Nirvana Biodynamics

This afternoon we spent harvesting some wonderful honey from our 2 hives. It was great to see fully capped frames after a disappointing harvest last year. It’s always a great experience although at times a bit stressful .The next harvest will be after Christmas when the chestnuts have finished flowering. Chestnut flowers produce really special honey.

The wonderful aroma of roasting chestnuts can be experienced every weekend in Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. Between May and July and sometimes into August you can experience local produce , grown at Nirvana Farm just 3km down the road at Heathfield and expertly roasted by owner Quentin. And if you enjoy them roasted why not visit the farm to purchase some fresh ones to take home.  

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...

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...

Kiwifruit are the last of the deciduous fruits to be harvested. most commercial crops are harvested in May, at this time they can be stored for a long time and really only ripen when taken from cold storage then  allowed to ripen. However when left on the vine to ripen  and harvested in July they are fully ripe and can be eaten straight away. They do not store as long  BUT their  taste is amazingly great. Our Kiwifruit had a bit of disaster this season when in April a large stringy bark branch crashed right through the middle breaking the trellis posts , wires and plants. Now the kiwifruit has been harvested I can get in and prune them before replacing the posts and wires. Kiwifruit are great to eat fresh, their refreshing taste is so good and blends well with winter climate. They also add a zing to a green salad and go well on a cheese platter. As with most fruits they can also be turned into cakes,topping sorbets ,chutneys and jam. They also dry extre...

If you want top quality chestnuts then there no better place to purchase them direct from a grower. By about now in the supermarkets and fruit shop you’ll see plenty of dull, soft chestnuts – the price like most local produce is well below the cost of  production .DO  NOT BUY THEM they are rubbish. When p urchasing Chestnuts they should look shiny and feel firm and cool. Don't buy dull and crackly nuts because you will be disappointed. At Nirvana Farm we have been growing and selling chestnuts direct from our farm for 30 years as well as  roasting them in our local village , Stirling. Our chestnuts are hand harvested every day, graded and placed in our cold room at 0c,Each weekend during the season Quentin cooks them in Stirling. As well as tasting delicious they are our quality control. When you purchase fresh chestnuts from the farm they are fresher and younger than the batch that are being cooked. All nuts are logged and sold in order Chestnuts are fresh...

Sales direct to the public from the Nirvana Farm Shop 184 Longwood Road HEATHFIELD South Australia. Open 10am- 5pm daily Once the cooler weather arrives the chestnut roasting season begins in the Stirling village.This year the season will kick off with the Stirling Autumn Garden Festival on April 29th 10am to 4pmon. After that you can experience the great taste of roasted chestnuts on  Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. the season lasts  until we have sold all our nuts- usually late June-early July. .

This season has been excellent for the hazelnuts we have around 30 trees some of which are very young.Most produced good crops this season.We use for our own consumption or bartering other goods with as the scale and work involved ,its not worth selling them if we sold them either fresh or value added. The trees enjoy our cool spring fed valley and grow and produce very well. The shady hazelnut grove One of the amazing things about the hazelnut harvest in a hazelnut in our front garden near the garden studio which has both red and green foliage. It has been here long before we came. Over the years I would open some to find only blank nuts. Now it has lots of full yummy kernels so each time I walk out to my studio I pause and collect a few more nuts. The garden hazel has wonderful red ‘skirts’ and lovely full kernels with red skins.I think I'll make something spe...