Innholdsfortegnelse for Autumn/Winter 2019 i Grow to Eat

The world can be a sombering place – the economy, the crime, the plastic, the guys who drives round and round the carpark waiting for a parking close to the gym. But there are always good things to find if you’re prepared to look. Good Source is one, a plastic-free shop in our hometown of Hillcrest where the public can take in their own containers to refill. You can buy everything from fresh fruit and veg to cleaning products, herbs, spices and body care products, and 90% of it is produced locally. It’s such a great concept, and we hope it spreads countrywide. Then there’s our story about Farmer James and Madumbi, slowly trying to change the way we farm by focussing on healthy soil and reduced chemical usage. Healthy…

“I try to learn something new every day,” says Gavin Heyhoe. “And that’s how this veggie garden got started. Well, it has always been here, but it just never did well. Then about 10 – 12 years ago I went on an organic veggie gardening course in the Karkloof, and what I learned there changed everything. Look how well things are growing now.” “Before I went on the course we had the soil tested and it turned out the soil was good, but veggies just didn’t do well. But the course said that we should continually add organic matter, so we’ve been adding compost ever since. The biggest change is that before the course the soil was hard, even if it was nutritious, but now you can dig a hole…

Top of the list in culinary herbs is the lemon-flavoured group. They may have a more subtle taste than lemon juice, but they are just as useful. Only a hint of lemon is needed to add zest to food and enhance delicate flavours. Lemon grass, lemon verbena, lemon balm and lemon thyme can be used in salads and salad dressings, herbal teas, refreshing cool drinks, herbal vinegars and a huge variety of fish, chicken and meat dishes. Using lemon-flavoured herbs is not only about the taste, but also the fragrance. Lemon-scented herbs have a clear, fresh aroma that uplifts and energises. Besides their culinary use, they can be added to potpourri or used as insect repellents, and they are natural air fresheners. Lemon grass Cymbopogon citratus Lemon grass is a…

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are members of the allium family, along with garlic, leeks, onions, scallions and shallots, but with a mild onion flavour. They are all effective in countering infections, including those of the nose, throat and chest, although garlic is by far the most effective. Chives have similar medicinal properties, just not as potent. Nevertheless they are rich in vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and iron. Like parsley, adding one or two tablespoons a day to the diet takes very little effort. Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are grown for their mild garlic flavour. While not as powerful as garlic, they do act as a tonic and blood cleanser. Growing Chives are perennial, although they may die down in winter and regenerate in spring, when they also…

By growing your fruit trees in pots, you can add another dimension to your edible garden. Fruit trees like lemons, oranges, apples, figs, berries and even bananas can be grown in pots. Here are 5 tips to remember when potting up a fruit tree: 1. Choose the correct pot The roots will need space to grow, so choose a big enough pot, not smaller than 20cm. You can at a later stage repot your tree if needed. Make sure the pot has adequate drainage holes. 2. Good soil For very large pots, fill the bottom with empty plastic bottles so you need less soil. This will also make the pots lighter when they require moving, such as into shelter from the harsh winter weather. Add a good potting soil with…

We have a serious wealth of edible and medicinal plants within our rich biodiverse plant kingdom in South Africa. It is important to know what part of the plant to use and how it can be used for culinary use. Some are edible only in certain seasons, or after certain preparations. Below are a selection of a few of our favourite wild flavours, most of which are pretty well known and favoured in landscaping, so you might even have some of these already growing! Planting these indigenous edibles in your garden or growing them on your balcony gives you easy access to fresh flavours that can handle our harsh South African climate, and that are more water-wise and easier to maintain than regular herbs and veg. This makes it that…

Ten years ago no one would have thought of planting kale in the veggie garden with the thought of eating it – the only kale we planted was ornamental, with those pretty rosettes that add colour and texture to the garden. Today kale is everywhere, championed as the new superfood that we should all be eating. So how did this change come about? Take one PR guru who wants to make kale cool and a campaign that infiltrated the fashion, music and restaurant business and you have your answer. When Beyonce wore a sweatshirt with ‘Kale’ written on it in one of her music videos and Gwenyth Paltrow made kale chips on the show Ellen, people noticed. These moments were disseminated through social media, and the result was kale going…

