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Kitchen Smoked fish cakes

Smoked Fish Cakes Recipe

Debbie,
September 23, 2022February 17, 2023

Smoked Fish Cakes are probably the first full meal I have made from entirely self-sufficient…

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Garden Snowland Chrysanthemum

Beneficial Flowers

Debbie,
September 16, 2022September 21, 2023

Often when new gardeners start out, there’s a huge focus on edibles and harvests, and…

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Kitchen

Chocolate Brownie Protein Bites

Debbie,
September 9, 2022September 9, 2022

This recipe is a delicious and absolutely guilt free snack, that my beautiful friend Amanda…

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Garden Heritage tomato harvest

Tomato Varieties

Debbie,
September 1, 2022February 17, 2023

Every gardener loves a good tomato, and there are so many tomato varieties to choose…

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Garden Candy kumara harvest

Sprouting Kūmara Slips

Debbie,
August 24, 2022August 24, 2022

One crop I am such a fan of in my backyard garden is kūmara, and…

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Kitchen

Sourdough Pita Bread

Debbie,
August 20, 2022August 21, 2022

I have really jumped aboard the Sourdough bandwagon, but we’re a small family who doesn’t…

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Garden Squash

Cucurbits & Bobs – Squash varieties & seed saving

Debbie,
August 17, 2022August 17, 2022

Did you know there are three main cucurbit varieties here in New Zealand? I did…

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Garden Homegrown Potatoes

Determinate and Indeterminate Potatoes

Debbie,
August 10, 2022August 10, 2022

Did you know there are determinate and indeterminate potatoes?! If you’re a keen gardener, you…

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Kitchen Pickled beetroot

Pickled Beetroot

Debbie,
July 29, 2022February 17, 2023

I love pickled beetroot. Beets are some of the most easy low-fuss root vegetables to…

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Garden Healthy peach tree

Leaf Curl Prevention and Control

Debbie,
July 28, 2022July 31, 2022

Every spring I see posts sprouting up across social media, where home gardeners are desperately…

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Welcome to Merchant Homestead

