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Pigeon Pea Recipes

 

Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan

The pigeon pea is a legume, and is most popular in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It is a nitrogen-fixing perennial shrub which lives for 3 to 5 years. It grows in full sun to part shade in any soil and is drought tolerant. Green leaf trimmings can be added to the compost.

Pigeon pea pods can be eaten green or they can be dried, and the dried peas used in a similar way to lentils and other dried peas. The dried peas can be sprouted or even ground into flour. Common pigeon pea dishes include stews, curry, dhal and even burgers.  Pigeon peas can also be browned or caramelised and used in stews.

Store dried peas in an airtight container. Whole dried pigeon peas need to be soaked for at least 6 hours before use. Soak 1 cup of peas to 2-1/2 cups of water and 1/2 tablespoon of salt.

Health Benefits 

  • improves digestive health
  • boosts energy
  • aids immunity
  • healthy heart

A serving size (150g) of pigeon peas contains:

  • Vitamin C 43 mg
  • Vitamin B1 0.536 mg
  • Vitamin B9 153 µg
  • Iron 2.4 mg
  • Energy 711 kJ
  • Protein 11.3 g
  • Fat 0.64 g
  • Carbs 39 g
  • Fiber 11.2 g

Quick and easy recipe!

Pigeon Pea Burger

(Makes 1 patty)

Ingredients

  • 100 g of cooked pigeon peas
  • 100 g of cooked lentils
  • 50 g of tasty cheese
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 Tbs Olive oil
  • pinch of salt & pepper
  • chopped spinach & basil

Double/triple the recipe as needed.

Method

  1. Mash all ingredients in a bowl and form into a patty.
  2. Fry on medium heat in olive oil for 3 mins each side.
  3. Enjoy with bread or a bun and of course include salad!
Solstice Dahl

(from NSCF Share cookbook p49)

Ingredients

  • 1kg dried pigeon peas (or split peas) OR 700g dried pigeon peas and 400g red lentils (moong)
  • 2 onions
  • 2tsp fresh garlic, crushed
  • 50g fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 medium capsicums, diced
  • 2 sticks celery (optional)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp garam masala
  • 2tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 5L hot water
  • 4Tbsp salt (or to taste)
  • 200g desiccated coconut

Method

  1. Soak dried pigeon peas for at least 6 hours, then drain.
  2. Wash lentils and drain well.
  3. Fry together onion, garlic, ginger, capsicum and celery. Add turmeric and chilli powder and stir well.
  4. Add drained pigeon peas and lentils and fry for about a minute.
  5. Add hot water, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer.
  6. Partially cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes until the consistency is like porridge. (Be careful not to let it boil over.) If there is too much liquid, remove the lid off the pan to speed evaporation.
  7. Serve with rice, or as an accompaniment.

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Bitter Melon Recipes

Bitter Melon

Momordica charantia 

 

Bitter melon is a vegetable-fruit in the gourd family that has a unique bitter taste. It has a rough and bumpy skin that is not attractive and does not look delicious. However, it is very healthy and can be used as food and medicine. The fruit is eaten when green and not fully developed. With bitter melon, bigger does not mean better, just bitterer!  

Bitter melon is a vine that needs a trellis or fence for support. It needs high temperatures, full sun and rich soil. It can be grown from late November to late March in the subtropics.  

Frozen bitter melon can store up to three months and when you are ready to use it, just defrost it by placing it in the refrigerator. Bitter melon leaves can be eaten as greens like spinach or boiled it to make a bitter tea. The leaves are potent and bitter, so a little is enough. 

Health Benefits 

  • Lowering blood sugar  
  • Skin health  
  • Carbohydrates digestion 
  • Aids digestion

In a serving size (1 cup of cooked bitter melon): 

  • Energy 100 kJ 
  • Protein 1 g 
  • Fat 0.2 g 
  • Carbs 5.4 g 
  • Fibre 2.5 g 
  • Vitamin A 7.4 μg 
  • Vitamin C 40.9 mg 
  • Vitamin K 6 μg 
  • Potassium 395.6 mg 
  • Phosphorus 44.6 mg 

Note: to reduce bitterness, place cut bitter melon in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Leave to stand for 15 minutes then drain off the bitter juices. Rinse thoroughly a few times to remove the salt and drain before cooking. 

Quick and easy recipe!

