I don't know about you, but I love olives .........

Olives & Olive Oil has long been recognised for the great health benefits that this wonderful fruit offers; olive oil is a good source of healthy fat when consumed in small quantities regularly & is particularly beneficial for heart health.
Black olives make a tasty addition to a salad or pizza, can be used as an addition to any bread mix or tomato recipe or as nice hors d'oeuvres at a party. Olives can in fact be found in numerous dishes adding a little something to any home meal. Black olives have more than a distinctive flavor to offer; these small fruits are packed full of nutrients and are a recognised staple in many Countries, particularly around the Mediterranean.










A delicious way to enjoy a Raw Olive Dish is to make an Olive Tapenade which can be spread over crackers for a Yummy snack.
Mix together 1 cup olives, 1/4 cup softened sundried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of capers, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped basil, a pinch of marjoram, oregano & rosemary & salt & pepper to taste.
ENJOY!




Matthew Wilson has written this history in part of the Olive Tree & I thought you might be interested in what he has to say. Thank you Matthew.

There is a deep and diverse mythology surrounding ‘the first of all trees’

'The Olive Orchard’ (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh

The wild olive (Olea europaea) has been around for at least 50,000 years, and there are groves of wild trees from Anatolia through the Aegean and Mediterranean. The Roman agricultural writer and theorist Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella (AD4-c.AD70) described the olive tree as “Olea prima omnium arborum est” (the olive is the first of all trees) in his agricultural treatise De Re Rustica. By the time of his observation, the olive had been in commercial cultivation for several thousand years. Archaeologists have excavated olive pits at sites that are 8,000 years old. The first evidence of olive oil production was found at a 6,000-year-old site at Carmel in Israel.

Olive tree pruners in Italy, 1894

The exact origins of the domesticated olive, which has noticeably larger and juicier fruit than its wild ancestors, has long been the source of scientific debate. The general consensus for many years was that they were probably first cultivated in the Levant region. Recent analysis by the National Centre for Scientific Research in France has narrowed the origins even further.

The olive was one of three trees (the others being the cypress and cedar) that sprang from seeds from the Tree of Knowledge

The research team took samples from 1,263 wild olives and 534 cultivated plants from across the Mediterranean, and studied the genetic material from the chloroplast (the structures where photosynthesis happens). Chloroplast DNA is passed on to descendent trees, so the team were able to track variations in the lineage of trees, pinning down the change from the bitter, small and hard wild olive fruit to larger oil-rich olives to Anatolia and the borderland between Turkey and Syria. From there, domesticated olive varieties were developed further in three key geographical areas – either side of the Strait of Gibraltar, the near east and the area around the Aegean.

Detail of Noah on mosaic at St Mark’s in Venice

The economic and cultural importance of olives has ensured that the mythology surrounding the tree is deep, varied and entirely without regard for social or religious boundaries. Reportedly the olive was one of three trees (the others being the cypress and cedar) that sprang from seeds from the Tree of Knowledge sown by Adam’s son. An olive branch in the beak of a dove marked the end of the biblical flood, and has for centuries been a symbol of peace.
There are depictions of olive oil production in ancient Egyptian art, and a tool for pressing oil found among grave goods. Tutankhamun wore a crown woven with olive leaves, and Ramses III presented olive branches to Ra, the sun god, as a symbol of enlightenment.

A Greek amphora depicting an olive harvest in the 6th century BC

The olive reached its mythological zenith during the time of the ancient Greeks. Zeus offered Athena the guardianship of the city of Atikka in return for the gift of a grafted olive tree, which he deemed more valuable than Poseidon’s offering of a powerful war horse.
Athena’s tree was reputedly planted in the Acropolis but was burnt to the ground during the Persian invasion of 480BC. The blackened tree was abandoned to the smouldering ruins but began to produce new shoots, from which, legend has it, every olive in Greece is propagated. Such a high value was placed on the olive that the Constitution of Athens was amended during the time of Solon (638BC-558BC) to include a law covering the cutting of olive trees. Regardless of whether the tree was on public land or in private ownership, a guilty verdict meant the death penalty for the culprit.

Harvested olives in Greece

As much as Solon’s law was recognition of the religious and cultural significance of the olive tree, it would have surely been aimed also at protecting the economic advantage gained from a vibrant olive oil industry. The Cretans and Phoenicians were the great oil salesmen of their day, trading throughout the Mediterranean. By the time of the Romans, olive oil production was codified and classified into 10 different grades. As ever, the slaves had the worst of it – their oil, known as “cibbarim”, was made from diseased fruit.
Olives became global plants from the mid-1600s, firstly as introductions to Latin America, then from the late 18th century to California, China and Japan.

