Yesterday I collected about 8 cones from our Bunya Pine. The tree is high on the slope at the back of our block but fortunately when the cones drop they roll down to near the chook house so we can easily collect them. I have 
removed all of the nuts and 
weighed them
- 4.4kg with the husks on. They are currently boiling and then the next step will be to remove the husks. I will then spread them out to dry and after that they will be roasted in a warm oven. I plan to grind the nuts and freeze them once they are ground. That way I will be able to use them at my leisure in a variety of recipes. This the first year I have actually planned on using the nuts so it is a new adventure. Watch upcoming posts for more bush tucker news.
From the slightly more cultivated garden area I am still picking zucchini and cherry tomatoes. The highlight of today was the white flesh peach that G found on the dwarf peach tree. We shared it and the taste is simply like nothing you buy in the shops. It is not hard to remember why we grow our own produce. I plan for 2009 to be the year when I have all of my fruit fly controls in place so that hopefully we will be able to get a decent harvest of nectarines and peaches. I finally made the cucumber pickles today that I talked about at least a week ago. The delay has been getting some yellow mustard seeds without making a special 80km round trip.
Tonight I also made some more fruit loaves using a combination of dried apricots, dates and chopped almonds. This combination seems to be a winner with everyone.
I mended some of G's socks using the zigzag stitch on the machine. There were not true holes but rather some very thin patches which I have reinforced before they become holes. Remember, "a stitch in time saves nine". This certainly holds true for the socks and they are so much easier to do before there is an actual hole.
I also must not forget that today is Sunday and therefore, "No Spend Sunday". Not only did I not spend but I actually made money today - $50 for a tall wall unit which I finally managed to get rid of. We inherited it with a previous house purchase but it is now excess to our requirements. The recipients are very happy with it and we are pleased to have the space.
removed all of the nuts and 
weighed them- 4.4kg with the husks on. They are currently boiling and then the next step will be to remove the husks. I will then spread them out to dry and after that they will be roasted in a warm oven. I plan to grind the nuts and freeze them once they are ground. That way I will be able to use them at my leisure in a variety of recipes. This the first year I have actually planned on using the nuts so it is a new adventure. Watch upcoming posts for more bush tucker news.
From the slightly more cultivated garden area I am still picking zucchini and cherry tomatoes. The highlight of today was the white flesh peach that G found on the dwarf peach tree. We shared it and the taste is simply like nothing you buy in the shops. It is not hard to remember why we grow our own produce. I plan for 2009 to be the year when I have all of my fruit fly controls in place so that hopefully we will be able to get a decent harvest of nectarines and peaches. I finally made the cucumber pickles today that I talked about at least a week ago. The delay has been getting some yellow mustard seeds without making a special 80km round trip.
Tonight I also made some more fruit loaves using a combination of dried apricots, dates and chopped almonds. This combination seems to be a winner with everyone.
I mended some of G's socks using the zigzag stitch on the machine. There were not true holes but rather some very thin patches which I have reinforced before they become holes. Remember, "a stitch in time saves nine". This certainly holds true for the socks and they are so much easier to do before there is an actual hole.
I also must not forget that today is Sunday and therefore, "No Spend Sunday". Not only did I not spend but I actually made money today - $50 for a tall wall unit which I finally managed to get rid of. We inherited it with a previous house purchase but it is now excess to our requirements. The recipients are very happy with it and we are pleased to have the space.
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