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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Heirloom Tomatoes ...Yes You Can Grow Your Own!

It’s Heirloom Tomato Time Again!!!

It is that time of year again when Tomato plants are eagerly planted with the hope of Tomatoes for Christmas. 
Here are a few tips for  healthy pest and disease free tomatoes:-
-          Plant your tomatoes in a sunny position in humus-rich soil slightly acidic 6 – 6.9pH.  Make sure you have practiced crop rotation to minimise soil born disease.
-          The position should also have good drainage and good available air circulation around the plant.
-          When you plant the tomato plant make sure you plant it deeper that the soil level.  Mulch well to avoid any soil splash and fungus or disease.  Remove any lower leaves that are in contact with the soil.
-          The tomato should be watered regularly and consistently.  Avoid watering from overhead to minimise disease.
-          Tall growing tomatoes need staking.
-          Keep an eye out for grub, fruit fly and any signs of fungal disease and treat with organic means.
-          Fertilise with organic fertiliser seaweed and fish emulsion.
-          With large beefsteak tomatoes you may need to keep an eye out for sunburn and cover if needed.

We have a variety of heirloom tomatoes for sale at the coming markets through Spring, so come and check out what we have.

Sacred Tree Market- Sunday September 21st .... An awesome tomatoey day!!

Saturday, September 13, 2014

September 21st Sacred Tree Market Part 1-VEGES & SOAP!

An incredible crop of mint!
 It's been a brilliant Spring on both Cindale Herb Farm and Little Black Cow Farm. This time on the blog in part 1 we are talking veges and soap. In part 2  we will be reading about Helen's AMAZING  heirloom tomatoes.

Our organically grown vege boxes are totally chemical free and have come to be a popular reason for local people to call in at the stall as soon as the market opens.

Some people ask us why we don't do more than a few organically grown vege boxes when they are such good value and people snap them up. The reason is quality and sticking to our principles.
Purple Kale loving Spring!!
The reason we put so much work into making sure our vege boxes are organically grown is because we are feeding our own families with this food. That means the incentive to grow a good quality product is based on sound ethical  reasons and not reason for profit. We are simply sharing the excess of a really good product that we are consuming ourselves!

Our regular customers can not believe how long the veges last once they get them home and in the fridge. One customer said, 'I can't believe that I have had these leafy greens in fridge and a week later they are still fresh- the reason is our picking method. It involves no long haul trucks, no food miles and an early morning picking frenzy!

Sunrise over Branxton 
On the day of the market Helen and Kim get up at 5am , and as soon as the sun comes up we are out picking those veges for the boxes. So by the time a customer races to pick up a box at the market at 9am , the veges are only 3-4 hours ' old , compared to the week old ( or older !) veges you buy in the supermarket. Imagine how many more vitamins and minerals there are as a result.

Sometimes at 5 am , we wonder if we are crazy going to all this effort to pick fresh. But then the sun rises over Branxton while you have an arm full of silverbeet or kale ...and you think that you are part of something pretty special!
Still selling our quirky hand made iron sculptures!







This time around we have some awesome Spring veges - broccolli sprouts, vibrant orange cumquats, celery , kale, snow peas , lettuce,various herbs, broad beans, just to name a few!  ....come and have a look , the variety is awesome!
Early morning on the farm.
Whether you love juicing or just love fresh crunchy veges that are chemical free - this is going to be an awesome vege box to take home! We even have a few smaller 'juicing' bags with lovely leafy greens.


 The other thing Kim is doing in the early hours of market morning is milking her goat Snow.
Snow kidded this Spring and is now producing lots of fresh goat's milk.
Kim uses this milk to make her famous goat milk soaps. Why goat's milk soaps? Our Goat milk soaps are great for people with allergies and intolerances . We do not add anything artificial to the recipe.
Freshly made goat milk soap just poured into the tray.
It is a little unusual to buy goat milk soap and actually be able to tell the people the goat's name that the milk for the product came from! But that's the way we like it - a small enterprise that connects with people who care about where things come from.



