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Blog posts tagged with 'h&h preserves'

New Season Garlic Planted out for 2022

The preserving season is coming to an end for another year, with only the late ripening Chillies slowly coming through for the Sweet Chilli Sauce.   May not be a bumper harvest of Chillies this year, though the plants are laden with green fruit.  However, with the cool summer and the return of true autumn weather to the Central Highlands, after a late burst of summer over the Easter weekend, we think many may simply not turn to the brilliant red we want.  The Chillies are the only thing that likes a really hot summer and this year that just did not happen.

The tree are starting their change to magnificent autumn colour and we have lit the first fires over the past week and so we know it is almost winter.

Autumn Colour begins 2021

The plantings now turn to the winter crops of brassicas and peas and of course, the garlic bulbs are planted for harvest around November/December 2021.   Homegrown garlic is wonderfully flavoursome with the true strong garlic flavour and the bulbs, in the varieties I grow, are much larger than those you normally buy in the supermarket.   But later in the year I will share photos of the harvest and you can see what one little bulb can produce.  The garlic is used in the making of our Pasta Sauce and Sweet Chilli Sauces.

Normally I plant the garlic around the edge of all the raised beds, in the hope, that as a companion plant of the onion family, it will deter insects and pests.   I have to admit that this is more a hope than a proven fact, as the beasties still seem to have no difficulty finding something they like to eat.

I have decided to plant a complete bed of garlic this year and if the harvest is good enough and more than I can use, or share, I might sell some at the local markets.   I purchased my garlic bulbs from Diggers Club and have always had great success with their varieties.  Here they are after just 2 weeks in the ground.

Garlic Beds after 2 weeks 15-4-21

Garlic and Peas 15-4-21

The bed has garlic in the centre with podded, sugar snap and snow peas on each side of the bed which will be supported once they grow tall enough, making the bed productive for the next few months during the winter.

Garlic alongside the capsicum and chillies 15-4-21

Here the garlic is planted around the edge of the garden already planted with Capsicums and Chillies, to act as a companion plant to deter the insects and pests.

So whilst the garden goes into its winter hiatus in many places it springs to life others.

Bigga Market Easter Saturday - A wonderful success

Here we are again at the Bigga Markets on Easter Saturday 2021.   We really missed the Markets in 2020 due to the whole year being called off.   Locals and visitors to the district came out in great numbers to support the local stall holders.  It was a great day!  It means a great deal to us to have so many people come back each year to purchase the products they love and then to continue to support us through our local outlets at the Binda General Store, Bigga General Store and Arcadia in Crookwell.

We appreciate the wonderful support of everyone and we look forward to seeing you all again at the Bigga Markets in 2022.

A special shout out to my two beautiful assistants on the day, my darling husband Stephen (picture evaded) and my wonderful BFF Dianne pictured below, who made the day such a lot of fun again.

Bigga Markets 2021

Next market day for H&H Preserves will be the Little Church Markets in Goulburn NSW on the 1st May and will let you know more details as it gets closer.

Thanks again to all who supported our wonderful local markets!

Our Serrano Chillies Are Ripening

Chillies plantings for Sweet Chilli Sauce

Above, just one of our Serrano Chilli bed plantings and while its difficult to see them, there is an anbundance of chillies, a great relief after much trouble in getting the seeds to germinate this season.

Below, a bumper season just waiting for them to slowly turn to red and take on their chilli heat. In the immature green form, they have similar heat to a Jalapeno

Once they have had a week or so to gather all their flavour the harvest can begin and this years Sweet Chilli Sauce will be available


Gift Baskets/Corporate Baskets & Hampers for all occasions

Ever had that person who is just impossible to buy a gift for, who just has everything they need, or seems to.   Well what about a unique gift basket of H&H Preserves?

Last year the Arcadia (Now Ensemble & Co) in Crookwell NSW took out a full page advertisement in the Goulburn Post to showcase their display holders and to advertise the one late night of Christmas shopping in December 2020.   Yes we only have one night a year when we stay open late so it is always something out of the ordinary and a lot of fun.

As part of that H&H put together Christmas baskets which were very popular with the locals and visitors to the district.

Xmas Baskets Dec 2020

My dearest friend who runs Goulburn Conveyancing in Goulburn NSW decided to give her clients an H&H Gift Basket in 2020 instead of the old favourite of a bottle of something, most often with bubbles.  The response from her clients was wonderful with all who received them, seeking her out to thank her for something a little bit different.  Often real estates, lawyers and such, receive so many corporate Christmas gifts they just hand them off to their staff.  I think all who received these gift basket took them home for the holidays, so that is something!

