Marcelle Nankervis

Bee Hive Maintenance

2014-08-30T12:36:00.001+10:00

Today is an exciting day ... Hive maintenance!

The end of winter marks the time to check hives and prepare them for spring and mass honey production.

Thanks for your help today Vince! The Hive Hilton appreciates your expertise.

Ellendale's first piglets

2014-08-24T07:40:00.001+10:00

We are proud to announce the arrival of our first piglet's. Overnight Abby successfully delivered six beautiful Wessex Saddleback piglets. Only the size of a 600ml drink bottle, they are very active and mum is very tired. Looks like we won't be getting many farm jobs done today!

Pigs may not fly, but they build nests!

2014-08-23T23:15:00.001+10:00

Carl (my husband), and I regularly refer to everyday on the farm as a school day. We are continually learning, not only about farming, animal husbandry and cooking, but about ourselves too.

The last 24 hours has actually been a huge learning curve and revelation. When we decided to ethically farm and produce our own meat and veg, we did this for many reasons, one of them being the more questions you ask, the more you find out ... and knowledge thrusts you into a world of decisions. You can no longer plead ignorance and just role with convention.

Last weekend there was a peaceful demonstration on the steps of H and M in Melbourne about the cruelty of factory farmed pigs. This is something we abhore, which is one reason why we grow our own meat, however this is the first time our pigs have been large enough to breed, and this year we will welcome our first farm born piglets.

So why am I rabbiting on about factory farming ... Because today I learnt something else - pigs make nests. Yes, I am serious. I came home from my daughters basketball game to see Abby (our pregnant sow) making a nest. She was gathering straw, sticks, leaves and numerous other items from her paddock to make a huge nest. We then gave her extra items and were enthralled, watching her prepare for the birth of her piglets. It was so beautiful, and natural to see her prepare, not unlike any expectant parent.

Apparently this means that we can expect piglets within 24 hours, which is so overwhelmingly exciting. My point, aside from this amazing piece of news, was how distressing it must be to be a factory pig having piglets, not able to do what is natural. I know many people would frown upon us eating meat altogether, however I know that we are doing the best we can for our family, our animals and our role on the planet.

Pigs really are amazing characters, and watching her today was truley a special moment.

Three Eggs

2014-04-12T08:44:00.001+10:00

It amazes me that something so small can be turned into so much. In only half an hour of prep time, I took three small free range chicken eggs (these are from first time layers so still very small) and turned them into a jar of mayonnaise and a pavlova.

The egg yolks went into the mayo, and the whites went into the pav. When I am completely happy with the mayonnaise recipe I will post it along with the pav recipe.

Simple pleasures ...

Happiness is a great Breakfast

2014-03-26T10:24:00.001+11:00

Happiness is a great breakfast ... And I highly recommend Top Paddock (658 Church St, Richmond).

Not only do they embrace the importance of provenance and seasonality, they clearly care about flavour and food.

My Eggs Benedict with ham hock was amazing.

Still smiling ... Thanks Top Paddock for a great start to the day!

Butter and Buttermilk

2014-03-16T10:26:00.001+11:00

What do you do when you have extra cream? I did think about making creme brûlée ... But opted for butter instead. So easy and so yummy. And with the buttermilk ... Martha Stewarts buttermilk pancakes. They were light, fluffy and completely delicious.

You don't need raw milk or cream for this. I used store bought cream and the results were amazing. Try it .. my kids loved being involved, learning where their food comes from and we will be using unadulterated butter instead of some processed store bought alternative. Even blocks of butter contain cream, water and salt. My butter, is just cream and pink lake salt. Yum!!

Mozzarella - you have to make your own!

2014-01-09T20:55:00.000+11:00

I had some raw milk left, because deliveries were very close together over the holiday period, so I made a round of Romano cheese, a batch of natural Yoghurt and then looked for something else ... something more delicious than just a smoothie for the kids .... I made Mozzarella and it is fabulous!

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's mozzarella, beetroot and balsamic

So simple, so delicious and so heavenly, I must thank Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his amazing recipes and for sharing his expertise.

I want to encourage everyone to try to make something yourself ... anything! Yoghurt is easily made from UHT milk if that is what you prefer. You don;t have to be a complete self-sufficient nut - I like to think that if you like good food, then this is the road to take.

What do you get when you cross ...

2013-11-10T13:38:00.001+11:00

What do you get when you cross a polish rooster with a Isa brown hen?

After, two weeks, they look like the chicken version of Mr T!!! Let's hope they find their mojo soon and outgrow this awkward phase ...

