We have been getting some fantastic weather lately, just perfect
for summer dresses, evenings in the garden and walks along the beach. Every second
or third day I get between 500-1000gm of fresh blackberries picked which either
go into the freezer or get used for fruit leather which has become rather
popular in this house.
The first batch I made was what I would call “whole
fruit leather” which is everything, seeds and all. While that was rather tasty,
the leather had a seedy crunch to it and I would imagine that might not be
everyone’s cup of tea. The second batch I made was cooked down with some sliced
apples and put through a large sieve and came out looking like stained glass,
very pretty and absolutely delicious!
All the gardens are now weeded and ready to plant into which
is always an exciting time because I get to rummage through my seed box and
contemplate the next season’s goodies and make a list of any seed I need to
acquire. It is a warmer climate here so I will be able to plant quite a variety
of vegetables which is going to be great for the pantry. So far I have decided
on some different types of beans, beetroot, carrots, cauli, celery, spring
onions, pearl drop onions, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, radish and a few herbs
but once I get perusing I’m sure much more will be added to the list.
It is also time to put aside some seed for next growing
season. I have seed from the purple tepee and golden runner beans, onward peas
and four cobs of heirloom honey and pearl corn drying that will go into my seed
bank. As soon as the tomatoes are ready, seed from those can be added as well. I have a great spot under the veranda at the
back where they can hang in a dry, airy place until they are ready to be bagged
and labelled.
The tomatoes are looking fabulous, last week I did a tidy up
under the stair area while weeding and re-staked some of the taller plants.
Some of them have grown so well I have been able to push them through the steps
so they can tumble over them as they grow. I have been able to get a hold of my
great grandmother’s tomato relish recipe so really looking forward to my first
harvest. I also have her old recipe journal so when I get a few spare moments I
am writing her recipes into a new journal which I will add other special family
recipes too as well. My nana on my dad’s side will probably have some
wonderfully strange Scottish treasures to add to it also.
One night last week I sautéed some finely chopped onion,
celery from the garden and grated carrot then added some lamb mince. When it
was cooked I added kidney beans, fresh tomatoes, cumin, coriander, chilli and
some of my dried tomatoes and capsicum strips. It was so yummy and I was quite
surprised how much flavour the capsicum had...I will be drying a lot more of
that! Now the girls have started to lay again I will be able to make a bacon
and egg pie, gourmet style. And yes I will probably smother it in mustard
pickle lol. Some of those blackberries and apple might make a nice dessert pie
as well or with a sponge or made into a jelly...I need a village!
Lipstick is now a free range bunny, there was an incident
the other day where Sugar thought the wire netting on Lippys hutch would hold
her weight (little hippo) and I came home from visiting at the hospital to find
her happily grazing around the yard. She doesn’t go anywhere and seems to be
happy hanging out with the chooks all day so I have decided to leave her be for
now. When I am in the gardens she is happy to come and see what I am doing and
will stretch herself out in the sun.
Meanwhile, Sugar has become a teenage
minx. I probably threaten her with becoming a curry on a weekly basis though it
doesn’t faze her one bit...she knows I love her dammit.
