Hey you,
Gosh, it has been a while between updates! I hope you have been keeping well. Our family has been truly enjoying this winter because of all the excitement the weather has provided around our property! We have the most gorgeous creek that runs year round through the bottom of our property and in the 4 years we have lived there we have never seen it raging so much as it recently has been after some big downpours. My adventurous 10 year old son has begged to be able to take the canoe we use on our dam into the creek when it has been raging but all requests have been denied (except once when the creek was very slowly flowing and he and his friends dragged it down there and got wedged on a bend after not too long). The bulbs are just starting the bloom and the spring buds feel like they’re not far away. The woodpile is diminishing as has the stash of herbal tea that is often drunk lukewarm after being first used as a handwarmer. One more month of foggy mornings and wondering if Jack Frost has crept across the lawn before Spring springs and brings all of its joy and colour.
While winter brings many gifts, however, it does make sourcing produce a wee bit harder. Our boxes have not been as varied as normal, but such is eating seasonally. Things always grow slower in winter and I think the farmers we work with and myself bite our nails each Monday and Tuesday while picking is happening wondering if we’ll get the numbers needed! Thankfully somehow we always do! We have had an abundance of pumpkin and leafy greens and I’m sure soup has become a regular part of your weekly menu. We have been so happy to welcome back some citrus after a few years of shortages due to the fruit fly issue and farms being quarantined but it makes the oranges taste all the sweeter. Of course the lettuce saga needs a mention! Although the lettuce shortages and price increases have had huge impacts on both farmers and consumers, the silver lining has been that it has shone a light on food security and sovereignty, the importance of buying local and perhaps even allowed some to enjoy the multiple benefits of eating organically while the organic lettuce prices were lower than the conventional. While we have also experienced some shortages as demand has risen, we have thankfully been able to continue to add lettuces in whenever possible!
Speaking of lettuces, did you enjoy your cos in last weeks box? We had some of ours last night in tacos in addition to grated carrot, coriander, rice and a kidney bean style salsa. So delicious. We also used the cabbage, apple and carrot to make a coleslaw and the pumpkin and onion to make some patties and had homemade burgers with the Uraidla Bakery Turkish rolls. The pumpkin patties are very easy and a great way to use your pumpkin in a way that is not soup. This recipe makes around 8 good sized patties. Cube approx. 250g pumpkin (skin removed) and place in a boiling water to soften. Once soft, place in a blender with a can of chickpeas, half a brown onion, one egg, 1/3 cup of flour, salt and pepper. If you, like me, like to shove has many veggies into a meal as possible, you could use less pumpkin and supplement with cooked carrots and/or potato. Add in some parsley or coriander too if you like! Blend all ingredients until it makes a paste. If too wet, add in a little bit more flour, if too dry, add in a splash of water. Once blended, you can either place all patties on a baking sheet and bake in the oven or fry in shallow oil in a fry pan. If you’re going to have them as burgers with coleslaw like us, the coleslaw is also pretty simple to make up. Finely chop your green cabbage and grate in a carrot (or 2) and an apple. Mix through with a dash of apple cider vinegar, salt and mayonnaise (and a teaspoon of Dijon mustard too if you’re feeling it). Pile your pumpkin patties and a heap of coleslaw into a Uraidla Bakery turkish roll and you’ve got yourself a delicious, nutritious burger! We love to roast up some potatoes to have on the side too. If you’re running short on time and need an even quicker option, keep a packet of one of The Gathered Bowl pattie mixes in your cupboard and make them up instead! You can even grate in some veg to the mix so you’ve got an extra veg hit!
We have recently added so many cool items to our website. Products that we personally love and use on the regular. Some of my favourites are the ‘Botanical Love’ exfoliating scrub which I was gifted at Christmas and loved so much that I asked Tammy if we could stock her products. These are made in Victor Harbor and are so gentle on the skin. We’ve also added bentonite clay powder. This is a jack of all trades in our house. I use it as a face mask but also keep a jar of it already mixed into a paste in our medicine cabinet and apply it to bites, cuts and scrapes. The clay absorbs bacteria and dirt from the skin and I swear by it! We refer to it as ‘fairy cream’ with our little one which always makes applying it a little less scary. Lastly, the Loom Design dish cloths. These come in a 2-pack so you can always have one on the go and one in the wash. They get a good workout at our house and are so hardy! Plus, the designs are so pretty that it makes washing dishes and wiping benchtops a little bit nicer! Any of these products can be added into your weekly order at any time. Just pop an order through the website and use the code ‘Freedelivery’ at checkout so you’re not paying the delivery fee if under $50 and we’ll add it in!
My friends, enjoy this last month of winter. Embrace your woolen jumpers, dinner eaten with friends around bonfires with a glass of red wine, turning your face to the sky during the fleeting moment of the sun coming out from behind a cloud and bush walks without the threat of stumbling upon a snake. All of my favourite things about winter.
See you soon.
Love, Peta
xoxo