GARDEN UPDATE JANUARY 2014

What is happening in the garden….

The New Year always brings laughter and joy to all and here at Cullen’s is no different. It can be especially heard from children climbing the mulberry trees to pick fruit and explore and from the parents and adults who have fond memories of such joy. And now is the time for harvest of mulberries, right up to the start of grape harvest. Unbelievably we have picked over 100kg of mulberries so far over past three weeks and will pick again the same over the next month. This does not include the fruit eaten by birds from the top of the trees and that which is consumed by the adventurous kids. It’s great bio dynamics to share and is an integral part of Cullen’s philosophy.

The mulberries will become jam and also served on the Cullen platter daily.

The tomatoes are at peak cropping right now. The good ole’ ox heart variety “Hungarian Heart “topping the scales with one specimen reaching 1kg in weight. Other varieties producing are “ Tommy Toe”, “ Black Cherry” and “Juanne Flamme “. Tromboncino zucchini’s again are hitting the ground every metre, every week with constant edibles. They are picked at about 30cm long, but can grow to a metre plus with one such on display in the restaurant. Our twenty plants of yellow scallop squash, soaking sunshine, shall soon keep the new gardener Jaimie Orkin busy indeed.

Sadly I am leaving the Cullen environment of garden, kitchen, cellar door, winery and restaurant for a lifestyle and family change. A year’s experience at Cullen growing biodynamic vegetables has been very satisfying and an education in organic and biodynamic practice that is irreplaceable. It is with absolute confidence that the enthusiasm and knowledge of Jaimie will continue the Quality, Integrity and Sustainability of the garden. Welcome to the lush fertile soil of this garden Jaimie and good luck.

All those plants from last month that were near harvest time are now ending up in the kitchen with Dave Hull and team slicing, drying, reducing, baking, seasoning, preparing and serving to all whom consume at the restaurant. These crops are eggplant, green beans, tomatoes, squash, snake beans, radish, beetroot, leeks, herbs, salad greens, cucumbers and mulberries.

The Lemon guava and Feijoa that form a screen around the vegetable garden have had another good fruit set and will be netted soon to keep the twenty eights away. These fruit won’t be ready for another month, even two for the Feijoa. In the spiral garden we have erected two arches for passionfruit to grow over.

We are currently collecting English Spinach, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Salsify, Carrot, Artichoke and Radish seed.

WE ARE CURRENTLY HARVESTING…

Tomatoes, Zucchini, Eggplant, Squash, Cucumbers, Tatsoi, Mizuna, Rocket, Beetroot, Salad Greens, Herbs Galore, Flowers, Radish and MULLBERRIES!! Yahoo!!

Thank you all again 🙂

If anyone has any queries in regards to the garden please feel welcome to ask…
Jaimie