Innehållsförteckning för Issue 16 från Homegrown

This recipe can be altered or added to suit; use the vegetables you have in your garden - it will still taste just as good! If you want a lower carb version of this recipe then omit the potatoes, pasta and parsnip and use only one carrot or omit that too (add extra turnips, swedes or pumpkin instead and lots of greens). For a spicy variation you can also add chilli or cumin. Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil• 4 leeks cut into 1cm slices• I onion cut into 1cm slices• 2 cloves chopped garlic• 3 medium carrots, I turnip or swede (rutabaga), I parsnip - all cubed or chopped• 3 stalks celery or a small head of celeriac (chopped)• 1 small butternut pumpkin peeled and cut into cubes•…

Organic gardeners know that the key to having a great garden is to feed your soil. Normally, we are told the best way to do this is by adding organic matter (compost, manure etc.). This is true, but in times when your garden is being highly productive and you’re regularly harvesting from it, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to give your plants a liquid feed too. Liquid teas are like a “protein shake” for your garden. They are quickly taken up, help stimulate microbial activity in the soil and can quickly address nutrient deficiencies. (However, they are best used in conjunction with good organic soil building techniques to provide optimal growing conditions over the long term.) There are some great liquid fertilisers you can purchase from all good nurseries, but did…

Eating your vegetables straight from the garden is why you have a garden. Bottling the ones you don’t manage to eat or give away is a pleasure many of us share. But what do you do when you’ve eaten your fill, your shelves are full of bottled and pickled vegetables, and you still have some jars from last season because there are only so many pickles you can eat? Then . . . you start fermenting. Fermenting is a thousands of years old tradition of preserving vegetables and it is practised in almost every culture. As with so many things that we now take for granted, our ancestors would have come across fermentation by accident. The simplest ferment is cabbage, salt and water. And it works because cabbage naturally has…

Fresh herbs can become a little more difficult to grow over winter, particularly if you are in a cooler climate, but many of our most popular herbs can still grow remarkably well in a pot on the kitchen bench. Indoors vs. Outdoors Let’s not kid ourselves – all plants would prefer to be outdoors (where they belong), except perhaps on the frostiest of days or if it is snowing; but many plants exposed to these conditions have adapted to survive them. Although hardier herbs, like twiggy stemmed rosemary and lavender, can withstand winter temperatures, tender herbs like basil are no match for the cold but will survive if protected indoors or in a glasshouse. Many herbs are pretty hardy plants that will grow all year round so long as the…

In 2008, a local resident’s environmental group discussed the idea of a community garden in Prospect, and after much planning and liaising with council and residents, approval for the community garden, on the site of an abandoned council nursery, was given in 2011, as was a grant from the local council, which funded important infrastructure such as rainwater tanks and perimeter fencing. According to Alan, the local council is still a vital part of the success of the garden, funding occasional workshops and promoting the garden via its website and other mediums. Located on the western side of the Memorial Gardens off Willcox Avenue in Prospect, the major objectives for the garden are to provide a safe and supportive environment where people can “come together to grow food and share…

In winter we see a reduction in the daylight hours and chickens will naturally reduce their laying. Commercial egg producers use a variety of methods to ensure they have egg production all year round, for example they use lighting to ‘trick’ their hens into laying. Most of these methods however will not be feasible or necessary for the average backyard flock. So be prepared for periods of time when you will have reduced or no egg production. If you care for your chickens well though, you may be able to help them to continue to lay eggs (even if quantities are reduced) during winter. Factors that affect egg production in winter Although a gradual decline in egg production over the winter months is normal, there are several factors that may…

Acacia spp., (Wattles) - many types ranging in size. Selected species flower in all states in winter. Cooler (Tasmania, Inland Victoria): Acacias e.g. A. Acinacea, A. Acinacea ‘Ruby Tips’, A. conferta; Mediterranean (Adelaide, Perth): Acacias e.g. A. microbotrya, A. cognata ‘Winter Flame’; A. fimbriata ‘Nana’ flowers in sub-tropical areas. Actinotus helianthus - Flowers in temperate regions such as NSW. Adenanthus sericeous (Albany Woolly Bush) – native to WA flowers during winter in temperate and cool regions also. Alyogyne huegelii – commonly called Native Hibiscus and often used in road-side planting with hibiscus-like flowers some cultivars flower in winter throughout Australia. Astartea spp., (False Baeckea) mostly small shrubs lovely pink flowers with a dark centre. Flowers throughout much of Australia though some forms (especially the lighter pinks) do better in sub-tropics than…