Bitter Melon Stir-fry with Egg 

Yield:  6 Serves 

Prep time:  5 Minutes  

Cook time:  10 Minutes  

Total time:  15 Minutes 

 Ingredients 

  • 1 medium-sized bitter melon, sliced 
  • 1 – 1 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 2 Tbsp oil 
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic 
  • 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder 3 tbsp hot water 
  • 1 tsp sugar 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce 
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese wine
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil 
  • 1/4 tsp ground white pepper 

  Method 

  1. In a heated wok with oil, stir fry garlic until fragrant, about 10 seconds. 
  2. Add bitter melon slices and stir fry over high heat until they start to turn limp and soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.  
  3.  Add salt, chicken seasoning powder, sugar and water and toss to mix well. 
  4.  Mix the eggs with soy sauce, Chinese wine, sesame oil and ground white pepper.  
  5. Pour the seasoned egg mixture into the wok. 
  6. Allow the mixture to set just a little. Then, keep turning over the bitter melon slices a couple of times to lightly scramble the eggs.  
  7.  When most of the eggs have almost set but are still moist, turn off the heat. Serve immediately. 

 

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Homemade seed raising mix

By Michael Wardle, NSCF Adult Education Co-ordinator

One of the things when having your own garden is the ability to keep it going through sowing your own seeds. While some seeds benefit from a direct sow into the garden bed, many survive and thrive when they are planted in seedling trays first.

While you can spend a lot of money on seed raising mix, it is much easier and cheaper to be able to do it yourself. Typically, this can be done at home using things that we already have available to us and more so if you have your own compost and worm farm.

Below is a variant of a recipe I was introduced to years ago, which I use today. It is based on what I have in my local community that is readily available

3 parts sifted worm castings

2 parts copra

1 part river sand

Mix well.

First off, I sift my worm castings  (vermicompost) so that they have an excellent tilth and remove any of the large chunks. While worms can have a simple diet and survive, to get the best vermicompost to use for seed raising mix or even in your garden, the more varied and diverse their diet the better.

I do not have a commercial sieve, but I built my own out of an old casement window frame and some fine chicken mesh. I tend to do batches of sieved vermicompost, so I have bins with lids to store it until it is needed.

Copra is the dried ground kernel of the coconut. You can purchase it at most produce stores. It is typically used to supplement the feed of animals, but due to its protein content it is also an excellent supplement for the microbes in the soil (which is fantastic for seed raising mix, which in turn ends up in our gardens). You can use coir instead of copra if you prefer.

I use river sand as it’s grains are large enough to help stop compacting in the mix and it allows the water to flow so that the seedlings do not become waterlogged.

Once the vermicompost is ready I use a large measuring cup and take 3 parts of worm castings, 2 parts copra and 1-part river sand and place them in a large bucket.

Mix well. Then mix well again. Then mix well again.

The idea is that each of the three ingredients is evenly distributed across the mix.

From there it is a simple step of filling the seedling trays, add the seed, and then I  sieve a small amount of the seed raising mix on top to cover the seeds, then it all gets a good misting.

All that’s left to do is to care for the seedlings and plant them out when they are ready.

I have found this mix relatively inexpensive and has excellent results.  So, start where you are, use what you have and get into it!

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Growing microgreens at home

By Jody Wall, NSCF Site Co-ordinator.

In recent years microgreens have moved from the fancy plates of high-end restaurants to the garages and greenhouses of gardeners around the world. These little greens have made their way into the hearts, and into the regular diets, of millions of people. They are versatile and relatively easy to grow. With a quick turnaround time and small space requirement, they have become a go to crop for small market growers everywhere. I started growing microgreens to supplement my market garden income. It proved such a great business I made the business decision to cease the market garden and concentrate on just microgreens. Such is their economic potential. However, most people should be able to grow microgreens at home with few problems. With a small amount of practice and patience, the correct seed choice and irrigation techniques,  you will be on your way to enjoying fresh home grown greens.

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Setting up for growing microgreens

To start with, you need space, somewhere protected from swings in temperature, especially to the hot side. Also, it should be somewhere that you will visit every day. In Permaculture terms, microgreens are a zone 1 type crop. Many people use a garage, or if you have a large enough laundry you can use it. I use my existing Titan Shed. It is uninsulated, and I live in Queensland, so temperature control is a real issue. Gumtree is a great place to find cheap, second-hand, metal shelving to hold the seed trays.

