Friday, January 17, 2014

Kitchen gardens

I have what can only be called a kitchen garden.
I have carrots (round), capsicums (peppers for those in the US), chilis, tomatoes (4 different heirloom varieties), beetroot, rainbow beets, lettuces, purple beans, onions etc. I also have an apple tree, a nectarine (white fleshed) tree, a decorative plum tree and an apricot tree in the back yard. I believe there's also a peach tree, but the birds and dogs got to it before I really got to see the fruit. Oh, and we have a mulberry tree and a chestnut tree, and in pots, I also have strawberries, marjoram, sage and horseradish. I did have tarragon, but its been so hot and dry out here that it died :( . Add to that, we have chickens (3 ISA browns and 2 leghorns. Interestingly, the leghorns are better layers - we were informed by a friend at the DPI that ISA browns are better layers), so we're always in supply of fresh eggs (though again, in this heat, they're struggling. They're not eating as much, and they're walking around with their wings out, trying to cool down).
I also happen to know the school has a kitchen garden, though I have no idea what happens to the veg that are grown.
I'm very tempted to ask the school if they want a cooking club after school one afternoon a week, so that some of the food can be used.
Thoughts?