The first of our workshops on how to preserve food was held on Dec 4 – and this is what we learned.

Basically you can supply yourself with a year’s worth of bottled tomato for all sorts of recipes like pasta and bakes, at a much cheaper cost than using Fowler’s jars – or buying tins from supermarkets all year.

For Jonah’s method…. continue reading.

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Oxalis: is it a nuisance weed or friend of the gardener?

(Oxalis mulching tomatoes and spinach in our garden)

It’s taken me a while, but I’ve decided it’s a friend. Like many gardeners, I’ve spent much time trying to weed it out. Even googled to see what how people do it. Many references to poisoning methods and super-mulching etc. But it’s an amazing plant.

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Dear friends and neighbours- do you have skills in food preserving or are you interested in learning about these skills?

- Bottling
- Drying
- Root cellars
- Making preserves

Would you be able to share these skills with others in a small informal workshop to be timed with this season’s crops?

We’ll organise everything; provide the venue, refreshments etc. We just need your skills and/or interest.

Interested? Then please call Lil on 6224 7390 or email Carol and we’ll get back to you soon!

We have the pleasure of announcing funding for three very worthwhile projects in South Hobart area:

• Seeding funds for development of a community orchard
• A project to educate community members on seasonal foods
• A series of home energy saving workshops

The funding has been made available as a result of South Hobart Community’s very successful solar bulk purchase project – which resulted in $1.5 million investment in domestic solar systems in recent times.

Congratulations to the project bidders.

Chris Harries (on behalf of SH carbon fund committee)

The glorious morning on Sunday drew a happy crowd of diggers & planters to the garden for a spud session.  We planted out about half of the allocated spud beds with Dutch Cream (aka Nicola) seed potatoes.  It was nice seeing some new faces and lots of activity in the garden.

Spud beds being dug

Sam spreading the organic fertiliser

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How to not be poisoned.

Some fruit and vegetables are sprayed a lot, others not so. Some absorb pesticides, others are more resilient. How the hell do we find out?

Click on Continue Reading below to find out. And thanks to Dorka for finding this list.

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Delicious Three-course Vegetarian Feast
Saturday May 22

Come and support the hard working wonderful, spirited people who run the Source food outlet.

If you haven’t been to Source yet, just do it. They’re just above the university campus in French Street.

They’re open from 11 am each Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

(Just click on the image to see feast details)

Here are some of Karen Brown’s colourful photos taken at this year’s Harvest Fair.

(You can click on the images to make then bigger)

Karen is an ace professional photographer and activist, if you ever need portrait or event photos click HERE to contact her.

Here’s the planting layout for the community garden as of this week.
(Click on graphic to see it full size.)

Spud harvesting and more planting taking place this Saturday 20th (3pm on).

Jonah G @ 46.

On one of those magical Summer days, February 13, the community garden saw its first harvest – whilst one group picked the beans, another crew shelled them (over a little wine and Jonah’s excellent dips) and a good time was had by all.

Spuds will be next and the beds are now being prepared for autumn / winter crops of beetroot, wom bok, kale and a variety of other crops.

For anyone interested, next Saturday (20th Feb) will do more bean harvesting and planting of seeds and seedlings. For the record we have 30 garden beds, each of them allocated to a person or family to manage.

Thanks to Dave Graddon for the photos.

ROLL UP, ROLL UP it’s Waterworks Harvest Fair time again!!!

Calling all you wonderful valley people who would like to help set up our second Harvest Fair about fun, food and sustainable living – it’s on Sunday March 28. Click HERE to see poster.

I am hostessing weekly morning teas (with scones) 10am at my house (144 Waterworks Rd) every Wednesday before the fair.

Amanda Sully (sully.amanda@gmail.com)

Please come if you are able to put in some real time and energy as we need your help!!!

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Its that lovely time of year, so here are three delightful garden enterprises.

• Food in my backyard:
If you are new to gardening, or need help, Christine and Juliet from FIMBY run a neat little local (South Hobart) enterprise that is proving to be really popular. Have a look at their friendly website

• Tarremah Growers:
Catherine in Fern Tree advises that they have for sale a fabulous range of tomato seedlings, including those vanishing old tasty varieties. No website sorry, but you can download their tomato catalogue here and place an order.

• Woodbridge Fruit Trees:
Too late for fruit tree planting now, but do keep this one in mind. For close to 30 years this family group has been preserving old fruit tree varieties on dwarf stock suitable for home gardens. Great varieties and a big range of fruiting times. Take a look at their website and place your order before next Winter.

Local ‘sustainable commmunities’ have now set up in West Hobart and in the Channel area. We can learn from them as much as they can learn from us. And we can collaborate on some things.

Click HERE to visit West Hobart’s site.

Note that this group has set up three sub-groups: Home Energy / Gardening / Transport. What do people think about us doing similar?