--This episode is proudly sponsored by Willie Smith's Non-alcoholic Cider. Made from Organic Apples grown not far from us, we're big fan of this delightful non-alcoholic cider. It's more refined that apple juice, there's no added sugar, and it's something fancier than your standard sparkling water. It has that craft cider taste, and it's a great option if you aren't drinking, want just one less alcoholic drink, or feel like something a little different. Enjoy 10% off their Non-Alcoholic ciders when using the code AG10 here --

We've knocked the top off a Willie Smith's Non Alc cider for this glorious episode. Not only do we enjoy their cider, but we love going to their Apple Shed too for some live music inside, let the kids run wild outside, a bowl of delicious potatoes or their yummy apple pie.

We're chatting tree dahlias (again), scary snapdragon seed pods, encouraging Ravens in the chicken yard, the no-egg season, chicken curtains, the ridiculousness of the guinea fowl. We're looking at Scarab Beetles in a new light, Emily is planting out Dwarf Gums but needs to consider power poles (as do you if you purchase a property down here!). Emily is singing the praises of Buy From The Bush

--This episode is proudly sponsored by Willie Smith's Non-alcoholic Cider. Made from Organic Apples grown not far from us, we're big fan of this delightful non-alcoholic cider. It's more refined that apple juice, there's no added sugar, and it's something fancier than your standard sparkling water. It has that craft cider taste, and it's a great option if you aren't drinking, want just one less alcoholic drink, or feel like something a little different. Enjoy 10% off their Non-Alcoholic ciders when using the code AG10 here --

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna specialises in teaching people about traditional skills, crafts and methods of living in a modern-day context.

Anna's purpose is about reviving traditional ways of cooking, preserving, and crafting, always focusing heavily on permaculture principles to guide a sustainable lifestyle that's full of gardening and zero-waste practices.

Anna is a former primary school teacher with a horticultural background who has created The Urban Nanna to showcase and teach knowledge, methods and skills to people much like grandmas have done for generations.

Anna lives, forages, preserves and works on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples in Victoria, Australia.

We're eating Tony Chocoloney.

Maddie and Emily discuss Friction Maxxing, Visible Mending,

With Anna we delve into Carescapes and specifically Spoons theory.

Anna's book is Everyday Permaculture

We discuss Ceres, Milkwood Permaculture, The Veggie Scientist, Autism and Neurodivergence, Catie from Reskilliance Podcast, Foraging and much more. Enjoy!

--This episode is proudly sponsored by Willie Smith's Non-alcoholic Cider. Made from Organic Apples grown not far from us, we're big fan of this delightful non-alcoholic cider. It's more refined that apple juice, there's no added sugar, and it's something fancier than your standard sparkling water. It has that craft cider taste, and it's a great option if you aren't drinking, want just one less alcoholic drink, or feel like something a little different. Enjoy 10% off their Non-Alcoholic ciders when using the code AG10 at https://www.williesmiths.com.au/product/willie-smiths-non-alc --

We're back! Welcome to a new season of Avant Gardeners.

This is an Emily & Maddie episode where we start off with saffron and end on a recommendation that will have your veggies lasting much much longer in the fridge.

Maddie has grown a successful saffron crop, and now understands why it's so expensive, she's popped in a bunch of Gladiolus, there are kiwi fruits growing (we incorrectly said that kiwi don't ripen off the vine. This is untrue - they will ripen on your bench). Coriander are going off in the garden paths. Maddie is ambivilent about quinces. Emily is giving back to the local seed saving group, and has a great hack with pillow cases. She's recommending King of the Wilderness a story about the amazing Denny King, as a tree that was previously thought to be extinct has recently been discovered. King's Lomatia.

Emily is recommending The Swag.

A big thank you to Willie Smith's Non Alcoholic Cider for being this episode's sponsor.

Mitch Theissen has the enviable role of Head Gardener at the award winning Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk, just outside of Hobart.

Having grown up in the Huon Valley, born into a long line of apple farmers, Mitch started his career in the kitchen, first in Hobart, then Sydney, before spending time in Japan. It was here that his thoughts returned to agriculture and produce, and upon returning to Australia he sought out the next phase of his career, landing this dream gig a few years ago and being pivotal in what it looks like, and how it operates, today.

