Getting home late today - homespun dinner is all prepped

I get home late tonight so dinner is all prepped and just needs to go in the oven. I am excited about this dinner: spinach and quinoa bake as its almost all harvested from my garden.

It contains spinahc, silverbeet and mustard greens, garlic, onions, leek, dill, fresh asparagus and an egg.
The only bought ingredients are butter, milk, quinoa and the cheese topping.

I sauteed the greens, onion and herbs lightly in a little butter, which I mixed together with cooked quinoa, an egg and a dash of milk. Pressed into a lightly gerased baking dish, topped with asparagus spears and cheese.

It should be golden brown and bubbly on top when I walk in the door. A little home preserved peach relish on the side and dinner is ready to eat.

I'll let you know how it goes.

A homespun day working in the vegetable garden

I have had a very homespun day at home today.  I am exhausted but satisfied with what I have achieved.

My vegetable garden is all weeded and mulched at last. I used a hoe to pull up all the weeds, laid newspaper and lucerne to suppress any new ones from appearing. This area will be planted out with tomatoes and corn before long.

The garden is starting to fill out as plants grow. Today I added borage to enhance my companion planting of flowers, herbs and vegetables all mixed in together. And I am beginning to harvest: today I came in with onions, herbs, a few peas and arm fulls of silverbeet and mustard greens.

The greens have self seeded all over the garden. I dug most of them up, transplanted some in other areas of the garden. The rest I have planted in pots, to give away and to nurture the smaller ones for staggered plantings later on.  There are still a few in between the paving stones of the path that I need to get to. I made a new batch of seed raising mix: all my planting this weekend used up the last of my store.

My mini greenhouse is full of seedlings: tomato seedlings donated by a colleague now all planted out into individual pots; Rouge d'hiver and Amish deer lettuce; mixed heirloom beetroots, Paris market carrots small enough to grow in pots; zucchini; Australian butter pumpkin; Asian vitamin green, wormwood, mustard greens and I can't remember what else.

I have made yoghurt, and dinner for tonight and the next two nights.  All the laundry is done. Now it time to head back into the working week.

Delightful photos from the Bundanoon Garden Ramble 2013

This weekend we went to the Bundanoon Garden Ramble.  Bundanoon turns on an event so well - they had a plant market, a scarecrow competition and a courtesy bus driving between each garden. Town was packed with people.  Some intrepid types cycled between each garden.

Here are some highlights from one of the most astonishing cottage gardens I have ever seen.

Swapping seedlings at work

I swapped some seedlings with a friend at work this week.

Mustard greens from my garden swapped for:

Tomato seedlings from hers. Both lots had self seeded from last summer.
The tomatoes are KY1. Her's the description she gave me.

Tomato 'KY1' - Lycopersicon esculentum

A very popular Australian heirloom that originated in Victoria (also known as Scoresby Dwarf). Loved for its flavour and being a good all-rounder that produces medium, smooth round red fruit that does not need lots of attention. A bush variety.

Mine grew to about 30 cm high x 50 cm wide and had a continuous crop for several months.  They are full of flesh so are great for salads or sauces.

I can't wait to plant them out. 

Need help interpreting clouds

Can anyone tell me what this cloud type signifies?

I'm hoping for rain. What are my chances?

It's hot, dry, there are bush fires raging here in the Highlands as well as the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. As far away as we are, the air is thick with smoke.

Am I going to get my wish or will I keep hoping some more?

Cheeky chicken now calls our verandah home

Stunning spinebill in Robertson garden

Robertson open gardens Spring 2013 - the vegetable garden highlights

We enjoyed the wonderful Sping sunshine viewing open gardens in Robertson this weekend. The gardens varied from huge estates to small but well designed suburban spaces.

 

I have chosen highlights from some spectacular vegetable gardens and orchards. Ah, so delightful to see the humble vegie patch be turned into works of art.

Great news I'm running soap making classes this November