with food; Sunday, 5th March, 11am-12.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Dr Despina Handolias will discuss the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of cancer.

Introduction to horticultural permaculture (4 sessions); Every Tuesday for 4 weeks, starting 7th March, 10am-2.30pm; $60; Edendale.

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.

In January
In February

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Hands on dumpling making workshop; Saturday, 28th January, 10am-midday; $15 ($8 per hour); Nunawading.

Learn how to fold dumplings. Steam your dumplings. Sit and eat together at the end. Hosted by Otao Kitchen.

Cooking for all abilities (10 sessions); 10 consecutive Thursdays, starting 31st January, 10am-12.30pm; Saturday, 4th April, 10am-12.30pm; $438 ($18 per hour) (ACFE $87)); Thornbury.

Learn cooking skills in this hands on and demonstration class. Using fresh seasonal ingredients and garden produce, learn planning, preparation, safety and presentation skills. ACFE and NDIS eligible. Tutor: Catherine Donnelly.

Cooking for all abilities (10 sessions); 10 consecutive Thursdays, starting 31st January, 1-3.30pm; Saturday, 4th April, 10am-12.30pm; $438 ($18 per hour) (ACFE $87)); Thornbury.

Learn cooking skills in this hands on and demonstration class. Using fresh seasonal ingredients and garden produce, learn planning, preparation, safety and presentation skills. ACFE and NDIS eligible. Tutor: Catherine Donnelly.

Vegan tasting session with Betty Chetcuti; Thursday, 2nd February, 7-8pm; free; Watsonia.

Betty Chetcuti will demonstrate how to make a healthy Moroccan cauliflower and pumpkin couscous salad. Her book, My Vegan Cookbook, will be available to purchase at the event.

The cook program (10 sessions); 10 consecutive Thursdays starting 2nd February, 9.30am-1.30pm; $50 ($1 per hour); Brunswick.

The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and an awareness of pathways available to further study in hospitality. You will gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking, as well as Food Safety certification.

French patisserie – macarons; Wednesday, 1st March, 6.30-8.30pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will pass on her techniques for making macarons. Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Food preservation techniques; Saturday, 4th March, 10am-12.30pm; free; Wollert.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will cover the theory of home food preservation before the group breaks to do some cooking in the kitchen. You will take home a jar of preserves.

Filled pasta with Piera; Saturday, 4th March, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will be making both balanzoni (large green tortellini-like pasta filled with ricotta, mortadella & parmesan cheese) and ravioli di pesce (half- moon shaped pasta filled with mascarpone, crab meat, snapper, thyme & lemon). At the end, enjoy the pasta you have made together with a class of wine. Host: Piera Pagnoni. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Food for mind and gut; Saturday, 4th March, 10am-2.30pm; $120 ($27 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The dishes will be packed with nutritionally dense vegetables and all will be gluten and dairy free. The menu includes: vegan cream cheese; oat + mesquite crackers; beet sauerkraut; chickpea salad with orange tahini; coconut + turmeric pie; and miso puffed balls.

Beginners sourdough class with Fei; Saturday, 4th March, 1-4pm; $165 ($55 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will learn how to make sourdough bread from start to finish, from mixing and kneading the dough to proofing, shaping and baking. You will also cover how to maintain a sourdough starter. You will take home starter culture and a loaf of freshly baked bread.

FFS … ferment four staples; Saturday, 4th March, 1-5pm; $365 ($91 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course: a jar of kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir with SCOBY and a jar of kvass – including jars and airlocks for fermenting at home.

Goi ga: Vietnamese poached chicken salad; Saturday, 4th March, 5-8pm; $85 ($28 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. The salad is made by slowly poaching and shredding a whole chicken and combining it with fresh salad ingredients and herbs. Learn to make a nuoc cham Vietnamese dressing, spring onion oil and poach chicken to perfection. Nothing is wasted so the leftover chicken stock becomes a simple Vietnamese soup to serve on the side.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Sunday, 5th March, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. The menu: napoli sauce, gnocchi, ricotta , arancini, risotto, mushroom florentine sauce, bechamel sauce and tiramisu. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

In January
In February
Regular classes

LFC News January 18 2023

Jan 172023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bree Lawson, Cath Lyons, Doug Bell, Evan Jovanovic, Gayle Parkes and Izolde Bensch.

Three new community pantries

Recent changes in Eltham eateries

In the suburb in which I, and many of you, live (Eltham), the following restaurants have opened in recent months (each with a one line comment from me having been there):

  • Grill’d: a burger restaurant at the site of the previous Liquorland. Eat in as well as takeaway. Wide ranging burger menu, including chicken and plant-based. At the quality end of the local burger options.
  • Hecho en Mexico: a Mexican restaurant at the site of the previous La Zanyas. Uncompromising (i.e. non-standard) versions of standard Mexican menu items in terms of both the food and the drinks.
  • Kuzina Kitchen & Bar: a Greek restaurant at the site of the previous Maroush. Some rather unusual (and tasty) options in terms of both the food and the drinks.
  • Walk the Wok: a Chinese restaurant at the site of the previous The Greek Place. As well as dine in, they also do both takeaway and delivery. Reasonably standard chinese food. One of the few places where there is vegetarian singapore noodles on the menu.

The following restaurants have closed in recent months: La Zanyas, Maroush and Noble House.

Snap and snow pea update

Last week, I invited readers to write in with their progress or otherwise in growing Bruno’s pea seedlings. Here are three responses:

  • Evan Jovanovic: “We’re harvesting plenty [see photo right]. Thanks very much for the seedlings. It seems this time of year was far more successful for us than previous attempts.“
  • Doug Bell: “We have had an abundant crop with Bruno’s peas. It has been the best snow pea crop we have ever had and we have been able to give some away to friends and family. Many thanks to Bruno. It’s what home veggie gardening is all about.“
  • Ann Stanley: “Sadly all seedlings were eaten by a hungry creature in the first 24 hours of planting.“

A new article from Angelo Eliades

The best ways to harvest and dry fresh herbs.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

‘Crowd harvest’ – summer herbs

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

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Simone’s video on storing your seeds.

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: My attempts to combine nitrous oxide and Oxo cubes made me a laughing stock.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

There will apparently not be any Carlton or Abbotsford farmers’ markets during January.

Food swaps

Note that not all the food swaps below may be happening as some swaps take the month of January off.

Community gardens

Note that not all the community garden events below may be happening as some gardens take the month of January off.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not local but interesting

David’s productive garden; Sunday, 12th February, 10am-4.30pm; $8; Footscray.

A collection of unusual fruit trees and produce including figs North & South American Myrtaceas, Saskatoon berries & cherry guavas, white sapote, fruiting palm, custard apple and many berries. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Francisco & Michael’s food garden; Sunday, 12th February, 10am-4.30pm; $8; West Footscray.

This is a busy, urban garden that will give you many ideas how to grow your own food right in your own backyard. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Marcus and Jen’s productive garden; Sunday, 12th February, 10am-4.30pm; $8; Footscray.

The owners have chosen to grow veggies in raised beds surrounded by wisteria planted to grow on the nearby pergola. Organised by Open Gardens Victoria.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Digital food storytelling workshop; Saturday, 4th February, 10am-2pm; free; Epping.

This workshop is primarily for Whittlesea community and school gardeners but is also open to others who are interested in documenting food stories and cultural practices. It will entail using your smartphone to create a short video. You will learn how to: plan your story; film and gather sound; and edit the film and share it. Facilitated by Digital Storytellers.

Keeping backyard chickens; Saturday, 11th February, 10am-midday; free; South Morang.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will tell you all you need to know to start keeping backyard chickens, including: what is needed to keep chooks; how to keep them safe from pests and foxes; which varieties are suitable for different purposes; and council requirements.

Gut brain connection with Dr. Carol Gubert; Wednesday, 15th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Dr. Gubert will talk about how the bugs that inhabit our gut can communicate with the brain and the therapeutical potential that targeting this ecosystem (e.g. with diet) can have in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Growing itty bitty greens; Thursday, 16th February, 6-7pm; $27 ($27 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to grow microgreens. While you are planting your own microgreens to take home, you will learn about: varieties of microgreens; where to source organic seeds or those not treated with chemicals or genetic modifications; growing mediums including soil and coconut coir; the nitty gritty of how to grow and care for microgreens; when to harvest them; and how to use them in the kitchen.

Introduction to beekeeping (2 sessions); Saturday, 18th February, 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday, 25th February, 10.30am-12.30pm; $225 ($25 per hour); Blackburn North.

This all day program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening on the following Saturday (25th February, 10.30am-12.30pm) as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. The background instruction includes equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. (which retails at $60).

Beeswax wrap workshop; Saturday, 18th February, 10am-midday; free; Ringwood.

Ben from Ben’s Bees will show you how to make your own beeswax wrap and have a large beeswax wrap to take home. You will also receive a small block of beeswax to take home to make your own wraps.

Kitchen medicine – garden farmacy; Saturday, 18th February, 10am-2.30pm; $120 ($27 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: an introduction to herbal medicine making; plant identification; guidelines for foraging and wild-crafting; medicinal uses for plants; and how to introduce medicinal herbs into the kitchen for medicine. What you will get: a remedy and a seedling. Take a walk through the CERES garden beds and bring the wisdom of traditional herbal medicines into a modern context. You will explore traditional and modern uses of the plants and how to introduce these plants into the kitchen as medicine. Presenter: Naabi Methe.

Vegetable gardening 101; Saturday, 18th February, 2-3pm; $15; Ringwood.

Get a crash course in veggie gardening.

Autumn edible gardening; Sunday, 19th February, 10am-midday; $30 ($15 per hour); Forest Hill.

The weather is going to get cooler soon, but what should you do next? How can you ensure that those big fat pumpkins will keep for most of the year? What is ‘green manure’ and why would you want it?

Presenting the Merri-bek community food hub; Thursday, 23rd February, 6-8pm; $15; Coburg North.

Hear from Food Leadership Action Group (FLAG) members who are leading a collective impact approach to addressing food security in Merri-bek through a Community Food Hub model. You will also meet the project teams who have been funded to test ideas for a shared Community Food Hub model that delivers socially inclusive food security across Merri-bek’s diverse communities.

End of summer fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 25th February, 10am-1pm; $30 ($10 per hour); Forest Hill.

Join them amongst the former and grafted apple trees at Strathdon House to learn all the ins & outs, and cuts & trims that produce healthy, bountiful fruit trees. Deciduous fruit trees are traditionally pruned in winter but in Melbourne’s temperate climate, trees don’t go fully dormant so winter pruning just encourages tall whippy growth that will have to be pruned-off anyway.

Wicking beds workshop; Saturday, 25th February, 1.30-3.30pm; free; Kilsyth.

Learn the techniques to build a garden bed that wicks the water up into the soil from below, saving water from above and increasing drought tolerance. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Growing native edibles workshop; Monday, 27th February, 6.30-8pm; free; Richmond.

Cultivating Community will guide you through identifying, growing and tasting native bush foods and bush teas.

In January
In February
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Let’s get cooking (4 sessions); On 4 consecutive Mondays, starting 30th January at midday; $90 ($23 per hour); Epping.

Healthy eating tips and practical cooking skills. Tutor: Daniela Calcagno. Organised by Greenbrook Community House.

Italian cooking (2 sessions);Thursdays, 16th and 23rd February, both 6-9pm; $195 ($33 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Lucia Silverii will teach you the time-honoured techniques of southern Italian cooking. The first session will cover pasta with zucchini and tuna and lemon biscuits. The second session will cover chicken scallopine and almond biscotti. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Lacto-fermented cherry tom bomb M.O.B.; Friday, 17th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Learn how to ferment your cherry tomatoes. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 18th February, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: ways to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture; the flour to use for the best nutrition and results; ways to knead sticky high hydration dough for a more authentic sourdough loaf; the equipment needed to produce a sourdough tin loaf at home; and ways to bake sourdough bread using a bread tin in a home oven. What you will get: comprehensive workshop notes; sourdough starter culture; and a discount on a professional quality bread tin. Presenter: Rick Lavender of The Life We Want. Organised by Bee Sustainable.

The art of Thai salads; Saturday, 18th February, 3-7pm; $160 ($40 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. The menu: a traditional green papaya salad plus a version using carrots; a pork and a vegetarian larb salad with chilli and roasted rice powder dressing; a mung bean noodle salad that is packed with Thai herbs plus some char-grilled prawns; and sticky rice.

Vegan cheese making; Sunday, 19th February, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own vegan cheese; and how to make vegan milks, creamy spreads and dairy-free desserts. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

Thai beef salad – cooking class; Tuesday, 21st February, 10-11.30am; $28 ($19 per hour); Doncaster East.

Thai salad (yum nua) is a balance of sweet, salty, tart, and spicy flavours. It is made with tender beef steak, fragrant herbs and a zingy dressing. Organised by Pines Learning.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (2 sessions); Wednesday, 22nd February and Wednesday, 1st March, both 6.30-8.30pm; $118 ($30 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. Tutor: Taariq Hassan. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Truffle and praline workshop; Tuesday, 23rd February, 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.

Mediterranean summer cooking; Thursday, 23rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu Yilmaz will demonstrate three dishes. This workshop will also explain the health benefits of using olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. Don’t forget to bring containers. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

How to make fresh gnocchi; Thursday, 23rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $36 ($18 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Make gnocchi from scratch the Italian way. Enjoy tasting the dishes with the other participants. You will take home your freshly made gnocchi. Take a container and an apron. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Farmhouse sake / doburoku night; Friday, 24th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own sake using rice, koji and water and time. This is a 3 step process and you’ll take home stage one in a 3 litre jar – with koji for step 2 – and a couple of bottles for the final bottling step. They will also cover amazake – the sweet, more immediate (overnight) drink.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 25th February, 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.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 25th February, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify and harvest bush foods; how to grow and maintain bush foods in the home garden; and how to incorporate bush foods into everyday recipes. Tour the CERES bush food gardens and gain knowledge of bush foods from further afar – tropical delights from the north, peppery spices form the south. During the workshop, you will learn how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. The group will make a bush food inspired lunch and afternoon tea – all food prepared on the day will be vegetarian and vegan friendly. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy.

Kombucha workshop; Saturday, 25th February, 11am -midday; free; Box Hill.

Learn how to brew your own kombucha with advice from the skilled brewing team at The Good Brew Company. Organised by Box Hill Library.

Beginners cheese making at home; Sunday, 26th February, 10am-3pm; $240 ($48 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to make: buttermilk ricotta; yoghurt (both pot-set and greek-style); labneh (and marinated labneh in oil); creme fraiche; cultured butter and flavoured butters; and ghee. You will take home what you make. Presenter: Kristen Allan.

Flavours of Middle Eastern cooking; Tuesday, 28th February, 6-9pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Hawthorn.

Shella will welcome you with traditional tea plus tips and tricks for preparing a healthy three course Middle Eastern meal with traditional spices, ingredients and techniques. The menu will include: a summery salad with fresh herbs and vegetables; crisp saffron rice cake with chicken and aromatic spices; and pleated sheets of filo pastry, soaked and flavoured and topped with cinnamon and a sprinkle of nuts. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

In January
In February
Regular classes

LFC News January 11 2023

Jan 112023
 

Yes, the weekly newsletters are back after their seasonal break.

Welcome to new joiners Anne, Anthony, Chris, Christine, Deb, Diana, Helen, Helene, Jason, Jo, John, John, Julie, Kam, Karen, Karu, Lorraine, Lou, Lynda, Manroop, Martin, Maureen, Maureen, Miriam, Morgan, Pam, Peter, Ravneet, Rebecca, Richard, Stephen, Steve, Sue, Tammy, Tom, Vanessa and Wendy.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Colleen Duggan and Tania Rostan.

The more people who contribute material, the better this newsletter. If you have any interesting news, tips, photos or questions, email them to me (Guy). If you want to discuss possible articles or contributions, give me a ring (0411 520850).

Normally, this newsletter provides details for all newly announced events for the following two months. However, for size reasons, this is not possible for this start of year newsletter (because all events are ‘newly announced’). So, this newsletter is restricted to events up until mid February. Over the next few newsletters, we will gradually work our way up to the usual two month time horizon. In the meantime, you can still find all the details for all the upcoming events during February and March on our website, in either the cooking or everything else sections.

The new Bellfield community garden is now open

As some of you will know, Bellfield community garden had to move location in 2022. The new garden, at Bellfield Community Hub in Perkins Avenue, is now open. As they say on their website, the new garden has: “more community plots; upgraded sheds; a meeting room; kids play area; lawn space; a hand built pizza oven.”

As listed on their events page, their monthly working bees (on the 3rd Saturday or 3rd Sunday of each month) have re-started. In addition, they have started a ‘garden club’ which will meet on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. As they say: “This is a social event themed around gardening. Stay for a little while or for the whole time. Talk with gardeners – experienced and not-so-experienced. Learn from each other and from the long-time gardeners who run the club.”

Want a job?

Span Community House in Thornbury, is looking for a community garden coordinator to maintain and further develop its 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; and engage and support a diverse range of community members and volunteers of all abilities. Part time (8 hours per fortnight) . Closing date: 15th January. Read more. For more information, contact the manager, Colleen, by phone (9480 1364). Email your application to manager@spanhouse.org.

Have you harvested any of your peas yet?

In November, we gave away snap pea and snow pea seedlings to around 50 newsletter readers. Have any of you had a successful harvest yet? Email me.

As shown by the picture right, Tania Rostan was able to start harvesting in late December.

Another video from Simone Boyd

The best way to store your seeds for next season.

Pip magazine’s 10 most read articles in 2022

Of Pip’s 10 most read articles, 5 concerned food, namely:

Every newsletter needs a good image

The image right is a ‘copy’ of Picasso’s Woman with hat made out of vegetables and toast by someone called Caroline Barnes. Like other creations by Caroline, it was created during one of the pandemic lockdowns. See some of Caroline’s other food-related art. As she says, “At the beginning of lockdown and with my monthly visits to the National Gallery on hold, I thought I’d try to transfer the art I was missing to toast.” Also, “Of all the toast art I’ve made, my favourite to eat was Picasso’s Woman with hat as it’s the closest to what I’d normally eat for lunch.”

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Eltham Primary School’s advert for a part-time gardener (link no longer available.)

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

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: I have to watch Goldeneye before heating a microwave meal because the packaging says “Pierce film before cooking“.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

There will apparently not be any Carlton or Abbotsford farmers’ markets during January.

Food swaps

Note that not all the food swaps below may be happening as some swaps take the month of January off.

Community gardens

Note that not all the community garden events below may be happening as some gardens take the month of January off.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Composting at home 101; 3 occurrences on Wednesday, 11th January, Thursday, 12th January and Friday, 13th January, each 10am-midday; $68 ($34 per hour); Abbotsford.

This workshop is for either complete compost beginners or those with some experience who are wanting to troubleshoot. It will include discussion on the ‘why’ of composting, how to get started and maintain a successful compost at home, common problems and how to tackle them, and a demonstration of setting up a compost pile.

Harvesting, sowing and storing seeds; Friday, 20th January, 2-3.30pm; free; Thomastown.

Learn how to grow your own food with Kathleen Tants. Kathleen will teach you how to harvest seeds from your own crops, how to prepare and store these seeds and how to sow them again for the following year’s crop.

Whittlesea Show; Saturday, 21st January and Sunday, 22nd January, both 9am-5pm; $28; Whittlesea.

This is one of Victoria’s largest agricultural shows. Its purpose is to educate, inform and entertain – bringing agriculture, farming and rural knowledge to the wider public, and showcasing changing farming practices through machinery, animals and ways of life. There will be lots of free activities and entertainment throughout the weekend, including: food expo, historical machinery, animal nursery, working sheep dogs, show jumping, chook racing, reptile display and grand parade.

Urban foraging; 5 occurrences on Saturday 21st January, Sunday 29th January, Saturday 11th February, Sunday 12th February and Saturday, 18th February, all 10am-12.30pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will examine examples of trees bearing late summer fruit, and also be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify useful trees even when they’re not fruiting. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Botanical beverages; Wednesday, 25th January, 6-8pm; $118 ($59 per hour); Coburg.

You will make and drink cocktails, mocktails and sodas using herbal brews. The bitter, aromatic and antioxidant principles that we often miss in our diets can be incorporated into drinks with ease. You will learn how to make bitter cocktails, antioxidant mocktails and aromatic elixirs. You will receive your own botanical beverage kit to use in the workshop and take home (includes forest bitters tincture, hibiscus & burnt orange extract, peppermint hydrosol and seasonal elixir).

Foraging course (5 sessions); On 5 consecutive Wednesdays from 25th January, each 6-7.30pm; $339 ($45 per hour); Coburg.

You will learn about: the importance of wild foods; medicine as food; the difference between cultivated foods and wild food; sustainable wildcrafting; safe foraging; identification, nutrition and properties of several plants; and recipes for each of the plants.

Mushroom growing 101; Wednesday, 1st February, 6.30-9.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Design sustainable food systems (10 sessions); consecutive Thursdays, starting 2nd February, 5-8pm; $120 ($4 per hour); Coburg.

Get practical skills and knowledge needed for emerging resource challenges within our food systems. Learn how to navigate employment and education pathways in the sustainable food industry.

Rosé blending workshop; Thursday, 2nd February, 6-8pm; $49 ($25 per hour); Brunswick East.

Learn about the different methods of rosé-making as you taste your way through some wines, snack on some cheeseboards and make a bottle of your own custom blend to take home.

Growing plants in small spaces (9 sessions); on 9 consecutive Fridays, starting 3rd February, 9.30am-1.30pm; free; Fawkner.

Free subject to ACFE eligibility. If you have a balcony, a courtyard or a patio, there are ways you can maximise space to create your own little oasis. In this course, you will learn about how to grow food in pots or containers, what plants to grow and when.

Summer fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 4th February, 9am-1pm; $65 ($19 per hour); Edendale.

Many of us focus on winter as the best time to prune our fruit trees but some fruit trees benefit much more from summer pruning (e.g. stone fruit). Learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. What you will learn: winter versus summer pruning; and how to shape and improve fruiting with summer pruning. Facilitated by Justin Calverley. Bring your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Edible weeds; Sunday, 5th February, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

Permaculture Design Course (100 hours); starting Saturday, 11th February, 9.30am-4.30pm; $2,100 ($21 per hour); Brunswick East.

The course will comprise a combination of Wednesday evenings (6.30-9.30pm) and weekend days (9.30am-4.30pm). It is a classroom-based, theoretical course with site visits, not a gardening course. Participants will develop: an appreciation of the fundamentals of permaculture and the historical context in which it was developed; an ability to incorporate ecological and energy literacy/understanding in the design process; an ability to read patterns in landscapes and understand how they influence design choices; an understanding of the design processes and the conceptual design tools used in permaculture, as background for later application topics; an ability to design food production and other agricultural systems in appropriate landscapes; an understanding of how communities function and how permaculture concepts can be used to build functional communities; an understanding of how trading functions and how permaculture concepts can be used to build more equitable economic systems; an understanding of how settlements can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an understanding of how buildings can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an appreciation of the technologies that are available to assist in building sustainable lifestyles – renewable energies and conservation of non-renewable resources; and a confidence in one’s ability to make a difference at the individual level. Trainers: Beck Lowe, Ian Lillington, Joel Meadows, Kat Lavers, Monique Miller and Taj Scicluna.

Urban permaculture garden tour; Saturday, 11th February, 10-11am; $15; Ringwood.

Visit a local urban permaculture garden and see a grey water demonstration.

Forage harvest walk; Saturday, 11th February, 10am-1pm;$36 ($12 per hour); Coburg.

Learn how to identify edible weeds and wild medicines with Taj Scicluna (aka The Perma Pixie).

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 11th February, midday-4pm; $80; Richmond.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes 30 complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Attria Wine Bar with Hither & Yon; The Blacksmith with Innocent Bystander; Corner Hotel with MoBo Vino; Klae with Pizzini Wines; Richmond Club Hotel with Rob Dolan Wines; South of the Wall with Quiet Mutiny; The Precinct Hotel with Zonzo Estate; Ugly Duckling with Vinteloper ; Waygood with Valentine Wines; and Maeve Fox with TBC.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Nocino; Wednesday, 11th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $280 ($140 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Nocino is an Italian liquor made of fresh green walnuts. They will supply all the ingredients for you (including the base potato alcohol) to make 1.5 litres. Sit with them, chat, hang out, chop and fill your 2 litre jar. Take it home to watch it change from green to brown.

The vegan lunchbox; Thursday, 12th January, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Doncaster East.

Cookbook author Betty Chetcuti will share her experience of cooking meals for her family and how she adapts them for summer days – including watermelon salad, fruit smoothies, falafel wraps with hummus and crispy salads.

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Sunday, 15th January, midday-3pm; $75 ($25 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) & pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas.

Make show-winning jam and preserves; Wednesday, 18th January, 10-11am; free; Whittlesea.

Marie Vassallo, from Rie’s kitchen, will demonstrate how to make jams and fruit straps.

Lunar New Year dumplings; Wednesday, 18th January, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Box Hill.

Learn how to make homemade dumplings from scratch with Cristina. You will learn how to make the filling, form the dumplings and mix your own sauce.

Pickle M.O.B.; Friday, 20th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $95 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will pile the table high with pickles, make the brine, set out the spices and have 3 litre jars ready. Go along and talk about lacto-fermented pickles – versus heat and vinegar – eat a pickle and take home your own 3 litre stash. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Learn to make kim chi; Saturday, 21st January, 11am-12.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Take your own medium jar and make your own kim chi at this session.

Preserving summer stone fruits; Saturday, 21st January, 11am-12.30pm; free; Watsonia.

Marie Vasallo will demonstrate how to make apricot jam, fruit straps, and how to bottle your stone fruit.

Gnocchi making and lunch with Antonio; Sunday, 22nd January, midday-2pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make gnocchi dough by hand; rolling, cutting and shaping; and how to introduce flavours into the gnocchi. You will be shown how to make ricotta gnocchi, pumpkin gnocchi and spinach gnocchi. You will then eat what Antonio has made in his demonstration whilst also taking home the three types of gnocchi that you made.

Sourdough basics; Tuesday, 24th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Kids kitchen cooking workshop; Wednesday, 25th January, 10.30am-12.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Balwyn North.

Suitable for kids aged 8-12. This class will teach easy and exciting recipes. On the menu will be Middle-Eastern beef pies, chicken & veggie salad and a Middle-Eastern sweet treat. There will be a light Lunch to enjoy together at the end of the session.

Making berry and stone fruit jams; Saturday, 28th January, 11am-12.30pm; free; Rosanna.

Marie Vassallo will show you how to make berry and stone fruit jams using two different techniques and semidry figs.

FFS … ferment four staples; Saturday, 28th January, 1-5pm; $365 ($91 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course: a jar of kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir with SCOBY and a jar of kvass – including jars and airlocks for fermenting at home.

Grow and ferment – botanical sodas and mead; Saturday, 29th January, 11am-1pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

With Jac Semmler of Super Bloom and Sharon of The Fermentary. Revel in wild drinks and blooming botanicals – calendula, dianthus and old-world pelargoniums. Learn how to propagate pelargoniums. Then brew these flowering botanicals in wild drinks, soda and mead. You will take home pelargonium cuttings, a pelargonium in a terracotta pot, and two jars of wild brews to continue fermenting at home.

Cooking on a budget (10 sessions); consecutive Thursdays, starting 2nd February, 1.30-4.30pm; $100 ($3 per hour); Coburg.

Learn to cook well-balanced, nutritional food on a budget. Get essential tips on wasting less food and using more garden produce.

Hot sauce M.O.B.; Friday, 3rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will supply a variety of chillies, the brine, fruit and spices and guide you along the way. You will go home with a jar full to the brim to ferment, watch and wait with. M.O.B. stands for ‘mingling over bacteria’.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 4th February, 9am-5pm; $190 ($24 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Gnocchi making class; Saturday, 4th February, 10am-1pm; $140 ($47 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Host: Pia Gava.

Milk kefir magic; Wednesday, 8th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 9th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $120 ($60 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Sourdough bread; Saturday, 11th February, 10am-12.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

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.

A Palestinian feast with Aheda; Sunday, 12th February, 3-7pm; $5; Coburg.

Join Aheda in the kitchen to learn how to make Palestinian dishes. Afterwards, sit down and share what you have prepared together over dinner.

Regular classes

Otao Kitchen have announced their full range of classes for 2023. As well as their usual Australian, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese classes, they have now added Latin American, Malaysian and Sri Lankan.

LFC News December 7 2022

Dec 132022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amarantha Robinson, Jemma Stefanou, Juliet Honey, Karen Cheah, Krystal Navez-John and Perri Hillier.

This is the last newsletter for the year. We’ll be back in early January.

Want a job?

Eltham Primary School is seeking a part-time Gardener for its Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program. As well as gardening, the job seems to include organising/managing aspects of the program as well as interacting with parents, students and colleagues. Closing date: Sunday, 11th December.

The Heathmont Crop Swap is no more

The Heathmont Crop Swap (aka food swap) ceased after the November swap.

The Local Food Connect annual report

View/download as a pdf.

Oakhill Food Justice Farm

Oakhill Food Justice Farm now have a page on our website.

  

At 233 Tyler Street, Preston. This community garden is open to the public, but only 9-11.30am on Monday mornings and 3.30-6pm on Wednesday afternoons.

To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact Leila Alexandra by email (leila@sustainaustralia.org) or phone (0420 329329). Also, see their website.

Oakhill Food Justice Farm came into existence in September 2021 and is a demonstration of how you can turn a disused 800sqm block into an urban farm. It is a ‘food is free’ initiative, utilising skills of local food-growers and farmers to produce vegetables, herbs, salads for community members. Food is harvested weekly in partnership with DIVRS and distributed through DIVRS emergency food relief program.

People can sign up through Oakhill’s website to become a volunteer at the farm. The volunteer sessions run on Monday mornings (9-11.30am) and Wednesday afternoons (3.30-6pm), where the volunteers can learn about all aspects of food growing as well as chat over fresh farm tea breaks.

Oakhill runs a number of programs throughout the week. Preston Primary School students walk to the farm weekly to design and grow their own ‘Preston primary passata patch’, where they learn how to grow and take care of soil, produce compost and worm farms, grow crops, sow and save seeds, pot-up tomatoes, plant them, manage water, trellis them, grow beneficial plants such as herbs and flowers and eventually harvest and make passata.

Oakhill also runs a paid-internship program for youth converting lawn to food; works in partnership with Bridge Darebin to create and facilitate their gardening programs; and organises various workshops.

There are now 16(!) community gardens in Darebin, each with their own page on our website.

The year in review

This newsletter

In 2022, post the lockdowns, the newsletter reverted to its traditional focus on advertising upcoming local, face-to-face, food-related events. In any one week during 2022, there were a large number of such events in North East Melbourne – around 120 per week – and each was advertised in the newsletters.

As I have said before, the heart of these newsletters has always been the advertising of such events. If only one person learns about, and then goes to, an event as a result of reading about it in the newsletter then, as far as I am concerned, that newsletter was a success.

In addition, each weekly newsletter contained the news of the week and at least one article on a food growing or food eating subject. Particular thanks are due to regular contributors Ann Stanley, Jaimie Sweetman, Robin Gale-Baker and Megan Goodman. Read some of:

Since the start of the pandemic, around 450(!) different people have contributed to the newsletter. See the list on our website.

The more people who contribute material, the better will be the newsletter. If you would like to be an occasional, or even regular, contributor of articles in 2023, please email me.

Almost 4,000 people now receive the newsletters, up from 3,500 a year ago.

Over the course of the year, around 25,000 links in the various newsletters were clicked. The most popular links were:

As in previous years, the municipalities with the most events were Darebin and Merri-bek (aka Moreland).

The website

The main purpose of the website is to be a source of information about local food organisations and activities, where local means ‘North East Melbourne’.

The website is closely entwined with the newsletters. All the events in the newsletters first appear in the website calendar. When an article appears in a newsletter, it is usually linked to a longer version of that article on the website. All past newsletters are available from the website.

The website is centred on a number of databases, namely:

  1. Upcoming local food-related events: all the upcoming events of various types, around 400 per month.
  2. Local food producers: pages on each of around 130 producers, both farmers and makers.
  3. Local community gardens: pages on each of the 60 community gardens in the area
  4. Local food swaps: details of the 30 food swaps in the area.
  5. Local food justice organisations: including ‘food is free’ sites, free food distribution organisations and free community meals.

These databases are brought together into an overall Local Food Directory which contains pages for each of 300 or so local food organisations.

The number of people who visit the website varies according to how high it ranks in various Google searches but currently averages around 9,000 people each week. A majority of these people live in Melbourne.

By far the most popular page is the planting guide of what veggies to plant when (120,000 unique page views in the last year). After that, the most popular section is our how to grow guides (collectively 150,000 unique page views). A page that is becoming ever more popular is that on food-related proverbs (20,000 unique page views).

Local food activity around North East Melbourne

At first sight, it appears that we have fully bounced back from Covid during 2022. There are now lots of face-to-face events (similar in number to that pre-Covid), most of the community gardens have re-opened and most of the food swaps have re-started.

However, many of the free community meals that were happening pre-Covid have never re-started. More specifically, I am aware of 18 current, regular free community meals compared with around 30 pre-Covid.

More generally, I suspect that attendance at events is well down on pre-Covid levels. Whilst this is more of an impression based on personal experience rather than a fact, here is one piece of evidence: whereas the number of people receiving the newsletter almost doubled between 2019 (the last pre-Covid year) and 2022, the number of people clicking event listings has nowhere near doubled over the same period. Taking my impression one step further (and at risk of generalising much too much): Covid has changed how many of us live our lives; we are still interested, but at least some of us are less inclined, or at least less in the habit, to actually participate.

For me, the saddest event of the year was the demise of the Just Picked farm in Yan Yean, with the owners transitioning into a well-earned retirement. This was sad partly because Just Picked had a unique place in food production in North East Melbourne being the only local farm that grew and sold direct to the public a wide range of both vegetables and fruit. But it was also sad because, whilst a lot of us talk about the importance of local food production, collectively we made little or no effort to retain what was one of the most important farms in the area.

Congratulations to some vibrant new and newish community gardens:

Congratulations, also, to some new and newish local food producers:

(In this lists above, ‘new and newish’ means ‘newish to me’ and not necessarily ‘newish to this world’!)

Recipe: Hubert’s hot pot from Yarra Valley Dairy

From the Visit Yarra Valley website.

Ingredients

Yarra Valley Dairy Hubert’s washed rind cow’s milk cheese
Cunliffe & Waters posh pickled onions
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped into 2cm wide pieces

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 200degC.

Unwrap the Hubert’s and place it in a ceramic or oven-proof dish. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the top of the cheese in a crisscross pattern so that the hot air can escape whilst cooking and not dry out the cheese.

Scoop a very generous tablespoon of posh pickled onions (or your favourite relish of choice) over the cheese and top with the rosemary.

Place it in the centre of the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the aroma of melted cheese starts to fill the room.

Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Gateway Yarra Valley page in our Local Food Directory.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Submitted by Olaf Falafel: It all starts innocently, mixing chocolate and rice bubbles. But before you know it, you’re adding raisins and marshmallows – it’s a rocky road.

As a bonus, here are some Christmas jokes:

A gingerbread man went to the doctor’s complaining of a sore knee. “A sore knee?” the doctor said. “Have you tried icing it?”

What did the snowman say to the aggressive carrot? ““Get out of my face.”

I got a Christmas card full of rice in the post today. I think it was from my Uncle Ben.

What is Santa’s favourite kind of pizza? One that’s deep-pan, crisp and even.

What do you call an old snowman? Water.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Here are the known changes to the normal schedules over the holiday period:

  • Abbotsford: not happening on 31st December.
  • Alphington: not happening on either 25th December or 1st January. An extra market on Thursday, 22nd December, 4-8.30pm.
  • Carlton: not happening on either 25th December or 1st January.
  • Coburg: not happening on 31st December.
  • Eltham: not happening on either 25th December or 1st January.
  • Heathmont: probably not happening on 1st January.
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 10th December, at 1-1.40pm and again at 2-2.40pm; $10; Forest Hill.

Learn how to make beeswax food wraps to keep your food fresh. Take along your own cotton fabric square to add your own personal touch to your wrap, or use fabric scraps provided.

Create healthy soil with compost; Sunday, 11th December, 3-4.30pm; free; Thornbury.

Join Kat Lavers for a look into compost, worms and bokashi, with options for small spaces and renters. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of each, how to avoid common mistakes and diagnose common problems. Organised by Span Community House.

In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 30 2022

Nov 302022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Henk Lustig, Laura Nix, Merrin Layden, Philip Stevenson, Robin Gale-Baker and Virginia Solomon.

Next week’s newsletter will be the last for the year.

How to grow mulberries (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[Robin has written an article for our website about how to grow mulberries. The article focuses on red (Morus rubra) and black (Morus nigra) fruiting mulberries. It does not discuss either the white shahoot (Morus macroura) – but read Jaimie Sweetman’s article on our website – or the inedible common mulberry (Morus alba), whose leaves are fed to silkworms. A summary of the article is given below.]

Before deciding to plant a mulberry, note that both the red and the black species will stain any surface under and surrounding the tree. They will also stain your fingers, but you can rub them with a wet mulberry leaf to remove the stain. The main varieties of the black mulberry in Australia are Black English and Hick’s Fancy (the latter having smaller fruit). The main variety of the red mulberry is Downing’s Everbearing.

Habit and conditions

The mulberry tree is a vigorous grower which prefers fertile, well-drained soil and a temperate climate. It does not like wet feet but needs water in summer if conditions are dry. Wherever it is planted, it is likely to be in full sun given its aptitude for quickly heading skyward, with particularly rapid growth in its first few years. Mulberries can grow up to 15 metres in height and 8 metres in width so are unsuited to small gardens. An alternative is to plant a weeping mulberry, which will grow to a height of 2-3 metres and width of 3-4 metres but can be pruned to keep it smaller. They can also be kept in pots or espaliered.

Fertilising

It is recommended that fertiliser be added in spring. If the leaves yellow and/or fruit drops prematurely, then that is an indication that fertiliser is needed.

Pruning

This is a thorny subject with a lot of conflicting advice from experts. Generally, the advice is to prune in winter. However the tree will then grow considerably in Spring and often the purpose of pruning is to reduce the size of the tree. In reaction, sometimes winter pruning is followed by a light summer prune after fruiting but this can be either difficult or impossible if the tree has grown too high.

Personally, I (Robin) follow the advice from Grow Great Fruit in Harcourt, Central Victoria, to prune two major branches from my tree in summer as this is the time that there is little vegetative growth and pruning then will keep my tree smaller.

Harvesting

The best way to harvest is to spread a tarpaulin beneath the tree and shake the tree!

Uses

Mulberries only last a couple of days after harvest so use them quickly or freeze them. They can be used in pies, muffins, jam, syrup, juice, ice cream or eaten fresh.

Read the full article.

Want a job?

Oakhill Farm in Preston are looking for a Community Farmer and Volunteer supervisor, 2 days a week starting in January. Closing date: 4th December. For more information, email Leila Alexandra (leila@sustainaustralia.org).

The Annie Borat community cupboard is no more

The Annie Borat community cupboard in Brunswick has closed down because the organisers have moved house.

Kevin Heinze Grow

From 5th to 22nd December, Kevin Heinze Grow are having a sale of all their plants and fruit trees at both their Coburg and Doncaster nurseries. 25% off 4 and 6 inch pots, 50% off 10 and 12 inch pots and 50% off all fruit trees. Their Coburg nursery is at 512 Sydney Road and their Doncaster nursery is at 39 Wetherby Road.

They are also trying to raise funds to develop a new cafe program at their Doncaster nursery. The cafe will provide training and support for young people with a disability and participants in the program will receive training in a range of skills, including customer service and barista skills. The new cafe will create a meeting place at the Doncaster site for the community to enjoy. You can donate online, by phone (9848 3695) or by direct bank transfer (Kevin Heinze Grow, BSB – 633 000, account number – 146 052 337).

Yarra Valley Gateway Estate (now Gateway Yarra Valley) is under new ownership

Gateway Yarra Valley in Coldstream is under new ownership. Whilst it still comprises a large, temperature-controlled hydroponic greenhouse, deli and cafe, the mix of things that are being grown and sold has changed.

In their greenhouse, which is massive, they are now growing a wide range of vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. As was explained to me by the new owner, Philip Stevenson, when I visited, shoppers can pick their produce directly from the plants.

In their deli, they are selling food from around 9 local food producers. This puts them 6th= in the list of shops in North East Melbourne which sell the most local food. Particular highlights are Yarra Valley Dairy (try their Huberts washed rind cheese) and Cunliffe & Waters (try their caramelised fig & quince jam).

They are having a ‘hard launch’ on Saturday, 10th December, 9am-5pm. Everyone welcome.

NERP at the next Eltham Farmers’ Market

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will have an information stall at the next Eltham Farmers’ Market (4th December). Their themes will be ‘low waste Christmas’ and ‘planet-preserving New Year’s resolutions’.

Developments in Nillumbik

Nillumbik Council wants to understand what skills or knowledge areas local landholders would be most interested to gain. To progress this, it has developed a short (5 minute) survey. Closing date: 19th December. Complete the survey.

Nillumbik Council is organising an open farm day on 18th March at Edendale. They would like Nillumbik-based farms and agricultural-based businesses to participate by having a stall, doing demonstrations, selling produce, bringing machinery or livestock, etc. If you are potentially interested, complete their expression of interest form.

‘Crowd harvest’ – seeds for Christmas

Gardeners with excess seeds are invited to send them in a Christmas card or holiday card to one of the not-for profit organisations listed below who will, in turn, either germinate the seeds, store them or distribute them to people facing crisis yet know how to start seeds. Please package the seeds in individual and labelled packages so that food relief recipients can easily take them home. The program runs from 1st December to 15th December.

DIVRS in Preston, Liberty Church at 25 Miller Street in Epping, STREAT in Collingwood or Carrington Health at Level 2, 43 Carrington Road, Box Hill, 3128. Alternatively, Tiny Trowel, PO Box 4076, Box Hill South, 3128.

More on the Age Good Food Guide Awards 2023

An inaugural award of this year’s the Age Good Food Guide Awards was the ‘Food for Good’ award, which is “an award celebrating innovation, social enterprise and sustainability while contributing to the wider community.” The winner was Abbotsford-based FareShare.

“Food charity FareShare is celebrating 21 years of operation, during which time it has cooked 20 million free meals for people doing it tough. Meals are created from rescued and donated ingredients supplemented by vegetables grown on FareShare’s own urban farms. A largely volunteer workforce of 10,000 is rostered at the Abbotsford headquarters and a Brisbane facility that opened in 2018. The nutritious meals that result are distributed to frontline charities throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.“

What seeds to plant in December

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Sweetcorn
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish
Perennial

Asparagus
Chives

 
December is not a very good planting month: arguably too late for many summer veggies and, although you can plant leafy greens such as lettuce and mustard greens, they are likely to go to seed pretty quickly.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Seeds of Plenty website.

