Building A Wall - Building A Community

A dozen strangers came together over the weekend to learn an old skill and created a thing of beauty, something to last through decades, long after we are all gone. We hosted a dry stone walling workshop taught by a master stonemason from Derbyshire UK.

They learnt about the nature of the stone and that there is a lot more to building a stone wall than just balancing rock upon rock. Each piece was searched and chosen from the pile and hammered and shaped to lock in with the others.

 There is a lot of physics involved in creating a stable wall, pinned by it's own weight and tightly tied with key stones running lengthwise and as importantly, transversely.

They learnt about creating features in a wall to weather storms and erosion and livestock interactions. Neil will find it very hard to rub against at this angle! 

There is much to learn about the stonemasons craft but in just two days a group of people who had never done this before created 8m of very handsome and more importantly, safe and sound walling. I am so very proud of them and can't stop looking at it.

Our participants were all so positive and willing and from diverse backgrounds. We had teachers, builders, landscapers, passionate gardeners and old property owners. Their stories were fascinating and their journeys purposeful. Our lives touched briefly but the skills they learnt this weekend will ripple wider throughout the community like pebbles in pond water. As we watched the magnificent pink and orange sunset we couldn't help but pinch ourselves and think how fortunate we are to have these wonderful opportunities. It's hard work, and we have to "make things happen" but the payoff is rich and rewarding to make so many new friends.

The Whole Lemon

Today I was invited to do a short talk and demonstration at the Uni Open Day as part of the 

Urban Farming Tasmania Display.

There was a really great turn out and other speakers included seed savers and urban bee keepers.

I chose to talk about lemons because they are at the peak of the season now. I wanted to get people using not just the juice and a bit of zest but also the skin as well.

Previously I've posted about lemon cordial so I won't belabour the post repeating it all here, you can click on the link and read more. 

After juicing your crop and freezing it down into blocks and/or making the cordial, it's a prime time to make a batch of preserved peel.

 Again and again people are surprised to discover how delicious this peel is and it is a great bonus in the pantry. I also encourage people to save the juiced halves in the freezer instead of throwing them out and then using them for preserving at time more convenient.

Here is a quick run through again for making preserved peel

Thick skinned lemons make the best peel, like a Eureka/Lisbon variety

Take the lemon halves and push them flat and roughly slice them into strips about 1-2cm wide, this is just rough and they don't have to look neat or even.

Place them in a large pot with enough cold water to cover and bring to the boil, drain and repeat two more times to remove the bitterness from the pith.

After the third boil drain and weigh the peel. 

Return it to the pot with the same weight of sugar and place on a low heat stir to dissolve and rapid simmer for about 1-2 hrs. You will see the peel turn more translucent and the jewel-like.

Drain again and set out to dry. The best method I have found is to use cake coolers over cookie sheets to catch any drips and to allow air to flow around the peel for faster more even drying.

This may take up to a week.

At this point it will be a bit sticky but definitely drier. Toss in some caster sugar to prevent sticking together and store in air tight jars.

This peel is now ready for your Christmas baking in the next month or so. It makes a beautiful gift in an attractive jar and I also like to serve it on the side of coffee instead of a biscuit...but how to stop at just one!

Another wonderful way to preserve the whole lemon is by packing it in it's own juice and salt and I demonstrated just how quick and simple this method is. The preserved lemon is ready in a month and improved with longer time and is delicious added to any slow cooked dishes upon serving. Try it with chicken casseroles or slow cooked Moroccan Lamb Shanks.

My friend over at "Eat At Dixiebelles" has done a superb visual tutorial, proving how simple this method is. You can see her post here. 

There are so many great recipes for lemons and I hope you will consider using the whole lemon too.

I also had a lot of people asking about my cookbook and where to order it.

You can order from here

as a print version in both hard and soft cover and an e-book is also available to download.

Thanks to everyone who came along today, it was lovely to meet you and share your enthusiasm. I hope the recipe and method briefs here are clear enough for you and if you have any questions please ask in the comments or click on the "email me" up there near my profile pic.

( Renae - please email me as you won the meat cookery book and I am still waiting for your address.) 

