It all begins …

Well, the text all begins here, the subject matter and the idea began a while ago!

So, it’s everyone’s first time here, mine included, so let’s get to know each other a bit …

Gardening and organics
I have always enjoyed growing, cooking and eating (and freezing!) food. Since I’ve been an adult and living out of home, I’ve liked having a few pots of herbs (the cooking type, people!) on my balcony, but it has only been in the last couple of years, when I moved into a semi with a backyard (no grass, alas, it’s all about courtyard bricks and an immovable Hills Hoist that dominates, as well as the ‘prison chic’ look of the barbed wire fence separating us from the neighbouring car park … I’m really selling it, aren’t I!) that I started experimenting with growing other things, in pots. However, I often forgot to water things, or help things in the right way (fertilising, repotting etc), so there have been some high-profile disasters along the way (if anyone can tell me how to stop killing rosemary, I will be forever grateful!)

My garden!

I have also realised that although in my day job, I research and consider and look at every angle before doing something, I’m the complete opposite when it comes to gardening, I tend to just try something (based on no experience!) and hope it works out, and then learn from it when it doesn’t … hmmm, maybe that is a reaction to the over-preparation required for my day job … sorry plants, you’re bearing the brunt of my mini-rebellion!! On the upside, I am getting better at that, actually reading up about things and taking advice prior to just planting and wishing, so this blog will also serve to remind me of the benefits of consistency, and any tips people have are always welcome!

My ever-patient and supportive husband has agreed to have a Bokashi Bucket in the kitchen, which is a great way to create the start of compost without the smells inside – it’s a sealed rubber bin, where you put the scraps and then put some organic matter (basically fancy woodchips!) on it to help it break down and not smell!! You’re then supposed to put it under soil outside to rejuvenate the soil, but as we don’t have an actual garden, it’s all about the compost bin for me, which is working very well – a little too well, however, as obviously we create way more compost than we can use, so I’m always happy to give it away!

I have become increasingly interested in organic eating (hence the growing), and am particularly focused on organic fruit and veggies, as well as considering the benefits of organic meat and dairy. We have recently signed up to FoodConnect for their regular organic box deliveries, and are enjoying a fortnightly game of ‘Masterchef Mystery Box’ cooking! However, I also love planning meals and making things in advance, which is why we’re doing a fortnightly box rather than a weekly box, as I still like to have some control over what we eat when.

Cooking and freezing

I also love recycling, reusing, repurposing – my view is that if you’ve got even the smallest bit of something left over from cooking something, it can be frozen or stored and used in something else. I really enjoy cooking, nothing satisfies me more than the fridge and freezer full of containers of homemade soups, stews, casseroles, iceblocks, fruit, stock and anything else not tied down! I enjoy making our own healthy food and snacks, like protein bars, and I also am quite into making sourdough bread, I have a homegrown sourdough starter that’s been a guest in our fridge for almost 3 years now, and I’m certainly still working on perfecting those loaves!

Home-baked sourdough goodness!

As a former English major, I also like to write, and I thought rather than continuing to bore friends and family on Facebook and in person with pictures of my latest garden success or culinary adventure, I’ll make a particular place where all of that stuff can go, and people can read it (or not) as they see fit.

So, I’ll try and post around once or twice a week, maybe more if I get inspired, (and probably a lot more in the beginning as I have lots of ideas and pictures to share with you all!) and it will be a mix of things – pictures from my garden, with accompanying stories of my triumphs and disasters, posts about things I’ve cooked, eaten and discovered, kitchen and household tips (I love to freeze things and use things up in innovative ways), musings on my life and the world in general.