You will need space for twice your estimated the weekly consumption. One area for this week’s crop, one area for those you are growing for next week. Most microgreens will give you a second shoot if you leave them in the soil. This also works to keep them fresher longer. With practise you will learn which varieties grow too much during the second week, and need to be cut at the right time. Leaving some varieties lets them get lanky, and stringy. My lovely partner’s favourite are snow pea shoots. These are a hardy, quick growing type. They come in a few varieties, but all tasted pretty similar to me.

As part of your setup, especially consider ventilation in the space. If it has anything less than a reasonably constant airflow, I would strongly recommend installing pedestal fans to push air across your sprouted microgreens. The density of growth makes microgreens particularly susceptible to stem rot, an evil fungus that will destroy trays of microgreens in a few hours. Maintaining airflow is an almost foolproof method of avoiding this issue. Pedestal fans are cheap and use minimal electricity. So they are a very efficient method of ventilating your growing area. Of course, there is the option of an insulated and climate-controlled room, but that is more in the advanced microgreens production field.

After you have set up the growing space you will need trays. I have found the standard nursery seedling trays work best. Around 200mm x 300mm is best as any larger and the tray becomes too large to handle, and the microgreens too difficult to cut. I would start with four trays: two for this week and two for next week. Wash the trays the same as you would for new seedlings.

Most green vegetable seed can be used to produce microgreens. Also popular are alfalfa, amaranth, beetroot, chinese cabbage,cress, dill, barleygass and oatgrass, peas, radish and sunflower.

 

Growing instructions

This is the the fun part. It is a fairly simple process and will be familiar to those that have grown seedlings before.

  1. Fill the trays using a seed raising mix, or a finely sieved potting mix. Some of the trays have a mesh patterned bottom to allow water drainage. I lay down a sheet of chux to keep the potting mix from falling through. You can also buy riggy didge microgreen trays. In my experience, they are expensive, and unnecessary. I use solid floor trays as well, just remember to drill holes in their bases to allow water to drain.
  2. Many microgreens seeds are pinhead size. Using too coarse a potting mix causes the seed to fall into areas of the mix that do not allow them to grow. This is a waste of seed, and of the area in your tray. I use a combination of worm farm tailings and a cheap seedling mix. The important thing to remember is that the seeds will not be drawing on any nutrients in the soil. They will only live long enough to use the nutrient that comes packaged in the seed itself. I use worm tailings because my next use of the growing medium is to fertilise my second-year trees that I transplanted. This is an important consideration. You do not really get to reuse the growing medium, the soil. It will be matted with root structure from cut microgreens. It is far too time consuming to remove all the roots in it. Either compost the soil or reuse it on a larger plant that will not be bothered by the decomposing roots.
  3. Scrape any excess soil off, then tamp down the soil in the trays until it is firm but not compacted.
  4. Pre-water the soil before placing seeds in the trays. I sit my trays in water for 5 mins before seeding. If the trays have good drainage, this will help to ensure an even watering across the tray. As I will discuss later, this is also the method I use to water my microgreens with daily.
  5. Sprinkle seeds liberally over the surface of the seedling mix. Remember the point is to have dense, compact growth. This goes against the instincts of a seedling grower, but it produces the results you want. I use a tablespoon. I have found my hands just do not do the same job. Just imagine you are sprinkling sugar on your breakfast cereal. The seed should be a single layer thick, with seeds almost touching.
  6. Softly moisten the seeds. I use a new pump poison sprayer, or a small spray bottle also works. Obviously new or very, very clean.
  7. Cover the seeds with a light sprinkle of soil. Or for many of the bigger seeds, I use boards cut to the size of the tray. These have the advantage of ensuring darkness, keeping vermin off, and trapping a small amount of moisture.
  8. Important. I know it’s difficult. It’s new life. It’s a new project. You will do this every week. So, enjoy the anticipation.
  9. After a couple of days, literally, the boards will start to rise up as the mass of seedlings pushes against them. Now is the time to uncover the trays.
  10. Mist water the seedlings, or use an ebb and flow irrigation technique. The real danger for microgreens is root stem fungus infection. They can be perfect one day but dead the next morning. To combat this, you will need constant airflow . Easy to do with a pedestal fan rotating over the trays, and irrigating from the soil up, rather than constantly wetting the leaves and stems with overhead watering.
  11. To harvest your microgreens, trim off desired quantity using a very sharp long blade. Grasp the microgreens firmly around the stems and cut as close to the soil as possible. Try to avoid scissors, as the crossing of the blades bruises the stems, and starts the plant rotting immediately. I keep them in the fridge. I’ve found they stay fresh for up to a week.