Word of the month – Borborygmus

‘Borborygmus’, meaning intestinal rumbling caused by moving gas. Borborygmus is supposedly onomatopoeic – i.e. it sounds likes the thing that it describes.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Don’t try to teach your Grandmother how to suck eggs. Meaning: Don’t offer advice to someone who has more experience than you. This phrase dates back to the early 18th Century and the words ‘suck eggs’ were sometimes replaced by either ‘milk ducks’ or ‘steal sheep’. The origin of the phrase is not clear but, according to Wikipedia, it most likely “derives from the fact that before the advent of modern dentistry many elderly people (grandparents) had very bad teeth, or no teeth, so that the simplest way for them to eat protein was to poke a pinhole in the shell of a raw egg and suck out the contents; therefore, a grandmother was usually already a practiced expert on sucking eggs and didn’t need anyone to show her how to do it.”

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“Flowers are beautiful hieroglyphics of nature, with which she indicates how much she loves us.” by Wolfgang Von Goethe.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Smoking will kill you … Bacon will kill you … But, smoking bacon will cure it.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Banyule’s Urban Food Strategy – kitchen table conversation; Tuesday, 6th December, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Montmorency.

Banyule City Council, in partnership with Sustain, is developing an Urban Food Strategy. At this session, local residents will discuss the Banyule urban food system and how they would like it changed. The session will be hosted by local resident Dan Milne.

Formidable Vegetable + Mal Webb & Kylie Morrigan; Thursday, 8th December, 5-8.30pm; $27; CERES.

Formidable Vegetable’s first show in Naarm/Melbourne in three years will be a family-friendly picnic/BBQ.

Gateway Yarra Valley ‘hard launch’; Saturday, 10th December, 9am-5pm; free; Coldstream.

Gateway Yarra Valley is under new ownership and is hosting a ‘hard launch’ in the lead up to the festive season. As the new owner, Philip Stevenson, says: “There’s a fresh approach to food launching in Coldstream, at Gateway Yarra Valley. Cafe and farm shoppers can pick greens, herbs, fruit and flowers directly from the plants in a temperature-controlled greenhouse – so it’s about as fresh as you can get. With a range of produce grown on-site, and local artisanal goods and other staples, Gateway is on a mission to re-introduce people to the origins of their food by connecting the community back to the supply chain. The cafe’s seasonal menu includes freshly harvested produce from the greenhouse and is the perfect place to get a taste for the fresh future.”.

Corrections and clarifications

On Saturday, 3rd December, 1-3pm, Green Karma are organising an event called Heal with Food – Dementia in Eltham. In some (but not all) previous newsletters, this event was wrongly referred to as being about diabetes rather than dementia.

In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Menu planning for zero waste events; Thursday, 8th December, 1.30-2.45pm; free; Chirnside Park.

Organising an event can often leave you with leftover food which goes to waste. This can pose a challenge if you want a special meal and something memorable for your guests, but you want to take a sustainable approach without filling your bin. With a little creativity and some planning, you can host an impressive event with a clear conscience, less waste and lower budget. Presenters: Kirsty Bishop-Fox of Sustainable Pathways and Tamara Russell of Karhina Textiles.

In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 23 2022

Nov 232022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alison Jones, Anna Hetyey, Beth Ciesielski, Emma Hemsley, Helen Simpson, Jess Ness, Katrina Philip, Lisa Conley, Megan Goodman, Nick Rose and Sarah Willits.

As the nights get shorter, so do the newsletters.

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Nerida Kirov asked where she could buy some collard greens (aka colewart) seeds.

Anna Hetyey: The Seed Collection for georgia southern collards or Seeds of Plenty for morris heading collards. Note that Seeds of Plenty are local, being based in Eltham.

Community Grocer Carlton has re-started

Community Grocer’s Carlton market has re-started. Every Friday, 8am-midday, at the rear of 510 Lygon Street.

Per the Community Grocer website, “The Community Grocer is a not-for-profit social enterprise that runs fresh produce markets and programs to increase social, economic and physical access to fresh food.”

Some videos

A 1 minute video by Jon Buttery on how Banyule Council’s environmental grants have helped St Johns Riverside Community Garden in Heidelberg, including for new garden beds and a gazebo.

A 1 minute video by Paul Gale-Baker on how Banyule Council’s environmental grants have helped Macleod Organic Community Garden, including for water tanks, poly tunnels and wicking beds.

A 7 minute video by Simone Boyd on celebrating Spring garlic, which is garlic that is harvested early.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Pieter Bruegel the Elder is one of the most famous painters from the 16th Century. In contrast to his Reniassance counterparts, Bruegel often painted non-religious, everyday scenes. This one, dated 1566-69, is called The peasant wedding.

The Age Good Food Guide Awards 2023

In the Age Good Food Guide Awards 2023, a number of restaurants around North East Melbourne were awarded ‘hats’.

3 hats
  • Minamishima in Richmond.
2 hats
  • Cutler & Co. in Fitzroy.
  • Greasy Zoes in Hurstbridge.
  • Ides in Collingwood.
  • Kazuki’s in Carlton.
1 hat

By suburb:

  • Brunswick East (Etta).
  • Carlton (Carlton Wine Room, Di Stasio Carlton, Lagoon Dining, Scopri).
  • Carlton North (Enter Via Laundry).
  • Coldstream (Oakridge Winery).
  • Collingwood (Hope St Radio, Smith & Daughters, Smith St Bistrot).
  • Fitzroy (Marion, Poodle Bar & Bistro).
  • Fitzroy North (Lagotto, Matteo’s, Public Wine Shop, The Recreation Bistro & Bottleshop, Ryne).
  • Northcote (Vex Dining).
  • Reservoir (La Pinta).
  • Richmond (Jeow).
  • Yarra Glen (Heartswood, TarraWarra Estate).

Not local but interesting

Newsletter reader Alison Jones has written in.

“I love reading the varied, informative articles even though I live and garden in Oakleigh.” [Editor: that’s a good start, Alison!]

“Ashwood High School has decided, at short notice, to close its community garden of 16 years in order to site two new portables. We [the organisers of the garden] believe that the garden plays an important role in the local community because it is communal, open to all, and we can teach people how to grow food according to permaculture principles. By contrast, many of the other community gardens in South East Melbourne are allotments with long waiting lists. We also believe there are other places that the portables could be located.”

Sign the petition to save the community garden.

Meg’s garden this month

The rocket has gone to seed, but it is so loved by the bees that I can’t bear to pull it out. It will have to make way for the summer crops, but for now I am enjoying the pale heads interspersed with the purple flowers of the sage. The sage is a key ingredient in the make ahead Christmas stuffing that I prepare for Christmas each year (see recipe below).

Despite the very wet spring, I have been planting out eggplant, capsicum, chillies, tomatoes and beans in anticipation of warming weather. The rain has given everything a good start in the veggie patch, but it has unfortunately affected the stone fruit. I have what appears to be brown rot on the cherry and peach trees this year, so I am pruning to open up the trees to air and thinning and discarding affected fruit. Fingers crossed.

Make-ahead prosciutto-wrapped Christmas stuffing

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small green apple, finely diced
250g pork mince
250g sausage mince
1½ cups breadcrumbs
⅓ cup diced prunes
⅓ cup shelled pistachios
¼ cup finely chopped sage
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 slices of prosciutto

Lightly grease a 14cm by 24cm rectangle loaf tin. Line with prosciutto across the middle leaving the overhang along the sides of the tin.

Fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft, add the apple and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Add the minces, breadcrumbs, prunes, pistachios, and sage. Season well.

Press the mince mixture into the prepared tin and then fold over sides of the prosciutto. Bake at 180degC for about 35-40 minutes.

Cool for about 20 minutes before turning out. Alternatively, can be frozen in the tin and re-heated for Christmas day.

Read other recipes by Megan on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Nillumbik’s Community Grow Guide by Angharad Neal-Williams.

Angharad promoted the existence of the guide at the last Eltham Farmers’ market (see photo right).

As Sarah Willits from Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough said: “That grow guide is amazing! Please thank the author.”

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

Did you get a bowl of soup with that haircut?

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Regenerative urban design: coupling food reconnection with pollinator biodiversity in the public space; Thursday, 24th November, 4.45-7pm; free; CBD.

Dr Barbara Ribeiro will share insights from the Regenerative Urban Design project at Monarch Park in Waharoa (NZ), which reconnects people with place while feeding pollinators at the same time. Following Barbara’s presentation, Kelly Donati, from Sustain: The Australian Food Network, will present the findings from their Growing Edible Cities and Towns report, which included a mapping and survey of the urban agriculture sector in Victoria and which provided a roadmap for moving forward.

Twilight pop-up plant sale plus summer veggie growing tips; Thursday, 1st December, 5-7pm; free; Pascoe Vale South.

Karen Sutherland’s plant sale of edible and other native plants including: creeping saltbush, dwarf lilly pilly, evergreen clematis, flax lilies, hop goodenia, inland pigface, mat rush, midyim berry, native mint, native thyme, native violet, nodding saltbush, running postman, strawberry gums and yam daises. Most plants $6 each or 2 for $10.

Banyule’s Urban Food Strategy – community co-design workshop; Saturday, 3rd December, 9am-12.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Banyule City Council, in partnership with Sustain, is developing an Urban Food Strategy. At this workshop, they will share the findings from their research thus far, collectively develop a shared vision for Banyule’s urban food system and explore the key drivers for local food system change.

Summer fruit tree pruning with Chris England; Saturday, 3rd December, 10am-1pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Richmond.

Using the demonstration fruit trees in the orchard of the Burnley Gardens, you will learn to summer prune fruit trees to get maximum fruit. Chris will also demonstrate how to get fruit on espalier fruit trees. This is a small group workshop, where you will ‘have a go’ under an expert’s watchful eye. Suitable for either beginners or as a refresher for experienced pruners.

Train the trainer masterclass: Queensland fruit fly; Saturday, 3rd December, 1-3pm; free; online.

You will learn a wide variety of control and management options for Queensland fruit fly that you will be able to apply in your own community. There will also be an opportunity to role play and practice your community education skills during the latter part of the workshop. After this training, participants will be asked to commit to running their own Queensland fruit fly session(s) based on the knowledge gained. Facilitated by Bronwyn Koll. Organised by Whittlesea Council.

How to manage garden vandals; Saturday, 10th December, 10am-midday; $15; Ringwood.

What to do about possums and other garden vandals. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Mushroom growing 101; Wednesday, 14th December, 6.30-9.30pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Festive fix with thermomix class; Sunday, 27th November, 2-4pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Preston.

The menu will feature: pink lemonade; hazelnut brioche; turkey breast roulade with apple & sage stuffing with gravy; German cinnamon stars; salmon filo spiral; and oriental brown rice salad. Presenter: Teresa Assi.

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Tuesday, 6th December, 6-8.30pm; $70 ($28 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) & pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas.

No coconut Thai; Sunday, 11th December, 10am-2pm; $160 ($40 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. This menu will introduce you to the flavours of northern Thai food. On the menu will be: grabong (northern Thai pumpkin fritters with karchai, a rhizome with a flavour not unlike saffron); khao lao (crispy rice ball salad with an Asian mushroom medley and nam jinn dressing); gaeng som bplaa (sour orange fish curry with fresh peppercorn and bamboo); and nam prik noom (green chilli and coriander dip served with vegetables and sticky rice). You will learn: how to make roasted rice powder essential for nam jinn sauce; how to make a curry paste from scratch; how to cook perfect sticky rice; and how to balance sweet salty, sour flavours essential for Thai cooking.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 16 2022

Nov 152022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angharad Neal-Williams, Lucy Piper, Mel Miles, Mon Lukas, Nerida Kirov, Nick Rose, Pam Jenkins, Rob Body and Susan Palmer.

Nillumbik’s Community Grow Guide has now been published

As it says in the introduction: “Nillumbik’s Community Grow Guide is an easy-to-follow guide to vegetable gardening in Nillumbik. The illustrated booklet guides you through some popular vegetables to plant, how to care for them and how to save seeds. Gardening advice can be overwhelming for a beginner. There is a lot of information available describing different climates, soil types and weather conditions. This guide provides simple advice that is specific to the Nillumbik area. The importance of gardening for our physical and mental wellbeing is widely acknowledged and this illustrated guide provides an accessible entry point for beginner gardeners.

“Nillumbik’s Community Grow Guide aims to encourage more people to start gardening, connect with a community of gardeners and experience the joy that is associated with being outdoors and producing your own food.”

View/download the guide (pdf). Alternatively, pick up a hard copy at any of Edendale Farm, Eltham Library, Hurstbridge Hub, Nillumbik Nursery, Wadambuk St Andrews Community Centre, or seed libraries throughout Banyule & Nillumbik.

The author of the guide is local artist Angharad Neal-Williams.

The Alphington Community Food Hub

Last week’s article about Nick Rose mentioned Sustain’s involvement in something called ‘the Melbourne Food Hub’ in Alphington. Lucy Piper, from Melbourne Farmers Markets, has now written in to point out that there are actually two food hubs next to each other (with the same postal address!) and that Sustain is only involved in one of these hubs, namely the Melbourne Food Hub.

The other food hub is called the ‘Alphington Community Food Hub’ and is operated by Melbourne Farmers Markets. Its activities includes the Alphington Farmers Market, a food growing area, a commercial kitchen, a depot and leasing to some small food-related enterprises (including Bakeshop Alphington, Reground and The Practical Beekeeper).

Melbourne Food Hub is operated by Sustain. Its activities include an urban farm, a classroom and leasing to some small food-related enterprises (including Farmwall, Sporadical City Mushrooms and The Mushroomery).

Lucy has kindly provided a map of the Alphington Community Food Hub site (see right) which hopefully clarifies some of this.

Note that there are some upcoming food tours at Alphington Community Food Hub on Sunday, 27th November at 10am and again at midday.

A changing of the guard at Diamond Creek (by Pam Jenkins)

After 8 years of coordinating the care of the Chute Street planter boxes in Diamond Creek, I (Pam) have handed their care on to Thrive Community Garden.

The planter boxes were established in 2014 by the Diamond Creek Traders with support from Local Food Connect, Thrive Community Garden, The NICE Foundation and Nillumbik Council. Their objective is to grow attractive edibles for passers-by to be able to pick and eat. I think that we succeeded with that for most of the time.

Since 2014, with the help of a revolving band of volunteers and students from Diamond Creek Primary School (DCPS), we have planted fed, watered, weeded, tidied and harvested many vegetables and flowers. The flowers are mostly edible and all attract beneficial insects.

In closing, I would like to thank all those who have helped in various ways including, but not limited to: all the volunteers; the DCPS students and staff; Diamond Creek Traders (for allowing me to purchase goods on their account at Mitre 10); Local Food Connect (for financial and moral support); Beales Road Farm (for supplying plants); Josh and May (who looked after the sunny side last year); the shopkeepers (who watered in the young seedlings for a few days until they got established); the shops (for allowing us to fill our watering cans from their taps); Nillumbik Council (for filling the water reservoirs over the past year); the people who harvested and ate the food we produced; and the passers-by who stopped to chat and those that admired our work.

The photo is of ‘the handover’, from me (Pam) to Sarah and Giuliana from Thrive.

Where can you get the best panettone in the southern hemisphere?

The answer is Eltham, at the Old Evropa bakery in Eltham Village. And that’s official: Tatiana Coluccio, from Old Evropa, has just won ‘Best Panettone Extra European 2022’ in the ‘Panettone World Cup’ (aka Coppa del Mondo del Panettone). In other words, Tatiana makes the best panettone outside of Europe!

Note: panettone is an Italian sweet bread which includes raisins and citrus.

Also note: Old Evropa sell all sorts of yummy pastries, not just panettone.

Do you know?

Nerida Kirov asks: “Where can I buy some collard greens (aka colewart) seeds or seedlings? They are a cultivar of Brassica oleracea“. Email me with your answers.

A grant opportunity

Using their income from their garden openings etc, Open Gardens Victoria runs a grant program, called ‘Giving Program’, which provides grants for horticultural activities. Applications for up to $10K are currently open. Closing date: 30th November. Read their guidelines. Download an application form.

More on recycling depots

Rob Body has written in to say that Boroondara Council has a depot in Riversdale Road that accepts styrene, cardboard, paint, oil, electrical and batteries (all free except that there is fee for mattresses). You may (or may not) need a rate notice.

Soft plastics recycling on pause

Per REDcycle, consumer recycling of soft plastic has increased 350% since 2019. Per ABC News, the Australian government has a target of 70% of plastic packaging being recycled or composted by 2025 compared to just 16% currently. So, what do you think has just happened?

Yes, that’s right, both Coles and Woolworths have announced that they are no longer accepting soft plastics for recycling. This is apparently because their recycling partner, REDcycle, has paused its soft plastics collection program. Read what Coles, REDcycle, ABC News and The Guardian are saying on the subject.

Some recipe ideas for using leeks

No potato leek soup

Following my request last week, Susan Palmer has sent in the following recipe.

Ingredients
2 stalks leek (around 300 grams)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 stock cubes (veg or chicken)
1 litre water
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Wash the leeks thoroughly and then cut into 3cm pieces.

Saute the leeks and onions in the olive oil in a 2 litre pot until they become translucent.

Add the water, bay leaves and stock cube and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 30 minutes, then discard the bay leaves.

Whiz the soup with a hand blender until it has the desired consistency. Add more water (boiling) if desired.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Some other ideas

From Mel Miles:

  • Replace onion with leek in a risotto. It adds an extra depth of flavour. It pairs particularly well with pumpkin and mushroom.
  • A simple side dish: Saute finely sliced leeks with olive oil and salt until starting to brown. Add new season fresh asparagus, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, juice from half a lemon and a pinch of chilli flakes. Saute until the asparagus is how you like it. Take it to the next level with crumbled plant-based or dairy feta on top. You can also use other greens rather than asparagus.
  • Shannon’s kale and leek bake.
  • Kimchi miso hotpot.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Facebook page of the new All About Beekeeping Supplies shop in Diamond Creek.

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

A duck walks in a bar, orders a beer and says “put it on my bill.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Farmer Incubator’s garlic fiesta; Saturday, 19th November, 10am-midday; free; Brunswick East.

This year a little garlic patch has been tucked away in a corner of CERES with two participants in the program. Join them to celebrate their hard work, take a tour of the site and participate in a garlic branding workshop.

Edible garden workshop; Saturday, 19th November, 10.30am-midday; free; Epping.

Learn how to establish your own garden at home and how to care for it. The subjects to be covered include soils, composting, seasonal planting and mulching. Organised by Greenbrook Community House.

Nonna knows best with Jaclyn Crupi; Thursday, 24th November, 11am-12.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Jaclyn Crupi will share the wisdom of nonnas, including recipes, tips, sayings and advice. She will also give a pasta making demonstration complete with tips for different pasta shapes. Organised by Diamond Valley Library

Soil health with Kat Lavers; Wednesday, 7th December, 5-7.30pm; free; Forest Hill.

This workshop will cover soil types and the role of microbes, fungi and invertebrates. You will also hear about low-cost and free resources for improving your soil.

Wilam-nganjin community garden opening (Reservoir); Thursday, 8th December, 3-6pm; free; Reservoir.

This is the official opening of this new community garden space. They will be officially naming the space wilam-nganjin (‘our place’ in Woi wurrung), along with a Welcome to Country, some fun gardening activities for kids, free food and music. Everyone and anyone is welcome. Click here to read about the garden.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Gingerbread house decoration; Sunday, 4th December, 10.30am-midday; $46 ($31 per hour); Camberwell.

This workshop is for children aged 7+. The child will decorate their own pre-constructed gingerbread house. Use royal icing to attach a variety of sweets and lollies. Decorate a range of Xmas tree, gingerbread man, hearts and candy cane cookies as part of the Christmas scene.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 9 2022

Nov 092022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Harry Ladopoulos and Virginia Solomon.

A chat with Nick Rose (by Ann Stanley)

[Many of the November events currently being advertised in this newsletter are part of something called Urban Agriculture Month. Urban Agriculture Month is an initiative being run by Sustain: the Australian Food Network. The Executive Director of Sustain is Nick Rose. Ann recently met Nick for a chat. Here is a summary of what was said. Read Ann’s full article.]

Nick believes that it is important to understand the collective contribution of people growing edible gardens in cities all over the world and encourages us to see ourselves as part of a movement that goes far beyond our own backyard. He also believes that access to good food at all times is a human right and is fundamental to the dignity of a person. And he advocates for a participatory and democratic food system in which decisions are not made in boardrooms and the lobbies of governments.

Consistent with these beliefs, Sustain promotes collective action towards the development of new food systems for cities and is working towards acknowledgement by local, state and federal governments of a defined ‘urban agriculture’ sector in this country.

Nick’s views have been shaped in part by observing innovative models of urban agriculture from around the world, including La Via Campasina in Indonesia and elsewhere (an international peasants’ movement of small farmers and indigenous people) and the city of Seoul’s plan to allocate billions of dollars to urban farming projects.

Nick and Sustain have been involved in a number of local projects, including the Melbourne Food Hub, the Cardinia food circles project and Oakhill Food Justice Farm.

The Melbourne Food Hub in Alphington is the location of the Alphington Farmers’ Market. At the site, there is also an urban farm, a community kitchen and a food distribution business, as well as enterprises such as Sporadical City Mushrooms.

The Cardinia food circles project promotes a fair food system for all Cardinia Shire residents, emphasising food literacy in the community, promoting fresh, seasonal, local produce, and advocating to ‘control the density and proximity of fast-food outlets to vulnerable communities’ as well as for creating livelihood opportunities in food production and distribution.

Oakhill Food Justice Farm operates out of an abandoned vicarage in Preston, where the land is planted out with veggies, maintained by volunteers, and with all the produce given away.

Nick says that local councils in Australia have been at the forefront of government support for the emerging urban agriculture sector but, says Nick, so far State and Federal Governments have been harder to influence, still viewing urban agriculture as a hobby and a niche not big enough for them to deal with.

So, to summarise, Nick argues that the local food movement is much broader than just growing healthy food – it is also about human rights, dignity and social justice and can be seen in a new political ecology at the global level responsive to the climate and poverty challenges we face globally.

Having read some of Nick’s views, what thoughts have they stimulated for you? How much food could we grow in urban Melbourne? How much vacant land could be unlocked in Melbourne by local councils? How much food could be grown on verges and in new housing developments? Could every suburb sustain a community garden? Are you just planting a garden or are you part of a global movement for positive change?

Read Ann’s full article.

A new local coffee roaster: Specialty Coffee Army

Specialty Coffee Army, who are based in Mernda, are a small, specialty coffee roastery who sell both freshly roasted coffee beans and ground coffee. They also have a coffee trailer, which sells batch brew and pour over coffee. They roast only specialty coffee beans graded at 82+ using a gas roasting machine, following a precise manual roasting method for each batch, creating roasting profiles that match the specific origin of the beans. These profiles cover such subjects as the appropriate grinding methods and the right water temperature using different brewing methods such as batch brew, pour over, gravity press and cold brew. Their single origin coffees come from a wide variety of places, including Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Yemen. They only source their coffee beans through importers that have followed strict specialty coffee rules, including trading ethically with the producers. To help reduce plastic waste, they use recyclable coffee bags that meet RedCycle’s standards.

You can buy their coffee beans and ground coffee online. You can also find them at a number of local markets, including Eltham Farmers’ Market, South Morang Farmers’ and Makers’ Market and Thomastown Trash and Treasure Market.

Read their Local Food Directory page.

Welcome Harry!

A new beekeeping shop in Diamond Creek

All About Beekeeping Supplies is located at 21b Station Street, Diamond Creek.

Open 5 days a week, from Friday to Tuesday.

We have more pea seedlings to give away

Thanks to the 20 or so people who have taken advantage of our pea seedling giveaway over the last week.

Our stocks have now been replenished(!), particularly of the snow pea seedlings. So, if you would like some sugar snap or snow pea seedlings, email me and we’ll arrange a day and time. Pick up from my house in Eltham.

This offer is also open to people who have already picked up some of the seedlings! Just email me if you want more.

In passing, some of the people picking up pea seedlings mentioned that they have just harvested the leeks from Bruno Tigani’s last giveaway. If you have any good recipes for leeks, it would be great if you could email them to us for publication in a future newsletter.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Old woman frying eggs is a painting by Spanish painter Diego Velazquez and was painted around 1618 (when Velazquez was in his late teens). Unusually for its time, it is a ‘genre painting’, which means that it depicts ordinary life by portraying ordinary people engaged in ordinary activities (rather than gods etc with no clothes on!). It is also notable for its ‘chiaroscuro’ (cf. shading), with different parts of the painting ranging from bright light to almost total darkness. And, finally, it is a precursor to ‘photorealism’, which is where the painting looks as realistic as if it were a photograph. To summarise, it is a photorealistic, chiaroscuro, genre painting of a woman frying some eggs painted by a teenager around 600 years ago.

P.s. Some people think that the woman is poaching eggs rather than frying them.

Not food-related but interesting

Artist Kathy Holowko has been working with some children in Boroondara “to envision a city where all humans, plants and animals live together, inspiring solutions for us to coexist“. The resulting exhibition of ‘Wild City’ is available for viewing at Hawthorn Arts Centre, 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn from now until 3rd December. Watch a video about the project.

Another not food-related but interesting

Whittlesea Council have just published a list of their recycling stations where you can drop off any of:

  • X-rays.
  • Printer cartridges.
  • Mobile phones and accessories.
  • Cameras and accessories.
  • DVDs and CDs.
  • VHS/video and audio cassette tapes.
  • Fluorescent light globes and tubes.
  • Small e-waste items like iPods and MP3 players.

The recycling stations are located at:

  • Lalor Library, 2A May Road, Lalor.
  • Mill Park Library, 394 Plenty Road, Mill Park.
  • Thomastown Library, 52 Main Street, Thomastown.
  • Whittlesea Library, 57-61 Laurel Street, Whittlesea.
  • Civic Centre, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang.
  • Epping Depot, 68-96 Houston Street, Epping.
  • Galada Community Centre, 10a Forum Way, Epping.
  • Jindi Family Community Centre, 48 Breadalbane Avenue, Mernda.
  • Laurimar Activity Centre, 110 Hazel Glen Drive, Doreen.
  • Mernda Village Community Centre, 70 Mernda Village Drive, Mernda.
  • Riverside Community Centre, 8 Doreen Rogen Way, South Morang.
  • Shared Cup Cafe, 995 Donnybrook Road, Donnybrook.

Does anyone have any equivalent lists, or links to any equivalent lists, for our other local councils? If so, email them to me.

And more on recycling options

Recycle Mate is a website where you enter your address and the thing(s) that you would like to recycle and it (hopefully) tells you your local recycling options.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Simone Boyd’s video on planting heirloom tomato seedlings.

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

Did I say feelings? I meant, uhhh, sandwiches. I have sandwiches for you.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

NERP will have an information stall at Sunday’s Eltham Farmers’ Market, their theme being ‘unusual edibles’.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Cheese and beer masterclass; Thursday, 24th November, 7-9pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Preston.

6 cheeses will be matched with 6 beers. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing and Cheese Culture.

Good Food and Wine Show Christmas Market; Friday, 25th November, 4-9pm, Saturday, 26th November, 10am-5pm, and Sunday, 27th November, 10am-5pm; $10; Carlton.

There will be around 50 stallholders plus wine tasting and some cooking demonstrations.

Heal with food – dementia; Saturday, 3rd December, 1-3pm; $8; Eltham.

Dr Peter Johnston will discuss whether or not dementia can be prevented and the connections or otherwise between diets and dementia. This is one of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Future talks will cover such subjects as asthma, cancer, depression & anxiety, obesity and reproductive health. Organised by Green Karma.

Formidable Vegetable house concert and Christmas party; Tuesday, 6th December, 6-9pm; $42 ($14 per hour); Eltham.

Join Formidable Vegetable for a house concert. Bring a picnic and a cushion or a folding chair. No alcohol. Listen to their well known song, Yield. Listen to more of their music. Watch a sample video.

How to navigate Christmas with chronic illness; Sunday, 11th December, 2-4.30pm; $11; Eltham.

Learn how to manage your physical and mental health during festivities, followed by a cooking demonstration on healthy baking. Organised by Green Karma.

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Festive fix with thermomix class; Saturday, 12th November, 11am-1pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Eltham.

The menu features: pink lemonade; hazelnut brioche; turkey breast roulade with apple & sage stuffing with gravy; German cinnamon stars; salmon filo spiral; and oriental brown rice salad. Presenters: Tess Murray and Jodie Hodgett.

Mexican cooking class (plant-based); Saturday, 12th November, 7-9pm; $38 ($19 per hour); Collingwood.

The menu will comprise: nachos; guacamole with tomatoes; re-fried beans with cumin flavours; eggless mayonnaise; and pina colada (zero alcohol). Presenter: Sammohini.

Festive fix with thermomix class; Thursday, 17th November, 7-9pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Blackburn North.

The menu features: pink lemonade; hazelnut brioche; turkey breast roulade with apple & sage stuffing with gravy; German cinnamon stars; salmon filo spiral; and oriental brown rice salad. Presenter: Kaye Jones.

Festive fix with thermomix class; Monday, 28th November, 7.30-9.30pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Mooroolbark.

The menu features: pink lemonade; hazelnut brioche; turkey breast roulade with apple & sage stuffing with gravy; German cinnamon stars; salmon filo spiral; and oriental brown rice salad. Presenters: Jodie Hodgett, Shantell Taylor and Nicole Miller.

Laksa masterclass; Saturday, 3rd December, 11am-1.30pm; $128 ($51 per hour); Brunswick.

Linh and June will show you have to make laksa. You will also get to take home a sample of their laksa paste.

Middle Eastern cooking; Sunday, 4th December, 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.

Kraut, kefir, kimchi & kvass; Saturday, 10th December, 1-5pm; $365 ($91 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course; a jar of kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir with SCOBY and a jar of kvass – including jars and airlocks for fermenting at home.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News November 2 2022

Nov 022022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bruno Tigani, Emma Wasson, Jaimie Sweetman, John Stock, Pauline Webb and Sarah Mathers.

Apple berry (Billardiera scandens) by Jaimie Sweetman

Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.

Apple berry is a bush tucker plant that grows naturally along the coast and tablelands of every state and territory in Australia except Northern Territory and Western Australia. Because of this, it adaptable to our climates and soils and will even grow under a eucalypt. Once established, they actually cope quite well in acidic or alkaline soils and in clay, loam or sandy soils.

If given the proper climbing structure, it will climb (we grow ours up the tree pillars in the forest). They also act well as either a groundcover or small shrub.

The fruit tastes similar to stewed apple or kiwifruit, and are either eaten raw when ripe or roasted.

The flowers, which appear in October and November, are bell shaped yellow to pink and form in clusters.

In summary, apple berry is a good choice for bush tucker areas, native gardens or for an interesting climber that is easy to grow and maintain.

Want some free sugar snap or snow pea seedlings?

Courtesy of Bruno Tigani, we have lots of both sugar snap and snow pea seedlings to give away. Say, up to 20 seedlings per person (or more for community gardens). Pick up from my house in Eltham. If interested, email me and we’ll arrange a day and time.

Wait a minute, I hear you ask, aren’t peas a cool season crop rather than warm season one? Well, yes and no. Standard garden peas are certainly a cool season crop and shouldn’t be planted at this time of year. But sugar snap peas can be grown all year round and, Bruno tells me, the same is true of his snow pea seedlings.

More on pomegranates

Following Robin’s article last week on growing pomegranates, John Stock, President of Eastland Multicultural Garden has sent in a picture of some pomegranate flowers.

Volunteer opportunities at Fawkner Wholefoods Collective

Fawkner Wholefoods Collective bring fresh, mostly Victorian-grown/made, food to Fawkner. They currently have a number of vacancies on their committee, including one paid role (Marketing and Community Engagement).

An interview with Lee Tozzi

Open Food Network recently interviewed Lee Tozzi, Food Systems Officer at the Merri-bek City Council (formerly the City of Moreland), about why it is important to focus on food systems, the benefits of including the community in this process and how Open Food Network has been able to help them connect with, and empower, Merri-bek residents.

Are you a young person living in Whittlesea or Darebin?

Sustain and the Just Food Collective are partnering to deliver a food justice, education and gardening program with young people living in Whittlesea and Darebin. The participants will attend 6 workshops (located in either Preston or Epping, depending on which group you join) and will participate in garden maintenance, cooking sessions and material creation (zine + film). Closing date for applications: 5th November. Read more and potentially apply.

A new video from Simone Boyd

Planting out heirloom tomato seedlings.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the page of pictures of owl and related veggie trays.

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

What did the hungry computer eat? Chips, one byte at a time.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard chooks; Saturday, 5th November, 10-11am; free; Richmond.

Elise McNamara will discuss: best breeds for urban backyards and where and how to buy healthy poultry; health checks, parasites and symptoms of illness and which products actually work; the best feeders, drinkers, coops/houses for backyards; managing chicken litter in Melbourne weather; feeding – what to feed and what not to; how to catch and hold a chicken; common behaviour issues; caring for chickens in a Melbourne summer heat wave; and a care routine guide that you can adapt to the needs of your flock. Organised by Richmond Community Learning Centre.

Minature tomato bushes; Wednesday, 9th November, 8-10pm; free; Doncaster East.

Dan from Seeds of Plenty will speak about all things tomatoes including his minature bushes (full size fruit) which he grows for seed.

Rosé blending workshop; Saturday, 19th November, 5-7pm; $49 ($18 per hour); Brunswick East.

Learn about the different methods of rosé-making as you taste your way through some wines, snack on some cheeseboards and make a bottle of your own custom blend to take home.

Growing gourmet mushrooms; Sunday, 20th November, 10-11am; free; Kensington.

Learn do it yourself and zero waste home cultivation methods to grow your own gourmet mushrooms. Presenter: Emma Wasson from Mycelium Futures. Following the workshop, you will enjoy a light lunch of a variety of oyster mushrooms on (sourdough or gluten-free) toast in Kensington Stockyard Food Garden. The mushrooms will be supplied by Melbourne Mushrooms Urban Farmers. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit (prepared during the workshop).

Low cost vegetable gardening; Sunday, 20th November, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Coburg.

Karen Sutherland, from Edible Eden Design, will take you through some easy and practical ways to grow food and save money.

Garden like a nonno with Jaclyn Crupi; Wednesday, 23rd November, 10-11am; free; Whittlesea.

Jaclyn Crupi will share her knowledge about soil health and improvement, composting, worm farms and fertilisers that you can make at home. She will explain how to save seeds from your own vegetable plants to use next season, germinate seeds, plant seedlings and protect them. Keeping chickens, maintaining gardening tools and preserving what you grow will also be touched on.

Spring and Summer planting; Sunday, 27th November, 10.30am-midday; free; Brunswick.

Angelo Eliades, from Deep Green Permaculture, will cover what to plant in spring and summer, how to keep your garden healthy and natural pest control tips for the warmer months.

Rosé blending workshop; Saturday, 3rd December, 5-7pm; $49 ($18 per hour); Brunswick East.

Learn about the different methods of rosé-making as you taste your way through some wines, snack on some cheeseboards and make a bottle of your own custom blend to take home.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 10th December, 10.30am-12.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a fascinating walk on the wild side, foraging for edible weeds.

Bush foods & herbs for courtyards & balconies; Thursday, 15th December, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden.

What you will learn: which native produce-plants are suitable for growing in pots and small spaces; what to harvest and when; and how to use bush foods and herbs to flavour your dishes. Presented by Karen Sutherland of Edible Eden Design. Australian native plants have flavour and aroma profiles unlike any others, and can be easily incorporated into your kitchen. Also, a wide range of them can be grown in Melbourne in pots or small and difficult spaces. In this class, which is ideal for those with limited garden space or even just a courtyard or balcony, you will explore the world of edible native Australian plants that are easy to grow in such spaces, attractive to look at and can easily add flavour and interest to your home-cooked dishes. All plants covered are suitable for Melbourne’s climate, and will be discussed in terms of how best to use and grow them in your garden.

Growing gourmet mushrooms; Sunday, 18th December, 10-11am; free; Kensington.

Learn do it yourself and zero waste home cultivation methods to grow your own gourmet mushrooms. Presenter: Emma Wasson from Mycelium Futures. Following the workshop, you will enjoy a light lunch of a variety of oyster mushrooms on (sourdough or gluten-free) toast in Kensington Stockyard Food Garden. The mushrooms will be supplied by Melbourne Mushrooms Urban Farmers. You will take home your own mushroom growing kit (prepared during the workshop).

In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Inner peas – cooking program (4 sessions); On 4 consecutive Wednesdays, starting 16th November, each 5.30-7.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Inner Peas is a social cooking program for people aged 16-25. The program aims to help you make easy, healthy and affordable recipes as well as make new friends and learn strategies to take care of your mental health. Each week, you will make and then share a meal. Week 1: Mexican. Week 2: Indian 1: Italian. Week . Week 4: Korean.

No waste cook club – make your own preserves; Saturday, 19th November, 11am-midday; free; Forest Hill.

Learn from Open Table about reducing food waste and how to make preserves such as jams and chutneys.

Vegan paella masterclass & flamenco show; Sunday, 20th November, 1.30-5pm; $106 ($30 per hour); Brunswick.

Chef Itxaso Sanchez will show you how to make a vegetarian paella plus a sangria cocktail. At the end, there will be flamenco dancers.

Milk kefir love; Wednesday, 23rd November, 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Spanish vegan tapas workshop; Sunday, 27th November, 1.30-5pm; $115 ($33 per hour); Brunswick.

Chef Itxaso Sanchez will show you recipes to create 4 tapas, 1 dessert and 1 cocktail.

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 30th November, 6.30-8pm; $120 ($80 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

Christmas gingerbread house making; Friday, 2nd December, 7.30-9.30pm; $40 for two people ($10 per hour); Diamond Creek.

You will share a light supper, followed by a short Christmas talk from a guest speaker, before creating your gingerbread house – complete with an abundance of lollies, gingerbread people and snow. You’ll be able to take it home all wrapped up ready for Christmas or to gift to someone.

In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 26 2022

Oct 262022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Andrea Bendrups, Harry Ladopoulos, Lucy Piper, Nathacha Subero and Robin Gale-Baker.

How to grow pomegranates (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Robin has written an article on how to grow pomegranates.

Robin introduces the article by suggesting that you “plant a tree which will give you glossy green leaves, turning to mellow tones in autumn, pretty red flowers attractive to honey eaters, plus tart, ruby seeds and refreshing tangy juice.”

Her first tip is that you plant your pomegranate in the hottest part of the garden as the fruit need maximum sun exposure to fully ripen. Pomegranates prefer slightly acidic, well drained soil but will grow in a range of soils, including poor and heavy ones. The tree will take 3 years to fruit.

Robin recommends growing the ‘Wonderful’ variety. If you want to grow in a pot, she recommends the dwarf ‘Nana’ variety.

Her second tip is that you water deeply in the first 6 months, 2-3 times a week depending on how hot it is. After that, water once deeply each week.

Her third tip is that you only prune lightly. In the initial establishment phase, prune to a main trunk with 4-5 branches coming off it to form the frame. [Editor: or alternatively, if you want to grow it as a multi trunked shrub, select up to, say, 6 trunks.] Subsequently, in the yearly pruning: prune any suckers from around the base, prune lightly in autumn after harvest and do not tip prune all branches as pomegranates produce on spurs on these tips as well as on spurs further along the branches. In winter, remove any dead, diseased or damaged wood. Thin out wood that has borne fruit for several years to allow new branches to develop and also prune out thin, whippy branches.

It is difficult to net pomegranate trees because they have sharp spikes so Robin recommends spraying the fruit with kaolin clay to deter Queensland fruit fly, or using large net sleeves over individual fruit. [Editor: netting individual fruit is also a way of deterring king parrots, who appear to be particularly partial to pomegranates.]

It is also difficult to judge when the fruit is fully ripe, and this is problematic because the fruit will not ripen further once picked. One indication of ripeness is that the colour of the fruit deepens, the shiny skin turns matte and the shape changes from a ball shape to a slightly 6 sided configuration. The fruit will also begin to split and this indicates that all the fruit is ready for harvest.

Pomegranate juice is used for both cold drinks (including Grenadine cordial) and for making pomegranate molasses (of which there are plenty of recipes on the internet). The seeds are used to flavour and garnish Middle Eastern and Moroccan dishes, both savoury and sweet.

Read the full article.

The Foodprint Melbourne project is beginning a new phase

The Foodprint Melbourne research project began in 2015. Its 3rd phase – Building the resilience of Melbourne’s food system – has just finished and its 4th phase – Victorian food resilience planning project – is just starting.

The main report from the 3rd phase was entitled Building the resilience of Melbourne’s food system – a roadmap. Read/download the full report (82 pages). Read/download a summary briefing (8 pages).

Another article by Angelo Eliades

Seven good reasons why you should mulch your garden!. Here, in summary, are Angelo’s 7 reasons:

  1. Inhibits weed growth.
  2. Prevents soil erosion and compaction by rainfall.
  3. Adds organic matter to improve soil structure.
  4. Creates a habitat for beneficial organisms.
  5. Helps retain soil moisture and reduces evaporative water losses from soil surface.
  6. Reduces soil temperatures in summer.
  7. Reduces the spread of fungal disease spores.

What seeds to plant in November

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

Warm season veggies

Beans
Cucumber
Gourd
Okra
Peanut
Pumpkin
Sweetcorn

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Rocket
Silverbeet

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish
Sweet potato

Perennial

Asparagus
Chives
Globe artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke

Compared with October, the list gets a bit shorter, with some summer veggies dropping off (e.g. rockmelon, watermelon and zucchini) and with nothing added. But there’s still lots that you can plant during November. Or, of course, you can buy seedlings for any of the summer veggies.

Some articles you might have missed over the last month

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The picture is of an owl veggie tray.

If you like this sort of thing, here are some more.

Not local but interesting

The Basin Food Is Free Project and Community Garden comprises a free (open 7 days) food garden and an adjacent community garden with rented garden plots, plus a range of activities to promote food growing.

Details of most of their activities are discussed in the flyer below (the left hand image). They include regular garden working bees, a monthly harvest swap/share on the 3rd Saturday of the month, and workshops. They also have ‘free veggie seeds’ boxes in a few local cafes and shops.

Their next workshop is on the subject of edible succulents, including a cooking demonstration. Sunday, 13th November, midday-1pm. Cost: $30. See the right hand image below.

  

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article about using plant-based foam to kill weeds.

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

What starts with T, ends with T, and is filled with T? A teapot.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Oakhill Farm tour; 8 occurrences at 10-11am and again at 11am-midday on each of Saturday, 5th November, Saturday, 12th November, Saturday, 19th November and Saturday, 26th November; free; Preston.

Tour this emerging space of food production, education, community social space and source of food security. The tour will be led by urban farmer Leila Alexandra.

Demonstration of how to hot compost; Sunday, 6th November, 10am-midday; free; Heidelberg.

The compost crew at St Johns Riverside Community Garden will show you how to create hot compost. To prepare, they collect organic materials like grass clippings, autumn leaves, straw, garden prunings, food scraps, coffee grounds and animal manures and, each month, start a new one cubic metre compost build. With twice weekly turning of the pile, garden ready compost can be created in less than 30 days.

Introduction to sustainable gardening (5 sessions); 5 consecutive Thursdays, starting 10th November, 9.30am-12.30pm.; $50 ($3 per hour); Princes Hill.

Lucy Derum, urban agriculture facilitator, will cover all the basics, including composting, seed saving, seed propagation and soil health. Organised by North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House.

Introduction to sustainable gardening (5 sessions); 5 consecutive Saturdays, starting 12th November, 9.30am-12.30pm.; $50 ($3 per hour); Princes Hill.

Lucy Derum, urban agriculture facilitator, will cover all the basics, including composting, seed saving, seed propagation and soil health. Organised by North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House.

