Nirvana Biodynamics

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...

Now the teaching season is over, the orchard weeding almost caught up I can, weather permitting get stuck into the gardens around the house including the vegetable garden. Its been an ‘average season’ which is great as we have had a several drought years where there was no subsoil moisture. The plants especially the trees have responded well and look lush and happy. The flowers have been  abundant as have the bees. The Elder is abundant with flowers. Yesterday I made a batch of elderflower cordial and next week a couple of batches of elderflower champagne. In the vegie garden the main seasonal  harvest is of broad beans and asparagus. While many of the winter vegies are going to seed (many to be saved) there are still plenty of greens,the last of the carrots, the peas are almost ready, the garlic is looking good as is my crop of rye , planted to make a traditional dough raising basket from the straw and a few grains of rye for the bread as well. The new crops of tomatoes, caps...

The Winter garden can be quite a challenge here in the Adelaide Hills. The best results are achieved by good planning and this means back in January /February. All those seeds you planted are now providing delicious winter dishes. Here planting continues throughout the year , although the cool restricts the range and growth is slow.Favorites at this time are greens like green wave, a mustard green, miners lettuce, mache , The colours of the chicory are great (as well tasting great) and the purple cauliflowers attracted attention during recent farm tours. Winter also provides time to clean and sort the seeds produced in Autumn. Click here to see more photos of the winter garden.

At this time of the year the harvests are magic, little time is required in the garde ns save for a little therapeutic weeding, planting and harvesting. There is no need to water, although there has been little rain the evening dews are sufficient. Yesterday the seeds for June where planted, some in the garden and some in planters in the cold frame, some extras where planted for Laurens new garden. See sidebar for what we planted. At lunch Quentin announced that I should create dinner out of the left over goose since I hadn’t cooked ‘for weeks’. Yes he had roasted a goose ,stuffed with chestnuts with all the vegies out of the garden on Friday for my birthday, on Saturday we had soup at the Mylor Primary School bonfire and fireworks night, Sunday we celebrated with neighbor June for her 8 years here. I had made a chestnut, chocolate and orange cake. (cakes don’t count ) on Monday he had turned the goose and the vegies I picked into a delicious stir-fry Hardly a week but now it was...

On Saturday night we celebrated the harvest moon with a pretty typical meal , roast goose (one of ours, natural ly ) and vegetables fresh from the garden- beans, 3 types of carrots, turnip, parsnip, beetroot , butternut pumpkin and potatoes. I don’t actually plant potatoes but there are usually a few around to harvest. These ones came from under the kiwi fruit and where growing amongst the nettles. To start the meal we had delicious fresh figs, a sprig of sage wrapped in prosciutto and baked in Seville orange juice and a little butter. We had no need for dessert as the taste of figs, roasted goose and delicious vegetables lingered long into the night as we slowly enjoyed this delicious meal and chatted. The harvest moon is important for a couple of reasons here. Firstly the garlic is always planted 2 days before the harvest moon and this time also marks the beginning of the chestnut harvest. The best part of growing lots of different crops is that you can have lots of harvest celebrati...