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Seed Saving

By Krystelle Ellaby

I always start my seed saving class outlining the many great reasons to seed save. I tell participants:

  • Seed saving is fun.
  • It’s a radical political act.
  • It saves you money.
  • You’ll have loads to sow, with plenty left over to share.
  • Seed saving preserves genetic variety and species diversity.
  • Over time, your plants will become adapted to your microclimate.

All of these are true. I have never once said to my class, “We need to save our seeds because one day, there will be no seeds on the shelf to buy.” It never occurred to me it would ever be true in my lifetime.

Today, (March 26, 2020,) the big green box is sold out of herb and vegetable seeds. My favourite online seed store has closed temporarily.

Seed saving has never been so imperative or been such a moral obligation.

Now that I’ve laid the heavy on you, let’s get down to the fun stuff.

The basic steps of seed saving are Select ~ Collect ~ Process (wet or dry method) ~ Store.

Select:

The best types of plants to start seed saving from are tomatoes, capsicums, chillis, beans, and peas. These plants are unlikely to cross-pollinate with other varieties. You will get seeds that produce plants very similar to the parent plant.

To save seeds from other plants, you will need to prevent cross-pollination. To avoid crossing, you need to seperate plants with distance, time, or physical barriers. Distance is a little tricky for backyard gardeners, as pollinators such as bees can travel 5 km. A combination of time and physical barriers works best.

Choose the variety you want to seed save from and only plant one variety from that family at a time. Use a fruit fly net, or bag, to reduce pollinator’s access to flowers. Excluding pollinators means you will need to hand pollinate the flowers. Don’t worry too much about it, use a soft paintbrush or a feather, and brush the insides of each flower, daily. Wrap the brush in a paper bag, keeping the pollen on it and use it again the next day. This way, you’ll be covered if male and female flowers are open on different days.

Only save seeds from open-pollinated, heirloom plants. Heirlooms will produce plants that are very similar to the parent plant. Hybrids, or F1 varieties, may produce seeds, but they may be sterile, the resulting plant may be different from what you expected, or the plant may be less healthy and less productive.

“Save the best, Eat the rest” Always pick the healthiest plant, with the best fruit.

Choose the plant that gives you the traits you need. For example, do you want fruit that ripens earlier, or later? It’s also an excellent idea to select individual fruit that stored well. Storage is a great trait to look for in pumpkins and onions, for example.

Collect:

With fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and capsicums, let the fruit ripen on the plant. You want it past table ready, a little wrinkly, a little bit squishy. Leave flowers, grains, or pods on the plant until they are very dry. Leave beans and pea pods on the vines or bush until they are dry and rattle when you shake them. Only collect seeds on a dry, sunny day, after the dew has dried.

Be sure of the identity of the plant before collecting the seed. I’ve had “basil” seeds given to me that were weeds, and “parsley” that was Queen Anne’s lace.

Process:

Wet method:

This method is for fleshy or watery fruits and vegetables. Pick the fruit and remove the seeds. The flesh of fruit that has a coating on the seeds, like tomatoes, passion fruit, and cucumbers, can be left in a jar of water for a couple of days to ferment. Pop the jar on top of the fridge. Warn your housemates/partner not to touch your gross science experiment. This fermentation step is optional, but it is said to help remove fungus and bacteria from the seeds. It helps break down that slimy coating.

Rinse the gross slop from the seeds using a sieve under running water. Push the seeds around with your hands to remove the goop.

Once you have removed the flesh, spread the damp seeds onto newspaper or paper towels to dry out. Keep the drying seeds somewhere safe, like the top of the fridge. Label the paper so people know not to throw it out on you. Draw a skull and crossbones to drive the message home.

Dry method:

Use this method for flowering plants, grains/grasses, and legumes.

