Tuscan Kale

Tuscan Kale (Cavolo nero) is an easy vegetable to grow and I believe it is very nutritious. This week I began to harvest from my own three young plants. It tastes much better than I expected. I  fried a few shredded leaves (with the central stems removed) in some olive oil, garlic and chili flakes. Also tasty when drizzled with olive oil and crisped in the oven. 
Website with a recipe for kale chips: http://localfoods.about.com/od/chipsfriedsomebaked/r/Kale-Chips.htm

Green Harvest

Bok Choi

Ruby chard, Silver- beet, radishes and celery.

Over the past week everyone's vegetable plots put on tremendous growth. It has certainly been very cold and quite rainy but I wonder if some other factor is the cause; gradually lengthening days, the phase of the moon, time since germination?  I found an enormous caterpillar on one of the Bok Choi plants; looked like a cut worm. it had done considerable damage. We have made several delicious meals with this produce; quiche, stir fry and accompaniment to sausages. 

Hi there! As you can see, I am rugged up against the cold.

Mid-winter and the veggie garden is flourishing.The sprouting broccoli is starting to head, bok-choi, celery, cos lettuce and silver beet are all ready to pick. Carrots and garlic show signs of growth. Peas have failed, though. I have read that they do better planted late in the season in Victoria. I don't really have room in this garden for a pea crop anyway. This week there is not a lot to do except thin the carrots and plant some spinach seedlings.