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

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