Picking plums.

I took my number one helper with me this morning to pick some plums.

She started off well and was excited to be able to reach the 'tippy toes ones'.

But soon lost interest and was happy to sit in the crate and eat her weight in plums.

Once home I made plum muffins from this recipe. Substituting the rhubarb for plums.

And a batch of blackberry and plum jam.

Will we see you on Saturday at Collingwood Children's Farm Farmers' Market?

Hope so.

Rhubarb muffins.

Its pouring with rain outside. The boys are servicing stuff in the shed and Miss Pepper and I are making rhubarb muffins.

First we had to put on out wet weather gear and go outside and pick some rhubarb.

Then we cut off the leaves and preheated the oven to 200.

Weigh out about 300grams of rhubarb.

By hand or in your magimix cut the stalks up into tiny bits.

Place the rhubarb, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs and 1 tea spoon vanilla in a bowl.

Get your helper to stop poking you with the leftover rhubarb stalks and start stirring.

Once the wet ingredients are combined, add 2 cups self raising flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Get your helper to stir the dry ingredients into the wet until they are combined.

Spoon the mixture into patty pans and sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on each one and then bake for about 22 minutes.

Pour yourself a cuppa and enjoy.

Introducing Foxs Lane

I'd like to let readers of the Daylesford Organics blog know that I have started up a second blog; http://foxslane.blogspot.com/ 

Foxslane will be a blog that documents the things I make, bake and create.

Go on over, have a look and let me know what you think.

Market Break

We have come to the end of our Farmer's Market season.

We have a long, cold Winter in these parts where the growing and egg laying slows right down.

We have had a wonderful season, our longest yet (by a month) and we picked up an extra market (Castlemaine) bringing us to four a month.

We have shared the dramas of bushfire and drought with our fellow stall holders.

We have grown, preserved and baked a huge variety of produce each week.

We have enjoyed meeting new customers and loved the interactions we have had with our loyal regulars.

We have had brilliant helpers who turned up in hail and pouring rain as well as sweltering heat.

Thanks Viv and John.

We have shared recipes, ideas, dreams and gossip.

We have been thrilled and disappointed.

So thanks for all your support, keep reading the blog for updates on what we are doing on the farm and we'll see you again at a Farmer's Market near you when the weather turns warmer and the days are longer.

Easy Peasy Apple Pie

I've got two lovely friends coming over today so I'm making an apple pie.

I turn my oven on to 150 degrees Celsius to preheat.

I gather about eight or ten of our beautiful apples, some cooking, some eating.


I peel them then cut them into smallish pieces.



I put them in a pan with a splash of water, three tablespoons of sticky brown sugar and the zest of half a lemon. Often I'll throw in a handful of currants or sultanas as well.

Then I turn the stove on and simmer them gently until the apples are tender.


While the filling is cooking I start the pastry.

I put 225g plain flour, 80g sugar, 140g butter and the finely grated rind of one lemon into the Magimix. I mix them for half a minute and then add a small splash of water and the yolk of one egg.



I allow it to completely combine in the mixer then turn it out onto a floured bench.

I grease my pie tin and divide the dough into two.

I roll out one half until it is the size of the pie tin and gently lift it in so it covers the bottom and comes right up the sides.

I pop the other half on top and place them in the fridge.


When the filling has softened and is completely cool and the pastry has rested, I spoon the mixture into the pastry filled tin and pack it in.

The other dough ball is then rolled out and placed over the top.
If it tears I just patch it up.

I pinch the edges together, make some cuts in the lid and decorate it.

Then paint it with an egg wash made of an egg yolk and a splash of milk whisked together.

Then it is time to put it in the oven for the next 40 to 60 minutes.

It is ready when it is golden brown.


They are going to love it......................................if it lasts that long!

Home from Tasmania

We had a wonderful time in Tasmania visiting my Mum and Dad.

We visited The Honey Farm and The Wildlife Park, we made up and watched performances, played with the toys I had as a child and my girls laughed their heads off at photos of me and my sisters when we were children


We fed their goats, sheep and Pete the Dog,


We hiked to Lobster Falls (don't mention the wrong turn and the biggest hill you ever saw on the way back,)


we visited The Mole Creek Caves,


attended Ra's baking school and loved the end results,


and had a break from routine which enabled us to catch up on a few things.


Thanks Bee and Ra, we'll be back again soon.