Edible garden workshop; Saturday, 12th November, 10.30am-midday; free; Epping.

Learn how to establish your own garden at home and how to care for it. The subjects to be covered include soils, composting, seasonal planting and mulching. Organised by Greenbrook Community House.

Barefoot food garden tour; Saturday, 12th November, 2-3.30pm; free; Pascoe Vale South.

This quarter acre rental property, once entirely lawn, has been transformed into an edible haven and now provides the household of four with around 80% of their vegetable intake year-round. It is tended minimally using a ‘natural farming’ philosophy, with plants encouraged to self-sow and seeds scattered randomly. There are around 70 types of edible plants, chickens, a DIY grey water system, drip irrigation, children play spaces, a pond, a nature strip garden and a share box.

Nillumbik’s Community Grow Guide; Sunday, 20th November, 8am-12.30pm; free; Eltham.

Nillumbik’s illustrated Community Growing Guide will be launched at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Its author, local resident Angharad Neal-Williams, has used her local knowledge about what to grow and how to save seeds and added her own illustrations.

Local agriculture celebration; Sunday, 20th November, 8am-12.30pm; free; Eltham.

Local Food Connect will be celebrating local agriculture at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Their focus will be on three aspects of growing edible towns and cities: the Fabbro’s Farm project, with a display and information about the potential to develop a community farm in Eltham; a quiz competition for children about some of the local farmers at the market and to explore food miles; and (see separate event) the launch of an illustrated Nillumbik Community Grow Guide.

Balam-Balam native bushfoods garden launch; Thursday, 24th November, 4-6pm; free; Carlton North.

This is the official opening of the last part of the Balam Balam community garden. Explore around 200 plants with 40 varieties on display. Learn about the food, medicine and uses of all these plants with a workshop from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. Participate in a Welcome to Country and hear the story of how this garden came about. Meet new people and share in great food.

Backyard Honey with Henry Fried and Mary Trumble; Thursday, 24th November, 7-9pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Burnley.

This will be an illustrated talk from Backyard Honey about home-based beekeeping, what it takes to produce honey and a seasonal update. It will include honey tastings and sales.

Native edibles for companion planting; Thursday, 8th December, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden.

What you will learn: a range of edible natives that are easy to grow in Melbourne; basics of companion planting; which plants to choose in your garden planning; and how to grow and care for them. You will learn how to incorporate some easily grown edible native plants into your garden so that they work in harmony with your existing plants, as well as a variety of ways to use these plants in your kitchen. Presented by Karen Sutherland, of Edible Eden Design.

DIY mushrooms; Saturday, 10th December, 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.

In October
In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Intro to pickling and fermenting; Sunday, 6th November, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Thornbury.

Lauren will teach you how you can easily ferment everyday foods in your own kitchen, save money and give your gut that boost of happy probiotics it needs.

Sourdough workshop; Saturday, 19th November, 11.30am-3pm; $100 ($29 per hour); Kinglake.

The Fermented Mumma will break down this traditional bread making method into simple easy-to-follow steps. You will take home a ready-to-bake sourdough as well as instructions, electronic and hard copy, a jar of bubbly starter (natural yeast), a proving basket and ongoing online support from The Fermented Mumma. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Christmas cookie decorating workshop; Friday, 9th December, 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.

Gingerbread house workshop; Saturday, 10th December, 10-11.30am; $65 ($44 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.

Feta and haloumi cheese making; Sunday, 11th December, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

Gluten free Christmas baking; Wednesday, 14th December, 10am-12.30pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Balwyn North.

Create some tasty gifts to give your friends and family. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In October
In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 19 2022

Oct 222022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Celesta van der Paal, Kelly Donati, Michaela Brown, Pam Jenkins, Patsy Hemsworth and Paul Hemsworth.

An urban food strategy for Banyule

Banyule Council, in partnership with Sustain, have just started a project to develop their first urban food strategy, with the objective of making sure that Banyule’s food systems are healthy, sustainable, equitable, inclusive and accessible.

There will be a variety of ways that individuals in Banyule can get involved in the process. These include: completing a survey; chatting with Council staff at Eltham Farmers’ Market on Sunday, 6th November, 9-11am; and chatting with Council staff at the Eco Festival, Petrie Park, Mountain View Road, Montmorency on Sunday, 6th November, midday-2pm.

A low cost soil conditioner (by Celesta van der Paal)

I [Celesta] have been cultivating a garden on hard packed sticky yellow clay for the past 20 years and I have removed a lot of rock and stones from my yard in that time. As readers of this newsletter with similar soil will know, we have to provide a lot of soil conditioners to cultivate exotic plants and fruit and vegetables in our gardens. Hence the popularity of raised garden boxes. I have kept my beds in contact with the clay soil, but my vegetable garden is on a slope retained by timber sleepers, so I do add soil and conditioners, but it has been hard work.

Over the last two years I’ve been using bulk amounts of coconut coir to incorporate into the existing soil and to top dress when planting seeds and seedlings. Coconut coir holds moisture which helps to protect and promote seed germination and provides a loose aerated moist base for young seedling roots. Last autumn, I planted parsnip and beetroot seeds directly into a layer of coir with successful germination rates. I then top dressed progressively with great results (see left hand photo). Coconut coir is used in hydroponics in the same way as clay beads as it allows for the ionic exchange of nutrients to plant roots. It is therefore good to incorporate the coir into existing soil to promote nutrient uptake.

  

I buy coconut coir in large bags from the Yarra Farm Fresh fruit and vegetable store in Coldstream for $6 per bag (see right hand photo). One bag goes a long way so I find this product to be very economical. Coconut coir performs a similar function to peat moss but at a fraction of the dollar cost and cost to the environment.

In summary, using coconut coir has given me great results in the garden and made my job a lot easier and therefore more enjoyable.

Some Queensland fruit fly prevention strategies (by Pam Jenkins)

[Pam has written an article for our website. What follows is a shortened version.]

I [Pam] have had Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) in my garden for the past 3 years. The first year was the worst and I have been working on minimising the damage ever since. Building on what I have learnt, the following is what I have done so far and plan to do this fruit season.

To make it easier to cover and spray my fruit trees, over winter I reduced the height of all of them and thinned some of the branches from the espaliers.

The male QFF start flying at 20degC and will be congregating in warm green leafy areas, especially in warm microclimate areas in the garden. Look for them at about eye level on the north east side of your green bushy trees early in the morning before they warm up. They can start mating at 20degC so it is definitely time to act if you want to continue to have some fruit to harvest.

I have hung male attracting pheromone traps at the edges of my garden to monitor any activity and set out some homemade protein/sugar traps close to, and in, host trees to attract young male and females that are emerging from their pupae as the weather warms. The immature male and female flies need protein and sugar to be able to mate and produce eggs.

The lemon and mandarin trees that are fruiting at the moment have been sprayed with ‘Surround’ – calcinated kaolin clay – which will serve to keep the gall wasp under control, help reduce evaporation from the wind and repel QFF as they really don’t like white. Caution! Don’t spray if your trees are in flower as it will impact the bees.

I have placed a white net over my mandarin tree and tied it firmly around the trunk. Fruit flies are low fliers and nets need to be secured either by weighting them to the ground or tying them firmly around the trunk or branch that you want to protect.

Placing nets and bags over fruit not long after it sets has been the most effective means of preventing damage to my fruit.

In November, I will spray the apple and pear trees with kaolin and cover the whole orchard area with white bird netting. Although the QFF can climb through the holes of the nets, I hope that they won’t be attracted to the area because there is so much white there. Last year I worried about pollination as my bees won’t go through the net but it appears that I have plenty of other pollinators and everything under the nets produced a normal amount of fruit.

As the fruit season progresses, I will be keeping any ground cover under the fruit trees low so that I can see and pick up any fruit that falls. The smell of rotting fruit will attract QFF, not to lay eggs in but as a source of protein and sugar for them to feed on. Any windfalls or unhealthy fruit picked from the trees can be frozen for a few days or thoroughly boiled. After this, I either bury them or compost them in a container so that the flies can’t smell or access them.

Read Pam’s full article.

Yes, you did know

Last week, Jo Lech asked what steel raised garden beds would people recommend. Michaela Brown’s reply: “Birdies garden beds – hands down.”

An ‘official’ obituary of Dan Palmer

Adam Grubb has written a personal history of Dan Palmer. Adam and Dan were co-founders of Very Edible Gardens.

Kill the weeds?

Patsy and Paul Hemsworth suggest that you read this article about using plant-based foam to kill weeds.

Eat the weeds?

Here is an ABC video by newsletter reader Anna Matilda on some edible weeds that you can forage for.

Chickweed pesto

Courtesy of Very Edible Gardens, who suggest that you can replace basil with chickweed in any pesto recipe.

3 cups chickweed (Stellaria media) leaves
2 tablespoons sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
4 garlic cloves
1 cup macadamia nuts
½ cup olive oil
the juice and zest of ½ lemon
a splash of apple cider vinegar
a sprinkle of chilli (fresh, dried or sauce)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
a generous pinch of salt

Throw it all in a food processor and blend until it’s the consistency that you like.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the multiple choice quiz where you have to select which of the plants is native.

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

If you’re not supposed to eat at night … why is there a light bulb in the fridge?

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Getting the most out of your vegetable garden; Thursday, 27th October, 11am-midday; free; Bulleen.

Steve, from The Edible Fence and Garden will talk about how to use companion planting to maximise crops while discouraging pests naturally.

Cheese and wine tasting evening with Gaëtan from Long Paddock Cheese; Friday, 4th November, 5-8pm; $59 ($20 per hour); Fitzroy.

Gaëtan, from Long Paddock Cheese, in Castlemaine will run you through how each cheese is made and why it has been paired with each wine. The chesses to be discussed include Silver Wattle, Driftwood, Banksia, Ironbark and Bluestone.

Spring Garden Festival; Saturday, 5th November, 11am-4pm; free; Coburg.

The festival will include: Spring planting; an Indigenous plant workshop; a food swap; a zero waste cooking workshop; a composting workshop; a seed library launch; live music; art activities; community group stalls; free seedlings; food; and coffee. This event is a collaboration between Grow Eat Together and Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

An introduction to bee friendly urban beekeeping; Saturday, 5th November, 2-4pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Abbotsford.

Nic Dowse, founder of the Honey Fingers Collective, will discuss the basics of beekeeping, the essential tools and equipment needed, bee seasons and where best to place your beehive in an urban context. The presentation will include a hive inspection.

Heal with food – diabetes; Saturday, 12th November, 11am-1pm; free; Eltham.

Hollie Waters will discuss how, with the right foods, we can prevent, manage or reverse diabetes. This is one of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Organised by Green Karma.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 19th November, 3.30-5.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna, from Peninsula Bees and Botanicals, will show you how to create your own beeswax wraps. You will make and take home a selection of small and medium sized wraps. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Food tour at Alphington Community Food Hub; Sunday, 27th November, at 10-11am and again at midday-1pm; $20 ($20 per hour); Alphington.

Meet some of the local community of organisations working to strengthen urban agriculture and the local food system. Held during the Alphington Farmers Market, you will get a behind-the-scenes guided tour.

Beginning beekeeping course; Saturday, 3rd December, 9.30am-4pm; $260 ($40 per hour); Edendale.

What you will learn: getting started with backyard beekeeping; how to maintain a healthy hive, the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check; and the wonders of pure raw honey and an understanding of honey extraction. Weather permitting, they will open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration working with hives. Take a packed lunch. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Saturday, 3rd December, 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Urban foraging; Saturday, 3rd December, 1.30-4pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will examine examples of trees bearing late summer fruit, and also be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify useful trees even when they’re not fruiting. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Basic inoculation workshop; Sunday, 4th December, 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.

In October
In November
In December
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Christmas gifts from your kitchen; Friday, 11th November, 7-9pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Make and take home a jar of dukka, lemon butter and one of marinated cheese. Tutor: Jennifer. For an extra $10, bring up to 2 children with you. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 12th November, 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.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 19th November, 9am-midday; $74 ($25 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will take home both a crusty loaf and your own sourdough starter. Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear, who can also give you ongoing support and advice if you need it. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Kombucha and kefir; Saturday, 19th November, 1-3pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna, from Peninsula Bees and Botanicals, will show you how to make your own kombucha and kefir. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Authentic Mexican; Saturday, 3rd December, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: Mexican cuisine; improve your culinary skills; and work with seasonal ingredients. Presenter: Matt Baker from Whe-Eat. Menu: blackened chicken thighs with quinoa; Mexican corn on the cob; Mexican white bait fritters tortillas with salsa crude; cactus and tomatillos salsa; crispy pulled pork carnitas; and dark chocolate mole.

In October
In November
In December
Regular classes

LFC News October 12 2022

Oct 182022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Alisha Alm, Ann Stanley, Barbara Bloch, Jo Lech, Julia Laidlaw, Kate Hill, Kerry Barrett, Miranda Sharp, Pam Jenkins, Sarah Kilpatrick.

A visit to Sporadical City Mushrooms (by Ann Stanley)

Sporadical City Mushrooms is a small urban mushroom farm based in Alphington. Ann Stanley recently visited them and interviewed its owner, Julia Laidlaw. Read Ann’s writeup from the visit, a summary of which is given below.

Here is how Ann introduces her article: “Julia Laidlaw, founder of Sporadical City Mushrooms (SCM), grew up between Melbourne and her grandparents’ farm in Western Victoria. With a background in community development, experience in food co-ops and an (almost complete) MA in Agroecology, she is passionate about local food production. She is excited by urban farms, micro farming on suburban blocks, community gardens, local food enterprises and people growing food for their community. She believes that cities have a much larger role to play in feeding themselves than they currently do.“

Julia originally started growing mushrooms in her rented home. In 2019, she upscaled to operate from two recycled 40ft shipping containers in Alphington, with one 20ft container for storage. She also extended the opportunity to another grower, The Mushroomery, to build their business next door.

Oyster mushrooms are grown in pasteurised straw. Often this straw is put into plastic bags but, for sustainability reasons, Julia chose to use recycled buckets instead. Their growing room holds about 360 mushroom buckets. At the moment, 60 new ones are brought in every week and 60 taken out to be emptied, cleaned, and then re-packed, making the work quite labour intensive. The buckets stay in the grow room for around 5 weeks and generally fruit 3 times over that period.

Sporadical City Mushrooms sells between 50-60 kilos of mushrooms a week to local restaurants and at farmers’ markets. They have also developed three mushroom products: an XO sauce, a mushroom confit and cold smoked mushroom broth. Julia runs classes on how to grow mushrooms and organises fungi walking tours (both of which are advertised in this newsletter).

For all sorts of weird and wonderful facts about edible mushrooms, watch this TED talk by mycologist Paul Stamets.

Ann concludes her article as follows: “Using her hands, Julia is putting into practice her knowledge about small-scale agriculture. She is contributing to a food system in Melbourne that is local, decentralised, and makes use of recycled materials. Working collaboratively, using the knowledge of those who have gone before and sharing the labour of those with a similar mindset, she is inoculating the community with goodwill and growing networks from which thousands can feed.“

Read the full writeup from the visit.

Abbotsford Farmers’ Market is apparently 20 years old!

As set out in their recent press release, “Melbourne Farmers Markets (MFM) is celebrating 20 years of the Abbotsford Farmers’ Market – the very first farmers’ market to be established in Melbourne. A celebration morning tea will take place at [the] market on Saturday, 22nd October.

“The farmers’ market has a rich history, initially part of the collective effort to oppose the residential development and boutique hotel proposal in St Heliers Street, which threatened to close the Collingwood Children’s Farm and steer the Abbotsford Convent in a very different direction to what the community cherishes today. Community opposition to the development was successful, with then Premier Bracks announcing the site gifted back to the people of Victoria … in 2005.“

Read the full press release.

Do you know?

Jo Lech asks: “What steel raised garden beds would people recommend?“. Email your responses.

Have you bought your tomato seedlings yet?

If not, you could buy them from Kevin Heinze GROW on Saturday (15th October), 9am-3pm at their Spring Fairs at either Coburg (Peppertree Place, 512 Sydney Road) or Doncaster (39 Wetherby Road).

Want some eco-friendly parcel wrap?

Paperloop is a project run by Bridge Darebin in Preston whereby they create 100% biodegradable packaging from re-purposed cardboard boxes (all tape and stickers have been removed). They collect used cardboard boxes that are donated by local businesses, shred them in a purpose-built machine, and then turn them into sturdy, eco-friendly parcel wrap. The resulting sheets can be used as padding and void-fill in boxes and come in a range of standard and custom sizes. They also provide the packaging by-product as packing filler or material for compost and mulching.

At the moment, they have a lot of excess product. Would you like some, free of charge, to use as mulch or for composting purposes? Within reason, they can deliver, also free of charge. If interested, email Alisha (alisha@bridgedarebin.org.au).

Australian native tree or not?

ABC News has a short (10 question) online multiple choice quiz where you have to select which of the plants is native. The average score is apparently 6/10. Can you beat that?

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the link to join Local Food Connect’s Fabbro’s Farm Interest Group.

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

When do truck drivers stop for a snack?
When they see a fork in the road.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Tomato growing workshop; Saturday, 15th October, 10am-12.30pm; $25 ($10 per hour); Coburg North.

Karen Sutherland will share her tips on how to grow tomatoes, followed by a seed sowing activity, which will also be suitable for children. At the end, you will take home a punnet of freshly sown heirloom tomato seeds. Organised by NECCHi.

Growing herbs and veggies from seed; Thursday, 20th October, 10-11.30am; $16 ($11 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Learn the basics of starting herbs and vegetables from seed. You will learn about different types of containers you can use, getting the timing and weather right, how to make your own seed-raising mix, seed-sowing depth and germination needs, and planting your new seedlings out into the garden. While you’re there, pot up your own spring and summer veg to take home and grow.

Thrive Community Garden open day; Saturday, 22nd October, midday-2pm; free; Diamond Creek.

Go along for a tour of Thrive Community Garden and have a chat with the gardeners. There will be a sausage sizzle, planting activities and a food swap. Or take some of your own food and have a picnic in the garden. Click here to read about the garden.

Urban foraging; Sunday, 20th November, 1.30-4pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home; Sunday, 20th November, 2-5pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This hands-on workshop will focus on a couple of easy ways to grow mushrooms – growing from cardboard and then growing from sugar cane mulch. You will be invited to try your hands at preparing your own mushroom grow using the materials provided, before discussing what you can do next in case you catch the fungi bug! Presenter: Caine.

Introduction to permaculture (two sessions); Sunday, 20th November and Sunday, 27th November, both 10am-3pm; $220 ($22 per hour); CERES.

This course is designed for both those new to permaculture and those thinking of undertaking a Permaculture Design Certificate. What you will learn: the concept of permaculture; and the principles of permaculture and associated design methods. Presenter: Lisa Reid. There will be examples from tiny urban gardens to suburban and rural permaculture properties showing how we can create resilient, sustainable systems that work with nature and the natural limits of our planet.

Gardening in small spaces; Saturday, 26th November, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to maximise your small space to create an oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals. In particular, you will learn: gardening skills; how to maximise small spaces and grow your own food; and how to transform your balcony. Presenter: Clare.

In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Palestinian cooking workshop with Rasha Tayeh; Saturday, 29th October, 11am-2pm ; $125 ($42 per hour); Preston.

Rasha Tayeh will guide you through family recipes and inspirations from her mama and teita’s kitchens (her mother and grandmother), who taught her everything she knows about Palestinian cooking. She will cook a meal using products provided by Palestine Fair Trade Australia sourced from small businesses in Palestine. She will also make traditional herbal tea infusions from selected herbs and spices from ingredients supplied by the Beit e’Shai Teahouse. You will go home with a deeper understanding and curiosity for foods from Palestine and traditional herbal medicine. Organised by Palestine Fair Trade Australia. Closing date for bookings: 20th October.

Cook Indian by the creek; Friday, 4th November, 6.30-8pm; $65 ($44 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: samosas (veg) and chicken tikka with mint and coriander chutney.

Cook Indian by the creek; Friday, 18th November, 6.30-8pm; $65 ($44 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower) and daal tadka and cumin rice.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (two sessions); Wednesday, 23rd November and Wednesday, 30th November, both 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Tutor: Taariq Hassan. Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients.

Kimchi workshop; Wednesday, 23rd November, 6.30-9pm; $96 ($38 per hour); Richmond.

Learn how to make kimchi then make your own fermented kimchi hot sauce.

French patisserie workshop; Friday, 25th November, 6.30-9pm; $75 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn the art of making traditional French croissants. Topics to be covered will include: how to make the dough; the art of the fold; how to roll the perfect croissant; and how to prove and cook the croissants at home. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Christmas treats; Friday, 25th November, 7-9pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Surrey Hills.

You will make shortbread and also fruit mince pies (or lemon meringue tarts if you’re not so keen on fruit mince). Tutor: Jennifer. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 26th November, 9am-5pm; $180 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

A class to make you fall in love with tofu too!; Sunday, 27th November, 10am-2.30pm; $160 ($36 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. You will learn to braise, deep fry and stir fry tofu and marinate it so that it soaks up the most umami Asian flavours. You will use firm tofu, silken tofu and bean curd skins.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Sunday, 27th November, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Daniele. You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. Menu: Napoli sauce; arancini; rosemary and olive focaccia; cavatelli pasta; and chocolate cake.

Gifts from the kitchen; Tuesday, 29th November, 6-8.30pm; $40 ($16 per hour); Hawthorn.

You will prepare a couple of gift ideas for you to do at home – a dukkah, preserved lemons and some fruit curds. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

I can’t believe it’s vegan!; Wednesday, 30th November, 10am-12.30pm; $35 ($14 per hour); Balwyn North.

Create savoury and sweet dishes. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News October 5 2022

Oct 052022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Anna Matilda, Bev Middleton, Gayle Parkes, Jess Ness, Jo Buckle, Mahira Sobral, Natalie Nigol and Sarah Mathers.

Now more than 3,900 subscribers! Yay!

More on no cost veggie gardening

A couple of you have written in in response to Robin Gale-Baker’s article last week on no cost veggie gardening.

One of Robin’s paragraphs was: “Free seeds are available through some seed libraries and veggie swaps. For the veggie swaps, take something to contribute.” As Natalie Nigol has pointed out, people should (of course) also be contributing to the seed libraries. Per Natalie: “The concept of seed libraries is that people borrow seeds to grow at home, but they should leave their healthiest plants to go to seed, and return saved seed at the end of the season. They can also donate/swap with other seeds. At the Darebin seed libraries, many people are borrowing seed but not returning seed so the libraries are always empty. We have developed a seed saving booklet and stock our seed libraries with envelopes for people’s convenience.”

Jo Buckle: “Yarra Council has free mulch for residents; pick up from Yarra’s Clifton Hill Depot, 168 Roseneath Street, Clifton Hill. Other Councils might have this too. If you’re in an apartment and don’t have room to set up your own compost area, you can find a place to drop off food scraps with Sharewaste, and owners of these compost facilities sometimes have spare finished compost.”

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Konekono Kitsune embroiders vegetables. As she has apparently said, “Embroidery threads are great for expressing vegetable fibres.”

Urban farming in Eltham

Did you know that there used to be an urban farm in Eltham?

Fabbro’s Fields, the large creek-front paddock on Bell Street, is a piece of land with historical significance for Eltham. It was once the site of a thriving market garden, Fabbro’s Farm. Fabbro’s Farm included almost the entire hill on the corner of Falkiner and Ely Streets, and most of the farmland situated along the Diamond Creek opposite the hill on Falkiner Street, now called Barak Bushland.

Eltham resident, Hans Gregory, recalls: “‘Many people remember the rows of artichokes that Maurie Fabbro grew in the Bell Street paddocks. The rows were hand-hoed and watered with the help of the pump located on the bank of Diamond Creek. Maurie had two tractors. Each tractor had its own shed, the newest of which is still standing on Fabbro’s Fields. We hear about the famous Italian restaurants and farmers across Melbourne. The Fabbro family is part of this legacy of local food production.”

Local Food Connect is now working to reactivate Fabbro’s Farm as an urban farm for the Nillumbik Community. Join their Fabbro’s Farm Interest Group.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Robin’s article on no cost veggie gardening.

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

Submitted by Bev Middleton:

Two trees were passing the time and chatting. They could see a small group of people walking in the distance and one tree turned to the other and said “Do you think they communicate with each other?”

The other tree shook his head and said “Nah – no way- they haven’t got roots.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not face-to-face but interesting

Open Gardens Victoria – Growing a successful edible garden; Tuesday, 11th October, 7.30-8.30pm; $30 ($35 per hour); Zoom.

Every gardener at one point or another faces a few common problems when growing a vegetable garden because it attracts pests and disease by its very nature. Craig Castree will show you how to maximise your existing garden as a place to grow food organically, making it highly productive, attractive and weed free at the same time.

Not food-related but interesting

Sustainability hub community day; 3rd Sunday of every month, 10am-12.30pm; free; Ringwood.

Explore the many ways that plants can be propagated with horticulturist, permaculturalist and all-round plant enthusiast Liz Rowe.

Propagating workshop; Tuesday, 15th November, 10am-midday; free; Ringwood.

The various sessions will cover such subjects as: bike care and repair program; clothes swap; food swap; wares for sale from their upcycling program; and knife/scissors/tools sharpening.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Growing plants in small spaces (11 sessions); on Fridays, starting 7th October, 9.30am-1.30pm; free; Fawkner.

If you have a balcony, a courtyard or a patio, there are ways you can maximise space to create your own little oasis. In this course, you will learn about how to grow food in pots or containers, what plants to grow and when. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Tomato growing workshop; Saturday, 15th October, 10am-12.30pm; $25 ($10 per hour); Coburg North.

Karen Sutherland will share her tips on how to grow tomatoes, followed by a seed sowing activity, which will also be suitable for children. At the end, you will take home a punnet of freshly sown heirloom tomato seeds. Organised by NECCHi.

Open Cellars Weekend; Saturday, 15th October and Sunday, 16th October, both 11am-5pm; free; various in Nillumbik.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. 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 Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

Hit the deck with Nikki: DIY bee hotels; Friday, 21st October, 1-3pm; $15 ($8 per hour); Greensborough.

Join Nikki and learn some basic construction techniques, how to use a drill and make a bee hotel that you can take home. All materials provided. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Working with water with Dan; Saturday, 22nd October, 10am-3.30pm; $45 ($10 per hour); Edendale.

The workshop will explore the human relationship with water, how it fits within our ecology and moves through the land. It will cover: principles and patterns for catching, storing and distributing water; reading water’s behaviour in the landscape; how to work with rainwater, grey water and mains supplies to bring more life to our surroundings; and principles and design approaches to improve your management of water at home. It will also involve walking, talking and designing to explore living examples of water management around Edendale’s buildings, gardens and nearby waterways. Presenter: Dan Milne.

Urban foraging; Saturday, 22nd October, 1.30-4pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Forest Hill.

Anna, the Urban Nanna, will help you find and identify a range of edible fruits, greens and flowers found in ‘wild’ urban spaces across Victoria. You will learn about the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to plant specifics. You will observe and interact with many types of fruit trees, edible green weeds and useful flowers. You will examine examples of trees bearing late summer fruit, and also be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify useful trees even when they’re not fruiting. You will discuss the types of locations where you can hunt for wild edibles in the future, and finally how to safely prepare and enjoy eating many of the foods we find. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Arthurs Creek Mechanics Institute’s annual garden walk; Sunday, 23rd October, 9.30am-5.30pm; $30; Arthurs Creek.

7 gardens to visit. Light lunches and Devonshire teas available. Various art/craft items to see including Jane Annois pottery, Tara Stubley paintings and Melissa Thomas garden sculpture. Plants also available for purchase. Purchase tickets at the hall on the day. All proceeds will go towards the upkeep and restoration of the hall.

Waste reduction workshop; Wednesday, 26th October, 7-8pm; free; Ringwood.

Ellen, from Simply Sustainable, will teach you sustainable tips and tricks for cleaning up and dealing with waste in the kitchen. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Intro to sustainability (6 sessions); on Fridays, starting 28th October, 11am-2pm; $98 ($5 per hour); Preston.

This course is designed to deepen and build on your knowledge of the systems that we rely on, such as our energy, food, water and waste systems, and will explore how they can be more sustainable and resilient. You will discuss concepts such as circular economy, build on your knowledge of climate change, ecological justice, and better understand the reasons behind why Australia is a substantial waster of food. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Healthy productive compost and worms; Thursday, 10th November, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden.

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.

Beeswax wraps with Ben’s Bees; Saturday, 12th November, 10am-midday; free; Ringwood.

Ben, from Ben’s Bees, will help you make your very own beeswax wraps from locally sourced beeswax. You will have a beeswax wrap to take home.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 12th November, 10am-midday; $75 ($38 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps; learn skills that are transferable to the home environment; and bundling techniques. This is a hands-on workshop where participants will make their own washable and re-usable ready-to-use beeswax wraps. Presenter: Emma Grace.

Food photography; Saturday, 12th November, 2-5pm; $109 ($36 per hour); Eltham.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: the right equipment; the best camera settings to make your food look good; choosing the right backgrounds; lighting; basic food styling; being creative; the perils of incorrect white balance; and using software to enhance colour and presentation.

Intro to urban farming (4 sessions); on the weekends of 12th/13th and 19th/20th November, 9.30am-2pm; $112 ($6 per hour); Preston.

This course will provide an introduction to the principles and techniques of urban agriculture, including how to design, build and maintain a productive farm in a limited space. You will gain a range of skills and knowledge including: understanding production systems such as ground growing, wicking beds, mushroom growing and hydroponics systems; crop planning; water/soil/pest management; plant propagation; and education and employment pathways in urban farming. This course was designed in partnership with Sustain. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Dumpling deliciousness textile workshop; Tuesday, 15th November, 6.30-8.30pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Hawthorn.

Artist and maker Sai-Wai Foo will teach you hand sewing and finishing techniques with simple craft supplies to make these soup-er snacks. Treat yourself to some dumpling deliciousness – from wontons to sui mai. You’re gyoza be wrapped with this workshop!

Mushroom growing masterclass; Thursday, 17th November, 6.30-9.30pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Collngwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Eltham Wine Show; Sunday, 20th November, 10am-2.30pm; $17; Bulleen.

Australia’s largest amateur wine show: hundreds of wines available for tasting; wine awards and presentations; artisan olive oil sampling and sales; and free tasting glass. If you want to enter a wine for the show, entries close on 22nd October. Here are the entry forms.

In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

The cook program (9 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 13th October, 9.30am-1.30pm; $40; Brunswick.

As well as enjoying delicious food and meeting new people, the objective of this course is to develop social connection and learn new skills – from knife handling to creating cost-effective meals. Cooking from different cultures and for different health considerations will be touched upon, as will planning and delivering a community lunch event. Presenter: chef, Tony Chiodo. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Craft taster – kombucha workshop with The Fermented Mumma; Tuesday, 18th October, 11am-1pm; free; Balwyn.

Join the Fermented Mumma as she details the process and benefits of brewing your own kombucha.

Italian kids cooking; Thursday, 27th October, 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. Teacher: Carmela. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Advanced sourdough bread; Saturday, 29th October, 10am-12.30pm; $$80 ($32 per hour); Park Orchards.

You will make a seeded sourdough loaf, demonstrated by Nadine. There will be samples of different sourdough loaves to try, including a fruit loaf and olive and herb. You will need to bring a container to take home your dough to bake at home. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura: around the table; Wednesday, 2nd November, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura will talk about her newest work, celebrating simple ingredients, seasonal produce and the joys of coming together at the table. Influenced by her Maltese heritage and Japanese family, Melbourne’s seasons’ distinctive ebb and flow, and her time spent living in Tuscany, Julia is the author of several cookbooks, including her latest, Around the Table.

One pot wonders of the World – laksa lemuk; Friday, 11th November, 5.30-10pm; $85 ($19 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. Make a chicken broth from scratch, poach chicken to perfection, then make a laksa paste, blend the broth and the paste and learn to add in the coconut cream so it doesn’t crack. Add to the broth some prawns, tofu puffs, noodles, charred okra and then eat your creation.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 11th November, 6-8.30pm; $75 ($30 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.

Mozzarella cheese making; Sunday, 13th November, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 28 2022

Sep 282022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amanda Wheeler, Laura Nix, Lee Hirsh, Marina Bistrin, Megan Goodman, Nicholas Costanzo, Peter Wolff, Robin Gale-Baker and Sofiah Fauzi.

No cost veggie gardening (by Robin Gale-Baker, with assistance from Marina Bistrin)

[This is a shortened version of a longer article on our website.]

All veggie gardeners will be aware that setting up a veggie patch can be an expensive business. As more and more people strive to produce their own fresh produce in their home gardens, or on apartment balconies, finding ways of doing this economically are vital, especially if one of the purposes is to save money.

The material below discusses possible types of place that the various inputs can be obtained free, with links to relevant lists of local organisations.

Pots

Various nurseries have a recycle bin for used pots that they are more than happy for you to raid. To kill any soil borne pathogens, wash used pots thoroughly and then soak in a mix of water and vinegar for an hour at a ratio of 9 parts water to 1 part vinegar or spray the inside thoroughly with vinegar.

Seeds

Free seeds are available through some seed libraries and veggie swaps. For the veggie swaps, take something to contribute.

Seedlings

These are often available for free from veggie swaps.

Soil and compost

Your veggie growing success will be dependent on growing in good quality soil. This is generally the most expensive aspect of establishing a veggie patch. Rarely will digging over an area of the backyard, or filling a pot with garden soil, be sufficient to grow healthy vegetables. Soil needs to be aerated and well draining as well as nutrient rich and garden soil is too compacted for this. This means producing your own compost.

To learn how to make compost, consult the internet or go to a workshop. You will need what is known as ‘brown’ and ‘green’ materials:

  • Brown is anything dried – dry leaves, straw from stable litter, dry manure, coffee husks, dried material from your garden, shredded newspaper or cardboard, etc.
  • Green is anything living – fresh lawn clippings, vegetables scraps, coffee grounds, fresh manure, etc.

Here is a discussion of possible free sources of these various inputs.

  • Horse manure: Pony clubs often deposits stable litter containing horse manure outside their gates for the public to take. The litter and manure constitute both ‘brown’ (the straw) and ‘green’ (the manure).
  • Coffee grounds: Many local cafes are keen to get rid of their spent coffee grounds so approach them and ask. If they offer you a regular pickup, it is important to them that you pick up on time so they don’t have to store them in their limited space. This is ‘green’ material. Coffee grounds are also available in bulk from Reground Coffee.
  • Coffee husks: These are good brown material for the compost. Break up any clumps in them and spread in thin layers to avoid matting. Coffee husks are available from many coffee roasters.
  • Hessian bags: Hessian bags are often available from the same coffee roasters as give away coffee husks. Hessian sacks are useful to put round young or frost sensitive plants. Put in 3 stakes in a triangle shape and attach the hessian to form a windbreak.
  • Leaves: Dried leaves in autumn are a good source of ‘brown’.
  • Grass clippings: Grass clippings from your garden, the local mower person or anywhere you can reasonably mow (a neighbour may be delighted if you ask to mow their nature strip) are a good source of green and also heat up the compost pile, thus making it break down into compost more quickly.
  • Mushroom straw: Some of the mushroom growers at the Melbourne Food Hub in Alphington sometimes have spent mushroom straw from growing packs that they give away or ask you to do some cleaning up of buckets in exchange for it.
  • Wood shavings: Some furniture companies give wood shavings away.
  • Wood mulch: available from some community gardens.

Read the full article.

A new local pasta maker – Nick’s Gnocchi & Pasta

Nick’s Gnocchi & Pasta, who are based in Greensborough, make cut pastas (fettuccine, spaghetti, etc), filled pastas (cannelloni and ravioli), lasagne and handmade gnocchi. They also make bolognese and napoletana sauces. Their pastas are made fresh then frozen (this is the best way to preserve fresh pasta if not cooking within a few days from purchase). They don’t use any preservatives.

You can buy their products online (https://nicksgnocchipasta.com/collections) or at Eltham Farmers’ Market, Floridia Cheese in Thomastown, Granieri’s Food Services in Epping, Local Fine Foods in Diamond Creek, Rosanna Fine Produce or Sculli Brother’s in Greensborough.

Read their page in our Local Food Directory.

Nick was Nillumbik’s Young Business Achiever for 2022.

Welcome, Nick!

Have you ever grown tomatillos?

Peter Wolf has written in with an offer: he will pay you to grow some tomatillos for him.

“I am looking for someone to grow tomatillos (Mexican green tomatoes) for a local food project for me on a simple, private commercial arrangement. I have 90 seedlings that need to be planted at the end of October. You will need around 200 square metres of fertile soil and 1 litre of water per plant per day. I will also supply stakes, ties and help with planting and harvest activity. To manage your risk, I am happy to negotiate a rate that is independent of yield. If interested, call me on 0424 135 841.”

What seeds to plant in October

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

Cucurbits

Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Rockmelon
Watermelon
Zucchini
Other warm season veggies

Beans
Okra
Peanut
Sweetcorn
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Rocket
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish

Other veggies

Asparagus
Celery
Chives
Globe artichoke
Rhubarb
Spring onions
Sweet potato

 
Compared with September, the solanums (capsicum, chilli, eggplant and tomato), basil and coriander drop out of the list, whilst the cucurbits (cucumber, gourd, pumpkin, rockmelon, watermelon and zucchini) stay in. Note, however, that these lists are the months that it is ideal to plant particular seeds and that you can sometimes plant in other months. So, for example, if your tomato seeds didn’t germinate in September, it’s better to try again in October (or buy some seedlings) rather than face the prospect of no homegrown tomatoes.

Helen Simpson has previously written ‘how to grow’ articles for us about many of the warm season veggies, namely: basil, chilli, cucurbits and tomatoes. Robin Gale-Baker has previously written about how to grow eggplants and capsicums, parsnips and potatoes. And Helen has written more generally about Spring veggie garden preparation.

Meg’s garden this month

The garden is now dappled with puddles of wet blossom blown from the fruit trees. It has been a damp and cool start to Spring this year and the soil is yet to warm up ready for new plantings. Fortunately, the broad beans and leafy greens love this weather and are growing strongly. I am still harvesting winter spinach, which is yet to go to seed as it has in other years.

Spinach and chickpeas

1 red onion, finely sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, all spice, coriander and cumin
400g can chickpeas, drained
spinach leaves

Fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft.

Add the spices and chickpeas and fry gently until the chickpeas have a little colour.

Add the spinach near the end to soften.

Serve warm.

Read more of Megan Goodman’s recipes.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Karen Sutherland’s website.

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

Submitted by Lee Hirsh:
l scream
You scream
We all scream for ice cream!

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps

Note that the Warranwood Food Swap has changed both its venue and its name. From henceforth it will be called the Ringwood Community Food Swap and will be at the Central Ringwood Community Centre, Rosewarne Lane, Ringwood. It will still, however, be on the 3rd Sunday of each month, 10-11.30am.

Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Gardening for all abilities (6 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 5th October, 1.30-4.30pm; $280 ($16 per hour); Preston.

You will learn the basics of gardening, urban agriculture, soil health and how to grow food in small spaces. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Rushall Community Garden open day; Saturday, 8th October, midday-3pm; free; Fitzroy North.

See community gardening in action and pick up some homegrown goodies. The activities will include: a workshop on gardening in small spaces (at 1.30pm); seedlings and fresh garden produce for sale; baked goods, homemade jams and preserves; gardeners working their plots and sharing tips; and a BBQ, homemade lemon cordial, coffee and tea. Click here to read about the garden.

Intro to urban farming (4 sessions); on the weekends of 8th/9th and 15th/16th October, 9.30am-2pm; $112 ($6 per hour); Preston.

This course will provide an introduction to the principles and techniques of urban agriculture, including how to design, build and maintain a productive farm in a limited space. You will gain a range of skills and knowledge including: understanding production systems such as ground growing, wicking beds, mushroom growing and hydroponics systems; crop planning; water/soil/pest management; plant propagation; and education and employment pathways in urban farming. This course was designed in partnership with Sustain. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Marra Guwiyap Community Garden celebration and launch; Sunday, 9th October, 1.30-5pm; free; Northcote.

To be launched by local MP Kat Theophanous. This garden, also known as Croxton Community Garden, is run by local volunteers who work together to grow vegetables, learn organic gardening, and enjoy each other’s company. Go and celebrate with them. Click here to read about the garden.

Smart gardening for Seniors; Monday, 10th October, 10.30-11.30am; free; Diamond Creek.

Learn some tips and tricks for how you can continue enjoying your garden for longer. Afterward, tour the Thrive Community Garden.

Kilsyth community compost hub workshop; Wednesday, 12th October, 1-2.30pm; free; Kilsyth.

Topics will include: intro to composting; what foods are compostable; home composting solutions; information on available composting rebates; and waste reduction and sustainability. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre. Supported by CAWRS and the Montrose Township Group.

Smart gardening for Seniors; Tuesday, 18th October, 10.30-11.30am; free; Hurstbridge.

Learn some tips and tricks for how you can continue enjoying your garden for longer.

Heal with food – bone health; Sunday, 23rd October, 2-4pm; free; Eltham.

Dr Gavin Levy will discuss the role of nutrition in bone diseases and how changes in your diet may help you with back pain and arthritis. Organised by Green Karma.

In September
In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough workshop; Saturday, 15th October, 10am-1.30pm; $100 ($29 per hour); Kinglake.

The Fermented Mumma will break down this traditional bread making method into simple easy-to-follow steps. You will take home a ready-to-bake sourdough as well as instructions, electronic and hard copy, a jar of bubbly starter (natural yeast), a proving basket and ongoing online support from The Fermented Mumma. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Intro to nutrition and food (8 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 20th October, 0.30am-1.30pm; $98 ($4 per hour); Preston.

You will explore nutritional theory, healthy eating concepts and gain hands-on culinary skills. You will learn about the nutrients specific to each food group and their benefits, including how energy is balanced to maintain a healthy weight. The course will also cover how to decipher labelling on food packaging to build a healthy meal plan on a budget. Hands-on cooking and eating. The sessions will be led by a certified nutritionist. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 21 2022

Sep 212022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Jaimie Sweetman and Kate Hill.

Mitcham Community Meal – the power of love (by Ann Stanley)

[Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday where “each Sunday night, a different local club, business, or church group provides and serves the meal to people in the Mitcham community.” In August 2022, Ann Stanley went for a meal and to interview its organiser, Ben Frawley. Here is a summary of her article from the visit. Read the full article.]

Ann introduces the article by saying: “One of the reasons all this [Mitcham Community Meal] started is that Ben and his wife Jane noticed a few homeless people regularly hanging out in the local mall. Their dilemma was whether to give them money and hope that it didn’t go towards cigarettes and alcohol, or to turn a blind eye, do nothing, and just keep walking. Neither option seemed morally right. The solution was to offer them a hot meal and a place to sit inside for warmth and a chat. As a result, Ben and Jane started Mitcham Community Meal.”

She then goes on to relate a few stories of people that Ben has met in Mitcham. In one of these stories, Ben visited a homeless person who had been bashed up, gave him a hot meal, chatted for a while, gave him a hug and left. A few weeks later, Ben saw him again and asked whether there was anything else he could do. “Can I have another hug?” was the reply.