A few facts about Chicken eggs

2013-11-10T09:00:00.001+11:00

Quail eggs

2013-11-06T17:02:00.001+11:00

Oscar, my 6 year old son begged us to buy quail so that he could sell the eggs. After 6 months, his dream has finally paid off!

The only problem is ... He needs to stop eating the profits!!

I may try and find some interesting recipes for him to try. May as well cultivate that mini MasterChef now!

DIY Alpaca Doona

2013-10-04T08:08:00.001+10:00

Our alpaca, Kerry, had his first hair cut yesterday. It was amazing to see him with his cost off! Our lovely big, fat alpaca was reduced to looking like a thin deer or greyhound, but the amount of fleece we got off him was amazing!

With hopes and dreams of making our own king size Doona from his fleece, I was sure this would be a long term project, maybe four shearings would give us enough fleece ... But as you can see, we have ample!

Now to decide where to start. I'll post pics of the finished product ... As long as it is not a complete disaster!! Wish me and my Janome luck!

I can't believe I made butter!

2013-09-26T07:45:00.001+10:00

I made this butter using the cream off one week old raw milk and it was delicious! It did have a strong almost blue flavour, but my 8 year old could not get enough of it. I know, there is not a lot, but I'm going for quality over quantity. This may become my daughters new job each week.

Homemade butter is definitely worth a try. Just whip the cream until it separates, then beat some more, drain the butter milk and put aside. Remove the solid clumps of butter and add a little salt, mixing well to form butter. Enjoy!

Avocado Chips and more!

2013-06-25T11:29:00.001+10:00

I have just stumbled across a recipe for Avocado chips. Yep, that's right ... Chips! Simply take an avocado, slice it up, coat it in egg and seasoned breadcrumbs and then fry the slices into chips and serve them with a tangy mayonnaise.

I'll shelve this one away until my crop comes in!

Read the story at: http://www.treehugger.com/easy-vegetarian-recipes/baked-avocado-fries-vegetarian.html

Here are some other interesting recipes with Avocado from fellow bloggers:

Avocado egg: http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/02/bake-an-egg-in-an-avocado-for-a-healthy-breakfast/


Avocado Truffles: http://g0lubka.blogspot.com.au/2010/04/avocado-truffles.html

Avocado Cheesecake: http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com.au/2009/11/avocado-chilled-cheesecake.html


Avocado Icypoles - http://www.ruchikrandhap.com/2012/10/october-avocado-coconut-popsicles.html

My First Cheese

2013-06-10T09:01:00.000+10:00

It has been a couple of days but I have finally completed my first hard cheese - Parmesan.

It was actually quite easy and plenty of fun. Of course the proof is in the tasting ... but we will have to wait 10 months for that!

Here are a couple of snaps of my first cheese in the making:

I also made ricotta from the whey ... YUM!!

Pigs and Cheese

2013-06-09T07:18:00.000+10:00

We have been so busy on the farm that I have had little time for anything else ... including updating my blog!

We have a new little pig ... Hugo. He will be the Sire of our future piglets and If I do say so myself, he is quite the charmer!

We have moved the girls to a new paddock where they can romp and play and furrow ... did I mention that they are furrowing!!

Last week I made my first cheese, well sort of cheese. It was made from my home-made yoghurt and it was easy and so delicious. I am definitely adding that one to my repertoire - Thanks again Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

But today is the really exciting day. Today is the day I make my first hard cheese.

The making of cheese has been grossly delayed in our home due to the somewhat complex issues of setting up a cheese cave. Honestly, it has all been just a bit too mystifying for me. However; after a great deal of research, I have found the solution - a wine fridge with a lower temperature rang ( 9 -16 degrees Celsius), just perfect for cheese!

Now I have a place to store and age my cheese, I can finally have a crack at making it. I was going to do a cheese course but they never seem to be on the right day or running the right course for me so I thought, in true Ellendale Farm tradition, that I would just have a crack at it.

Finger's Crossed!

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

2013-02-21T12:54:00.002+11:00

As any zucchini grower knows, there is a time when you cannot eat another zucchini slice or preserve another jar of zucchini pickles.

This week I stumbled upon a recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Brownies at allrecipes.com.au.

I tried it last night and it was not only a hit with my children, but the adults too.

It only uses 2 cups of grated zucchini, but what a great way to use them!

To view the recipe, click on the link below:

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/10910/print-friendly.aspx

Broad Bean vs Kidney Bean

2012-12-13T17:39:00.000+11:00

Does anyone else think that Broad Beans should really have been given the common name of Kidney Beans?

Somewhere - Ethical Farming

2012-12-04T11:30:00.001+11:00

As an avid West Side Story lover, I was instantly drawn to the soundtrack used on a commercial the other night ... and then to see the content made me further investigate other clips etc on YouTube by the same organization and others about ethical farming.