H&H baskets can be personalised with handmade baked goods, such as White Chocolate and Macadamia cookies, Cranberry & Pistachio Shortbread, or homemade Lavosh style crackers as well as a selection of preserves.

Here is an example of a Mother's Day Hamper which we produced which included the cookies with the preserves.

Sample Mother's day hamper Mar 21

Gift Baskets can be very expensive, so a good way to estimate the cost of our gift baskets is to use a cost of about $8.50 - $10.00 per preserve, depending upon which ones are included, which covers a standard basket/hamper tray and decoration.  For example, if you had 4 preserves then the basket would be about $40 plus delivery or postage.  If a more expensive display is requested, such as a wooden box rather than basket then this would be an additional cost.

If the delivery is within 100klm of my location then it would be delivered with a $10 flat fee, over 100klm would be a delivery or postage charge to be calculated.

Christmas in July 2021

2020 was a year where everything was different even Christmas.   Parts of Sydney were in COVID lockdown, there were restrictions on the number of guests who could attend a residence and generally it was not the Christmas we hoped to have.   There is a thought that Christmas in July may be a little bigger this year in more temperate parts of the country, such as where i live in the Central Tablelands.   We are known to have some snow not every year but who knows.....

Snow in Central Tablelands

Last year I conjured up some lovely Christmas cakes for a couple of locals who love my cakes.  These cakes can be made in an individual size and included in a gift basket for a special Christmas in July gift.

Xmas Cakes 2020So keep us in mind for that little something different for a birthday, corporate or any occasion gift basket or hamper.

H&H Preserves is looking for new Retail Opportunities

We have been very lucky to have the support of local retail outlets around the district, but H&H Preserves would love to hear from anyone interested in including our offering of homegrown and handmade preserves in their retail environment.

We think it is high time that we shared our delicious preserves and not keep them just a secret of the beautiful Upper Lachlan Shire.

If you are interested please contact Veronica at info@hnh.net.au

End of the Chutney and Pasta Sauce season

I have made the decision, which is a tough one for me each year, when have I made enough and when should I stop preserving.   I have reached my goal for each of the tomato products, the 3 chutneys and the Pasta Sauce and despite still having great quality tomatoes off and on the vines I have drawn a line in the sand.  I am sure that every preserver has the same dilemma.   It ends up being a decison of head over heart, not my strong point, keep making my preserves past what I think I can sell and using up hard earned capital or say enough is enough.

Stock Mar 21

So the best of the surplus tomatoes and any new harvest will go to friends or neighbours and down to our local Binda Store to be given away to the locals or visitors who would like them.   During the apple season every trip to the local store ends with bringing home a big bag of free local apples from a backyard tree, which are just superb.  I have made many a jar of apple sauce from these wonderful apples.  So I will return the favour with my tomato surplus.

Every year we struggle with the decision of when to clear out the tomatoes beds and start to plant the winter crops or green manure.  It just seems wrong to take out plants with so many green tomatoes and just throw them away but I only once found a home for my green tomatoes.  A local chap made his green tomato relish and was just so happy to take them off my hands.   Might see if I can find that fellow again this year because there will be a lot.

Now the focus is on the new Beetroot and Chilli crops.  Despite the rain and surprisingly cool summer / autumn the beetroots are thriving and another good harvest will come through this week.   The long awaited ripening of the chillis is slowly happening but the cold weather is definitely not helping speed this along.

However in anticipation of that wonderful event the covering of the beds has begun, because there is just nothing that a Currawong likes more than a lovely big meal of red hot chillis.  Well so it seemed last year, when times were tough for all the native birds.    We are not going to take the chance this year and the bird netting is in progress.  Temporarily suspended due to the inclement weather but later in the week there is hope of some sunny skies so we all look forward to that.

Start of Chilli Netting Mar 21

Markdale Station and Farmstay - Crooked Corner NSW

The historic Markdale Station offers bespoke farmstay and equestrian experiences.  This wonderful property has magnificent Edna Walling designed gardens surrounding the historic homestead building. The Crookwell Garden Festival will be held on the 6th & 7th November 2021, with Markdale being one of the featured properties.

The Markdale owners believe in supporting the businesses and producers of the local district.   It is very exciting that H&H Preserves have been chosen by Markdale to provide a selection of our preserves as welcome gifts for their guests.

