It's Mulberry Season!!!

Over the last couple of years I have been watching a mulberry tree a few blocks away and watching the fruit fall to the ground to rot. This year I said to myself I'm going to get them and eat them. (I love mulberry's) I got up early one morning with a couple of containers and set about filling them up. While I was doing this the owner of the tree came out and asked what I was doing, I explained what I had seen and told her what I was going to do, I also offered the fruit back to her, as it was her's after all. It was then she told me I could take my fill. I thanked her and told her I would deliver back to her a jar of jam.
I managed to pick enought for a batch of jam and some left over for a mulberry tart. During the process of all this, as mulberry's do stain the fingers and what ever else they touch, I discovered that lemon juice clears the stain immediatly. I have also been told that green mulberry's have the same effect but I'm not sure, I did pick some just in case but I rediscovered the lemon juice remedy first. I think I have a mate who has an even larger tree, I will have to pay him a visit...

Preparation for the Next Crop

Part of Self Sustainability is about community interaction. This is when you can swap something that you have for something that you need. I take some of the things I grow and make and give them to a lady who gives me horse manure to fertilize my gardens. At the school garden the students have helped me to spread the manure into this we will plant 2 varieties of Water Melon and I might put in a row of Giant Sunflowers just for fun. I will then mulch with some lucerne which has been purchased from donations from the parents at school.

We Have Cooked Potatoes

Last Friday, my trusty barbeque and I went up to the school and we had a Potato Party, the kids all wrapped their chosen potato in foil. While I baked them the kids prepared a Garlic (hey hey) butter, also some sour cream and bacon for the toppings. As expected they went down a treat. The smaller spuds are being kept for an early September suprise, for some unexpecting dad's.

The North Brisbane Cup

I have a friend and his son who race motor bikes. On Saturday I went to watch them ride. This is the only event in the year when they race at night time. Kids from as young as 5years race on 50cc bikes up to megla maniacs who race on 500cc monsters. This is speedway style racing and it is very dangerous, my friends son boke his leg in 3 places and had to have a steel rod inserted to hold his leg together while it healed. That was 2 years ago and he still gets up to ride at each meeting. At this meeting a 12 year old ride came off and broke his collar bone. Each time I've been out an ambulance has been called. Great entertainment and a cheap day out for all the family!

Baking Day

I usually do some baking every 2 weeks and freeze it to use in the kids lunches. Making scones with a food prceesor means you can belt out a batch of scones in under 15 minutes.
ANZAC biscuits are easy to make and the kids love 'em. A bit time consuming but worth it.
(my house smells better than garlic now he he...)

Parrots in the Grevilleas

Thought you might like to see this.

Ain't it Funny What You Find on the Side of the Road

Yesterday I was walking around my garden and took a close look at my bunch of bananas. I noticed that a couple of them were going bad. It hasen't rained for a few weeks so I assume my bananas needed a drink. Not wanting to use any of my precious tank water or pay exorbitant water rates to the council, I needed to buy some water pipe to connect to my washing machine.
While taking my wife to the train station this morning, I was explaining, and trying to justify my purchase, when we drove past 4 of the exact thing I was intending to buy. HOORAY!!! I have hooked them up to the washing machine and my bananas are getting a good drink. (by the way I don't use any commercial washing powders so I don't have to worry about chemical contamination)

WE HAVE POTATOES!!!

A couple of months ago the kids at school made potato people. I suggested to the teacher that we plant them and see what happens. There are 18 kids in the class. We planted 18 potato people and I also planted some desiree and kipfler potatoes as well.

Three months (ish) later we have a wheel barrow full of potatoes. HUGE!!!

When the class and I have decided what we are going to do with them I will let you know. Let me know if you have any suggestions as to what we might be able to do with them.

I'm Gonna Be Sick of Garlic

The production line. My hands hurt, my eyes sting and I stink.
Lovin' it.

I recieved 4 cartons of garlic from a bloke a couple of blocks away and not wanting them to go to waste and being interested in preserving, I set about peeling, chopping, boiling and bottling.

The fist batch I made went a lovely green blue colour! My first thought was that it was contaminated with some kind of chemical. However after some quick research on the net, I found it was just a reaction with copper from from the water with sulphur compounds in the garlic, to fix it keep boiling until the colour returns to normal. Needless to say I used filtered water on my second batch with no colour problems. I have only made 12 jars of crushed garlic and I'm not even through my first carton.

I'm gonna be sick of garlic when I'm done.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

This was Sunday afternoon tea, my sister was here visiting and Dad came down to visit so I made some scones which we enjoyed with my homemade rockmelon and lemon jam. It was then that we discovered there are 40 dollops of jam to a jar. My sister suggested I start a blog - she wonders if there are other blokes out their who make their own home made jam, mix up their own washing powder and grow their own vegies!

I'm just trying to become self sufficient and I love saving money. Tough times call for tough measures and all that. AND I'm having a whole lot of fun doing it.