Mitch lives, works and gardens with his partner, and young family on the land of the wulawali people in New Norfolk, in lutruwita/Tasmania's Derwent Valley.

Before we get to that, Emily and Maddie are (as well as talking over the top of each other -- sorry about that --) talking about radishes. Yep, that's about it.

We also talk about

• Compost
• Soil
• Salad spinners (lol, yes)
• And maybe you need to rush out to buy some Japanese Salad Turnip Seeds. IYIYK
  
  Mitch is recommending Eliot Coleman's New Organic Gardener.

We're drinking a Baklava Old Fashioned - Maddie had leftover baklava syrup (sugar, water, cinnamon, honey) and has turned it into an old fashioned with burbon, amaretto and a dash of bitters. Absolutely delish!

Emily has scored herself the perfect harvest basket, and her benchtop is housing a hard-working dehydrator as she works through the abundance of nashi pears.

Maddie delves into the good and the bad dahlia chat.

We discuss tree peonies and mimosa hydrangeas before delving into some questions that you - our amazing listeners - have asked of us. The ones we get into in this episode are:
-What are some things you wish you could grow, and what would you never grow
-How did you two meet?
-What are your favourite cocktails.

This was fun, and there are more questions to answer in future eps. Feel like asking us a question? Drop us a DM at @avantgardeners.podcast

This week's guest is the delightful, talented Rubie Gallagher. Rubie is an illustrator and micro flower farmer, who met Emily when she and her husband Max took a Calm Birth class ahead of their first child.

After an accident in 2019, Rubie she spent time in rehabilitation at the Royal Talbot Rehab Centre in Melbourne which our recent guest Steven Wells created. The two crossed paths there during Rubie's rehab.

Since her accident, Rubie and her husband, along with some very helpful friends, have worked together to create Rubie's Flower Farm, a micro farm growing flowers for florists, DIY buckets and edible flowers out of Mount Rumney just outside of Hobart.

Rubie talks about memories from the rehab garden, what led her to create her farm, how gardening with a kid is bloody hard, and how she deals with the cold weather (hint: she draws). We talk about improving soil, taking cuttings, sneaking cuttings and not sweating the small stuff.

Before we get to this great chat with Rubie, we're talking about geraniums, using kids to get away with things, roses in abundance, Elephant Garlic, Helen Goh's Pear & Caramel Self Saucing Pudding in the Good Weekend.

Rubie recommends the following books during her chat:

• Phosphoresence, by Julia Baird
• If Women Rose Rooted, by Sharon Blackie

"Grass is going to grass, and weeds are going to weed." - Rubie Gallagher

We are back, and we felt like drinking something tried and tested, so Emily's cracked a Sigurd, Chenin Blanc.

Emily shares an unexpected stay in hospital, and she's got a lot of thoughts about the paediatric ward 'sgarden (very topical as we've recently spoken to Nurse and Therapeutic Horticulturalist Steven Wells - listen to that episode here).
Maddie interogates how Emily gets so many things done, so we go deep on lists.
Emily's planting garlic and spending time in her outdoor bath.
We're processing tomatoes.
Maddie shares a story about South Sydney's jacaranda history, and a recent event at Longley Organic Farm that looked oh so wholesome.
Emily has got on board Tiny Farm Tas's CSA, and is growing Romanesco.
Maddie has raspberry success, a scale scenario, and a twitch sitch.

Maddie is recommending the benchtop bin from Bokashi One (use AG15 at checkout for 5% off).

We are the founding members of the Jac Semmler Fan Club. This is the second time we've been lucky enough to interview Jac, celebrating the launch of what will become an absolute gardening book staple, Flower Power.

In this episode we answer a bunch of your questions, including
-How and should I pivot to horticulture
-How do I get my poppies to germinate
-What are some surprising performers in the garden

We talk about changing climate, bogan pronounciation of plant names, the amazing work Jac's doing at Super Bloom, and so much more.

Before we get to that:
Maddie and Em are drinking a dirty cacao (cacao powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, sea salt, shot of coffee), we're talking agastache, liquorice plant, planting in pots (inspired by Connie Cao), Flannel Flower, Succulents, Mother in Law's Tongue.

Thanks for being here.