Gardening and Cooking with Friends

It was lovely to spend the morning gardening and cooking with some friends from the permaculture group and with some friends from church who are interested in similar things.

Jody and Deeann weeding the cherry tomato jungle - and all the subsequent weeds, pruning the grape vine and harvesting what they could.

We spent the morning gardening, below you can see the other garden bed near the house weeded, mulched and the rhubarb plants were dug up, divided and replanted with soil food - horse manure and dynamic lifter! We then stopped for (a couple of pots of) tea and lamingtons, and then spent the rest of the morning cooking. Made sweet chilli and tamarillo sauce, posted about that one last week, bottled pears and demonstrated and discussed drying food. I am currently experiementing with my first fruit leather.

Jody really enjoyed bottling fruit and was very proud of her bottle of pears.

Working with 4 is so much more productive than one.

Thanks for those who came lending a hand. hope you had fun, and your cuttings grow well!

Have a lovely day xo

Lots happening at the farm... all 1/8 of an acre of it :)

I am loving having a strong set of arms (belong to my husband) who is happy to dig holes, move heavy things and is currently installing my fence between the lawn area and the vege garden area. All the posts are in now, just need two more recycled hardwood rails - from my BIL who is renovating his and my sister's house and ripped out some walls.

I have been busy in the kitchen...

Sourdough english muffins for breakfast this morning...

Sundried tomato and olive sourdough loaf....

And exciting to be bottling the first produce entirely from the garden! 4 size 20 jars of yummy rhubarb. I was given the plants from a special friend who was killed in a freak car accident shortly afterward and they are very special to me. This year I divided most of the original plants and they are doing so well. I always make sure I leave two leaves and one baby leaf on each plant when I am picking it.

Sourdough loaf (you need starter from a friend or watch multitudes of youtube videos on how to grow your own.

Feed your starter with a flour/water mix the night before

Before work the next morning....

1 cup starter

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar or honey (only if going to be a fruit loaf)

I put all these in a mixer with a dough hook and then add plain flour (mix of regular and wholemeal) until dough forms a lump and comes away from the sides.
Then place dough - still a bit sticky - in an oiled bowl and turn a few times to coat in oil (stops it drying out) Put the whole bowl in a plastic shopping bag and leave all day.

When you get home from work.

Tip dough (should have about doubled in size) onto well floured bench.

For a plain loaf - knead a minute or two then put in loaf tin

for a fruit loaf - knead a minute then use fingers to spread dough out into a rectangle. Sprinkle mixed fruit (I am using sultanas/raisings and dried plums at the moment) and 1 tsp mixed spice onto the bread, then fold it over and knead the fruit through a little. Place in loaf tin.

For a savoury loaf. Do the same but use sundried tomatoes and olives (no pits) chopped roughly and I use mixed italian herb sprinkle too. Place in loaf tin.

Leave for 1-2 hrs. (I have noticed that there is a warm spot just in front of my oven... not sure why, but tins go there while oven heats up)

Bake in a hot oven 200-220'c for 30-35 mins

Should pop out of tin straight away.

(loaves can also be made freeform on a pizza stone)

delicious toasted.... just had two slices of fruit toast to prove it.

Anyone have any other interesting sourdough recipes

Hannah xo

Kim Chee - a first experiment in fermenting.

Femented foods are very healthy for us, and were the original way of preserving food, as well as brine/salt preserving and drying.

Examples of some fermented foods are wine, vinegar, kombucha, tofu, miso, saurkraut, pickles.

Kim chee is the asian version of saurkraut and is really easy to make. I've had a recipe for ages and this week made my first batch. I got this recipe from Kendra Jane, who blogs at A sonoma Garden

She has the most beautiful photos and lots of posts with recipes and ideas.

1 head Napa cabbage, cored and shredded

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 cup carrots, grated

1/2 cup daidon radish, grated

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1 tablespoon sea salt

4 tablespoons whey* (or use additional 1 T salt instead)

Place vegetables, ginger, red chili flakes, salt and whey in a bowl and pound it with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer to release juices. (See picture of my kimchee mid mashing)

Place them in two quart sized glass jars and press down firmly until all the juices come up to the top and cover the vegetables. The top of the vegetables should be at least an inch from the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days at which time you can put it in the fridge or cold storage.