50-60 people now come to the Mitcham Community Meal every Sunday, some from as far away as Footscray, “for the company, as much as the meal,” says Ben. He continues to be overwhelmed by the number of people and local organisations offering to cook. “I could have filled the roster for all of 2022 by March. There have been over 800 volunteers in four years. I’m blown away by the community response.” Ping, who is one of seven co-ordinators, believes that one of the reasons the model works so well is that there is a constant stream of different groups volunteering, which helps to prevents ‘volunteer fatigue’.

On the evening that Ann visited, the family of 11 responsible for cooking the main course main course were doing so in honour of their late mother, wife and grandmother. In addition, there was four other groups of volunteers, one serving soup, one offering a free laundry service, one giving out blankets, and one giving out reading glasses and hand-knitted scarves.

Here is how Ann concludes her article: “So why has Mitcham Community Meal been so successful? It’s because many people find it satisfying to cook food for other people and many find comfort eating in the company of others. It’s also because people like [the various volunteers from the evening] all want to connect with people and to help others connect with each other.”

And Ben has the final word: “Jane and I agree that we often get more out of the evenings than we put in. Our cooking teams always leave on a high that no chemical drug could ever give.”

Read Ann’s full article.

Chinese toon/mahogany (Toona sinensis) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

The ‘Toon’ is a striking edible tree known for its bright red spring foliage (which in Asia symbolises the end of winter and the start of spring). Getting up to 4-5 metres high and suckering (not weedy but does slowly spread), it makes a great back layer in a border. We have ours along the back fence and, as they are tall and skinny, they look architectural whilst not taking up lots of space.

It is widely eaten as a vegetable in China. The new shoots in Spring, when young and tender, have a crunchy texture and taste like spring onions. The leaves can be used fresh or added into any dish that would usually use spring onions, and the best part is as they are not part of the allium family so those with allergies or on the FODMAP diet can eat them.

The nursery at the Edible Forest currently has some ‘Toons’ for sale.

Read Jamie’s previous articles about unusual edible plants.

Another video from Simone Boyd

How to sow your heirloom seeds.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Whilst the egg on the left of the picture is a normal egg, the egg on the right is a quadruple(!) yolker. It was ‘discovered’ by someone at CERES when they were frying some eggs from Gippsland Free Range Eggs.

Quadruple yolkers are more common than hen’s teeth, but only just.

Newsletter reader website of the week – Karen Sutherland

Karen is a garden designer, writer and speaker. She writes monthly articles for ABC Organic Gardener which are available on this page on their website. Her latest (August 2022) article is on the subject of perennial herbs that are strong on colour and flavour, including cowslip, English violet, French tarragon and hyssop.

Karen also has her own website, called Edible Eden Design.

Do you have, or are connected to, a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Citrus Watch Early Detector Network.

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

The past, present, and future walk into a bar. It was tense.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Tomato growing workshop; Saturday, 24th September, 10am-12.30pm; $25 ($10 per hour); Coburg North.

Karen Sutherland will share her tips on how to grow tomatoes, followed by a seed sowing activity, which will also be suitable for children. At the end, you will take home a punnet of freshly sown heirloom tomato seeds. Organised by NECCHi.

Food forest gardening – Spring; Saturday, 1st October, 10am-midday; free; Edendale.

Learn tips, tricks and the why, when and how of food forest and urban orchard gardening. Find out what’s involved, do some planning and get some handy resources to help with growing some of your food in an efficient way that mimics nature. Suitable for anyone interested in growing food.

Introduction into wines; Saturday, 1st October, 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 session will include 8 very different wines to demonstrate the differences in grapes and wine making techniques.

Gardening with kids; Sunday, 2nd October, 11am-12.30pm; free; Macleod.

Children will be able to sow veggie seeds and plant seedlings – and take home their plants. They can also learn about composting and get hands-on with worms! For kids who enjoy getting arty fun, there will be a junior art area with Jodi Wiley. At Macleod community garden.

Gardening tips for adults; Sunday, 2nd October, 1-2.30pm; free; Macleod.

Be treated to expert advice on raising seedlings and Spring planting, together with the nitty-gritty of producing garden-enhancing compost. At Macleod community garden.

Chocolate and wine masterclass; Saturday, 8th October, 3-5pm; $59 ($30 per hour); Northcote.

Broc Willems will discuss what makes chocolate and wine taste so good together. Tickets include a selection of sweet and savoury chocolate canapes, specially created for the chosen wines.

Gardening with kids; Sunday, 16th October, 11am-12.30pm; free; Macleod.

Children will be able to sow veggie seeds and plant seedlings – and take home their plants. They can also learn about composting and get hands-on with worms! For kids who enjoy getting arty fun, there will be a junior art area with Jodi Wiley. At Macleod community garden.

Gardening tips for adults; Sunday, 16th October, 1-2.30pm; free; Macleod.

Be treated to expert advice on raising seedlings and Spring planting, together with the nitty-gritty of producing garden-enhancing compost. At Macleod community garden.

Wine appreciation (2 sessions); Mondays, 17th and 24th October, both 7-9pm; $84 ($21 per hour); Brunswick.

See, swirl, sniff, sip, savour. Learn how to recognise the basic structure of wine and how to describe it. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Edible weed walk with Adam Grubb; Saturday, 22nd October, 2-3.30pm; free; Brunswick.

Adam Grubb will teach you how to identify edible and medicinal weeds along the Merri Creek. This talk is presented in association with a current, local exhibition entitled A plant in the wrong place.

Watch it grow at Edendale; Tuesday, 25th October, 4.15-5.15pm; free; Edendale.

What your child will learn: what seeds need to grow; creating healthy soil via worm farms and compost; and the environmental benefits of growing your own food. Your child will also see why worms are such amazing creatures when it comes to recycling food waste and creating quality soil. Visits to their veggie gardens, worm farms and compost areas will be part of the activity. Children will also get to plant a seed in a biodegradable pot that they can take home with them.

Community Gardens Australia National Gathering – day 1 (Conference); Saturday, 5th November, 8.30am-4pm; $75; CERES.

Presentations from Pamela Warhurst (Incredible Edible) and Naomi Lacey (Community Gardens Australia). Discussion panels. A tour of the CERES’ gardens and their bicycle workshop. Lunch.

Community Gardens Australia National Gathering – day 2 (Tours); Sunday, 6th November, 10am-4pm; $75; various in Moreland and Darebin.

The itinerary for the day will be: 1. Ecological Justice Hub – 4-6 Michael Street, Brunswick; 2. West Brunswick Community Garden – 49 Everett Street, Brunswick West; 3. Oakhill Food Justice Farm – 233 Tyler Street, Preston – lunch will be served here; 4. SEEDS Communal Garden – 331 Albert Street, Brunswick; and 5. Fawkner Food Bowls – Corner Creedon &, Lorne Street, Fawkner. The tickets include transport by a chartered bus and a fully catered lunch.

Caring for backyard chooks; Sunday, 6th November, 2-4pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Edendale.

Learn the basics of backyard chicken keeping, including the characteristics of different breeds (in order to make a selection that suits your setting and needs), housing and care needs of chickens. This workshop will suit those who are keen to learn the basics. Participants will leave with the knowledge and confidence to begin keeping chickens and producing their own free-range eggs. Presenter: Raewyn Pickering.

In September
In October
In November
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Ethiopian cooking; Saturday, 1st October, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to cook and serve a traditional Ethiopian meal. Then share a meal with your fellow participants. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Monday, 3rd October, 6-8.30pm; $54 ($22 per hour); Eltham.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) and pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas. Organised by Platform 3095.

Doburoku workshop; Friday, 14th October, 6.30-10pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Did you know you can make a simple, wild sake at home? They will teach you the Bodaimoto method – an ancient method relying on wild yeasts and a little nurturing. Take home your brew ready to ferment. Includes recipe, koji, rice and rice ball in jar.

Miso making evening; Wednesday, 19th October, 6.30-8.30pm; $145 ($73 per hour); Fitzroy North.

You will learn how to make miso, shio koji and shoyu koji. Squish and mix for yourself a large jar of miso to take home and ferment for as long as you like. Start the evening with a warm bowl of miso and some nibbles.

Middle Eastern cooking; Sunday, 6th November, 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.

In September
In October
In November
Regular classes

LFC News September 14 2022

Sep 142022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bertrand Richardot, Bil Brosch, Georgia Tracy, Nick Rose, Rebecca Haschek and Renaee Churches.

November is Urban Agriculture Month

Sustain have designated this November as Urban Agriculture Month comprising “events celebrating and raising awareness of Australia’s urban agricultural movement.”

Sustain’s executive director, Nick Rose, is asking newsletter readers to participate. His suggestions for you to consider include:

  • Open your garden to visitors.
  • Run a workshop.
  • Organise a tour of your local community gardens.
  • Organise a bike or walking tour of urban farms in your area.
  • Get a team together, sketch out a half day program and invite people to participate.

Register your event.

Visit their event calendar.

In conversation with our intrepid interviewer, Ann Stanley, Nick said that, through Sustain, he is pushing for more edible cities and towns in which local councils remove roadblocks to unlocking vacant land, where there are food gardens on verges and in every new development, and where there are community gardens in every suburb.

Sustain describes itself as a ‘think and do’ network, specialising in designing and building sustainable and healthy food systems. Their latest report is about the results of their 2020 Pandemic Gardening Survey.

A new local food producer – Holy Nuts

Holy Nuts, who are based in Thomastown, make nut butters, nut spreads and dukkah. The nut butters and nut spreads are made from 100% Australian ingredients, with no preservatives or emulsifiers. They are made slowly in a stone grinder until they are totally smooth. The range encompasses almond, hazelnut, macadamia and pecan. Everything is gluten, corn, soy and dairy free, and there are also vegan and keto options. At markets, they also sell vegan and low sugar brownies, sugar free cupcakes, refined sugar free & vegan bliss balls, and vegan hot chocolate & turmeric latte made from the nut butter. Read their page in our Local Food Directory

You can buy their products online or at any of Eltham Farmers’ Market, Warrandyte Riverside Market or Yarra Valley Farmers’ Market.

Welcome Bertrand!

Citrus Australia’s – Citrus Watch Early Detector Network

Citrus Australia is an industry body representing the nation’s commercial citrus growers. One of their initiatives is CitrusWatch, which “aims to ensure that the Australian citrus industry is better equipped to minimise the entry and spread of high priority pests, such as Asian citrus psyllid.“. Part of CitrusWatch is the Citrus Watch Early Detector Network, where volunteers put out sticky traps in Autumn and Spring to help with citrus biosecurity surveillance. Sign up here. Once you sign up, a CitrusWatch Coordinator will get in touch with you and will send you the trapping kit. Thanks for the heads up, Rebecca Haschek!

Newsletter reader website of the week – TreeProject

Bil Brosch has written in to tell us about TreeProject, of which he is a member.

TreeProject is a Victorian not-for-profit organisation that gets urban and rural communities working together to put trees back on the land. Volunteer growers grow Australian natives species specific to Victoria using growing materials supplied by TreeProject (One growing supply consists of 7 polystyrene boxes of potting mix, slow release fertiliser, seeds, gravel and 336 forestry tubes). Once the seeds have become established seedlings, they are handed over to landholders (Landcare groups and private land holders) to plant out in aide of rejuvenating land and eco systems.

They organise many planting days.

See the TreeProject website.

Read their newsletters.

Look at their seed database.

Do you have, or are connected to, a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Apparently the photo right is of a fruit turkey.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the video interview of Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery.

Word of the month – Crapulence

‘Crapulence’, meaning becoming sick because of gluttony (i.e. you have eaten or drunk too much).

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

Old chestnut. Meaning: a joke or story that has become tedious or boring through repetition.. Note that the word old is simply an intensifier and that the original phrase was simply chestnut. The phrase dates back to the early 19th Century, with the first recorded usage being in a play where a character keeps repeating the same stories, one of them about a cork tree, and is interrupted each time by another character who says: “A chesnut, Captain, a chesnut… Captain, this is the twenty-seventh time I have heard you relate this story, and you invariably said, a chesnut, till now.”

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“When God blesses the harvest, there is enough for the thief as well as the gardener.” A Polish proverb.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

If my body is a temple then eating pancakes is a form of prayer.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – community garden open days

Creeds Farm open day; Saturday, 17th September, 11am-3pm; free; Epping.

There will be a whole variety of activities, including: a talk on seasonal gardening; a talk on raising seedlings; creating seedling pots from newspaper; and talking with the community gardening group. Click here to read about the garden.

Rushall Community Garden open day; Saturday, 8th October, midday-3pm; free; Fitzroy North.

See community gardening in action and pick up some homegrown goodies. The activities will include: seedling and fresh garden produce for sale; baked good, homemade jams and preserves; a workshop on gardening is small spaces; gardeners working their plots and sharing tips; and a BBQ, homemade lemon cordial, coffee and tea. Click here to read about the garden.

Pentridge Community Garden open day; Sunday, 9th October, 1.30-4.30pm; free; Coburg.

There will be: garden tours; a produce swap; sales of manure and straw; and flower and veggie seedlings for sale. Click here to read about the garden.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Pam’s garden tour; Saturday, 17th September, 10am-midday; $10; Diamond Creek.

Walk through the garden and talk about some of the permaculture principles incorporated in the design with a focus on what has had to change due to the arrival of the Queensland fruit fly. End the tour with a cuppa and chat. Bring a share plate if you like. Organised by NERP.

Growing shade; Saturday, 24th September, 10.30am-12.30pm; $10; Macleod.

Get ready for summer by growing shade where it’s needed. Use composting paths, ground covers and potted plants in areas that are concreted or paved. Learn about choko vines and take a plant home if you wish. Share a cuppa and snacks after the workshop. Feel free to bring a small plate to share. Organised by NERP.

Espresso grinding and extraction science with Samo Smrke; Saturday, 1st October, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Brunswick.

Samo Smrke is a research scientist at the Coffee Excellence Center of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. He will present the basic science behind grinding and extraction, understanding the important terminology: PSD, fines, bimodal, TDS, yield, etc. He will cover: the relation of grinding particle size distribution to your espresso extraction; the role of fines and how they govern the espresso extraction; understanding the roast profile and how it impacts the dial-in of espresso; and how to get a grip on the moving target of a fresh coffee on the dial-in for espresso.

Native bee hotels; Wednesday, 5th October, 10.30am-midday; free; Reservoir.

Learn about native bees and how you can help support biodiversity, as well as make your own bee hotel. Presenter: Katrina Forstner from Buzz & Dig.

Kids gardening classes (4 sessions); 4 consecutive Wednesdays from 5th October, each 4-5.30pm; $60 ($10 per hour); Forest Hill.

These workshops are for children aged 5-10. Week 1: Planting seeds to pot up in week four. Seeds will be leafy greens, tomatoes and summer herbs. Learn about companion planting and healthy soil. Week 2: Propagating from fruit and vegetable scraps. Week 3: Observing birds and bird friendly gardens. Week 4: Making bee hotels and re-potting seedlings from seeds grown in week one.

Shedfest – Yarra Valley Wine Festival; Saturday, 8th October and Sunday, 9th October, both 11am-5pm; $30; various around Yarra Ranges.

Wineries in the Yarra Valley will open their sheds to house two days of food, wine, live music and entertainment. There will be plenty of food on offer and moderately priced at all the wineries during the course of the day. 14 wineries are participating. Organised by Smaller Wineries Yarra Valley.

Kevin Heinze GROW Spring Fair (Coburg); Saturday, 15th October, 9am-3pm; gold coin; Coburg.

There will be: plants; fruit trees; vegetable seedlings; a great variety of heirloom tomatoes; homemade cakes & preserves; coffee cart; BBQ; live band; site tours and information for new families.

Kevin Heinze GROW Spring Fair (Doncaster); Saturday, 15th October, 9am-3pm; gold coin; Doncaster.

There will be: plants; fruit trees; vegetable seedlings; a great variety of heirloom tomatoes; homemade cakes & preserves; coffee cart; BBQ; live band; site tours and information for new families.

Yarra Valley Spring Plant Fair & Garden Expo; Saturday, 5th November and Sunday, 6th November, both 10am-5pm; $14; Wandin.

The plant fair will feature a wide variety of plants showing off late spring and early summer flowers and foliage. Top growers from the Yarra Valley and beyond will display and talk about their plants. The guest speakers will include Angus Stewart, Jane Edmanson, Karen Sutherland, Paul Kirkpatrick, Penny Woodward, Phillip Vaughan and Vasili Kanidiadis.

In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

All things sauerkraut; Friday, 4th November, 6.30-8.30pm; $85 ($43 per hour); Fitzroy North.

An evening of all things sauerkraut – you will take home a jar with fermenting sauerkraut and all the accoutrements you need to make more.

Cup cake bouquet workshop; Friday, 4th November, 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.

Gnocchi making class; Saturday, 5th November, 10am-1pm; $125 ($42 per hour) including lunch; Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Host: Pia Gava. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Raw food fundamentals; Sunday, 6th November, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Daniele Carcangiu. In the workshop, you will: make savoury dishes; make sweet treats; eat a raw food lunch; and take home some sweet treats, recipes and notes. You will learn about raw food fundamentals and the dehydration process.

In September
In October
Regular classes

LFC News September 7 2022

Sep 072022
 

Welcome to new joiners Alex, Campbell, Hilde, Jenni, Jessica, Kylie, Marcus, Margaret, Nadia, Nola, Penelope, Sarah and Sue.

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Holly Gallagher, Jon Buttery, Pauline Webb and Teena Oudy.

Biochar for sale at Eltham Farmers’ Market (by Ann Stanley)

Chris Balaratnam is an Agricultural Engineer who has taught students in Nigeria and at Glenormiston Agriculture College, Terang, Victoria. He has also worked in OHS in the farming sector. Now retired, Chris, together with wife Selvie, runs a 140-acre mixed farm in Toolleen, near Heathcote. It’s where your Eltham Farmers’ Market Selba Farm olive oil and other olive products come from.

Chris has recently become interested in producing ‘biochar’, which is a form of charcoal used for soil improvement and which is made from heating woody material in an oxygen-poor environment. His interest came from reading about the Amazon, where seasonal fires have turned biomass into carbon, forming a rich layer of dark soil in which plants flourish. To mimic this process, Chris burns prunings from his olive trees, controlling the fire by limiting the exposure to oxygen so that what remains is biochar and not white ash. He then adds some worm juice, molasses and chicken manure.

If you would like to try Selba Farm’s biochar, you can buy it at $10 for a 2 litre bag from Chris and Selvie at Eltham Farmers’ Market on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month.

[Editor: Our website has a couple of articles that are relevant to biochar, namely Stuart Rodda’s article on terra preta, biochar and leonardite and Bev Middleton’s article on health soil]

A new, free weekly dinner in Fawkner

Every Thursday, 6-8pm at the Hope Cafe, St Mark’s Catholic Church, 9 Lee Street, Fawkner. As they say on their Facebook group, “We provide a safe, welcoming space where food is eaten and friendships are made.“

That brings the total number of regular, free, local meals listed on our website to 18. As you may remember from previous newsletters, many of the free meals stopped during the Covid pandemic and have not re-started so it is great to see that there are some exceptions.

A new local, chocolate maker – Loco for Cocoa

Loco for Cocoa, who are based in Preston, make a wide range of chocolate bars, all full of flavour and interesting textures. There are 22 different flavour combinations, including some vegan options. Other than the cacao beans, they try to only use locally sourced ingredients. They also sell rocky road, pretzel crunch biscuits and salted caramel fudges.

You can buy their chocolate online or at any of Eltham Farmers’ Market, Hurstbridge Market, Kingsbury Drive Community Market or Warrandyte Riverside Market.

After extensive testing, my recommendation is their pink salt and caramel toffee bars (which are called ‘salty feels’)!

Welcome Teena!

There are now 10 local chocolate makers in our Local Food Directory.

A new community garden – Wilum-nganjin in Reservoir

At Reservoir East Primary School, Genoa Avenue, Reservoir. Open to the public, but only 9-11am on Wednesday mornings. You can join their Facebook group. Also, read their page on our website.

This community garden is a space where students, parents and members of the local community can gather and grow fruit and vegetables. The aim is to share fresh, nutritious produce with the school and local community, while educating and advocating for growing food locally and promoting community well being. The hope is also to strengthen ties between the school and the local community. There are several wicking garden beds, a fruit orchard, a compost & recycling centre and hügelkultur beds.

Welcome Lisa, Tim and colleagues!

There are now 15 community gardens in Darebin in our Local Food Directory.

A video about Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery

ABC Australia recently published this 5 minute video about Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery, which is a mushroom farm in Alphington.

Some Certified Organic fungicides

Pauline Webb has written in to point out that an Australian company called Organic Crop Protectants sells a range of Certified Organic fungicides.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article entitled Is gardening elitist?.

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

Two chemists walk into a bar. The first chemist says, “I’ll have a glass of H2O.” The second chemist says, “I’ll have a glass of H2O too.” The second chemist dies.

Two chemists walk into a bar. The first chemist says, “I’ll have a glass of H2O.” The second chemist says, “I’ll take a water too.” The first chemist gets angry. His assassination attempt failed.

Two chemists walk into a bar. The first chemist says, “I’ll have a glass of H2O.” The second chemist says, “I’ll have a glass of H2O too.” The bartender gives them both water because he is able to distinguish the boundary tones that dictate the grammatical function of homophones in coda position as well as pragmatic context.

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

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

Queensland fruit fly workshop; Wednesday, 14th September, 10.30am-midday; free; Reservoir.

Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) is a serious pest that lays its eggs in fruit and fruiting vegetables – everything from lemons to tomatoes – causing them to rot from the inside. Unfortunately, QFF is now found in Melbourne. This workshop will teach you: how to identify it; how to deter or manage it in your garden; and how to dispose of it, if you do find it in your fruit or vegetables. Plus they will show you how to make a cheap and effective trap out of materials that are easy to come by. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. Organised by DIVRS in partnership with the East Preston Community Centre.

Wine & cheese festival; Sunday, 18th September, 10am-6pm; $20; Abbotsford.

This event will feature only plant-based cheeses and vegan wines. There will be unlimited, free tastings.

Darebin Sustainable Food Leaders Forum; Wednesday, 21st September, 6-8pm; free; Preston.

Local sustainable food advocates and practitioners are invited. You will get an opportunity to provide your ideas, suggestions and feedback to help shape the content and direction of the Climate Emergency Strategy. You will hear from two local food groups (Holly Gallagher from DIVRS Urban Food Program and Nick Rose from Sustain). It will also be an opportunity to network and form connections with other local gardens and food growers.

Growing oyster mushrooms at home; Sunday, 25th September, 2-5pm; $145 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This hands-on workshop will focus on a couple of easy ways to grow mushrooms – growing from cardboard and then growing from sugar cane mulch. You will be invited to try your hands at preparing your own mushroom grow using the materials provided, before discussing what you can do next in case you catch the fungi bug! Presenter: Caine.

Celebration of trees – planting and tour; Saturday, 8th October, 10am-midday; free; Heidelberg.

Learn how to plant a tree properly and then Join Ben Kenyon for a tour of the local trees. Organised by St Johns Riverside Community Garden.

Celebration of trees and gardens; Saturday, 8th October, 2-3.30pm; free; Heidelberg.

Celebrate the planting of trees and the development of the community garden. Organised by St Johns Riverside Community Garden.

DIY mushrooms; Sunday, 23rd October, 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.

Organic vegetable gardening; Saturday, 29th October, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to get the most from your garden and have an abundance of vegetables, fruits and herbs; insights into seasonal produce growing; and the skills and knowledge to create an abundant and productive garden. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 29th October, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify and harvest bush foods; how to grow and maintain bush foods in the home garden; and how to incorporate bush foods into everyday recipes. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy. Tour the CERES bush food gardens and gain knowledge of bush foods from further afar – tropical delights from the north, peppery spices form the south. During the workshop, you will learn how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. The group will make a bush food inspired lunch and afternoon tea – all food prepared on the day will be vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Keeping backyard chooks; Monday, 31st October, 2-3pm; free; Blackburn.

This workshop will cover chook health, nutrition, housing, and protection from predators & pests as well as the sustainability and circular economy benefits of keeping chooks. Ella will also talk about Council and local law considerations and guidelines.

In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Hot chocolate workshop; Tuesday, 4th October, 7-9pm; $10; Blackburn North.

Learn to customise your own mixes, explore new flavour combinations, and relax with fellow hot chocolate enthusiasts. Tastings and biscuits provided. Organised by Koonung Cottage Community House.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 22nd October, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: ways to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture; the flour to use for the best nutrition and results; ways to knead sticky high hydration dough for a more authentic sourdough loaf; the equipment needed to produce a great looking and tasting sourdough tin loaf at home; and ways to bake sourdough bread using a bread tin in a home oven. Presenter: Rick Lavender of The Life We Want.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 22nd October, 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.

Kraut, kefir, kimchi & kvass; Saturday, 22nd October, 1.30-5.30pm; $365 ($91 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a fermenting ‘101’ class, where you will learn about salt, different preserving techniques, two of the most popular cabbage recipes (kraut and kimchi), a drink (kvass) and all about SCOBYs, with a focus on milk kefir. You will take home everything you make during the course; a jar of kimchi, sauerkraut, milk kefir with SCOBY and a jar of kvass – including jars and airlocks for fermenting at home.

A class to make you fall in love with tofu too!; Sunday, 23rd October, 10am-2.30pm; $160 ($36 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. You will learn to braise, deep fry and stir fry tofu and marinate it so that it soaks up the most umami Asian flavours. You will use firm tofu, silken tofu and beancurd skins.

Food for mind and gut; Sunday, 23rd October, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The dishes will be packed with nutritionally dense vegetables and all will be gluten and dairy free. The menu includes: vegan cream cheese; oat + mesquite crackers; beet sauerkraut; chickpea salad with orange tahini; coconut + turmeric pie; and miso puffed balls.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Wednesday, 26th October, 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.

Vegan Mediterranean cooking; Friday, 28th October, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu Yilmaz is from the Aegean side of Turkey, which means that her diet is Mediterranean. She will share her knowledge on how to use ingredients such as olive oil, garlic and fresh herb by demonstrating how to make three vegan dishes.

Milk kefir love; Friday, 28th October, 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 per hour); Fitzroy North.

They will show you how to easily incorporate this little SCOBY into your daily routine. You will make some milk kefir and then move onto flavouring, making butter, labneh, catching the whey and then making a naturally fizzy and gut-loving soda. You’ll go home with: a milk kefir SCOBY in a jar and ready to feed when you get home; a whey soda flavoured with fresh fruit of your choice to finish fermenting at home; milk kefir cultured butter; and an illustrated recipe card.

Pasta making workshop; Saturday, 29th October, 10am-midday; $55 ($28 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.

Nasturtium deep dive: Super Bloom x The Fermentary; Sunday, 30th October, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Get your hands dirty learning to sow and grow nasturtiums seeds with Jac of Super Bloom before exploring the culinary uses of nasturtiums with Sharon of The Fermentary. You will go home with a copy of ‘Super Bloom: a field guide of flowers for every gardener’, a jar of nasturtiums, sown nasturtium seeds and a nasturtium in a terracotta pot.

In September
In October
Regular classes

LFC News August 31 2022

Aug 292022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Bruce Plain, Carol Woolcock, Megan Goodman, Pauline Webb and Robin Gale-Baker.

Rosella/roselle (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa), known as Roselle in countries other than Australia, is not an Australian native (as many people seem to think) but from West Africa. It is a bush that produces ruby red calyxes that make tasty jams or cordials, leaves that are used in tea making and salads, and an outer stem covering that can be stripped and used like jute. There are many good recipes for jams and cordials on the internet.

Seed raising

In Melbourne’s climate, it is best to raise the seeds in pots so that the plants are well established by the time the soil temperature has reached at least 20degC. Plant three seeds per pot 1cm deep in seed raising mix, keep well watered and, later, thin out leaving the strongest. Sow seeds in mid-August. The seedlings will grow into bushes that can be as wide as 1.5 metres and as high as 2 metres.

Position, bed and water

In our climate, plant the seedlings in the hottest part of the garden in full sun, preferably in a raised bed or wicking bed to keep the lower branches off the soil and out of reach of pests. Wicking beds are ideal as rosella is a plant requiring heavy watering (at least every 2-3 days if not in a wicking bed).

Soil and planting

Rosella needs rich soil with plenty of compost and must be well drained. They are heavy feeders. When the buds are forming, apply more compost. If planting in a garden bed, plants can be as far as 1 metre apart. In a raised bed, plant them 50cm apart and the branches will intersperse a bit like a hedge. You will need to plant 6-7 plants to get a decent harvest. Plant out in mid-late October. Rosella needs a long summer – at least 6 months of hot sun – so there is little leeway for plants to mature if planted later than October. The calyxes develop as the days shorten. There are two flushes of calyxes – the first is sometimes light but the second will be heavy and occurs when the plant puts all its energy into reproducing before dying off. Technically, it is a perennial but treat it as an annual as cold weather and frost kill it.

Harvesting and preparing

When the calyxes are 25-30cm in diameter, they are ready to harvest. Use secateurs or sharp scissors to cut them as the stems are quite thin and fragile. Store them in the fridge until you have enough to use. Inside the calyx is a big seed pod that needs to be removed. Peel the petals of the calyx from the seed pod but keep the seed.

Seed saving

Either save the seed when you prepare the calyxes for processing or leave some calyxes on the plants to dry (just as you would with peas or broad beans). The seed comes out easily: just tap the calyx on to your hand and it will fall out. Not all seed is equally viable so it is worth planting extra to ensure sufficient plants. Seeds are sold by Diggers, The Seed Collection, Eden Seeds and Seed Freaks in Tasmania. Read more of Robin’s articles on our website about how to grow various herbs.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

A little imagination with olives, noodles and mozzarella and you’re no longer allowed to cook dinner.

Some articles for you to read

The history of Pentridge Community Garden

Pentridge Community Garden in Coburg is roughly 6 years old. Andrew and Kerry Ogbourne recently wrote an article about its history.

The Fermentary

The Fermentary is a shop in Fitzroy North where they make and sell a wide variety of fermented products. Read their recent interview with Melbourne Farmers’ Markets.

The Part-time Gardener

The Part-time Gardener is a website by someone called Amanda, who says: “Five days a week I run my own business, glued to a laptop. On weekends I dig in the dirt and make sure bees are happy.” Amanda recently wrote an interesting article entitled Is gardening ‘elitist’?. Thanks for the heads up, Bruce Plain!

What seeds to plant in September

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

Cucurbits

Cucumber
Gourd
Pumpkin
Rockmelon
Watermelon
Zucchini
Other warm season veggies

Basil
Beans
Capsicum
Chilli
Eggplant
Sweetcorn
Tomato
Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Rocket
Silverbeet
Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Jerusalem artichoke
Parsnip
Potato
Radish
Other veggies

Asparagus
Celery
Chives
Coriander
Globe artichoke
Leeks
Rhubarb
Spring onions

 
It’s Spring time! Time to get planting! I try and plant all my warm season veggie seeds in September – that way, if they fail to germinate, I can try again in October.

Read Helen Simpson’s articles on our website about growing basil, chillies, cucurbits, tomatoes and Spring veggie garden preparation more generally.

Read Robin Gale-Baker’s articles on our website about growing eggplants & capsicums and tomatoes.

Meg’s garden this month

With seedlings already underway in the greenhouse, it is time to plan and assess. Each year I find that I have planted too many beds with things that will limit my opportunities for planting in the new season (e.g. turnips, broad beans and onions). I need to decide if some of the broad beans need to be sacrificed for spring planting. I know that, if the veggie beds are cleared, then Spring planting is just around the corner. The smell of freshly mown onion weed permeates the air as I spend the day clearing small areas of the garden. This is daunting when considering the large bundles that I am creating of chickweed, cleavers, flick weed, radium, creeping oxalis, flat weed, dandelion, winter grass, etc. Some of these weeds (e.g. chickweed and cleavers) are edible but please take care. Chickweed, for example, can be confused with radium (aka milkweed), which is poisonous.

This month I am:

  1. Weeding.
  2. Turning compost into cleared beds.
  3. Admiring the blossom on the fruit trees.
  4. Enjoying the rosemary with its little purple flowers.
Rosemary and thyme biscuits

about a half tablespoon rosemary and thyme, finely chopped, and a few rosemary flowers 100g butter, diced 150g plain flour ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked is nice) 1 egg 80g grated cheese 1 tablespoon water pinch of salt and pepper to taste Heat the oven to 180degC. Place the butter, flour, cheese, salt and pepper in a food processor and mix until the butter has been incorporated. Add water and process to just bring the mix together into a soft dough. Roll into balls and press onto a lined baking tray (as for biscuits). Brush with lightly beaten egg and scatter with herbs and flowers. Bake for about 10 minutes or until just coloured. Cool on tray for about 2 mins then move to a rack. Read more of Megan Goodman’s recipes on our website.

Not food-related but interesting

More on oriental poppies

From Carol Woolcock: “Our oriental poppies must originally have been dropped by a passing bird and they now self-seed every year.“

Mint bushes in Hurstbridge

Last week’s Gardening Australia featured a segment on Miriam Ford’s collection of native mint bushes (aka prostantheras) in her Hurstbridge garden. Watch the video.

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 the Facebook page with Dan Palmer memories and tributes.

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

I used to live hand to mouth. Do you know what changed my life? Cutlery. Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps

For ‘technical’ reasons, the Warrandyte Food Swap scheduled for Saturday will not take place.

Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Introduction into wines; Saturday, 3rd September, 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 session will include 8 very different wines to demonstrate the difference in grapes and wine making techniques.

Chocolate and beer masterclass; Thursday, 8th September, 7-9pm; $53 ($27 per hour); Preston.

6 chocolates will be matched with 6 beers. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing and Birdsnake.

How to use sustainable processes for clean up in every day kitchens; Saturday, 10th September, 9.30-11am; free; Lilydale.

Ellen Clarke will show you some sustainable tips and tricks for cleaning up and dealing with waste in the kitchen. She will cover: waste reduction; food waste reduction; DIY cleaning products; get more for your money; and ways to use waste. Make your own sustainable cleaning product to take home with you.

Warm season planting workshop; Saturday, 10th September, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Lilydale.

The topics to be discussed will include: selecting and propagating appropriate warm season crops; soil & garden preparation; crop rotation & successional plantings; summer green manuring; watering strategies; and managing healthy plants for high yield.

Compost, worm farms and Bokashi bins (advanced); Saturday, 10th September, 1.30-3pm; free; Forest Hill.

This workshop is for those who have already started composting at home, have at least a basic knowledge of composting, and want to learn more about combining or adding to their existing systems. You will look at: how to set up both hot and cold composting systems; how to run successful above ground and inground worm farms; how to run multiple composting systems and their benefits; and how to use Bokashi Bin waste in your worm farms and gardens.

Farming for our future (ages 5 to 8); Tuesday, 20th September, 10am-midday; free; Brunswick East.

This workshop is aimed at children aged 5 to 8 years and each child must be accompanied by an adult guardian. Explore the Honey Lane Organic Farm, meet some chickens, make a recycled pot and propagate your own plant to take home.

Cheese and beer masterclass; Thursday, 22nd September, 7-9pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Abbotsford.

6 cheeses will be matched with 6 beers. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing and Cheese Culture.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 1st October, 3.30-5.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna will show you how to create your own beeswax wraps, which will change the way you store food. You will make and take home a selection of small and medium sized wraps.

Veggie gardening for beginners; Thursday, 6th October, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: how to set up and prepare a vegetable garden; how to select, plant and care for crops; and how to grow veggies in the ground, in raised beds and in pots. Presented by Tess. This class will teach you everything you need to know to grow delicious produce in your own backyard. They will cover all of the veggie gardening basics, from setting up your patch to harvesting.

Willsmere Kitchen Garden party; Saturday, 8th October, 2-5pm; free; Kew.

Join them for a day of food, music and fun for all the family. Devonshire tea by Ed’s Kitchen, smoothies by Bike n’ Blend, music by Three Legged Dog (and friends), face painting, etc. Click her to read about the kitchen garden

Growing fruit and veggies in small spaces; Thursday, 13th October, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden.

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 September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 1st October, 9am-midday; $74 ($25 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will take home both a crusty loaf and your own sourdough starter. Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear, who can also give you ongoing support and advice if you need it.

Kombucha and kefir; Saturday, 1st October, 1-3pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna will show you how to make your own kombucha and kefir.

Pink hands; Saturday, 1st October, 2-4pm; $195 ($98 per hour); Fitzroy North.

This is a gorgeously messy class where you will get your hands pink and learn how to best love your guts. You will make a ruby pink sauerkraut and a wild rhubarb fizz. Go home with 2 jars full plus a couple of bottles for second fermenting.

In September
In October
Regular classes

LFC News August 24 2022

Aug 242022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Bryce Clayton, Carol Woolcock, Chantelle Ladouceur, Deb Smith, Jaimie Sweetman, Peta Christensen.

Chinese star anise (Illicium verum) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

[Editor: Chinese star anise is a spice is used in Indian, Chinese and other Asian cuisines. It is also used in the French recipe of mulled wine and in the liqueur Galliano. It contains anethole, the same compound that gives the unrelated anise its flavour, and can be used as a less expensive substitute for anise in baking. Star anise oil is a highly fragrant oil used in some perfumery, soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes and skin creams.]

In our hunt for unusual plants, we recently found a Chinese star anise plant and have been looking after it in the nursery over winter. Now it’s time to find a spot in the garden as we move into Spring. It is a frost tender, sub-tropical plant, so we will probably put it into temperate rainforest section of our edible forest, where it will get more water and is more sheltered from both the wind and the full afternoon sun.

Originating from China down to Vietnam, you have probably used or seen the star-like seed pods of the Chinese star anise. It has an anise perfume and taste but it is the star-like seed pods that are most often used. It can take up to 7 years for them to start producing pods.

The tree can get up to 6 metres high and 3 meters wide in optimal conditions. It can also be hedged back to form a scented hedge.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

A 1% increase in soil organic carbon increases the capacity of soil to hold water by about 2%. This can equate to hundreds of thousands of litres per hectare, and can make a big difference to farmers’ yields and their ability to survive during extreme drought.

A new gin maker – Puss & Mew

Puss & Mew is a boutique gin distillery, based in Nunawading, making small batch craft gin. Their various gins are created using a combination of three methods: steeping (boiling botanicals in the pot), vapour infusion (placing botanicals in the vapour path during distillation) and compounding (botanicals soaked in the spirit post distillation). This allows them to extract the richest flavours from their ingredients. You can buy their gin online, at their cellar door (Thursdays to Sundays), or at Blackburn Cellars, Dan Murphy’s Marketplace, Eltham Farmers’ Market, Nunawading Market or Warrandyte Riverside Market.

They are also a bar and restaurant, open Thursdays to Sundays.

They also run gin masterclasses most Saturdays, where you are guided through the process of making your own gin.

Welcome Debra, Brett and Bryce!

There are now 4 gin makers in our Local Food and Drink Directory.

A new food swap in Collingwood

The Collingwood Yards Food Swap will be on the last Sunday of each month, 10am-midday, with the first swap being next Sunday, 28th August. At Collingwood Yards, 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood. The organiser is Peta Christensen from Cultivating Community who can be contacted by either email (peta@cultivatingcommunity.org.au) or phone (0411 899618).

On the 28th August, they will also be launching a seed library and planting out some communal herb beds.

Want a job?

Chief Executive Officer of Collingwood Children’s Farm

0.8 FTE. Collingwood Children’s Farm is an urban farm based in Abbotsford. You will need to have “a passion for the environment and agriculture and want to use your management skills to promote a connection to nature for the community.” Read more and potentially apply.

General Manager at The Community Grocer

0.6 FTE. $35-37 per hour plus salary packaging. Closing date: 28th August. The Community Grocer runs fresh produce markets in Fitzroy and Pakenham. Read more and potentially apply.

Food Systems Projects and Events Officer at Sustain

0.6 FTE. Be involved in the planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation and delivery of Sustain’s projects, initiatives and events. Read more and potentially apply.

Too amazing not to share

Chantelle Ladouceur: “this is just too amazing not to share.” [Editor: oriental poppy (Papaver orientale)?]

Are you a young person living in Whittlesea or Darebin?

Sustain and the Just Food Collective are partnering to deliver a food justice, education and gardening program with young people living in Whittlesea and Darebin. The participants will attend 6 workshops (located in either Preston or Epping, depending on which group you join) and will participate in garden maintenance, cooking sessions and material creation (zine + film). Closing date for applications: 31st August. Read more and potentially apply.

More on Dan Palmer

As we reported last week, Dan Palmer of Permablitz and VEG fame has died.

Carol Woolcock has now written in: “I was so sorry to learn of the death of Dan Palmer. VEG designed our backyard and managed the huge permablitz that was held to implement the design. Even though 40+(!) enthusiastic people turned up, they didn’t get everything finished so 10 turned up the next week to complete the plan. Dan was a lovely man who was keen to share his vision and knowledge.”

Here is a Facebook page entitled ‘Dan Palmer – Memories and Tributes’.

Podcast of the week

The Producers is an Australian(?) food podcast telling the stories of producers, farmers, growers and makers. A recent example is their 33 minute podcast on truffles.

Newsletter reader website of the week – Deb Smith

Deb is a music educator and music literacy expert who provides support and resources for teaching musicianship and aural training in secondary schools. In her spare time, she is a passionate vegetable gardener.

See Deb’s website.

Go to her online shop.

Do you have a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the obituary of Dan Palmer by Ceres Fair Food.

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

What did one slice of bread say to the other slice of bread when he saw some butter and jam on the table? “We’re toast!”

Read more jokes.

 

Not food-related but interesting

Tour of Council’s Organics Recovery Facility; Tuesday, 11th October and Wednesday, 12th October, both 9am-1pm; free; Nunawading.

Find out what happens to your garden and organic waste once it is collected by going along for an education tour of Bio Gro’s state of the art organics recovery facility. These tours are only for people who live in the City of Whitehorse.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Winter fruit tree pruning with Chris England; Saturday, 27th August, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Richmond.

Presenter Chris England. Learn how to prune different types of fruit trees – apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums and citrus. Learn how to keep trees healthy and to a workable height and to recognise the different types of growth, and prune for maximum fruit. BYO secateurs.

Using your weeds for food and fertiliser; Saturday, 27th August, 10.30am-12.30pm; $10; Macleod.

Marina Bistrin harvests and uses her weeds as: high nutrient food for humans and animals; nutrient additions to compost; weed tea fertiliser; green manure; clay breakers; groundcover; and in herbal teas and medicines. In this session, she will share her ideas and knowledge with you. Feel free to bring a small plate to share.

Build a bathtub worm farm; Sunday, 28th August, 11am-midday; free; Ringwood.

Local worm specialist Suez Worms will tell you everything you need to know about building and caring for a worm farm.

Tomato planting workshop; Monday, 29th August, 7-8pm; free; Watsonia.

Go and plant your own tomato seeds in time for spring.

Wild Fire Wines & Arquiteka cider tasting @ Underwood; Thursday, 1st September, 6.30-8pm; $45 ($30 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Geoff Shenfield from Wild Fire Wines will guide you through 5 tastings from the range whilst Steve Ostrom will educate you on how his Arquiteka cider is made. All whilst enjoying a grazing board of local produce.

Composting and worm farm workshop; Saturday, 10th September, 1-3pm; free; Preston.

Find out about the different types of composting from direct dig to Bokashi and the do’s and don’ts of composting. Then learn how to set up your own worm farm, how worm farms work, what to feed your worms and things to avoid.

Getting ready for the Queensland fruit fly season; Wednesday, 14th September, 8-10pm; free; Doncaster East.

