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The Humble Soapnut - A Guide to the Laundry Detergent that Grows on Trees ebook by Kathryn Ossing
will be released to subscribers in: soon!

Kate Downham

gardener & author
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since Oct 14, 2018
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Biography
I'm a quiet goatherd establishing a permaculture homestead on old logging land at the edge of the wilderness.
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Recent posts by Kate Downham

1 more share to go and the social sharing goal will be unlocked!
1 day ago

paul wheaton wrote:We had a guy ask about the art being done by AI.  All of the art is done by andres.



There are a few projects around that are being sneaky about AI images, so that is probably why you're being asked.

They are excellent pictures, way better than anything AI could do.
5 days ago

Nancy Reading wrote:

r ranson wrote:Feild peas and beans grow as a bush.  Usually less than two feet high these days.  Three or four feet high seemed more likely pre industrial revolution.


Interesting, I haven't found any sources for drying type bush peas, so I guess I'll have to take another look for 'field peas' and 'cover crop peas'. All the older traditional drying peas (like carlin peas) I've found are taller varieties - 5 to 6 feet, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place!



The standard field peas/green manure type/seed type peas grow well here without sticks. Also Oregon giant snow pea is really good for self-supporting, and very tasty. I'm trialing 'greenfeast' this year, a popular dwarf shelling variety.
5 days ago
616% funded, 268 backers!

Social sharing goal is getting very close - 2 more shares on FB and/or X and I'll post a backer-only update with a bonus recipe.
5 days ago
Congratulations on getting funded so quickly!

That maple syrup course looks great.
1 week ago

Megan Palmer wrote:I have found a new favourite drumstick recipe that freezes well too.

It is from a NZ site, food lovers forum

Chicken Shawarma style tray bake

A can of drained chickpeas can be added for some more bulk.

Middle Eastern Chicken Tray Bake

600g chicken thigh fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
S&P
1 orange kūmara, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, quartered
2-3 capsicum, sliced
2 carrots, roughly chopped
3 zucchini roughly chopped
1 broccoli, cut into florets.
1/2 cup hummus
1/2 cup tzatziki  ( or just yoghurt with mint and garlic)
1 handful parsley, chopped

Marinate the chicken in the olive oil, lemon juice and spices for an hour (or longer if you can).
Heat oven to 200 C fan bake.
Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a large roasting dish. Cover with chicken and scrape any remaining spices from the dish.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked and vegetables tender.
Top with hummus, tzatziki and parsley.





Sounds good. 'Kumara' in NZ is sweet potato, I imagine regular potatoes would go well in this too.
1 week ago
Sourdough without fail is now a "project we love"!!!
1 week ago
530% funded! 232 backers!

I'm doing a social sharing goal: If I can get a combined 20 shares on Facebook and X, then I'll send out a backer-only update with a recipe for the best every tomato relish (not included in the book), plus early access to the chocolate cookie recipe from the book.

So far there are 8 shares, just 12 more shares to go and all backers will get the bonus.

Here's the link to the posts to share:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0ja8ETAsV6YKfVHiRorvpG6ep6CWvUcQLeLUNzmWGCU5ck3myx5BBpKwN6prV1Ka2l&id=100070145258114
X: https://x.com/katedownham/status/1975641437103681967
1 week ago
I buy most spices in bulk (half a pound to 2 pounds at a time). I probably don’t keep them in the best possible way, but they still taste good after 3+ years stored in this way, so it’s good enough for me:

1. A big spice rack mounted to the wall keeps small amounts of most things for day to day use in jars of various sizes in the kitchen.
2. In a 2 1/2 gallon bucket I have bags of ‘sweet’ spices like ginger, gloves, cardamon, cinnamon, and other stuff like that gets used sometimes in delicate dishes where I don’t want any hint of curry flavours getting into it. I also keep a bag of psyllium husk for GF baking in this bucket.
3. In a 5 gallon bucket I have bags everything else - peppercorns, chili flakes, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and probably others.

I keep the buckets in our pantry/larder, which is cooler than the kitchen, and helps them keep for longer.

When the small jars run out (or are running very low), I refill them from the bulk bags. The buckets that the bulk bags are in keep the spices fairly airtight.
2 weeks ago