Green banana flour
An experiment in making a prodigious banana harvest last longer. More useful than expected, with some caveats
My mother’s mother’s mothers
How the women who came before me have shaped my life at The Outpost today. The story of my matrilineal line.
Coconut lemon slice (new and improved)
One of my Gran’s best recipes. Now tastier, lower in sugar, and higher in protein.
Boiled peanuts
Hands-down the tastiest and easiest way to eat your home-grown peanut crop.
Gran Shirley’s quick pickle
An easy-to-prepare vegetable accompaniment for summer meals from the summer garden.
Citrus care guide
Everything you need to know about caring for citrus in New Zealand. When and what to fertilise with, sprays, pruning, and common pests and disease.
Gran Shirley’s Cauliflower and Pineapple Pickle
Years in the making. Literally, because growing the cauliflower took that long. Gran Shirley’s pickle was worth the wait.
Canning lemonade syrup
When life gives you too many lemons, can the lemonade for a sunnier day. Preserves a citrus glut for months.
Banana loaf
A reliable, delicious way to deal with an arm of quickly-ripening bananas. Freezes well too.
Aglio e olio with green garlic
The simplest and most satisfying thing to do with fresh green garlic. Every garlic grower should know this one.
A week away
I left the farm for a whole 8 days! I had so much fun! Here are some highlights.
Gran Shirley’s Coconut Slice
A classic slice from Gran Shirley’s recipe book. Simple, reliable, and always popular.
How to make your own pruning paste
Pruning paste is helpful for keeping your fruit trees healthy after pruning.
Sponge-top pudding
A comforting baked pudding that uses whatever fruit is in season. Simple enough for a weeknight.
Eating water-glassed eggs
Preserving eggs in lime water when the flock slows down. A traditional method that actually works.
About Kat
Kat is a gardener and purrveyor of Kat's Nip. Most Sundays she writes about her life on her lifestyle block in Te Hiku (Far North), New Zealand.