Learn what damage Queensland fruit fly can cause and how you can be prepared for the upcoming Queensland fruit fly season.

Cow milking and butter making; Wednesday, 21st September, 2-2.45pm; free; Watsonia.

For children accompanied by their parents. Milk a cow. Learn some cow facts, experiment with different methods to make cream then butter, and (finally) taste test.

Cow milking and butter making; Wednesday, 21st September, 2.45-3.30pm; free; Watsonia.

For children accompanied by their parents. Milk a cow. Learn some cow facts, experiment with different methods to make cream then butter, and (finally) taste test.

Practical food gardening; Thursday, 13th October, 10am-12.30pm; free; Forest Hill.

Find out how to: save seeds and grow your own seedlings; look after your gardening tools; grow fruit and vegetables organically and use companion planting; use crop rotation to reduce soil disease build up; attract wildlife that will protect your garden from pests; and make the best compost in a simple and easy way.

Growing great tomatoes; Saturday, 15th October, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: choosing varieties; garden set-up; and common problems. Presenter: Carol Henderson. Topics to be covered include: how to choose which tomato varieties to grow; whether to grow from seed or seedling, in pots, raised beds or directly into soil; when and how to plant and tips for success; training growth with stakes, cages or string vs free range; pros and cons of pruning and how to do it; preventing common problems; feeding; and crop rotation.

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 15th October, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 15th October, 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 will be 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 prepared during the workshop, plus 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).

Indigenous food, fiber and medicine; Wednesday, 19th October, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Macleod.

Before white settlement, the Australian bush provided our First Nations people with all the food, fiber and medicine needed to thrive in this unique country. This workshop will introduce you to some of the plants used by indigenous Australians and hopefully inspire you to grow them in your garden.

In August
In September
In October
Regular events
Beginning beekeeping course; Various Saturdays, 9.30am-4pm; $260 ($40 per hour); Edendale.

What you will learn: getting started with backyard beekeeping; how to maintain a healthy hive, the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check; and the wonders of pure raw honey and an understanding of honey extraction. Weather permitting, they will open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration working with hives. Take a packed lunch. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Prepare and share – dishes from around the globe; Thursday, 13th October, 6-8pm; $16 ($8 per hour); Forest Hill

Learn how to cook and then taste a mystery dish.

Blokes in the kitchen (3 sessions); on Fridays, 14th October, 11th November and 9th December, each 9am-midday; $120 ($13 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session.

Cultural cooking – Indian condiments; Saturday, 15th October, 11am-1pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Alphington.

Manu will show you how to make Indian condiments.

Triple cream brie cheese; Sunday, 16th October, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

In August
In September
In October
Regular classes
Artisan bread making; Various Sundays, 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home. What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; savoury calzone for lunch, which you make, eat and take home; and an embroidered apron made from 100% Fairtrade cotton. The focus will be on ciabatta and turkish breads.

LFC News August 17 2022

Aug 172022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amy Fabry-Jenkins, Betty Chetcuti, Bev Middleton, Bron Elmore, Marina Bistrin, Shani Shafrir 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.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

Healthy soils help protect the planet from climate change. According to Columbia University’s Earth Institute, “soils remove about 25% of the world’s fossil fuel emissions each year.” There is also the potential to remove more CO2 by changing agricultural practices to build healthy soil that stores carbon deep down in the soil.

Yes, you did know (sort of)!

Last week, Jo Buckle asked whether the alkalinity of her compost is a problem and how to handle the stickiness of her composted coffee. Marina Bistrin has responded.

Re the alkalinity of compost: “It is surprising that some compost is so alkaline; however, once spread and mixed with other soil, that may all even out (same with acidic compost).”

Re the stickiness of composted coffee: “I use a well mixed layer of coffee grounds, coffee husks, sawdust and sand throughout my compost. I have occasional batches of aged compost that are sticky and mostly worm castings. I think mixing in mulched garden material as a layer may give it some bulk and air in the finished product. Also, if it is too sticky, what about mixing with water and using it as a liquid fertiliser?”

Want to get involved at Regent Community Garden (Reservoir)?

Regent Community Garden are looking for more people to get involved in their governance, garden maintenance, event planning, promotion and community engagement. An AGM will be held soon and a new committee formed. Email them for more information.

Farm Raiser’s veggie boxes are back

Farm Raiser is an urban farm based in Bellfield. From 15th September to 22nd December, they will be selling weekly veggie boxes. $50 per week or $700 for all 15 boxes. They grow 50% of the veggies themselves and source the other 50% from local organic or biodynamic farms around Melbourne.

Frost at Oakhill Farm

Shani Shafrir has sent in this photo of the frost from last week on the farm’s veggies. As Shani says, “some of our plants really suffer from these frosts while others do well and look pretty doing so.”

Vale Dan Palmer

Dan Palmer, founder of Permablitz and director of Very Edible Gardens (VEG), recently died at the age of 48. you can find a number of obituaries on the internet – here is one from CERES Fair Food.

Another new video from Simone Boyd

What type of soil mix should I sow my seeds into?

Every newsletter needs a good photo

Dutch breakfast with cheese, bread, nuts and fruit, served on a fine white linen napkin protecting the red tablecloth. Painted by Floris van Dyck in 1610.

How do you stop a cockatoo from attacking your property?

The NSW Government has the following suggestions:

  • Don’t feed them.
  • Make a scarecrow that looks like a bird of prey.
  • String fishing line over the area – this makes it hard for them to land.
  • Paint any timber white – they do not like it.
  • Give them a quick spray with a water bottle or hose.
  • Hang netting over the affected area.
  • Use taped alarm calls or a motion-activated alarm.

Newsletter reader website of the week – Bron Elmore

Bron is a fine art painter based in Warrandyte. She works primarily in oil and acrylic media but also enjoys experimenting with limited edition relief printmaking.

See Bron’s website.

Bron is currently having an exhibition of original paintings at Now and Not Yet Gallery, Now and Not Yet Cafe, 148-150 Yarra Street, Warrandyte. The exhibition is called bird+bloom and runs right through August and September. The Now and Not Yet Cafe is a not for profit social enterprise cafe.

Do you have a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Vegetable minestrone soup (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: 8. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking: 40 minutes.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup lentils or beans of choice
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 zucchini, diced
2 cups cauliflower, diced
1 cup cabbage, diced
1 small turnip, diced
1 cup pumpkin, diced
1 large potato, diced
2 litres water or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
½ cup small pasta or rice

Method

Saute the onion and garlic in oil for 2 minutes.

Add and saute the lentils/beans, carrot, celery, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, pumpkin and potato for another 7 minutes.

Add the water/vegetable stock and the tomato paste and simmer on low-medium heat for 25 minutes in a covered pot until the vegetables are cooked through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the pasta/rice and simmer for 10 minutes until cooked.

Serve with bread.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Marjory Gardner’s website.

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

What does bread do after it’s done baking? Loaf around.

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

Grafting workshop; 3 occurrences, on Friday 19th August 9.30am-12.30pm, Friday 19th August 1-4pm and Sunday 21st August 1-4pm; free; Fairfield.

John Pinniger of the Heritage Fruits Society will run a hands-on grafting class for those who would like to improve their skills – or learn the basics. By the end, you will know when to graft and what to graft, and see examples of grafts. Take a sharp knife if you have one. There is no cost, but the third hour of the three-hour session will be assistance with the grafting of Heritage Fruits Society’s trees, including potting, labelling, etc.

Mushroom foraging; Wednesday, 31st August, 6.30-8.30pm; $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.

Beginners workshop in composting, worm farms and Bokashi bins; Saturday, 3rd September, 10.30am-midday; free; Forest Hill.

Learn how to get all these compost systems (composting, worm farms and Bokashi bins) up and running and at the same time turn your waste into a resource for your garden. More specifically, you will look at: cold composting techniques; how to run a successful worm farm; why run multiple composting systems; and how to compost and increase soil biodiversity with your Bokashi bin.

Salami day at the Preston Market; Wednesday, 7th September, 8am-3pm; free; Preston.

Preston Market’s delicatessens are coming together to celebrate National Salami Day. There will be both tastings and special offers, and there will even be some vegan options. The tastings will include hot and mild csabai (Slavonija Deli – C234, C235) and vegan salami (Super Raw – N13).

Oakhill Farm’s 1st birthday party; Saturday, 10th September, midday-3pm; gold coin donation; Preston.

Celebrate a whole year of creating an urban farm and community space on the site of a disused vicarage. 12pm: Learn about their primary school passata patch program with Farmer Shani. 12.15pm: Garden tour with Oakhill’s head farmer Jemma. 12.30pm: Learn about growing tropical plants in a temperate garden with urban farmer Clare Harvey. 1pm: Learn about growing berries with Angelo Eliades. 1.45pm: Hear about their paid internship program for young people experiencing barriers to study and employment. 2pm: Hear about fermentation from Sharon Flynn of ‘The Fermentary’. 2.30pm: Garden tour with Oakhill’s head farmer Jemma. 2.45pm: Hear about their paid internship program for young people experiencing barriers to study and employment.

Composting at home; Wednesday, 5th October, 10-11am; free; Croydon.

Learn how to set up, maintain and use a compost bin at home. All types of compost bins will be discussed, including the popular eco tumbler.

Worm farm workshop; Wednesday, 5th October, 11.15am-12.15pm; free; Croydon.

Learn how to set up, maintain and use a worm farm at home.

Digestion composting workshop; Wednesday, 5th October, 12.30-1.30pm; free; Croydon.

Digesters like bokashi buckets, pet poo composters and green cones are another way of composting. Learn how these systems can help reduce your food waste at home.

Growing Spring veggies; Saturday, 8th October, 9.30am-3pm; $85 ($15 per hour); Eltham.

Through a combination of theory, discussion and hands-on activity, you will: learn about the importance of preparing soil before planting; learn about soil testing, adding soil conditioners, amendments and fertilisers; learn how to grow and maintain spring and summer veggies, including protecting plants from pest and disease during the growing season; and create a seed/seed raising mix, sow seeds, prick out seedlings and plant or pot them up. Tutor: Melissa Houselander.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 8th October, 10am-midday; $50 ($25 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life. What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

Basic inoculation workshop; Saturday, 8th October, 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.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 9th October, 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 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Getting started with organic veggie gardening; Tuesday, 11th October, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Doncaster.

This is one of a series of workshops during October and November which will teach you have to grow your own food.

In August
In September
In October
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Truffle and praline workshop; Saturday, 8th October, 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.

Sourdough basics; Wednesday, 12th October, 6.30-8pm; $120 ($80 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

In August
In September
In October
Regular classes
Kombucha brewing workshop; last Thursday of each month, 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.

Wild fermentation class and edible forest tour; 1st Saturday of each month, 10am-1pm; $85 ($28 per hour); Dixons Creek.

Louise Ward will lead you through the techniques of wild fermentation and the importance of incorporating good gut health into your diet. You will sample and learn how to make fermented foods such as pickling, exploring the art of fermenting your own vegetables, and how to easily introduce these and other fermented foods such as miso into your diet for better gut health. After the class, enjoy a guided tour of the Edible Forest. Please take 3 washed jars to take you made items home, 1 litre jars being ideal.

LFC News August 10 2022

Aug 102022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Bruno Tigani, Cecilia Macaulay, Frances Gibson, Jo Buckle, Marjory Gardner, Sofiah Fauzi, Victoria Kanicki and Virginia Solomon.

The Just Picked farm in Yan Yean is no more

The Just Picked farm in Yan Yean has closed its doors. The owners, Hans and Maria Hoffman, have sold up and are transitioning into a well-earned retirement. The new owners appear to have no interest in keeping the farm going.

In my opinion, this is sad for at least two reasons. First, Just Picked had a unique place in food production in North East Melbourne being the only local farm that grew and sold to the public a wide range of both vegetables and fruit. As a result, the number of generalist vegetable growers in our Local Food Directory has now reduced from 3 to 2 (Kinglake Vegetables and Sugarloaf Produce) and the number of generalist fruit growers has reduced from 2 to 1 (Kookaberry Strawberry Farm). Just Picked’s demise is a major loss to our local food system. And now that it has gone, it will (presumably) never come back.

Second, although a lot of us talk about the importance of local food production, collectively we appear to have made little effort to retain what is one of the most important farms in the area. As the saying goes, we might talk the talk but we don’t seem to have walked the walk.

I wish Hans and Maria well in what is hopefully a long and exciting retirement.

Growing midyim berries (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Midyim berry (Austromyrtus dulcis) is a perennial member of the myrtle family which is native to the eastern coastal regions from northern NSW to south-east Queensland. It is a spreading bush with delicious small berries. It can fruit from its first year onwards. In Melbourne, it is a low growing bush. The berries are white with purple specks; they are about the size of a blueberry and also taste like a blueberry with spicy notes. They are used as fresh fruit, fresh in salads and fruit salads, with yogurt or ice cream. They are also used in fruit pies and in jams.

Propagation

Propagation is from seed or cuttings in spring. Seeds take about 4 weeks to germinate and cuttings take about the same time to root. Take a soft-wood or semi-hardwood cutting, strip away about half of the lower leaves and dip in water, then in hormone rooting powder, and insert into a mix of damp perlite and vermiculite. Keep well watered.

Position and soil

Choose a location with filtered light (i.e. some sun, some shade). Midyim berry is an understory plant and gains protection from Melbourne frosts by being placed under trees, where its spreading habit nicely covers the ground. Plants placed in full sun will be denser and those in shade or filtered light will be more open. Midyim berry is not overly fussy about soil but does well with compost and well-rotted manure dug into the soil prior to planting. Add more compost after harvesting in autumn. It also requires well drained soil. It grows well in large pots.

Planting

Dig a hole at least as deep as the root ball, deeper if you need to add compost and rotted manure, and twice as wide. Tease out the roots before planting and backfill with soil. Keep well watered until well established. Mulch well – I prefer sugar cane mulch as it helps to keep the berries clean and they don’t fall through it.

Pruning

Prune after harvest in autumn but also regularly during the year to increase berry production. Berries produce on older wood so lightly prune the new foliage every few months.

Watering

Watering is important while the bush is establishing itself. Watering regularly will also ensure abundant berry production, although bushes will also survive in relatively dry conditions.

Harvesting

Net to protect the berries from birds. The berries are ready when they are soft and fall off at a touch. The berries do not store well so eating them fresh and within a few days is best.

Read more of Robin’s articles on our website about growing various fruit trees.

Seed germination on top of paper (by Bruno Tigani)

[Bruno is a local (Lower Plenty) wholesaler of seeds (Griffin Seeds).]

In the commercial vegetable seed industry, the majority of germination tests are done on top of paper. Most of us will be familiar with this method, using cotton or some other similar substrate.

If anyone has any seed of unknown viability, you can approximate soil germination at home by wetting a paper kitchen cloth and placing some seeds on that cloth in an airtight container. For some species, you will see a root emerging within days and, by observing the percentage of seeds that have sent out a root, you can determine the germination percentage of the seeds. Note that, whilst smaller seeds are ok sitting on the paper uncovered, larger seeds like pumpkin or cucumbers may dry out, so another moist cloth on top of the seeds is useful.

In the photo, I am checking on onion seed germination before I sow that seed in a few weeks. I only had serviettes, so not ideal as kitchen cloth is more robust. Onions don’t need any particular warmth to germinate, so these are just on a shelf in my office. For fruiting crops, keeping the container on a warm window ledge for example, will help them along. In this test, after 7 days, about half had emerged. I will check one more time, on day 10 and decide if the seed is good enough to give to growers.

Some tips:

  • The cloth just needs to be moist, not wet. I wet the cloth sparingly and let capillary action do the rest.
  • Wring the cloth out as much as possible, or use a minimal amount of water, or the seeds may rot.
  • If the paper dries during the test, mist sparingly with a sprayer, rather than water drops (which displace the seeds).
  • Space them evenly and, when a seed has germinated, I count it and then use tweezers to remove it (or the roots become entangled).

When to harvest leeks

As many of you will know, Bruno (see above) often gives away leek seedlings via this newsletter. One of the recent recipients, Victoria Kanicki, has written in: “My leeks are fattening nicely and I would like to know when they are ready to harvest.” My answer is that she can harvest them at any time after they have reached 2cm in thickness.

Victoria also said: “Many thanks for including the link to Julie’s NATIF website in last week’s newsletter. I was looking for an original and thoughtful gift to offer our friends, who are due to become Australian Citizens in a couple of weeks, and found exactly what I needed on there.”

In passing, Frances Gibson, from Howqua Truffles, reports that 5 newsletter readers, all new to tasting truffles, bought some truffles as a result of the discussions in this newsletter over the last two weeks.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

‘Top soil’ is the outermost layer of soil. It’s where most of those 6-billion-per-teaspoon organisms hang out and it’s where we grow 95% of our food. So top soil is a big deal but, at about 25cm deep on average, it is also disconcertingly thin.

More on testing soil pH (by Jo Buckle)

I (Jo) want to thank Stuart Rodda for his July article on testing soil pH. I have been meaning to test my soil for a while but thought it would be too hard; the step-by-step guidance (including the link to buying a cheap but accurate pH meter) was just what I needed.

I was worried that my soil / compost would be too acidic as my compost contains large quantities of coffee, from the staff at Faraday’s Cage Cafe in Fitzroy, who separate out their food waste and keep it for me; it is about 80% coffee grounds. Sometimes I mix the coffee grounds in with other compost materials and sometimes (if I have too much of it) I separate out the coffee grounds, add sawdust and let the worms do their thing.

Here were my results:

  • Soil in various places: 7.2 to 7.8.
  • Mixed compost, about 5 months old: 8.3.
  • Coffee and sawdust: 6.6 (composted for 2 months) to 7.2 (composted for 1 year).

I am happy that my soil is generally in the right range.

I was surprised that my compost was so alkaline. Is this a problem?

The composted coffee seems to lose its acidity over time (and the worms like it). There might be other problems with so many coffee grounds in finished compost apart from pH levels – not sure whether caffeine or other components will be a problem. Does anyone have any views? One thing is that it’s not very free-flowing and it tends to form sticky mud when wet. I’ll probably spread it around the whole garden rather than concentrating it in one spot.

[Editor: different newsletter readers appear to have rather different views about the efficacy or otherwise of using spent coffee grounds in the garden. For example, here is an article about Sarah Hardcastle’s views and here is an article by Jian Liu.]

Would anyone like to comment on any of Jo’s observations or questions? Email me.

No, you didn’t know

Last week, Jeremy Mather asked what the pictured fruit netting device is called and where it can be bought. No one responded. Can anyone respond this week? Email me.

NERP at Eltham Farmers’ Market on 14th August

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be having a stall at Eltham Farmers’ Market this coming Sunday (14th August). The theme will be using your weeds. From 10.15-10.45am, Marina Bistrin will be giving a talk about how you can use your weeds – they are high in nutrition and are ideal to add to your compost to feed your veggies, which in turn, feed you. She will include tips on how to stop your weeds re-growing in your compost. Some weeds are also edible for either people or animals. Take any weeds you would like her to discuss.

Want to volunteer at Bridge Darebin?

Bridge Darebin in Preston is looking for someone to maintain their wicking garden beds. While there will be others to help, they are looking for the volunteer to take on the overall care and responsibility of the beds. The responsibilities will include planting, watering and weeding. They will need to work with Bridge Darebin’s Moon Rabbit Cafe to decide the best plants to plant for kitchen use. Ideally once a week for a couple of hours, or more as necessary in warmer weather. Starting asap. Read more. To apply, email Carli Lombardo (carli@bridgedarebin.org.au).

Newsletter reader website of the week – Marjory Gardner

Marjory is a freelance children’s book illustrator (who also “loves gardening!). She also paints personalised name badges, brooches and Christmas decorations, which she sells at local craft markets.

See Marjory’s website.

Do you have a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was The Victorian Government’s pop-up food relief market grants.

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

A C, an E-flat, and a G go into a bar. The bartender says “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.”

Read more jokes.

 

Not local but interesting

Playful pantry, fabulous fridge; Sunday, 4th September, 11am-3.30pm; $180 ($40 per hour); Hepburn Springs.

Our fridge is a metaphor for how we let our personal lives become: overcrowded, overcommitted, the flow isn’t happening. If you want to become the designer of your life, fresh and colourful, start with your fridge. It’s easier. Organised by Cecilia Macaulay.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Learn about edible forest gardening; Thursday, 25th August, 2-3.30pm; free; Lilydale.

Listen to Jaimie Sweetman from Edible Forest talk about the benefits of edible forest gardening in urban areas, design elements and garden layers of forest gardening, with some samples of some forest garden plants. Organised by Lilydale Library.

Your edible garden, springing into spring! (3 sessions); Sundays, 28th August, 4th and 11th September, each 10am-midday; $62 ($31 per hour); Forest Hill

They will guide you through to an abundant harvest of fresh vegetables and herbs. As well as the usual garden favourites, they will look at vegetables and herbs that may be less familiar. Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

Your edible garden, springing into spring! (3 sessions); Thursdays, 1st, 8th and 15th September, each 10am-midday; $62 ($31 per hour); Forest Hill

They will guide you through to an abundant harvest of fresh vegetables and herbs. As well as the usual garden favourites, they will look at vegetables and herbs that may be less familiar. Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

Introduction to beekeeping (2 sessions); Saturday, 17th September, 9.30am-4.30pm and Saturday, 24th September, 10.30am-12.30pm; $225 ($25 per hour); Blackburn North.

The all day program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. Background instruction incorporates equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. which retails at $60. Organised by The Beekeepers Club.

Foraging course (5 sessions); 5 Wednesdays starting 28th September, each 6-7.30pm; $330 ($44 per hour); Coburg.

The various sessions will explore specific plants, including identification, nutrition, properties and recipes, ending in tastings of wild food treats. You will learn about: the importance of wild foods; medicine as food; the difference between cultivated foods and wild food; sustainable wildcrafting; safe foraging; identification, nutrition and properties of several plants; and recipes for each of the plants.

Heal with food – heart health; Thursday, 29th September, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Eltham.

Dr Malcolm Mackay will discuss the role of nutrition in pulmonary heart diseases. A healthy meal box will be provided during the event. This is one of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Future talks will cover such subjects as asthma, bone diseases, cancer, dementia, depression & anxiety, diabetes, obesity and reproductive health. Organised by Green Karma.

The joy of backyard chooks; Thursday, 29th September, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: how to get started with keeping chickens in a suburban backyard; how to house and protect chooks from predators; and how chooks can be used to improve your garden and soil. Presented by Tess.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 1st October, at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a fascinating walk on the wild side, foraging for edible weeds.

Introduction to growing microgreens; Sunday, 2nd October, 10am-1pm; $60 ($20 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.

Growing nutrient dense food; Sunday, 2nd October, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

This workshop will introduce you to growing better quality, nutrient rich produce at home even if you only have a tiny growing space. It will include: selecting your crops; transforming your soil by focusing on the soil food web; an introduction to soil minerals & going beyond NPK; creating nutrient rich composts; fertilising your plants for maximum nutrition; and harvesting and preparing produce to maintain nutrients. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

In August
In September
Regular events
Eltham trials (walking food tour); various Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings; $65 ($22 per hour); Eltham.

This tour includes a progressive 3-course meal at 4-5 eateries, with stories about the history behind the foods and flavours of the shops. Wander through the local spice shops, butchers and delis. Visit some local retail outlets to browse through the arts and crafts of the region.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Blokes in the kitchen; Sunday, 9th September, 9am-midday; $40 ($13 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood House.

Seasonal home cooking – springtime classics (3 sessions); Sundays, 2nd, 9th and 16th October, each 10am-1pm; $110 ($37 per hour); Forest Hill

Prepare seasonal dishes using fresh spring produce. They will show you how to make the most of every part of the vegetables when cooking seasonally, thus reducing waste. Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

Seasonal home cooking – springtime classics (3 sessions); Wednesdays, 5th, 12th and 19th October, each 10am-1pm; $110 ($37 per hour); Forest Hill

Prepare seasonal dishes using fresh spring produce. They will show you how to make the most of every part of the vegetables when cooking seasonally, thus reducing waste. Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News August 3 2022

Aug 032022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Allira Haeusler, Ann Stanley, Bev Middleton, Choon yin Yeok, Frances Gibson, Jeremy Mather, Julie Merlet, Karen Crosbie, Rebecca O’Dwyer, Renaee Churches, Rob Body, Sarah Mathers and Sonia Gatti.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

Humans are way faster at making soil than nature. If we had to leave it up to nature to make up soil at the rate it is eroding, we’d be in a pickle because it can take up to 1,000 years to form 1cm of topsoil! Thankfully, humans can also make our own soil (hello compost) and restore degraded soil through better land management and farming practices. There are already farmers doing this and building the resilience of their land and their production.

Want to be on radio?

Melbourne radio station 3CR is interested in having a weekly Local Food Connect radio show, which will apparently draw much of its content from this newsletter(!). They are currently seeking expressions of interest from people to be part of the team of presenters. Training in radio broadcasting and production will be available. If potentially interested, please contact Ann Stanley by phone (0423 431745) or email (annstanley.wes@gmail.com).

Pop-up food relief market grants

The Victorian Government is providing $1.25 million in grants to community organisations to deliver free and low-cost food to people in need, through new pop-up food relief markets across Melbourne. Applications close 17th August. Read more and potentially apply.

One of the places where this initiative was announced was Brunswick Neighbourhood House. Watch this 30 second video.

Do you know?

Jeremy Mather has a few of these (see picture right) for covering fruit on trees but does not know where they came from as they were a present. Does anyone know what they are called and where they can be bought? Email me.

More on eating the leaves of Brussels sprouts

From Rob Body: “I grew up in the UK where my mother would often send me to shop at the local greengrocer to buy Brussels sprouts tops and/or Spring greens which we ate regularly. Some time ago, we visited the Brussels sprouts farm located in Coldstream (Adams Farms) where I remember suggesting to the owner that he could have another market for his produce by selling the ‘greens’ in Vic Market.”

More on truffles

Last week, I talked about how Eltham residents Frances and Greg Gibson, from Howqua Truffles, have been harvesting their truffles and making them available for sale (if you are interested in buying some, contact Frances by phone (0409 414 325) or email (howquatruffles@gmail.com). As I had never tasted truffle, I decided to buy some from Frances and, over the last week, I have eaten truffle ice cream, truffle scrambled eggs, truffle, leek & mushroom risotto and truffle camembert. Of these 4, my favourite was the truffle scrambled eggs, whose recipe is given below.

Truffle has a unique taste and, as such, it is difficult to describe. My best attempt is to say that it tastes like I always imagined umami would taste like; earthy and a bit like essence of mushroom, if it existed, might taste.

Truffle scrambled eggs

4 fresh large eggs
3 tablespoons of cream
20g salted butter
20g of black truffle, thinly shaved
salt and pepper
parsley

Overnight, place the uncooked eggs in a sealed glass jar with the truffle – the truffle aroma will infuse with the eggs.

The next day, mix together the eggs and cream.

Gently heat the butter until melted and add the egg mixture.

Stir carefully with a wooden spoon until the eggs are cooked to your desired consistency.

Plate up, shaving/grating the truffle over the eggs.

Add salt and pepper plus a parsley garnish.

Mitcham Community Meal

I’ve mentioned the Mitcham Community Meal before but it’s such a great example of community that I’m going to mention it again (and again). As they say on their Facebook page, “Mitcham Community Meal provides a free hot meal each Sunday night @ 6 PM. It’s run by the community for the community. Please come and join us on Sunday.” A key point is that a different local club, business, or church group provides, serves and pays for the meal each week and, since they started in 2018, around 100 different teams have prepared at least one meal. During July. for example:

  • On 3rd July, San, friends and others served up pumpkin soup, rice, chickpeas, carrots & butter chicken, and banana & sultana self saucing pudding.
  • On 10th July, Lifegate Church provided and served the meal.
  • On 17th July, Antonio Park Primary School (pictured below) and others treated their guests to pea & ham soup, spaghetti bolognese & assorted pasta bakes and warm fruit crumble with custard & ice cream.
  • On 24th July, Team Costas Constructions, a local building company, and others made sausage and lentil soup, vegetarian curry with rice & naans and sticky date pudding with ice cream & custard.
  • On 31st July, Karinya Counselling Centre, Syndal Community Care and others served up sweet potato & lentil soup, burgers & chips and peach cakes with custard & ice cream.


 

Newsletter reader website of the week – Julie Merlet

Julie’s company NATIF (N=Native; A=Australian; T=Traditional; I=Indigenous; F=Foods) sells a wide range of native foods online on her website, with the main categories being fruits & fruit powders, herbs & spices, beverages and wellness products.

The native foods used include aniseed myrtle, boab, bunya nut, bush tomato, cinnamon myrtle, davidson plum, desert lime, fingerlime, geraldton wax, kakadu plum, lemon myrtle, mountain pepperleaf, muntrie, pepperberry, peppermint gum, quandong, riberry, rivermint, saltbush, strawberry gum and wattleseed.

NATIF values knowing where native foods come from, the method & ethics of collection, and the rights of the Indigenous people who collect some of this food. All of their packaging is either recyclable or biodegradable.

See Julie’s website.

Go to her online shop. Spend $10 or more online and receive a free native foods cookbook by typing in the word ‘Cooee’ in the discount code upon checkout.

Do you have a website that might be of interest to some of our readership? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

The results of last week’s competition

There were five entries and the winner is Sonia Gatti for her photo of Sturt’s desert peas (followed closely by Karen Crosbie for her photo of Sturt’s desert peas!).

Choon yin Yeok
Leptospermum laevigatum
(coast tea tree)
Karen Crosbie
Swainsona formosa (formerly Clianthus formosus)
(Sturt’s desert pea)
 
Photo taken in early July in Broken Hill.
Rebecca O’Dwyer
Hakea laurina
(pin-cushion hakea)
 
“I predict the competition will be a battle of the WA species – they are always so spectacular!“
Sonia Gatti
Swainsona formosa
(Sturt’s desert pea)
 
THE WINNER
 
Photo taken in the middle of town in Coober Pedy, South Australia.
Sonia Gatti
Eremophila maculata
(Spotted emu bush or spotted fuchsia-bush)
 
Also taken in Coober Pedy.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Jill Brailsford’s online shop.

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

A neutron walks into a bar.
“How much for a beer?” the neutron asks.
“For you?” says the bartender, “No charge.”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps

The folks at Reynard Street Community Garden in Coburg have confirmed that their new Food and Garden Swap will now be a regular monthly event on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 10.30am-12.30pm for at least the rest of the year.

At the Warrandyte Food Swap on Saturday, there will be medlar jelly made by Carol Woolcock, including tastings with crackers and brie.

After the Montmorency Food Swap at the Hub on Sunday, Marina Bistrin will give a talk from 11am to midday on how you can use your weeds. The focus will be on how to compost your weeds to make your compost more nutritious, but there will also be extra information on which are edible and/or medicinal plus you’ll get tips on how to stop your weeds re-growing in your compost. Take any weeds you would like to talk about.

Community gardens

The Panton Hill community garden now has regular meet ups on Mondays, 3-5pm during school terms.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 6th August, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 20th August, 3.30-5.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna will show you how to create your own beeswax wraps, which will change the way you store food. You will make and take home a selection of small and medium sized wraps. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Cheese and beer masterclass; Thursday, 25th August, 7-9pm; $64 ($32 per hour); Preston.

6 cheeses will be matched with 6 beers. Jointly hosted by Moon Dog Brewing and Cheese Culture.

The power of rocket stove technology – demonstration evening; Friday, 2nd September, 7.30-9pm; $25 ($16 per hour); Research.

Hear rocket stove and efficient combustion enthusiast, Joel Meadows, talk about what makes these devices burn so cleanly and efficiently. Joel will also demonstrate a range of clean burning appliances that you can see in action, and then enjoy hot drinks and pizza. Organised by NERP.

The power of rocket stove technology – workshop build; Saturday, 3rd September, 10am-5pm; $75 ($11 per hour); Templestowe.

You can only attended this workshop if you have also enrolled in the demonstration evening on Friday, 2nd September. You will work with rocket stove and efficient combustion enthusiast, Joel Meadows, to build a simple, durable rocket cooker from house bricks and cob. A converted, reclaimed wall oven will be used to sit over the rocket cooker. They will cooking in the oven by the end of the workshop.

Caring for backyard chooks; Sunday, 4th September, 2-4pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Edendale.

Learn the basics of backyard chicken keeping, including the characteristics of different breeds (in order to make a selection that suits your setting and needs), housing and care needs of chickens. This workshop will suit those who are keen to learn the basics. Participants will leave with the knowledge and confidence to begin keeping chickens and producing their own free-range eggs. Presenter: Raewyn Pickering.

Tequila & Mezcal Festival; Saturday, 17th September, 5.30pm-midnight; $27 (general admission) or $79 (includes tequilas and tacos); Preston.

There will be presentations about tequila, mezcal and agave distillates plus 4 tequilas to sample. There will also be food and live music.

Backyard chooks for families; Tuesday, 20th September, 2-4pm; $10 per child (accompanying adults are free); Edendale.

This workshop is for families with children over the age of 8 who are wanting to learn the basics of backyard chicken keeping. You will learn about the characteristics of different breeds (in order to make a selection that suits your setting and needs) as well as the housing and care of chickens. You will leave this workshop with the knowledge and confidence to begin keeping chickens and producing their own free-range eggs. Presenter: Raewyn Pickering.

Mushroom growing masterclass; Thursday, 22nd September, 6.30-9.30pm;$145 ($48 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Spring veggie gardening; Sunday, 25th September, 9.30-10.15am; $15 (reimbursable at the nursery); Diamond Creek.

Kate Hall will discuss when to plant your veggies and how to set yourself up for a successful summer harvest. Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Produce in pots; Sunday, 25th September, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: why edibles fail and how to improve their chances of success; how to choose the right pots, potting mix, additives and mulches; the best fruit and vegetables options for pots; and the best sustainable and organic maintenance techniques, including watering and feeding. Presented by Diana Cotter.

In August
In September
Regular events
Eltham trials (walking food tour); various Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings; $65 ($22 per hour); Eltham.

This tour includes a progressive 3-course meal at 4-5 eateries, with stories about the history behind the foods and flavours of the shops. Wander through the local spice shops, butchers and delis. Visit some local retail outlets to browse through the arts and crafts of the region.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 20th August, 9am-midday; $74 ($25 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will take home both a crusty loaf and your own sourdough starter. Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear, who can also give you ongoing support and advice if you need it. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Kombucha and kefir; Saturday, 20th August, 1-3pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Panton Hill.

Jenna will show you how to make your own kombucha and kefir. Organised by Panton Hill Neighbourhood House.

Turkish vegetarian cooking; Friday, 2nd September, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Join Arzu Yilmaz to learn how to make four different vegetarian dishes (e.g. a lentil soup, a meze, Turkish borek and a dessert). Arzu will also talk about her experiences as an Istanbul girl and her Turkish identity. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub

Pizza making masterclass; Sunday, 11th September, 11am-1.30pm; $99 ($40 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will demonstrate how to create pizza dough from scratch and you will then make margherita and truffle mushroom pizzas. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

Fermentation for beginners; Thursday, 22nd September, 7-10pm; $112 ($37 per hour); Richmond.

Learn the basics of lacto fermentation. At the end, take home three ferments: sauerkraut, fermented onions and fermented carrots. Organised by The Fermented Mumma.

An artisan vegan chocolate dessert class; Sunday, 25th September, 10am-1pm; $154 ($51 per hour); Alphington.

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

Introduction to fermenting at home; Sunday, 25th September, 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; samples of fermented products to taste in class; and notes and recipes. Presenter: Monique.

Gnocchi making masterclass; Sunday, 25th September, 11am-1pm; $99 ($50 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will show you have to make and shape gnocchi dough plus two accompanying sauces. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 27 2022

Jul 302022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angelo Eliades, Bev Middleton, Carol Woolcock, Frances Gibson, Georgie Nathan, Jaimie Sweetman, Jill Brailsford, Lynn-eva Bottomley, Maria Callipari, Megan Goodman, Pam Jenkins, Pauline Webb, Roger Warr.

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.

The white ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium) by Jaimie Sweetman

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

After spending today cutting back the ginger lilies in the garden, I thought about how beautiful it looked. And it is also edible.

The white flowers have a strong floral fragrance and taste floral as well. They can be used to top salads, desserts or as a garnish for an elegant look.

The white ginger lily originates from Asia and can be a weed in more tropical areas. Here in Melbourne it does quite well though and adds a tropical theme to your garden. Usually an under-story plant, it does best in a more protected spot under a canopy or among other plants.

Placed in a border near a pathway, the flowers smell lovely walking past and the ginger stems add an architectural element to the garden.

Definitely one of the more beautiful ornamental ginger lilies to grow and it is edible too.

Pam Jenkins on eating Brussels sprout leaves

With the increase in the cost of fruit and vegetables, I (Pam) have started thinking about the amount of food that we waste because, traditionally, some parts of the vegetable crops just aren’t eaten.

Take Brussels sprouts, for example. When they are harvested, the leaves below the sprouts being harvested are torn off and generally discarded. These leaves feel at least as tender as kale which set me wondering why we dispose of them with such gay abandon. Time to consult Chef Google. There are many recipe options. Here is the link to one I tried. The verdict: the Brussels sprout leaves were quite tender and not at all fibrous. The recipe was very tasty as a side dish. I think that the leaves could also be cooked in any sort of kale recipe once you remove the larger veins.

Moving on, why do we dispose of so many outer cabbage leaves? The very outer ones may be tough and fibrous but some a little further in may be a bit ragged or just not the heart. I’ll try them out when my cabbages mature.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

Most of the antibiotics that we use to fight illness originated from soil microbes, which employ them as weapons in the competition for resources and survival. Penicillin, the first successful antibiotic, came from the soil fungus Penicillium.

Yes you did know (sort of)!

Last week, Jeremy Mather asked what was eating the rind of the lemons on his tree and what could he do about it. A number of you responded, but with differing views.

Angelo Eliades: Possums. Cockatoos don’t eat the peel, but the seeds inside. Rats wouldn’t have eaten that much peel. Protect the fruit with nets, either netting bags (2mm mesh drawstring bags that go around the fruit) or just net the tree.

Carol Woolcock: Snails. They hide under the leaves during the day and come out at night to feast. The best remedy is to inspect the tree and remove the snails on a daily basis until the problem is resolved.

Pauline Webb: Maybe possums but I would suspect rats. My lemons are similar and they then fall to the ground when a bite is taken from the skinless fruit. By contrast, my mandarins are eaten out (fruit only) leaving withering skins on the tree.

Roger Warr: Maybe rats or mice. We have them and they do similar damage, although ours also eat the flesh.

FWIIW, I agree with Angelo: the most likely culprit when the citrus rind has been eaten but not the insides is possums.

Want some truffle?

Eltham residents, Frances and Greg Gibson, from Howqua Truffles, are currently harvesting their truffles in the High Country town of Mansfield beside the Howqua River. If you are interested in purchasing some of this delicacy, contact them by phone (0409 414 325) or email (howquatruffles@gmail.com). Pick up in Eltham.

As someone who has never tasted truffles, I have just bought some from Frances and Greg and will report back in a future newsletter.

Are you an agriculture business in Nillumbik?

On Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd October, Nillumbik Council will be hosting an Open Farm Day program at Edendale Farm. There will be a business-to-business oriented program on the Saturday and a ‘meet the farmer’ program for the public on the Sunday. If you are a Nillumbik-based agricultural businesses that would potentially like to be involved in the Sunday program where you can undertake demonstrations, sell and promote your produce and offer educational workshops, complete their brief expression of interest form.

Not (quite) local but interesting

Community gardening is clearly vibrant in the municipality of Hume. As per their calendar of events in Winter and Spring 2022, there are 4 community gardens (in Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park, Sunbury and Westmeadows) and there are multiple upcoming events in each garden. Bookings are required for all events, most via Hume Council’s Eventbrite page. Also, read Hume Council’s page on community gardens.

Thanks for all the info, Maria Callipari!

The bird-dropping spider

Lynn-eva Bottomley has sent in the left photo which is apparently of the egg sacs of a bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata), which Lynn-eva found whilst pruning her plum tree. The Australian Museum has a page about this spider, which includes the following facts:

  • Each egg sac contains around 200 eggs, with up to 13 sacs silked together in a group.
  • The spider is called the bird-dropping spider because it (the spider, not the egg sac) looks like a bird dropping (see right photo).
  • The males are minute (2.5mm in length compared to 12mm for the females).
  • The spider’s diet consists almost exclusively of male moths, which it hunts at night by mimicking the scent of female moths to attract them.

Newsletter reader of the week – Jill Brailsford

Jill Brailsford is an artist who sells a wide range of her art online, including original paintings, art prints, greeting cards and painted stained glass. “I have many cards and prints with Australian native plants and animals which your newsletter readers might be interested in.”

See Jill’s website.

It has become clear to me that what we want for this section is newsletter readers who have websites that might be of interest to (some of) the rest of us. Those websites certainly don’t have to be food-related, just a bit interesting. Jill’s website is a good example. Do you have a website that might be of interest? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

The photo competition

The results of last week’s competition

Four people sent in photos and the winner is Jo Douglas’ photo of her dried grasses.

Gina Wilson”

I planted native grasses in my frontyard about 20 years ago. Some have thrived, some are sparse, and I can’t remember the names of any of them – sorry!“
Jo Douglas
 
THE WINNER

“This bunch of grasses were picked on a late summer walk in Hurstbridge last year. They remind me strongly of the wide blue late afternoon summer sky contrasting with the blonde grasses flowering at my feet. It includes, roughly left to right, Themeda, Danthonia, Sweet vernal, Yorkshire fog, Briza maxima and minor and Stipa.“
Lee Hirsh

“I created the arrangement from some grasses that I gathered from the Mornington Beach.“
Rowena Scott
Poa sp.
(tussock-grass)”
 
Frosted poa in a Gardens for Wildlife (G4W) planting beside frozen kidney weed.“
This week’s competition

The theme of this week’s competition is plants that are native to Australia but not native to Victoria and the prize is Australian native plants by John Wrigley and Murray Fagg, which weighs in at a hefty 500 A4 pages..

To enter the competition, email your photos of any plants that are native to Australia but not native to Victoria, including identification, by end of play Monday, 1st August. Our judging panel will then cogitate on Tuesday and the various entries will be included in the newsletter on Wednesday. Pick up the prize from my house in Eltham.

This is the last of the photo competitions to give away Stuart Rodda’s books.

Meg’s garden this month

My (Meg’s) wattle is out and provides a spot of cheery yellow colour that wards off the cold. The frosty weather has limited my time in the garden this month and everything from the worms to the pets seem to want to be tucked under blankets. Instead, I’ve spent the day looking through old recipes written in copperplate on discoloured scraps of paper. They are treasured and need to be transposed so not lost. Here is one of the recipes.

Grandma’s chocolate ginger slice

155g chopped dates
125g butter
½ cup sugar
60g crystalised ginger, very finely chopped
3½ cups of cornflakes
300g chocolate, to melt

Stir the dates, chopped butter, sugar and ginger over low heat in a large pan until the dates are soft.

Remove from the heat and add the cornflakes, mixing well.

Press into a lined square brownie or slice tin and refrigerate to set.

Once set, melt the chocolate, and spread over the top. Refrigerate again to set.

Cut into small squares and serve.

Note: Grandma would use 1 cup of drinking chocolate with 125g melted copha to replace the more expensive chocolate.

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

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 Angelo’s article on how long different fruit trees live.

