- Joined
- Oct 27, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Climate
- Cold, Cool, Mountains, or Artic
Hi Folks,
I'm a big fan of the self sufficient me channel and have been working on our garden for a decade or more. Amanda and I live on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, an average 700 sq block (if that's the right measurement?)
When we first bought the home it had the traditional fruit trees, roses and hills hoist in the rear yard and a huge tree in the rear yard the agent called an oak tree all watered with an ageing septic tank. Local laws required the previous owner to connect to the town sewerage and disconnect the septic. A harsh summer and drought and the inability to water the garden meant all the fruit trees died. I soon realized that the septic once flowed beneath the fruit trees so because it had been disconnected they werent getting the water and nutrients they were use to.
We then pulled out the roses and donated them to the in-laws, pulled out the hills hoist and started to plant an assortment of natives and exotics in the front yard and a veggie patch in the rear yard. We introduced chickens and they have a run of the front or rear yard, depending on where the chicken house was built, and they give us good eggs, sometimes, whenever they feel the urge.. Turns out the big oak tree is actually a Lacebark tree, related to flame trees. Our property was once in the centre of an apple orchard that exported to the UK, so we are suspecting that the lacebark tree was originally planted to attract bees because the beautiful pink flowers cause the tree to hum in summer. We once grew over 200 varieties of apples in Tyabb. I believe the first nation people roasted the seeds of the lacebark tree. that grow in NSW and QLD (I want to try to make a lacebark seed beer or flat bread, but never get enough pods)
I am fascinated by edible native foods and that also lead me to research native foods in other countries, mainly the USA and Europe...I then went full circle and started to discover the native foods from other countries that are now regarded as weeds in Australia. I've watched every one of the original River Cottage and Hugh's first two cooking and camping series as well as our own Gourmet Farmer and try to do the permaculture thing (Ive had no permaculture training but plan to do a course as soon as I can) Many of which were originally brought here as food crops. The native Warrigal greens grow exceptionally well in the yard as do the narrow and broadleaf plantains (yummy seeds), wild brassica, blackberry nightshade (I call them micro tomatoes) , dandelion, burdock, cleavers (great pesto), and mallow (also yummy seedpods). I've recently planted a buckhorn plantain in one of the wicking beds and the long succulent leaves are very pleasant. Surprising that this plant, hated by many gardeners, was originally introduced to Australia as a salad leaf. On Saturday mornings I cook up some bacon, some freshy laid eggs and collect some horta leaves from the yard. I've found a few collard recipes from a US recipe site and often use a hand full of the edible weeds to make a heathy nutrient rich breakfast.
I've just finished replacing our old timber raised garden beds with wicking beds made with an old water tank and a couple of IBC's cut in half. Our first crop of tomatoes and peas and carrots are doing well.
During the garden renovations I located the old septic tank and ceramic septic pipes. I've turned the tank and septic system into a storm water diversion system, a few ag pipes divert water into the tank and that then disperses water back into the garden. We are planning to replant fruit trees, but due to the very hungry possums that have killed most of the young trees, we need to cover the new trees with netting. I've discovered a cheap solar powered pest deterrent on ebay that emits a high pitch sound and flashing light when a possum walks by at night...our garden and fruit trees haven't been nibbled once since we first turned it on.
I also have a hobby business I call Reade's Weeds, pre COVID, I took people on mushrooming tours and also host edible weed workshops/presentations and have had a go at teaching people how to ferment foods. I've just created a 'mushroom patch'. Hopefully I might have some oyster, king and enoki mushrooms growing under the lacebark tree and some ****ake and wine-caps growing in the front yard soon?
I've been collecting seeds from unusual edible plants (Unusual for Australia at least) and will be trying to grow them as soon as I can wrestle some veggie patch space from the wife. I've planted some real collard greens so I can make those US recipes with the right ingredient.
I'm a big fan of the self sufficient me channel and have been working on our garden for a decade or more. Amanda and I live on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, an average 700 sq block (if that's the right measurement?)
