FOR CARMEN

Carmen was one of three Italian girls who came to WWOOF for me in August. Recently she wrote to ask:

Kookaburra by David Osburg.

AN ABUNDANT SUMMER BEGINS.

Is it possible that our Queensland climate could be reverting to the type of summer weather this state hasn’t experienced for two decades? It is shaping up that way with excellent rain on the Granite Belt and a devastating storm hitting Brisbane a few days after my last Red November garden tour. Now my garden is growing like a jungle and the neigbour’s cattle are happily grazing our grass land. The Severn River is flowing and our dams are full.

I set out to take a walk with my camera on Saturday afternoon and met our flock of geese marching home to be penned for the night safe from foxes and other predators. They are always rewarded with a handful of cracked corn to encourage their return, although as a grazing bird their diet consists mainly of grasses and herbage.

Geese coming home.

I was heading down to photograph one of the dams when I began to see the occasional speckle of a white field mushrooms amongst the grass, so promptly returned for a basket and knife. Read the rest of this entry »

A GREEN DROUGHT

The Severn River which forms one boundary of our farm flows south-west to join the largest river system in Australia, known as the Murray-Darling Rivers system. Like the Mississippi River in the USA it drains inland waters south to the sea. Early Australian explorers thought there must be an inland sea in the middle of Australia, as all the rivers they discovered on the far side of the Great Dividing Range drained westward. By following these rivers they found that they later joined with the Darling River to flow south and into the sea in what became the State of South Australia. Thus water from southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria flows south over several months before reaching its destination in South Australia. It is a slow flowing river and subject to periods of drought when it becomes nothing more than a series of water holes. A hundred years ago paddle steamers worked the river, carrying out wool bales and other produce from the interior. During times of drought they remained stranded waiting for “The river to come down.” During the past decade drought has once more dried this mighty river to a series of water holes.

Here on the Granite Belt at the northern end of this river system, we rely on summer storms to start the water flowing. Most years we get sufficient rain to bring our river down in a flood and on average, once in a decade we will get a mighty flood as happened in January 2008.

Flooded Severn River January 2008

Since this January flood we have received little rainfall and experienced a dry winter.  During these spring months, storms have only brought small falls. This has created a green drought. The countryside appears green, but there is little grass growth. The abundance of water in our frontage to the Severn River has provided me with the ability to irrigate my garden and Remembrance Field of Flanders poppies during this drought. Read the rest of this entry »

IMPRESSIONIST VIEWS

Sue Webber was the first journalist who, when writing about my garden in 1996 for the Australian Country Style magazine, said that it was like a living Monet painting with the pastel blue and mauve dotted by splashes of crimson from the poppies. At no time is the similarity to impressionist painting truer than on a misty morning. In the view below you see the winding brick path leading to the front door of Das Helwig Haus B&B. Perfume from the white star jasmine sprawling over an old stump pervades the damp air. Dark blue cornflowers mingle with lighter blue ‘Love in the Mist’ and pink snapdragons demand to be noticed, while further away red poppies dot the greenery and spears from red hot pokers thrust upward against the rounded foliage of shrubs.

Star jasmine beside brick path.

During this season of the year I sometimes wake to find my view enclosed by a misty ground fog. It is magical to wander in my garden at that time, because I can imagine myself anywhere in the northern Hemisphere or New Zealand due to the plants that I have established here at Glen Aplin on the Granite Belt. Over the years so many of my guests have told me, “This garden  reminds me of my mother’s garden in England or New Zealand or Holland.” What they are saying, it that particular plants growing together give them this feeling of nostalgia. It is the plants like foxgloves and forget-me-nots that they don’t see in most Queensland gardens. Read the rest of this entry »

DRAMATIC SEASONAL CHANGE

One of the joys of living at Glen Aplin on the Granite Belt is that due to the cool mountain climate this district experiences the four seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn. Much of Queensland only knows the hot, humid wet season of summer and the warm dry season of winter.

In 1990 when I visited Europe in the early spring as the snow was melting I witnessed the dramatic change as tulips and pansies flowered in April just as the fruiting cherry and apple trees burst into blossom. in May they were followed by the lilac, phingst rosen and climbing red roses.

When we moved to live here at Glen Aplin in 1992 I realised I could grow these same flowers. I was agreeably surprised at how rapidly, just like I had seen in Europe, spring arrived and dramatically changed the appearance of my garden.

These photos taken in August, when the decision was made to remove large eucalyptus trees, and photos taken of the same scenes now reveal the changes.

Last month of winter at Das Helwig Haus B&B 2008

The Remembrance Field had been cultivated at the end of June. The Flanders poppies had germinated but were merely a green tinge across the soil due to the dry and frosty conditions throughout July and August.

We had made the decision to bring in heavy equipment – a large excavator on tracks, with a bucket in which a man could be raised to tie chains to the branches of these eucalyptus trees. With a chainsaw the branches and tree trunks were cut to then be swung out and dropped onto the field.

The excavator claws then gripped these heavy lengths of timber and the machine clanked away to drop them in heaps off the field, where once more a chain saw could be used to cut wood into rounds, later to be split for firewood.

