organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes.
I picked my first dwarf beans yesterday as at last the warmth has brought them on. Dwarf or bush beans are a good alternative to climbing beans in Wellington as they don't get blown about quite as much - or at least it's easier to provide them with shelter. I sowed some more beans in pots early in the new year and have just planted them out to … [Read more...]
These are Mabel's six little chicks - grumpy like their Mum, Mabel, and proud like their Dad, Rodriguez, our Rhode Island red rooster. Not sure whom they'll resemble in looks. Here are some tips on raising chicks if you feel you'd like some of your own. Some books don't recommend raising your own chooks, but if you want to keep a particular breed, … [Read more...]
A cauliflower in the sunshine. I'd convinced myself I couldn't grow cauliflowers, but it looks as if I was wrong. And sunshine - well if you're in Wellington you'll know all about that. I've been diligent at re-spraying them each time it rains with a mixture of Bio-gro approved 'Dipel' and EM. I've used a hand-mister as the spray is finer than a … [Read more...]
If you haven't got enough materials to make compost in Wellington at the moment, you never will have. It's been wet and warm-ish so there are weeds, lawn clippings, chook manure, leaves and green manure crops to make a magnificent pile. Plus the waste from the kitchen and office. I use straw bales to surround the heap - they're easy to set up in … [Read more...]
Any fresh fruit would work well in these muffins - pear and ginger would be a good combination or apple and cinnamon. Unfortunately they only take one stick of rhubarb (about 150g), but they are quick and easy to make and they freeze well. Makes 12 muffins. One cup raw sugar Half a cup of oil (I use light olive oil) Half a cup of … [Read more...]
I procrastinated about doing something far more useful by making home made chocolates. A tube of marzipan, half a block of Whittaker's dark ghana 72% cocoa chocolate and a few bits and bobs from the pantry turned into three dozen chocolates. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon some of them even made it off the property as … [Read more...]
I think these would be just as good with rhubarb, instead of raspberries. I made them because I'd used plenty of egg yolks in my vanilla custard. I don't own a friand tin, but making them in paper cases in a muffin tin worked well. They've emerged intact from the freezer too. Makes twelve. 100g butter Half a cup self raising flour One cup … [Read more...]
The climbing beans can't decide up which stick to climb. Every time they make a decision they get blown back down. A few days of warm sunshine are what they, and the rest of the garden, need. They haven't made much progress since this photograph in mid-November. The mulching has kept the weeds down well though. I picked the first zucchini and … [Read more...]