Tree Picking in July

Killiecrankie Farm is Tasmania's only Christmas Tree Farm where you can even choose your own tree. Unlike the trees pillaged from the bush and left to go limp in buckets of water under a hot sun outside the local petrol station, the farmed trees are species specific, irrigated and pruned several times a year for a traditional shape. When they are cut they are vigorous and when placed in wet sand or a tree holder with water, they will last 4-6 weeks.

Killiecrankie Farm are hosting their first ever

"Christmas In July" 

Sunday 21st July

10am-3pm

228 Glengary Rd,

Glengarry, Tasmania

You and your family get to go out into the paddock and select the exact tree that's right for you and reserve it for Christmas. Don't forget your gumboots and scarves.

To keep you warm, they will have mulled wine and wine sellers will be there from Marion's Vineyard. Langdale Farm will be there with a free range pork BBQ and they are happy to tell you about their heritage breed that they raise. 

Tamar Valley Hazelnuts will be there selling hot roasted hazelnuts too

Could it get any better!!!

Well yes it could....

A wreath making workshop with basket weaver Jill Spencer!

Including morning/afternoon tea catered by Ilk Cafe

Spaces are limited and bookings close on Fri 12th

Go here to reserve your spot.

I'm booked for the afternoon session so I can wander beforehand and choose my tree and have a sausage.

All images kindly allowed by Killiecrankie Farm.

For more information use the relevant links above or find them on facebook here

If anyone wants a lift out to the farm contact me via comments, email or my facebook page here

(Footnote: Don't you just love the first photo! That is one of Lee's trees at Harvest Market last year in Launceston with the beautiful Albert Hall in the background.)

Foraging For Wine, Cordial and Sauces

This is what the hedgerows look like around our area here in the north of Tasmania. They are thick with hawthorn berries and sloes that look delicious and inviting but are in fact inedible from the bush and very tart. These thorny hedges were introduced to Tasmania (probably brought from England) as a way of fencing stock.

In the above photo you see hawthorn berries (red) and sloe berries (blue and dusky very much in looks like a blueberry) and are best picked after the first few frosts which improves their flavour and ensures they are ripe.

At our last Living Better meeting we were lucky to have one of our group take us through the process of making sloe wine. Imbuing gin with sloes is commonly done but making the wine less so. She also had a bottle for us to try and the flavour was really interesting. The longer it cellars the better it gets and is described to be more like a port as it ages. When she sends us the instructions I shall share them here too but it was quite a simple process of fermenting the mass in a brewing bucket with an air lock. Picking the sloes is probably the most consuming but a family effort is the thing.

Another in our group spoke about his experiences last year with making "Haw-Sin Sauce" using the River Cottage recipe here. You can see the hawthorn berries in the bottom of the basket there in the picture above, just a small bunch nestled beneath the rosehips and sloes. He felt the recipe was a bit too sweet for his taste and would experiment with less sugar next time. 

Another recipe I found that sounds good especially as we have loads of ripened chillies at the moment is one for a "Chilli Hawthorn Dipping Sauce" and I happen to know where I can get some Bramley apples too though I should think Grannies would also do.

Of course my winter favourite is the rose hip cordial full of vitamin C and childhood memories. The recipe is here or if you have the cookbook it is on page 35. I love to have small bottles of this on stand by also for sick friends and enjoy it added to hot water before bedtime.

Our Living Better group meets again on the 30th May (always the last Thursday in the month). We have one in the group presenting "Cleaning Without Chemicals" and another demonstrating the art of "water divining". 

In June on the 27th we will be sharing recipes and advice for common winter ailments, from the common cold to chapped lips and dry eyes.

Hedgerow Harvest Time

Almost time to get your gloves on and head for hedgerows!

Wild rosehips are best picked after the first frost maybe some of your districts have already had one.

You can re-visit my post including recipe for making rosehip cordial here but before you do a reminder....

The Living Better Group 

meets this Thursday 

26th April 2013

7-9

at the new venue

The Workers' Club

66 Elizabeth St Launceston.

Brad takes us through his Hawberry Sauce making using hawthorn berries

Kay is teaching us to make Sloe Wine (not gin) from sloe berries

I'll be taking you through the rosehip cordial process.