I only made a half quantity, and was very relaxed with the amounts of different vegetables. I don't think it will really matter. It's sitting on my kitchen bench fermenting away, and tomorrow it will be ready to taste and then refrigerate!

Kendra jane explains that you can get whey by draining a quart of yogurt (make sure it contains the good bacteria-we use Pavels) through a clean dishtowel for a few hours. If you do this overnight you’ll end up with more than 4 tablespoons, but it will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months. And you’ll also end up with yogurt cheese as a by product, which is delicious and makes a great alternative to cream cheese

I have also in the past gotten whey from making ricotta cheese which I have posted about here.

I also use the whey in my breadmaking, it adds extra protein which is good for the bread dough and for you!

I'll let you know how it tastes tomorrow! Ps, the onions, garlic and daikon radish were all from my garden!

This Morning

I love my mornings, it is my productive time. This morning I got up, read for a few minutes then made fresh lasagne sheets with my pasta maker all organic and lovely yellow colour. I chopped up the leeks and eggplants and capsicum ready for cooking tonight as well and covered them.

I then made my breakfast, homemade muesli with organic natural yoghurt and preserved quinces (heaven in a jar) and took it into my front garden to eat while I read part of a chapter from The Purpose Driven Life. I try and read this book regularly as it challenges me where I am becoming complacent in my faith and my relationship with God. Today it was on authentic worship - more than music. Worship is about being a living sacrifice. Living in a way that says I believe in a God who loves me. Living in community, Living creatively, Living fully.

Then I cleaned up a bit, got ready for work and fed my chookies and watered the pots. And raced to work as time got away from me.

A very Gardening Saturday

I had a wonderful weekend, visiting some friends (and their gardens).

Firstly thankyou to Sue, who came and found me at the Markets so that I could come visit her. Sue and I are both part of Aussies living simply, and it was great to meet her and her husband and see their garden and their home.

They have the most amazing stockpile, inside they have dried foods (they have adapted fowlers jars to vacuum seal their dried fruits and veges) bulk rice, groceries etc. They have bulk wheat which they grind themsleves for bread and scones in an electric mill. Under the house is the cellar with the bottled food.

They had a shed which they lived in while building their house, this was the preserving area, with converted shelves to hold hundreds of bottling jars, fowlers and pressure canning units, dryers and more.

Then the garden, which was full of food. They grow much more than they can eat and give the surplus to the local meals on wheels group. Her husband has a shed full of old engines and toys. I was so impressed I almost asked if they would adopt me. :)

Sue's Stockpile. Fruit, veges and soups. (She can bottle veges and meat as she has an american pressure canner, which can cook foods at much higher temperatures.

Sue's Garden, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, onions, broad beans. She has runs for the chooks, areas for berries that is netted in and an orchard.

What an inspiration! When I grow up I want to be like her.

Also on Saturday I went to Feedback, a gardening group based in Nthn Shoalhaven. They were wording on establishing a permaculture garden at a rural property that had recently been completed.

There was a large group, adults and children, and the garden was almost done by the time I arrived with my gift of banana trees and lebanese cress for the garden. We finished up the work and then went for a bushwalk.

The creek we crossed to enter the property, there was a causeway to get over.

The landscape was a mix of open paddocks and pristine rainforest. Some of the group are keen bushcare volunteers and were pointing out plants and picking up weeds to destry.

Imagine this for a view out your loungeroom window!

And sunsets like these....

Tempting, but I do love my house, and my crazy community.

After the walk we had a pot luck dinner, delicious with homemade sushi, dolmades, salads and curries. Thanks Janet for inviting me, I'll definately be coming back!

Lastly, I'll add in a photo from Sunday...

