Innehållsförteckning för Issue 5 från Homegrown

The unfortunate result for consumers is a noticeable shortage of honey products on retail supermarket shelves. There is just not enough honey available to quench Australia’s thirst for it. The ‘honey making’ process requires the right mix of temperatures and rainfall for nectar producing crops to grow, set buds, flower and then have bees collect the nectar to ripen into honey. Erratic, negative climatic conditions meant spring production in latter 2013 was very low. In many areas, the honey being produced was barely enough to keep bee colonies alive, let alone provide surplus honey for commercial sale. Australia’s hottest year on record in 2013 was one key aspect for negative production with high temperatures causing stress and erratic behaviour in local bee populations. In extreme heatwave conditions beeswax honeycombs can…

Mixing vegies and ornamentals Vegetable gardens can be very attractive, as can some vegetable plants when incorporated into ornamental garden borders. Vegies do not necessarily have to ONLY be planted with other veg and you don’t need to only plant vegies en masse. In fact why do we have to grow many asparagus plants side-by-side, creating mini monocultures in our own gardens? Why don’t we scatter them around the garden, amongst other plants? Think outside the box and change your approach to vegetable gardening and you could produce an attractive and sustainable, healthy garden, that also attracts lots of beneficial insects and feeds you and your family at the same time. Thinking about vegetables and herbs this way can open up possibilities within the garden: brightly coloured kale, lettuce, rhubarb…

Ducks have a life span of around 10-15 years. A male duck is called a drake, a female is a duck and their babies are called ducklings. They require a little more open space than chickens however they are less maintenance overall. Generally ducks have a friendly, intelligent, and sometimes clumsy temperament. Ducks vary in purpose; some are bred for eggs, some meat and others ornamental. There are around 40 different of breeds to choose from, and to suit a variety of backyards and families. Breeds vary in size, colours, temperaments and production quality. All duck breeds display their familiar ‘honk’ noise – however some ducks are quieter than others. Ducks a social birds, it is for this reason that it is recommended you own at least two birds. They…

Pasteurised: This is the process whereby milk is partially sterilised, resulting in extended shelf life. Milk is heated to 72°C for no less than 15 seconds and cooled immediately, destroying any harmful bacteria and micro-organisms. Homogenised: In the days of milk bottles and aluminium tops, cream would separate and rise to the top of the bottle. Homogenisation passes the milk under pressure through very fine nozzles, evenly dispersing the fat globules to create a smooth, creamy texture and taste. The milk is now all set to be transformed into a wide range of dairy products. A1 and A2 proteins: There are a number of different proteins in milk. One of them is called beta casein and there are two common forms, A1 and A2. Most milks contain a mix of…

Passionfruit are easy to grow as long as you match the variety to your soil and climate (the label will help you with choosing the right one for you). All passionfruit are self-clinging climbers so can be easily grown on trellis, fences or pergolas. The golden, banana and water lemon varieties grow well in warmer climates. Note though that banana passionfruit are considered an environmental weed in some areas. Passiflora edulis, the black or purple passionfruit grows well in cooler climates so grow it on a trellis next to a brick wall or timber fence, facing the midday or afternoon sun, to keep it warm and shelter it from frosts. Passionfruit are greedy feeders so I suggest you work up your soil so it is fertile well drained and loamy.…

Spring wouldn’t be spring and vegetable garden complete, without tomatoes – try these suggestions this year: • ‘Amish Paste’: a high yielding all round tomato – great as a salad or sandwich tomato but dense so equally as good for sauce or pastes; fruits in 13 weeks from transplanting. • ‘Brandy Wine Pink’: I love this, large, beefsteak, full flavoured tomato; fruits in 11 weeks from transplanting. • ‘Tommy Toe’ – this would have to be the best small tomato on the market bigger than a cherry tomato and full of flavour-still one of the best heirloom varieties there is; fruits in 10 weeks from transplanting. • ‘Rouge de Marmande’: slightly flattened and ribbed plus few seeds and great flavor make this old, early season favourite, a must for the…

Whether you are equipped with the latest and greatest bike gear to take you off the car-driven road, or just keen to take a half-day tour on a bike instead of an air-conditioned coach, there are plenty of opportunities around Australia and abroad to take advantage of your pedal power. The Australian Outback is renowned the world over for its vast and spectacular vistas, yet how many of us have cruised by it at 25km an hour, breathing in the freshest of air, enjoying its gentle terrain, and hearing the calls of nature at every octave? Those who have will tell you that it is perhaps the best way to holiday in the Australian Outback. And it is an option available to families with young children, and the young-at-heart, as…

Every gardener will at some stage be confronted by the sight of their beloved plants under attack! Holes in leaves or fruit mean something else is enjoying the spoils of your garden; so it’s time to take action. Here are some common pests we have to deal with, and some organic methods of control to gain the upper hand: Slugs and snails These slimy little fiends can wipe out new vegie seedlings overnight, and are most active in winter. If you are not certain IF it’s snails and slugs doing the damage, take a torch outside at night – that’s when they are most active. Picking them off by hand will quickly help control numbers; wellies and a quick crunch work wonders, but if you’re too squeamish, dropping them in…

