Posts

1. White squash – scallopini

   White squash – scallopini or small white ‘patty pan’ are an attractive looking squash that can be harvested either tiny or when fully matured. They taste like a simple zucchini or courgette when small and can […]

2. Tahitian Squash

   Tahitian Squash – Curcurbita moschata https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita_moschata This is an interesting close relation to butternut pumpkin with a good flavour but more texture. It grows very well in an arid environment as long as it gets […]

3. Zucchini – New Zephyr

   Sometimes you get a nice surprise when growing vegetables from your own collected seed. One of them is when a seedling displays an interesting new characteristic like colour or shape. In this case a batch […]

4. Round Zucchini

   The beauty of random pollination. This round Zucchini is a cross between the classic Costata Romanesco Zucchini and a primordial white squash Zucchini cross I had come up as a sport a few years ago. I have been […]

5. Chayote – Choko

   Sechium edule or Chayote comes originally from Mexico and the central American region. I have grown up with this name for it and also the common local name in NZ and Australia of ‘Choko’. It is a […]

6. Globe Artichoke – 1 minute prep

   How to prepare a Globe Artichoke in under 1 minute. This will get you the best bit of the Globe Artichoke with the most minimal hassle. I saw it done in a very similar way […]

7. Mexican micro cucumbers – Melothria scabra

   These tasty little micro cucumbers are really very entertaining. They are about the size of a grape but taste like a normal cucumber with a slightly pre pickled sour note. They make for an exciting […]

8. Borage

   Borago officinalis is an odd plant which is so friendly with it’s fresh and spicy cucumber tasting leaves and honey flavoured flowers while attracting excessive numbers of bees to your whole garden and yet simultaneously fighting […]

9. Asparagus bean – Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis

   The asparagus bean is another tasty legume that is worth growing if you have the space and a bit of sun. They seem to like full sun and deep soil and can grow, climb and […]

10. Triamble

    Triamble is an Australian heritage pumpkin or winter squash from the early years of settlement. It has a very distinct 3 lobed shape. It has  a very twisted internal shape but slices up and roasts well […]

11. Kamo Kamo

    Kamo Kamo or Kumi Kumi – A cultivar in the Cucurbita pepo group –  is a ‘traditional’ Maori heirloom squash. It’s another childhood vegetable I remember well. There are regional variations on it based on careful guarded […]

12. Cabell d’àngel – melon jam

    Cabell d’àngel is a melon jam originating apparently from Spain and made from the melon/squash fruit of (usually) Cucurbita ficifolia. It’s a simple tasty jam to make and great with pastries especially. Its basically a sugar syrup […]

13. Caigua – stuffing cucumber

    Caigua or Achocha – Cyclanthera pedata var. edulis This Andes curcubit has many names and makes most sense to me when called stuffing cucumber. My Caigua is originally from Bolivia and is of a variety that […]

14. Arcadia farm update May 2013

    Soil building and general production is developing well at the new growing space in Arcadia. The weather has been insanely unpredictable with dry and then random heavy rain periods – however the general climate is […]

15. Malabar Gourd – cabell d’àngel

    Malabar Gourd (cabell d’àngel) – Cucurbita ficifolia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita_ficifolia This a great producing cucurbit that is a separate species from the usual melons, squash and pumpkins that people often mistake it for. The plant grows fast […]

16. Red Kuri kabocha

    Red Kuri kabocha – Curcubita maxima Duchesne ssp. maxima cv. maxima ‘Red Hokkaido’ This is another tasty Japanese heritage squash or pumpkin that I’m growing. Sometimes it’s also called Baby Hubbard or Potimarron squash. Like most squash it probably originally came […]

17. new farm at Arcadia

    Over this last summer i have developed a new farm space located at Arcadia in the north west of Sydney. It has a dramatically different climate from where I live up high in the Blue […]

18. Shishigatani kabocha

    Shishigatani – C. moschata Duchesne ‘Shishigatani’. Shaped like an hour glass or maybe ‘infinity’ symbol the Shishigatani is a winter squash or pumpkin that is from the Kyoto area in Japan and used especially in Buddhist priest shojin […]

19. mexican flavours

    A summary of some Mexican style food flavour plants that I’m growing – or trying to grow… Currently I’m trying to grow as wide a range as possible given the cold temperate climate where even […]