When we first bought the home it had the traditional fruit trees, roses and hills hoist in the rear yard and a huge tree in the rear yard the agent called an oak tree all watered with an ageing septic tank. Local laws required the previous owner to connect to the town sewerage and disconnect the septic. A harsh summer and drought and the inability to water the garden meant all the fruit trees died. I soon realized that the septic once flowed beneath the fruit trees so because it had been disconnected they werent getting the water and nutrients they were use to.
We then pulled out the roses and donated them to the in-laws, pulled out the hills hoist and started to plant an assortment of natives and exotics in the front yard and a veggie patch in the rear yard. We introduced chickens and they have a run of the front or rear yard, depending on where the chicken house was built, and they give us good eggs, sometimes, whenever they feel the urge.. Turns out the big oak tree is actually a Lacebark tree, related to flame trees. Our property was once in the centre of an apple orchard that exported to the UK, so we are suspecting that the lacebark tree was originally planted to attract bees because the beautiful pink flowers cause the tree to hum in summer. We once grew over 200 varieties of apples in Tyabb. I believe the first nation people roasted the seeds of the lacebark tree. that grow in NSW and QLD (I want to try to make a lacebark seed beer or flat bread, but never get enough pods)
I am fascinated by edible native foods and that also lead me to research native foods in other countries, mainly the USA and Europe...I then went full circle and started to discover the native foods from other countries that are now regarded as weeds in Australia. I've watched every one of the original River Cottage and Hugh's first two cooking and camping series as well as our own Gourmet Farmer and try to do the permaculture thing (Ive had no permaculture training but plan to do a course as soon as I can) Many of which were originally brought here as food crops. The native Warrigal greens grow exceptionally well in the yard as do the narrow and broadleaf plantains (yummy seeds), wild brassica, blackberry nightshade (I call them micro tomatoes) , dandelion, burdock, cleavers (great pesto), and mallow (also yummy seedpods). I've recently planted a buckhorn plantain in one of the wicking beds and the long succulent leaves are very pleasant. Surprising that this plant, hated by many gardeners, was originally introduced to Australia as a salad leaf. On Saturday mornings I cook up some bacon, some freshy laid eggs and collect some horta leaves from the yard. I've found a few collard recipes from a US recipe site and often use a hand full of the edible weeds to make a heathy nutrient rich breakfast.
I've just finished replacing our old timber raised garden beds with wicking beds made with an old water tank and a couple of IBC's cut in half. Our first crop of tomatoes and peas and carrots are doing well.
During the garden renovations I located the old septic tank and ceramic septic pipes. I've turned the tank and septic system into a storm water diversion system, a few ag pipes divert water into the tank and that then disperses water back into the garden. We are planning to replant fruit trees, but due to the very hungry possums that have killed most of the young trees, we need to cover the new trees with netting. I've discovered a cheap solar powered pest deterrent on ebay that emits a high pitch sound and flashing light when a possum walks by at night...our garden and fruit trees haven't been nibbled once since we first turned it on.
I also have a hobby business I call Reade's Weeds, pre COVID, I took people on mushrooming tours and also host edible weed workshops/presentations and have had a go at teaching people how to ferment foods. I've just created a 'mushroom patch'. Hopefully I might have some oyster, king and enoki mushrooms growing under the lacebark tree and some ****ake and wine-caps growing in the front yard soon?
I've been collecting seeds from unusual edible plants (Unusual for Australia at least) and will be trying to grow them as soon as I can wrestle some veggie patch space from the wife. I've planted some real collard greens so I can make those US recipes with the right ingredient.
I must look for that possum deterrent you mentioned, my Mum had a possum recently which mysteriously stopped coming around but not until after it had dug up or eating most of her garden! IBC containers cut in half are going to be my next lot of garden beds, with water being so much more valuable since our long standing drought, I've let most of our in ground beds lie fallow - any trees within falling distance usually steal all the water and nutrients so that not even weeds do well!! Love to see any pictures if you can work out how to post, all sounds very interesting 