Emma knew from quite a young age that improving people’s health and wellbeing and working with herbs was her passion and would be her career. Emma studied Naturopathy for five years and completed an Advanced Diploma and Bachelor Degree at Endeavour College Melbourne. Naturopathic knowledge and her passion for herbal medicine is the foundation to the herbal design process. Ingredients are selected based on therapeutic benefit, synergistic qualities with the other herbs selected, and taste. All three components need to be met before the lengthy trial and error process of tasting can begin. Damien spent some time when he was young near Bellingen, on a bio-dynamic farm, learning the value of organics and herbs from a very young age. His passion for health, herbal medicine and his knowledge of the…

Once established, many nut trees can produce very large quantities of nuts for many decades – sometimes well over 100 years. There are many nuts that can be grown in both very cold and very hot climates, but be sure to get the right plant for where you live. Some can grow into quite large trees so you’ll need to allow enough space for the plant to grow. Many are available on dwarf rootstocks so they grow as smaller plants. These can be grown in any size garden and often have better yields, are easier to harvest and prune, and have less invasive root systems. In order for some types to pollinate you’ll need more than one tree. In a small garden choose self-pollinating species. Some nuts are not ripe…

Naturally high in calcium and other nutrients important for bone health, yogurt, like milk and cheese, helps boost bone strength and fight osteoporosis. Yogurt is suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. Even those suffering from a deficiency of lactase (the lactose digesting enzyme) can readily consume yogurt as the lactose is pre-digested by the yogurt culture. Yogurt containing probiotic cultures have a number of other potential health benefits. Research has suggested specific strains of probiotics may have a role in: • The treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and travellers diarrhoea• Enhancing immunity• The treatment of irritable bowel syndrome• Shortening the length of some intestinal infections Yogurt care Yogurt can be stored chilled at around 4°C for 7-10 days before the build up of acidity affects its flavour making…

Car sharing is extremely popular in high density cities throughout the world, and is referred to as car pooling in the UK. The companies that supply the cars can be small, independent businesses supplying a small area, up to large organisations that supply thousands of cars for car sharing. In the last few years car sharing has started to become very popular in major city centres in Australia, and has been helped by local councils encouraging the increase of these companies by allocating car spaces solely for these cars. More and more people wish to live near or in city centres, and find it is nearly impossible (and extremely expensive) to park their car. In addition, many inner city apartments do not offer car spaces or garages to renters or…

There is a wealth of vegetable varieties that can be sown in spring – here are a few to start you off and that will add interest, colour and form to your garden too: Dwarf beans – can be sown now in September in all but cool areas (wait until mid-October for cool areas); use them as an edging plant to define beds. To add interest to the garden, try cultivars such as ‘Royal Burgundy’ or ‘Purple King’ for stunning purple beans, or ‘Goldrush’ for a golden variety. Beetroot – can be sown now in all areas – try ‘Bull’s Blood’ for stunning dark purplish red foliage or ‘Red Ace’ for bright red foliage and beets; sow small amounts right through spring and into early summer. Bok Choy – choose…

The wonderful thing about window boxes is their versatility. Even if you live in a unit, with little or no outdoor room, you can still have a garden in a window box. Window box displays can be as temporary or permanent as you like. You can completely revamp them with the seasons or opt for a consistent year round display. If you’re less interested in their visual appeal, you can use them to grow a kitchen garden, to attract birds and butterflies, or for scented flowers. Why choose a window box? • You live in a small apartment, with little or no outdoor places to grow plants• They provide decoration – both from the outside looking in and inside looking out• They can help you feel in touch with nature•…

Gone are the days when you could stand there watering your plants with your hose on full bore and not be overcome with guilt. To do this nowadays would be to incur the wrath of any conscientious citizen, never mind the expense. Water bills can be painfully high, water restrictions can limit usage, and building more dams is not only expensive but can destroy native landscapes and severely affect the distribution of endangered species. Sustainable water management isn’t only about us collecting our own water and cutting down on what we use from the mains supply; it is also concerned with when and how we use it, and getting the best value from what we use. Reduce what you use We can’t reduce the amount of water we drink, but…

If growing your own herbs for use in teas, there are some points worth noting. Firstly, some herbs are annuals whereas others are perennials. Perennials are usually the woody stemmed types like sage, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Annuals are fleshier, like coriander and basil. Where you live can influence the lifespan of herbs. Many annual types do better in warmer regions where they can last indefinitely. In colder areas they are unlikely to withstand the winter temperatures and will die off. Use herbs that are species plants rather than cultivated varieties – the latter are thought to have fewer active constituents (in some cases). The quality of the herbs is also determined in part by your local climate. Most herbs need a lot of sunlight in order to promote oil…

For many thousands of years humans have been preserving meat by different techniques. Traditionally drying meat played a role in survival of the human race. Dried meat was nonperishable and lightweight which was ideal for being packed and carried for the long journeys we know of in hunting societies. This is only one example. In Europe it is known that Romans lived on a pork rich diet which was mostly salted or smoked as a preservation strategy. Indian cultures preferred a method of curing which involved potassium or sodium nitrate. Today preserving meat is a carried out either as a culinary tradition or still as a survival strategy. Some remote populations or those which exist in mountainous or drought stricken regions are very accustomed to preserving meats. Today we see…