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

An ox walks into a bar. The bartender says, “off the wagon again?”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

The art of espalier; Saturday, 3rd September, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: growing espaliered fruit trees; different techniques to make the most of all available space for espalier; and improve your general gardening skills. Topics will include suitable fruit trees, pruning and training techniques. Presenter: Diana Cotter.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 3rd September, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

Permaculture Design Course (80 hours); on Thursdays from 8th September to 8th December; $595; Kinglake.

The subjects to be covered will include: permaculture ethics and design principles; water systems; building healthy soils; passive solar building and retrofitting existing buildings; building greater personal and community resilience; growing nutrient dense food; and emerging opportunities in the new economy.

Produce in pots; Saturday, 10th September, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: why edibles fail and how to improve their chances of success; how to choose the right pots, potting mix, additives and mulches; the best fruit and vegetables options for pots; and the best sustainable and organic maintenance techniques, including watering and feeding. Presented by Diana Cotter.

Introduction to beekeeping; Thursday, 15th September, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Bob’s Beekeeping staff will discuss what is involved in keeping your own hive of bees.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 17th September, 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 will be 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 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).

An intro to beekeeping; Sunday, 18th September, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: a foundational knowledge of keeping bees; the set up and tools of a hive; and the financial, time inputs and responsibilities. You will see a working hive and taste some honey. Presented by Sarah Buchanan.

In July
In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Lovely lemons; Wednesday, 7th September, 1.30-3pm; $5; Greensborough.

Make lemon butter. All equipment, materials and ingredients will be provided.

Cheese making with Tina van Kooten; Wednesday, 14th September, 10am-3pm; $90 ($18 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Tina van Kooten will make quick and easy feta plus microwave mozzarella. A light lunch will be provided with some homemade cheeses, and you will take your cheeses home to enjoy. BYO apron, rubber gloves and container with draining mat.

Middle Eastern cooking; Thursday, 15th September, 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.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 17th September, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: ways to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture; the flour to use for the best nutrition and results; ways to knead sticky high hydration dough for a more authentic sourdough loaf; the equipment needed to produce a great looking and tasting sourdough tin loaf at home; and ways to bake sourdough bread using a bread tin in a home oven. What you will get: comprehensive workshop notes; sourdough starter culture; and a discount on a professional quality bread tin. Tutor: Rick Lavender of The Life We Want.

Soft goat cheese curd and goat camembert cheese; Sunday, 18th September, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

In July
In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 20 2022

Jul 212022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Choon yin Yeok, George Pergaminelis, Pam Jenkins, Rhi Canaway, Richard Smith, Robin Gale-Baker, Therese Scales and Vasundhara Kandpal.

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.

Pruning of mature deciduous fruit trees (by Therese Scales)

[Therese is a horticulturalist at Nillumbik Nursery in Diamond Creek. About a month ago, she wrote an article about formative pruning of deciduous fruit trees. When the framework branches have been established (about 4 years), you can, as discussed below, start pruning for the production of healthy fruit. Note that Nillumbik Nursery write a monthly newsletter with gardening tips which you can sign up for here.]

Remove anything that is …
  • Dead.
  • Damaged.
  • Diseased.
  • Branches crossing through the centre of the tree.
  • Branches rubbing against one another.
  • Branches growing vertically.
General pruning tips
  • Keep tools clean and sharp.
  • Prune to an outward facing bud to avoid congested growth in the centre of the tree and to open up that canopy for good light penetration and airflow.
  • Use loppers or a pruning saw on large branches.
  • Put the sharp edge of the blade next to the bud (spur or sprig) – close, but not too close.
  • Angle the cut away from the bud.
  • Avoid pruning in wet conditions because it increases the risk of infection at the new wound.
Pruning by species of fruit tree

Fruit trees have either sprigs or spurs. Both carry the fruiting buds and form off lateral branches. Each lateral branch may have several spurs or sprigs. A spur is thicker and longer and the fruiting buds that form along it will typically be larger and further apart. Sprigs are thinner and clustered together and the fruiting buds along them tend to be smaller and closer together. Because sprigs are finer than spurs, keeping them shorter and close to the main limbs will help prevent them drooping and breaking.

  • Apples and pears fruit on spurs. Prune to the 2nd bud and in the following year to the 1st bud. Remove spurs after 6 seasons.
  • Apricots fruit on 2-3 year old sprigs. Remove old and weak sprigs to encourage new ones. Prune after harvest (late summer) to avoid gummosis.
  • Cherries fruit on previous season’s spurs. Cut framework branches back by one third to produce fruiting buds for next year. Prune after fruiting to avoid cutting away fruiting spurs for next season.
  • Peaches and nectarines fruit on previous season’s growth (and thus each sprig only fruits once). Remove all sprigs which have given fruit.
  • Plums fruit on spurs. Prune for shape.

Pruning and care of deciduous fruit trees (by Robin Gale-Baker)

[Presented below is a shortened version of Robin’s new article about the pruning and care of fruit trees.]

Robin’s first tip is to prune individual fruit trees at the right time of year. More specifically:

  • Apples, pears and quince – in winter, when leafless. Prune on a dry day.
  • Apricots and cherries – in late summer, after harvest.
  • Peaches and nectarines – new growth lightly in summer and complete the prune in autumn.
  • Plums – in late summer or autumn, after harvest.

Robin’s second tip is to prune on a warm, dry day (especially for apricots and cherries), preferably with a breeze as this allows the cuts to dry out quickly and prevents bacterial infection and canker.

Robin’s third tip is to remove suckers. Suckers grow out of the ground around the tree base or out from the lower trunk below the graft. There are two schools of thought on sucker removal. The first is to remove suckers when they appear (or anytime you notice them) as they weaken the tree. The second is to remove them in summer when the soil is dry, to prevent fungal infection taking hold on the pruning cuts. Cut suckers out with sharp secateurs at ground level.

Robin’s fourth tip is to avoid using wound heal sprays. Trees need to form wood callouses on pruning wounds. Avoid spraying with a wound heal product because it can prevents oxygen getting to the wound, resulting in poor callous development, and allowing disease to enter the tree.

Robin’s final tip is to avoid Bordeaux mix and use lime sulphur instead. Bordeaux mix (copper sulphate) is often used on fruit trees to prevent fungal diseases. However, it is now banned in 18 European countries because of its adverse effects on critters and soil microbiology. Lime sulphur is both an anti-fungal and a pesticide. Apply in winter while the trees are leafless prior to bud swell.

Read the full article.

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

[Bev Middleton lives in Macleod and is from Soil Week Australia.]

About 25% of healthy soil is air – and it ‘breathes’, constantly exchanging gases with the atmosphere. The rate of this breathing, or respiration, is in fact one indicator of the microbial activity in, and therefore the health of, the soil.

Do you know?

Jeremy Mather writes in: “What is eating the rind of the lemons on my tree (see photo)? Possums? Cockatoos? Can anybody suggest some deterrent or otherwise to protect my crop?” Email me with your responses.

Do you want?

Richard Smith has a tangelo tree that he doesn’t want any more. “It’s a really good tree, around 1.8m tall, that I would like to give away at no charge. I have taken all the fruit off it, cut back the foliage and it is partly wrenched.” [Editor: I asked Richard what ‘wrenched’ means in this context and he replied that ‘wrenching’ is a process where the roots are cut without lifting the plant, then uplifted and bagged up. ‘Half wrenched’ means that only one half has been cut, with the other half to be cut later, so that it is not so much of a shock.] Pick up in Cheltenham. If you are potentially interested, email Richard.

Podcast of the week

Riverford Organic Farmers, from the UK, have produced a series of videos, called Veg hacks, discussing what to do recipe-wise with various vegetables. There are more than 100 in the series so there should be something of interest to everyone.

Not all caterpillars eat leaves (by Pam Jenkins)

On a recent, fine sunny morning I (Pam) was surprised to see 30 or 40 small, furry caterpillars on the handrail of our north-facing deck. It seemed strange as they were a long way from any leafy greens. I decided that there wasn’t anything growing nearby that they could seriously damage so took a few photos and left them to do their thing. I submitted a photo to the MyPestGuide Reporter app and some days later received a response informing me that they are a native moth species, either Anestia ombrophanes (the clouded footman) or Anestia semiochrea (the marbled footman). They are apparently widespread over high rainfall areas but not commonly observed in Melbourne. They would have been feeding on the lichen and algae growing on my handrail. A helpful caterpillar!

The female adult is about 1cm long, wingless and flightless. She stays near her cocoon and the male copulates with her there. So how did she get from a high rainfall area to my handrail to lay her eggs? Aaah, the magic of nature!

Newsletter reader of the week – ???

No one has come forward to be this week’s newsletter reader of the week. Does no one have a website or project that they wish to tell the rest of us about? Send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter. If no one comes forward this week, we will discontinue this section.

The photo competition

The results of last week’s competition

3 people submitted photos of native Melburnian plants. The winner is George Pergaminelis for the photo of a slender sun orchid and the runner up is Rhi Canaway for the photo of a blue pincushion. Here are some of their entries:

George Pergaminelis
Corybas fimbriatu
(fringed helmet orchid)
 		 George Pergaminelis
Pterostylis grandiflora
(cobra greenhood orchid)
THE WINNER!		 George Pergaminelis
Thelymitra pauciflora
(slender sun orchid)
 
Rhi Canaway
Brunonia australis
(blue pincushion)
THE RUNNER UP!		 Rhi Canaway
Diuris sulphurea
(tiger orchid)
 		 Rhi Canaway
Stackhousia monogyna
(creamy candles)
 
Choon yin Yeok
Telopea speciosissima
(waratah)
This week’s competition

The theme of this week’s competition is grasses and the prize is Grasses of temperate Australia.

To enter the competition, email your photos of any grasses, including identification if possible, by end of play Monday, 25th July. Our judging panel will then cogitate on Tuesday and the various entries will be included in the newsletter on Wednesday.

Another new article by Angelo Eliades

How long do fruit trees live?

Read more of Angelo’s food-growing articles.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the ultimate list of 58 vegan cafes in Melbourne.

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

A termite walks into a bar and asks “Is the bar tender here?“

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets

Food swaps

Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Gin tasting with Naught Distillery; Monday, 1st August, 7-9pm; $43 ($22 per hour); Montmorency.

In this evening of gin and cocktail tastings, a representative from Naught Gin, who are based in Eltham, will present their gin.

Composting and worm farms; Monday, 15th August, 4.30-6pm; free; Kew.

Teresa, from Sustainable Gardening Australia, will cover the why and how of composting and worm farms in this family friendly workshop. There will also be a wriggly paper worm craft activity for the kids. Organised by Kew Library.

Meet the wine makers – Golding Wines; Saturday, 20th August, 3-5pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

Explore Golding Wines from the Adelaide Hills through 6 of their wines in a special event hosted by the winemaker. Learn about their vineyards, wines and how they survived the 2019 bushfires. The tickets include food.

Winter fruit tree maintenance; Saturday, 27th August, 9.30am-midday; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: pruning of both new and established fruit trees; selection and planting of new fruit trees; Winter fruit tree maintenance practices for pest and disease prevention, control and treatment; and pruning tool maintenance. Presented by Tess.

Meet the wine makers – Chalmers; Saturday, 27th August, 3-5pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

Meet the famous Chalmers family as they take you through 6 of their wines. The tickets include food.

Heal with food – skin health; Sunday, 28th August, 11am-1pm; free; Eltham.

Dermatologist Dr Niyati Sharma (MBBS, FACD, MPH) will discuss common skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, hives, rosacea and share her knowledge about how to use food as medicine to manage these conditions. The talk will be followed by Q&A and then a free, healthy lunch. This is the first of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Future talks will cover such subjects as asthma, bone diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, dementia, depression & anxiety, diabetes, obesity and reproductive health. Organised by Green Karma.

Grazing board making workshop for women; Thursday, 1st September, 6-8pm; $189 ($95 per hour); Richmond.

Hayley Nicole will take you through the process of choosing from pre-prepared timber blanks, shaping and sanding then finishing and nourishing your unique board. You will also share a grazing board and optional beverage through the afternoon. All materials will be provided.

Veggie gardening for beginners; Thursday, 1st September, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden Nursery.

What you will learn: how to set up and prepare a vegetable garden; how to select, plant and care for crops; and how to grow veggies in the ground, in raised beds and in pots. Presented by Tess. This class will teach you everything you need to know to grow delicious produce in your own backyard. They will cover all of the veggie gardening basics, from setting up your patch to harvesting.

Gardening in small spaces; Saturday, 10th September, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to maximise your small space to create an oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals. In particular, you will learn: gardening skills; how to maximise small spaces and grow your own food; and how to transform your balcony. Presenter: Clare.

SEEDs Soup Festival; Sunday, 11th September, 11am-5pm; free; Brunswick.

Join them in celebrating SEEDs Communal Garden at their annual ‘winter soup’ fundraiser – with workshops, garden grown meals, mini market, live music and dancing.

In July
In August
In September
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Kombucha brewing workshop; Thursday, 28th July, 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.

Pasta making; Thursday, 18th August, 7-9pm; free; Thomastown.

Learn how to make pasta. Organised by Thomastown Library.

Sourdough bread; Saturday, 10th September, 10am-12.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

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.

Growing, cooking, sharing – a harmony of tastes cooking class; Saturday, 10th September, 10am-1pm; $15; Forest Hill.

In this cooking class, they will bring to life recipes taken from the community cookbook A Harmony of Tastes compiled by Whitehorse Manningham Libraries. Learn how to prepare and share Greek zucchini bake, Guatemalan atol de elote and Iranian anarbij (anar bij). Go along, learn some new skills and share a meal with your community.

Cultural cooking – Indian curries; Saturday, 10th September, 11am-1pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Alphington.

Manu will show you how to make Indian curries. Organised by Alphington Community Centre.

In July
In August
In September
Regular classes

LFC News July 13 2022

Jul 132022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Bev Middleton, Stuart Rodda and Vicky Ellmore.

This week’s newsletter has a theme, namely soil, with an article by Stuart Rodda and a competition and fun fact by Bev Middleton.

Next week’s newsletter will also have a theme (pruning of fruit trees). If you can’t wait until next week before you prune your fruit trees, here are links to the website versions of the two articles we will be discussing: pruning and care of fruit trees by Robin Gale-Baker and pruning of deciduous fruit trees by Therese Scales.

And the best news of all, perhaps, is that we have finished talking about medlars!

Bev’s soil fun fact of the week

For each week over the next month or so, Bev Middleton from Soil Week Australia will be providing a fun fact about soil. Here is the first.

Soil is the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. Just one teaspoon of top soil can contain up to 6 billion microorganisms.

A competition for schools

Soil Week Australia is running a competition for schools. For primary schools, the topic is Healthy soils and our food system and the winning school will receive $1,000 and the runner up will receive $500 to be spent on resources to build their student’s understanding of healthy soil and/or healthy food. For secondary schools, the topic is Healthy soil, agriculture and climate and the winning student will receive a $500 JB Hi-Fi voucher and the school will receive $1000 to be spent on resources to build students’ understanding of healthy soil, agriculture, and climate. The entries can be in any digital format, including videos, magazines, pictures, speeches, plays, paintings, murals or book reviews. Registrations close: 4th September. Entries to be submitted by: 25th October. Read more and potentially register.

Testing the pH of your soil (by Stuart Rodda)

[Presented below is a shortened version of Stuart’s new article about how to test your soil’s pH.]

Of the many properties of soil, pH is probably the most commonly mentioned in the context of getting your soil ready for successful food growing. But what is pH? And how do you know what pH value your soil has?

In simple terms, pH is how acidic or alkaline the soil is (technically: the prevalence of hydrogen ions). There is a scale of acidity/alkalinity, usually a ‘pH’ number between 0 and 14, in which the lower the number, the more acid is present. A score of 7 on this scale represents neutrality, i.e. no excess of acid or alkali. In general terms, living things prefer a pH close to neutral (pH=7) rather than an extreme acid or alkaline reading (e.g. a pH of 4- or 9+ respectively). Most plants can tolerate a pH between 5 and 8 without too much drama, but each has their own preferred range, e.g. acid-lovers like a pH of 5 to 6 while alkali lovers would prefer a pH above 7.5.

Home gardeners can get a rough measure of the pH of their soil with a simple test kit available from Bunnings for around $20. But if you want a more accurate measure, you can use a cheap pH meter (e.g. this one from Ebay for $10, as pictured right).

Comparing these two ways in terms of simplicity, cost and accuracy:

  pH Meter Coloured Dye Kit
Cost Cheap (less than $10) Cheapish (around $21)
Difficulty Can be complicated Simple to perform and read
Accuracy Accurate if done correctly Very approximate
Speed Rapid (seconds) after soil prep (minutes) Can take minutes
No. of tests Unlimited 20+ tests per kit

 
The cheap meters include instructions but, because pH meters can be used in many applications, the instructions which come with a pH meter are often not sufficient; rather, you need to follow methods specifically for soil pH measurement. In my full article, I have written up such methods.

Your soil may be fairly dry, or it may be wet from either rain or from watering. Because pH can only be measured in water, soils generally need to have water added to them before a pH measurement is done. Again, I have written up how to do this in my full article.

Traditionally, the pH of soils is altered by liming for certain crops (e.g. brassicas); or treated with organic matter or even sulphur for ‘acid-loving’ plants (e.g. blueberries). But if your soil is already alkaline, it would not be a good idea to lime it as the pH might go too high for other crops.

Other properties of soil are also important, such as: whether it is sandy, clayey or ‘loamy’; its levels of organic matter; its water holding capacity; the levels of certain essential minerals; and its ‘friability’ or microscopic structure (which affects air/water penetration properties.) These are all properties which can be addressed separately once you are familiar with the pH of your soil. The two most universal remedies to problems associated with either soil pH or structure is ‘add more compost” and ‘avoid soil compaction’.

Read the full article.

Read Stuart’s previous articles about soil on our website.

Newsletter reader of the week – Vicky Ellmore

“I have a website called Reusable Nation that I started when my partner and I started reducing our waste. Its purpose is to share what we’ve learnt on our zero waste journey, tips and advice. It also includes a map of Where to shop waste free in Australia that shows where people can buy things without packaging.” [Editor: I looked up my suburb (Eltham) on the map and it listed Eltham Deli, Organic Fix and Thrive Bulk Wholefoods, which seems like a reasonable list.]

“I have recently launched the Reusable Nation rainbow party kit on The Party Kit Network so that my community and surrounding ones have a kit of re-usable plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, and party decorations that can be used by everyone in the community for birthday and other parties instead of using single-use.” [Editor: Vicky lives in Hurstbridge and her party kit covers the following suburbs/town(s): Hurstbridge, St Andrews, Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen, Panton Hill, Eltham and surrounds.]

Thanks Vicky!

Are you doing anything interesting or, even better, have a website? Would you like to be our next newsletter reader of the week? If so, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

A new photo competition

 Stuart Rodda has generously donated some gardening books to give away via this newsletter and I have decided to do this via some photo competitions which directly relate to the subject matter of the books.

First up, is native plants of Melbourne. First prize is Flora of Melbourne, which weighs in at 380 pages of A4 size, and second prize is the pocket-sized Native plants of Melbourne.

To enter the competition, email your photos of any native Melburnian plants, including identification of the plant(s), by end of play Monday, 11th July. Our judging panel will then cogitate on Tuesday and the two winners plus all the other entries will be included in the newsletter on Wednesday.

There is no shortage of possible plants to photograph, as the Flora of Melbourne book discusses more than 1,000 such!

Prize distribution will be via pickup from Eltham.

The no nonsense coffee guide

Read the graphic right.

Vegan cafes in Melbourne

This page lists 58 vegan cafes in Melbourne, each with a description, photo and map location.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was a tie between Ann’s article about Spurrell Foraging and Angharad Neal-Williams’ website.

Word of the month – Oomancy

‘Oomancy’, meaning the art of telling the future through the observation of eggs, especially the shapes formed when the separated whites from an egg are dropped into hot water.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

The big cheese. Meaning: the most important person. The figurative meaning of the word ‘cheese’ seems to have gone in two opposite directions over time. In one direction, most often manifested in the word ‘cheesy’, it has come to mean ‘tasteless’. In the other direction, most often manifested in the phrase ‘the big cheese’, it has come to mean ‘the most important person’. Note that the adjective ‘big’ is a relatively recent american addition, and that simply ‘cheese’ was listed in the 1863 A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant and Vulgar Words as meaning ‘anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant or advantageous’.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” by Vincent van Gogh.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Mother: “Eat your silverbeet, it’s got iron in it.“
Son: “No wonder it is tough.“

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Intro to urban farming (8 sessions); weekly, starting Wednesday, 20th July, 9.30am-1.30pm; free; Preston.

This course will provide an introduction to the principles and techniques of urban farming, including how to design, build and maintain a productive farm in a limited space. It will also include exposure to sites such as Oakhill Farm and the Melbourne Food Hub urban farm in Alphington. Tutor: Shani Shafrir. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Wine tasting and history tour; Saturday, 23rd July, 1-4pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Coburg.

Pentridge Cellars, in partnership with Handpicked Wines, invite you to a wine tasting in the historic Pentridge Prison. Step back in time as you descend the stairs of D Division of Pentridge, ensconced by holding cells as you sample some of the finest Australian wines. Discover more about the prison from Vaughan Ruddick, a former prison warden of Pentridge.

Growing food in pots and small spaces (15 sessions); Mondays starting 25th July, each 9.30am-12.30pm; free; Fawkner.

Learn how to make a productive growing system in a small space – whether a balcony, patio or courtyard – and what plants to grow and when. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

International wine masterclass; Saturday, 30th July, 3-5pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

Taste 6 wines. Learn more about where varietals are grown and why, how different terroirs from around the globe change the way a wine tastes and how the climate is changing the way and where the world produces wine.

Cheese and wine tasting; Sunday, 31st July, 2-5pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Brunswick East.

5 cheeses from Long Paddock Cheese in Castlemaine will be paired with wines. Gaëtan from Long Paddock will run you through how each cheese is made and how it pairs with each wine.

Fruit tree pruning workshop; Saturday, 6th August, 10-11.30am; $44 ($29 per hour); Carlton North.

Presenter: Craig Castree. Organised by Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre.

Alternative varietals wine masterclass; Saturday, 6th August, 3-5pm; $63 ($32 per hour); Northcote.

Learn more about alternative varietals, including their history, why they taste so good and the reasons that they are better for the Aussie climate.

Italian cooking (2 sessions); Thursday, 1st September and Thursday, 8th September, both 6-9pm; $190 ($32 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Lucia Silverii will teach the time-honoured techniques of southern Italian cooking. The first session will cover arancini, bolognaise and risotto. The second session will cover dough (to make an Italian bread, a focaccia or a pizza base), Napoli sauce and traditional pizza. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly, starting Friday, 2nd September, 9am-3pm; $880 ($10 per hour); CERES.

Presenters: Justin Calverley and Donna Livermore. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 3rd September, at 10.30am-12.30pm and again at 1.30-3.30pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Brunswick East.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a fascinating walk on the wild side, foraging for edible weeds. Organised by Very Edible Gardens.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly, starting Wednesday, 7th September, 9am-3pm; $880 ($10 per hour); CERES.

Presenters: Justin Calverley and Donna Livermore. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Make a sourdough loaf; Saturday, 23rd July, 10am-1pm; $46 ($15 per hour); Hurstbridge.

John Doyle will demonstrate: making and looking after a sourdough starter; how to accurately measure and mix ingredients; dough handling and kneading skills; proving and baking your loaf; and making your own pizza bases. You will mix and knead your own dough ready to prove, shape and bake at home. You will also take home some of John’s 35 year old sourdough starter. All ingredients and materials will be provided, along with a pizza lunch.

Pickling and fermentation workshop; Thursday, 4th August, 7-9pm; free; Watsonia.

Lauren will teach you how to pickle and ferment. The session will include making sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and a fermented drink. You will need to bring along: 2 medium jars; one 750ml glass bottle or jar; a small chopping board; and a vegetable knife. Organised by Watsonia Library.

Chinese home cooking; Saturday, 6th August, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Brunswick.

Miao will discuss traditional ingredients and cooking techniques. Afterwards, sit down together and enjoy the dishes you have created. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Cooking with Jean; Thursday, 25th August, 7-8.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Jean, from Jean’s Asian Cooking will demonstrate a number of recipes. Organised by Mill Park Library.

In July
In August
Regular classes

LFC News July 6 2022

Jul 062022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Harridge, Angelo Eliades, Angharad Neal-Williams, Ann Stanley, Anne Jaques, Felicity Gordon, Gavin Shaw, Julia Laidlaw, Raffaela Ceddia and Wayne Tonissen.

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.

Courtesy of Anne Jaques, this newsletter now has a new byline: “The jokes are chortlingly good!”

Spurrell Foraging – cooking with foraged food

Our intrepid interviewer, Ann Stanley, recently went to Warrandyte South to interview Liam Spurrell and others from Spurrell Foraging. Read her full interview writeup.

Spurrell Foraging supply around 1,200 takeaway containers of foraged ingredients to restaurants every week and, on the day of visiting, they were in the process of foraging for the 2,000 nasturtium leaves that at a customer wanted. Plants are picked before dawn, packaged and delivered fresh on the day. About 40% of the food Spurrell Foraging supplies is foraged and the rest is grown either from the family farm at Silvan or at the one acre in Warrandyte South that they work.

  

As the soil in Warrandyte South is poor, the land is used strategically.

On dry rocky parts at the top of the hill, they grow saltbush and Geraldton wax, which Liam describes as “like juniper and lime”.

Nearby on this high and dry section of the growing area, the delicious turnipy-flavoured Japanese shungiku is growing profusely “where it landed”.

There is also a plant that Liam calls ‘carrot herb’. (Liam says that chefs, who are often putting in orders late at night, want the simplest names). It is also called Lebanese cress.

Further along is the mountain marigold, which Liam says many people have in their gardens. Indigenous to Peru, it has a strong passionfruit smell and, as the leaves are high in oil, they are valued by chefs because they can take higher temperatures than vegetables that are water-based.

An Illawarra plum is being grown to test for viability, but it is growing very slowly in the Warrandyte soil and needs a warmer climate to be commercially useful for Liam’s business. Another plant growing slowly is the Chilean guava.

The strongly flavoured olive herb is next. Related to rosemary, it is also known as holy flax or santolina.

There are also the popular Australian myrtles, such as the lemon, aniseed and cinnamon species, and greens, such as mizuna, which Liam says taste much better when picked fresh rather than grown hydroponically (as they often are).

There is a large crop of cape gooseberries ripening on the ground and a greenhouse full of cold-hating begonias, whose edible leaves are apparently popular with chefs.

Read Ann’s full interview writeup.

A new gin maker – Hillmartin Distillery

Hillmartin Distillery is a small family owned operation, headed up by father daughter duo Gavin and Amy Shaw, and based in Plenty. They combine art and science to produce a range of gins for those with a taste for the sweet and fruity through to those who like something that is dry. And, of course, everything in between. You can buy their gin online, at Eltham Farmers’ Market, at Nillumbik Cellars in Diamond Creek or at Abruzzo Lab in Epping, Bar Ciconne in Macleod, Craft & Vine in Montmorency, Diamond Creek Hotel Bottle Shop, Panton Hill Hotel and The Black Sheep Hawthorn, Bar and Bottle Shop.

Read their page in our Local Food and Drink Directory.

Welcome Gavin and Amy!

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Jan Connor asked what was wrong with her cumquats. Angelo Eliades has responded: “That cumquat problem is clearly a sign of nutrient imbalance/deficiency. More specifically, it is excess nitrogen combined with low phosphorus, which will cause citrus fruit to be misshapen, with thick peel, a coarse and roughly textured rind, coarse pulpy flesh without much juice, and an open centre. The juice will also be more acid in these fruit. Read my article about these problems.”

Want some free mushroom mulch?

Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms in Alphington has the following offer for newsletter readers: you can have mycelium mulch (minimum 10 buckets) for free in exchange for emptying and rinsing out the 20 litre buckets that were used for growing the mushrooms (so that they can be used again). She will also give you a bit of a tour of the mushroom farm if you want and/or you can buy some freshly picked oyster mushrooms.

Here is the background. Sporadical City Mushrooms is a (towards) zero waste urban mushroom farm growing oyster mushrooms for local restaurants and markets. The byproduct of their mushroom production is large amounts of certified organic wheat straw covered in living mycelium. This mycelium mulch is good for building the microbiology and organic matter in soils, as well as for controlling nematodes. It has a neutral pH and can be applied directly to your garden or compost (or as a treat for your chickens). They are keen to share this resource with other gardeners.

If this offer is of interest to you, email Julia to organise a date.

Want some citrus fruit?

Wayne Tonissen, from Weeping Grevillea Nursery in Kangaroo Ground has written in to say that they currently have lots of tangelos, blood oranges, blood limes (like finger limes) for sale as well as different forms of lemons and limes, all at an unchanged price of $4 per bag. Available 24/7 on the corner of Bartletts Lane and Kangaroo Ground – St Andrews Road on an honesty box arrangement.

They also sell a variety of citrus trees in their nursery. Plus they currently have a wide variety of weeping grevilleas available, which are groundcover or prostrate grevilleas grafted onto a Grevillea robusta rootstock, and which therefore grow downwards rather than upwards. If you visit, they can both show you what is for sale and how they will look when mature.

NERP at Eltham Farmers’ Market on 10th July

North East Region Permaculture (NERP) will be having a stall at Eltham Farmers’ Market this coming Sunday (11th July). The theme will be starting your summer crops (tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, eggplants, etc) indoors to give them a head start. They will be giving some seeds away.

NERP is a group of people from Nillumbik and surrounds working to create positive change for individuals, communities and the environment.
Join them to learn practical skills for saving money and resources, work with like minded people on local projects, and live a more resilient and self-sufficient lifestyle. Find out more on their website or their Facebook group.

You can join them for free at either their Eltham Farmers’ Market stall or bysending them an email.

Two more councils go FOGO

From 1st July, Banyule and Whitehorse councils will support a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste collection service, which effectively means that households can now place all food waste in their green bin. They join Boroondara, Darebin, Moreland, Nillumbik and Whittlesea councils, all of whom already have such a service. Manningham and Maroondah have both announced that they will be introducing FOGO in 2023. As far as I can make out, neither City of Yarra nor Yarra Ranges have yet announced any timeframes.

Yet more on medlars

I went to Warrandyte Food Swap on Saturday with a view to seeing and tasting their medlars. They were much smaller than I had assumed, about the thickness of one of my fingers. Both the texture and the taste were more like a paste than a fruit, a bit like a poor person’s quince paste with less sugar.

Both food related and interesting – art exhibition for environmental sustainability

Last week, I wrote about an upcoming art exhibition for environmental sustainability under a heading of ‘not food related but interesting’. One of the artists, Felicity Gordon, has now written in to point out that the exhibition is actually food related: “I have set up a wicking bed garden in the gallery space and I’m keen to see how the food plants respond. I have included some of my ‘compost house’ and new drawings.” The exhibition will run from 1st to 24th July at The Loft 275 Gallery, Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Hub, 275 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe. The opening night is Friday, 8th July, 5-7pm, at which you will receive a food plant seedling to take home.

Podcast of the week

Foodies in the Field is a monthly podcast by Australian public health nutritionists, dietitians and others.

Newsletter reader of the week – Angharad Neal-Williams

I happened to come across Angharad’s website the other day and thought that some of you might be interested in looking at it. Then I thought to myself, there are probably lots of newsletter readers who are doing something interesting – how about we start a ‘newsletter reader of the week’ section in this newsletter? So, if you are doing something interesting or, even better, have a website, send me an email and I will include you in a future newsletter.

Our inaugural newsletter reader of the week is Angharad Neal-Williams. Angharad is an Illustrator and Graphic Recorder whose work covers a wide range of subjects. She “likes to work with environmentally friendly and ethically conscious clients.” The illustration right is a map of Kangaroo Ground. See her website. Watch her being interviewed.

Another new article from Angelo Eliades

Why are my tomatoes cracking and splitting?.

Read more food-growing articles by Angelo.

Not food related but interesting – Boroondara weed swap program

Boroondara residents can now simply email Boroondara Council with a photo of some environmental weeds that they are planning to remove and the Council will send them a voucher for 10 indigenous tubestock replacement plants.

In this context, if anyone wants any photos of oxalis then I can supply!

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Robin’s article about how to grow lettuce and other salad greens.

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

Roses are red,
I wish I was in bed,
I suck at poetry,
Coffee.

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

Inner North plus Gospel Whiskey; Thursday, 21st July, 7-10pm; $5; Brunswick.

Their experts will take you through some whiskey and beer pairings.

Learn Winter fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 6th August, 10am-12.30pm; $25 ($10 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn all the ins & outs and cuts & trims that produce healthy, bountiful backyard fruit trees. Learn about the best times of the year to prune and how to use the different types of pruning tools. Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

Crop rotation and companion planting; Saturday, 6th August, 11am-midday; free; Watsonia.

Go along and find out what companion planting is and how it can help you to have a more productive and healthy garden. Kathleen Tants will explain how you can make your own crop rotation system work in your backyard. Organised by Watsonia Library.

Introduction to meadmaking (three sessions); Saturdays 6th August, 3rd September and 24th September, all 10am-midday; $50; Eltham.

The cost of $50 includes membership of the guild until July 2023. You will also need to pay for the cost of your ingredients and utensils (expected to total around $80). Mead is the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage and uses honey as the primary fermentable sugar.  This course will explore how to brew modern meads. Over the 3 sessions, you will be guided through the process and make your first mead. More specifically, the first session will cover learning about mead, the second, monitoring the ferment and potential problems, and the third, racking, tasting, finalising and bottling.

Preparing for a summer veggie crop; Saturday, 27th August, 9-10.30am and then again at 11.30am; free; Camberwell.

Teresa Day, from Sustainable Gardening Australia, will help you prepare your garden for a thriving summer produce crop. You will receive practical tips and advice on soil preparation, seasonal plant selection, seeds and seedlings, sustainable pest control, and garden maintenance.

Australian plants expo; Saturday, 27th August and Sunday, 28th August, both 10am-4pm; $5; Eltham.

Organised by the Australian Plants Society – Yarra Yarra. Sales of native & indigenous plants, books on related subjects, native flower displays, environmental displays, talks, demonstrations, workshops, giftware and refreshments. The plant sellers are likely to include APS Yarra Yarra growers, Friends of Melton Botanic Gardens nursery, Goldfields Revegetation nursery, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary nursery, Natural Plantscape nursery, Sunvalley Plants Nursery and Vaughan’s Australian Plants.

In July

In August

New and updated regular events

Gin making masterclass; most Saturdays, 10am-1pm; $175 ($58 per hour); Nunawading.

Organised by Puss & Mew gin distillery. First, they will take you through the history of gin. Then, they will discuss the science and process of fermentation and distillation. Then, they will show you their still. Then, you will choose your botanicals and place them into the still to create your own spirit. Whilst waiting for this to happen, you will be given a tour of the distillery, followed by a tasting session of the Puss & Mew range of gins, followed by lunch.

Carlton aperitvio food tour; various Fridays, 5-7pm; $89 ($45 per hour); Carlton.

They have added some extra dates. You will indulge in the Italian ‘Aperitivo’ tradition. What exactly is Aperitivo, what can you expect to eat and drink, how did it begin, how did it make its way to Melbourne? You will learn all this and more while sipping on Italian cocktails, prosecco and wines and tasting arancini, cicchetti, pizza, pasta, gelato, salumi and cheese. Walking along Lygon Street, you will visit some foodie venues, meeting the people behind the food. 5 food & drink stops, 11 food tastings and 2.5 standard drinks.

Flavours of Coburg food tour; various Saturdays, 10am-1pm; $49 ($16 per hour); Coburg.

They have added some extra dates. You will experience the cultural delights of 6 different countries over 8 food stops. With a mixture of sweet and savoury tastings, you will soon discover that Coburg is an ideal foodie destination for anyone who’s tired of the ‘standard’ menu items you find in most modern cafes. Each foodie stop brings its own ‘personal touch’ with business owners proud of their cultural heritage, reflected in the food they prepare, the way they serve it and the way they interact with their customers. You will also pop into a Middle-Eastern gold jewellery shop to learn the cultural significance of various pieces, learn some local history and the best local foodie tips. 8 food stops and 13 tastings.

Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cultural cooking – Indian breads; Saturday, 6th August, 11am-1pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Alphington.

Manu will show you how to make Indian breads.

Make low waste comfort food; Saturday, 27th August, 10am-12.30pm; $30 ($12 per hour); Forest Hill.

Watch Scott Hitchins demonstrate the techniques to create winter warmers using every bit of what you grow or buy. The focus of this session is using veggies from the garden and an overview for slow style cooking that you can try at home.

Gnocchi making class; Saturday, 27th August, 10am-1pm; $125 ($42 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fluffy potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce; and how to make easy ricotta gnocchi with a cavolo nero pesto. What you will get: Italian style lunch and drinks; and That’s Amore apron to take home. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Veggies in desserts; Sunday, 28th August, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. The menu includes: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (two sessions); Wednesday, 31st August and Wednesday, 7th September, both 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Tutor: Taariq Hassan. Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

In July

In August

Regular classes

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
http://www.regional.org.au/au/asssi/supersoil2004/s3/oral/1573_vanzwieten.htm.

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

LFC News May 25 2022

May 252022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Jaimie Sweetman, Jian Liu, Julian Merkenich, 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 contribute to this newsletter the better it will be but, for some reason, contributions have fallen off over the last month or so. If you have any news, tips, questions or photos that you think some of the readership might be interested in, now would be a good time to send them in. Simply email them to me (guy@localfoodconnect.org.au).

The Medlar tree (by Jaimie Sweetman)

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

The medlar tree (Mespilus germanica) is one of my absolute favourites, especially at this time of year. I love this tree because it is harvested in winter when not much else is.

The medlar is an ancient species and was once extremely popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. In fact, you would apparently have found them in most medieval monasteries and castles. Can you recognise the fruit from old paintings?

The medlar is in the same family as apples (the rose family). When apples started to be widely cultivated, medlars were largely forgotten about. This wasn’t because they don’t taste good though; rather, it was because they quickly perish once picked and thus need to be eaten straight off the tree or turned into preserves.

Medlars need to go through a cold period so they can ‘blet’ on the tree. [Editor: ‘Bletting’, meaning the softening of certain fleshy fruits, such as medlars and persimmons, beyond ripening, until the desired degree of sweetness/palatability is attained.] The recent few nights of cold here in Melbourne should see them ready this week. The cold softens them and some even say they become like rotten fruit. They taste like stewed apple though and can be turned into jams and jellies to preserve.

Read about more of Jaimie’s unusual edible plants on our website.

Also, read Robin Gale-Baker’s guide to growing medlars.

Some unusual pumpkins

Simone Boyd, who is both a newsletter reader and the owner of the online veggie seed shop, Heirloom Naturally, has produced 4 videos about unusual pumpkins:

Bohemian Futsu
Galeux D’Eysines Rouge Vif D’Etampes

Tea cosies

The 2022 Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival recently took place. One of the exhibits was the composting teapot of St Johns Riverside Community Garden in Heidelberg and it was apparently awarded an Honourable Mention. Its name is Brewster.

According to ABC News, a Guinness World Record was broken at the festival, namely the largest every tea cosy. At 5 metres high and 20 metres in circumference, it smashed the previous record (3.9 metres high). It was knitted by a team from Frankston and will now be deconstructed into rugs. Read more.

On the subject of tea cosies, my wife tells me that, if you stich up the spout and handle openings then they can look quite fetching as hats. I’ll try and find a photo!

Finally, St Johns Riverside Community Garden should be congratulated on their recent receipt of a grant from Banyule Council for $5K for landscaping the entrance to the garden.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Tatiana Shkondina recreates famous paintings using food and then photographs them. Feature artists include Dali, Hokusai, Klimt, Magritte, Malevich, Mondrian, Picasso, Rousseau and Warhol. The picture right is Van Gogh’s Starry Night (1889) and was made with rice, blueberries and pasta. Look at some more of her creations.

Vegan gado gado (by Jian Liu & Julian Merkenich)

In this recipe, the traditional ingredients of boiled egg, prawn crackers and fish sauce are replaced by lightly fried chickpeas, rice noodles and soy sauce respectively.

The steamed ingredients

Ingredients
Cauliflower, chopped into small chunks
Potatoes, chopped into small chunks

Prepare a steamer.

Steam the cauliflower and potato for 20 minutes.

The fresh ingredients

Ingredients
4 small tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 small head cabbage, shredded
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch spring onions, sliced

Prepare all of the fresh ingredients.

The fried ingredients

Ingredients
2 pieces dry tofu
½ cup chickpeas
½ cup oil
2 sticks rice noodles

Break up the rice noodles into 1 inch lengths.

Heat the oil in a large wok. You may want to angle the wok slightly to make the pool of oil deeper. If you place a chopstick into the oil and it bubbles, then you’re ready.

Throw a handful of broken noodles at a time into the oil and wait a few seconds for them to puff. Place the fried noodles onto your skillet to soak up any residual oil.

Remove the noodles from the skillet, put it over medium heat, and fry the tofu and chickpeas.

The sauce

Ingredients
½ medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small chilli, sliced
¾ cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup coconut milk (or any plant-based milk)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice (or lemon juice)

Place the onion, garlic and chilli (i.e. the aromatics) into a small pot with a few tablespoons of water.

Saute the aromatics until they are softened and fragrant.

Add the peanut butter to the pot and mash with a spoon.

Add the soy sauce, coconut milk and sugar and mix with a spoon until you have a rich sauce.

Continue to cook the sauce on low heat for a minute.

Turn off the heat and mix the lime juice into the sauce.

Mix everything together

Put the fresh and steamed ingredients together in a large serving bowl.

Top with the sauce.

Stir until thoroughly combined and everything is coated in the sauce.

Add the fried ingredients on top.

Serve.

Read more recipes by newsletter readers on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo Eliades’ article on how to save tomato seeds.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Wanna hear a joke about pizza? Never mind. It’s too cheesy.

As a bonus, at their 2022 AGM, Nillumbik U3A (University of the Third Age) voted the following as the best ever joke published in their newsletter:

I recently visited a monastery and, as I walked past the kitchen, I saw a man frying chips. I asked him “Are you the friar?” He replied “No, I’m the chip monk.”

In passing, note that around 120 members of Nillumbik U3A are also readers of this newsletter.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related by interesting

Make a garden in a glass bowl; Saturday, 4th June, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Hurstbridge.

Join local makers Heather Doyle and Kath Armour, founding members of Boomerang Bags Nillumbik, to make a miniature garden in a beautiful glass bowl. All materials will be supplied. You will also have the opportunity to create a mosaic on a stone base to put into your glass garden. If you have any figurines, decorative objects, or special treasures that you would like to use in your work, take them along.

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

Volunteer thankyou BBQ + gall wasp workshop; Monday, 30th May, 4-6pm; free; Preston.

Organised by Oakhill Farm. Presenter: Angelo Eliades. After the workshop, you will share a meal using Oakhill-grown veggies. You will also meet other volunteers, celebrate all that has been achieved at Oakhill, and chat about future plans.

Step to employment in hospitality (7 sessions); 7 consecutive Fridays from 3rd June,each 11.30am-5pm; free; Brunswick.

Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House. Learn the skills essential for working in the hospitality industry. Includes Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Safe Food Handling certificates, coffee making, and more. Enrol by either phone (9386 9418) or email (info@bnhc.vic.edu.au).

