Garden Share Collective-Firsts.

Bit of a mixed bag this month, Winter can be quite depressing with the weather cold, daylight hours are short and some of the winds we have had have tested the moods of many. Rain has been incessant too, making it difficult to get out into the garden. That’s why on days like today we need to celebrate and make the most of such lovely sunshine.

Loads of firsts to report!

First baby lemons on the dwarf Eureka lemon  First shiitake mushroom since I set up the new dedicated spot for them  First crops in the the new wicking beds in the greenhouse are going well.First fruit on the Pink Grapefruit tree. Waiting with anticipation to see if they are pink when they ripen. Climate can effect how much colour develops, with warmer areas having stronger colour. First tomato seeds planted have emerged. So far I have planted Siberian, Purple Egg, Grosse Lisse, Heirloom Mix from Diggers, Russian Purple, Money Maker, German Johnston and Tigerella, I’m yet to sow Amish Paste, San Marzano, Periforme Abruzzese, Black Krim, Big beef and Black cherry. I’m determined this year I will have a great range to do a taste test of. I am also planning on selling some to staff and passers-by. This helps cover cost of seed, potting mix etc.My first ever brussel sprout plant is not performing too well (I think). Seems stunted, anyone got any ideas? It’s about 500ml high, maybe that’s normal but not having grown them before I’m not sure. First heavy frost came yesterday, looks like someone has put cling wrap over the bird bath. First of the jonquils are smiling around the place  First firing up of the wood fire stove this year. I did the big clean up of it and baked bread, osso bucco, potato & leek soup and made a lovely big pot of chicken stock. The bread I made this week isn’t my usual sourdough but a loaf my niece handed over the recipe too. It’s a basic yeasted white bread cooked in a cast iron pot. Because I had the wood fired oven on I was able to fit it in, bliss! Loaf looks good, osso bucco was delicious as was the potato and leek soup. the only things bought for all of this was the osso bucco meat, and some chicken necks for the stock. Everything else came from the garden or what I have in bulk (bread flour etc). That makes me happy!

Osso bucco with mash and broccoli.

Thanks Lizzie from Strayed Table for hosting the Garden Share Collective concept. Great to see what others from around the world are up to. Hook up to GSC wont be available until Monday 4th August. Looking forward to what you have to report.

Drained!

For some reason we both feel incredibly physically and emotionally drained this weekend. Although I would argue that I didn’t do much, on reflection quite a lot was achieved. I had a lovely time on Saturday with my daughter accompanying me to my cello lesson and we then went on a nursery hop through the Dandenong’s looking for those ‘just perfect plants’. Unfortunately the bad weather forced us to concede defeat earlier than hoped but we both made a few purchases, in particular some roses and came home keen to get into planting mode.

We got a call from the agent handling the sale of our property at Fish Creek and finally after 3 years on the market we may have a buyer. I think this has knocked us a bit as we both love the place but it is just not viable to continue managing running another property when we have so much to do here.

Outside

The new garage/shed is coming along nicely with the cladding and weather boards fitted. I had a bit of an ethical dilemma with this as the cladding is a James Hardie product and I would prefer not so support their business due to their disgusting handling and cover up of known issues with asbestos but we could not find a suitable alternative. I just hope some of our purchase funds ends up in the victim support account.

Now waiting for the roof plumber to come back and finish the capping, spouting and downpipes, on with a coat of paint, wire up the power and it will be, dare I say it-Finished!

In the garden

Nothing better than on a cold bleak day, spending some time in the greenhouse! It was just lovely having the sun on my back as I worked away planting seed. I have been getting staff at work to keep their take away coffee cups for me as I thought they would make good planting containers. We’ll see how they shape up over the next few weeks. I have made my own seed raising mix this year using coconut fibre, worm castings and sifted potting mix. I’ve made about 60 litres for the cost of 2 bags of commercial seed raising mix (approx 4 litres). Put mix into an old rubbish bin, on with the lid and rolled it around to mix it all together. Mix was lovely to work with and the flower seed I started last week are looking quite happy!

Seed Raising Mix in recycled coffee cup ready for planting

California Poppy seed peeping out. I just love it when seeds come to life!

I’ve sown a few different varieties of tomato seed, hope the coffee cups hold up! So far I’ve planted black krim, san marzano, grosse lisse, black cherry, roma, mini yellow roma and another I can’t remember! I try and plant quite a few to sell at a community day in October and for staff at work.

There were a few old desks being cleared out at school so I grabbed one and have set it up as a work/potting bench in the greenhouse. So far it is great, room for all sorts of goodies under the desktop, good height (adjustable) and room for bins of potting mix etc underneath.

Harvests

I’ve managed to pick some asian greens, parsley, coriander (from the hydro one I planted out), the first picking from the oregano I transplanted from the old place and some absolutely delicious oranges. The first year we owned this place there was no sign of fruit at all on the orange tree. A good prune, a couple of very big feeds and we have a bumper crop. I sectioned the orange, drizzled with a small amount of honey, a pinch of cinnamon and let it soak for a while. Most delicious indeed!

Chicken Cacciatori…..ish

Good old slow cooker to the rescue yet again. I managed to remember to take some chicken fillets out of the freezer before going to bed Sat night and thought it had been a while since we had cacciatore so before hitting the yard I literally threw everything into the slow cooker. Couple of improvisations were made but the end result was very satisfying and tasty. Didn’t have any olives, so capers were substituted, didn’t have any white wine so used red. I also added a ‘Rocoto’ Chilli,

these were given to my husband by a colleague and apparently are a perennial. Taste was great in the dinner, not too much but enough to notice. We have been given a seedling of one so I am keen to see how it goes.Could have been cooked a little longer to thicken more but wasn’t really an issue. Soul food served with mash, just great after a busy day out in the cold.