Next month (30th May) Elisha will take us through her chemical free cleaning and I'll be talking about common coughs and cold remedies to get you through the winter months.

Living Better Group Venue Change

Our Living Better group has grown in numbers and we are finding it hard to be accommodated any longer at the Cock and Bull so we have found a new venue that is free, centrally located and quiet...

The Workers' Club 

66 Elizabeth St 

Launceston (03) 6334 2100

It is a large old building that once was the original stables for Hotel Tasmania in Charles St. I believe so the building probably dates from the late 1800's. We have booked the room upstairs which has ample space and lots of chairs and tables that can be configured to suit whatever demonstration or guest speaker we have.

There is also a mini kitchen attached that we hope to be able to utilise in the future also for demonstrations. There is full bar facilities but no meals at this stage but snacks are available for purchase.

The entrance is located between Gospel Hall and a two storey Victorian residence and opposite Prince's Square. We always meet on the last Thursday of the month and this month will be 

25th April, ANZAC DAY.

Upcoming topics in the future will be 

Water Divining

Raising Quail

Cleaning Without Chemicals

This coming month we will be talking

Hedgerow Fruits

Rosehip Syrup

Sloe Wine 

Hawberry Relish

Remote Aboriginal Community Visit

My eldest daughter recently won a fully paid sponsorship from her work place to go to a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory with the Red Dust programme. They spent the week with kids at Yeundumu teaching within the school and participating in culture day.

Here is a video 

made by the children (also featuring my daughter) with the help of The Travel Bug guys

Could You Give A Fig?

I may seem a little quiet but it's not from lack of interest I assure you and though I may not be leaving a lot of comments, I am certainly reading loads of interesting blog posts.

I have a lot of things pencilled on the calendar and they require a bit of homework to pull them off.

I will certainly be around and here is where you will find me over the coming week....

Tonight at the Living Better Group 

upstairs at the Cock and Bull Launceston Tas from 7-9

All welcome

This Saturday 2nd Feb ut si growers market 8-12

This Sunday 3rd Feb Killiecrankie Nursery open day 10.30-2.30

Talking and demonstrating the value of harvesting herbs. I'll be making healing herbal salve, herbal hair rinse, insect repelling sachets for cupboards and herbal "tub teas" for the bath.

Monday 4th Feb at the West Tamar Discussion Group 7.30-9.30

All welcome to this informal meet-up over a cuppa.

We'll be talking about "Harvest and Produce"

Vicky Cowan of VIX KITCH and Graeme of THIRLSTAN GARDENS will also be there.

Maybe you couldn't give a fig...

I could.

I can give you two in fact.

My fig tree is producing wonderful large almost palm sized fruit but not enough to spare for the market.

Perhaps you have a glut of figs at the moment and if you live locally, why not bring them down to our growers market and spend a lovely morning with us.

Living Better in July

A quick reminder for those living locally,

Living Better Group

meets this Thursday 26th

at 

The Cock and Bull

(Launceston Tas)

(upstairs)

7-9pm.

All are welcome as this is an open group and it's free.

This week we talk about compost, pruning and

hygiene and you in the garden.

bet you never thought of that one before!

We will also talk about energy saving in the home and family fun indoors.

Living Better Group

The Living Better With Less course finished up last month but the attendees all wanted to continue and wanted more....

So "more" is going to take the form of an informal group still meeting up on the last Thursday night of the month where we continue to talk and teach each other about ways to live better with less;

less chemicals, less money and less stuff.

Living simply, locally and seasonally is key to achieving a better lifestyle that embraces family and community and offers health and well being not only in body but mind as well.

This non-profit interest group is open to anyone and offers a sharing of ideas and skills;

gardening seasonally and sustainably, home making, food preserving and more.

If you live locally please come along to the Cock and Bull Pub  ( the Workers Club) in Launceston. 

We'll be there from 7-9pm on the 31st May.

If you don't live locally,

why not form a group in your area and start supporting and learning from each other.

It's amazing the diversity of skills and knowledge that you get from a group like this.

