One step closer to self sustainability...

Anyone that knows me well knows that I jump on the bandwagon of any and all "good causes" and make every effort to take a step each and every day to be closer to self sustainable. Having read Tim Flannery's "The Weathermakers" and been a close follower and fan of Treehugger and Planetgreen for quite some time, I am constantly on the search for ways that I can reduce my carbon footprint (cliche'd and overused term I know). I would love to say that I had gone vegetarian for the cause, but sadly, I can't seem to go without a good dose of meat. So instead, my latest effort is to switch beef for kangaroo! Yes I'm sure some of you are appalled, but having read up on a bit of a the literature, it seems to have some merit. It is meant to be healthier for you, and there is significantly less carbon omitted in its production. Will have to let you know how I go.

One of the great things about moving to Manjimup was the space and climate to grow my own vegetables afforded by a block of land, rather than a city unit. OK... so I hadn't bargained on such a HUGE amount of room, but nonetheless I'm very grateful. I am slowly but surely experimenting with different veggies, and companion planting. Some things work - and some things go to the big veggie heaven in the sky. My compost heap is usually the recipient of such attempts. And as most of you will attest to (whether it be art or just life in general) - often it is those attempts that look like dismal failures part way through, that turn into your most prized results.

Take my onions for example ... now these were planted at least 9 months ago and didn't look like doing a great deal. I talked to them, watered them and willed them to grow bigger. They just sat there ... not doing a great deal for at least 6 months (me thinks I might have planted them at the wrong time - despite my Gardening Australia diary). But as the days got longer and the weather started to warm... they just exploded upwards - and outwards. And here is this years onion crop, with 2 token zucchini sitting on top. I picked those this evening as well.

Based on my bathroom scales, I've got 11kg of onions here. Fingers crossed these last the best part of a year if stored well, seeing as I only use about 250grams a week of onions in my cooking.

Now when you read up on the literature on growing onions, it does suggest that you need to leave them in the ground until the tops start to brown and bend over. Well mine were still going strong and threatening to be whoppers, so pulled them out early and left them on the ground for a week - 10 days to dry out. But still managed to have these monster sized onions that will take some imagination to cook with.

OK so my photo taking skills aren't great... but you get the idea!

This little beauty weighs 550grams - a whopping 1/2 a kg. WOW! That is a teacup saucer if you were wondering what the plate was that it was sitting on.

So I'm now settling down to a quick quiche, that contains among other things onion, zucchini and eggs that my own little farm provided, with a serve of lemon cordial that I made during winter and I'm thinking I might follow that up with poached nectarines (from the farmer down the road) with icecream. MMMMmmmm. There is a lot to be said for the satisfaction drawn from a meal from your own produce.

In my dreams I still want to be a commune dwelling hippie, with plait-able armpit hair! If only it didn't appear to be such hard work.