I'm Still Jammin', After All This Time!!!

Hi Guys,

I recently went to Bribie Island for a few days with my sister and her family. 

We both have large families with 4 kids each, and we stayed at a local campsite / bunkhouse. Cheap and easy accomodation. 

It was good to catch up with them as they are from out of state and we don't get to see each other very often.

My sister is part of my inspiration for this blog and was with me and helped me decide to start it.

Although its been nearly 10 years since I posted anything, I've still been gardening, cooking and jamming!!!

While we were at Bribie Island we went to the Strawberry Farm at Ningi. There we could pick our own Strawberry's, 2 large boxes (and our stomachs) full to overflowing for only $20...

After we'd guts'd ourselves I started to make some Strawberry Jam, it was the only way to save the fruit. We'd all eaten as much as we could, and my sister couldn't take any fresh fruit over the boarder.

With some help from the kids we washed the strawberry's and removed the stems. We then made batches of 1.5kgs of fruit at a time. That filled 4 large bottles or 6 small ones.

Altogether we made 16 large bottles and 6 small ones. 

Of course, we had to make some Scones to go with them. I used a Lemonade Scone Recipe from nigella.com

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/members/renskes-lemonade-scones

I made a double batch as I had 12 people to feed...

Lots of people

Lots of Jam

Lots of Scones

Lots of Cream

Yummo!!!

Winter Produce

My coffee beans are ready to pick, I had a look on Google to find out how prepare them, it takes about a weeks work to make a cup of coffee... I'll let you know if I make it that far.
My Cherry Tomatoes haven't stopped growing, the kids usually get them before they get to the plate.

I've tried growing Zucchini's in spring and I only get a few before they die off from powdery mildew on the leaves. This year, mid winter in a north facing garden, I have been eating these every night for over a week.

A friend of a friend was giving away heaps of Bok Choy seedlings. I got hold of about 30-40 of them and I've planted them in any spare spot I can find.

This is Mustard Greens, the leaves are great in salads and stir fry. The leaves taste like old english mustard, I must try them on a hot dog one day. I had these growing last year, come spring they went to seed, I just let them go and the seed scattered. The Sweet Potato grew over the top of them etc. Come winter and hey presto they are back.

Figs - So easy to grow!!!

I planted this fig last winter, just a 30cm high stick with a couple of buds, less than a year on I've had a heap of fruit that we've already eaten as they rippen, and the plant is only 50-60cm. So cool, I can't wait until it's big enough to give us a regular supply.

Passion Fruit??

Also under the Sweet Potato, I found the 2 Yellow Passion Fruit I bought before Christmas. I wanted to plant these under the old Gum tree, one thing led to another and they were forgoten. They are now growing up the back fence!!!, I'll have to cut them back and move them.

I'll do it later...

I Found My Chilli's!!!

Before the Sweet Potato grew back I had planted some Chilli's, I was pleasantly surprised to find them alive and well under all of the greenery from the Sweet Potato.

I will use some of these Chilli's to liven up my soup!!!

This photo show's how narrow the garden is. The chain wire fence at the back is 180cm high, the Sweet Potato vine grows all the way to the top and has a lovely light purple flower.

Sweet Potato's - It doesn't get any easier!!!

I had my first weekend at home for the year, and I had to take stock of what was going on in the garden. I have a long narrow garden that runs along the back fence. Two and a half years ago, in a small 4 metre section of this I planted some Sweet Potato, I harvested them last winter and gave a heap away and made some soup with the rest.

This year they grew back again, apparently if you leave even a small root in the ground they just keep growing. Which is good, just make sure you plant them in an area that is not vitaly important to your other plants.

Sweet Potato is extremely easy to grow. I was given a small bag of them by the girls at the fruit shop, I forgot about them and they started to sprout, so I planted them. This crop was achieved by not much at all, just left overs from last years crop ( just a small root left in the ground) I even planted and in between crop of Mustard Greens, no water, no food, no mulch, and here I am with a wheel barrow full of Sweet Potato.

I will post a soup recipie soon - keep watching!!!

I'm Back Baby!!!

Hi all, sorry I haven't posted in a while, been getting a few things in order. Doing a bit of extra work etc. My garden has been a bit neglected but still providing some rewards, check it out!!!