  • Thresh: Take the flower heads, or bean pods and give them a bit of a bash. Use a rolled-up newspaper for hard seeds. Gently rub softer flowers between your fingers.
  • Winnow: Put the bashed up pods, or flower-heads, into a shallow dish, or an old casserole tray, something with a lip. Go outside. Stand in a cross breeze, or in front of a fan on low speed. Face away from the source of the breeze. Gently toss the seeds into the air and allow the little petals and bits of leaves to blow away. The heavier seeds will sink to the bottom. You are now separating the seeds from the chaff, very biblical of you. It’s essential to do this because the chaff may be harbouring bug eggs, or mould spores.

 Store:

Once the seeds are completely dry, store them in an airtight container. You can pop in a silica sachet, to ensure it stays safe from humidity. Bay leaves and DE, or diatomaceous earth, may help protect the seed from bugs.

LABEL the container with the date, and the seed variety. And I mean it, label it! Do not be like me and have to guess what that grungy old baggy is holding.

Store the container in a dry place with a stable temperature. It’s often recommended to store seeds in the fridge. I don’t tend to do this as I know my fridge gets quite humid. A cupboard in a room that stays cool and dry is perfect. Avoid large daily temperature swings, and keep the temp above freezing and below 25C.

Assume that the seeds have a shelf life of 1 year. Most seeds have a shelf life of 2 to 5 years if stored correctly. Legumes and grains store for much longer. If you have out of date seed, it is still worth sowing, however, sow extra to compensate for the lower germination rate.

Notes on seed saving tropical fruits:

Some tropical fruits, for example, avocados, or mangoes, have seeds that don’t store very well. Plant these seeds straight away. Eat the fruit, remove the seed, and pop it straight into some good quality seed raising mix. Keep the pot in a warm shady spot and water it every day.

Resources:

The Seed Saver’s Handbook, Michel and Jude Fanton, ISBN 0 646 10226 5. Available soon at City Farm Nursery.

Seed collecting guide, Stefan Mager, Aracaria Guides

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Update on COVID-19. March 17

As a place of high public visitation, we recognise the need forNorthey Street City Farm to be proactive in responding to public concerns regarding COVID-19.

We have improved our sanitation practices by instituting a more rigorous cleaning procedure within the main buildings (office, toilet, kiosk, nursery, sheds) to try and make our site as safe as possible for all visitors.

We are regularly updating ourselves with advice from QLD Health, the Australian Government, and the World Health Organisation regarding prevention measures, and in particular, advice for education institutions and public events.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has updated their advice regarding larger, non-essential gatherings:

“From 16 March 2020, the Australian Government has taken the precautionary measure of recommending public gatherings involving more than 500 people be cancelled. The cancellation does not extend to schools, universities, shops, supermarkets, public transport or airports. As the advice is changing,it is important that you check current public health advice. People organising smaller events should undertake risk assessments in partnership with local and national public health authorities. The assessment should be reviewed and updated regularly through planning and delivery of the event”

The Sunday Organic Farmer’s Market is considered to be an essential service and will continue to operate unless otherwise advised by the Australian Government and relevant health experts.

Please keep monitoring our website and our Facebook Page for any updates regarding COVID-19, and how it will affect future events held at Northey Street City Farm. Please see link for full updates regarding COVID-19.

Please keep monitoring our website for any updates regarding COVID-19, and how it will affect future events held at Northey Street City Farm.

We have improved sanitation practices by:  

  • installing several alcohol-based hand sanitiser dispensers (at least 60% alcohol content), and disposable hand towel dispensers (100% recycled Australian Made) in the bathroom and in the kiosk area;
  • using commercial grade dish washing sanitisers; and
  • spraying down high contact areas, such as door nobs, handles, draws with Isopropyl Alcohol, in communal areas more regularly.

You can help prevent the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 by (from WHO):

  • Where possible, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth;
    Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
  • Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs regularly.
  • Follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately;
  • Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
  • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
    Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
  • Keep up to date on the latest COVID-19 hotspots (cities or local areas where COVID-19 is spreading widely). If possible, avoid traveling to places  – especially if you are an older person or have diabetes, heart or lung disease.
    Why? You have a higher chance of catching COVID-19 in one of these areas.

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First Aid for Wildlife

At a recent Wednesday Talk at the Farm, Belinda Kau shared some tips on first aid for wildlife from her experience as a wildlife carer. These free talks for staff and volunteers are held from 1pm every Wednesday except the third Wednesdays of each month. They cover a range of practical and/or thought-provoking topics, and we’ll be sharing notes from some of them here.

