S and M bats

Well what do you know? Life couldn't get more exciting. Sitting in the garden last Friday, with a cool drink in hand and delicious snacks on plates in front of us, we looked at the swarms of bats, mm wrong word I think, streaming in from the direction of the sea towards the fig trees. Yes, I looked up the collective and it can be a colony of bats, most possibly said when they are asleep, or a cloud of bats. I like the cloud description; they scattered and screeched and fell into the trees in a noisy cacophony. Like so many feathered, raggedy clouds torn into pieces by the trees. Just be glad you don't live on Bellingen Island.

So there we were swapping bat stories when Ms Mova reported such close encounters from her deck that she could have leant out and touched them. "They are amazing," she said," I could see their little pink tongues and they were all dressed in black leather with little stilettos as they primped up the branches in search of the fruit."

Imagination was exchanged by hard labour on Saturday for the working bee. More piles of 'stuff' were moved around the garden. The fruit trees were surrounded by more soil and covered in the newly arrived mulch.
Barrow loaders spread out the mulch along the ends of the beds and of course Ms Teapenny was intrigued by all the movement and jumped onto the barrow to have a look. The others were not so impressed and kept quiet in the shade afforded by the door on such a muggy day.


And look what else we found! The most wonderful sweet potatoes from our plants which came from the sacking of Villiers. Thank you fellow community garden.


Ms Designer was checking out the radicchio helped by Lucy Legless and we started talking spinach recipes. "Just cook it with rice and lemon," she said. Sounds delicious. Ms Tagalong seemed to remember a wonderful recipe written out on a scruffy pink piece of paper which had travelled half the way across the world. Ms Tagalong's filing system never ceases to amaze, the recipe was located, so here it is and enjoy!


Spinach pie
450g spinach, washed and chopped
250g brown rice
500ml hot water
1 onion finely chopped
1 Tsp oil
1 tsp butter
2 Tsp chopped parsley
125g strong grated Cheddar cheese
2 large eggs (free range of course)

Topping
2 Tbs wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 Tbs melted butter
Cayenne pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste

1. Place butter and oil in a saucepan
2. When hot, saute the onion until tender
3. Stir in rice to coat then add the hot water
4. Simmer gently for 40mins
5. Turn into a large bowl to cool
6. Combine with cheese, eggs (lightly beaten) parsley and chopped spinach
7. Season well with masses of grated nutmeg
8. Place into a well-oiled pie dish
9. Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and cayenne pepper and place in a medium oven for 35mins.

Roosters rock the rafters

Well here we go with more chicken stories.
Cycling home from work last week by herself, Ms Tagalong cycled quickly past the garden fence and screeched to a halt outside Ms Mova's house. Knock, knock, Ms Mova what are those other chickens doing in there?
What chickens? she said from the depths of her comfy chair. We raced together into the garden and viewed the new imports. One extremely glossy blue black proud looking beast and a small multi-coloured cheeky one with feathery feet. Oh they are beautiful, I whispered, who could have brought them?

Ms Mova sighed and Ms Mova thinks she might have said something rude. Beautiful! They're bl**** cockerels!


Oh no. What now? Yes, now Ms Tagalong could see; strutting around the pen, fighting with the hens and each other, spurs on their legs and of course the frightful crowing noise gaining in volume.

There was actually no prevarication, no hesitation, we had to catch them and dispose of them, as magnificent as they were. Ms Tagalong wasn't putting her hand up for neck wringing though and Ms Mova felt as squeamish. Coq au vin anyone? The solution was so secret we really can't tell you but be sure no chickens/roosters were killed in the making of this solution. The hens were very happy to be a feminist enclave again.

More chicken news when Ms Chicken Whisperer brought back the two sickly ones. Teapenny and Lucy legless, as they are now called, somehow became unwanted when a wandering spouse returned home. Ms Tagalong has suspicions that the naughty girls messed up the house hoping that he would stay away, to no avail! Ms Chicken Whisperer once more becomes Ms Designer and has grand plans or is it grand designs for some mosaic in the garden? Watch out for an interesting workshop.

Chickens forever

Ok Ms Tagalong promised you chickens! So what have they been doing now the weather is cooler?

Well not much really, the ground is still dust dry and they are scooping up as much moisture as they can. Ms Tagalong noticed with chagrin that the few scoops of water she threw at the Davidson plum last week have not sufficed. She thinks it might be a has-been but stranger things have happened, so not to be put off, Ms Tagalong crept under the bottlebrushes (getting trickier and trickier) to pour a compost bucket of water over the roots. The chickens of course were sure it was for their benefit and soon were beaks down, tails up around the poor expired plant.

