I had a moment the other day.
It’s probably just late my 40s hormones, but…we were outside harvesting vegetables for dinner, and we’d collected the enormous basketful above. And I got all emotional and had a little cry. I honestly never imagined that we’d be at a stage in our lives when we could walk out the back door and bring in a huge basket of freshly grown goodies to feed our family.
A few years ago we stopped shopping at the supermarket and started buying all our fresh produce at the growers’ markets and specialty retailers. We were astonished at how much fresher the fruit and vegetables were – the supermarket equivalents were often several weeks’ older than what we were buying at Flemington.
And once we’d tasted this freshness, we were hooked. We wanted to grow our own, and eat broccoli that had been raised without chemicals, harvested just minutes before cooking. We wanted the experience of eating freshly dug potatoes before their skins and starches had a chance to harden, and peas straight off the vine.
The garden beds were built at the beginning of 2010, and it’s taken a couple of years for them to get to the stage where they’re producing consistently. The initial set up was labour and time intensive, but now that it’s up and running, it’s really quite easy to maintain, particularly with the chooks and worms on the job.
Our harvest included fat beets which seemed to pop out of the ground overnight, curly and Tuscan kale, the first carrots from the back bed, kohlrabis which we’d thought were purple sprouting kale, sorrel and dill…
We bandicooted a few new potatoes from the oldest patch – until we grew our own, I never knew that freshly harvested spuds had a creamy texture when cooked…
Our celeriacs have been growing forever, so we finally bit the bullet and dug one up. For a celeriac, it’s tiny (about the size of a softball) – by the time the huge roots were cut away, there was only a small portion left. Nonetheless, it was delicious…
We made Lorraine’s kale chips, and the remaining vegetables were chopped, tossed in extra virgin olive oil and rosemary salt, then roasted in a hot oven. The beetroots were peeled and sliced before roasting.
Inspired by a delicious meal we’d had recently at Youeni, we assembled a roasted vegetable salad, and served it with Italian sausages, homemade dill mayonnaise and sourdough ciabatta.
A truly joyous meal, and one that celebrated how far we’ve come on this journey!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia you are a true inspiration. Even with my little patch of garden I know just how satisfying it is to pick your home-grown goodies and eat them within minutes.
Potatoes were one of my first success stories actually. I was living with my family in a rental house and bought a box of seed potatoes. The little mound I’d planned on planting them in wasn’t nearly big enough so I took the leftover potatoes and planted them all around the garden. A few months later they were everywhere! The potatoes were quite tiny but oh so delicious baked up with a little oil and garlic. Lucky we were friends with our landlord!
Claire, the potatoes sound amazing! Last year we only grew baby ones, but they were delicious – we served them just boiled and tossed in butter and sorrel!
I love roasting veggies – changes their personality entirely. Nowadays, roasting is the way I get my tomatoes ready for preservation – so much more flavor.
Doc, tomatoes here are now through the roof price-wise. We had enough tomatoes from our mad cherry tom tree to see us through winter, and now we’re eating roasted ones out of the freezer until the price comes down. We can’t seem to grow tomatoes outside in the warmer months – we have fruitfly galore and we don’t want to dust them..
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! It is a great feeling to be able to feed the family with produce from your own garden grown with your own hands.
Thanks for understanding, Norma!
I understand too well you being overcome by emotion – it happens to me all the time, although as you know, not from gardening, my skills prevent me from THAT type of emotion ;-)
Wonderful post, Celia! As usual, as all your posts are, but this one had that touching quality that made it all the more special
Carpe diem!
Thanks Sally! It was a really nice evening. The garden is just such a nice place at this time of year – the bugs aren’t really out in force yet, it’s not too hot, and everything is so lush and green.
Amazing!!! Love the post, and the veggies, and mostly the way you feed your family.
Thanks Abby! x
I can totally understand, not to spoil the great vibe but I never imagined that my life would become so complicated that I would own a lovely garden and not be able to live in it because of Geographic problems trying to care for all family members needs and putting up with lack of co-operation all around..Once you have the bug however you never give up. My potted garden here where I rent close to USYD has produced more this year than I’ve ever managed before. I get all emotional about my lettuce. The Italian parsley has finally taken off and I have managed to get Tulsi to grow from a cutting.
