• About
  • Archive
  • Contact
The Greening of Gavin
  • Home
  • Our Green Shop
    • Little Green Workshops
  • Green Workshops
    • Cheese Making
    • Soap Making
    • Soy Candle Making
  • eBooks
    • Clay Oven eBook
    • Keep Calm and Make Cheese eBook
  • Podcast
    • TGOG Podcast
    • TGoG Podcast Archive
    • Little Green Cheese
  • Vlog
  • Cheese
  • Green Living
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Soap Making
    • Recipes
    • Climate Change
    • Peak Oil
    • Solar Power
  • Resources

Archives for March 2015

Operation Mozzarella & Ricotta

March 30, 2015 @ 21:07 By Gavin Webber 3 Comments

I may have mentioned before, but in case you missed it, I love making cheese.  In fact I love it so much that a few years ago, once I had about 20 varieties under my belt, I thought it was high time to pass on my cheese making skills.

That’s one of the reasons why I started the Little Green Cheese website & Podcast, and why Kim and I started our small business, Little Green Workshops.  We have added other courses besides cheese making, but my favourite is our Mozzarella & Ricotta workshop.   I have so much fun, and I believe (from all reports) that the students have a ball as well.

Let me walk you through the setup  from a class I taught yesterday.  One of the venues we teach at is the Melton South Community Centre which has recently moved into a new premises (just across the road).  It has a massive training kitchen with lots of bench space and two stoves.  Ideal for a smallish sized cheese making class.

Melton South Community Centre Kitchen

Training Kitchen

There was also room to put a couple of trestle tables that allowed space for two microwave ovens.

Melton South Community Centre Training Kitchen

Training Kitchen (different angle)

It also has two sinks which makes draining curds and whey a cinch.

So, we had the space to teach five eager people who wanted to learn the art of cheesemaking.

Firstly after a showing all the ingredients and a sanitisation brief, I gave a Ricotta demonstration that took about 30 minutes.  As I was using pasteurised/homogenised milk, it wouldn’t play the game and curdle, so I had to add extra acid and in the end I got desperate and added a little rennet and left it to stand for about 30 minutes.  That seemed to do the trick, and the 4 litres of milk yielded about 600gm of creamy, albeit tangy, whole milk Ricotta.  Kim is going to use it to make her Chocolate Ricotta tart tomorrow.  Yum!

Operation Mozzarella & Ricotta - student workstation

Mozzarella – student workstation

After a quick walk-through of the Mozzarella recipe, it was now the student turn to have a go at making cheese.

I find it best if we all step through the procedure together, firstly measuring all the ingredients into cups and diluted with the required amount of pure water.  Then I guide them through heating the milk, adding each ingredient, and finally draining the curds and heating it up for stretching.

Colander and loose weave cheesecloth

Colander and loose weave cheesecloth

Once it is stretched, they then lightly knead unto shiny, form into one large ball (mozzarella) or little balls (boccaccini) which are then dunked into iced water so that it cools quickly and maintains its shape.

It is about this time that the students get their first taste of real cow’s milk mozzarella.  Smiles all round!

Simone & Gavin

Simone & Gavin

Gavin & Darren

Gavin & Darren

And oh, the wonderful Mozzarella!  Some of you who follow my cheese blog may have seen Darren before.  He featured in Episode 4 of Season 2 of the Little Green Cheese Podcast.  This is one man who loves making cheese as much as I do.

Little Green Workshops cheese sales

Our little onsite cheesemaking shop

Once everyone have washed up their pots, I invite them to peruse my little on site shop.   I always take along a few things to sell, because someone always wants to make more cheese when they get home!  I remind them that there is a comprehensive range of cheesemaking kits, ingredients, and equipment over at Little Green Workshops if they get bitten by the turophile bug.

We then say our goodbyes and I start cleaning up the kitchen.  I like to leave it cleaner than when I arrived, because it helps the community centre out.  It is the least I can do.

So there you have it.  That is how Operation Mozzarella & Ricotta panned out yesterday.  Loads of fun, and a great way to spend a day off on the weekend.

Did I mention that I loved making cheese?

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cheese, Cooking Tagged With: Cheesemaking

TGoG 106 – The Top 8 Tools I Use When Gardening

March 26, 2015 @ 21:35 By Gavin Webber Leave a Comment

Listen to the Episode Below (00:26:23)
Download Listen in a New Window iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Leave a Review Clammr It Subscribe via RSS Subscribe on Android RSS Patreon

This episode is essential listening for gardeners at all stages, from raw beginner through to the seasoned green thumb.  It has a little something for everyone, even if you don’t currently have a garden, but are wondering what tools to buy or borrow before you start growing your own vegetables.

I list and describe my top 8 tools I use when gardening, every time that I venture into the patch and orchard.

Here they are in no specific order of importance;top 8 tools I use when gardening

  1. Leather Gloves
  2. Garden Bag
  3. 3 pronged handheld fork
  4. galvanised 9L Watering Can
  5. Secateurs
  6. Wheelbarrow
  7. Cotton Twine, and
  8. Aerobin 400 for making compost

So there you have it.  All very simple, and mostly inexpensive tools that I use when gardening in our suburban food farm.

