If you have Sage, Strawberries, Cape Gooseberries and Zucchini !
Seen at the Sunday Stadium Market – Dunedin (Every Sunday)
Kimberley Burton from Goodlife Gardens at the Stadium Markets selling plants for the garden and veggie patch
I had a good day at the markets, sold out of quail eggs fairly early and also sold some quail breeding groups. As usual the stall holders had a chat and I received some information, and permission to blog, about some of them. I am blogging about the markets to bring the Stadium Market on Sunday to the attention of Dunedinites who need the diversity of this market, and the Sunday Market needs their support . There is a bit of everything available on Sundays and the atmosphere is totally different from other markets around. There are lots of good stalls as well as great food, so it is possible to get a snack or more while observing the wares. Undercover stalls (all weather) and ample parking makes this a pleasurable Sunday excursion. Please note that I have no official connection to the market management, and am a mere stallholder supporting something worthwhile.
Growing food in the back yard or open urban spaces is something I feel strongly about. Creating awareness of the possibilities of having sustainable back yards is also a passion of Kimberley from Goodlife Gardens. She is tertiary qualified ( Horticulture, Permaculture, Organics, and Sustainable Living at Otago Polytechnic) and says: ‘ Whilst I currently stock a lot of flowering annuals and perennials, the plan is to have for sale a variety of healthy seasonal fruit and vege plants grown in local climate and cared for as if they were to feed my own family. Container planting and companion planting is something I am passionate about – it opens up opportunities for people to grow for themselves in areas not conducive to in-ground gardening (such as student flats and apartments) ‘. The stall is well stocked and neatly set up, and a pleasure to browse through.
Another local, Evansdale Cheese has a regular stall at the Stadium Markets. The factory is located just outside Dunedin at Hawksbury, and their hand crafted cheeses are well known in Dunedin. I brought a bit blue cheese home, had some for lunch and it was delicious! Have a look at Evansdale Cheese and come over next Sunday to sample some of the best cheeses around.
An interesting stall that was worth visiting, but not local, who was just passing through, was Quality Knives. They stock the Swiss Victorinox range. I spent some time slavering over the big carving knives. I coveted the boning knife as well but since I own too many knives, purchased at such occasions, I managed to practice restraint for once.
There are many more stalls to go, looking forward to next Sunday!
QUAILS HAPPIER IN BATTERIES THAN OUTSIDE
I consider both my housing systems for quails as very adequate, providing for the needs of the birds first and foremost. Even though I manufacture and sell both systems – i.e. Production Cages (“Batteries”) and Free Range Housing (Movable outside units), the birds are much happier and more calm and content in the inside cages than outside, irrespective of the fact that stocking densities are 14 Quails per 3 Meters Square outside and 7 Quails per 0.25 Meters Square (500 mm X 500 mm) inside. I provide fresh food and water ad lib as well as clean sand baths at all times in both systems. Both systems house Males and Females together. My housing design has been influenced by years of experience and very close observations and understanding of the Quails, as I have run commercial units in both systems for a long time. My observations are backed by the quail behavior and performance as they have higher production, lower mortality and better feed conversion in the inside cages compared to outside. Knowing Quails very well I can also confirm that they are much quieter, calmer and more content inside. This may be as result of a number of factors like fixed light intensity and duration, other controlled environmental factors such as no drafts, wet conditions and extreme temperatures inside as well as the absence of visible threads like large flying birds and other predators. Quails do not enjoy running around in search of shelter and food, so relative confined ares are more suitable for them.
Defying Lethal Genes
My latest batch of purebred Golden Italian Coturnix Quail has again ignored genetic laws. Of 88 eggs placed, 72 hatched with 7 infertile eggs and 9 dead embrios
Picking and Cooking a Cardoon (Cardi)
Above is the cardoon, complete with ‘ Cardoon Goblin’, in my garden before harvesting.
I could not decide when to pick my cardoon, but following wide consultations, decided to pick it today. I have 2 more mature plants growing so I could have afforded to experiment.
The harvested cardoon on my kitchen table – looking huge!
After cleaning and cooking the cardoon I decided that it was picked too early as the thicker stems, though hard and tough looking, were soft and tasty when cooked. If I left it to grow more there may have been more of the thicker stems, resulting in more to eat.
You need lots of time for a cardoon dish and I did not time myself but it took about half an hour from start to finish in preparation plus cooking time. There are many recipes to choose from and I went for the anchovie sauce which was a great success and enjoyed by four adults, who had it as a side to the main, in no time at all!
Cardoon with Anchovie Sauce
Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C
1 large cardoon, leaves and stringy bits removed, sliced in 50 mm pieces kept in a bowl of water with the juice of a lemon mixed in. This prevents discoloring.
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
10 anchovies – the salty preserved kind, drained and chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook the cardoon pieces for about 30 minutes until tender. In the mean time butter an oven proof dish that will hold all of the cardoon pieces. Melt the rest of the butter in a pan and add the anchovies and garlic and stir gently until the anchovies dissolve. Put the cardoon into the prepared dish, pour the anchovie sauce over and sprinkle with the Parmigiano cheese. Now bake it in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Back Yard Farmer 