Olive tree in a commercial grove 

The appreciation of the olive as an ornamental plant is more recent. Its silvery grey foliage is handsome but unremarkable – though it can be cut to a variety of topiary shapes. Flowers are inconspicuous, fruit never guaranteed in cooler climes. Drought tolerance makes them suitable for locations where heat and light exposure pose problems, such as roof terraces. Smaller plants can be arranged and clipped into hedges, creating a drought-proof alternative to buxus.

In the medieval town of Pollensa there is an olive tree that seems to be clinging on to life by divine providence alone

The real interest and aesthetic value lies, however, in the trunks of old trees. The combination of a hard life and repeated pruning (aimed at maintaining a manageable crown for easier harvesting) results in trunks that are squat, contorted and fissured, their history worn in craggy glory. There are notable examples throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.

Even as far north as Britain there are elderly olives to be admired. The largest is at Chelsea Physic Garden on the Embankment in London. Great uncertainty exists over the age of this tree (it is certainly more than 100 years old) but, remarkably, it often produces viable fruit in the comparatively balmy microclimate of the garden. Enough, in a good year, to make one whole jam jar full of oil.
The large, aged olive trees that can now be obtained at nurseries and garden centres are often a consequence of commercial imperative. As soon as the productivity of an individual tree declines, its number is up. In the past, trees would often be cut down and burnt but now the emergence of a market hungry for old trees with character has offered them a reprieve. A naturally shallow root system makes them relatively easy to lift and transport too. So a tree born on a Greek hillside in the years before the Battle of Hastings could conceivably end its days actually in Hastings.

Homemade Remedies for the Veggie Patch

                          Raw Foodies love their Veggies so here are a few tips for growing healthy plants at home.

Some insects, such as ladybugs, are beneficial to your garden.

Insect infestations can be a common problem in vegetable gardens. Some bug species will eat the fruit produced by your plants, while others weaken the plant by chewing the leaves and stems or even the roots. To stop bugs from destroying your vegetable garden, gardeners can use a combination of ideas without resorting to pesticides & chemicals. 

With companion planting  we often avoid too many problems in the veggie patch from marauding insects & bugs; Gardening Australia has many recommendations but to give you a basic idea, here are a few examples.
The picture is from the same Resource.