Food Waste % in NSW Here is what we are throwing away: • $848 million of fresh food • $694 million of leftovers • $371 million of packaged and long-life products • $231 million of drinks • $231 million of frozen food • $180 million of take away To help stop this appalling wastage, educational website Love Food Hate Waste (www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au), managed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), aims to raise awareness about the impact of food waste in NSW, and reduce the amount of ‘good’ food that is wasted. Following are some messages from Love Food Hate Waste’s website, and of course these messages are relevant for everyone in Australia, not just NSW residents. Food waste is a complex social, economic and environmental problem that is having an increasingly…

I find it curious that people - my husband especially - pay good money to attend gym classes in a hot, stuffy room and then find every excuse under the sun to avoid a bit of highly productive, strength-building work in the garden. I mean, you get double the output - fitness and a great looking garden - and none of the stuffy, sweaty bodies bit (or at least it’s only your own sweaty body!). The other benefits of working in the garden are reducing your energy bills and helping the environment. Every time you can avoid plugging something in, adding petrol or fitting batteries, you are doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions. And in doing so, you eliminate the risk of cutting through a wire, avoid breathing in…

Basil – optimum around 20°C; try to avoid night temps below 10°C. Basil is great fresh in salads or to make pesto or as an additive to lovely pasta dishes – comfort food in cold winters! Chives – optimum 15° – 20°C. Chives are indispensable and so versatile they can be used as a garnish on almost any dish; great with scrambled eggs, soups, dips and as a substitute for spring onions. Coriander – two types: Sawtooth coriander (Eryngium foetidum) or parsley leaf Coriander. Sawtooth coriander (Eryngium foetidum) – also called Mexican coriander. Often easier and hardier than true coriander which can be short lived – grows well in hot humid conditions but tolerates as low as 2°C at night. Remove flower heads, use leaves for coriander flavour in your…

Australians enjoy a healthy appetite for dining out, ordering takeaway and opting for the catered function. According to the January 2015 Australian Bureau of Statistics Monthly Turnover report, the growth in the restaurant, catering and takeaway industry has been steady and, what’s more, the industry has led growth over the last twelve months, overall, in the retail sector. The growth in the industry is a positive sign. It is one of Australia’s biggest employers. But, moreover, the steady growth in the industry also highlights the potential and the opportunities for the industry to adopt long-term sustainable business practices. Consumers are now, more than ever, looking for the sustainable and ethical option for more and more of their purchases. Consumers are increasingly placing value on businesses and exclusively patronising businesses that…

After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage globally. As a drink that is revered for its health giving properties and widely perceived as a natural source of nutrients, this creates a degree of contention in terms of the certifications that are sometimes attached to teas. With labels such as ‘ethical’ and ‘organic’ constantly being cast, these terms have almost become interchangeable in the eyes of the average consumer. These certifications have separate meanings since a tea can be one without the other. As shoppers become more mindful of their health needs and social responsibilities, certification scan bean effective tool for shedding light on products that support conscious consuming. However, sometimes they may not be the most reliable representation of tea brands, so it can be a good idea…

Roast dinner leftovers A family favourite to use up leftover roasts is to make pizzas. Either make the base yourself, or buy one. Preheat your oven (around 220°C). Spread left over gravy or tomato paste or pesto over the pizza base. Chop up your leftover vegetables – pumpkin, potato and onion are ideal, and slice some of the leftover meat. Arrange the vegetables and meat on the pizza, and sprinkle with cheese. Don’t crowd too much food onto the pizza base. Cook until the base is crisp and the cheese has melted. Yum! Leftover roast vegies are also perfect for a vegetable salad. Chop up the vegies, add some baby spinach leaves, put in a bowl and add a handful of nuts, some cheese, such as parmesan or ricotta, and…

Edible Garden Magazine is brought to you by Home Grown Magazine. It’s a compilation of our favourite articles that will sure to inspire you to get in the garden. This issue is crammed with ideas to keep you busy over the cooler months. We have a mouth-watering array of autumn and winter vegetables and fruit, with plenty of clever tips on how to grow and care for them, including techniques for pruning your fruit trees. We bring you handy hints on how to grow herbs in pots, as well as which herbs are great as herbal teas. And for the fish lovers, why not try your hand at aquaponics? Farm your own fish and fertilise your garden at the same time! So sit back and relax with a cuppa and…

Smoking requires the following: • A low level of heat, so the meat doesn’t over-cook. • A constant supply of quality smoke. The smoke must impart a desirable taste, and be free of undesirable flavours. Some woods can make the meat less palatable (e.g. eucalypts and camphor laurel, and should be avoided). • A long smoking time is required for the meat to be properly penetrated by the smoke. You can smoke any type of meat, but the tough cuts are the most commonly used i.e. ones that you would normally slow cook – these tend to end up having the best flavours. Oily fish such as salmon and trout and also lobster are commonly smoked, but white, firm fleshed fish can also be used (you just need to smoke…