Frances, it’s one of those things – once you know it can be done, it’s hard to stop! :)
Celia your ‘moment’ as you called it sounds perfectly normal to me :o)
Thanks GrannySmiff! :)
That is a truly bountiful basket of veggies Celia…makes me a little emotional to see it too. Particularly since I witnessed some of your garden transformation from a back lawn to this incredibly productive space. Makes me feel rather ashamed about my sadly neglected garden beds.
Yesterday I collected the eggs after a few days of ignoring the chooks – 25 eggs to add to the 30 already in the fridge. Yikes! I was rather chuffed to be bringing in all those eggs (although I will admit to being slightly irritated at the chooks for being so overly productive…’pace yourselves’ I told them after thanking them). I am sure you don’t end up telling your plants to slow down a little!
Thanks SG! What are you going to do with all those eggs? We had gluts like that last year, but the girls have really slowed up this year..
I always love reading your updates! xx
Thanks Dakota!
Dear Celia,
That’s looks like a bountiful harvest and it must be so satisfying literally eating the fruits out your labour. You’re right about freshness of fruit and veges at Flemo markets. Since you have growing and “hungry wolves” in your family I think it’s great to shop there since the value is often in bulk. I shop at these wholesale markets when I entertain at home especially when I have a yong tow foo or steamboat party that takes on all the fresh veges :)
I curious about Lorraine’s kale chips too coz I’d imagine that would be great for happy hour and healthy too!
Chopinand, the markets are really fabulous, but we don’t get there nearly as often these days, as there’s so much in the garden!
Gardens grow better when we water them with our hopes and tears. It is emotional to provide good quality food for your family;
Good for you and Pete!
Thanks for understanding, Heidi! xx
I dream of one day owning my own little veggie patch. You really are an inspiration :)
p.s. Im obsessed with Kale chips :) haha
Nic, it will happen! We didn’t get here until we were in our late 40s, but I wish we’d started earlier!
It must be SO fantastic to have such an amazing vege patch right at your back door. I NEVER thought I’d like gardening, but the joy my little baclony garden brings makes me want to hae a backyard of my own…one day (I hope)!
Seriously – how weird do kohlrabis look? Like a vegetable grown my Klingons!
Mel, it’s been lovely to see your little plants on IG! The kohlrabis really are weird looking, but they taste a bit like broccoli stems. :)
I’m feeling like a complete loser. I buy everything from the supermarket or Harris Farm and I’m eating too many chemicals and nothing is fresh from the ground. Yesterday I needed some rosemary (you would think I would at least have a rosemary bush) and there was one packet left in Harris Farm. I looked at it and it was completely black with just a few green tips. I asked if they had any more out the back. ‘No’, came the disinterested response. I took it to the counter and had a 40’s moment. I refused to pay for it saying it was the worst looking rosemary I had ever seen and just needed a few tips to have with my Italian sausage pasta and can’t you just give it to me for free. I had a win but on principle I wasn’t going to pay $2.00 for rubbish that should have been thrown out long ago. And now this. Now I see what the champions are doing – they’re not trolling down to Harris Farm to pay a fortune for chemically farmed rubbish – they’re walking out their backdoor and into their own oasis. Well done to you Celia xx
Hon, you are SO not a loser! I don’t know how you find time to come up for air with those teenagers of yours! :) PS. If you got in the car, you could come and harvest herbs to your heart’s content at our place. ;-)
Nothing beats the flavor of homegrown vegetables! Especially freshly harvested ones!
Manuela, you’re so right! And you’d know! :)
Maybe I understand… when you set yourself a huge task, and follow it through hopes & dreams, setbacks & accomplishments, when it’s done sometimes you have a little cry for all those moments you dared not to along the way. You guys are an inspiration to all of us, and no matter how much we are able to emulate you due to our own circumstances it’s important to have inspiration and know someone is doing it. On a practical note, I’m glad to know you peel beetroot before you bake it. I do also, but was told to peel afterwards but too too messy…
ED, thank you for your kind words. It really isn’t reaching some huge goal though – the garden has always been an extremely laid back, low key affair. We just started, and let it develop as it did. It was just suddenly (or seemingly suddenly) being able to pick all those veg for dinner – I felt incredibly blessed!