Plant	Good Neighbours	How it works	Bad Neighbours
Apple	Nasturtium, Chives	Nasturtium climbs tree and is said to repel codling moth	Potatoes
Apricot	Basil, Tansy, Asparagus	Basil and tansy are said to repel damaging insects
Asparagus	Apricot, Basil, Chives, Comfrey, Lovage, Marjoram, Parsley, Tomatoes	Basil and Parsley are said to improve flavour. Onions and garlic release substances reducing growth.	Garlic, Onions
Balm (Lemon)	Tomatoes	Attracts bees, said to enhance flavour and growth
Basil	Tomatoes	Basil said to repel flies and mosquitoes
Beans (climbing)	Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Lettuce, Lovage, Majoram, Parsley		Beetroot, Chives, Garlic, Gladiolus, Onions, Sunflower
Beetroot	Beans (bush), Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kohl Rabi, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Onion, Peas, Potato, Spinach, Silverbeet	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Beans (Climbing), Tomato
Borage	Squash, Strawberries, Tomato	Said to deter tomato worm and improve tomato flavour and yield. Said to increase strawberry yield.
Brassicas (Incl: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower)	Beans, Beetroot, Carrots, Chamomile, Coriander, Cucumber, Dill, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Marigold (French), Mint, Nasturtium, Pea, Potato, Rosemary, Sage, Tansy, Thyme,TomatoZinnias	Dill attracts a Cabbage White Butterfly controlling wasp. Nasturtium disguises and repels aphids. Sage repels the Cabbage White Butterfly. Zinnias attract ladybirds, which we love! Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Garlic, Rue, Strawberry
Capsicum, Chilli	Carrots, Onions, Tomato
Carrots	Beans, Chives, Coriander, Cucumber, Leeks, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Onion, Pea, Radish, Rosemary, Sage, Tomato	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Dill, Celery
Celery	Cabbage, Chives, Dill, Dwarf Beans, Leek, Lovage, Majoram, Onion, Pea, Sage, Spinach, Tomato	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Carrots, Parsnip, Potato
Chamomile	Cabbage, Onion	Deters flies and mosquitoes. Strengthens neighbouring plants
Chives	Apples, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Peas	Prevents Apple Scab. Said to deter aphids	Beans
Cucumber	Basil, Bens, Borage, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Dill Kohl Rabi, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Nasturtium, Parsnip, Pea, Radish, Sunflower, Tansy	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Potato, Sage, Strongly Aromatic Herbs
Dill	Brassicas (Incl: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower)	Dill attracts a Cabbage White Butterfly controlling wasp
Eggplant	Beans, Spinach
Garlic	Apricot, Cherry, Mulberry, Parsnip, Peach, Pear, Raspberry, Rosemary, Rose	Deters aphids, especially from roses and raspberry. Repels Cabbage White Butterfly	Beans, Cabbage, Peas, Strawberry
Kohl Rabi	Beetroot, Onion		Beans, Tomato
Leek	Carrot, Celery, Lovage, Majoram, Onion, Parsnip, Strawberry		Beans, Peas, Parsley
Lettuce	Achillea, Beans, Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrot, Chervil, Coreopsis, Cucumber, Lovage, Marjoram, Marigold (French), Onion, Parsnip, Pea, Radish, Strawberry, Zinnia	Achillea, Coreopsis & Zinnia attract pollinators and offer shade for lettuce	Parsley
Marigolds (French)	Numerous vegetables, including tomato	Kills root knot nematodes and eel worm
Melon	Radish, Sweet Corn
Mint	Cabbage, Tomato	Deters pests such as Cabbage White Butterfly, ants and fleas
Nasturtium	Cabbages, Fruit Trees, Radishes, Zucchini	Flowers repel aphids and codling moth. Cabbage white butterfly is attracted to this plant, and will seek it out over cabbages
Onion	Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Chamomile, Leeks, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Parsley, Parsnip, Silverbeet, Strawberry, Summer Savory, Tomato	Smell of onion said to deter numerous pestsOnions release substances reducing growth of Bad Neighbours	Asparagus, Beans, Gladioli, Peas
Parsley	Asparagus, Sweet Corn, Tomato	Said to improve flavour of asparagus and tomato
Peas	Beans, Beetroot, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Parsnip, Potato, Radish, Sage, Squash, Sweet Corn	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth. Sweet Corn has traditionally been used as “living stakes” for peas	Chives, Garlic, Onion, Shallots
Potato	Beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Corn, Eggplant, Horseradish, Lovage, Marjoram, Marigold (French), Nasturtium, Parsnip, Peas, Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Corn, Watermelon	Sweet Alyssum and Marigolds attract beneficials and suppress weedsPotatoes release substances reducing growth of Bad Neighbours. Horseradish should be planted at the corners of the patch	Apple, Celery, Cherry, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Raspberry, Rosemary, Squash, Sunflower, Tomato
Pumpkin	Beans, Cabbage, Eggplant, Peas, Radish, Sweet Corn	Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Potato
Radish	Beans, Carrot, Chervil, Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Lettuce, Lovage, Marjoram, Nasturtium, Parsnip, Pea, Spinach, Sweet Corn	Radish is said to attract leaf miners from Spinach	Hyssop
Raspberry			Blackberries, Potato, Tomato
Rosemary	Beans, Cabbage, Carrot, Sage	Said to deter Cabbage white butterfly. Attracts beneficials
Sage	Brassicas (Incl: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower), Carrot, Rosemary	Sage repels the Cabbage White Butterfly	Cucumber
Silverbeet	Beetroot, Cherry, Lavender, Lovage, Marjoram, Onion		Basil, Wormwood
Spinach	Celery, Eggplant, Strawberries
Squash	Borage, Lovage, Marjoram, Nasturtium, Peas, Sunflower, Sweet Corn, Tansy		Potato
Strawberry	Beans, Borage, Chives, Leek, Lettuce, Marigold (French), Onion, Pyrethrum, Sage, Spinach		Brassicas (Incl: Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower), Brussel Sprouts, Garlic
Sunflower	Apricots, Cucumbers, Squash		Beans, Potato
Sweet Corn	Beans, Cucumbers, Lovage, Marjoram, Melon, Parsnip, Peas, Potato, Pumpkin, Radish, Squash, Zucchini	Sweet Corn has traditionally been used as “living stakes” for peas. Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Cabbage
Tomato	Asparagus, Basil, Celery, Borage, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chives, Dill, Gooseberry, Grape, Hyssop, Lovage, Mariglod (French), Marjoram, Mint, Nasturtium, Onion, Parsley, Parsnip, Turnip	Marigolds said to repel white fly and root knot nematode. Bad Neighbours roots release substances reducing growth	Apricots, Beetroot,  Fennel, Kohl Rabi, Potato, Rosemary, Sweet Corn