Now for the “WOW” factor. Read the rest of this entry »

FIVE POPPIES

There are several different varieties of poppies from the Northern Hemisphere growing in our garden at Das Helwig Haus B&. This morning after a shower of rain last night I found I had five varieties in bloom. I have photographed all five types of poppies for inclusion in this post today.

I’ll begin with the Flanders Poppy, commonly called the Field Poppy in Europe until it became associated with the battles in Flanders during World War One.

Flander Poppy

Flanders Poppy and honey bee.

Often there is considerable difference between individual Flanders poppies – Papaver rhoeas in both flower and leaf structure. The Reverend Shirley, an English cleric, noticed several different colours amongst a clump of wild poppies in his garden and with selective breeding produced the Shirley poppy which now bears his name. These poppies have the texture of crepe paper ranging through colours from rose pink to mauve and purple. In our Remembrance Field at Glen Aplin I often notice poppies with unusual colouring. Sometimes I will receive an telephone call from a excited gardener who obtained seed from me the previous year to say his seed has produced a new colour.

Papaver rhoeas with white centre and petal edging

First Oriental poppy of 2008

The poppies bred from the Papaver rhoeas stock have similar leaves and will last no more than one day as a cut flower. They are annuals and must be planted from seed each year. The Oriental poppies I grow are Papaver atlanticum, a hairy perennial with orange flowers. The first flowers appear deep within the foliage but later blooms may grow as tall as 60cm. As they are perennials they will carry over from one year to another.

Oriental poppies in 2007

Iceland poppies

One of the most beautiful poppies is the Papaver nudicaule commonly known as the Iceland Poppy. It is actually a perennial grown as a winter/spring flowering annual. This is an excellent cut flower, requiring no water if the stems are firstly seared with heat. I use a candle flame to scorch the stems.

Honey bees love these poppies

Like the Flanders poppies the Californian poppies – Eschscholsia Californica seed prolifically and have become one of the weeds of my garden. I have one garden bed where I allow them to grow each year as a ground cover under shrubs, but I have to thin them severely. I have also found that seed spread from my rubbish heaps to surrounding grassy areas where these colourful flowers have created perennial clumps. They don’t transplant easily as they have a single tap root, so should be sown from seed. However it is that strong tap root that allows them to survive as a perennial. They grow wild across the hills of southern California.

When bought in a seed packet there are a variety of colours including shades of cream, lemon, yellow, orange, red and mauve.

After a few years of self-seeding most of my poppies are the traditional yellow colour associated with the wild poppies of California.

Californian Poppy

YOU ARE INVITED to visit Fay’s garden

I first visited Europe in in 1990 arriving in time to admire the cherry blossoms on the trees in Germany and lingering until the first cherries had ripened. Thus I saw the wonderful metamorphosis that is a Northern Hemisphere spring.

Two years later when Eberhard and I moved to live on the Granite Belt, the coldest region of Queensland, I realised I could grow many of the flowers I had so greatly admired in the European gardens. What I hadn’t anticipated was that because we also have severely cold winters, although seldom any snow, we too could experience the same dramatic change of seasons. Yesterday I saw a cherry tree laden with blossom at Thunderbolt Farm http://www.thunderboltfarm.com.au and by the first week of November the cherry orchards of the Granite Belt will be dispatching cherries to the capital city markets and overseas. My own Morello cherry tree is a little slower to bloom and ripen fruit, but I grow it for the superb sour cherries needed to make Eberhard’s famous Black Forest Cake, the recipe for which can still be found on SBS TVs Food Lovers Guide to Australia.

Lilac blooms against a blue Queensland sky

Everyone asks me when my garden looks its best. My bulbs bloom in the early spring under still deciduous trees. The flowering trees like the crab apple, peach and cherries blossom mid September as do my wisteria vines amd the Chinese roses – Banksia and Rosa Lavigata are covered in flowers the first week of October. It is this rapid succession of different flowering varieties that I had first noticed in Europe, for these were the flowers I saw each taking a week to be centre stage during the spring months.

Now the deciduous trees are gaining their leaves and my garden is noticeably turning green. This green period will last no more than two weeks before shrubs begin blooming and the colourful annuals like the poppies claim attention.

Fig tree

In this view you can see that the fig tree is budding out with green leaves and the roses in the foreground have fresh leaves. I have established many permanent features, including various green conifers, all of which, like the Mondo grass lawn, are intended to lesson the amount of work I do to maintain this garden.

Green rose garden

The first buds are appearing on the rose bushes. By the time I begin welcoming bus tours of visitors to my garden on 19th October, this rose bowl will be filled with colour and perfume.

First Flanders Poppy of 2008

Already the one plant has produced a red Flanders poppy, the pink cistus – rock rose is covered with flowers, the blue forget-me-nots are brightening shady areas, the lavenders edging the paths are blooming and I’m hoping you will visit me this year to see my garden reach its full glory. Entrance to the garden is $5.00 per adult. If you want to stay a night phone me on 07-4683 4227 or email helwig@halenet.com.au

Rock rose - cistusBanksia Rose, named after the botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

Banksia Rose, named after the botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

Large variety of forget-me-nots

Lavender edges the paths

OCTOBERFEST in the SPRING

During the past 10 days I have had the help of two young Korean men and more recently a young German woman as Wwoofers – Willing Workers on my Organic Farm. The men have worked industriously to weed and thin the Flanders poppies in the Remembrance Field while Anika has assisted me in the household vegetable garden.