If you would like more information about the group or would like to register your interest for the next course please email me through my profile link above right.

Danger Lurks Everywhere

Yesterday I was invited to speak about the Living Better With Less concept at a women's rural group.

A science teacher (ex or current, not sure) raised concerns about teaching people how to make soap. She was concerned that lye was a very hazardous chemical to have in the home.

Despite reassurances that all the proper cautions and protective wear was covered off in the class she continued to rant about the danger. 

So despite the reassurance, her ongoing concern clearly suggested that housewives and mummies were not capable of following process and procedure. She had no trust or faith at all that parents could keep hazardous substances out of reach of children.

This is the kind of over-kill and fear that has started to over-take common sense. 

Inventions like the tamper resistant cap and mandatory obvious warnings and internationally recognised poison symbols mean our awareness of the way we store and handle such products have come a long way. I can assure you that anyone taking my soap making class was left in no uncertain terms about the cautions and warnings.

Because something is potentially dangerous I don't think it should be removed from the home all together just locked away safely. There is no evidence to suggest that a person without a degree cannot learn procedure or process.

Our playgrounds for instance are becoming so sanitised that I don't think kids are ever going to learn about tumbles, falls and the lessons of being careful. I can still remember the play rules; "don't walk too close to the swing", "one at a time on the trampoline" and "get smartly off the slide when you get to the bottom".

Danger lurks everywhere.

And not in such obvious ways as the chemicals in our home.

What about the dangers we can't see?

Salmonella is a killer that we can't see. It is only by proper practices and procedures that we prevent it.

So where is the line on dangers in the home?

Should we take the potentially hazardous food preparation role from parents and leave it solely in the hands of manufacturers or qualified chefs? 

Of course not.

Our role throughout our lives is to learn and to teach, not to be frightened and wrapped in cotton wool.

Soap Nuts

I forgot to tell you what was in these.

I gave all the recent class attendees a little packet of soap nuts.

Soap nuts are grown on a tree in the Himalayas and is a natural surfactant. I thought it would be a great introduction to alternative washing cleaning methods that are environmentally friendly and economical.

I bought these from Kussen and when I explained to Frances what we were doing, she kindly arranged a discount period on her products for the attendees too.

Soap nuts are used by tying 4 cases in a hanky or a sock or a piece of muslin and popping them into the wash. They will do four or five loads. When they go grey and mushy, they are thrown on the compost.

It was a new product to most of the group but one couple said they have had much better results by steeping the nuts in some boiling water and using the resulting liquid.

The soap nut bag also suggests a way to make a "soap" concentrate from them and more information can be found on the Kussen website.

A Time For Everything

What a week!

Dr. M is putting in some big days which has me not finishing work till 7-7.30pm these days.

We kicked off the first Living Better With Less class at Exeter on Sunday and made soap.

Our darling Arthur had to be assisted in death by the vet.

Thank you so much for all your kind condolences and messages of hugs. I know that there are many of you who know the path of grief.

This is the last photo I took of him about 10mins before the vet arrived. 

Up until this point I had been massaging his shoulders and neck for about an hour but I pulled back to try to take a photo with my phone. We are on the floor in the back porch and he has pinned me with both his front paws asking for more. Glutton for affection to the end!

Puts his size into perspective doesn't it with my foot in shot too.

Then it was celebrating my other boss' big news with surprise champagne after the surgery.

Dr H is now an Ass. Professor and well deserved it is too.

Tasmania is very lucky to have him.

Then it was the first class at Perth making more soap.

Don't you just love my "drying basket" for curing the soap. It is an old fashioned vegetable hanger that I picked up from the tip shop and it is perfect. It was probably bright red once but is now faded to a soft salmon.

And then today up at 5am picking for the growers market.

I'm a bit pooped. So for now the feet are up.

I've done some more seed swapping

And dinner is going to be left over pasta and fresh herbs from the market.

Very easy and very fresh.

I've met some wonderful new people this week, celebrated exciting news, shared lots of inspiring ideas, received much loved, farewelled a dear friend and fed some families with some good wholesome food.

As a favourite old Australian saying goes;

"You wouldn't be dead for quids"