A bowl of foamy fresh hand milked goat milk. 
 You can't get more natural than this! So come and buy some real farm veges and goat milk soap and notice the difference.



We will also be encouraging you to grow your own veges with our advanced seedling range that we have arranged especially for the September market! !!!


























Monday, June 9, 2014

You Are On The Road To Herbsville -find out how to get there!

“I’m not good with herbs”,
“I think it died because of me”,
“They don’t grow for me”  

Fear not!  If you have ever muttered these words as a frustrated herb grower during the winter months it more than likely wasn’t your gardening skills that have caused your problems.  Not all herbs grow all the time.  Some herbs don’t grow well in winter at all, some even go dormant.
Herbs are amongst the easiest, most pleasurable and beneficial plants to grow when you are pointed in the right direction.  They are truly hardy plants when planted at the right time of year, and in the right conditions.
Here are a few tips for success in your winter herb garden. 
-          Only plant herbs that will grow and survive in Winter.  “What herbs grow well in Winter?” you ask – not Basil.  Basil unfortunately unless in a hot house or similar location will not survive winter.  Its’ Winter counterpart that in turn will not survive well in summer and will bolt to seed is Coriander.  Some herbs you should be looking for are Coriander, Thyme, Winter Tarragon, Rosemary, Chervil, Parsley, Perpetual Spinach, Roquette, Winter Savory, Chicory and Sage to stick to the basic culinary needs and a good start to your winter herb garden. 
-          Remember not all herbs last more than a year or season.  Know your annuals, biennials and short lived perennials this will save you a lot of heart ache and belief you are responsible for your herbs not surviving.   An Annual herb goes through its life cycle from germination to death within one year e.g. Coriander, Dill.  A Biennial herb goes through its life cycle from germination to death in two growing seasons e.g. some varieties of Parsley.  A Perennial herb lives for several to many seasons going through a number of flowering and seeding cycles in that period e.g. Rosemary, Thyme, Sage,  Lemongrass.   Always remember there are short and long lived perennials too.
-          Position and Watering.  Many Mediterranean and woody herbs like rosemary, Lavender and Thyme need a sunny well drained position as they originated from dry climates.  Watering should be cut back in winter to avoid soggy feet and rot.  Overwatering and poor drainage during winter is the number one cause of woody herbs not making it through the winter months, particularly during heavy rainfall periods.  Many soft leaf herbs such as Coriander, Chervil or Dill are happy to be positioned in full sun to part shade in winter as long as they are well drained and only need to be kept moist not wet.  
-          Growing in Pots.  Pots are a great way to ensure good drainage and if your area is prone to frost, tender soft herbs can be moved closer to the house or under shelter to avoid frost damage.  Potted culinary herbs can also be grown on a sunny window sill in the kitchen so they are close at hand.  When growing in pots remember to feed your herbs an organic fertiliser for lush growth.  Also make sure your pot is big enough to allow the roots of the herb enough space to develop. 

Hopefully this will point you in the right direction and remember we can be found for a chat about herbs or vegies at Sacred Tree Markets this Sunday

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Farm Fresh Organically Grown Veges.


 Farm Fresh Organically Grown Veges. 

Two little local farms ....two little local gardens......
two farm girls gardening organically. 



We are starting to plan our organically grown vege boxes ...what shall we put in them this time.?There will be a limited number of boxes because we are sharing our garden with you.

So much to choose from  and all chemical free . 

Our additives are the love we put into our garden, the Hunter Valley sun and lots of hard work. 


