Wednesday, December 19, 2012

:: Brag Basket #3 ::

bounty
Tonight's dash about the garden beds was a mad hurry at the end of another busy and hot day. And in about 6 or 7 minutes I had this lush basket full of everything to complete our evening meal - and a few bursts of pretty colour for the table - for is a vegetable garden complete without...flowers?!!
Varieties:
Silverbeet - or chard: Argentata and Rainbow Brights, Basil: Sweet Genovese, Broccoli: de Cicco, Zucchini: Lebanese, Black Beauty and Florence Long-ribbed, Kale: Toscana di Nero, Parsley: Triple-curled, Thyme: French, Nasturtiums and Dahlia.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

:: brag-basket #2 :: 12:12:12 ::

here we are at one of those special times - 12th of the 12th of the 12th year....we're having a Zucchini Feast for our midday meal today...someone we know is tying the knot at 12minutes past 12noon....do you have any plans for this auspicious-seeming day?
my second basket was gathered last night and is filled with our juicy, sweet, sun-kissed peaches from two trees - one in the Mandala garden and one in the orchard - and our first plums - no idea of the variety - a yellow-fleshed sweet small round plum. YUM!

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

:: brag-basket #1 ::

basket #1
time flies when you're having fun, 'they' say...well - we must be having oodles of fun - as time appears to just zip by...we're now into the beginnings of a warm Summer.
The busy-ness of Spring has not let up - the garden has been keeping us all incredibly full and busy - so demanding!!  We've experienced a wonderful warmth here, with just enough rain at the right moments - got a touch dry here and there. We've begun hosting Wwoofers again, which has been soooo helpful for us - and great to meet people from other parts of the globe.  I've wrapped up my studies for the year - with a final burst of study and graduate on Saturday - exciting!  Home-educating has been full and engaging with Phoebe.  Aaron continues to work creatively with hypnosis clients on Skype, crafting incredible rustic furniture for some local organic gardens, cutting lawns, house-painting and even bakes the pies for the local tearooms! As well as all that Aaron is now studying, which is truly inspiring - as he is embarking on a 32-week Certificate of Applied Organics and Biodynamics - also with Taruna College in Hawke's Bay.

Thankfully, though (and finally!) the fruits of our labours are now filling our evening baskets easily - time to see what produce we cooked with tonight:
Strawberries - picking them on the early side, quietly, when birdies and little girls are not noticing... 3 kinds of zucchini (Lebanese, Florence long-ribbed and Black Beauty)...Broccoli de cicco (sprouts on for a reasonable time after the first head = like!)...long and fat broadbeans (superaguadaluce?!)...rocket, cos lettuce, basil, mint and oregano are also tucked in there.
I would like to remember to take a photograph of the evening basket every so often as a lush basketful such as this is just so beautiful to admire - I hope you liked it, too!