Goodbye and farewell!

Goodbye and farewell!

THIS SATURDAY, THE 23RD WILL BE THE LAST MARKET FOR CHAMPION’S MOUNTAIN ORGANICS. Apart from Serkan, who wasn’t here today, goodbye from all the loyal team here.   HELLO EVERYONE NOW IN MY 70TH YEAR I AM FINDING THE 60/70 PLUS HOURS PER WEEK, WORKING 7 DAYS A...
Blood oranges

Blood oranges

Hello Everyone Perfect weather for the blood oranges just lately. Nice frosts overnight and strong winter sunshine and temps over 20 degrees during the day.  This “stretch of temperature” brings out the flavour and the colour to give the true red pigment that...
Feel the vibes!!

Feel the vibes!!

Hello Everyone Lovely Australian winter weather this last week. All the produce is growing well and lovely for workers not being out picking or working with rain trickling in through cracks in the wet weather gear! Michael thought this lovely customer’s hand was...
Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins…..

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins…..

Hello Everyone There’s more than pumpkins of course, but it is Australian winter and what better warming food could you have? Even the glorious colour of the flesh is cheering!        This one is a jap pumpkin. I understand that the...
CITRUS GALORE

CITRUS GALORE

Hello Everyone Best time for local Mangrove Mountain citrus. Make the most of it at its glorious best! Focus on citrus this week....
Misty, moisty mornings up here on the plateau!

Misty, moisty mornings up here on the plateau!

The mist and damp in the mornings has been good for the leafy greens, but the snails  love it too! They have wiped out a long row of bok choi! However there is enough for both markets.         Make sure you don’t miss out on all the...
A touch of Frost

A touch of Frost

Hi everyone, I always like when we get the first frost as it means the cabbage whte caterpilars and other chewing insects pack up for the winter, some aphids are tougher and they go and hibernate in the kale but all in all the insects leave the plants to grow slowly...
Turning the ship around

Turning the ship around

Continuing the water analogy but changeing the metaphor we continue to show the turnaround in the farm’s fortunes over the past few weeks. And it has only been a few weeks,  as I looked at the rain records and realised that it only stopped raining in the first...
Coming up for air

Coming up for air

HI everyone, sorry to have been a non-blogger for the past month or so but there has not been much to report as we rebuilt the farm after the devastating heat of summer and the torrential rain for all of March. But we are back on track with all the greens looking good...
Finally some sunshine

Finally some sunshine

HI all, nothing new to report on produce. All the leafy greens very slow as we had more rain (surprise) and even without rain it was overcast. Today (Thursday 6th) saw a dry day at last but like RocKhampton (floooding depsite no rain) all the runoff from our 25 acres...

Can it please stop raining

Hi everyone, not much to report except that we have been belted by more rain as the tail of cyclone Debbie reeks havoc. Nothing washed away as I have put in place erosion mitigation measures which i leared to do after the 2007 storms (remember the Pasha Bulka washed...
Water water everywhere

Water water everywhere

Hi everyone, well after what seemed to be the longest and cetainly was the hottest summer on record the weather did what it is typical of Australia, dropped over 200mm of rain in a week. And then more this week. Far too much     makes life...
Quite a bit of rain!

Quite a bit of rain!

Hello Everyone Much cooler and rain too! Great. We are lucky. No damage from the rain either. Had to send the workers home one day, too wet and the ground so wet the light tractor we use would slip on the soil when preparing the seed beds! (Light tractors do not...
The spray & the shed roof!

The spray & the shed roof!

Hello Everyone I forgot to get Michael to have a look at the blog before publishing. Sorry. The spray on the citrus is not just any old spray. It is an organic botanical oil. Do have a look at the label and check it out....
Back on track. Yey!

Back on track. Yey!

Hello Everyone This week Michael has enough produce for both markets, not as much as he would like of course for this time of the year, but nearly! There’s plenty of tasty, peppery rocket and wild rocket, mesclun & spicy mixed salads and whole baby cos lettuce...
Back at Carriage Works

Back at Carriage Works

Hello Everyone We are back at Carriage Works (but no Taylor Square) market but with limited stock in some lines. The salad crops grown with the new shading are not ready yet. As I said to Michael, salad is hardly a native Australian crop that copes with this climate!...

Just Taylor Square

Hello Everyone Due to the extreme weather conditions this week there will only be the market at Taylor Square. If you usually go to Carriage Works maybe you could go over there? It’s not far. There just isn’t enough produce. Most of the greens burnt in the sun and the...
The sun has wreaked its havoc!