This is the first time I’ve peeled beets before baking – I was inspired by Youeni’s salad which had amazing roasted beet slices in it. Have you been to Youeni, btw? I think you’d love it. :)
Haven’t been to Youeni, but I’ll check it out :)
I completely understand Celia…my vegetable garden not only feeds my family but provides me with relaxation and at times pure joy. When I have had enough of everything else that is where you will find me! All of your produce looks wonderful :)
Jane, yes! You do understand! I love your garden posts for the same reason!
Awww big hugs over the li’l cry Celia!! I can totally understand it :D As someone with a black thumb I’d go full on hysterical chest heaving sob if I ever brought in a basket that beautiful!
Thanks love! Let me know if you ever need anything.. x
Absolutely amazing! Well done. I’d be emotional too if I looked down at that beautiful bounty ;)
Thanks Christie! :)
I don’t where you have come from Celia, but you are certainly in a wonderful place and you deserve it. Congratulations.
Glenda, that’s very kind of you, but I don’t know if we ever deserve things. We’re just very, very fortunate, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. xx
I am very envious of your so obviously green fingers Celia. Your produce always looks so tantalising – you’ve clearly got the knack!
Amanda, it’s really not us, it’s the chooks! They weed and fertilise and keep everything in order. Linda Woodrow’s plan has just worked so well for us!
Lordy that looks good! There is nothing like taking something from the garden and teasing it with some heat and then putting it on the table.
Maureen, thank you – everything was great roasted except the kohlrabi – next time I’ll keep it for stirfry where it’s brilliant..
I love that this simple thing of growing your own makes you feel this way :)
Thanks Tandy. It really is surprisingly simple, and unbelievably rewarding! x
Can I come for lunch?
Any time, any day. :)
I think that is a beautiful moment to cry about – weep away ! Gorgeous home raised veggies make anyone’s heart sing with joy and pride. Well done, hugs and kisses xx
Thanks dearheart! Hope all is well! xx
I’d be shedding tears too – bravo.
Thanks Sally! It was just such a huge, lush basket of goodies!
Well done Celia and Pete! That last photo looks good enough for me to come through the screen. :)
Rose, it was absolutely delicious! I was eyeing off the kale in the garden yesterday, thinking we needed more kale chips!
It all looks fabulous Celia and it’s so good to be able to raise and cook your own veg. The picture of the celeriac made me smile – sometimes size doesn’t matter. I’m hoping for lots of pictures of your productive garden through your summer, while we’re having to dig up root vegetables from frozen ground.
Anne, do you have any tips on how to grow fat celeriacs? They take up so much room in the garden, and now I’m not sure it’s warranted. It was lovely to try growing it though – that’s what the gardening process is about for us – experimenting, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and gradually refining out choices.
A wonderful and delicious harvest, Celia. Something to be very proud of.
Thanks Jo! Hope your garden is going well too! How are you garlic plants going?
Celia my heart goes pitty pat just THINKING about the garden I would like one day. I would imagine when that day finally comes (oh I hope it does) I might just sob with utter contentment. So completely understand.
Brydie, one day soon, you’ll have space and a garden, I’m sure of it. xx
It seems everyone is very happy for you Celia. All that work has paid off. A perfect Youeni roast vegie salad …YUM!
wwwmykitchenstories.com.au
Thanks Tania! I’d have never found Youeni if it wasn’t for you! x
I understand having a little cry over such beautiful produce too. I hate having to purchase some of the garbage at the grocery store and other people don’t understand why I’m so unhappy w/ supermarket produce. I was so proud of my little herb garden this year. Hubby and I made our 8th or 9th batch of pesto last night for freezing for the winter before the plants kick the bucket. I also dried some rosemary in the microwave and put in a glass jar for use in the long winter ahead. It is so satisfying growing your own herbs, veggies. The taste difference is just something hard to describe to someone; they have to taste it to understand our madness.
Mel, I once read that if you don’t have room to grow anything else, you should always grow herbs, and that’s so true! Our herb patch is a constant source of rosemary, oregano and thyme. And it’s close enough to the backdoor that I can get to it in my house slippers! :)
I could just smell the sweetness of these veggies and how very happy you must be to accomplish having this garden…Bravo Celia!