How to control the Queensland Fruit Fly, with Angelo Eliades; Tuesday, 23rd June, 7-8pm; free; Watsonia.

Organised by Watsonia Library. In this workshop, you will learn about the best ways to manage them, how to achieve the best control outcomes using a strategic pest management approach (IPM), what products to use, as well as how and when to use them. Angelo will also demonstrate how to make your own fruit fly trap.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly, starting Thursday, 21st July, 9am-3pm; $880 ($10 per hour); CERES.

Presenters: Justin Calverley and Donna Livermore. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 23rd July, 10am-midday; $75 ($38 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps; learn skills that are transferable to the home environment; and bundling techniques. Presenter: Emma Grace. You will learn how to make and maintain their own beeswax wraps for keeping food fresh and hygienic without the use of single-use plastics such as cling-wrap. This is a hands-on workshop where participants will make their own washable and re-usable ready-to-use beeswax wraps.

In May
In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Masterclass – make your own pizza and pasta; Tuesday, 7th June, 6.30-8pm; free; Coburg.

Learn how to make pizza and pasta. You will learn how to stretch and roll the dough and also how to make fresh spaghetti.

Chocolate discovery class; Saturday, 9th July, 11am-midday; $48 ($48 per hour); Yarra Glen.

This class includes indulging in a range of chocolate and truffle tastings, the chance to learn about how chocolate is made, and finding out about the inspiration behind each of their specialty ranges with their European Chocolatiers. Your chocolate education concludes with the chance to create your own personal chocolate bar and delve in giant lollipop making fun.

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 23rd July, 9am-5pm; $180 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; your own bread to take home and some leaven; and recipes. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Feta and haloumi cheese making; Sunday, 24th July, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

In May
In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 18 2022

May 182022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angharad Neal-Williams, Anne Shea, Ben Wrigley and Holly Gallagher.

A visual demonstration of the importance of good soil

Anne Shea has sent in a photo which clearly demonstrates how the quality of the soil used can dramatically change how well plants thrive.

The photo shows two boxes of lettuce. The right hand box is filled with a vege mix from Bulleen Art and Garden. The left hand box is an old bin planter into which, when Anne had some seedlings left over, she popped them in to save waste.

Both planters have been fertilised with seasol.

Have you planted all your Winter veggies yet?

Kevin Heinze Grow now have their Winter veggie seedlings available for sale. The punnets have all been grown by participants with disabilities without using chemicals, inorganic fertilisers or seed treatments. They include beetroot, brocolli, bush peas, carrots, kale, kohlrabi, radish, mustard, snap peas, snow peas and sweet peas. All punnets are $3. They are available from both their Coburg (512 Sydney Road) and Doncaster (39 Wetherby Road) nurseries.

If you go to their Doncaster nursery, try and have a look at their community garden.

The Darebin Fruit Squad

The Darebin Fruit Squad is back up and running after a couple of tough years of Covid restrictions.

They are now looking to hear from householders who have any types of fruit trees, even if they aren’t fruiting at the moment. They will record your details and then contact you when the appropriate season rolls around to ask whether you have any surplus that you would like to donate. If you do, they will send the squad around to harvest it and then distribute it via the DIVRS food relief program.

For more details or to sign up, contact Holly by phone (9480 8207) or email (urbanfood@divrs.org.au).

Yet more on repair cafes

Ben Wrigley has written in to say that their inaugural Montmorency repair cafe was a success. They first repaired a hard rubbish collected sofa, then a wicker easy chair with a local weed growing outside in the garden, then they re-upholstered and refurbished a dining chair. There were also lively discussions on darning, sewing and collar turning. Their next repair cafe on this coming Friday will include clothes repair and the art of sashiko (a form of Japanese embroidery). Friday, 20th May, 5-7pm at Monty Hub, 1 Mountain View Road, Montmorency.

Mac’s blast from the past – bare-rooted trees

[On this day in May, 5 years ago, Mac McVeigh wrote the following words for this newsletter]

It’s time for you to start thinking about what bare-rooted fruit trees you want to purchase this year, from whom, and when. Mid June is the best time to buy bare-rooted trees but the risk is that your favoured source might have sold out by then, or at least sold their best specimens. So, perhaps you should try and place a forward order with them.

When you purchase, you must not let the bare roots dry out. Some suppliers will have covered the roots with damp newspaper or sawdust (a process called ‘heeling in’), or even have them potted up in potting mix for you – this means a lot and is good. Otherwise heeling them in yourself can do the trick for a time but it is still best to get them into the ground asap. And don’t sit them in a tub of water until you get around to them – even though dormant, the roots still need access to air.

Hard pruning in the first year leads to more vigorous growth and better framework. So, try and get the tree pruned at the time of purchase by someone who knows what they are doing. Note that, if the tree in question is an apricot, the pruning should be deferred until leaf sprout to avoid gummosis.

When planting, look at the colours of the root system and trunk to try and discern the line where the tree was previously planted up to. If in doubt, don’t plant too deep.

Finally, note that bare rooted almond trees are notorious for not coming out of dormancy. So, keep your receipt!

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The image right is part of a 1970 exhibition called Staple cheese (a race) by a Swiss/Icelandic artist called Dieter Roth. The exhibition comprised 37 suitcases filled with cheese, one of which was opened each day. Its title was a pun on the word steeplechase, the idea apparently being to see how far the cheeses slipped and slid (aka raced) as they rotted. Over time, the stench grew and permeated out of the building. The exhibition became overrun with maggots and flies but the artist declared that the insects were, in fact, his intended audience!

The four cheese used were brie, camembert, cheddar and limburger.

A new article from Angelo Eliades

How to save tomato seeds for planting next year.

Read more of Angelo’s food-growing articles.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the periodic table of fermented foods (this is the pdf version, which is the highest resolution and most readable).

Word of the month – Mageirocophobia

‘Mageirocophobia’, meaning fear of cooking. According to Wikipedia, it can be related to any or all of fear of spreading illness, fear of the cooking process, fear of recipes, fear of food knowledge or fear of food intake.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

A sledgehammer to crack a nut. Meaning: to use disproportionate force to overcome a minor problem.. Sledgehammers are large hammers with metal heads weighing 5Kg or more. They are often used in demolition work and are obviously totally inappropriate for cracking a nut. The first use of a phrase about using a sledgehammer to deal with something small was in an American newspaper in the late 19th Century (to kill a fly), with the first nut entering the picture a few years later (to crack a peanut), followed in the early 20th Century by gnats (to kill a gnat). The precise phrase a sledgehammer to crack a nut first appeared in print in the 1950s and could have been a re-wording of either the peanut or the gnat version.

Incidentally, the video with the most ever MTV video music awards is Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel. Gabriel lay under a sheet of glass for 16 hours while filming the video one frame at a time and said later “I was thinking at the time, ‘If anyone wants to try and copy this video, good luck to them.'” Watch the 5 minute video.

Gardening quote of the month

“To get best results you must talk to your vegetables” by Prince Charles.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

Have you heard about the restaurant on the moon?

Great food, no atmosphere.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Herb planting workshop; Sunday, 5th June, 10-11.30am; $55 ($37 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.

Wicking bed workshop; Saturday, 11th June, 11.30am-1pm; $15; Macleod.

Learn: how to decide if wicking beds are right for you; what materials are required; how to assemble wicking beds; how to care for your wicking beds once constructed; and what to grow in a wicking bed. Presenter: Paul Gale-Baker.

Beginners guide to backyard chickens; Thursday, 16th June, 7-8.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Find out about housing options, feeding and choosing the right hens for the suburbs.

Marvellous mulch – dive into the magic; Saturday, 18th June, 1-2.30pm; $59 ($39 per hour); Ringwood.

Learn about the magic of mulch, take away the mystery of what types of mulch to use and find out why you need to care about mulch.

Growing veggies in a wildlife garden; Saturday, 18th June, 1.30-3.30pm; free; Forest Hill.

The topics to be covered will include: the garden as an ecosystem for both wildlife and food growing; integrated weed management; integrated pest management; inviting beneficial wildlife into your veggie garden; and common garden pests and management strategies. Presenter: Richard Rowe. Following the workshop, there will be a guided walk and talk of Strathdon House’s garden compound.

Winter fruit tree pruning workshop; Saturday, 16th July, 9am-1pm; $75 ($19 per hour); Edendale.

Winter is the best time to prune most deciduous fruit trees. Join Justin Calverley and learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. Bring your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Much ado about compost; Saturday, 16th July, 10-11.30am; $59 ($40 per hour); Ringwood.

Go along and find out the dirt on composting. What can be composted, how and what other support and sustainable alternatives are available.

Organic propagation of vegetables and herbs; Saturday, 16th July, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: improve your gardening skills; how to produce new plants from seeds, cuttings and division; and seasonal timing for growth. Presenter: Olivia Caputo.

In May
In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Vegan pizza making masterclass; Sunday, 12th June, 11am-1pm; $106 ($53 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will demonstrate how to create pizza dough from scratch and you will then make margherita and nutella dessert pizzas. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

Food for mind and gut; Saturday, 16th July, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.

In May
In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 11 2022

May 112022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cara Horner, Chris Chapple, Dione Fisher, Francisca Amar, Greg Parsons, Judith Chivers, Mara Pigatto, Randa Almushcab, Robin Gale-Baker, Simone Boyd, Susan Palmer and Zofia Di Stefano.

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.

More on your local repair cafes

Cara Horner and Randa Almushcab have both written in to say that there is a new repair cafe at Mernda Community House. There is also one in Brunswick organised by the Tool Library.

That makes 9 local repair cafes in total, as listed on our website. Each repair cafe typically happens once a month, with some having a regular schedule and others not. For some, you just turn up, whilst you need to book a slot at others. So, check the details (which are all on our website) before going.

The next Nillumbik/Hurstbridge repair cafe is on this coming Saturday (book here) and the next Brunswick one is on this coming Sunday (book here).

There is also an occasional repair cafe in Eltham, with the next one being in June.

A number of you have written in to thank me for highlighting the existence of the repair cafes. As Zofia Di Stefano said: “Thank you so much for highlighting this amazing movement in our community.” And Mara Pigatto: “Yay, repair cafes, finally! I have a few old garden tools that belonged to my dad that I would like repaired and brought back to life. I’ll try to contact a few of the locations. I use to watch the repair shop on the ABC and loved it! We have become such a wasteful society.”

Egyptian walking onions

Newsletter reader Simone Boyd has recently produced a video about her Egyptian walking onions.As Simone discusses in both this video and in a previous video, Egyptian walking onions (Allium × proliferum) are unique because, as well as growing normal shallot-like onions underground (see left hand photo), they also grow miniature onions at the tops of their stalks (see right hand photo)! As these minature onions, called bulblets, grow, the stalk bends under their weight until the bulblets touch the ground some distance from the parent plant. They then (with a bit of luck) take root and create new plants. Or you can cut them off and plant them yourself. They average, say, 4 bulblets per stalk, so the number of plants can quickly multiply. They are both fun and easy to grow.

It is pretty obvious why these onions are called walking, but why Egyptian?

You don’t know? Ok, here is another question for you: what was The Bangles’ greatest hit?

The under-rated turnip! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Robin has written an article about how to grow turnips. Here are some of the key points from the article.

Turnip roots can be eaten: raw, either grated into a coleslaw or sliced for a salad or cut into fingers for dips; roasted, steamed or boiled as an individual veggie; or used in stir fries, stews and soup and as mash. The leaves can be cooked as a green vegetable or, when young, used raw in pesto as a substitute for sweet basil.

Small turnips, harvestable in 6-7 weeks, taste sweet with a slight spicy undertone. More mature turnips, which are harvested at about the 8-10 week mark, are more peppery and slightly bitter. They have quite a bite to them.

Choose a sunny spot with well drained soil. The soil needs to be prepared to a fine tilth (light and fluffy and free of debris) and just a bit deeper than the depth to which the turnip will grow. Do not add manure as this will cause the roots to split and fork.

Direct sow seed into rows about 1cm deep. Sprinkle seed at intervals of about 9cm, cover with soil and water well. It will take around two weeks for seed to germinate and, at that stage, thin the plants out to 9cm intervals if necessary. At the six week mark, pull several to check for size and harvest readiness. As turnips grow bigger, the tops will emerge from the soil, giving you a fair idea of their size when pulled. Every few weeks, succession sow so that you have a constant supply.

As members of the brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc), turnips are subject to the same pests.

Read the full article.

Want some (more) chickens?

Yummy Gardens are selling chickens on Saturday, 14th May. $70 each for purebreeds and $40 each for crossbreeds. The available purebreeds are Australorp Utility and Silkie Bantams. The available crossbreeds are Australorp x Leghorn, Australorp x New Hampshire, New Hampshire x Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire x White Leghorn. Pickup from 155 School Road, St Andrews from 9am onwards. Read more.

This will be their last sale until December and also the last time that they will be selling crossbreeds, as they have decided to concentrate on purebreeds going forward.

Want a job?

Montmorency Primary School is looking for a Garden Co-ordinator for its Stephanie Alexander Kitchen. $40-50 per hour. Part time.

Want to know about growing mushrooms?

Buttons Mira, from The Mushroomery in Alphington, was recently interviewed by Alice Zaslavsky on ABC Melbourne’s Saturday Breakfast show. Listen to the 10 minute interview.

Eltham High School students visited Sugarloaf Produce farm

Chris Chapple has written in to say that, last week, Local Food Connect organised a ‘farm to plate’ experience for Eltham High School (EHS) year 11 & 12 students. The party was led by Yasemin Ziada, Eltham High School VET Hospitality Teacher.

Having taken a circuitous and somewhat mountainous route from Eltham to Strathewen, the party arrived at Sugarloaf Produce farm and spent an enjoyable morning experiencing everything that this small, mixed, organic farm has to offer. Thanks to hosts, Isabella, Warren and team, who grow vegetables, Swiss brown mushrooms and free range eggs on their farm. Most of their produce is sold at the Eltham Farmers’ Market.

Yasemin reported afterwards that it was a great experience for the students. They had a wonderful time at the farm and the trip home was abuzz with sharing experiences. The feedback from the students included:

  • “Beautiful farm and wonderful learning opportunity. Really enjoyed the hands on experience.“
  • “It was really intriguing to be immersed in the world of local produce and the integrity behind it.“
  • “Thank you so much for today it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing how they plant all of the vegetables and see how it all happens on a farm.“
  • “I loved tasting the feijoas as I have never heard of this fruit before and will definitely look out for this at the farmers market.“
  • “I loved feeding the cows and goats; rusty (the dog!) was the best.“
  • “I liked tasting the feijoas and really enjoyed planting the fennel and seeing the chooks and goats.“

Yasemin is Eltham High School’s representative on Local Food Connect’s Fabbro’s Farm reference panel.

Treading lightly together

Watch this video from Reimagine Banyule about some local community initiatives for treading more lightly in Banyule. Most of the people featured are readers of this newsletter!

A periodic table of fermented foods

The picture right is of a periodic table of fermented foods. Click the picture, and then zoom, for a readable, high resolution version. Open this pdf for an even higher resolution version.

For each of 118 fermented foods, the picture sets out the origin of the food, the main ingredients, typical fermentation organisms, pH, water activity, fermentation/ripening time, and the major microbial metabolites that relate to product quality. The contribution of major groups of fermentation organisms is colour coded as indicated in the legend; back-slopped fermentations are indicated by a thick outline and by an underlined product name.

Another article by Angelo Eliades

Why are my tomatoes flowering but not setting fruit?.

Read more of Angelo’s articles about food growing.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was The Rogue Ginger’s article about repair cafes.

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

As submitted by Susan Palmer: Remember: when you bury a body, cover it with endangered plants so that it’s illegal to dig it up.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Sustainability book chat; Tuesday, 24th May, 7.30-8.30pm; free; Greensborough.

Read, watch and chat about issues of sustainability on our planet, and how we can grow the future we want to see. This book club meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month. It is a joint initiative between Sustainable Greensborough and Diamond Valley Library.

Planting for wildlife; Thursday, 9th June, 11am-midday; free; Greensborough.

Celebrate World Environment Day and learn about which plants encourage various wildlife into the garden. Find out what plants you can grow to provide a food source and/or shelter for local wildlife. Learn the basic garden do’s and don’ts to create a dedicated area to encourage wildlife, and discover the benefits of so doing.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Herb trees; Tuesday, 17th May, 7.30-8.30pm; $20 ($14 per hour); Burnley.

When we think of herbs, we think of small ground-covers and herbaceous plants, but many of our most prized herbs actually derive from quite large trees. Jill Bryant will illustrate her talk using living potted specimens of many tree herbs.

Community gardening in Moreland forum; Sunday, 22nd May, 10am-12.30pm; free; Coburg North.

Moreland Community Gardening and Moreland Council will be exploring the importance of communication and engagement within community gardens. The speakers will include: Libby Harper (Moreland Community Gardening); Rachael Cilauro (Newlands and East Coburg Neighbourhood Houses); Guy Palmer, editor of the Local Food Connect newsletter and website; Nathacha Subero, Reynard Street Neighbourhood House; and Lee Tozzi (Moreland City Council).

Growing Winter veggies; Saturday, 28th May, 9.30am-3pm; $75 ($14 per hour); Eltham.

Through a combination of theory, discussion and hands-on activity, you will: gain knowledge about the importance of preparing soil before planting; learn about basic PH testing, adding soil conditioners, amendments and fertilisers; learn how to grow and maintain their winter veggies, including protecting plants from pest and disease during the growing season; and create a seed/seed raising mix, sow seeds, prick out seedlings and plant or pot them up. Tutor: Melissa Houselander.

Winter fruit tree maintenance; Saturday, 2nd July, 9.30am-midday; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden.

What you will learn: pruning of both new and established fruit trees; selection and planting of new fruit trees; Winter fruit tree maintenance practices for pest and disease prevention, control and treatment; and pruning tool maintenance.

Food photography; Saturday, 2nd July, 2-5pm; $109 ($36 per hour); Eltham.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: the right equipment; the best camera settings to make your food look good; choosing the right backgrounds; lighting; basic food styling; being creative; the perils of incorrect white balance; and using software to enhance colour and presentation.

Pruning and care of fruit trees; Saturday, 9th July, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to grow a variety of fruit and nut trees in your backyard; pruning techniques; and pest and disease management. Presenter: Justin Calverley.

Urban food gardening (8 sessions); 8 consecutive Wednesdays from 13th July, 10am-2.30pm; $60 for all 8 sessions (Government subsidised fee); Eltham.

This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. The last 4 weeks will be at Edendale Farm. The course will be run by Justin Calverley.

In May
In June
In July
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

The mighty booch – DIY kombucha; Tuesday, 31st May, 6.30-8pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss the process and benefits of fermentation, the problems with pre-packaged kombucha, and the endless flavour combinations for your custom booch. She will introduce you to a scoby (which stands for ‘symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast’), the low-pH ‘mother’ from which your kombucha will spring. First, black tea and sugar are brewed together to make the starter tea. This is then poured over the scoby, covered in a cheesecloth, and left to ferment. The yeast consumes the sugar, excreting alcohol, which is processed by the bacteria into vinegar, providing a natural carbonation and tangy zing. New scoby babies form in the process.

How to create almost vegetarian recipes; Saturday, 11th June, 10am-12.30pm; how-to-create-almost-vegetarian-recipes; Forest Hill.

Not quite ready to give up meat, but you’d like to reduce its significance in your family’s diet and budget? In this cooking and tasting demonstration, Scott Hitchins will show you how to feed four with one sausage, make three family meals from one chicken and make a lentil bolognaise. Learn tips and tricks to reduce meat in recipes, or remove it altogether, without compromising on flavour.

Tortelloni and ravioli class; Saturday, 9th July, 10am-1.30pm; $125 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fresh pasta dough; and how to make tagliatelle, spinach & ricotta tortelli and pumpkin ravioli. What you will get: cheese tasting and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home.

In May
In June
In July
Regular classes

LFC News May 4 2022

May 052022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ben Wrigley, Lee Hirsh, Liz Cronin and Marina Bistrin.

A video about Warrandyte Food Swap

Warrandyte Food Swap is on this coming Saturday (7th May), 9-10am, at Warrandyte Community Garden in Police Street. To celebrate the occasion, they have produced this one minute video. Well done, Liz Cronin!

Your local repair cafes

Repair cafes are places where you go to get things fixed, mended or connected for free. The items usually brought in are small electrical goods, bikes, clothing, small furniture or homewares. Tables are set up with the fixer on one side and the customer (e.g. you) on the other. You are invited to watch, learn and talk with the person fixing your item. Read more.

Ben Wrigley has written is to say that he is starting a repair cafe in Montmorency. It will be on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month, 5-7pm, at Monty Hub, Mountain View Road. The first event will be on Friday, 6th May. Ben says “bring to mend & heal your broken tools, broken furniture and threadbare clothes but please no electrical items.”

Repair cafes are clearly becoming ‘a thing’ and I have discussed those in Greensborough and Hurstbridge in previous, recent newsletters. I have now gone through the discipline of searching for all the local repair cafes and details of the resulting 7 cafes can be found as a map on our website. The 7 repair cafes are Darebin (in Thornbury), Greensborough, Montmorency, Nillumbik (in Hurstbridge), North Balwyn, Ringwood and Warrandyte. Each repair cafe typically happens once a month, with some having a regular schedule and others not. For some, you just turn up, whilst you need to book a slot at others.

If you know of any other local repair cafes, please email me and I’ll add them to the map.

A history of the Dunstan Reserve Food Forest in West Brunswick

The Dunstan Reserve Food Forest in West Brunswick is around 30 years old. In recognition of this, Moreland Community Gardens have written a history of the food forest.

NERP at Eltham Farmers’ Market on 8th May

North East Region Permaculture will be having a stall at Eltham Farmers’ Market this coming Sunday (8th May). The theme will be backyard bee keeping and they will be showing some hives, suits and beekeeping equipment as well as offering some information and encouraging the planting of bee-friendly plants – both for pollen and for nectar. It being Mother’s Day, they will also have some bee-related gifts such as beeswax wraps, and lavender & hops relaxation sachets.

Photos of vegetables which look like humans

Lee Hirsh suggests that you have a look at this Facebook post, which is photos of around 20 vegetables and flowers that arguably look like humans.

Here is another Facebook post with photos on a similar theme.

The Gravel Hill Community Garden in Bendigo

Marina Bistrin recently visited the Gravel Hill Community Garden in Bendigo and has written an article about her visit for our website. Here are some of the points that she discusses.

Their beds were too wide so the coordinator of the garden, Mohammed Khalaf, created shallow trench down the middle of the beds, so the trench would collect moisture and you could walk there to harvest vegetables efficiently.

They deal with the masses of invasive runner grasses and weeds by composting them in the pathways between the beds. Mohammed lays them down, waters them in and covers them with long rolls of carpet.

A melon tunnel has been put together from wide plastic piping making the arches and wooden stakes tied with baling twine to make the sides and connect the arches to make a structure.

Some unusual vegetables are grown in the garden that the local Karen and South Sudanese community like, such as okra, purslane, snake beans, a related non-climbing type of snake bean (that produces an abundance of short pods the size of ordinary beans but skinnier), water spinach (kang kong), hot tiny chillies, and a hairy melon grown over the tunnel. They also have lots of ‘ordinary’ vegetables and a number of fruit trees.

Read the full article.

World Naked Gardening Day

World Naked Gardening Day is on this coming Saturday (7th May). As per the picture right, did you know that if you do your gardening naked then your neighbours will put up a privacy fence at no cost to you?

International Compost Awareness Week

International Compost Awareness Week is this current week (1st-7th May). To celebrate, Darebin Council is providing free compost to all of its local community gardens. If your community garden is in Darebin and wants some of the compost, simply email them.

The Global Food Security Index

I recently came across something called the Global Food Security Index, which is where a bunch of academics rate every country in the world on a variety of factors associated with food security.

Of the 113 countries in the world, where do you think they rank Australia? See their country rankings.

The answer is 32nd. The top rated country is Ireland. New Zealand is 16th.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Helen’s article about how to grow garlic.

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

A vegan said to a non-vegan, “people who sell meat are gross,” to which the non-vegan replied, “people who sell fruits and vegetables are grocer.”

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Composting workshop; Saturday, 7th May, 11am-midday; $15; Macleod.

Terry will demonstrate how to build and maintain a hot compost heap in the open bays of the community garden.

Wine tasting and history tour; Saturday, 14th May, 1-4pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Coburg.

Pentridge Cellars, in partnership with Handpicked Wines, invites you to a wine tasting in the historic Pentridge Prison. Step back in time as you descend the stairs of D Division of Pentridge, ensconced by holding cells as you sample some of the finest Australian wines. Discover more about the prison from Vaughan Ruddick, a former prison warden of Pentridge.

Olive festival; Friday, 20th May, 11am-2pm; free; Coburg.

Celebrate the olive season and the cultural significance of the olive to so many people living in our community. There will be presenters, cooking demonstrations, food samples and live music. A free lunch will be served at 12.30pm.

Puss and Mew gin tasting, grazing platter and networking evening; Friday, 20th May, 7-10pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Nunawading.

For women only. Enjoy a social evening that includes the tasting of 4 core range gins, grazing platter and networking.

Beekeeping workshop; Saturday, 28th May, 1-3.30pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: bee behaviour; the various major items that make up a bee hive and how to construct them; and the major tasks in hive management. What you will get: a wooden beehive frame that will have beeswax foundation inserted as part of the workshop. There will be live bees and honeycomb to look at in a secure exhibition cabinet and a discussion of bee behaviour and hive management.

In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Passata making workshop and lunch; Monday, 9th May, 10am-3pm; free; Watsonia.

Learn how to process tomatoes, sterilise jars/bottles and seal them to create the finished product. Then celebrate together over a pasta lunch. Please bring along some glass jars with lids (if you have some) and wear clothes you don’t mind getting tomato sauce on.

Cheese making; Saturday, 28th May, 10am-3pm; $100 ($20 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Tina van Kooten will discuss quick and easy feta plus microwave mozzarella. A light lunch will be provided with some homemade cheeses, and you will take your cheeses home to enjoy. BYO apron, rubber gloves and container with draining mat.

Ladies in the kitchen; Thursday, 2nd June, 9.30am-midday; $32 ($13 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss warm hearty soups with tasty savoury additions. Also, something sweet to complete the meal.

Gnocchi making masterclass; Sunday, 5th June, 11am-1.30pm; $106 ($42 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will show you have to make and shape gnocchi dough plus two accompanying sauces. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

Men in the kitchen; Monday, 6th June, 6.30-9pm; $32 ($13 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss will discuss warm hearty soups with tasty savoury additions.

One pot wonders of the World – Malaysian curry laksa from scratch; Friday, 17th June, 5-10pm; $85 ($17 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. This class will focus on creating a curry laksa from scratch, with a three stage process of making a stock, flavouring that stock then adding the coconut and layers of ingredients to create this aromatic and sensory soup.

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 18th June, 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.

Cannoli making cooking class; Sunday, 19th June, 11am-1.30pm; $106 ($42 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will show you how make cannoli pastry from scratch, including how to roll it out, shape it and fill it. Once you have created your masterpieces, you will then plate and devour your creations with your new found foodie friends!

Sri Lankan street food experience; Sunday, 26th June, 2-4.30pm; $99 ($40 per hour); Fitzroy.

MasterChef Contestant Dee Williams will take you through her personal spice range which you will be encouraged to smell, touch and taste. These include a Roasted Chilli Powder, Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder, Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder and Sri Lankan Dark Roasted Curry Powder. She will then show you how to make roti bread from scratch, a Spicy Coconut Sambal and a Sri Lankan Dhal. Once you have created your masterpieces, you will then plate and devour your creations with your new found foodie friends!

Pickling and fermentation workshop; Thursday, 30th June, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Watsonia.

Lauren will teach you how to pickle and ferment. The session will include making sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and a fermented drink. You will need to bring along: 2 medium jars; one 750ml glass bottle or jar; a small chopping board; and a vegetable knife.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 2nd July, 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.

Authentic Mexican; Saturday, 2nd July, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: Mexican cuisine; improve your culinary skills; and work with seasonal ingredients. Presenter: Matt Baker from Whe-Eat. Menu: blackened chicken thighs with quinoa; Mexican corn on the cob; Mexican white bait fritters tortillas with salsa crude; cactus and tomatillos salsa; crispy pulled pork carnitas; and dark chocolate mole.

In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 27 2022

Apr 272022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ellie McSheedy, Jon Buttery, Megan Goodman and Robin Gale-Baker.

For a Queensland fruit fly free spring – act now! (by Robin Gale-Baker)

The material below is a shortened version of a new article by Robin on our website.

I [Robin] have heard a number of people refer to April as the end of the Queensland fruit fly (QFF) season, presumably because their summer veggies and summer fruit have now been harvested. However this is a misunderstanding. The QFF season never ends because the QFF life cycle is a 12 month cycle. Now (April) is the time to do every thing in your power to make sure that the larvae do not enter the soil and pupate ready to hatch in the spring.

The first jobs are:

  • Remove all fallen fruit from the ground.
  • Remove any fruit left on trees that cropped in summer.
  • Remove any veggies such as tomatoes or peppers or chillies still on the bushes.
  • Dispose of any of the above by cooking (baking, boiling) or microwaving, or solarising for 7 days in double black plastic bags, and then wrap anything not in plastic bags in newspaper and place all in the waste bin.
  • Do not put any infested fruit, even treated fruit, in the compost as this is an ideal breeding ground.

Pick autumnal fruits (e.g. feijoas, guavas, and autumn raspberries) as early as you can. Ditto winter fruit (e.g. persimmon and tamarillo). Dispose of any infected fruit as above.

Quite soon the female QFF will die, leaving the males to overwinter in warm places in your garden. These males will then mate with the females that hatch from pupae in the spring, and produce the first flush of QFF infestation around September (the second flush will be from December onwards). QFF males assemble in leks – groups of about 10 – and live through the winter in either the canopy of trees (such as lemon trees) or in trees adjacent to warm spots (such as compost heaps or chook pens). It is therefore a good idea to put Wild May traps which attract males in the canopy of trees in these areas to reduce their number. Do this from May onwards. Place them 1.2-2 metres high on the east side of the tree where it will get the weak morning sun (placing them in hot sun evaporates the liquid quickly and denatures it).

Finally, from late winter onwards:

  • Put out protein baits in August and continue through the year.
  • Net all seedlings at time of planting, especially summer seedlings.
  • Net fruit trees or use net sleeves to cover fruiting branches or spray with kaolin clay.

Read the full article.

Jon’s podcast of the month

Jon Buttery enjoyed this relaxed discussion of home composting, where the emphasis is on doing the best you can rather than applying strict formulae.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Leslie Vigil uses buttercream to make cakes that look like collections of plants or flowers.

Meg’s garden this month

Autumn is the time of restructuring in the garden. I have cleared beds and structures, put away the netting and shade cloth until next year and emptied spent potting mix (and a few curl grubs) from pots ready for the new season. After several years of growth, I have dug, pruned, and divided the raspberries, planting back canes that should fruit next year and passing some onto my neighbours. I have cut and re-located strawberry runners and fed the rhubarb which has replenished itself in time to help use up the apples and pears.

The garlic and some onions are now in and already showing strong green shoots above the soil. Garlic is a slow crop and it needs to be in a bed that you don’t wish to use for a while. The discovery of a flush of tarragon hidden under the eggplants was a highlight this month, leading to tarragon sauce with the first of the newly ripening lemons.

This month I am:
1. Feeding the curl grubs to the chooks.
2. Clearing fallen fruit and leaves under fruit trees.
3. Collecting leaves for the compost.
4. Dividing iris.
5. Thinning seedlings of beetroot, carrot and turnip.

Tarragon and lemon sauce

2 tablespoons butter
½ cup onion
3-4 cloves of garlic very finely chopped
1 cup good chicken stock
1 cup white wine
¼ cup cream
¼ cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat then add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to low and saute until the onion is soft.

Add the chicken stock and wine, stir and increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until reduced by about half (about 10 minutes).

Reduce the heat and add the cream, lemon juice and salt and pepper, stirring gently and simmer for a further 3-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add tarragon.

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

What seeds to plant in May

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

Brassicas

Kale
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Pak choy

Cool season veggies

Broad beans
Coriander
Fennel
Garlic
Peas

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Rocket
Silverbeet
Spinach

Other

Carrot
Chickpea
Chives
Onion
Parsley
Potato
Radish

If you haven’t planted your cool season veggie seeds yet, plant them now. It’s now a bit late for planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds (but it’s ok to plant seedlings).

Read Helen’s guides on growing garlic.

Read Robin’s guides on growing broad beans and garlic.

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 Jian’s article about how to grow blueberries.

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

I had a date last night. It was perfect.

Tomorrow, I’ll try a grape.

Read more jokes.

Not quite local but interesting

Ellie McSheedy has written in to tell us about a new community garden in Belgrave. Welcome Ellie and colleagues!

The Belgrave Food Garden is a new community garden located at 1624 Burwood Highway, Belgrave. The aim is to create a welcoming space to connect the community through growing and sharing food and experiences. They operate the space as an outdoor classroom, with monthly working bees on the 2nd Sunday of the month, 10am-midday. They also run regular workshops to teach gardening skills, with the next two workshops being on the next two Sundays.

Home composting 101; Sunday, 1st May, 10am-midday; free.

You will learn the basics of composting, including: keep your compost pile odourless and pest-free; the differences between hot and cold composting; and how to set up the right system for you.

Mothers Day working bee; Sunday, 8th May, 10am-midday; free.

They will keep your kids entertained crafting Mothers Day gifts while you help out in the garden with a range of tasks such as weeding and watering. No need to book – just turn up.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Fitzroy Estate Community Garden open day; Saturday, 30th April, 10am-1pm; free; Collingwood.

This 25-year-old community garden is home to 70 plots. Visitors will be treated to garden tours by both community gardeners and Cultivating Community.

The cook, the grower, the gardener and their plants; Saturday, 30th April, 7-10pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Collingwood.

The evening will include a feast prepared by Noah Crowcroft with ingredients sourced from Victorian producers and growers, gin from Collingwood based maker Melbourne Gin Company, and a discussion between the chef, the producers and Jason Chongue, Creative Director of the Garden State Festival. The menu will comprise: banh khot; larb hed; salt and pepper cauliflower; Vietnamese slaw; smoked broccoli salad; Port Arlington mussels; Sri Lankan beetroot curry; eggplant and tofu ma po; steamed jasmine rice; and pear cake.

Mothers Day cocktail school; Sunday, 8th May, 2-3.30pm; $65 ($44 per hour); Northcote.

Work your way through 3 Distiller cocktails, each highlighting one of their vodkas. Pause between each cocktail lesson to enjoy your creation by their grazing table.

Attracting pollinators to your garden; Wednesday, 11th May, 7-8.30pm; free; Camberwell.

Katrina Forstner, from Buzz and Dig, will discuss the importance of native bees and how to create your own bee friendly garden. She will talk through how to identify native bees, landscaping for bees, pesticide use, the best native plants to use, and how to make your own bee hotels and bee seed bombs. She will also talk about how native bees and honeybees can peacefully co-exist.

Wicking beds; Sunday, 15th May, 9.30-10.15am; $15 (reimbursable at the nursery); Diamond Creek.

Kate Hall will tell you about the benefits of wicking beds and how to set them up. Organised by Nillumbik Nursery.

Composting and worm farms; Sunday, 15th May, 1.30-3pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn how to start and look after your own compost system and worm farm at home. Or, if you don’t have the space at home, sign up to drop your organic scraps to the Regent Centre’s community compost.

Home composting and worm farming; Wednesday, 1st June, 10am-midday; free; Whittlesea.

Avoid sending food and garden waste to landfill by learning how to make home compost. Organised by Whittlesea Library.

Olive to oil harvest festival; at Lalor on Sunday, 15th May, midday-3pm, at Preston on Sunday, 29th May, midday-2pm, and at Brunswick East on Sunday, 29th May, midday-3pm; $10.

You bring the olives and they press them into olive oil for you to enjoy. Book a time to bring your olives. The first 50kg will be processed for you for free and each kilo after that will have a charge of 0.50 cents/kilo, payable on the day. The tickets are free if you are a resident of City of Yarra, Darebin, Moreland or Whittlesea.

Grazing board making workshop for women; Saturday, 4th June, 2-4pm; $189 ($95 per hour); Warrandyte.

Hayley Nicole will take you through the process of choosing from pre-prepared timber blanks, shaping and sanding then finishing and nourishing your unique board. You will also share a grazing board and optional beverage through the afternoon. All materials will be provided.

Growing berries; Saturday, 25th June, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: the wide range of berry fruits that can be grown in Victorian gardens; how to cultivate the plants for great yields and great flavour; and berry selection, planting and fertilising, and how to prune and trellis a range of different berry fruits. Presenter: Poppy Turbiak.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

How to make food preparation quick and sustainable; Saturday, 7th May, 10-11.30am; $89 ($60 per hour); Ringwood.

Find out about different methods of food preservation and how preserving your own food can help save time, money, stress and reduce food waste. Taste samples.

The food of central Vietnam; Sunday, 22nd May, 10am-2pm; $160 ($40 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. In the class, you will make your choice of chicken, pork or tofu satay marinated in a lemongrass paste that is char-grilled on hot coals. This is complemented by a homemade satay sauce and a Vietnamese herb platter. Also on the menu is chilli sauce and you will take home a jar of your own.

Sourdough bread; Saturday, 25th June, 10am-12.30pm; $65 ($26 per hour); Park Orchards.

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.

Gluten-free kitchen skills; Sunday, 26th June, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. After an introduction to gluten-free flours and their texture, taste and how to use them, you will have the opportunity to cook a collection of recipes, including: a cake using your own gluten-free flour blend; crackers to pair with a seasonal dip; pizzas; and a short-crust pastry dough for quiche. At the end, the class will sit down to eat lunch together.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 20 2022

Apr 212022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Francisca Amar, Jasminn Chan, Jian Liu, Sue Dyet and Vasundhara Kandpal.

Jasminn’s first ever blueberry

Jasminn Chan has sent in a picture of her first ever homegrown blueberry. See photo right.

Maybe Jasminn should read Jian’s article below!

How to grow blueberries (by Jian Liu)

[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 how to grow blueberries. Here she summarises that article. Also, watch her video on the subject (25 minutes.]

Blueberries are small compact plants that don’t take up much space. A well-looked after blueberry plant can be productive and reward you with many kilos of fruit each season (up to 9 kg!). They are easier to grow than you think.

This article discusses my 7 rules for growing blueberries.

1. Blueberries must be grown in acidic soil

The easiest way to achieve a low pH is to use a good quality potting mix for acidic plants. The only brand I know that makes a low pH formula is Scott’s Osmocote Roses, Azalea & Gardenia potting mix. As well as a pH of around 5, this mix has everything you need to grow happy blueberries.

The harder option, requiring some arithmetic skills and patience, is to add some elemental sulphur to the soil. In my experience, sulphur acts slowly and it takes at least 2 months before the pH is lowered.

Regardless of which option you go with, I’d recommend also adding some homemade compost which is generally slightly acidic or pH neutral (don’t add lime to your compost!) to bulk out your mix and increase its moisture-holding capacity.

If the pH isn’t right, you will see veining on the leaves of your blueberry leaves, or very pale leaves.

2. Blueberries are best grown in pots or containers

Because blueberries are fussy about having an acidic soil, it’s easier to grow blueberries in a large pot or wine barrel or, if you want to get serious, in a dedicated bed filled with blueberries. This way, you can create the ideal acidic conditions that they thrive in.

Blueberries are shallow rooted plants so grow well in pots. Choose a pot that’s at least 30cm wide and 30cm tall.

3. Grow blueberries in part-shade

Blueberries enjoy some protection from the western afternoon sun and planting blueberries in a full sun spot in summer can turn their leaves crispy.

A benefit of growing blueberries in pots is that in winter, they go dormant and you can simply move your blueberry pots to a shady spot thereby vacating any full-sun winter spot for your winter veggies.

4. Blueberries like moist soil

In summer you will need to water every day or second day to ensure that your blueberry always has moist roots.

5. Mulch is essential

Being shallow rooted, you need to mulch heavily to prevent your blueberries roots drying out. My favourite mulch for blueberries is pine needles as they are mildly acidic( but note that once they decompose they are pH neutral).

6. Grow more than one variety for cross-pollination

When bees cross-pollinate blueberries, you get bigger and tastier fruit.

7. Soil improvement

You should be topping up with compost and manure each season.

Blueberries are best fertilised in late winter or early spring, just after flowering.

If you notice veining or pale leaves, you will likely need to lower the acidity of your soil. We find that our soil pH tends to creep up over time.

A viviparous tomato

The photo right is currently doing the rounds on the Internet. It shows a tomato where some of the seeds have started germinating whilst still inside the tomato. This phenomenon is called ‘vivipary’ and, whilst it can potentially happen with any fruit, it appears (from Google searches) to be most common with tomatoes and strawberries.

Clearly, a seed ‘wants’ to germinate. Less obviously, but also clearly when you think about it, a plant doesn’t ‘want’ its seeds to germinate until their surrounding fruit has been eaten and the seeds therefore dispersed. It is apparently the presence of certain hormones in the fruit which inhibit premature germination of the seeds. Occasionally, for whatever reason, these hormones go missing and the seeds can germinate whilst still within the fruit.

Note that the word ‘vivipary’ (which relates to plants) should not be confused with the word ‘viviparity’, which relates to animals, and is the development of an embryo inside the body of the parent.

Fun fact

Why is there a ‘d’ in fridge but not in refrigerator?

Fridge is a shortened form of the word refrigerator. Let’s say that you were trying to shorten the word refrigerator, how would you spell that shortened form? Maybe frig. But that would be a problem because all words in the English language which end with the letter ‘g’ are pronounced with a hard-g (e.g. pig), whereas the ‘g’ in refrigerator is soft. So, maybe frige. But that would be a problem because apparently all words in the English language which end with the letters ‘ge’ are pronounced with the previous vowel being long (e.g. huge), whereas the ‘i’ in refrigerator is short (i.e. as in kit rather than kite). So, to turn the ‘i’ from long to short, a ‘d’ is inserted before the ‘g’ (as in bridge).

Note that if the word was spelt phonetically (i.e. as it is pronounced), the shortened form would actually be spelt frij.

Read more at Merriam-Webster.

If you to want to wrap your head round another example of this sort of thing, consider bicycle being shortened to bike.

Read more fun facts on our website.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Jill Bliss creates photos of medleys of fungi, flowers, ferns, and other botanical elements.

Biscuit pot pie (by Vasundhara Kandpal)

[We are running out of new recipes. If you have an interesting recipe that you are willing to share, send it to us by email.]

Ingredients

The filling
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup mushroom, thinly sliced or chopped
¼ cup flour (all purpose; use 2 tablespoons rice flour plus + 2 tablespoons tapioca starch for gluten-free)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups veggie broth
2½ cups veggies (frozen or chopped veggies such as green beans, corn, carrots, peas, zucchini or potatoes)

The biscuit topping
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup almond flour or ground cashews
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons dried herbs (e.g. oregano, rosemary or basil)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and more for garnish
¾ cup chilled almond milk

Method

The filling

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the broth or 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the onion, garlic and a good pinch of salt and cook until translucent. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and mix in. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add in the bay leaves, herbs, salt and mix in. Add the flour and mix in. Add in ½ cup of the broth and mix in until there are no lumps, then add the rest of the broth. Stir well to combine. Bring to the boil. Add the veggies and mix in and continue to cook for 4 to 6 minutes. If the mixture is not thick to preference, mix in 1 tablespoon flour in 2 tablespoons broth and add to the saucepan and bring to a boil again. The mixture thickens on cooling, so you just want slightly thick filling.

Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 9 inch baking dish. Remove the bay leaves. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the biscuit topping. Preheat the oven to 225degC.

The biscuit topping

Add the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, nutritional yeast, herbs and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well.

Add ½ cup of the chilled almond milk and mix. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time to make a soft sticky dough. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add spoonfuls of the mixture on top of the pot pie filling.

Bake at 225degC for 17 to 20 minutes or until the topping is golden.

Garnish with fresh herbs and freshly ground black pepper. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then serve.

Read more of Vasundhara’s recipes on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Robin’s article about harvesting, curing and storing pumpkins.

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

I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Habitat planting on the Diamond Creek; Saturday, 21st May, 10am-midday and 1-3pm; free; Edendale.

Join the Friends of Edendale, Edendale Farm and Melbourne Water in a family re-vegetation activity along the Diamond Creek near Edendale to help re-build habitat for our local platypus and their friends. The goal is to plant 500 indigenous plants on the day.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grow your own way (7 sessions); 7 weekly sessions on Thursdays from 21st April to 2nd June, at 9-11am and then again at 2.30-2.30pm; free; West Brunswick.

[Editor: although this course started last week, the organisers have told me that it is structured such that people can still sensibly attend even if they miss a session or two. Furthermore, there are still some spots available in both the morning and the afternoon sessions.]

Presenter: Angelo Eliades. This course will give participants the skills to compost, grow nutritious food, harvest, forage and benefit from community life and nature. The topics will include: introduction to community gardening; the importance of soil, compost and worm farms; planning your plot and food to grow; options to grow food in a community garden; hands on planting; harvesting and foraging; and nutritious food and waste free living. All participants will receive a one year free membership to West Brunswick Community Garden. Organised by Moreland Community Gardening.

The Bubbles Festival; Friday, 29th April, 6-8pm and Saturday, 30th April, midday-5pm; $95 ($48 per hour); Fitzroy North.

The ticket includes: admission to 1 * 2 hour tasting session; a tasting introduction by Natalie Pickett, Founder, The Bubbles Review; 10 or more tastings of sparkling wine; a champagne tasting glass; and canapes.

Beer and cheese tasting; Wednesday, 4th May, 6-9pm; $53 ($18 per hour); Brunswick.

Featuring artisan cheeses from Cornelius Cheesemongers matched with the beers of Inner North Brewing.

Beeswax wraps workshop; Saturday, 21st May, 2-4pm; $20 ($10 per hour); Warrandyte.

Make your own beeswax wraps. You will need to bring your own 100% cotton material. Organised by Warrandyte Neighbourhood House.

Looking after our bees with Melbourne City Rooftop Honey; Thursday, 2nd June, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Watsonia.

Rooftop Honey founders Vanessa and Mat will talk about bees and the important role they play in pollinating our cities, including the plight of the bees, their importance, community local awareness, and planting for bees. Find out what you can do to help them, which in turn helps us all. You will also get the opportunity to taste honey from a couple of different locations. Organised by Watsonia Library.

Setting up a worm farm; Saturday, 18th June, 2-3.30pm; free; Edendale.

This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Intro to Turkish workshop; Wednesday, 27th April, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Join Arzu Yilmaz to learn how to make four different vegetarian dishes: a lentil soup, a meze, Turkish borek and a dessert. Arzu will also talk about her experiences as an Istanbul girl and her Turkish identity. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Tomato relish; Wednesday, 25th May, 1-2pm; $10; Greensborough.

Make, taste and take home some homemade dips. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Indian cooking class (thermomix); Saturday, 28th May, 2-4pm; $27 ($14 per hour); Mooroolbark.

They will be making some spice mix blends and pastes and turning them into dishes, including paneer cheese, paneer makhani, creamy coconut chicken curry, garlic & coriander naan, rava payasam and lassi.

Sourdough basics; Thursday, 9th June, 6.30-8pm; $100 ($66 per hour); Collingwood.

The Fermented Mumma will discuss ingredient selection, starter care, and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. At the end, you will take your fermenting dough home to bake in the morning.

French patisserie workshop; Friday, 17th June, 6.30-8.30pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn the art of making traditional French croissants. Topics to be covered will include: how to make the dough; the art of the fold; how to roll the perfect croissant; and how to prove and cook the croissants at home. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Triple cream brie cheese; Sunday, 19th June, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters; Sunday, 19th June, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting. Then make your own milk or dark truffles with a selection of toppings.

Truffle and praline workshop; Wednesday, 22nd June, 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 April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 13 2022

Apr 132022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Dione Fisher, Francisca Amar, Jaimie Sweetman, Jian Liu, Jon Buttery, Julian Merkenich 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.

Jaimie’s unusual edible plant of the month: cucumber bean (Cyclanthera pedata)

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on Fridays and Saturdays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

Cyclanthera pedate is an annual vine originating from South America.

I [Jaimie] call it ‘cucumber bean’ as it tastes a little like both yet is actually neither!

The small fruits can be eaten straight off the vine, while older fruits need to be cooked.

The vine grows up to 4m long and thus requires a trellis of some sort. We grow it over our bean tunnel, which gives it almost a tropical look as well as creating shade in the heat of the summer.

The seeds are unusual and look almost like charcoal. They are best planted in Spring. At the Edible Forest, we collect and save the seeds each year and have some available for anyone wishing to try and grow this unique annual.

Harvesting, curing and storing pumpkins (by Robin Gale-Baker)

Robin has written a very timely article about how to harvest, cure and store pumpkins. The subjects covered include:

  • How to harvest pumpkin (e.g. leave around 10cm of stalk attached)
  • What are the signs that a pumpkin is ready for picking? (e.g. the stem has withered, the rind is hard and the leaves have begun to lose colour).
  • Can you pick a pumpkin too early? (e.g. yes, and they will then rot).
  • Can you pick a pumpkin too late? (e.g. do not leave until the first frost).
  • Curing (e.g. rest of its side in a sunny spot and turn every few days).
  • Storing (e.g. on straw or newspaper, on its side in a dark, cool, dry place).
  • Rats (e.g. store in a rat proof environment).

Read the full article.

Growing fresh food and herbs using permaculture methods (by Angelo Eliades)

Angelo has just had a ‘bookazine’ (a cross between a book and a magazine) published, entitled Growing fresh food and herbs using permaculture methods. It is 170 pages long and the material is organised under the following headings:

  • Fundamentals of organic gardening (e.g. selecting locations, setting up new garden beds, how to plant seedlings).
  • Ecological design principles (e.g. backyard permaculture, resilient gardens, zone planning, biodiversity).
  • Attitudinal design principles.
  • Putting the design principles into practice (e.g. Summer protection, water-saving, garden harmony).

Wild mushroom foraging in Australia (by Anna Matilda)

Read Anna’s article on her Urban Nanna website. The material is organised under the following headings:

  • Deadly mistakes.
  • Identification is key.
  • Basic mushroom anatomy.
  • How to identify wild mushrooms.
  • How to hunt.
  • Questions to ask.
  • What to look for and where.
  • When to go hunting.
  • Species to look for.
  • Edible species.
  • Toxic species.
  • Further reading.
  • Online resources.
  • In-person classes.

Note that, as discussed later, Anna is running numerous mushroom foraging events during May.

Does your organisation want to set up a food hub?

VicHealth is offering up to $4 million in funding for up to 10 Victorian food hubs, to help give organisations the boost they need to revolutionise the way we grow, buy and share food. Applications due by 16th May. Online briefing on Wednesday, 13th April, 1-2pm. Read more and potentially apply.

Sourdough focaccia (by Jian Liu & Julian Merkenich)

Ingredients

The dough base:
250 grams wholemeal flour
250 grams baker’s flour
9 grams salt
5 grams malted barley
100 grams ripe levain
400 grams warm water
12 grams olive oil

The toppings:
2 small tomatoes
10 grams aged cheddar
3 small jalapenos
1 handful basil
2 cloves minced garlic
10 grams olive oil
1 pinch salt

Method

Mix the flours, salt and barley together in a clear container.

Mix the ripe levain, water and olive oil in a measuring jug.

Add the wet ingredients to the flours and combine thoroughly.

Let the dough sit for 1 hour to develop strength.

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds spaced half an hour apart.

Oil a baking dish.

Loosely shape the dough and place it into the baking dish.

Leave the dough in your fridge overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit for a few hours on your benchtop until there are large bubbles visible on under its surface.

Dimple the dough with your fingers.

Drizzle the focaccia with olive oil, the minced garlic and sprinkle it with salt.

Chop the tomato into small cubes, slice the jalapenos, finely chop the basil and grate the cheese.

Scatter all of the remaining ingredients over the focaccia.

Bake at 230degC for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and rest on the counter for 20 minutes before serving.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Jane Edmanson’s free gardening masterclass on 21st May.

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

A skeleton walks into a bar. The bartender says, “What’ll you have?” The skeleton replies, “Give me a beer and a mop.”

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not food-related but interesting

Clothing swap with purpose ~ Winter; Sunday, 1st May, 3-5pm; $25; Edendale.

This is an opportunity for you to update your wardrobe in a sustainable manner based on an understanding of how to buy for your body shape and colouring. Donate your pre-loved clothing in return for tokens that can be used to acquire other clothing. There will also be: speakers discussing fast fashion, textile waste and colouring; an auction of styled outfits; a styling competition; an auction of styled outfits; and leftover garments.

Not face-to-face but interesting

The good life: how to grow a better world, with Hannah Moloney; Thursday, 21st April, 11am-midday; free; online.

Hannah, who is author of The Good Life, will provide insights into how to gain the skills, self-reliance and confidence needed to engage meaningfully with your space, your food and your community. Organised by Diamond Valley Library.

A brief review

Living & Learning Nillumbik periodically run an 8-session class called Urban food gardening. Jon Buttery went to a previous series of the classes, having read about them in this newsletter. Here is his brief review: “I highly recommend this series of classes. Justin [Calverley] is an inspiring teacher and really helped to develop my gardening knowledge. Much of the course is at Edendale Farm, which is a delightful venue, and the course involves using its gardens. If you are an Australian or NZ resident and not in school, then you are eligible for a massively reduced fee of $60 for all 8 sessions.”

Have you recently been to an event that you read about in this newsletter? If so, it would be great if you could submit a brief review of the event. Just email it to us.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grow your own way (8 sessions); 8 weekly sessions on Thursdays from 14th April to 2nd June, at 9-11am and then again at 2.30-2.30pm; free; West Brunswick.

Presenter: Angelo Eliades. This course will give participants the skills to compost, grow nutritious food, harvest, forage and benefit from community life and nature. The topics will include: introduction to community gardening; the importance of soil, compost and worm farms; planning your plot and food to grow; options to grow food in a community garden; hands on planting; harvesting and foraging; and nutritious food and waste free living. All participants will receive a one year free membership to West Brunswick Community Garden. Organised by Moreland Community Gardening.

[Editor: Obviously this is very short notice but the organisers tell me that it wouldn’t matter if you miss the first session.]

Lavazza cup of learning (2 day); 2 occurrences on Tuesday, 3rd May and Wednesday, 4th May, both 9am-4pm and then again on Tuesday, 7th June and Wednesday, 8th June, both 9am-4pm; free; Hawthorn.

This course will leave participants with practical skills in all aspects of making a coffee, from grinding beans through milk texturing to machine maintenance.

Mushroom foraging; 2 occurrences at Saturday, 7th May, 10am-2pm and Sunday, 22nd May, 10am-2pm; $122 ($31 per hour); Nunawading.

Join Anna, the Urban Nanna, for an educational session about wild mushrooms: when, where & how to find them, what to look for and how to use them. You will find and identify a range of wild, edible mushrooms. You will learn the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to mushroom specifics. You will examine examples of the types of mushrooms to look for on the day, and be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify them. There will also be information on how to safely prepare and enjoy eating the mushrooms you find. Included in the session fee is a learning pack to take home with you, a sample of how wild mushrooms can be cooked, and a hot drink. Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Mushroom foraging; 5 occurrences at Sunday, 8th May, 10am-2pm, at Friday, 13th May, 10am-2pm, Saturday, 21st May, 10am-2pm, Friday, 27th May, 10am-2pm and Sunday, 29th May, 10am-2pm; $122 ($31 per hour); Forest Hill.

Description as for the equivalent events in Nunawading discussed above.

Edible forest gardening; Saturday, 21st May, 9am-midday; $10; Forest Hill.

Anyone with a small patch of land can grow a forest garden. This workshop will give you an introduction to: the theory behind edible forest gardens; plant guilds (polycultures) and the different functions that plants can play; wildlife, insects, domestic animals and how they integrate with an edible forest garden; mycelium and the role it plays in an edible forest garden; design considerations; and preparing the soil and planting. Presenter: Duncan Cocking from Leaf, Root & Fruit.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Saturday, 21st May, 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.

How to compost food and garden waste; Sunday, 29th May, 1-2.30pm; $20 ($14 per hour); Forest Hill.

Ella Boyen, from Compost Community, will show you how to manage garden, organic and food waste effectively. She will cover tumbler systems, worm farms and Bokashi bins. She will also trouble-shoot your ongoing issues and provide some useful tips. This workshop is suitable for both those new to composting and those who have just started.

Home composting for beginners; Saturday, 4th June, 2-4pm; free; Edendale.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

Beeswax wraps; Sunday, 5th June, 10am-midday; $55 ($28 per hour); Park Orchards.

This workshop will show you how easy beeswax wraps are to make for yourself or as gifts. You will need to bring along with you a piece of material 28cm by 28cm. It must be 100% cotton, non-stretch, pre-washed and free from embellishments. All other materials supplied. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 5th June, 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.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 14th May, 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.

Middle Eastern cooking; Friday, 3rd June, 6.30-9.30pm; $65 ($22 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.

Tortelloni and ravioli class; Saturday, 4th June, 10am-1.30pm; $125 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fresh pasta dough; and how to make tagliatelle, spinach & ricotta tortelli and pumpkin ravioli. What you will get: cheese tasting and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home.

Fire cider tonic making; Saturday, 4th June, 2-4.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Fire cider is a winter warming digestive and immune system boosting tonic made from commonly available kitchen ingredients. What you will learn: the history and beneficial properties of fire cider; how to prepare and preserve your ingredients; and how to incorporate fire cider into other recipes. Presenter: Naabi Methe.

Artisan bread making; Sunday, 5th June, 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home. What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; and savoury calzone for lunch, which you make, eat and take home. The focus will be on ciabatta and turkish breads.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Sunday, 5th June, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Daniele. You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. Menu: Napoli sauce; arancini; rosemary and olive focaccia; cavatelli pasta; and chocolate cake.

Indian cooking – Punjabi (two sessions); Wednesday, 8th June and Wednesday, 22nd June, both 6.30-8.30pm; $110 ($55 per hour); Hurstbridge.

Tutor: Taariq Hassan. Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 6 2022

Apr 062022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amanda Wheeler, Anna Matilda, Bron Elmore, Fay Loveland, Jon Buttery and Marisa Howard.

A total of 400(!) different people have now contributed to this newsletter since the start of the Covid pandemic. Read the list.

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.

A new community garden in Northcote

Croxton Community Garden / Marra Guwiyap Garden is a new membership-based community garden at 31-35 Spencer Street, Northcote (at the site of the former tennis courts near Croxton railway station). In addition to raised beds for veggie growing, the garden will include: dedicated garden space for children to explore and learn about the natural world; wheelchair accessible gardening plots and sensory garden plots to enhance mental health through special plantings; and a compost hub.

The garden is a place for growing food, eco-sustainability, sharing activities, fun and learning together. The vision is for a shared, accessible space, creating a safer, healthier and more resilient environment and providing an amenity where the broader neighbourhood can come together in shared social and educational events.

To discuss any aspect of the garden, contact them by email. Also, see their Facebook page.

Welcome Amanda, Marisa and colleagues!

There are now a total of 60(!) community gardens in North East Melbourne that each have a page on our website. Look at a map of all 60 gardens, with links to all 60 pages.

Want to community garden in Fairfield?

Fairfield Community Garden, which is an allotment-based community garden in Hamilton Street, Alphington, apparently has a few plots available. If interested, contact Caitlin by email.

Do you want some wool carpet?

In Winter, Bron Elmore is lifting the pure wool carpet from four of her rooms and she doesn’t want to send it to landfill. Would anyone like it as a weed suppressant before mulching? Alternatively, while some of the edges have been eaten by carpet beetle, there is plenty of usable carpet in excellent condition if anyone wants to re-lay it for a beach house or studio etc. Pick up from Warrandyte. If interested, email Bron.

Have you recently been to an event because of this newsletter?

Jon Buttery has written in to suggest that it would be interesting if anyone who had been to local events that they read about in this newsletter could submit short reviews for us to publish.

To start things off, here is a review from Jon himself: “On 31st March, I went to a session called ‘food forest gardening’ at Edendale. The session was run by Ian Culbard, Sustainability Officer at Nillumbik Council. It was a wonderful session – not surprisingly, I later learnt that he is a former teacher who is knowledgeable about permaculture and gardening. We began with a short tour of Edendale Farm and a discussion about how it was set up. Then Ian discussed gardening ideas and encouraged us to contribute our ideas and imagine our own gardens. One thing that I really liked was that he made me think about options for my own garden. It was a very well worthwhile evening!”

It would be great if you could submit an event review. Just email it to us.

A reminder that Queensland fruit fly is still about

Even though the weather is cooling, the Queensland fruit fly (QFF) larvae are still around and are attacking autumn-fruiting crops, such as feijoas. Here are some resources that discuss what you can do: our QFF page, the Edendale QFF page and the Sustainable Macleod QFF page.

Cooking with wool

Watch these short animated ‘cooking with wool’ videos by someone called Andrea Love: breakfast, bagels, cake, pasta with red sauce and pizza.

Not food-related but interesting

Jane Edmanson is giving a free gardening masterclass on Saturday, 21st May, 2-4pm in Box Hill. Read more and potentially book your place.

Dukkah (by Anna Matilda)

A longer version of this recipe, including lots of photos and variations, can be found on Anna’s website, The Urban Nanna.

Ingredients

100g nuts
50g sesame seeds (white for preference)
10-15g spices (whole is best)
salt and pepper

Method

If your nuts have skins on them (e.g. almonds or hazelnuts), remove these by either blanching or roasting and rubbing between tea towels.

Roast the nuts in the oven until starting to brown. Watch the nuts closely while roasting – they can go from ‘underdone’ to ‘burnt’ very quickly. It is good to stir occasionally.

Set the nuts aside to cool. It’s important to let them cool before chopping them or the heat brings out the oils and you run the risk of getting nut butter rather than chopped nuts.

Toast the sesame seeds in a frying pan until they begin to go golden. Set aside in a mixing bowl.

Toast the spices in a frying pan until they become aromatic (around 1-2 minutes). Allow to cool.

Grind the spices to a coarse finish, using either a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Place in the mixing bowl.

Chop the nuts to a coarse finish using either a food processor or a sharp knife. Add to the mixing bowl.

Combine the ingredients and then season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. It should be slightly saltier than you think.

Keep in an airtight jar in the pantry for a couple of weeks, or the fridge if you want it to last longer (the oils in nuts can go rancid/off if left out for too long), or freeze.

The variations on the Urban Nanna website include: lemon myrtle & wild fennel blend; chilli & garlic blend; and original Egyptian blend.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the article in the Brunswick Voice about their local ‘guerrilla gardeners’.

Word of the month – Molotov cocktail

Molotov cocktail, meaning any homemade, bottle-based incendiary weapon. In the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland (1939-1940), the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov declared that their bombing missions over Finland were actually airborne humanitarian food deliveries for their starving neighbours. As a result, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the bombs ‘Molotov bread baskets’. When they developed a hand-held bottle firebomb to attack Soviet tanks, the Finns called it the ‘Molotov cocktail’, as “a drink to go with his food parcels”. Read more.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

In a pickle. Meaning: in a quandary or some other difficult position. The allusion is to being as disoriented and mixed up as stewed vegetables when they have been pickled. This allusion dates back to the 16th Century and was then popularised by Samuel Pepys in his diaries in the 17th Century. Shakespeare also used the phrase in The Tempest but the allusion there was probably to being drunk (e.g. the person was so pickled in alcohol that their body was protected from rotting).

Incidentally, most dictionaries seem to define the word pickle specifically to mean a food stuff which has been preserved in either vinegar or brine but some people also use the word for food stuffs preserved in other liquids, such as alcohol or vegetable oils. Yet others extend the use of the word to include fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi, etc).

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” by Abraham Lincoln.

Read more gardening quotes.

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

I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Collingwood Community Gardens renewal – workshop; Friday, 8th April, 6.30-8.30pm; free; Abbotsford.

The Collingwood Community Gardens Association will be holding a public meeting about the Collingwood Community Gardens site. The purpose of the meeting is to seek Yarra community views about the future of the site. To be chaired by Peter Clarke.

Gourd it; Saturday, 30th April, 10.30am-2pm; free; Carlton North.

Learn how to make a plant pot from a gourd. All materials provided. Then watch a demonstration on how gourds are used in Ethiopia and also tour the Balam Balam Community Garden. Organised by Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre.

Indie spirits tasting; Sunday, 8th May, 1-4pm; $76 ($25 per hour); Collingwood.

This event showcase of craft spirit and will feature around 30 exhibitors, with distillers on hand and free seminars discussing the world of independent spirits.

Kitchen medicine – garden farmacy; Saturday, 28th May, 2-4.30pm; $75 ($30 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: an introduction to herbal medicine making; plant identification; guidelines for foraging and wild-crafting; medicinal uses for plants; and how to introduce medicinal herbs into the kitchen for medicine. What you will get: a remedy and a seedling. Presenter: Naabi Methe. Take a walk through the CERES garden beds and bring the wisdom of traditional herbal medicines into a modern context. You will explore traditional and modern uses of the plants and how to introduce these plants into the kitchen as medicine.

Mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 29th May, 10am-1pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn how to grow mushrooms at home. Gain an overview of the fungi life cycle, the cultivation process, building a mushroom growing chamber, harvesting and storage. Includes: course materials, an oyster mushroom growing kit per person (valued $30), course notes and ongoing support. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Tomato passata demonstration; Sunday, 10th April, 12.30-3pm; free; Reservoir

Make some passata in Regent Community Garden and take home your own bottle of freshly made passata. Meet their garden volunteers and enjoy a tour of the garden. Click here to read about the garden.

Pizza making workshop with Karen Martini; Saturday, 7th May, 12.30-2pm; free; Hawthorn East.

Learn the secrets of celebrity chef Karen Martini’s 24 hour pizza dough. After the event concludes, you will receive a take home pizza kit including gourmet pizza dough, tray and work mat.

Talking plant-based meals with Alice Zaslavsky; Wednesday, 18th May, 6.30-8pm; free; Box Hill.

Alice Zaslavsky will discuss her new book In Praise of Veg, which pays tribute to the world of vegetables and plant-based cooking, and will provide her plant-based cooking tips and tricks.

Cup cake decorating workshop; Friday, 27th May, 6.30-8.30pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Park Orchards.

Decorate cupcakes using buttercream icing. 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 affects; and how to make a bouquet to hold the six cupcakes. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 28th May, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: ways to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture; the flour to use for the best nutrition and results; ways to knead sticky high hydration dough for a more authentic sourdough loaf; the equipment needed to produce a great looking and tasting sourdough tin loaf at home; and ways to bake sourdough bread using a bread tin in a home oven. Presenter: Rick Lavender of The Life We Want

A master class in Thai cooking on charcoal; Sunday, 29th May, 10am-2.30pm; $160 ($36 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. Learn how make: Thai jungle curry (barramundi or vegetarian); char-grilled isaan chicken with three sisters spice paste; green papaya salad; sticky rice and Thai dipping sauce; and laarb chicken or mushroom.

Camembert and gourmet fetta cheese; Sunday, 29th May, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

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

Truffle and praline workshop; Wednesday, 1st June, 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.

Italian kids cooking class; Thursday, 2nd June, 10am-3pm; $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.

In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 30 2022

Mar 292022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Fay Loveland, Felicia Wylie, Jo Townsend, Megan Goodman, Pauline Webb, Robin Gale-Baker, Steve Burnham and Sylvia Bianco.

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.

Note that some of the material that used to be in the end of month newsletters (e.g. proverb of the month) is being moved to mid month.

Want to community garden in Northcote?

Northcote Community Gardens, which is an allotment-based community garden in Hartington Street (next to the Northcote train station), apparently have a few plots available. If interested, contact them by email.

Think you know something about land management in Nillumbik?

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. The first stage is a series of conversations with interested community members. Read more. If you are interested in being interviewed, email Prue Rothwell (prue@openfoodnetwork.org.au).

Doncaster Garden Club

A month or so ago, I had the honour of speaking at the Doncaster Garden Club, where the audience numbered somewhere between 50 and 100. They meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 8pm at Doncaster East RSL and always have an external speaker. Anyone is welcome to attend a few meetings, after which membership will be requested. Their next three speakers are:

  • 13th April: Nigel Philpot on the Doncaster Hill Community Garden and Felicity Gordon on Queensland fruit fly traps.
  • 11th May: Helen Lovel from Neutrog, a fertiliser company.
  • 8th June: Pete the Permie, aka Peter Allen, will be selling dwarf fruit trees.

If you want to have a chat with them, they will apparently be having a ‘learn to pot a plant’ table at Bunnings in Doncaster Road on Saturday, 2nd April. Or you can call their President, Pauline Webb, on 0409 063 060.

I’m only aware of 4 garden clubs around North East Melbourne that are currently holding monthly meetings: Camberwell, Doncaster, Hurstbridge and Preston. If you are aware of any others, send me an email.

Do you know?

Steve Burnham has written in to ask how he should grow edamame (aka soy beans) and where can he get seeds or seedlings from? I know that Diggers sell soy bean seeds (both green and black) and suggest that they be planted in Spring or Summer. Please email any other thoughts.

Not food-related but interesting

Read this article in the Brunswick Voice about some ‘guerrilla gardeners’ who are trying to create an urban forest along the railway line from Jewell Station in the south to Fawkner Station in the north.

Pineapple sage – useful, versatile and spectacular!
(by Robin Gale-Baker)

If you are looking for a versatile, useful and spectacular herbaceous perennial, then go no further than pineapple sage (Salvia elegans). With its whorls of scarlet, tubular flowers (4cm in length) and lime green foliage, this attractive shrub will flower, with careful cultivation, almost year round. It’s a ‘short day’ plant meaning that, as the nights grow longer, it flowers more prolifically.

Culinarily, the leaves have a pineapple fragrance but must be used fresh as cooking destroys the scent. The fragrance is released by rubbing the leaves between your fingers or chopping. Both leaves and flowers can be used in cold drinks, fruit salads, salads and as garnishes. Children and adults alike also love sucking the sweet nectar from the flowers!

In a Melbourne climate, pineapple sage grows to a height and width of around 1.5 metres in fertile, well-drained soil. It provides a good habitat for butterflies and honeyeaters in autumn and winter, especially small thornbills such as the Eastern thornbill (see photo).

At the end of autumn, pineapple sage can look straggly and it benefits from a prune down to ground level. However, rather than prune it all at once, selectively prune out some stems including dead ones, and continue to do this as the stems renew and flower. This will provide winter sustenance for honeyeaters. If hit by frost, the foliage will be damaged but the roots will survive. A heavy prune is then necessary to remove all the dead and damaged leaves and stems.

To propagate pineapple sage, either divide the clumping roots, spade off a section, or take cuttings in spring. For the latter, select a firm, green stem with at least four nodes, remove any flowers and strip the stem leaving a pair of leaves at the top. Then, cut the stem on an angle directly beneath the lowest node, dunk into water, shake off, dip into hormone rooting powder, and insert into a mix of damp perlite and vermiculite. A perlite/vermiculite mix, which will drain well and have plenty of aeration and space for root development, will produce strong white roots within a week whereas placing the cuttings in soil will produce weak, straggly roots. Make sure that the mix remains moist.

Pineapple sage likes to be well watered. It is useful as an indicator that the garden soil is drying out. It will, along with tansy, wilt well before other plants as the moisture content drops, signalling the need of the whole garden for water.

Read Robin’s other articles on our website about growing herbs.

Meg’s garden this month

The long sweet green capsicums and eggplant are finally ripe and mark the end of the summer growing season. The green beans planted in February are now ready for harvesting. The dry weather has meant frequent watering of these last few crops. A joy is the second crop of smaller autumn strawberries that have managed to appear despite a lack of water.

I have netted the quinces early and am watching them carefully for signs of ripeness. The apples and pears are coming into their own and I have been harvesting over the past month and will continue into April with the late Granny Smiths. It’s important to clear up fallen and damaged fruit to avoid pests such as wasps and diseases. Excess produce will be forced on family and friends or taken to the local food swap.

This month I am:
1. Finishing clearing the vegetable beds and preparing one for planting garlic.
2. Sowing seeds of beetroot, carrot and turnip.
3. Trying to thin the self-seeded nasturtiums.
4. Peeling apples for cooking in many different ways, although my favourite is whole baked apples (no peeling!).

Baked apples

6 small apples
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ cup of currents or sultanas
1 tablespoon honey
6 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water

Cut a hole in each apple by carving out the core, ensuring that you leave the bottom 2 cm intact.

Place the apples in an oven proof dish so that they sit upright. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, honey and fruit and then divide between each apple hole. Top each filled hole with a teaspoon or so of the butter. Add water to the bottom of a baking dish and cook at 180degCc for about 40 minutes or until the apples are just soft.

When serving, coat the apples with some of the syrup left in the dish.

Read some of Meg’s other recipes.

What seeds to plant in April

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

Brassicas

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 and garlic. Also, plant some leafy greens. It’s a bit late for planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds but, as they say, better late than never.

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

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

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 Thanh Truong’s video discussing the major Asian greens.

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

If you’re waiting for the waiter at a restaurant, aren’t you the waiter?

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps

Note that the Regent Community Garden produce and plant swaps have changed their start time and are now from 2-3pm.

Most of the local food swaps have now re-started ‘post-Covid’. I have been in communication with those that seemingly haven’t and, unfortunately, the Brunswick and Fawkner food swaps won’t be re-starting, at least for the time being.

Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Growing seeds in season; Saturday, 2nd April, 11-11.30am; free; Rosanna.

Yenni will give a talk on growing seeds in season and give out some seeds for you to grow at home. Organised by Rosanna Library.

Backyard beekeeping for beginners; Sunday, 3rd April, 10am-midday; free; Coburg.

Robert, from Bee Sustainable, will give participants a basic understanding of bee behaviour, establishing and managing a hive, and the items that make up a bee hive and their construction. There will be live bees and honeycomb to look at in a secure exhibition cabinet. The workshop will also cover the equipment that a beekeeper needs to work with bees, key tasks in spring, honey extraction and swarm control.

Easter egg decorating; Thursday, 7th April, 7.30-9pm; $12 ($8 per hour); Kew.

This is an evening event for women. Everything will be provided including a glass of bubbles and light supper.

Autumn obscurity wine masterclass; Saturday, 9th April, 2-4pm; $7; Northcote.

Learn about lesser known grape varietals which are beginning to make an impact in Australia due to the similar climate conditions. This class will lead you through 8 wines, with a grazing platter at intermission.

Easter egg hunts; Sunday, 17th April, 10-10.30am and again at 11.30am-midday; $7; Yarra Glen.

Little hunters ages 12 and under will search for four different clues hidden under tin pails dotted throughout their grounds to redeem for a special Easter gift box from their Easter bunnies.

An introduction to beekeeping, with Claire Coutts; Tuesday, 26th April, 2-3pm; free; Mooroolbark.

Interested in setting up your own beehive? Claire will explain: the benefits for you, the bees and their environment; the equipment required; the maintenance required; the best position for the hive; and the most beneficial plants to have in your garden. Organised by Mooroolbark Library.

Seed libraries – pop-up food swap; Saturday, 30th April, 10-11am; free; Eltham.

Food swaps are a way to meet local veggie growers in your community. Take along your excess garden produce such as seeds, seedlings, fruit and jams, or even pots, jars or gardening magazines. If you don’t have anything to swap, just go along for a chat. Presented by Local Food Connect.

Planning your Winter vegetable patch; Sunday, 1st May, 9.30am-midday; $60 ($24 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to: prepare your soil; find out what to plant and when; plan your planting strategy; reduce the likelihood of pest and disease issues such as white cabbage moth; understand how to avoid the pitfalls new gardeners face in the veggie patch at this time of the year; which types of veggies to grow from seed and which ones to plant out as seedlings; mulching and watering; and growing winter veggies in small spaces such as pots and containers. Presenter: Duncan Cocking from Leaf, Root & Fruit Gardening Services.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 8th May, 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.

Introduction to permaculture (two sessions); Sunday, 15th May and Sunday, 29th May, both 10am-3pm; $220 ($22 per hour); CERES.

This course is designed for both those new to permaculture and those thinking of undertaking a Permaculture Design Certificate. What you will learn: the concept of permaculture; and the principles of permaculture and associated design methods. Presenter: Lisa Reid. There will be examples from tiny urban gardens to suburban and rural permaculture properties showing how we can create resilient, sustainable systems that work with nature and the natural limits of our planet.

Backyard beekeeping; Wednesday, 18th May, 7-8.30pm; free; Camberwell.

Join Mary and Henry Trumble from Backyard Honey to learn about what’s involved in establishing, maintaining and harvesting an urban honeybee hive. You will see a live honey bee display and participate in some raw honey tasting.

Fruit tree pruning and care; Thursday, 19th May, 6.30-7.30pm; free; Mill Park.

Kathleen Tants will discuss fruit tree pruning and care, including how to prepare your fruit trees for the Winter ahead. Organised by Mill Park Library.

The art of espalier; Saturday, 21st May, 9.30am-midday; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: growing espaliered fruit trees; different techniques to make the most of all available space for espalier; and improve your general gardening skills. Topics will include suitable fruit trees, pruning and training techniques.

Growing fruit and veggies in small spaces; Sunday, 22nd May, 9.30am-12.30pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

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.

Basic inoculation workshop; Sunday, 22nd May, 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

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Zero waste garden to plate cooking workshop; Saturday, 2nd April, 10am-1pm; free; Fawkner.

See a zero waste meal created by Sharif Hassan and Gregory Lorenzetti, who will also give you tips for waste and fuss free affordable cooking. The session will include a tour of the urban farm at Fawkner Food Bowls. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Preserving the season’s harvest; Saturday, 21st May, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to preserve surplus foods; how to make jams; and improve your culinary skillset. Presenter: Lauren Mueller. Learn how to make jams, pastes, pickles and the art of basic canning so that you can preserve your home harvest or extend your seasonal produce year round.

Blue cheese making; Sunday, 22nd May, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make blue cheese; how to make sour cream; and how to make your own ricotta cheese. Presenters: Janet Clayton and Charlene Angus from Cheeselinks.

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes

LFC News March 23 2022

Mar 232022
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Felicity Gordon, John Wright, Margaret Marshall and Tatiana Coluccio.

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.

A community garden is being established in Panton Hill

A small community garden is being established at the Living & Learning Centre in Panton Hill. Some raised beds have been built and the first plantings happened on Saturday (as demonstrated by the action picture right).

Want some straw bales?

John Wright has a hay and straw supply business in Lilydale called Complete Hay Supplies. 850 bales of his straw were used for a skateboard race last week and he is now trying to find new homes for these bales. As he says, “great for mulch, etc.” Anyone interested? There will be a cost, but this can be negotiated depending on how many bales you might want. If interested, email John (sales@completehaysupplies.com.au).

Want a job?

Old Evropa, the bakers in Eltham Village, have a position for a mature, experienced, artisan baker to help them take their business to the next level. If interested, send a current CV and cover letter to oldevropa@bigpond.com.

Do you know your Asian greens?

This 4 minute video by Thanh Truong (aka the Fruit Nerd) discusses many of the major Asian greens, including bok choy and pak choy, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), choy sum, water spinach (kang kong), gai choy (small mustard green), wombok (Chinese cabbage) and Chinese chives.

Our guide to local wine makers – updated

As discussed in our updated guide to local wine makers, how many wineries you think there are in North East Melbourne large depends on how far east you think that Melbourne extends. If you include the western part of the Yarra Valley (Coldstream, Dixons Creek and Yarra Glen) then the number is around 65 but this reduces to around 20 if you exclude that area.

Most of the wineries have a cellar door and many also have a cafe or restaurant.

Around 6 are South West of the Yarra Valley and 12 are located in Nillumbik.

The 6 to the South West of Yarra Valley are: Kellybrook Winery in Wonga Park; Rob Dolan Wines in Warrandyte South; and Billanook Estate, Cosmo Wines, Vue on Halcyon and Yarra Edge in Chirnside Park.

Most of the 12 in Nillumbik participate in something called Open Cellars whereby, on one weekend in each of June and October, all the wineries open their doors so that visitors can follow a trail from winery to winery; on these weekends, all of the wineries offer food and many have live music. During the rest of the year, most of them have a cellar door, typically open on Saturdays and Sundays, where they offer (free) wine tastings, some also offer food, and most have great vistas so you can make an afternoon of it. The table below summarises.
 

Name Base Online   Cellar door   Open Cellars
Buttermans Track St Andrews yes   yes
Easthill Estate Kangaroo Ground   yes yes yes
Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard   Cottles Bridge   yes yes
Kings of Kangaroo Ground Kangaroo Ground yes yes yes
Nillumbik Estate Smiths Gully yes yes yes
Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery Panton Hill   yes yes
Punch St Andrews yes yes yes
Shaws Road Winery Arthurs Creek yes yes yes
Swipers Gully Vineyard Kangaroo Ground yes   yes
Watson's Creek Wines Kangaroo Ground     yes
Wedgetail Estate Cottles Bridge yes yes yes
Yarrambat Estate Vineyard Yarrambat yes   yes

Read our updated guide to local wine makers.
 

Every newsletter deserves a good picture

So the question about the picture on the right is: how is your child going to react when you tell him/her to eat it?

Not food but interesting

The first ever Banyule Open Studios is happening over the weekend of 2nd and 3rd April. 25 artist studios will be opening their doors to the public on both the Saturday and the Sunday. No need to book – just rock up.

In addition, there is a free opening reception on the Friday evening and a free evening of performance art on the Saturday.

 

Messy play day is on Saturday, 2nd April, 9.30-11am at Hohnes Road Playhouse, 1 Hohnes Road, Eltham. Not only digging for Easter eggs, face painting and a painting wall but also creepy crawlies in rainbow spaghetti, water world and cars in foam! I want to participate! Why are they limiting the maximum age to 6 years?

Not local but interesting

East Keilor Community Garden is holding an open day on Sunday, 3rd April, 10am-3pm. There will be seedlings & plants for sale, vegetables, a BBQ and Devonshire tea. 10A Tuppal Place, East Keilor. Free entry.

The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival will be taking place on 25th March to 6th April at various locations in the CBD.

The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show will be taking place on 30th March to 3rd April, 9am-5pm each day, at the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Bruno’s short video on how to plant leek seedlings.

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

I just baked a synonym bun … just like the ones that grammar used to bake.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Carlton aperitvio food tour; various Fridays, 5-7pm; $89 ($45 per hour); Carlton.

You will indulge in the Italian ‘Aperitivo’ tradition. What exactly is Aperitivo, what can you expect to eat and drink, how did it begin, how did it make its way to Melbourne? You will learn all this and more while sipping on Italian cocktails, prosecco and wines and tasting arancini, cicchetti, pizza, pasta, gelato, salumi and cheese. Walking along Lygon Street, you will visit some foodie venues, meeting the people behind the food. 5 food & drink stops, 11 food tastings and 2.5 standard drinks.

Masterclass: out of the barrel; Saturday, 26th March, 1-3pm; $80 ($40 per hour); Thornbury.

This masterclass will cover barrel aged, wild fermentation and skin contact beer. You will get to sample 5 different beers. Organised by 3 Ravens Brewery.

An intro to beekeeping; Sunday, 10th April, 9.30am-12.30pm; $55 ($28 per hour); Bulleen Art & Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: a foundational knowledge of keeping bees; the set up and tools of a hive; and the financial, time inputs and responsibilities. You will see a working hive and taste some honey. Presented by Sarah Buchanan.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 10th April, 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.

Farmer for a day!; 3 occurrences on Tuesday 19th April, Thursday 21st April and Friday 22nd April, each 8.30am-4pm; $125 ($17 per hour) ; Abbotsford.

For children aged 8-14. At Collingwood Children’s Farm. The day includes a farm tour, woodworking workshop, planting workshop, farm work and barn activities.

Kalorama Chestnut Festival; Sunday, 1st May, 10am-4pm; free; Kalorama.

Savour the abundant chestnuts, gourmet food, Devonshire tea, coffee, artisan beer and mulled wine. Explore the diverse range of stalls, including: roasted chestnuts; poffertjes; homemade cakes; sausage sizzle; local restaurants; mulled wine; coffee, tea and chai; local handmade crafts; and local produce.

Tomato: know, sow, grow, feast with Karen Sutherland; Friday, 13th May, 10.30-11.30am; free; Doncaster.

Karen Sutherland, co-author of Tomato: know, sow, grow, feast  will share her tips and tricks to taste this food. She will do so in conversation with Claire Halliday. Organised by Doncaster Library.

Native edibles for companion planting; Saturday, 14th May, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: a range of edible natives that are easy to grow in Melbourne; basics of companion planting; and which plants to choose in your garden planning, and how to grow and care for them. You will learn how to incorporate some easily grown edible native plants into your garden so that they work in harmony with your existing plants, as well as a variety of ways to use these plants in your kitchen. Presented by Karen Sutherland, of Edible Eden Design.

Gardening in small spaces; Sunday, 15th May, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to maximise your small space to create an oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals. In particular, you will learn: gardening skills; how to maximise small spaces and grow your own food; and how to transform your balcony. Presenter: Clare.

Compost, worm farm and Bokashi workshop; Tuesday, 17th May, 9.30-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

Discover how to reduce your food waste using a compost bin, worm farm or Bokashi bin. Participants will learn how to set up and maintain a variety of home composting systems and will be provided with troubleshooting tips. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Biodiversity and sustainable food systems; Wednesday, 18th May, 10am-4pm; $120 ($20 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: what is biodiversity and why preserve it; how to measure habitat quality; and nature connection activities. Presenter: Lorna Pettifer. The topics to be covered include: understanding of global and Australian biodiversity; measuring biodiversity; biodiversity organisations; ways of making a difference in your backyard; and sustainable food systems.

In March
In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 14th May, 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 Amore Cheese.

Cultural cooking – Indian breads; Saturday, 14th May, 11am-1pm; $40 ($20 per hour); Alphington.

Manu will show you how to make roti, stuffed roti, paratha and poori. Organised by Alphington Community Centre.

Preserving; Sunday, 15th May, 9-10am; $70 ($14 per hour); Kinglake.

It is always the right time to make preserves! A homemade jam, jelly, chutney or relish enhances any table. Everyone takes home a sweet and a savoury preserve along with a folder of beginner’s recipes and tips. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Pizza making masterclass; Sunday, 15th May, 11am-1.30pm; $106 ($30 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will demonstrate how to create pizza dough from scratch and you will then make margherita and truffle mushroom pizzas. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

In March
In April
In May
Regular classes
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