Perusing the latest Organic Gardener I noticed that we have it confirmed that the little darlings are in great danger when faced with any day over 36degrees. Luckily they have a good shady run during the day, run being an operative word, as they weren't doing much running. In fact they were all smooshed up together huddling behind the Community Garden sign which is written on a door so thanks to our friends who have provided shade from the westerly sun.

Ms Tagalong was all for running out to the pen to check if their perch is far enough away from the roof. She didn't want to find that they had fallen off the perch literally due to stuffy nights when they are not 600mm away, but her common sense said that the perches were away from this death zone. Ms Tagalong spied the jostling that goes with the nightly going to bed. Our little laced neck chook is a bit of a bully actually. She flew straight up at one settled comfortably on the outer perch and they both fell off in a fluster of feathers and squawking. She then hopped up as quick as lightning and took prime position. When the former resident again took her place there was a bit of beak exchange and pecking until they topped and tailed with yet another and finally settled down.

Ms Chicken Whisperer and Ms Chicken Expert start planting the garlic please. Forget ratatouille and houmous it is the number one home-grown feed-crop for fowls, so continues the article. He grows more than a thousand garlic plants for the chicks! How many chickens does he feed? Ms Tagalong thinks our community garden members might miss the garlic heads.

And one more thing - nothing to do with chickens. Members of the book club spent a very pleasant evening sitting around the table, watching the bats fly in for the figs and idly discussing The Kite Runner. What a community spot!

Drought and flood

While Ms Tagalong is sitting sticking to her seat with sweat it's hard to think of productive community gardens, water (we now have none in the tanks)and plans for the autumn.

I did want to talk about yarrow. Well, I think that's what it is. It has pink flowers, fluffy leaves and is about the only thing growing in the garden besides the basil and the pumpkins which were also looking very wilted on my last foray into the garden. Talking about forays, I don't think people want to in this weather. They want to go to the beach, sit in a pool and drink long, cool drinks. Ms Tagalong is sure that most of our illustrious members don't actually need the excuse of the hot weather for a long, cool drink!

So, back to yarrow. What is it good for?


Having confirmed that Ms Tagalong's memory is correct, this drought hardy plant, (explains why it is growing in our community garden) is used as a blood stauncher. So those with nosebleeds, go no further, this is all you need.

But be careful; if you read further, It was one of the herbs dedicated to the Evil One, in earlier days, being sometimes known as Devil's Nettle, Devil's Plaything, Bad Man's Plaything, and was used for divination in spells.

If I catch Mr Ideasman or Mario out in the rain, dancing and singing swishing switches of yarrow I shall have to move in with Ms Mova - who knows what might happen being the plaything of a bad man!

Ms Tagalong has just walked into a very thankful garden after last night's deluge.
Unfortunately the taps had been left on so the first torrential downpour watered the concrete!! Thanks Ms Mova for spotting that and now hoping for more rain to replenish some very hollow receptacles.

For those of you who tune in to read only about chickens, you will not be disappointed....next week!

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig

Ms Tagalong had been away so long she couldn't remember how to get into the garden. She lurked along the fenceline, crooning to the chickens who of course were sure she was bringing them some tasty delights. One, two, three... oh no, one seems to be missing!

Catching up with Ms Mova later in the day Ms Tagalong found out that one of the ladies had actually keeled over in the heat; I could imagine the others clucking and fanning her with their concerned clipped wings; and had gone to the Chicken Whisperer to be healed. So now there will be invites for two chickens to dinner! Get well, little ladies.

Casting her critical eye around the drought-stricken garden, Ms Tagalong was pleased to see that the basil
and lettuce sown before her departure was growing very well and could see a lovely macadamia nut and basil pesto swirling before her eyes.

Gratifyingly the rhubarb has survived. Ms Mova had been 'encouraging' all to make sure that the plants had received some of the precious water during the drought weeks. 'Encouraging' is my word, beaten by a big stick might be more accurate!

Plants are struggling, gasping for any relief from the blazing sun. The tanks still have some water but I have been told that no rain has fallen the whole time Ms Tagalong and Mr Ideasman have been away.

The idea of an arts night might need to include a rain dance.


The nod of approval has been given to the wonderful signs painted by Paintpot Pat and the great mobile made from beads and shells. Candelabras grace the concrete and the idea of a mosaic is brewing in Ms Designer's brain I hear.

The neatness and order in the shed and potting shed is breathtaking. All tools and seeds neatly labelled and stored. Ms Tagalong is so looking forward to a good Autumn planting as she can now find the seeds she needs!

Disaster Bay Chillies

Bereft of another community garden to report on, Ms Tagalong thought you might like to know about this enterprising Eden venture. Certainly no disaster for the two friends Stuart and John who amalgamated forces growing organic chillis and turning them into award-winning produce.

