I just visited the most wonderful garden

[Kiwi]

Today I was driving passed the home of O'hareward (Robin) I decided to pop in and introduce myself.... I was greeted with a great big bear hug from a lovely man with a nice smile. I had the VIP tour of his garden and was impressed by the aray of fruits and vegetables, I got some great ideas from his set up and intend to put some into practice when I move into my new cottage. Being a chippy he has built many a frame to support his fruits and veges and his hen's will be very happy in their new home. Inside his house he showed me his handy work, with the extensions to his home, beautifully polished rimu bench top in the kichen and the addition of a library and study.... I was impressed... thank you Robin for sharing your wee haven with me...and the bag of pears (delicious) and quinces and the nesting boxes... I felt it was worth a plug on here to tell others about your wonderful home and garden. A work in progress...
Jan

[Millymollymandy]

That's great! I'm glad you got a chance to meet and it's nice to hear about SSish meet ups happening in different countries.

[Wombat]

good one Jan and Robin!

Nev

[ohareward]

Thank you Kiwi for those kind words. I was only being neighbourly. Any help you need in construction, give us a yell.
Robin

[Kiwi]

Thank you Kiwi for those kind words. I was only being neighbourly. Any help you need in construction, give us a yell.
Robin

The last time I built something it fell over... was a bird table and the bird that landed on it was very heavy

Those pears went down a treat thankyou, and the quince conserve I made, with honey and sugar, has a mead flavour, for over ice cream and in smoothies, the boys love it...

[the.fee.fairy]

Have you got a recipe for the quince preserve? I have a deep love of mead and it sounds wonderful!

[Kiwi]

Well I kind of played around with a recipe....

I cut the quince in half and stacked then in the crock pot, I then drizzled a mix of honey and water on them (1/2 cup honey 1 cup water) left them over night to slow cook, the next day I cut them up and added 5 cups of water (6 quince) and 3 cups sugar, plus the honey liquid from the crock, I put them in a pot to boil until the quince were very soft, I then processed them when cold in a food processor with all the liquid, until they were just mush. I filled a jug with the quince pulp and put in the fridge for ice cream topping and smoothie flavouring (it is very sweet though so check your sugar to taste)..
There is another recipe that Robins wife uses that for quince conserve which is probably even nicer, (if I remember from my childhood).. maybe Robin might post it on here??)

[halfa]

Ooooo Kiwi - you might have found a seriously valuable resource in our area I think. O'harewood, we have chook houses, dog runs, glasshouses and possum'rabbit'hare excluding vege garden frames on our agenda, so be prepared. Your brain may get well picked in the near future.

Another thing- having been a keen and active gardener for pretty much all my life ( my mum started me young!), I am finding I am having to start all over again since moving to the Mainland. The soil types out here on the Peninsular are way different to any I have worked before, being highly acidic, we have clay by the bucket, and the climate is so different. My neighbour is a self professed newbie to gardening and we are learning together which makes it fun. Have to say that for a newbie she does very very well, and we have been eating loads of veges from her garden.

Anyhoo- be warned - there WILL be questions!

[Shirley]

What a lovely thread - I love to hear about Ish meet ups!

Further proof that Ish people all over the world are LOVELY people!

[ohareward]

Hi Halfa, Only too happy to pass on any knowledge that may be of use to you.
Hi Kiwi, I will ask my beloved for that recipe and post it on.

Robin

[Kiwi]

ooops sorry haven't been in here for a while....

Hi Halfa, hows the wood gathering going?? at this rate I'll be out half way through winter, I can't believe how cold it has turned already... I'm all settled into my wee house in Oxford and awaiting your visit...

And Robin that quince conserve you gave me is sooooooooo yum, I have it on cheese and crackers...yummmm

[halfa]

Hiya Kiwi
Woodgathering is well underway and my skills with a chainsaw are improving as I get through the pile. Truck is half full, so a good 2-3 trailer loads in there already. Not much splitting for the boys to do either, on account of me worrying about their welfare and all . It sounds like you are in another country, what with commenting on the cold out there. Tis nice and warm here still; foggy, misty and wet today but still good growing weather. The gorse is still sprouting happily anyways!

Now look here, I see these posts mentioning mead flavoured quince conserve. There will be some of that left when we get to yours won't there? I have a really nice bottle of Wintermead here that could go down really well with it even...

[ina]

Being a chippy he has built many a frame to support his fruits and veges

You make me envious - it just sounds lovely!

But just to clear this one up - what's a chippy in NZ? In Scotland it's a fish-and-chip shop... And that doesn't sound right in this context!

[Wombat]

Hi Ina!

In Aus/NZ a chippie is a carpenter, in the same way that a sparkie is an electrician!

Nev

[ina]

Ah, cheers!