I went to my workmate's for lunch and after we ate, her husband decided to sew a cover for his new camera lens, I couldn't resist a photo!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Hannah

Independance Days Update

Planted: Daikon Radish, Silverbeet, cucumber, capsicum, eggplant, squash, quince tree (into the ground) cape gooseberry, bay leaf tree, sage, dwarf beans, midgym berry,

Harvested: Snow peas, lettuces, herbs, oranges, eggs

Preserved: Lemon Butter, Tomatoes.

Stored: Cheese, borevos (sp?-south african sausage) Chorizos, dried figs.

Managed: Cleaned out garage somewhat, although it's getting messy again!

Prepped: Picked up four car loads of straw left over after dressage championships. Bought Blueberries and Passionfruit.

Advocated for local food economy: Made contact with local museum which is organising a garden day to go and talk to people about permaculture. Also going to a friend's garden open day and will be signing people up for local permaculture mailing list and talking to people.

Reduced waste: Straw.

Cooked something new: Vege Curry, Banana Bread. (both great but the latter spectacular!)

Time flies when you're having fun.

I was recently out at Huskisson on a weekday with work and they were haveing a paper bag sale. Basically fill the paper bag they provide with clothes and soft items and the lot is $5. I got brand name jeans, black dress pants, lovely warm track pants, shorts, a skirt, a number of shirts and jumpers, a pot holder with chickens on it and this lovely apron. The skirt I have on underneath is the skirt I got in the bag. It's handmade, and fits like it was made for me.

This is the detail of the embroidery up close. I think it may have been machine embroidered, but not sure.

Some of my friends say they don't go op-shopping, because they can't find things that fit. Maybe I have an op shop figure (whatever that is) because I find it easier to find clothes that fit at the op shop than at the stores. You have to have an idea of what you are looking for and stick to things you actually need, but I love them.

Just thought I share some of my flanellette quilt. My mum made this for me, it's a kit she bought at one of the craft fairs, and it's divinely warm, and most beautiful autumny prints and colours. Thanks Mum

I had my neighbours around for dinner last week, and on thusday Alison gave me this painting she did of the night. The red flowers are Arctotis "Hannah" Which I had on the table, which is in the middle of the painting. The blue kitchen cupboards, which are growing on me, and the shelves where my plates are stacked.

And this weekend I made Tomato Sauce. This is an old recipe passed down from my grandma and it's divine. I got the tomatoes at $12 for the box (10kg) which is very reasonable. In the shops they are on special at $1.50 per kilo so I went to the local fruit and veg, and they gave em a discount for buying the whole box.

I did buy the bottles, but they were only $2 each and I can re-use them many times. The jam jar just fitted what didn't fit into the bottles and I'll give that to my old housemates who i'm having dinner with tonight, and they love the sauce too.

There's still half a box of tomatoes, I have a pasta sauce recipe I am nearly out of so I might make some of that up, but I'd have to buy the fresh herbs for it, as I don't have enough growing yet. Hmm.

In other exciting news, My harvest total reached 11kg today!!! (That's 24 Pounds) My goal is 50kg by the end of the year, and I think it is not such a crazy goal.

Food from the garden

Had my back fence neighbours for dinner on Monday night which was lovely. We had dinner together about a month ago. I only realised after making the offer on the house that theirs was the one behind. Jeff and Alison attend my church and I had made friends with them a month or two before.

This was one of the first 100 foot meals I have made (the idea being that the food travels less than 100 feet from where it was produced to where you eat it.) Well, the egg and brocoletti in the mini quiches and the salad all fitted into that category. It was delicious, and great to share my garden with my friends. We have decided neither is allowed to move, and Alison and I want Jeff to build a stile over the fence so we can visit each other without having to walk all the way around the block.

Jeff and Alison also brought some local organic beef they buy direct from the farmer (Alison's boss) and I gave them some of my chicken's eggs in return.

And we watched Peter Cundall's 'patch from scratch' while eating quinces I bottled myself with fruit gleaned from trees growing along the road near mudgee. (I also have a root cutting from this tree growing - hopefully delicious quinces soon to come) All in all a great night