Hazelnuts are perfect for those with small gardens as the bush only grows about 3m x 3m.
It is a deciduous shrub that does best where cooler winters give it the cold snap it needs for fruiting, but cropping will be better if more than one type of hazelnut is planted so that they can cross pollinate. Catkins from male and female flowers form on the same plant in summer, and, provided pollination occurs, these develop into the sweet kernel everyone loves during autumn.
Plant hazelnuts in an open, sunny position with added humus and mulch well with leaf mould to keep roots cool and moist. Leaves turn quite a pretty yellow before dropping, and there is an ornamental purple foliage form too.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Storage:

Hazelnuts stay fresher for longer whilst still in the shell. Once shelled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

What to do with glut

• To toast and peel

Place hazelnuts on a baking tray. Bake at 180C for 5-8 mins, until brown. Transfer to a clean tea towel, wrap up hazelnuts and while still hot, rub to remove skins. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks once peeled.

Hazelnut praline

Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Heat ½ cup caster sugar and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan on low, until sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer, without stirring, for 2-5 mins, until golden caramel. Add 1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts and stir until well coated. Immediately pour onto prepared tray. Cool completely until firm. Break into pieces or pound with a rolling pin for a finer texture.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Blueberry & hazelnut cake

1¼ cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
¾ cup ground hazelnuts
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 x 125g punnets blueberries
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
hazelnut topping
½ cup hazelnuts, chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup plain flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 190C or 170C fan. Grease a 23cm springform pan.
2. Sift flour, sugar, ground hazelnuts, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add lemon rind and 1 punnet of blueberries. Toss to combine. Whisk together milk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fill prepared pan.
3. To make topping, mix together hazelnuts, brown sugar and flour. Scatter topping and remaining blueberries over cake batter. Drizzle with oil. Bake for 50-55 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Serves 12

Tip
replace hazelnuts with pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts.

try this …….
…add toasted hazelnuts to salads, chocolate cake and brownies.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Papaya, or Pawpaw (Carica papaya), are easily grown fruit trees for the backyard.  Although they need a basically frost free position, they can be grown in a wider range of climates if placed on the north side of homes, against brick walls, to offer some overnight warmth from the reflected heat of the house.

Papaw have interesting sex lives.  Basically, there are girl plants and boys plants, and the two have to meet via the bees and the butterflies…you know the story.  But wait, there’s a twist, you can actually save yourself the trouble of planting two trees and cross pollinating by buying a bisexual plant, which will fertilise itself.

Plant your specimen in a well drained position, as they can get root rot easily, and stand back.  They are so fast growing you’ll have fruit probably forming the next season.  In fact, they only take 18 months to fruit from seed. Papaw also have the weird ability to be able to develop their fruits, and if the weather isn’t favourable for ripening, they can put themselves into a holding pattern and wait for more temperate conditions.  This means that cropping is variable, depending on when and where you have your tree growing.

Papaw can be eaten green, or allowed to change colour to either red, orange or golden, depending on the variety.  If you are ripening your papaw in fruit fly prone areas, slipping over a specially designed cloth bag is a good idea to exclude this troublesome fly and stop it laying maggots into your crop.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Storage:

Whilst pawpaw continue to ripen once picked, the flavour is compromised when not fully tree-ripened. Once picked store in refrigerator for up to 5 days..

What to do with glut

Pawpaw lassi

500g pawpaw, peeled, seeded, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 ½ cups ice
140ml can coconut milk
¼ cup natural yoghurt
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve with extra paw paw.

Serves 4

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Pawpaw in chilli lime syrup

½ cup caster sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 small red chilli, finely sliced
1 pawpaw

1. Combine sugar, lime juice and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat on low, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and simmer for 10 mins, until syrupy. Add chilli and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat, stir through lime rind. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.
2. Peel pawpaw and cut into wedges. Pour over syrup and serve.

Serves 4

try this …….
pawpaw salsa
Dice ½ peeled pawpaw. Place in a bowl with 2 chopped green onions (shallots), 1 tbsp shredded mint, 1 tbsp chopped coriander and 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts. Mix together 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp sugar. Pour over salsa. Serve with grilled fish, chargrilled lamb or chicken.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

Hens have the ability to recycle garden and kitchen scraps into fresh eggs, making them the ideal pet for even the average backyard. Provided
you don’t have a roster, which are banned in most places due to their early morning squawking habits, your neighbours will probably love having
an extra dozen of fresh eggs passed their way every so often! What you will need is a fox proof enclosure, as even in the ‘burbs there are vermin
about, so whilst free ranging is fine during the day if your garden can accommodate them, make sure you lock them away safely at night.

Aside from scraps, chickens need water and chicken pellets daily (One chicken costs about $2.20 per week to feed) and will supplement this diet on grubs and insects they forage themselves. They also need worming every 3 months, and although they live for about 10 years, are normally replaced every 4 years or so as they lay better when they are young. Point of lay birds (around 18 weeks to 21) cost around $15, including vaccination and
worming. Your can buy or hire A-frame kit coups which are easy to erect and have the added advantage of being able to move around the garden on their rear
wheels, which means that you don’t wear out a patch on your lawn, and you can change their position depending on the season. A round chicken coup is better still if you have the space, as that way newly introduced birds can’t get “hen pecked” as they can’t get cornered. Always make sure your hens have some shade and shelter to escape the heat, and access to water and feed.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS