A Bush Picnic

Sometimes you forget how much fun the simple things really are. When seeding finally came to an end we took the kids out to a patch of bush on our new block and had a little picnic (just piklets and coffee). They had a good wander in the bush and then helped pick some rocks that were pulled up when the paddock was seeded.

Garden Pictures- Finally!

Finally got outside with the camera while Emme had a nap this morning. We have had some lovely rains over the last week or two, so things are really looking nice now in the vegie patch and also around the farm. Here are a few snaps to show how the new seasons crops are coming along.

Aqualudulce broad beans at the back with garlic and a few leeks in front.

Sugar snap peas along a chicken wire frame with Asian greens, lettuces and rocket in front. Have been enjoying lots of salads and stir-fried dishes.

The artichokes I split up a couple of months ago all taken and are looking great. I have a new bed planned for outside the patch for next year- think they will need some extra space. Glad I live on a farm, don't think I would like to have my space limited!

English spinach, corriander and cabbages with Tuscan kale behind. I can see an eggplant on the left- must get round to removing them to put in the onions.

This is the outside fence that had the tomatoes were on, they have been replaced with a podding pea that grows to about 80cm high. It is called Lincoln and I got it from Vilmorin. It says the pods grow to 11 cm!! It is covered in some bird wire to keep them from stealing my seeds, some have already been replanted.

There is still oodles to do the keep the produce coming in, but I am happy with how much we are producing ourselves. Best I go and get something done while the kids are quiet.

Produce Update

I started making lists a couple of days ago of what is growing and what is currently producing in the garden at present. It was a bit all over the place on paper, so hopefully this will be more succinct and help me get my head around where I am up to and what to do next.

Things we are currently eating from the garden

• pumpkins- a huge mound on the veranda to get through and give away
• potatoes- a few weeks left, haven't bought any for months
• 2 tomatoes left!
• leeks
• lettuce and rocket- enough for a couple of salads a week
  
• stir-fry greens
• silverbeet and Tuscan kale
• beetroot
  
• rhubarb
• sugar-snap peas
• carrots
• parsnips
• zucchini- the romanesco zucchini I planted late are holding on well and still producing nice, crisp little courgettes
• English spinach
• the usual perennial herbs eg. rosemary, sage, lemongrass,chives, mint etc
• annual herbs- parsley, corriander

Things growing in the garden that are not yet producing

• spring onions
• curly leaf kale
• broccoli and green sprouting broccoli
• cabbage
• broad beans (aquadulce and crimson)- have seen one flower
• podding peas
• garlic
• celery
• plus perrenials like strawberries, artichoke, asparagus etc

Things that need to be done this week (hopefully)

• reseed some of the podding peas as the birds have somehow got through the mesh and eaten them in the ground!!!
• remove capsicums and eggplants and replace with onions
• measure up beds outside veg patch so I can let Ian know how big I want the posts to go around them (don't think that will happen for a while)
• work out way of eliminating weeds from the path- maybe boiling water (sorry worms) and bags of sawdust?
• take photos of garden to at least make the blog look interesting!!

If I get those done I can start working on some of the outside beds. Here is Lyssie and the 'Boys', not long after shearing. They are right next to the house, so as I hang out washing the kids wander over and talk to them. You have to be careful not to get too close as one gave Emme a nip on the fingers a few weeks ago!

The Last Quinces

These are the last of the quinces- isn't the colour just divine! They were poached in a light sugar syrup with a little lemon and a vanilla bean. They taste just amazing. I can't wait for quince season to start year so I can try some more recipes.

Lunch Group

I am lucky enough to be part of a group of 8 ladies that get together every second month and have lunch. Not just any lunch anywhere, we take turns in hosting the lunch. The host prepares the whole lunch and chooses recipes that are new to her. They could be from a latest cooking magazine, new cookbook or just something they have always wanted to try, and copies of the recipes are made for everyone.

Last Friday it was my turn. It was so much fun all getting together. It was even raining, so as we are all partners in broad acre cropping enterprises, we could all have a drink and toast the first rain of the season. Whilst our husbands were off preparing machinery and seeding with their packed lunches of sandwiches, we enjoyed the menu below.

warm garlic and rosemary olives with parmesan

crispbread

prosciutto and stracchino rolls

zucchini, raisin and pine nit crostini

quince paste with a selection of cheeses

baked meatballs with tomato and tamarind sauce

pilaf with currants and cashews

mint sambal

spinach raita

tiramisu ice-cream cake

coffee, tea and chocolates

Everything worked well. Most of the recipes came from the April and May issues of Delicious and the olives were from a Donna Hay magazine.Everything I will definitely make again except the olives, they were ok but I have a better recipe for a similar dish. Next time I will have to take pictures.

Quince Paste and Chocolate Cake

I did manage to get around to making my first ever batch of quince paste a last weekend and I must say I am pleased with the results. I followed Stephanie Alexander's recipe in her book The Cook's Companion. It made a huge batch and only took two hours of stirring not the 3 1/2 I thought it would. Doesn't look that fab in theses photos, looked much better when it was all chopped up. Will test it out of family this weekend.




Eggless Chocolate Cake

Mix the following together in a large bowl:
3 cups plain flour, sifted
2 cups caster sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp salt

In a jug whisk the following together vigorously:
2 cups cold water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla essence

Pour the liquid mix over the dry mix and combine thoroughly. Pour into a greased and lined lamington tin (approx 20cm by 30cm) and bake at about 170* for about an hour- depending on your oven.

Birthday Girl

It is Emmeline's first birthday on Saturday so we had a nice morning tea with a few friends over to help celebrate today as the next few days will be a bit busy.

Emme appeared to enjoy the cake. If I haven't already, I will blog the cake recipe as it is an eggless chocolate cake that is really easy, surprisingly fluffy and moist, and only requires staples that are usually in the cupboard. We have some good friends who are anafelactic to egg, so this recipe is the one I tend to use most these days when we have kids around. `