The sun has wreaked its havoc!

Hello Everyone Hope you have managed to survive the heat this last week and braced for more next week! Michael is pretty desperate as produce levels are well down. The lettuce and broad-leafed juicy plants have really suffered. However, Michael & Josh’s shade...
Sun shade!

Sun shade!

Hello Everyone The sun is becoming a bit of an enemy at present! Doesn’t look like there’s going to be any let up for a while either. Josh has put into place a shade cloth for the little seedlings in the paddock. If you try it out you owe Josh Pearson bigtime! It...
Sunburn

Sunburn

Hello Everyone This has been a boiling week! Michael has been very tense trying to work out whether to put in hundreds of seedlings to be growing ready for you in 6 weeks time and then watch them frizzle up and die in the sun or keep them in trays by the shed in the...
Even the weeds are wilting!

Even the weeds are wilting!

Hello Everyone Back on deck for a New Year. We hope you enjoyed the celebrations you wanted to. Michael had a peaceful time watering and catching up on a lot of lost sleep! (The wasp stings controlled with phenergan in desperation!) 2017 weather has started with a...
The process…!

The process…!

Hello Everyone I thought I would just do a quick trip down the process lane as some people new to farming information may not know. So bear with me! This picture shows 3 of the main processes. On the right is the weedmat covering old beds so that the nutrients stay in...
Great produce for healthy living

Great produce for healthy living

Hello Everyone Hasn’t it been a hot few days? So glad we have got a couple of cooler ones now. Mozzies are out in force along with every insect that could hatch it feels. The pollinators are working overtime thank goodness on the next crops that need them.      ...

Photographing the photographer!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Up the paddock this morning to catch Michael being interviewed ‘in situ’ by Regional Development Australia. Always a rush on a Friday as so much picking to be done and a hot day so you have to beat the heat...

We do provide sanctuary!

Hello Everyone Michael took the photos today and there it was, a lovely green frog hanging out in a secure place where it won’t get sprayed and there’s plenty of food! Of course, with the good balance of rain & sun growth is great. Well, weeds too of...

Those long green things!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone All the produce is ‘going gangbusters’ as Michael would say. He can’t complain about the weather and we have had good combinations of rain & warmth. Everyone on the farm is at full stretch...

Look what was on my wellie this morning!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”3212″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Remember when I was banging on a couple of weeks ago about little insects? Well...

Blown Away!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone This is the windiest Spring we can remember, as usually August is the windy month. It means a lot more watering and we have to be even more careful with the picked leaves as they can wilt so quickly in the wind....

Plenty of everything seasonal.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Everything is going ‘gangbusters’ as Michael would say! The top of the far paddock is showing the results of the hard work Josh has put in with massive soil improvement this year. That part was cleared of...

Little things….

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Sometimes little things are not recognised as important because they are so little. I was thinking that when I walked through the paddocks today and saw the...

Wow – serious amount of spinach this week!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Great amounts of everything for the Saturday markets at Carriage works & Taylor Square BUT just look at the spinach! Thanks to Josh’s special fertile growing experiment we can fulfil the massive orders this...

All dressed up …..and somewhere to go!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone We are off to the Delicious Awards on Monday night. We don’t know if we’ll get the top gong but we’ll get something. All very exciting and very rewarding for Michael and the business he has built up...

Sleet yesterday!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Not too much sleet but a bit of a surprise after quite a sunny day really. So Spring not quite here on the plateau yet![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid”...

Busy, busy!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone With weather onside many seedlings going in, visitors to the farm, plenty of sales and lots happening we haven’t had time to scratch ourselves this...

Rapt in Rapa!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A beautiful sight! Plated Chimi di Rapa for you to salivate over! As we said, more good news.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”3124,3125″...

Special announcement!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are excited to announce that we have been selected to be the State winner for 2016 Delicious Produce Awards from the Earth for our Cimi di Rapa in particular. We are still in the running to win the national prize so watch this...

‘So, was that winter?”*

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Last week… heavy frost, this week rain, warm nights and Friday set to be the hottest July day ever. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”3104″...

Brrrrr, Blood oranges & Bergamots!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Hello Winter has hit with a vengeance with freezing blustery winds and when the wind drops we have heavy frosts as you can see from the photos which were at 9.00 this morning! 1C overnight!...

Heavy frosts & sunny days

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Winter has hit with a bang making a slow down in growth as temperatures plummet to zero overnight. However we will still will have our usual range but come early as there is less spinach & rocket to see us through to the end of...

