Day 38

There really is nothing like going to your own garden in the cool of the day and harvesting delicious, fresh, organic food for the evening meal. My strawberries from Trevallan Lifestyle Centre will hopefully becoming a raging patch of red as the months cool down. I love visiting TLC it is so relaxing, cool and peaceful and the greenhouse and Chelsea is a wealth of knowledge for beginners like me. There is still so much to learn, so.... inspired by friends here who are teaching me by example and the Kitchen Gardens International movement we launched the inaugural Ipswich Kitchen Gardening Meet-Up tonight at Leichhardt Community Centre. It was a great turn-out of people who are at varying stages of learning to grow food. From those of us who are very new to gardening to our older friends who can literally throw some coriander seeds on the ground and week later a big crop has sprung up (and yes I have seen them do it!) the potential of what will unfold as we connect and empower one another is exciting. Friends who hadn't yet had a chance to visit the kitchen garden on the grounds, strolled down and were inspired by what has been achieved in quite a small area. Most residential blocks would have close to the space in the backyard so I encourage you to take the time to visit. We had some time of sharing information, harvest and seeds and then finished the evening over a light supper. Rada and Shiva - a beautiful Indian couple (yes the coriander sprinklers!) were terribly mean, tempting me with their delicious fried rice and bamboo shoot curry so I have told them I will be visiting them for dinner in April! Adrienne brought some delicious kale chips from Wray however I think someone may have devoured the whole bowl....(oops)