Salt Dough Recipe

For our Christmas in July, my eldest daughter got all keen to make salt dough shapes like she had seen over here.

Here is the recipe and technique we muddled through.

100gm plain flour
50gm fine salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
80mL of warm hot water

Dissolve salt with hot water.
add oil
add flour

We mixed in the breadmaker, and added more flour if the mix was tacky - it needs to be the consistency of bread dough so quite firm (the mix needs adjusting dependent on flour quality and weather/humidity).

Roll out on a flour dusted surface or between two baking paper sheets, using two chopping boards either side of mix to get an even height on dough.

Press rubber stamps across surface to get imprints.

Cut desired shapes with a biccie cutter, and push a hole for ribbon with the blunt end of a satay stick into shape BEFORE taking cutter off (stops distortion of the edge).

Slip onto a baking tray with baking paper to prevent sticking.

Put in a 75oC oven (no higher or the dough will cook and dough may rise) for about four hours + (again varies dependent on dough moisture and weather).

The dried shapes should be hard and dry, you can feel the lightness in the shape if its is dried properly.

Keep in an air tight container or mouLd will grow on them like a stale piece of bread !
You can coat in a satin sealant (from a craft shop) to give the salt dough longevity.

Notch it down to experience

poo !

They do say that you learn from your mistakes

you never make the same mistake again

and so it goes when you go from an event participant taking care of all your own licenses at someones Else's events to being the one organising of your own event

when you think you have all the boxes ticked and "i's" dotted

things can still go pear shaped - especially when its the first time you've done this

the gap between state and municipal licensing broadened today for us when we found out

that we need the liquor license to have wine sold at our event rather than the vendor

Most wine sellers have a license for their vineyard/cellar door but when it comes to an event

apparently its standard for the event holder to take out the state based permit

yeh I know, I know, stupid mistake huh 

lets just say we weren't the only ones surprised to find this out 

Sure makes selling plants and Christmas Trees look easy !

wish we knew all this a few weeks ago !

Anyone got a "How to run an Event in Tassie Guidebook" ?

we have had brilliant business, community  and council support to try 

and help solve our little dilemma

unfortunately on a Friday lunch time, two days before the event

nothing can get solved in a hurry.

Sure won't be slipping up like that in October for our Spring Fete !

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FEEDBACK :)

Whole Farm Plan

Out at the farm we have in place something called a 

WHOLE FARM PLAN

it means that we have taken the entire farm and mapped it out

to its best land use and addressed environmental factors

I once did this sort of work as part of my job in environmental management

but we undertook this one on our farm

with the guidance of NRM Norths Property Management Planning Course

this weekend at our Christmas in July we are going to put a few signs out

to explain some of the features of our Whole Farm Plan

such as wildlife corridors, environmental indicators and pasture management

Harvesting Materials

Apple wood

Just starting to collect materials for our first ever workshop out at the Farm. 

 

Wreath making is pretty satisfying, the materials for free are unlimited

 from waysides of Tasmania's roads. 

 

Luckily at the Farm we grow a few special "Twigs" 

with bright red and golden yellow colourings just for such projects !

 

Christmas in July: Wreath Making Workshop\

 

Jilli's Vine Wreath made quicky on the weekend

 

Red Dogwood Hedge at the Farm

Siberian Dogwood - this seasons hedge

 

Entally House GardenFest

GardenFest at Historic Entally House was on again this weekend.

Not well publicised, but attracting a great number of people just the same.

The Nursery took to the road again, and attended GardenFest for the first time.

With very fine weather, and beautiful garden surrounds.

Killiecrankie Farm Nursery Stall

 We had a brilliant weekend, indulging in Freerange Pork sausages from Langdale Farm, some very nice berries and icecream from Moss Side Berries, Custard Tarts from The Red Feather Inn, loads of plants to see and garden features to plan for.

Killiecrankie Farm Christmas Trees

Inspirations Garden Centre

Peter Maxwell Wright

Peter Maxwell Wright

Peter Maxwell Wright

Greenhand Enterprises

Squirrel & Dove

In between all that I did manage to do some work and sell enough plants to over the indulgence !

My thanks as always to our wonderful clients, and to my stall helpers (who made it possible to go berry hunting) Mandy & Julie

woodland creatures

down in the woodland of Christmas Trees

small creatures play

bandicoots, wallabies, tasmanian devils

frogs, burrowing crays and birds

not all the trees will be harvested this year

a couple of special ones have tenants !

dainty gold finches (though not native)

reside in one

their eggs hatching two days ago

dusky wood swallows

have also hatched little grey fluff balls

P.S. my apologies everyone for not visiting and replying to mail

seems that the internet and my PC have let me down

when I needed them most

fingers crossed it doesn't mean new hardware !

thank goodness for community access !

hobart christmas trees

If you are in Hobart and would like one of our

Fresh Cut Christmas Trees

you had better get a shimmie on !

Last order for trees for our only delivery to Hobart

is on Wednesday the 30th of November

drop by Karen Wagner's Garden and Designs store

to place you order in person !

and don't worry - your tree will last the full December period

as long as you follow our Tree Care Guide

Our trees are cut fresh daily 

making for better needle retention

and tree longevity !