So...if you want to support a local farm , you want to change the world a little by the way you shop- email us at davidnkim@bigpond.com  and order a box (limited numbers - but the garden will grow more boxes each month)


Friday, May 16, 2014

Winter Vege Gardening

Photo: We've got some sweet videos coming your way to get you started.
There is so much power gained from having your own garden and growing your own food. Most things seem tricky until you start ...then you find out it isn't that difficult afterall. There are four main things you need for a vege garden to start... soil /sun/water/seed.To buy your own food is complicated, expensive and involves driving to the shop , using petrol and maybe having to do your hair and put on makeup. Gardening is such an easier way to obtain your food - you just walk outside , plant a seed, water it and it grows....or if you want to be a bit quicker, just pop some seedlings in the ground....annnd you don't need to do your hair and put on makeup..or spend a great deal of money.
The next time you are shopping , add up how much you are spending on vegetables. Keep a record over a week of this. Then add up how much it costs to buy a punnet of seedlings that keep on giving , like silver beet,broccolli, caulis and lettuce.There is another pay back you get apart from growing your own food, you get exercise, your family is not consuming pesticides on their vegetables and you get to be out in the sunshine instead of under fluorescent lights.
Something to think about anyway!

Hand Made On The Farm At Sacred Tree Market Branxton- Vegetable Seedlings

Have you ever come to our garden stall and said the following,’Yeah, I like Summer for gardening….it is too hard in Autumn and Winter.’
Yeah we know you…. You look wistfully at the broccoli and caulis , tearing your eyes away from the Kale you are dying to buy  as the memories of many plants killed fill your gardening consciousness. Off you walk dreaming of the winter garden you can never have…. While visions of cabbage moth holes in leaves, maybe the day you forgot to water on a windy day ,the day the chickens escaped from their coop and scratched up your seedlings , and the day you were weeding and forgot your plants weren’t weeds

. Helen and Kim aren’t  just market people…we are garden counsellors… we have been where you have been and we have clawed our way back to having vegetables right through Winter in our garden and you can do it too. We are here for you as you wistfully remember that half grown broccoli plant that didn’t survive last season .

The first thing to remember is that Winter vegetables like cauli and broccoli take a while to grow. But if you are just starting out, Asian greens like bok choy, mizuna, tatsoi and many lettuces actually love the cooler weather. Salads in Winter you ask? Yes ..that’s right …salads in Winter. We call them ‘green salads’ – all of those Winter greens tossed around with a little local olive oil from Aroyln Grove)at the market) , some lovely cheese from ,….. ( at the market!) and some gorgeous sourdough from Morpeth Sourdough at Branxton IGA or Black Bird Artisan bakery at the market. The best thing about Asian greens is that in about 3 -4 weeks time you will be eating something you have planted. For impatient people, Asian greens and cos lettuces are the way to go in Winter gardening-they also self seed really easily.


Okay , once you have mastered Winter Greens, the next thing is the brassicas! Sounds like the name of a brass band, but in fact covers the family of kale, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few. These steamed winter veg sitting on a plate, maybe covered in a cheese sauce or adding colour to a Winter Casserole are really, really , really good for you. We are talking SUPER FOOD!!  When you eat these you feel like you can take on the world . Imagine how much more world you could take on if you were eating these organic straight from your own garden.All great for juicing too, so you can never plant too many.


 We can hear the whinging already…no it is not too hard. Number one rule with brassicas- plant them somewhere you walk past each day…. Because each day a little white cabbage moth will be passing by to lay her little yellow or white eggs on the back of the leaves ….which in turn will turn into caterpillars. This is soooooooo easy, every day or so , just wipe off the eggs on the back of the leaves and your caterpillars will never happen.


Number two method- for people who get distracted easily and can’ t check every couple of days- buy some mosquito netting or fruit fly netting. Just drape over your plants and the moths will never get in.


Number 3 method- Dipel – for people who don’t really do something until it happens… sometimes coming into Summer the cabbage moths really arc up …. Dipel is a natural organic method ( just google it ) …it uses a bacteria that just gets the caterpillars but not you. You just spray it on and the caterpillars eat it.

Number 4 method- Companion Planting.
Moths get really distracted by the following …. Strong smells and erratic all over  the place planting through a patch. This means that if you have a really strong smelling herb near  your brassicas the moths have trouble finding them  . The other thing moths look for is lovely straight lines, so throw out  this way of thinking by planting in amongst other leafy greens and don’t plant in straight lines.The moths will be standing there scratching their heads going , 'What the...where did all the brassicas go?'

