One Man went to MOW!

• Mowed around potato farm (tyres) and garden plots. Very wet!!!
• Fed Snails (lettuce)... all feed eaten
• Fed Silver Perch (SP pellets) and Yabbies (lettuce)
• Checked Sump, Bio Filters, Tanks and Pumps

Check
_aquaculture_
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Wet Weather... let's fix some tools

Bunnings... is NOT just a place to buy a sausage sandwich on a Saturday! Got a heap of catalogues and... after a bit of a wonder bought replacement rake, 'the claw', broom and spade handles. Found it was cheaper to buy some mops (with handles) for $2.50 than a handle for $8.59.

**Also found that there are NO replacement handles for some tools, you are expected to purchase a NEW tool! mmm is this green?

more... YEP more work preparing the garden plots

Continued laying multiple sheets of newspaper to starve weeds of light and act as a base of our garden plots. NEXT - sandy loam. INSTANT GARDEN!

A 'planting we will go'!

... more work! It's a hard life on the farm! Fairweather farmers *no rain!

Planted potatoes Nicola, Pontiac and Sebago... see here for the order in which we planted.

Tool Repairs & Maintenance

Tools requiring repair: yard, hair broom, 4 prong pitch fork, spade, 'claw etc.
Assessing Risk...
Hazard: Broken Handle/Shaft
Risk: Physical Injury
Risk Assessment/Ranking: Medium Risk
Action/Control Strategy: Remove tool from access/use

Repairs Required. Complete Table
Item Description. Measurement. Quantity. Cost/Item. Total Cost

Students Learn About:
Demonstrates safe practices in the use of equipment, materials and toolsMaintains and cares for equipment, materials and tools

Wet & Wild

A GAP in the rain! The EASY life.... mmmmmmmmm fair weather farming!

The 'farm' was once used to locate trucks and other heavy vehicles. To prevent bogging... bogging not blogging, large amounts of gravel and 'coal' were dumped to make a firm base. Soooo our gardens are built-up NOT dug down. Covered our plot with layers of newspaper to stop weed growth. Used water and dirt to damp down, keep paper in place.

Set up new 'vertical' gardens for potatoes. This will enable potatoes to grow in the column formed by the progressively added tyres.

Data Loggers NOT Data Hoggers

A Data Logger is an electrical device, usually battery powered, used to record information on temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH ...etc. Data loggers can be used for Land, Sea, and Air, SPACE and in any other application where the collection of data is required

over time.

Data Loggers can be placed in remote areas where you want to record information. They are used by scientists who want to collect data to determine trends and changes on both natural and man-made environments.

Students Learn to:
Use information and communication technologies to collect, organise and present information related to an agricultural enterprise

Chrysanthemum Sale Results and Planning

Thanks HEAPS Mr Drury

Total Costs excluding water, labour, pots etc.

1. Chrysanthemums $150
2. Soil/Potting Mix $100
3. Fertiliser $25

Total Expenses $275

Sale Price $5ea
Break Even/Cost Neutral on sales of 55 potted chrysanthemums $250
How can we reach or exceed cost neutral:
1. Value Add- make Pot Puri
2. Sell existing plants @ reduced cost
3. turn potted chrysanthemums into potting mix (compost)
4. 'Plant out' potted chrysanthemums , grow, harvest and sell 'cut flowers' for Mother's Day 2010.
5. ...

mmm Taste Testing Dehydrated Foods

We Made It!


We taste tested dehydrated: banana, apple, pineapple, orange, tomato, capsicum and basil
and combinations
tomato and basil... well done Karly!

Comments

• Is 'natural' better... natural also has juice which adds to the flavour
• The basil if rubbed between the fingers or hands released some of its fragrance/smell/oils
• The pineapple was the best/great
• The orange was still moist
• Need a longer time in the dehydrator 16hrs?
• What about meat- chicken & beef jerky NEXT!

Table

Food Natural Weight Dehydrated Weight Percentage of Water/Moisture

Banana
Orange
Basil
Apple
Capsicum
Pineapple

Dehydrating Food- Is it really a better taste?

Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which prevents the growth of microorganisms and decay. Drying food using the sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been known since ancient times. Water is usually removed by evaporation (air drying, sun drying, smoking or wind drying) but, in the case of freeze-drying, food is first frozen and then water is removed by sublimation.
Bacteria and micro-organisms within the food and from the air need the water in the food to grow. Drying effectively prevents them from surviving in the food. It also creates a hard outer-layer, helping to stop micro-organisms from entering the food.
Develop an experiment to:

1. Determine how much water is removed during the dehydration process?compare, contrast tastes of original and dehydrated foods
2. Do dehydrated foods taste differently to non-dehydrated foods?
3. What foods can be dehydrated?
4. Bacteria: how do we know if a food product has been effected? What are the consequences of eating food infected with bacteria
5. Do hydrated foods 'lasts' longer than non-dehydrated foods?

Students Learn to:
* Demonstrates safe practices in the use of equipment, materials and tools
* Maintains and cares for equipment, materials and tools