From garden to kitchen: experts talk about how to grow your own…

June 18, 2013

With Australia mesmerised by reality TV cooking shows like Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules, it’s little wonder foodies are paying more attention to where their ingredients come from. We all like to buy Australian grown… but what if you could find what you need in your own backyard?

At this year’s Queensland Garden Expo in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, there’ll be a line-up of gardening and cooking experts ready to share their knowledge about taking ingredients straight from the garden and into the kitchen.

The likes of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis, Queensland Presenter Jerry Coleby-Williams and Cameron Matthews, Executive Chef at Spicer’s Clovelly, will be part of the action at the three day green extravaganza which runs from 5 -7 July at the Nambour Show Grounds on the Sunshine Coast.

Queensland Gardening Expo Event Manager Marion Beazleysaid this year’s line up of guest speakers at both the Gardeners and Gourmets Stage and the Kitchen Garden would demonstrate ways to incorporate ingredients straight from the garden into our favourite meals.

“At the Gardeners and Gourmets Stage you can learn how to prepare a delicious meal with a Sri Lankan twist using fresh herbs and spices, make tasty gluten free and grain free breads and cakes, grow and use a range of mushrooms and even what tasty things to grow to put in your cup of tea,” said Ms Beazley.

“And at the Kitchen Garden, there’ll be a fully planted sustainable garden onsite as well as talks about how to grow and use medicinal herbs, growing edible green walls, when and how to grow vegetables and tips and tricks to keeping an organic garden.”

“And there’ll be plenty of fresh food samples to try too!”

Ms Beazley said there is an increasing trend toward productive gardens.

“There has been resurgence in recent years of home grown and locally sourced produce and we see that each year with attendance at the Gardeners and Gourmets Stage and the Kitchen Garden,” said Ms Beazley.

“Gardeners want to know not only how to grow and nurture their vegetable patch but also how to turn the fruits of their labour into healthy, delicious meals. We’ve responded to this demand by adding this new dimension to the Expo and we’re confident it will be a crowd pleaser.”

Also expected to be popular this year is native Australian cuisine and bush foods expert, Peter Wolfe who has become very sought after for his flair for combining the delicate of flavours of Australian Bush foods and spices with fresh locally grown produce.

There will also be the ever-popular Giant Kitchen Garden for visitors to explore, featuring an organic food court and a fully planted sustainable garden.

Barbara Wickes, who has co-ordinated the Kitchen Garden at the Expo for eight years, said the display would feature a variety of herbs, vegetables, unusual subtropical edible plants, fruit trees, colourful garden beds for kids and even some chickens!

“Our special outdoor garden will show how to create a productive as well as ornamental area for any sized backyard,” said Mrs Wickes.

“Each year the Kitchen Garden becomes bigger and busier. With the wild weather we have every summer in Australia people are wanting to be more sustainable so when supplies are cut off, they don’t have to go without their favourite produce.”

Between the lectures and workshops, there will also be more than 20 market stalls to explore, offering everything from organic fertilizer and seedlings, to advice on how to set up your own worm farm or fish pond.

For more information about the Gardeners and Gourmets Stage and the Kitchen Garden at the Queensland Garden Expo, visitwww.qldgardenexpo.com.au and keep an eye out for the schedule of speakers and workshops.

EXPO EXTRAS
The importance of Pollinators with Noel Burdette

Top five reasons we need pollinators in the garden
1. As the name implies, pollinators transfer pollen from flower to flower and help to keep plant species alive by helping them to produce viable seed for the next generation of plants.
2. Got a veggie patch or some fruit trees? Pollinators increase production in your backyard.
3. Bees are great pollinators but in recent years, there has been a rapid decline in their population world-wide because of the use of chemical sprays. Without bees, food production will grind to a halt.
4. Pollinators such as ants, caterpillars, butterflies and beetles are food sources for predators like birds and frogs.
5. What child doesn’t love chasing a butterfly around a garden, catching a beetle in their hands or watching a dragonfly land elegantly on a flower? Pollinators are great educational tools for kids too!

Top five how to attract pollinators to your garden
1. Plant flowers and lots of them! Try planting any member of the daisy family and watch it attract wildlife from miles around.
2. Plant herbs. Not only are herbs delicious in cooking but they’re also great for the holistic health of your garden.
3. Don’t use chemicals… go organic! If you do use chemicals, try not to spray when plants are within one month of flowering.
4. Don’t over manicure your garden. Help to create healthy habitats for your creepy crawly friends.
5. Don’t limit yourself to only a few types of plants. The more variety you have in your garden the healthier the ecosystem will be. Biodiversity is the key!

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