This summer season, with its seemingly endless wet cool days has been the polar opposite of the last hot and dry fire season. It is tempting to give in to the frustration of watching all your hard work flushed away, but there isn’t time to dwell on such things. The focus has had to be on replanting and recovering. The crops which are usually thriving at this time, are now slowly growing back – so very different to what usually is our busiest time for harvesting.
The last of the summer successions have been planted, including zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, basil and beans. The usual salad mix, parsley, kale and chard are also in the ground, as well as beets and carrots. During late summer, we also begin the process of planting the cooler season varieties, like cabbage, broccoli and leeks. We have enjoyed passing on our hard-earned farming skills to delegates attending a new Introduction to Backyard Veg Workshop Series.
The highlight of the season has been the sunflowers! As they opened, the mood and energy of the farm shifted. They attracted bees to pollinate the surrounding crops, and Warrah Society participants have had amazing flowers to pick. The sunflowers follow the sun as it passes through the sky. No matter the amount of light during the day, they stand tall and track the sun. After losing so many of our crops to the weather effects of La Niña, the flowers reminded us to keep our heads up, and keep looking forward to what is coming.
Warrah was blessed last year by the tremendous generosity of a number of individuals. Their time, knowledge, equipment and hard yakka have propelled us very quickly to the point that our bakery program is producing top quality organic sourdough loaves for sale regularly in the Farm Shop. The range includes heritage, country white, wholemeal and rye & caraway loaves. Having a bakery has also meant we can produce the sourdough pizza bases so perfect for the outdoor cob oven our TAFE Certificate in Work Education students built. Fawaaz is pictured in front of the oven. It is the centrepiece of the spiral garden which continues to take shape near the entrance to Warrah’s campus on Harris Road