I hope that each and every listener got something from this episode!

Don’t forget that this show is financially supported by you, the listener, via Patreon.  If you believe the show adds value to the sustainable living community and you would like to support the show, please pledge your support at http://www.patreon.com/greeningofgavin.  Any pledge small or large is most welcome, as it keeps the show growing week by week.

Become my patreon!

And finally, do you think this podcast episode will help someone you know? If so, help them out by sharing it using the social media buttons below.  And if you are super excited about this episode, pop on over to iTunes and leave a rating and review using the button under the player.  It helps the podcast get noticed in the charts and makes it more visible for others who may be interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle in the ‘burbs.

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Gardening, Podcast, TGOG Podcast

Repeat After Me. I Will Never Plant Potatoes With Pumpkins Again

March 24, 2015 @ 16:30 By Gavin Webber 19 Comments

Growing your own food is sometimes a challenge.  It is especially challenging when you make a gardening blunder that costs you six months of work!  So what did I do and what did I learn?  I learnt never to plant potatoes in the same bed as pumpkin.

Let me tell you a little story of why.

Saturday morning.  I was all geared up for gardening, because earlier in the week I had harvested a somewhat modest crop of pumpkins and squash.  Within the same bed, and in between the rows of pumpkins, I thought I was being quite clever, and planted potatoes.  Two varieties, Sapphire and King Edward.  Saving space, I thought I was.

Well it was not as clever as it should have been.

IMG_1340

How do I know that there should have been more?

Well, I had a control plant!  In the other large garden bed that had no pumpkin plants, I had a willing volunteer in the form of a single Desire potato plant that I missed when I harvested last years crop.

IMG_1341

From that one plant I harvested about 2 kg of spuds.  At this stage, I was excited, thinking that the front bed would have a massive harvest.  I was so psyched that I had two 15 litre buckets at the ready.

IMG_1343

So on to the front bed where I had sown two bags of seed potatoes.

The potato plants had grown strong during the summer, and there was little difference between the two varieties and the control plant above the ground.  All the plants had died off, so now it was time to harvest.

IMG_1348

However, after about 40 minutes of hard graft, a few cuts from digging deeply into the bed, all I got for my labour was a couple of handfuls of piddly little spuds.  The one I am holding in my hand is the Desire from the other bed.  It is not an optical illusion.  My hand is resting on top of the other potatoes!  The Sapphire and King Edwards are tiny.

IMG_1350

Here is my final haul.  Only quarter of a bucket.  Last year from the rear bed, I harvested enough spuds to fill two of these buckets!

A gardening disaster, six months in the making!

IMG_1351

I thought it may have been the dry summer season, but I did water the bed at least once a week to keep it fairly moist, and it was also heavily mulched with pea straw to prevent evaporation.  It was quite mild with few days over 40°C, so the plants didn’t burn.

So I did some research.  I hit one of my favourite gardening websites, Gardenate, to determine what one should grow with pumpkins.  To my shock, all was revealed!  It said avoid growing in the same bed: Potatoes.

Pumpkin advise Gardenate

I wondered why?  Then I stumbled upon an extract within Mary Horsfell’s book “Creating Your Eco-Friendly Garden“.  In a chapter about interplanting (page 8), she mentions the following;

“I avoid having pumpkin or squash in the same bed as potatoes, as neither with thrive.”

Well there you have it.  The mystery of this years pumpkin and squash failure and the following potato famine has been solved.

So repeat after me.  I Will Never Plant Potatoes With Pumpkins Again!  It’s just not worth it.

But the great thing about gardening is that I can try again next year.  Now I know what doesn’t work, I can avoid that problem and should have a bumper crop of both.  If anything, this gardening fail has made me more determined.  I am so looking forward to the Easter break, as I will be planting up a storm!

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Gardening, vegetables

Next Page »

Search This Blog

Follow my work

About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

Delve Into the Archives

Visit Our Online Simple Living Shop

Little Green Workshops

Latest Podcast Episode

Subscribe on iTunes

Top Posts & Pages

The Seven Stages Of Change
How To Remove Scaly Leg Mites
Curing Black Olives
Growing Queensland Blue Pumpkins (Winter Squash)
Building a Wicking Bed on Concrete
Curing Olives
Repeat After Me. I Will Never Plant Potatoes With Pumpkins Again
Selling Your Own Soap in Australia
Black Aphids On Garlic
Strawbridge Family Inspiration

Recent Awards

Recent Awards

Local Green Hero

Categories

Favourite Daily Reads

Debt Free, Cashed Up, and Laughing

The Off-Grid Solar House

Greener Me

The Rogue Ginger

Little Eco Footprints

Down To Earth

Surviving the Suburbs

Little Green Cheese

Eight Acres

The Witches Kitchen

TGOG Readers On-line

Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

Carbon Offset website

Copyright - Gavin Webber © 2023