Anika with the first Flanders Poppy to bloom in 2008

I must have both the Remembrance Field and the garden ready for presentation by 19th October when I have about 150 visitors expected to view these attractions.

Korean wwoofer Joe

After the coldest August for 17 years we are now having a warm spring with the bees buzzing in the lavender bushes lining our paths. Potatoes are sprouting from the warm earth, sweet corn shoots have appeared, climbing beans are developing leaves and all the other seeds of lettuce, beets, carrots, radish, cucumbers, melons and pumpkins have germinated and are breaking through the surface of my friable soil.

Did you know that stinging nettles are a herb used in Europe as a strong tonic at the end of winter when made into a fresh tea by infusing the leaves in hot water? They are one of the first weeds to grow vigorously in my garden with the onset of warmer weather.

Before Anika could begin picking the peas this morning we had firstly to pull out all the stinging nettles growing amongst them. I explained to her that their growth was a compliment to the quality of my soil, as they thrive in fertile soil and are frequently introduced into gardens by the use of animal manures.

Anika picking peas

Spring is a busy time for everyone here on the Granite Belt as the wineries are holding a spring festival named Primavera throughout the spring months. Amongst the functions to be held this weekend is the Octoberfest at Thunderbolt Farm. Keith and Claudia Beverley have Thunderbolt Farm listed as a host property in The Australian Wwoof Book, and like me rely heavily on wwoofers to assist them during their busy seasons. What good fortune for them this year that they too have two German wwoofers, David and Sonya, presently with them. Now, Anika has been invited to join the festivities at Thunderbolt Farm this weekend.

Octoberfest at Thunderbolt Farm

For a German style Bed Breakfast this weekend, book your room now at Das Helwig Haus B&B by emailing helwig@halenet.com.au or phoning Fay on 07-4683 4227

WWOOF at DAS HELWIG HAUS

Everyone who visits my garden asks me how I manage all the work. My answer is, “With the help of Wwoofers”. Wwoofers are Willing Workers on Organic Farms and Das Helwig Haus B&B is a WWOOF host farm. Our 14 hectare farm has a huge garden producing fresh fruit and vegetables organically grown.

 As I write about my garden I will feature these remarkable young people and show my readers the type of work they undertake and how they enrich my life.

Yuki is Japanese by nationality. She arrived in the winter of 2007 planning to stay only two weeks, but enjoyed our company so much that she stayed two months. We are one of the WWOOF host farms within Australia approved to ensure that young International travelers with Work/Travel Visas are able to meet the conditions required to enable them to obtain a second year extension to remain in Australia.

In the photo above Yuki had stopped pruning a weeping mulberry tree to give it a hug.

When she was joined for a short time by another young Japanese girl, they decided to cook a Japanese meal for our household. In this they were aided by a third Japanese wwoof girl from the nearby Mt. Stirling Olive farm. We feasted on soup, vegetable pancakes and sushi.

Japanese Wwoofers at work in the kitchen

The sushi is prepared

After a quick visit back to Japan, Yuki rejoined our household for another two months before leaving us for employment in the tourism industry in Cairns.

It was with great pleasure that we welcomed her back for a winter visit this year. She said she wanted to experience ‘cold’.

Due to the altitude the Granite Belt is the coldest district in Queensland. Visitors come here hoping for starry night skies and frosty mornings when the ice will crunch under their feet. Yuki was not disappointed.

One day when it was too cold to work outdoors we decided to make up a batch of Raspberry Jam as my supplies were getting low. In the peak of summer when I have an abundance of fruit I frequently freeze produce until such time as it is needed. Also, if I’m only picking a small quantity of raspberries each day it is easier to freeze them until I have sufficient to make a full batch of raspberry jam.

Please note: a recipe for Raspberry Jam is available in the Australian Women’s Weekly book of Preserves, but we omitted the suggested Framboise.

Yuki learns to make Raspberry Jam

I explained to Yuki that most jams require equal quantities of fruit and sugar, plus some lemon juice to add pectin. We used 4kg of raspberries. As you can see from the above photo, I have a large stainless steel boiler with a copper base for making my jam. I consider this pot beyond value and have used it for more than thirty years. Yuki thawed the raspberries and placed them in the boiler over a low gas flame where she stirred them until mushy. The 4 kg of sugar and 5 tablespoons of lemon juice were added. The gas flame was turned to high and the jam was stirred as it boiled rapidly. Until the sugar is added to jam the pectin in fruit may be destroyed by high heat, but after the sugar is added it is essential that jam be cooked quickly to ensure a bright colour for the finished product. When the jam thickened, we poured it into jars, sealed it while hot and turned the jars upside down for two minutes. This action not only creates a vacuum seal for the lid, but the heat of the hot jam sterilizes the air within the jar.