   

First Aid for Wildlife

Inclement weather can cause stress to our wildlife, especially after a storm or heatwave, so take the time to look around for our wildlife friends who might need a helping hand, wherever you are.

During hot weather put out shallow dish of water in a shady spot up off the ground away from pet dogs or cats. Deep pots, ponds or pools need a branch or rope in them so that animals can climb out and avoid drowning. Bees and other insects need a shallow saucer with stones in it so they can get to the water.

If the bird or animal is uninjured, it may just be heat stressed or exhausted. Or maybe a bird has inadvertently flown into a window and is stunned. A calming rest can be all they need to recover. Wrap the animal lightly in pillowcase and place it in a box lined with a towel and with a dish of water. Place the box in quiet dark place for 12 – 24hrs.  Possums can be given sliced apple and carrot if they’re kept longer than 12hrs. You can occasionally lightly spray the animal with water if it is heat stressed.

Always release a recovered animal in same place it was found. Release birds during the day and possums at night.

If you find an injured bat or flying fox do not touch it, a very few can pass on a virus if you’re bitten or scratched. Call Bat Conservation and Rescue Qld on 0488 228 134 if you find an injured bat or flying fox.

Take an animal to the vet if it is injured or dehydrated.

Dehydration

Dehydration symptoms: pale gums, sunken cloudy eyes, cold extremities, tented skin. Gently pinch the skin, if it takes a long time to return to flat the animal will need to be put on a drip to rehydrate.  Kidney damage from dehydration can cause death within 24 hours so get the animal to a vet as soon as possible. As First Aid, you can offer water in a dripper or syringe but do not pour water down the throat – if it goes into the lungs by mistake it can cause drowning.

Injuries

Surface wounds can be treated with betadine but bleeding from deep wounds, mouth or nose must be treated by a vet. Broken bones or wings also need vet treatment.

If the bird or animal has been caught by a cat it must go to the vet for a vitamin K shot. The poison on a cat’s claws and teeth will slowly kill an animal or bird.

A baby possum or bird fallen from a tree can be returned to its mother if it’s uninjured. Look for an adult possum, or a leaf nest in the case of a ring tail possum, or a bird nest in the tree you find the baby under. Place the baby possum in a crook in the tree as close as possible to the mother. Put the baby bird back in the nest if possible.

If no mother is about, or the baby possum is injured, place it in a sock or beanie and carry it under your shirt to keep it warm. You can offer it water from a dropper but don’t give it milk or fruit as marsupials need a special milk mix. Put a baby possum in box lined with a towel to keep it warm dark and quiet. Take it to a vet who will pass it on to a wildlife carer. Or call one of these wildlife rescue organisations:

  • RSPCA – 1300264652
  • Australia Zoo (Sunshine Coast) – 1300369652
  • Wildlife Rescue (Moreton Bay Region) – 0478901801
  • Wildcare (Gold Coast) – 55272444.

Always check roadkill for babies: in the pouch or on the body of kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koalas and flying foxes and follow directions for baby possums above.

If you want to become a wildlife carer visit the Australian Fauna Care website www.fauna.org.au to find  an organisation near you.

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Forest Gardens

The Tree Care Group of volunteers have been renewing the plantings in the various orchards and forest gardens around our site over the last couple of years.  These gardens are along the Northey Street boundary and to the west of the allotment garden area.

So, what is a forest garden and how does it work?

 An interconnected system

A forest garden is a polyculture or mix of different perennial plants that aims to produce food without needing a lot of added fertiliser or water, by mimicking the processes of a natural ecosystem. Mutually beneficial plants are grouped together to form an interactive community called a guild. The plants are all chosen to do well in our subtropical climate.

Layers

In a forest garden, there are groundcovers, herbs, shrubs, vines, small trees and larger trees, all arranged to capture the sun’s energy while also providing shade for those plants that need it.

Interplanted

Between the larger fruit and nut trees are smaller plants that support their growth and productivity:

  • Legumes ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air into the soil, from where it is taken up by the roots of the fruit trees. Legumes include ice cream bean, pigeon pea, crotalaria, and pinto peanut.

 

  • Nutrient accumulators’ deep roots bring up important plant nutrients such as calcium from the deeper soil into the topsoil. Nutrient accumulators include comfrey and yarrow.

