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I would like to feature Beetroot in this article as it is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in most Northland gardens and is so nutritious for vegans, especially being high in iron. One of the beauties of beetroot is that the whole plant is delicious. The leaves are similar to those of spinach and can be enjoyed steamed with a dash of olive oil a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper, in a salad mixed with other greens or baked as a pie ‘crust’/ layered in lasagne or any other favourite way you eat spinach or silver beet. The root of course is great peeled and munched raw, grated or cubed in a salad or roasted, boiled, baked or steamed. Try it in burgers and in chocolate cake. Like all spinaches and chards though, when you have an abundance, just remember not to be tempted to serve the leaves generously for more that 2 - 3meals a week due to the high oxalic acid content.  A Veganic Garden in Northland
Winter Winter is generally a quiet time in the garden. Growth slows so there is less weeding, mulching and pest watching required. It is an ideal time to plan and set up or improve garden systems which work best for your requirements. Thanks to the European Vegetarian Union for allowing us to use their Vegan V logo as part of our logo designs.
This will make us immediately recognisable as a Vegan organisation! We are grateful to the EVU for sharing this logo with other organisations around the world, including us here in Whangārei. (From the Archive)This blog post was originally shared in 2019  If you’ve ever stewed in the traffic porridge waiting to crawl over the harbour bridge, or at the entrance to the Wellington tunnel where four lanes compress to one, you will have wondered if there was a better way to organise your transport.
And you know the answer: it’s the century old bicycle. December is generally a time when the hard work is done and you can start to enjoy your harvest but it is also ok to plant corn, more beans, zucchini and tomatoes to keep continuity of supply. It is still ok to plant salad greens through summer where there is shade and the soil can be kept cool and moist. The shade can be on the south side of the house amongst other plants, such as lettuce under brassicas, shrubs, flowers or herbs but remember to feed the soil as the more established plants will compete more strongly for nutrients.
February and March are the peak of the harvest season and are the busiest times in a Northland garden. It can also be the messiest looking time in a garden.
The challenges of shield beetles is still with us in early Autumn. We can keep using a garlic spray to deter bugs. Once the nights start cooling the bugs will go into hibernation mode. Note to myself to plant more cleome and mustard next year as a catch crop for shield beetles. The bugs congregate on the flowering cleome and mustard and are easy to collect. Starting a Veganic Garden
This article aims to encourage Vegans who have not had a garden before, to give it a try. The benefits are significant:
(From the Archive)This blog post was originally shared in 2019.
Going on holiday as a vegan can often be a tricky experience. In many countries it can be difficult to find places to eat that cater to a vegan diet. Not so in Melbourne, VIC! Melbourne is a vegan paradise, with many many 100% vegan restaurants and cafes, and a huge variety of vegan products available for those who like to prepare their own meals. In this blog post I will share some of the places we ate when we went on holiday to Melbourne recently, and what you can expect from this exciting city! |