Winter Solstice

Hi all, long nights but sunny days,  so everything growing well, albeit slowly. The shading of my boundary trees in deep winter gives me good reason to “rest” the lower (deeply shaded) parts of the paddock but the top of the field is still in good sun...

Citrus Feast

to me Hello Everyone A good week with cold nights & sunny days up here on the plateau. At Carriage Works and Taylor Square Markets in Sydney on Saturday morning you will be able to choose from a great range of all our specialities Lots  of great citrus this week...
No damage in the storms!

No damage in the storms!

Hello Everyone Last weekend we got a lot of rain but being a little more inland we didn’t cop what Sydney had! The rain was steady and soaked in after the driest May on record. It has also brought a change of season and it seems as if we get very little autumn...

Beautiful new season citrus

Well gang, this is the third attempt to do this blog this week and the excuse of the computer ate my homework is the reason I am on #3. Yes, we have beautiful new season citrus.  The mandarins are better than ever the navels taste great and the pink grapefruit is so...

The prodigal spinach

Hi everyone, well, finally the rows of Baby Spinach have decided to behave and we will have a good amount on Saturday at both markets. I know we’ve had a few bags for the early birds but it has literally been gone by 8.30 most mornings (might last till at least...

The Farming Detective

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Not only do farmers have to know science and have the skills to grow, in these days of climate change we also have to be detectives…..to solve the murder of rows of produce virtually overnight. The only clues… missing...

Autumn Equinox

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hi all, This should be the steadiest growing time of the year as we have hopefully left the extreme heat behind ….and we have had some rain (but not too much… unlike Sydney). Time to plant for winter and beyond so the...

Rain at last

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After the longest, driest above temperature number of weeks ON RECORD, we finally had nearly 2 inches (50mm) over Tuesday and Weds. A bit hard to work in as we had all forgotten how quickly you get wet when working hard, but we...

Great leafy greens!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”2965″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]  The hot weather has had a good effect on the greens. Here’s Michael with the...

What a hot Thursday!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Thursday was apparently the hottest February day for 14 years.hope the climate sceptics take note! We have the usual good produce for you at Carriage Works and Taylor Square markets this Saturday morning. The produce is good and well...

Summer abundance!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Lots of lovely different veg for you at the Carriage Works & Taylor Square markets this Saturday.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid”...

A quick, simple survey!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone With considerable help from our daughter I have got a link to a very short survey just to find out who is reading these blogs! (Michael doesn’t believe any customers do!) If you would go to this link and tick...

Extra market on Friday!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone We are trying out a new market on Fridays. We will still be doing Taylor Square and Carriageworks on Saturdays as usual. This Friday one is an innovative one at Sydney Park, St Peters. That is south Newtown off King...

25 Degrees colder today!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Amazing weather changes! However all the produce is coping well and Carriage Works market will be all there with delicious greens and all the usual on Saturday. Taylor Square too of course. Happy...

Just a bit wet!!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Best wishes for 2016! Hoping your celebrations were what you would have wished. We had a very peaceful time catching up on sleep. Wasn’t the twilight market amazing?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Busy week without even counting the plants! Weatherwise, the storms & reasonably frequent blackouts forced him to splash out on a new & far better & rather expensive generator a couple of weeks...

Get your orders ready for Christmas!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”2845″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Are we nearly there yet? Yes we are!!! (Those with small children & a car...

Early starts to beat the heat.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve been starting at 6.30 this week as physical work is tiring outside all day in this weather! Here’s the prepared seedling furrows spread with lime and then compost before the irrigation pipes are covered and the seedlings...

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Spot the Moth Hello Everyone We had a very wet week and now some very hot days so anything that can hatch has done so in the insect world! Everything is on the move and although I haven’t got a photo, 2 sightings of a 2m goanna...

p.s.

[vc_row][vc_column el_class=”p.s.”][vc_custom_heading text=”” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Montserrat%3Aregular%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Hello...

Soil Improvement!

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_class=”Hello Everyone Thought we’d show you some soil improvements that have been done over the years we have been working the farm. The soil here is very sandy from the...
Soaking, not damaging rain!

Soaking, not damaging rain!

Hello Everyone Quite a wet week but no damage so just the job! The workers got soaked to the skin putting up the tomato wires on Wednesday afternoon! It wasn’t that cold and working in raincoats is a matter of choice as you sweat inside the coat!        Yes, the corn...

Munching pests!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Beautiful new seedling beds just completed by hard workers, Florian, Josh & Serkan, on Wednesday morning, bless them.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2571″ img_size=”full”...

