We would’ve loved this when we were kids – we had silver beet and that was it. The coloured strains didn’t become available until later. We loved the exotic and would’ve been very excited to try. Unfortunately the colour doesn’t last very when cooked – raw is probably the best way to eat the colour.

Mum was the first person I ever saw really give the colour of vegetables a place in the garden. One year she grew African marigolds and beetroot the full length of the driveway – the rich orange marigolds throbbing in contrast with the purple beetroot on bright sunny days. More colour, more!

Manifesto
14. Every day the ordinary can be the extraordinary.
22. Every day refine, clarify and simplify.
30. Every day use all your senses. Touch. Smell. Taste. Hear. See.

While waiting for Marica at lunchtime today I noticed either some enterprising soul has planted these cabbage/cauliflower/some other brassica sp. or they’ve some how germinated there under their own recognisance. I had to smile – I remember years ago about a block away a building was demolished. The replacement took some time to arrive, and the empty land developed a vege garden, a sofa and some chairs, and a tv set. Very domesticated. It’s a bit unfortunate that the site now sports an ugly building.

I wondered about whether the City Council might consider planting vegetables instead of annuals, with the harvest being available for the soup kitchen, students, and people on low incomes. It wouldn’t be any real deviation in policy, previously the Council gardeners have planted multi-coloured swiss chard in the traffic islands down Lambton Quay, and ornamental kale – it’s hardly a leap to planting cabbage or other vegetables more familiar on the table.

Back in the days of Dig for Victory significant chunks of public land were converted to vegetable production – I think it is sad we don’t continue with the process. I don’t believe it would add a great deal to the portion of rates allocated to parks and gardens, if anything at all.

We were raised with what now seems like a huge amount of vegetables in our diet – my Dad had a large and very beautiful vegetable garden, and a meal with 10-12 different vegetables was commonplace. More recently my Mum (aged 92), ever resourceful, lead a successful campaign to have more vegetables, better cooked, on the menu in her rest home. She believes very strongly in the restorative powers and energy concentrations in vegetables, and is prepared to fight for the right to have better, fresher food for her and her fellow residents.

Manifesto
11. Every day do something for someone else.
29. Every day eat, drink, rest, work, exercise, play, love, create for your own good. And the good of others.
37. Every day fight for what’s worth fighting for. Pick your battles.