Happy Holidays...

We hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!!
Thank you for supporting us over the past months! Its been such a pleasure in knowing that we can provide the community with Fresh Produce each week. Looking back we have also noticed the growth of Spike and Scout!

This weekend we are having a "happy Christmas get to know your Neighbour at "The Patch" " if you would like to stop by it would be lovely to meet you. Details are:
> Sunday from 5-7
> bring something to share (we will have a BBQ)
> bring a picnic rug

During the week our first Sunflower opened!! We were soooo excited! Have you passed it on your travels?

Well, until next year thanks again. Our 1st delivery in the new year will be on the 11th of Jan.
Love
Brooke, Katrina, Scout and Spike
Xxx

P.s
Penny and Justin made a Pumpkin Pie last week. How cute do they look and how delish does the pie look!

Scouts Christmas Tree

Not much room for a tree in out little house,
But feeling festival we were, Scout, Roadie and Mouse,
Put our gifts up high on the mantel not floor,
Away from a nosing hand, sniffing nose, or paw.
Love Katrina and Scout
Xxx

Spikes 1st Christmas Tree!!

We have formed a bit of a habit in our house. It's not a bad one. It's actually quite fun!
Last year we were talking about getting a tree and then the days seemed to run away with time. After a nap I walked into the lounge to find that Spikes dad had made a Christmas tree! He had collected a bunch of books and arranged them from biggest to smallest until, it form a nice tree like pointy top!! It was magical and fun!!

So this Year it was my turn to be creative.
This years tree is based on my love for growing veggies and my newest love Spike. It's a teepee garden stake baby jars filled with soil that have beans placed inside, Tree!! Yes, it's quite a title!
Grace commented "Santa must love coming to our house because he must love getting a surprise because our tree is always different"
Once the big event is over, the beans will be placed into the garden and the stake will be hammered into the ground, so that the beans can climb up and produce nice crunchy beans for the house.
Xxx
Brooke and Spike

Stormy Packing...

Wow...so it's nearly the last box drop off for the year! We have really enjoyed packing up your produce each week. We get excited to see what Spikes dad has purchased from the markets and love tasting as we pack.
What do you have planned for your summer holidays, however big or small they are?
In Spike house we will take some trips to the coast to visit friends and in Scouts house a camping adventure is happening along the river banks.
Thank you to you for helping to make this little business grow.
Love Brooke, Katrina, Scout and Spike xxx

Busy Bees

Here's a little snap shot of what we have been up to over the past few weeks.
How have you been spending your time??
Love Abbotsford Wooden Box

Black Sapote

One day a curious young boy stopped to look at a round, green fruit.

The Fruit Shop owner saw this curious young boy staring and reaching out and saying "mmmmmm"

So the fruit shop owner, Bruce, picked up the fruit and the curious young boy and told him all about the round green fruit.

"Curious young boy that is a Black Sapote" said Bruce

"mmmmmm" said the curious young boy

"it's also called a chocolate pudding" 

Together they collected a knife and cut it in half.

Soon the curious young boy saw another colour, brown.

"mmmmmmm" said the curious young boy

Together, Bruce and the curious young boy enjoyed the Black Sapote. Then the curious young boy picked up a pea-pod and...

This week we are hoping to get our hands on some of these amazing fruits!!

They are called Black Sapote or chocolate pudding. They are part of the persimmon family and have 4 times the amount of Vitamin C as an Orange!!

Here you will find more info and also ways to enjoy it! 

Now are there any requests before we head to the market in the morning??

Also how are you enjoying your boxes?

xxx

Abbotsford Wooden Box

Summer Fruits!!

Oranges

Plums

Avocados

Apricots

Nectarines 

Tomatoes

Bananas

Celery

Cucumber

Zucchini

Potatoes

Onions

Carrots

Cauliflower

Pumpkin

How delightful was the fruit this week!! 

What would you like to see in your boxes?

Call back over the next few days to hear about a tasty fruit that's from Mexico but is grown in Australia. Spike tried one over the weekend to see if it got a babies thumbs up, and it did!

Xxx

Abbotsford Wooden Box

Our friendship started from Sunflowers

A few years ago Katrina & Tim & Shanaka and I would pass each other in the street and say hi. A few times Katrina and Tim would be walking the dogs and Shanaka and I would be coming back from the Convent. Over the many months we would continue to say hi and that was about it.

Over the Summer months we grew sunflowers and once they had flowered the bees touched down on their pollen filled landing pads then flew off around the garden to help cross pollenate our veggies. Once the sunflowers had created their amazing hues of yellow pink and orange they would then continue on there journey to seed.

Grace and I collected these seeds one year and Grace decided to make a Sunflower Stall out the front of our house. Grace made a sign, I helped her to sew up some vintage fabric pouches then we filled them with seeds placed a box out the front with a note saying "pay as you feel".

The next time we crossed paths with Katrina and Tim they thank us for the Sunflower seeds and commented that they were looking forward to planting them next year. And that they did! And the colours were amazing! And our friendship grew from here. 
From a little seed. 

In the box this week:
(Spike Gives it a Thumbs Up!!)

