Nirvana Biodynamics

The summer has been long, hot and dry as well as and busy with harvests and keeping the water up to the trees. Preparations for a new covered orchard, mainly for our own use is underway but Autumn heralds our 30th  chestnut harvest. Every morning we start picking up the fallen chestnuts which are then graded and put into the cold room. After a short maturation, where the starches start turning to sugars, they are available direct from our farm shop and then to keep you warm , roasted in Stirling an weekends . Another very important event happens here in Autumn. Members of the Adelaide Hills Biodynamic Group   come together to make the preparations that underpin the Biodynamic method of farming and gardening. This is an important day as old hands share their wisdom with new members.The day started with the filling of the cow horns with manure to make horn manure or 500. The horns are then buried and spend winter underground while the earth is most active. By Spring the manur...

The air is filled with the scent of chestnut flowers and bees hovering in and out of the chestnuts then heading for the linden or bottlebrushes. Dragonflies,  hover flies and swarms of common brown butterflies are among the other insects filling the spaces in the orchards.             The berries provide the colour, red, yellow, purple, black, white and green. No need for Christmas decorations here. All the fruit trees have babuls of their o wn, gifted with developing fruit.       The gosling which hatched late are fluffy with white down and developing feathers better than any fake or real snow. While the  RIR s chicks provide a lot of entrainment as their mother hen tries to keep control.       The vegetable garden is green and lush, lots of salad greens, beans, and purple peas. The garlic has all been harvested but the onions are still developing. The scarlet runner beans are f...

Red currants glisten in the sun as they reach full ripeness at this time of the year. Red currants and in fact white currants although considered sour by some add a tart richness to a green salads,  fresh vegetables or a fruit salad.I like adding them to salads for their rich colour .their glistening red adds colour early December when the tomatoes have only just set their fruit.I especially enjoy them just off the bush and think the white ones taste the best. As they ripen during the festive season their colours make great decorations  for the Christmas table.They can also be used to top a cake or tart,decoration on a fruit punch or cocktail. Or served with cheese. Red currant jelly are traditional with roasts of lamb, poultry and game birds.They also make an excellent glaze for brushing over pastries, cakes and open fruit tarts. REDCURRANT & CHOCOLATE 150gm Dark coverture chocolate 100ml cream 8 teaspoons red currant jelly 4 tablespoons fresh red curran...

I am often asked ‘what grows in the hills’ Growing conditions and seasons can be very localised. Heathfield is in the highest rainfall (1200mm) part of the hills. Many areas also have a variety of micro climates which is worth bearing in mind. Fruit growing at Nirvana Apple : Granny Smith, Golden delicious , Jonathon, Red Fuji, Avocado Berries *Raspberries : Nootka, Chiliwack, yellow’ , Heritage * Blackcurrant: Hatton black, Baldwin, Magnus *Red currant *White currant *English gooseberries : Farmers glory, Green Giant, Yorkshire champion, Late red. Jostaberries Blue berries : Northland, Blue Rose, Denise, Brigitta, Blue Rose Elderberries Bunya pine Cherry *Chestnuts (a mix of varieties) Citrus: Tangelo: Minneola; Mandarins; Kara, Imperial; Blood orange; Maltese; Seville orange; Navel orange; Washington; Sweet orange; Grapefruit: Marsh; Lemon; Myer: rough seedling; Tahitian Lime; Kaffir Lime ...

A very succesful share occured at Nirvana Farm last Saturday.The initiative came as a way of Nirvana Organic Farm celebrating 30 years of growing bio-dynamically and living a lifestyle in tune with nature and sharing  knowledge to the wider south Australian community. What a hoot! 19 mostly very local households contributed and shared their excess produce in an amazing gesture of generosity. The range of produce was impressive from the initial response of...” oh, I’ve only got lemons “, to what overwhelmed the table capacity and the need to fetch another. Some of the produce included avocadoes, lettuce, carrots, fennel, broad beans, silverbeet, rhubarb, mustard greens ,kaffir lime leaves, lots of herbs, green tomato chutney, biscuits, brownies, preserved lemons, seville oranges, tangelos and of course lots of lemons. Perhaps next time everyone will want lemons to make Nirvana’s lemonade! But there were more goodies that required a third table. These were plants, including strawbe...

An opportunity for our Heathfield community to come together to share surplus home grown or homemade produce. 3rd Saturday of the month from 3pm – 4pm at   Nirvana Organic Farm’s classroom 184 Longwood Rd  Heathfield. Dates and times may change according to seasonal conditions and community needs. First swap OCTOBER 20th 2012 COME ALONG AND SWAP Fresh home grown fruit and vegetables Herbs Home Baked goods Homemade jams and preserves Plants, seeds, seedlings and cuttings Or just come along for a chat and a cuppa     Run by local residents totally not for profit no money changes hands no cost, no strings attached everyone welcome   People come to this with a spirit of generosity and community. All produce goes onto a communal table and then we can all take what we would like and what we think is a fair swap. No money is to be exchanged fo...

The first thing you notice about my home vegetable garden is that it is well fenced to keep poultry and dogs out. The large banana passionfruit vine is a good deterrent as they can’t see through and see what they are missing. As you enter there is always a vast array of vegies, some growing, some ready for the table and some going to seed to ensure future crops. Established in 1983 the annual  garden is 10 x 18 m and includes a tool shed (in need of new door!) propagation area, cold frames and its own compost area. THIS VEGETABLE GARDEN IS DESIGNED TO PRODUCE A STEADY SUPPLY OF TOP QUALITY PRODUCE WITH MINIMUM WORK. THE BASIC FEATURES ARE : *PERMANENT RAISED BEDS. The soil from pathways was used to build beds. Each bed is enclosed to keep soil in. The width of the bed ensures easy reach. GARDEN BEDS SHOULD NEVER BE WALKED ON!!!! *VEGETABLES ARE GROWN IN SOIL ENRICHED WITH OUR OWN BIO DYNAMIC COMPOST. * EAC...