They are not climatically as lucky as us in Newcastle and their 1-2 tonne chilli crop is annual, growing 15 different varieties together with 5 tonnes of tomatoes used in the various products. About 10,000 jars of each annually, Stuart told us, plus 10 – 12,000 bottles of wine. Half an acre produces enough for their needs. They plant 10% more than they need having decided to use no biological controls losing some to red grubs and ladybirds.

Ms Tagalong was initially seduced by the idea of sourcing local chilli chocolate after having bartered her last remaining bar for some bastard trumpeter at the camp-site.

For those unknowing gardeners, the bastard trumpeter (not an illegitimate relation to Winton Marsalis) is a very meaty fish.
Succulent and filleted, fresh from the sea, it very nearly made up for the ongoing lack of chocolate.

Back at the factory Ms Tagalong was disappointed to hear that the chocolate is only made in the cooler season and is in fact not much of a profit maker but an award winner, taking the best chocolate at Good Taste Awards in the UK.

Ms Tagalong hummed and hawed about what to buy:
Hot Chilli Wine – their signature product
Exotic Masala – Chilli sauce, spices personally blended by one of the two resident Indian ladies in the area

Spicy Kasounda – Indian Chutney
Chipotle Sauce – smoked jalapeno and garlic, a Mexican taste import. Imagine smoking these in the wood-fired pizza oven which we just must have!
Chilli wine liqueur – liqueur conserve
Lemon Stinger – Chilli marmalade, more a Zinger, said John, but the herbal teas have cornered the name on that one!
So what would you have done? Probably listen to Mr Ideasman and buy one of each!

Where on earth did the idea for a chilli wine come from, we asked Stuart?
You might say that Stuart saw a light, literally, after his stint as Green Cape lighthouse-keeper.

He had learnt the recipe from an old bushman he used to camp with and after making some brews he floated the idea to go commercial by his friend John, an organic market gardener.

John asked his wife, who said no. Stuart then gave John's wife a sample and she said yes!
The rest, as they say, is history with more and more awards stacking up and....you will be happy to know all products can be purchased at Newcastle Farmer's Market.

Although Ms Tagalong and Mr Ideasman were both offered jobs cooking the two giant kettles of tomatoes (8-9 hours, reduced with no thickeners)
they declined but did take the proffered manzana chillis, black-seeded to plant in the garden.

Now, who has a big kettle?

Community Garden Visit - Number 2

Ms Tagalong was, as usual, wandering two steps behind Mr Ideasman. This time it was through Moruya markets, when she spotted a small stall with organic produce.
'Is there a community garden in Moruya?' she eagerly asked.
'Oh yes, are you interested in joining?'
Sadly we declined but agreed to go and have a look at SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture & Gardening Eurobodalla) an enviable acre and a half just outside the town centre. Eat your heart out Treefrog Permaculture! Just the size for a city farm.


Sage has the aims of increasing the quantity of locally grown food and 'growing the growers', returning this area to the market garden production it was known for. Using sustainable farming practices and the co-operation and assistance of TAFE (mm, could be an idea for us) the 'garden' is still in its developmental stages.

We admired the rather grand crop of marrows and wandered around some of the smaller plots which the lady at the markets had explained were individually tended.


The market had run out of basil to go on the lovely fresh tomatoes so Ms Tagalong was hoping to glean some and had just picked off the tips of some flowering plants when a striped lady strode purposefully towards us.

Ms Tagalong clutched her illicit basil guiltily behind her back hoping the clinch wouldn't release too much of that undeniable basil smell.
'We're from Tighes Hill Community Garden in Newcastle,' we smiled.
Mr Ideasman talked and we found out that like most ventures, there is a dedicated core. About 15-20 participants regularly attend the working bees on this most fertile flood plain beside the river.


'We are lucky,' Ms Stripes said, 'some of our members are semi-retired landowners who have the machinery to keep this under control. We have just had so much rain and everything just grows and grows.'

Mr Ideasman and I admired a prolific unknown crop and enquired as to what it was.

'Oh it's just a weed', she said,'the whole place was covered with it at the beginning. I think there's a potato crop underneath.'

Standing nearly 1 ½ metres high with light blue flowers and fruit something like a cape gooseberry it was certainly most impressive. Pity it was a weed!

We spotted a solar-driven bore, a skeleton for a herb garden and an orchard.

Once Ms Stripes had gone with her lunchtime lettuce we gleaned a few more herbs and a very small lettuce, honestly it was very small and they were all threatening to go to seed!


Tiger prawns, fresh Italian bread, tomato and lettuce salad garnished with the purloined basil – a lunch fit for visiting community gardeners!