Visiting the local market

It was pouring at home this morning but we still ventured out and made it to the Grown and Gathered Pappinbarra Community Market. 
The sun was out and we had a beautiful morning. 
Couldn't help but come home with lots of goodies. 
We visited Reegz Steepy who made beautiful shopping bags perfect for going plastic free, some amazing fresh native flowers from Robert Williams, homemade wooden swords, Kerrie's avocados, quite a few interesting plants from Julie's Backyard Botanicals, Chay and Peter's delicious fruit and nut sourdough bread (which I gobbled up when I got home with a drizzle of King Creek Farmhoney), we finally bought an Eastern Rosella box from Trevor at Habitat Hollows, and the kids had their faces painted by the magical Charlie.
I loved the completely relaxed and friendly environment and I cant wait for the next one.
Have you been to a small country market lately?
 

15 seconds of fame

I recently was asked to be interviewed for a local magazine.
It was published and distributed today.
Here is a bit for you too.
I've most certainly been blushing all day with the kind words from my local friends regarding the article.

Winning

The other day I won some beautiful fresh locally (Kempsey) grown vegetables (a potkin, bunch of silverbeet and some turnips) in a guessing comp! 
One can never have too much of the good stuff. 
I was expecting hubby to be able to pick them up on his way home from work today but I forgot he had a conference here in town for 2 days.
Thankfully the lovely Wendy brought them to town today when she came down and I was still lucky enough to score my prize!
I was so excited to receive these goodies.
Thank you PMW Vegie Ranch for your gorgeous seasonal produce.
I love local food!
So with my winning Silverbeet I cooked up make my version of spanokopita or spinach pie like my oldest calls it (who devours every mouthful telling me in between each this is her favourite 😍)with a few added yummies from my garden (shallots, mint and eggs) and with a side of my home grown roasted sweet potato.
Vego goodness to the max! 
Have you eaten a vego meal this week?

Garden to the Plate

From the garden to the plate:
I picked quite a few radish's (watermelon radish mostly plus some other heirloom varieties) the other day, so its been in most of my meals since. Did you know you can cook radish, just like any other root vegetable?
Last night I used it as an added vegetable to our curried sausages, then I had some fresh in my salad for lunch today, then with a few extra yummy ingredients from my garden again I had it in dinner tonight, Wild Rice with Creamy Spinach & Kale.
Now dinner tonight might not look so crash hot with all that green and stuff, but it is yummy as and bursting with flavour. Plus I'd be inclined to think its a pretty healthy choice for my insides, which makes me wonder what my body might do with it when its finished.....😳👾
Have you made and served anything that looks a bit so so, but is oh so YUM!?

Healing Soup

We have a few sick people in the house, so tonight called for some healing soup. 
I had some chicken bone broth frozen just waiting for this such occasion. 
Then out into the garden to find some goodness to add. 
A sprinkle of my own turmeric powder and we had the perfect concoction. 
Lentil, rainbow chard and turmeric broth delight. 
Mmmm, can feel it nourishing and healing already.
What's your go to healing food?

Bee hazards

When the wipper snipping needs to be done near the bees, don't even risk it! 
Extreme conditions here 😂

Birthday season

Birthday season has begun here, kicking off with a few cupcakes for school. 
I don't bother with fancy, I know they'll get eaten either way....
12 choc with vanilla icing, 12 vanilla with choc icing and a sprinkle of sprinkles.
The boy is happy so I'm happy. 
Are you fancy (and clever) or more like me....

From the garden to the plate

Today's basket of goodies included butternut and jap pumpkin, sweet potato, chilli, basil and eggs, fennel and silverbeet.
I didn't use all of these for dinner, but I definitely cooked up something yummy.... 
We enjoyed sweet potato and silverbeet rostis with basil mayo/sour cream and a fennel, beetroot and feta salad. 
Freshest most yummy dinner I must say. 
Did you cook with anything from your garden today?

Too cold for kombucha

All ready to bottle up some rooibos and green tea kombucha today and they're just not ready. 
This cool change in the weather is slowing the fermentation process down. 
They'll need at least another week. 
Sorry if you've been hanging out for these yummy's, but you can't hurry a good thing 

Just a few garden pics

Just a bit of what's growing around here in my patch....🍌🌱🌻\

Lets try some Coastal Natives

Living so close to the beach, I find myself with a very particular micro climate. 

My little garden has a lot to contend with - sea winds and sea spray are our biggest enemy. 

I have over the last few years tried many different plants along the fence line to create a barrier. I've had a good run with the tiger grass along most of the fence except one particular spot.

Last week I did some more research into coastal plants and natives. So I am going to try some new plants to see how they go. I bought little baby tubestock plants from @australianplantsonline in the hope that I can nurture them through the elements here to develop a good 'survival instinct' for this micro climate. 

I wont plant them straight into the face of it all, but keep them quite protected at first and slowly expose them to whats on offer here by the beach.

I also chose plants that would be beneficial to my new bee's. Even though I know these little buzz machines can travel up to a couple of k's away for their food, I would love to see them close to home as well.

The coastal natives I chose are Callistemon 'Candy Pink', Grevillea poorinda 'Splendour', Melaleuca 'Snowflake', Hibiscus - red cottonwood and Xanthostemon Fairhill Gold. 

I also picked out some other coastal tolerant plants like Rhaphiolepis Apple Blossom, dwarf Pomegranate, Metrosideros Fiji Fire and Erigeron - the seaside daisy.

I know where I will be planting the coastal natives, I just need to find a home for the rest of the little plants too. Thank fully they will stay in pots for a little longer to give me time to make up my mind.

What natives have you got growing in your garden?

Kombucha babies

I needed some more Scoby's to make more kombucha brews. 
So I set about growing some new babies.
I grow these from my existing kombucha. Adding some fresh tea/sugar concoction to feed and boost the growing process. 
These babies are now 10 days old and you can well and truly see the growth coming along nicely. 
I'll leave these for another couple of weeks to get nice and strong before I set them to work on a brew of their own. 
I am forever fascinated by the kombucha scoby.
The health benefits they provide our bodies are a whole story of their own.
Did you know these beauties are very much alive?

Being Brave

Today I had my first 'table/stall' kinda thingy. 

I attended the Nyiirun Djiyagan Wakulda Women's Festival at the Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council in Port Macquarie where I offered treats I had created from my home and garden. 

In all my excitement and nerves I didnt take a single photo of anything! 

Thankfully my sister managed to get one of me!

I brought to the space a couple of my now kinda famous Banana and Ginger breads, a couple of delicious 'garden' quiches, and 3 flavours of kombucha.

I came home with empty plates and bottles and lots of wonderful positive opinions.

Thank you Rhonda Radley for inviting me to this special space and being supportive of my 'hobby'. 

As my hubby said to my kiddies tonight....."look at mummy being brave again" I felt as proud as punch!

Have you been brave lately?