Thanks Norma! Hope all is well! x
We are sliding into Fall and saying goodbye to the last of our summer tomatoes. This year’s garden has been good to us. Maz.
That’s great to know, Maz!
And a little tear in the eye just reading. I love how proud you are! I swear gardening is fantastic for the health, quite apart from the yummy harvests.
Thanks Alison! It really is good for the soul.. :)
What a beautiful bounty Celia. No wonder you were overwhelmed. It gives me huge enthusiasm for our own veggie patch. Last weekend I tied up a very promising looking tomato in muslin because it’s sister who was even more rounded and beautiful was half eaten by sharp little teeth! We don’t want to use poisons either but it did cross my mind that a home made blunder-buss or some such might be permitted.
The bugs have started here too, Jan! We’ve been swatting at the white cabbage moths with an electric fly swatter! :)
Oh sweetie, how proud you should be of yourself! What a privilege to be able to harvest sustenance for your family from just dirt and shrunken little seeds. You and Pete have done wonders!
It must be the ancestral hunter-gatherer genes bubbling up in you both- lucky you seem to have the gatherer side though, as a hunter imagine how proud you’d be if you went out to the backyard and bought in a dinosaur! :)
Thanks for understanding, darling. I hope you have better luck with the celeriacs than we have – ours are growing beautifully, but producing small bulbs – I shall have to google to see what we’re doing wrong!
Such a bountiful harvest already, Celia! You really do take advantage of your climate and it is wonderful to see the result. And what care you’ve taken when you prepared and served your vegetables. Is Mrs. M’s house still for sale? I may have a buyer. ;)
Ha! If you lived next door John, we’d both have to widen our doorways, as we’d be the size of buses! :D
You’ll be pleased to know that we tried a broccoli rabe pasta last night! It was slightly different to yours and based on a recipe from a recent tv series here called “Italian Food Safari” (http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/italianfoodsafari).
We used up the last of our locally made guanciale, and fried it crisp with garlic and a little dried chilli. A huge bunch of chopped rabe and spiral pasta were boiled together, then drained and added to the guanciale, and served with grated pecorino. The kids loved it! I’ve found that taking the stem out of the centre of the rabe and just using the leaves makes it much more palatable to the masses, and boiling it with the pasta kept a lot of the flavour, but removed most of the bitterness. The pot was scraped clean.. :)
Yes, Celia, we may be huge but we sure would be happy, eating such great food!
Mom, too, used to par-boil broccoli rab for us kids but I’ve grown to like it as-is, bitterness and all. The dish you prepared sounds like a great dinner, one that I want to try. While I was home, Zia and I talked about how much we enjoy preparing pasta very much like you did, the vegetable varying depending upon what’s in the refrigerator.
So many television shows are “imported” now, maybe it’s only a matter of time before Italian Safari makes it over here. I hope so!
Congratulations on your beautiful garden Celia! It’s your baby, so you are allowed as many ‘moments’ as you like :)
Thanks for understanding, Emilie! :)
You seem to have had a good crop from your garden this year. I love roasted vegetables…your meal must have been so good.
Karen, it was delicious, except for the kohlrabi, which didn’t seem to like being roasted. We’ll keep it for stir fries from now on! :)
I’ve been thinking about you and your garden all day. It is wonderful to know that in suburban Sydney you have such a haven – and chickens! I do think of you often at the house when I look out of my kitchen and see the neighbour’s 15 chickens. Actually, I often think of Queenie too.
Thanks Anna. We think about Queenie often too. xx
What a wonderful and colourful harvest Celia. You’ve done so well and have come so far in such a short time. Home grown makes for the best meals ever and yours sounds delightful. And I guess your mayonnaise would have been made from your own chook eggs too – contented sigh :)
Thanks Choc. And yes, homemade mayo from freshly laid eggs! :)
What a marvellous harvest! Celia, your work has never failed to inspire to grow more or be more self-sufficient.
Love how your carrots look like carrots. One year, mine looked like tuber-colosis. Honey and I have to move soon and will be giving up our chickens and leaving the garden. Fingers crossed that it’s only temporary though.