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a lesser-known (and underrated) Mediterranean herb. This may be because it looks like a larger version of celery, and also has a celery taste about it. You will find, though, that the leaves have a much stronger flavour and, like bay leaves, add depth to slow-cooked food. Lovage also has other benefits – it is a digestive herb, aids slimming by reducing water retention, is a natural salt substitute, and even helps nearby plants by acting as a natural plant tonic. Every part of the plant is useful. Vital statistics Lovage needs space as it is a hardy perennial that can grow into a large, leafy bush of up to 2m high and 1m wide. It is an attractive plant with glossy, green, serrated leaves and…

As kids we were told to eat our greens because they are good for us. And they are, because the chlorophyll that gives greens their green colour is rich in antioxidants as well as essential vitamins and nutrients needed for cardiovascular, muscular and neural health. Greens that grow in winter are the mustardy Asian greens such as tatsoi, pak choi, mizuna and various mustards (‘Red Giant’, ‘Red Frills’ and ‘Green in Snow’). They are frost hardy and a good substitute or companion for lettuce in salads. ‘Red Frills’ mustard adds both colour and texture. The leaves can also be steamed or stir-fried, and the strongly flavoured mizuna and ‘Red Giant’ mustard can be added to stews that need a tang. Pak choi leaves are rich in beta-carotene and vitamins B…

Potatoes – just add butter and you have the perfect side dish, whether they are boiled, mashed or fried. We all eat potatoes, and in most households no meal is complete without this starchy tuberous crop. But, and here’s cause for concern, do you know where your humble potato comes from, and what it contains? After all, we are always told that we are what we eat. James Leslie, a progressive farmer from Harrismith in the Free State, knew where his potatoes were coming from and where they were going, and decided to make what some farmers might call a radical change to his approach to farming. James’s company, Sesisonke Farming, was founded in 2005, and the name is particularly apt. ‘Sonke’ means ‘all of us’ in Zulu, a description…

We first came across ‘hugelkultur’ (pronounce it as you will, but for us the ‘hugel’ rhymes with that Jo’burg phenomenon, the ‘kugel’) when we were paging through Pinterest while designing our veggie garden. We saw these interesting mounded gardens, reminiscent of flower-covered Viking burial mounds, and we simply had to know more. ‘Hugelkultur’ means ‘mound culture’ in the German of its origin, or growing on a mound, but there is much more to it than that (and it doesn’t even have to be on a mound!). The essential aspect of hugelkultur is that you are creating a raised garden filled with rotting wood, or wood that will rot. Generally you dig a pit (although you can start at ground level), fill it logs or branches and keep going until you’ve…

YOU NEED Timber cut to the following dimensions: 16 x 110mm x 95mm x 16mm (slats) 4 x 775mm x 90mm x 38mm (uprights) 4 x 530mm x 90mm x 38mm (roof trusses) (We used pallets that we had disassembled. If you do this, know that not all the sizes are consistent.) Tools Mitre saw, drill and screwdriver bit, combination square, tape measure, pencil TO DO…

MayFord THE MAYFORD GIN BAR Relax and drink in the beautiful gardens while sipping on a botanical gin cocktail There’s a chill in the air, a crisp morning breeze, trees are bursting with gold and russet leaves – Autumn is here. Believe it or not, now is the time to plant as great gardens begin in Autumn. What better way to celebrate this inspiring season than to visit The Autumn Garden Show, which returns for its second year at The Herb Farm, Summit Road, Midrand from 5 – 7 April 2019. Friday 5 – Sunday 7 April 2019 Take a stroll through the picturesque herb garden, a vibrant celebration of the senses with bursts of colours of rose blooms and the heady scents of herbs. Enjoy an educational Herb Tour through…

How to grow Turnips prefer cool conditions and may become bitter if the weather is too warm and dry. They are a deep-rooting crop and should be grown in a well-manured soil that retains its moisture. When preparing the bed, add 45 – 60g of 2.3.2 or 2.3.4 fertiliser per m2 to the soil and break up all soil clods so that the soil is both firm and well draining. Turnips like firm soil so tramp it down lightly after it has been dug over. Propagation is from seed, sown in situ. Sow the seed in shallow drills 25 – 30cm apart, covered with about 1.5cm of fine soil. Firm the soil once the seed is covered and water well with a fine spray. Turnip seed is very fine and…