                                    Some find mixing every plant species together helps prevent infestations


There are a few other possible considerations if all else fails.
This may seem like a rather strange idea, but when insect pests invade plants it is worth thinking about what emotions are running in regard to the garden. If this is happening for me, I often find I am over zealous in looking after the plants & am aware that I have great expectations of a fine crop up the track! You probably know the blurb.....Grow... Grow.... Grow... as you water & tender the crop......in other words a Demanding Attitude is simply pouring out of me; after all, think of all the hard work I have put in !!
On the other hand,whenever I throw seeds to the wind so to speak & forget about the results, knowing there will be plenty for the rabbits & insects & anyone dropping by as well as our family, abundance seems almost inevitable!! Try looking at your emotions, as you may be surprised at the result.
If this isn't working for you, it's always good to have an alternative & great to only resort to home-made remedies where possible, because they're generally safer for the environment and more economical. However  "Be careful of these solutions around children, as they should not be ingested. Don't store them in soft drink bottles and make sure you keep them out of reach of children.

Here are some simple suggestions;

Scale and Mealybugs: Make an oil preparation that suffocates them by mixing four tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into one cup of vegetable oil. Mix one part of that mixture to about twenty parts of water, put it in your sprayer and spray the affected plants.

Aphids, Caterpillars and Other Insects: Add two tablespoons of soap flakes to one litre of water and stir thoroughly until completely dissolved (this is quicker in warm water). There is no need to dilute this further, just spray it on as is.

Black Spot Fungicide: In Queensland, Black Spot's a major problem with roses, but this fungicide mixture works miracles. Add three teaspoons of bicarb soda to one litre of water. Don't get carried away with the bicarb soda because if you make it too strong, it'll cause all sorts of problems. Add a few drops of either dishwashing liquid, or fish emulsion to help the solution adhere to the leaf more effectively.

Fungicide: Mix one level teaspoon of bicarb soda into one litre of water. Add one litre of skim milk and a pinch of Condy's Crystals which you can get from a produce agent (someone that supplies to horse owners). Shake thoroughly.

Grasshopper, Caterpillar and Possum Deterrent: Mix a cup of molasses into one litre of water and spray it over new foliage.

Nematodes: Add half a litre of molasses to two litres of water and spread over one and a half square metres of affected garden area.

All-round Insecticide: Chop four large onions, two cloves of garlic, and four hot chillies. Mix them together and cover with warm, soapy water and leave it to stand overnight. Strain off that liquid and add it to five litres of water to create an all-round insecticide.

Pesticide: Crush a whole bulb of garlic and cover with vegetable oil. After two days, strain off the liquid, add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid and use one millilitre of concentrate to one litre of water.

Herbicide: Add a cup of common salt to a litre of vinegar. After it's dissolved, brush it directly onto weeds. Remember, it's not a selective weed killer. It'll kill anything it touches so be very careful how you use it.

Predator Attractor: Predators that prey on pests are great things to have in the garden. Lacewings are particularly desirable because they consume aphids and many other pests. To encourage them into your garden, dissolve one teaspoon of a yeast based sandwich spread in water and spray it all over the plants.

Even the most common foods and products can affect you and your plants. It is good practice with any homemade remedy to first spray a test patch on the target crop and wait 24 hours before checking the sprayed foliage for damage, before proceeding.

Anyone for some delicious Broad Beans

Have you ever wondered what to do with Broad Beans (often referred to as  Edamame Beans or Green Soya Beans) What a yummy treat one may be missing out on if you have never eaten them.These young beans can be purchased frozen if you do not wish to grow them, & I just soak them in warm water & squeeze their rather fibrous outer shell off them to expose the young fresh bean.                                                                                                           ( some people leave the shell on)

If you are not strictly a Raw Foodie the salad is delicious served with added lightly steamed greens & some Quinoa or rolled up in a Rice Paper Wrap

Salad ingredients:
5-6 carrots peeled + cut into matchsticks
1 cup frozen shelled edamame/broad beans, thawed
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
big handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped (mint or basil would also be delicious)
salt + pepper
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled + chopped

Ginger Citrus Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
juice of 1 lime
salt + pepper
1.5 tbsp agave nectar/raw honey
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated finely on a rasp/microplane
couple drops of toasted sesame oil
1/4-1/3 cup grapeseed or other neutral-tasting oil

Combine the carrot matchsticks, thawed edamame/broad beans, sesame seeds and chopped coriander in a large bowl. Season the whole mixture with salt + pepper and toss lightly with your hands. Set aside.
In a small-medium bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, salt + pepper, agave nectar, ginger and sesame oil. Whisk it all together until incorporated. While whisking with one hand, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil until you have a homogenous and unified dressing.
Pour the dressing over the carrot + edamame/broad bean mixture. Toss to combine. Top with the chopped avocado pieces. Garnish the dish with more sesame seeds and coriander if you like

NB. Coriander is also known in Northern Hemisphere circles as Cilantro