Wildlife: The Great Brown Guardian

Here's an updated photo of Molly...just because she is sooo cute.

Water

Water

Water

Mango Tree: Another heatwave casualty

Well our poor mango tree has gone to the great vege garden in the sky. Faithful watering and sheltering could not hold off the damage caused by the extreme temperatures baking us over the last few weeks. Many of our trees and gardens are suffering and fingers crossed we won't have to say goodbye to too many more trees before this is over.

Potatoes: A nice little feast

Well our second batch of home grown potatoes has been harvested and we are much pleased with the tidy little crop that has emerged from the brown goodness of mother earth. Potatoes grow very easily in this area though so I don't think we will ever struggle with them as a crop.

"The potato contains vitamins and minerals that have been identified as vital to human nutrition, as well as an assortment of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and polyphenols. A medium-sized 150 g (5.3 oz) potato with the skin provides 27 mg of vitamin C (45% of the Daily Value (DV)), 620 mg of potassium (18% of DV), 0.2 mg vitamin B6 (10% of DV) and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. The fiber content of a potato with skin (2 g) is equivalent to that of many whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.

Nutritionally, the potato is best known for its carbohydrate content (approximately 26 grams in a medium potato). The predominant form of this carbohydrate is starch. A small but significant portion of this starch is resistant to digestion by enzymes in the stomach and small intestine, and so reaches the large intestine essentially intact. This resistant starch is considered to have similar physiological effects and health benefits as fiber: it provides bulk, offers protection against colon cancer, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, increases satiety, and possibly even reduces fat storage.

The amount of resistant starch in potatoes depends much on preparation methods. Cooking and then cooling potatoes significantly increased resistant starch. For example, cooked potato starch contains about 7% resistant starch, which increases to about 13% upon cooling." - Wikipedia

I love them boiled and smothered with butter and salt....once in a while anyway...

Avocado Trees: Heat wave die off

Well sadly we are still barren of avocado trees as our little solitary trooper has succumbed to the terrible heat wave we are experiencing with days of temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. It doesn't appear that any of the numerous seeds we planted out have sprouted into new young trees either. I think this is going to be a challenge but we will persevere as success will be much welcome in this Persea americano starved homestead.