We thank Louise and her family for this wonderful opportunity and look forward to working with Markdale, in some small way, in providing the full country experience that this property offers to their guests.

Finding your Heirloom Tomato Variety

What is the difference between a Hybrid and an Heirloom tomato?

Hybrid tomatoes are what we all have purchased in our supermarkets, they are bred for long term storage, to be less susceptible to diseases, to be perfect in appearance but are less flavoursome. If you save the seeds to replant you cannot be certain that your seed will grow true to type. The hybrid is a combination on many varieties bred to give all the attributes listed above.

An heirloom tomato is an older-style tomato variety which can be susceptible to diseases, cannot be stored long term, may or may not be perfect in appearance but will have the most wonderfully intense tomato flavour. An heirloom tomato seed should always grow true to type.

There are many seed suppliers who specialise in heirloom tomato seeds in Australia, Diggers Club, Eden Seeds, Seed Freaks, Boondie Seeds are just a few. There are many others around the world who are dedicated to saving heirloom seeds so that these varieties are not lost to future generations.

After a lot of investigation and trial and error in growing, we discovered a book called "TOMATO" written by Penny Woodward, Janice Sutton and Karen Sutherland, it has become our tomato bible.

One of the great things that is included in the book is a list of Heirloom varieties and all their attributes, colour, size, flavour, uses etc. After a couple of years planting different varieties, we have settled on our selection which we use for our preserves.
Each of the past few seasons have brought with it different challenges. Extremely wet summers, causing fungal infections, excessive heat causing wilt and poor germination, drought and bushfires or as we experienced in 2020/21 almost no summer with the whole season being spring like in its temperatures and above average rainfall.

Then our friends the insects and birds cause their own problems, caterpillar infestations are a big problem for tomatoes. In tough seasons the native birds such as King Parrots, Crimson Rosellas and Currawongs, find tomatoes a great alternate food source.

The "TOMATO" publication gives great assistance with the types of diseases which affect tomatoes, also eco-friendly alternatives to chemicals, such as chilli and garlic spray to combat caterpillars. Really when you get right down to it, tomatoes can be quite the Goldilocks, liking everything just at the right temperature, not to cold and not to hot, not too much water, or too little, but just the right amount.

It is all worth it when you get a tomato harvest like we have had this year, which has been exceptional. We never get everything right, we make mistakes every year, but normally different ones! In the end we get a harvest like this that makes it all worthwhile.

Welcome to our H&H Preserves....Our Story

Hello, I'm Veronica and I live in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales.   I share my country haven with wonderful husband Steve and our two ferocious attack dogs, Rosie and Georgie.

I was a city girl, Steve was raised on a farm, but once we moved to the country about 12 years ago, we both channelled our German and Irish farming ancestors and found the greatest joy in planting a seed, seeing it grow and harvesting our own produce.  We discovered the wonderful Diggers Club site where we learnt so much about heirloom varieties of vegetables.  We try wherever we can to grow heirlooms so that we don't  lose those wonderful true tasting varieties of vegetables.

Our range of preserves grew from the realisation that, though it is wonderful to grow and harvest kilos of fresh produce, the two of us, and the attack dogs, can only consume so much.

So what can we do with those kilos and kilos of zucchinis and tomatoes that we have grown and all ripen at the same time.  Preserve them, of course, in as many and varied ways as we can. Our range of preserves are made from our produce grown without harmful pesticides and chemicals, always with the environment, our friends the bees and a wish to eat healthy fresh produce, in our mind.  We also take the bounty of our friends, neighbours, local farmers and suppliers.

We have over the years dealt with one in a hundred year droughts, which seem to happen more often then the name suggests! Incredibly hot summers for our temperate climate, fires and endless choking smoke and at the other end of the spectrum unexpected snow falls.

With plenty of hard work and a great deal of satisfaction we have built an oasis for our little family and everyday is full of new discoveries and there is simply never nothing to do.   Our gardens are a souce of endless joy and each season brings its own beauty.  Every discovery of a new native bird which has taken up residence is always a reason for celebration.


With the growing popularity of our preserves we have extended our vegetable garden to make sure that we are able to offer our range of preserves well after the harvest is done.

We hope that you get an opportunity to try our delicious preserves and enjoy them just as much as we enjoy growing and making them.   I really hope that you find our journey enjoyable and we will be able to learn and enjoy everything gardening and preserving together.