Jembella Farm: Workshop Preparations

Friday, 17 November 2017

Workshop Preparations

We're having another Bee-keeping for Beginners workshop on Sunday. The weather has turned cool and wet over the past few days, which is perfect for cooking up a storm in the wood oven.
I prefer to bake and prepare as much of the food as possible prior to the day of the event, so that I'm there to participate and interact with the people who are attending.
I've made sausage rolls and pasties, which freeze very well, so all I need to do on the day is heat them up. I'll put together a few sandwiches and rolls on Sunday morning.
Tomorrow (Saturday) I'll prepare the fillings for those, so it's all straight sailing in the early hours on Sunday.
I've got lists and more lists, to remind me of all the little details that can so easily be forgotten. This time I have a big sign on the table to remind me to put out the home made TOMATO SAUCE when the sausage rolls and pasties go out onto the food table.
I forgot to put it out last time!!! Grrr..!
For morning tea I've made Jam Macaroon Slice, and a Pumpkin Fruit Cake is about to go into the oven.
There's coffee, a range of teas, home made lemon cordial, and water to drink.
Oh and a big bowl of apples and bananas.

We'll be opening up boxes, learning about all the ins and outs of keeping a hive, having lots of fun, and networking among the folks.
I've got to mow the grass tomorrow and if there's time, I'll tidy up the garden a bit, but if it doesn't get done it's not the end of the world. I'm pretty sure that people don't mind looking at a weed here and there.

I needed to send a photo of the gloves I prefer to wear when handling the hives, to some of our visitors who are flying down from Canberra to attend this workshop.
(Do you reckon it might have something to do with the fact that we live in one of Australia's most popular tourist destinations? )
So, I'll tell you next week about all the fun we had, and I hope you have the weekend that you hope for.
Cheers!

8 comments:

Liz (Eight Acres)17 November 2017 at 19:02
I want to come for the food! Tgat wpuld be worth the trip!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Candace17 November 2017 at 20:56

Pumpkin fruitcake sounds so good.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Lucy House18 November 2017 at 12:56
I was about to say the same thing! Although a Barossa wine tour would be good....oh and I would like to learn about keeping bees.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Chris 18 November 2017 at 13:30
Jam Macaroon Slice, is a new name to me. It's known as Coconut Slice, or Raspberry Slice, in these parts. But your name suits it perfectly, too. As the topping is very similar to making Macaroons.

Have you ever had a top-bar beehive?
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

About Us

Whether you're living in an apartment, in a house in the suburbs or on acres, you can live frugally and sustainably. There are many things you can do to save money, eat ethically and healthily, reduce waste and live an enriched life.
We are Sally and Brian and we live in the Barossa Valley (South Australia) in a 100 year old house on sixteen acres with 2 dogs, 7 cows, 2 alpacas, 5 geese, 35 chickens, 78 sheep and a few bee hives.
Our way of life takes team work and dedication, but over the years we've learned to be more productive without seeming to put in quite so much effort. We've learned through making mistakes and taking a different approach to what the conventional ways would be. Still learning every day and constantly researching old and new methods, we believe that our lives are greatly enriched, we are healthier and we couldn't imagine any other way of life.
Considered to be living The Good Life, people love to visit us on our small farm to learn about our simple living philosophy.

Why do we do it?
Our love of good food, concern for our health and respect for all animals. The further we got into living on the land the more aware we became that most of the standard practices of growing food were not satisfactory. We couldn't eat with a clear conscience.
Milk from sad cows, pasteurized and homogenized into white liquid. Meat from distressed, hormone and antibiotic pumped livestock. Vegetables and fruits grown and sprayed with chemicals. What to do? Grow our own!
Slowly we grew our knowledge and took one step at a time, becoming proficient in one skill before moving on to the next. The learning curves were steep. We fell over and got back up again. There has been some derision and criticism of our approach from a few, but that's life when you swim against the tide.
If we are not the "norm" then so be it. There is nothing "normal" about growth hormones fed to beef, anti-biotics and chemicals fed routinely to chickens, cruelty and disrespect for farmed animals, meals in a box, GM foods, strawberries and tomatoes in winter.
Thankfully the World is waking up to cleaner and more ethical food. We didn't know back then that Organics and Bio-dynamics would become the "new black". The tide is turning and our swimming is becoming easier.