By Denise Fernie – Slow Food Swan Valley Committee Member
As per the Noongar Seasonal calendar, we are well into the season of Djilba, which is known as the first Spring, and the season of conception. We are transitioning from the coldest and wettest months, into a mix of cool but clear sunny days and rainy days, though nights are still cold. As the days start to warm up, you’ll begin to notice that birds are nesting and tadpoles are emerging. The wildflower season that Western Australia is famous for is blooming. It begins with yellow flowering plants, such as acacias, and creams, such as Hakeas.
Source: http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/calendars/nyoongar.shtml
After a slow start to winter, our winter garden is growing beautifully. Our mustard greens want to take over the garden, so we are eating them in everything at the moment. Beetroot, turnips and carrots are coming along nicely too, as well as lima beans and of course silverbeet. Thankfully, parsley has naturalised in our garden, which for me is a wonderful problem to have. A tray of baked root vegetables sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley has become a regular on our menu of late.
These are my favourite recipes for the current season!