We suggest you try the brassicas (ie caulis, broccolli) one more time . It is just a matter of knowing what to do and you won’t have any problems. We also suggest using a well manured bed that is high in nutrients. Of course each year rotate your plantings so that diseases do not build up in your garden.

The average organic broccoli plant can cost nearly $8.00 per kg. The average standard planted broccoli head will cost $4.00 per kg and will have had unknown things done to it with regards to pesticide use . The average broccoli plant planted by you costs a bit of tender loving care ,the cost of the seedling or seed  and the added benefit that no nutrients are  lost because you pick it just before you cook it.

Oh and the best thing of all about self sprouting broccoli? Once you have picked the main head, ifyou keep looking after the plant you can keep picking and picking the side shoots.In one family we know, 8 plants covered them for the whole Winter because of the side shoots.

We have oodles of cauliflower on sale this Sunday for just $2.00 per seedling. This is a special not to be missed and we will set you up with gardening advice to make sure in a few months time you are eating your very own organic cauliflower.





Salad burnett- a great addition to salads and winter soups on sale this Sunday.
Herbs- Herbs are really beneficial to plants that are susceptible to insects. The smell just confuses them.
They are also a great Winter plant to grow for soups ,casseroles and salads.
As far as Winter herbs go some herbs to plant in cooler months are: 
Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Dill, Coriander, Thyme, Salad Burnett.  All of which can be used in soups, stir-fries, casseroles, and salads.  Helen from Cindale Herb Farm has some beautiful Italian flat leaf parsley, curly parsley, sage, salad burnett and lemon Thyme ready for a new home.  Remember , basil is a Summer herb and we do not sell it over Winter because it just won't grow...  why not use thyme spread over your pizza,salad or casserole instead of basil.  
Herbs are great place to start for beginning gardeners.







In the comments section, let us know what worries you have about Winter Veges and we will endeavour to reply to as many as we can. In the meantime seriously think about planting Winter veges  and let us know how you go next time you are at the Sacred Tree Market.We will have some cauli flower seedlings and other winter veges at the market on May 18th. Even ,if not ready to buy seedlings, come and have a talk to us about how to start a garden...you might be pleasantly surprised just how easy it is!

If you want to learn more about gardening itself, Little Black Cow Farm occasionally runs vege garden open days at just $10 per person. If you would like to be on the mailing list for this , just email Kim at littleblackcowbeef@gmail.com.











Thursday, May 15, 2014

BIG NEWS - Organic Vege Boxes Avaliable -ONLY TWO - READ ALL ABOUT IT !!

Big News: At Sacred Tree Markets this Sunday , Kim from Little Black Cow Farm and Helen from Cindale Herb Farm are offering 2 lovely boxes of organic veges picked on Sunday morning  at $40 each.We can only spare enough of this gorgeous organic produce to do two boxes, so be there early if you wish to take advantage of this opportunity.
The boxes will contain pak choi, choi sum, zuchini, red kale,lettuce,mesclun mix,baby carrots ,raddichio and herbs...all freshly picked on Sunday morning before the market.All your vege needs taken care of for the week and no added chemicals.







Once Upon A Time At The Little Black Cow Farm

 Once upon a time,
there were 7 little animals that were looking for a home. 
 Vincent the rooster wanted a place to crow and bring in the morning.




Rascal the Rabbit just wanted a patch of grass of his own ...maybe near a rabbit hutch with some other rabbits to keep him company.

 Speckle the bantam hen wanted somewhere to creatively scratch in the garden.
 Sophie the lamb wanted a garden to dance in and be silly.
 And the little red hen, apart from being extremely worried about the sky falling.... wanted a place where she could shine in the sun and bring colour into the life of someone.

So they all lined up and headed to Sacred Tree Market. A place where dreams come true and new owners are there to be found and loved. 
And everyone lived happily ever after.