Visit to Jodi and Michael's 'Cloudy Farm' at Dorrigo

'Cloudy Cauldron' is beautifully located on the Dorrigo Plateau.

"The Cloudy Cauldron" is a working farm, with a focus on supplying fruit and vegies to the local area. Jodi and Michael have landscaped on a grand scale, drawing on their farming backgrounds and extensive knowledge to create an edible wonderland that still has room for frivolity and flowers.

We have visited this near Dorrigo site before and it is always exciting to see new developments made by the industrious couple. 

This visit is Mid Autumn although climate change has meant a very unseasonable hot autumn. The day was wet and breezy.

The new poly-tunnel held climbing beans, cucumbers and more

Dorrigo Seedsavers joined us for the day.

A freezer converted to a worm farm

Seedlings produced in a poly-tunnel

Quinces favour the Dorrigo plateau climate

Did she get lost at the last visit?

A healthy bed of Comfrey feeds the soil when composted.

The 'Kiwi Fruit' was laden.

Beds are mulched to prevent sun scorching and erosion from heavy rain.

Grown in a protected area this North American Paw Paw is hard to find in Australia

Turkeys are new to the farm.

Finishing with a morning tea. We try to demonstrate recipes for what we produce.

In Bec and Wilma's December Garden

December 1 was a rainy day but we found Bec and Wilma's Bonville garden fascinating. Bec has planted lots of exotics, especially fruit and nut trees. Wilma and Bec's vegetable garden is extensive with vegetables at all stages of production.

 Wilma extracts some well composted mulch from the pile.

This mini hothouse well stocked with seedlings.

This pumpkin is leaping up the wire fence.

We usually bring food and feast before our meeting. Beryl brought her award winning muesli slice. Her recipe is in an earlier post. Nell brought delicious steamed choko shoots, some buttered and some mixed with coconut milk. We also enjoyed Kay's tasty pizza  with balsamic onions, goats cheese, tomatoes and herbs baked on a puff pastry base. Part pre-baking of the pastry will ensure it does not go soggy. A pizza stone will also help.

This Atherton Oak was thriving. Can you see the nuts? Click on any pic to enlarge. This will be another nut for us to try. The fruit is bright blue.

Extensive raised vegetable gardens mix flowers and veges.

A bore (under the box cover) produces perfect water says Wilma.

A globe artichoke, lacking thorns and unlike my prickly beasts, is starting to flower.

A turmeric, in full flower, ready for planting out. Heinze uses these as a ground cover along his riverbank.

 Runner beans clamber up the fence.

A spring onion sets seed.

A Dragon Fruit has climbed up this palm. Bec uses a long stick to knock down the delicious red fruit.

The temperate loving Silver Beet  will gradually fail with rust in this humid summer weather. Nell says that this is the time the subtropical vegetables become the 'greens' for salads and stirfries. Choko tips, Sweet Potato tips, Edible Hibiscus, Brazilian Spinach, Amaranth, Kang Kong, Ceylon Spinach,  Rungia (Mushroom Plant) and Warrigal Greens flourish in the heat and humidity.

A bright red Canna provides a showy corner.

Wilma and Bec's vegetable corner.

These Saba Nut (Malabar Chestnut) trees are setting seeds around their trunks.

A garden arch makes a showy climbing bean support.

Borage in flower in the semi shade. Wikipedia suggests the leaves as well as the flowers can be used in salads.

Vegetables are crowded into beds.

Beetroot grows in front of coriander.

A Brachychiton tree shows off its full pink glory.