We all need to ask where our food is coming from!

Make it Possible from Animals Australia on Vimeo.
We believe in a world without factory farming. www.MakeitPossible.com

Seasons in My Kitchen Garden

2012-11-01T14:31:00.000+11:00

Seasons in My Kitchen Garden goes on sale today!

This book is the story of our tree-change journey, that charts the evolution of our garden from a derelict paddock (on a 20 acre hobby farm), to a fully functional potager/vegetable garden including orchard, vegetables, herbs and chickens. The entire project is based on sustainable practices and includes organic solutions — all sympathetic to the heritage of the site and the history of the area. The changes are charted over the course of a year (to capture cool and warm crops). While the book is a personal journey through the development of the garden, it also contains practical, step-by-step information to help anyone establish a kitchen garden of their own, whether they have a square metre of soil or half an acre (and more).

See Hardie Grant Books for more information.

True Free Range Egg Farming & Not So Free Range

2012-08-27T09:37:00.000+10:00

Not all Free Range eggs are ethically farmed. I think it's important to be educated about the choices we are making, rather than just trust the labelling.

Free Range Eggs - Farm 1

True Free Range Eggs - Farm 2

It's best to know something about the farm you are purchasing from to ensure you are buying what you are paying for!

Delicious Chocolate and Beetroot cake from Peninsula Fresh Organics

2012-08-16T20:03:00.002+10:00

I have to share the delicious recipe I found on the Peninsula Fresh Organics Website for Chocolate and Beetroot cake. Yum!!

I used Willie's 100% Cacao and I think 160 degrees Celsius fan-forced would be best, but otherwise, could not fault this delicious cake. Try it at home and check out Peninsula Fresh Organics. They are a great local supplier, (if you live on the Mornington Peninsula), especially if you want fresh organic produce and goodies without the extra kilometers.

Thanks Guys ... you are saved in my favourites!

A true living tree chair

2012-08-09T15:22:00.004+10:00

How incredible is this? This picture and article appeared on Milk Way Scientists.

In 1986 Peter had the idea of growing a chair. Nine years later Peter and Becky became partners. Pooktre was born. Together they have mastered the art of Tree shaping. Pooktre has perfected a Gradual shaping method, which is the shaping of trees as they grow along predetermined designs. Designing and setting up the supporting framework are fundamental to the success of a tree. Some are intended for harvest to be high quality indoor furniture and others will remain living art.

For More Information : http://pooktre.com/

Our first lamb!

2012-08-06T10:13:00.001+10:00

How exciting! We were fortunate enough to be home yesterday to witness the birth of our first Dorper lamb! The labour was intense and I must admit, at some times I was a bit uncomfortable, reminiscing about my own labours!
The ewe would stand up, hoof the ground and then lie down, straining her neck and stretching her face towards the sky as she pursed her lips and pushed. My children were completely mesmerised by the entire process.
When the lamb eventually pushed through, the ewe abruptly ran to the middle of the flock, with a lamb halfway through the birthing process. The other sheep scattered at the sight of this terrified ewe (resembling a push-me-pull-you from Dr Doolittle) . Suddenly the lamb dropped and natural instinct took over. She cleaned her little boy and he was standing on wobbly legs in no time. Completely beautiful.
Even better was what we witnessed this morning. Our Alpaca Kerrie, who was purchased in the hope that he would help to protect the sheep, was standing guard, protecting the lamb from any unseen dangers. It's truly wonderful when a plan comes together!

Support Local Farmers!

2012-08-03T19:53:00.000+10:00

The following is true footage of Fresh Aussie grown Oranges being dumped because we have a glut of imported fruit. It is such a waste and completely devastating to the growers. Come on, let's buy local and save Aussie Farmers.

Chicken and Omega 3

2012-07-26T19:36:00.001+10:00

I was just watching River Cottage on SBS and heard from a scientist that not all chickens are alike.

Apparently chicken once supplied Omega 3 for healthy brain function; but nowadays they just supply heaps of fat ... and not much else!

They did a test and regular chickens that are intensively farmed are basically unhealthy! Honestly. It makes you wonder about diets based on chicken!

Anyway, the main point was that they tested several types of chickens and the organic free range chicken had 25% less fat than the cheap intensively farmed chicken, and 10x more Omega 3.

It is the brown meat that holds the Omega 3 and this develops when they are raised on grass and insects, allowed to exercise and roam free, as well as allowing them to age sufficiently to develop muscle before they make their way to the table.

Apparently this is what it takes to make chickens a more healthy option.

It's nice to know that the better their life is, the better they are for us too.