 

  • Host plants for butterflies and moths provide food for caterpillars, which recycle leaves into soil, attract birds and develop into butterfly and moth pollinators. Host plants include native mulberry, acacias, native grasses, sennas and saltbush.
  • Insectary plants provide pollen and nectar for insects that pollinate food plants and for insects that feed on and help control ‘pest’ insects that eat food plants. Insectary plants include rosemary, sages, native grasses, and nasturtium.

 

  • Ground cover plants protect and enrich the soil and stop weedy ground covers from taking over. Ground covers include pinto peanut, Brazilian spinach, sweet potato, mother of all herb, dianella, warrigal greens, myoporum, comfrey, yarrow and pepper leaf.

 

  • Mulch plants are regularly ‘chopped and dropped’ to smother weeds and protect and enrich the soil. Mulch plants include vetiver grass, Qld arrowroot, pigeon pea and lemongrass.

 

Productive and resilient

Many of these support plants also produce food while other smaller perennial food plants add to the food yield as well.

A number of the support plants are local native plants that support a greater number and diversity of insects, lizards and birds than exotic plants. They help control any population explosions of ‘pest’ insects that could threaten the food plants.

Always changing

The forest garden changes over time, as faster growing fruit trees such as bananas and pawpaws mature and produce food and then die back to let the slower growing trees, like citrus and avocado, emerge.

How does it work?

A forest garden achieves its aims by:

  • placing plants carefully in relation to each other to facilitate interconnection and support
  • recycling plant nutrients through the soil to the root zone to feed the food plants
  • building a rich, spongy soil that holds water
  • supporting abundant microbial and insect life in the soil and on the plants.

 

 

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Cassava Recipes

Cassava

Manihot esculenta

Cassava which is also known as manioc, yucca, tapioca or mandioca is originally from Brazil, and is widely consumed in South America, Africa and Asia. It is a staple food in many countries in these regions. Cassava is an attractive small shrub, grown from cuttings. The tubers are the edible part.

Cassava is an energy dense vegetable, and a source of resistance starch. Cassava can be used to make French fries, chips, and even flour. Cassava should be eaten in moderation due to its high energy content.

Cassava shouldn’t be consumed raw, and the brown outer layer/skin should be removed before eating as it contains toxins (cyanogenic glucosides). Cassava leaves also can contain up to 25% protein when well cooked!

Grown from late November to late March in the subtropics.

Health Benefits

  • aids in gut health
  • improved bowel function
  • improved vision from vitamin A
  • increases appetite and  energy.

In a serving size (1/2 medium cassava tuber):

  • Energy 600 kJ
  • Protein 1.2 g
  • Fat 0.25 g
  • Carbs 38 g
  • Fiber 1.9 g

Quick and Easy Recipe

Roasted cassava chips

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cassava tubers
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • pinch of salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Method

  1. Cut fresh cassava into cubes or chip shaped slices and boil for 10 minutes.
  2. Coat the boiled cassava in the olive oil, salt, pepper & paprika.
  3. Lay coated cassava on a tray and roast for 30 mins on 180C.
  4. Enjoy as a snack, or a side dish.
Filipino Cassava Cake

Ingredients

Cake

  • 500g cassava, peeled and grated
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (400mL) coconut cream

Custard Topping

  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup pure cream
  • 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp brown sugar

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Grease and line a 9x9inch (~23x23cm) baking tin with baking paper.
  3. Peel off the outer brown ‘skin’ of the cassava, then grate.
  4. In a large bowl whisk the egg, sweetened condensed milk and coconut cream, then add the grated cassava, and continue until well mixed. Pour mixture into the prepared baking tin.
  5. Cook for 50 minutes, or until almost fully set. While waiting whisk together the custard topping ingredients (eggs, pure cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and brown sugar).
  6. Remove from oven and pour the custard sauce on top. Return to oven.
  7. Cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the custard has set and turned a golden brown.
  8. Cool completely, then slice into squares. Keeps well in the fridge.

 

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Learn How to Compost at Home

Sat 12 May 2018 • 9:00am – 12:00pm at Northey Street City Farm

Free

Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week at this interactive workshop.

This workshop will cover the basics of composting, worm farming and the Bokashi fermentation composting system including; setting up, managing and maintaining different compost systems, how to choose the best system for your home and options for using second hand materials to set up your system.

This event is facilitated by Krystelle Ellaby from Northey Street City Farm.

To book CLICK HERE

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