Field tomatoes in!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello Everyone Planting out all the little cherry & round tomato plants has been the new thing this week. We had to wait for the frosts to be well gone and the ground itself has warmed up enough to plant the tomatoes. This has...
Reptiles Alive!

Reptiles Alive!

Hello Everyone Lately reptiles have been dominating our sights in the paddocks! Especially the last week or so. The hot weather has brought them out. Unfortunately some have been squashed by fast cars while warming up on the road bitumen no doubt. In the country, do...
Have you had a pea today?

Have you had a pea today?

Hello Everyone Well, the peas are here and ready for you! Shelling peas are packed with power! Plenty of protein & fibre apart from the nutrients! If you have children they are likely to love shelling peas. Buy them on Saturday morning at Taylor Square and/or...
Too big for the bag!

Too big for the bag!

Hello Everyone Leaves are huge! Lots of green growth! The spinach could not be called baby could it? Hardly fits in Steve’s mouth! And the mustard greens that Florian & Serkan are cutting will have to go in bunches in carrierbags! A good balance between sun &...
A really good week

A really good week

Hello Everyone Remember this photo of Julie Goodwin (masterchef) & Paul MacDonald(chef) at our farm in mid July? Last Sunday Julie  & Paul produced an amazing meal -  20 mile lunch – at Julie’s Place! It was an experiment in sourcing all food...
Spring cleaning the blood oranges!

Spring cleaning the blood oranges!

This week the last of the blood oranges were completely picked. So spring cleaning and maintenance could get underway immediately. The weeds were  cut down by the whipper snipper, a really tiring job as they were so high & thick. Makes me remember how good...
Warm sunny days speed the flowering

Warm sunny days speed the flowering

Hello Everyone Good little drop of rain last night, only 3ml or so but lovely for seedlings. The days have been so sunny that plants have whizzed into flower faster than expected. It’s amazing how growth differs from year to year due to the weather, something urban...
Great growing!

Great growing!

Hello Everyone Welcome rain this week as it had been getting too dry. Actually it got pretty wet early in the week so the ground got slippery and the tractor couldn’t pull the bed-former along safely so this week it had to be done by hand as we did before having the...
Wild freesias blooming

Wild freesias blooming

Hello Everyone Wild freesias blooming on the farm mean the earth is truly warming up after winter. There’s a warmth in the air up here despite the occasional 3C but usual 5C temperatures at night.  Soon it will be warmer still. So, of course, abundance continues!...
Abundance!

Abundance!

Hello Everyone, Great week for weather with cool nights and sunny days with little wind – just the job. During the week Pat came & turned the large compost heaps with his much bigger tractor than you see here which is ours he is using to finish off. The compost...
Burn for renewal

Burn for renewal

Hello Everyone Big clear up this week as the RFS is kindly doing a big hazard reduction for us on Sunday. We have had no fire through this 44 acres in the 28 years we’ve been here & we suspect for many years before that. Its been dangerous each summer for years...
The cold triggers it off! Wattle Day tomorrow.

The cold triggers it off! Wattle Day tomorrow.

Hello Everyone   The cold doesn’t just trigger off the wattle! The cold gets rid of unwanted caterpillars of course but it also speeds up the flowering process because of the cold, damp nights contrasting with the warm days. The cold, (Bureau of Meteorology says...
Warmer, wetter and a bit more daylight!

Warmer, wetter and a bit more daylight!

Hello Everyone The week started rather chilly in the mornings but this end of the week is warmer at last. Planting, picking & washing salad is easier when your hands aren’t freezing! During the week Michael, Flora, Louise, Steve & Samson worked on new seedling...
Preparing, planting & great visitors

Preparing, planting & great visitors

Hello Everyone Great week with lots of work done in beautiful weather topped off by a very positive visit from Julie Goodwin, past winner of Master Chef & chef Paul MacDonald. They visited our farm Champions Mountain Organics, Shelley & Anthony Luci at Green...
Frosty mornings! Sevilles ready.

Frosty mornings! Sevilles ready.

Hello Everyone During the week the usual seedling bed preparation, planting, hoeing and weeding went on. The hoeing gives the seedlings a heads start. Some other weeding usually is sufficient later as the watering is all underground just to the seedlings which holds...
Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice

Hello Everyone As you probably know, winter solstice has just occurred (21st/22nd June). This obviously affects the growth and well being of plants. It used to affect humans too when we slept under the moon and stars! Lots of seedling planting went on last week and...
Fabulous, sunny, picking day after a wet week!

Fabulous, sunny, picking day after a wet week!

