Peppermint Ridge Farm

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Making Flour from Lomandra longifolia (Spiny Headed Mat Rush)

March 1, 2017 By Julie Weatherhead

Hi again!


It was a busy summer here at Peppermint Ridge as we’ve moved from monthly events to fortnightly lunches on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month (come visit us)!


Our native garden is flourishing and we love this time of year as the lemon myrtles are flowering, giving the bees a lovely nectar meal to feast upon. But this year has been particularly special as we are also seeing our first fruit from our Davidson’s Plums and our blue quandong has a massive fruit set that  is swelling fast.


Lomandra longifolia


We’re also starting new projects, like this one: drying the seed heads of the Lomandra longifolia (spiny headed mat rush, basket grass). Lomandra longifolia was very useful plant to aboriginal people; they used the leaves to make fine baskets and the seeds to make flour.


We’re hoping to have a go at making flour using the seeds. The seeds are inside the yellow casing and are as large as a grain of rice–it should grind up easily!


Want to have a go at it yourself? Here are our tips for growing and harvesting the seeds.


Tip 1: Cover the seed heads with an old pillow case to catch them as the casing pops open. Will let you know how the little cakes taste when we make them.
Tip 2: Lomandra longifolia is dioecious so you will need 1 male plant to several females to get any seeds.


And if you’re interested in making baskets using this amazing native plant, come along to the Basket Weaving workshop at the farm on April 1. Aboriginal artist Cassie Leatham will be using the leaves of this plant to make the baskets and share her knowledge with you.

Filed Under: Native Plants and Spices, Peppermint Ridge Farm Activities Tagged With: Events, Lomandra longifolia

HIGHLIGHTING

  • Native Pantry Cooking School Saturday May 14 2022 $160.00 (incl. GST)
  • Tour and Taste Event Sunday June 5 2022 $110.00 – $120.00 (incl. GST)
  • Tour and Taste Event Sunday July 10 2022 $110.00 (incl. GST)

NEWS FROM THE FARM

  • We have limited quantities of freshly picked finger limes available-200g and 500g. PURCHASE HERE!
  • The nursery now stocks a wide range of advanced native food plants including sexed mountain peppers, strawberry gum, lemon myrtle, finger lime and anise myrtle!
  • We provide a complete native food garden design service for schools, early learning centres and community groups. We can assist with plant selection and garden design, through to supply and delivery of plants from our nursery. Our interpretive signs provide valuable information about the plants, adding to the educational value of the gardens.
  • Peppermint Ridge Farm is proud to support the Kat Muscat Fellowship. The fellowship provides funding  support to a young writer or editor. https://expressmedia.org.au/programs/the-kat-muscat-fellowship/
  • Check out this article from Broadsheet https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/travel/article/bookmark-eight-lesser-known-wonders-gippsland

 

GIFT VOUCHERS

Our gift vouchers are a popular choice if you are looking for a different experience for a friend or loved one. The vouchers can be used for our regular tour and taste lunches, Native Pantry cooking classes, to purchase native food plants from the nursery, native food spices and teas or our book, Australian Native Food Harvest.

Contact us to arrange gift vouchers.

Australian Native Food Harvest by Julie Weatherhead
Australian Native Food Harvest: a guide for the passionate cook and gardener. Purchase online now!

PRESENTATIONS ON NATIVE BUSHFOODS

Our presentations to libraries and community groups provide an opportunity to learn more about Australia’s wonderful native food plants:

  • history of native food plants
  • plants that grow best in your garden
  • growing and propagating native food plants
  • culinary uses

We also attend a number of field days, garden expos and festivals across Victoria.

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Peppermint Ridge Farm acknowledges the Kulin Nation of peoples as the first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of this land where we live, learn and work.

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