Here's a spot to expand on these themes, based on What's New for You in the Manawatu:
1) With spring coming on, what new fruit/vegie/herb are you planning to grow, this year?
2) What new distribution opportunity, large or small, are you planning? E.g. a Palmy Farmers' Market stall, taking your excess produce to give out at work, starting a CSA, etc.
3) What new info do you have to share? E.g., a particularly good gardening, cooking, or foodie book you've read, an informative film you've seen, a conference or training you've attended, etc.
Food for thought? Then feed us, please!
Replies
I am getting sorted out with understanding my crop rotation [4th year now] I hope to keep producing through out the year. I was raised in frosty Taihape so gardening there was a 6 month each year event. So Manawatu is tropical in its own little way. Having the rotation almost sorted has made the planting so much easier. Planted snow peas, broad beans, black navajo corn and sunflowers yesterday.
I turned over my yam patch and added horse manure and topped with mulch. Im not really sure what Im meant to be doing for these as this is an experiment from last year. But there were enough to share this year once the frosts knocked the tops back. Any comments on Yams?????
I am becoming a bottling freak! I love it. This summer I plan to maximise my tomato production, putting down enough sauces and bottled tom's to see my family through the year. I have collected friends caper bottles so I can preserve nasturtium seeds. AND my biggest plan yet is to bottle gherkins. They never seem to last!
This year I did 7 or 8 small batches of quince jelly. I did a quince and apple, quince and chilli, quince and rosemary...... oh and a quince and ginger and some plain quince jelly. The flavours were well received. I also peeled and cored all the fruit! Mad I know..... but when I strained the fluids for only 30 minutes I used the remaining pulp in 2 or three different styles of paste. One recipe suggested it would keep for 24 months - It only lasted a week! We ate it!
I recently saw the film FRESH! at the Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival. It was helpful and inspiring. Watch for that or request it at the Library.