Hello Everyone During the week the boys were taking down the old tomato trellis from the summer (not paddock tai chi as the photos suggest!), pulling up tomato stakes and taking t-tape (irrigation) out of the ground. Josh is pictured using the tractor to slash the old...
Luscious & tasty!

Luscious & tasty!

Hello Everyone Plenty of lovely rich green baby spinach for you this week at Taylor Square and Eveleigh markets on Saturday. There are both rockets, less wild, so get in early so you don’t miss out.     Come & get Mesclun  & spicy salad...
Sunny & dry & lovely greens!!

Sunny & dry & lovely greens!!

Hello Everyone   Spinach recovery is finally here after the deluge in April! So make sure you get some on Saturday at Eveleigh or Taylor Square markets.               We have had a few very frosty days and...

Hello from Vienna! I am writing from here as Michael has had rain, storms and more rain. There’s no phone, no internet and no power! But there are lots of vegetables that dont mind being wet! Please still come to Eveleigh & Taylor Sq markets. He & the...
Autumn a Mellow season?

Autumn a Mellow season?

Hi all, well we have had some mellow days and a lots of days starting like this then ending like this! I went back over the weather records and we have had 4 severe storms in 5 weeks. It’s like November! And although as you can see in the pics below the sky is blue…....
Then & now!

Then & now!

Hello Everyone This week before & after, or maybe more accurately, later! Very end of Feb to now. From bare soil to lush lettuce rocket & mustard, good to go in about 6 weeks or so. Lots of hard work preparing the soil, planting, checking on it for irrigating,...
Better get out your pumpkin recipes!

Better get out your pumpkin recipes!

Hello Everyone Lots of pumpkins for sale this weekend. Jap, Queensland blue and butternut all ready to go to Eveleigh & Taylor Square markets on Saturday morning and Mangrove Mountain Country Market on Sunday at Peats Ridge Public School.     This...
Autumn Equinox effects!

Autumn Equinox effects!

Hello Everyone The sun just coming over the trees well after picking has started this morning! You might well know, but if you don’t, the Autumn Equinox (March 21st/22nd) really affects our growing produce. This is when the daylight/darkness hours are dead equal &...
Garlic planting

Garlic planting

Hello Everyone, Farming, of course, is more than planting and picking for the next market or even the next few weeks. Celery has been planted the first half of this week. It takes 3 to 4 months to grow ready to eat. Garlic takes 6 to 7 months before it can be picked...
Enriching the soil of course!

Enriching the soil of course!

Hello Everyone Good picking this week. If you have never tried the Horta then give it a go. Josh reminds me to tell you that the autumn vetch is now coming up well and the milk thistle is abundant. The nights are getting longer so there is less length of light in the...
I spoke too soon – even more humid!

I spoke too soon – even more humid!

Hello Everyone Good news! The baby spinach is back, at last you might think! Michael thinks so anyway! Ready and looking fabulous. It will be in both markets in plenty. With this constant rain & damp the snails are rampant. Wish we still kept ducks! Mind you, they...
Sweaty February nearly over!

Sweaty February nearly over!

Hello Everyone Always more maintenance needed than we have time for! Here’s Serkan pulling up huge weeds so the blue ridge mountain tomatoes can get some good  air circulation to avoid fungal diseases, and therefore no need  to spray, in this very humid...
Lush wet fields!

Lush wet fields!

Hello Everyone You know how extra lush it is apart from the green & wet by the squillions of rabbits bounding about, devastating the seedlings! These bean seedlings should have looked like the first one the next day but overnight this week they became stumps!...
Thursday 29th January 2015

Thursday 29th January 2015

Hello Everyone We had a lot of rain Monday and Tuesday and half of Wednesday. The dam went from empty to half full! We got 131mm. The water is still trickling in from the around about rocks with the lovely blue sky & drying wind today, Thursday. This week at the...
Thursday 22nd January 2015

Thursday 22nd January 2015

Hello Everyone Good to see you all at Taylor Square and Eveleigh markets last Saturday. During the week the seedbeds were made and seedlings sown. Serkan is making the holes after water is run through the under-earth water pipes to show the exact position of the...

Friday 16th January 2015

ps. Dear everyone Apologies, but nearly at the last minute there are no organic eggs just for this weekend. However there will be plenty of Ed’s eggs as usual. Nancy
Thursday 15th January 2015

Thursday 15th January 2015

Hello Everyone We are looking forward to seeing you at Eveleigh market this Saturday on its first week back after Christmas & the New Year. Taylor Square market went well last week on its first week back too.     This week we have a good range of produce...