Fennel

Asparagus

Mangoes

Beetroot

Potatoes

Onions

Apples

Apricots

Avocados

Cucumber

Broccoli

Cauliflower 

Grapes

Last night I made a Salad from the baby beetroot that I wanted to pass on since we have beetroot in the boxes this week. I found it in my Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Cookbook. 

Baby beetroot with spinach leaves, crisp ginger and a curry-flavoured dressing

Ingredients

• Serves 2

12 baby beetroot, red or golden

2 handfuls of small spinach leaves other pickings from the garden

6 thin slices of ginger

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Dressing
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Wash the salad leaves and beetroot, trimming off the leaves (if there are lovely small ones wash them carefully and add them to the bowl with the other leaves). Put the beetroot in a baking tray with 1cm of water and a splash of olive oil and cover the dish with foil. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Spin dry the green leaves and wrap loosely in a clean towel lined with kitchen paper. Refrigerate until needed.

Cut the peeled ginger slices into thin julienne sticks. Use a teaspoon of the olive oil to fry the ginger until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

Mix all ingredients for the dressing.

When beetroot are cooked, peel and immediately spoon over half of the dressing.

Use the rest of the dressing to lightly dress the green leaves. Arrange dressed leaves and beetroot on a shallow plate and scatter with the crisp ginger.

We added some Goats Cheese Feta last night and it made it nice and creamy.

While flicking through Green Lifestyle Magazine I found a great little article on Seed Bombing. And it's for Sunflower seed bombs!

I know we sure will be taking part in this fun project!!

Until the next post, happy eating!
(I just finished eating a mango. Soooo Good!!
xxx
Brooke and Katrina
Abbotsford Wooden Box
p.s Tim and Shanaka, Thank You for your endless support!!

9.11.12

In the boxes this week

Asparagus 

Apples

Kiwi

Apricots

Lady finger banana 

Red grapes

Onions

Spring Onions

Baby beets

Lettuce

Potatoes

Corn

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Dutch Carrots

Xxx

Pop back over the weekend for some recipe links

Abbotsford Wooden Box

2.11.12

How was your Looong weekend if you had one?
We have been spending lots of time at The Patch recently. 

Dennis, one of the residents, has been busy digging more garden beds, while Jack has been helping us to pick the ripe Loquats.

  Over the past weeks we have planted Tomatoes and Sunflowers and have been tending to the weeds and watering. From the produce that we have been eating in our homes we have been collecting seeds which we have now been planted into raising trays. These Include Capsicums, Jap, Queensland Blue and Butternut Pumpkins and Lettuce.   

We have had a large harvest of Broad Beans and Silverbeet which have added to many happy and healthy dinners in our homes. 

We are also in discussion with our friend who studies Permaculture, for a beehive to join The Patch!  

In the Boxes this week:

Red Seedless Grapes

Bok Choy

Kale

Fuji Apples

Oranges

Brown Onions

Baby Beetroots

Dutch Carrots

Mushrooms

Jap Pumpkin

Broccoli

Avocados

Spikes Dad made a great Bok Choy Pesto with the Bok Choy this week. We have had it with Veggie Burgers, then with Eggs and even mixed through pasta. It's a household favourite!!

Would you like me to ask for the recipe? 

What have you been cooking with your Produce?

xxx

Brooke & Katrina

Abbotsford Wooden Box

Read all about it!!

Hello there...

This week marked a very exciting exchange of community and friendship. Our dog loving neighbours Victoria and Stu, have very kindly offered the front room of their house for us to pack and sort your Organic Fruit and Veggies each week!! 

Thank you Victoria and Stu for offering and allowing us to use such a beautiful space to work in!!

In the box this week:

Vine Ripened Tomatoes

Yellow Capsicum 

Zucchini

Bok Choy

Dutch Carrots

White Onions

Yellow Peaches

Fuji Apples

Strawberries

Mangoes

Jap Pumpkin

Eggplant

Corn

Potatoes

Broccoli

Herb of the Week:

Curry Leaves

I personally love Eggplant!! I especially love it in a Curry!!

I found a Vegan recipe at Curry and Comfort. In Spike's house Curry is a comfort and always a dish that is easy and quick to prepare when hunger hits. Spike's Aunty Piri is Vegan and we were thinking of her, hence the Vegan Recipe. 

We hope that you enjoy the Curry Leaves. 

How do you use Curry leaves? 

Or is this your first time?

We would love to know! 

Scout showing Spike how to get around!

Scout keeping a watchful eye on the quality of the produce

Until the next Post, Enjoy your produce!!
xxx
Brooke, Katrina, Scout and Spike
Abbotsford Wooden Box

Sunday Breakfast at Spike's House

Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Hash Browns!!

Hash Browns are used instead of Bread for Eggy Breakfasts in our house hold.

Spike's dad is the maker...... with Spike's help that is!!

The ingredients used:

Sweet Potato

Pumpkin

Spring Onions

Spanish Onions

Garlic

Flour

Sunflower Seeds

Dried Mixed Herbs

Salt and Pepper to Season

You mix it all together, heat up a non stick pan, form them into balls, flatten them down and let them cook on each side until golden and a little crunchy then you serve them with what ever you like. Spike's dad made up a Broad Bean, Tomato, Mushroom and Basil Salad to go with it. We also added Poached Eggs to mine.

But some of us can never quite break that breakfast routine.

xxx from Spike's house.