Gardener Debbie
This is me, Debbie, in my natural habitat. Messy hair, natural face, wearing Dan’s borrowed jersey. This is the happy face of a girl in the sunshine, snacking on peas and picking spinach. It’s a good time and I’m glad you can enjoy it too. Thanks for following along my garden journey.
Hello Spring! Hello plum blossoms! 😍 Hello Spring! Hello plum blossoms! 😍
Shout out to this lil champ of a spinach, making t Shout out to this lil champ of a spinach, making the best of a bad situation and just thriving in it's tiny brick wall abode. 😅🌱
Well that's a nice view. 😍🐓🥚 Well that's a nice view. 😍🐓🥚
The peach tree is in full bloom, and what a beauty The peach tree is in full bloom, and what a beauty she is! I really missed the boat on my copper spray this year though so I'm sure, very soon, I'm going to be battling against leaf curl. If you're further south and spring hasn't started sneaking in for you yet, let this be your reminder to copper spray your stone fruit trees before bud burst! Once the flowers are open it's too late as copper will knock off your friendly pollinators alongside those fungus spores. For the rest of us who have missed the boat, it'll be curly leaves or diligently picking them off as they appear and tossing them in the bin. 😅🍑
The update you've all been waiting for! If you've The update you've all been waiting for! If you've been around a few weeks you'll know I harvested a beautiful big head of broccoli from this plant not long ago, and lookie here now. I've got just about a whole extra broccoli worth of florets just shooting up from the sides. So folks, unless you're desperate for the space, don't be quick to pull out your broccoli plants! 🥦🤩 #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #homegrown #myprideofplace #nzgardening
Got out in the garden today for the first time in Got out in the garden today for the first time in ages. It was soooo refreshing. Gardens are kind of magic, in the way that you go to sit and drink tea and listen to birdsong and then an hour later you've fed the fruit trees, harvested a load of fruit, collected eggs, weeded a garden bed, done a cheeky prune and had some great banter with the local flock. And somehow you end up more relaxed than when you started, though, with a bit more dirt under the nails. So anyway, it was that kind of day and I'm just here to tell you if you have citrus trees, now is the time to get them some @tuigardenandhome citrus feed. Their little new season buds will be starting to form and if you want them to get big and juicy and lovely like this pick from today, a feed will certainly help you along. And as they say, when life doesn't give you lemons, grow your own! 😆🍋🌳
A basketless forage for winter sunshine 🌞 🍊 A basketless forage for winter sunshine 🌞 🍊
Apple bircher breakfast prep for the fridge 😋🍏 #f Apple bircher breakfast prep for the fridge 😋🍏 #fromscratch #homemadefood #healthyeating #mealprep #breakfastideas
The stone fruit trees have not had their annual pr The stone fruit trees have not had their annual prune, I'm veeeeery late to that party. I popped out to have a little look at them and there are so many promising little buds. This is the plum, and on those stumpy little branches called spurs, are many many many flower buds which (all things going to plan) will turn into many many plums. The future is looking bright. 🤩
Sometimes there's just not a good spot to pop the Sometimes there's just not a good spot to pop the phone down and we improvise ok, and sometimes that doesnt work either 😅🥦 #therewasanattempt #thegoodlife #gardening #nzgardener #harvest
Want to know when to pick your broccoli? Next ti Want to know when to pick your broccoli? Next time you go out and have a squizz at your backyard broccoli, look closely at those buds, they should be dark green, firm and tightly closed. As soon as those buds start loosening up or spreading out, or even showing a little yellowy colouring, get that broccoli into your basket. If you leave it too long you'll see broccoli is actually a bouquet of flowers and every single one of those buds will burst into a yellow blossom! 🥦💐🌼
Need motivation to tackle your laundry mountain? S Need motivation to tackle your laundry mountain? Same! Come fold with me. 😅👕 #cleaningmotivation #homemaking #satisfying #thegoodlife #hyperlapse
Ventured out to the mandarin tree without a basket Ventured out to the mandarin tree without a basket today, came back with loaded pockets 🤣🍊
Well it's been a hot minute, but focaccia is back Well it's been a hot minute, but focaccia is back on the menu! 😋🍞 #thegoodlife #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #bakingbread
A moment please for this delicate pink starburst l A moment please for this delicate pink starburst little blossom. Just sprouting up from the lawn, and sure, it's a "weed" but that doesn't mean it's not a thing of beauty. Hello flower 👋🌸
If you're anything like me, you haven't removed yo If you're anything like me, you haven't removed your dead hydrangea flowers from last season yet. Turns out it only takes like two minutes, so let's do it now. 😅🪻 #mybackyard #gardening #flowergarden #nzgarden #gardeningtips
It's porridge season! Time to stock up the oat jar It's porridge season! Time to stock up the oat jar and unleash warm creamy breakfasts on my unsuspecting family. 🤤🥄 #fromscratch #homemadefood #breakfastideas #inmykitchen #healthyeating
First broccoli harvest of the year! And what a bea First broccoli harvest of the year! And what a beautiful specimen too. 😊🥦
It's mandarin season and these are some of the swe It's mandarin season and these are some of the sweetest juiciest little balls of goodness - what a sunny winter blessing 🤩🍊 #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #growyourownfood #urbanorchard #wintergarden
You can see why they call this dinosaur kale 🦕🦖🥬 You can see why they call this dinosaur kale 🦕🦖🥬
Curried kumara soup, coming right up! 😋 #thegoodl Curried kumara soup, coming right up! 😋 #thegoodlife #fromscratch #homemadefood #soupseason #dinnerideas
When I say we're having baked beans for dinner, th When I say we're having baked beans for dinner, this is what I mean 😋
My life now 😅 #nzmum #nzbaby #relatableparenting My life now 😅 #nzmum #nzbaby #relatableparenting #pov #funnyanimals
Hello beautiful 😍 Hello beautiful 😍
So I was unaware that it's time for the bulbs to s So I was unaware that it's time for the bulbs to start flowering. We are one day away from the shortest day of the year and already these little bulbs are up and about to blossom! Which reminds me, I have another bag of daffodils that haven't even made it to the ground yet 😅 😬 time to hustle!
Homemade tandoori paste! 🤤🤤 #fromscratch #homemad Homemade tandoori paste! 🤤🤤 #fromscratch #homemadefood #UrbanHomestead #cookinghacks #homecooking
I love these little beauties. I never planted them I love these little beauties. I never planted them, they just grow here. And every now and again I spy one of these tiny little flowers peering up at me from under the grass, and that makes me happy. 😊
Easiest way to deseed a pumpkin! Put the knives do Easiest way to deseed a pumpkin! Put the knives down folks, you only need a spoon. 😊🥄 Loving the butternut in our @wonkybox.nz this season! #fromscratch #homemadefood #cookinghacks #inmykitchen #soupseason
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