It’s time to start growing your vegetables and herbs in pots. Why pots? There are many reasons, but here are a few: When you need a tomato or a pinch of fresh basil, nothing is more convenient than stepping out to your container garden of vegetables and herbs. You can also grow almost any vegetable in a container – just remember that big veggies need big pots. Children love container gardening because success is likely, pots are easy to reach, and they can call a pot their own. With over 40 varieties in the range, RAW ensures that your veggie garden is a work of modern (and edible) art, with beauties such as the rainbow beetroot, zebra tomato and Mardi Gras beans. Our seeds are perfect for container gardens or…

At some point on your food-growing journey there will come a time when you have grown too much of a vegetable or have a bumper harvest from your fruit trees. Even after you’ve given away most of your bounty to friends and family, you will need some way of preserving the remainder. Every issue we will share with you at least one new idea on what to do in the kitchen with those extra veggies and fruit. Here’s the first one, where we suggest what to do with all those extra carrots. Pickled carrots Great to serve on a cheese platter or with cold meats. 2 carrotsSaltPickling spice (or 5 black peppercorns, 5 coriander seeds, 1 bay leaf)A few slices of red chilli½ cup white wine vinegarA sterilised jar Cut…

Common name: Orange, sweet orange, bitter orange, Seville orange Botanical name: Citrus sinensis (sweet orange), Citrus aurantium (bitter orange or Seville orange) Origin: North-eastern India, parts of Myanmar (Burma) and China. Introduced into Europe between 200 and 300 A.D. Among the world’s most popular fruits, oranges are well known for being as healthy as they are delicious. High in vitamin C, they are used for everything from marmalade to puddings and savoury dishes, and are also a delicious snack on their own. Growing Orange trees are compact, dense and evergreen, growing to little over 3m tall. White, sweetly scented blossoms in spring precede the fruit. Plant the trees in full sun in deep, well-drained soils with moderately acidic to slightly alkaline pH levels. Extremely alkaline soils and brackish water are…

Smoothies are a wonderful way to get vitamins and minerals into the body quickly and with minimal effort. With superfoods being the current buzzword for foods that are high in good stuff (even if some on the list are barely edible – although some people like kale), you can throw them into a smoothie with lots of tastier stuff and get some of the benefits without having to suffer through the chewing. While some of the experts disagree as to what the top 10 superfoods are, there is no doubt that they include the following: Kale – good for anti-oxidants. Spinach – lots of vitamins. Blueberries – one of the best for antioxidants. Strawberries – filled with vitamin C. Cucumber – a great detoxifier. Lemon – for cleansing the body…

In December the staff all went off for our break, casting the veggie garden a farewell glance over our shoulders and remarking on how nicely it was coming on. It was neat and looking good. The statuesque artichokes were in full bud, beans were fruiting, the lemon trees growing taller and stately. The nasturtiums we had sown were beginning to take off, luring aphids away from our crops, and the leafy greens were full and a vibrant emerald. Our caretaker, Simon (pronounced the Portuguese way) had made sure the paths were all crisp and beautifully bordered, and the tomatoes were promising a tart bounty to come. The herbs were fragrant, lavender in the air and rosemary ready to be pinched off whenever we walked past. And the pumpkins were filling…

The country music compact discs: even though these days you can stream any music you want to listen to on your phone, there are still friends or family members living in a time warp who think you need more old tunes to play on the hi-fi. (I’ve always suspected that these gift CDs are simply recycled from somebody else’s gift cupboard in a sort of ‘pay-it-forward’ system.) Due to their shiny appearance, CDs are the ideal items to hang in fruit trees to scare away marauding birds. They can also be used to make creative dream catchers to hang from trees – their handy centre holes allow you to easily attach various organic items, like strings of corks, driftwood, shells, feathers, dried flowers and ribbons, from them. Their aerodynamic design…