Harvesting winter wellness

I personally look forward to hibernation and rather enjoy preparing for my deep, cave-like existence for the months ahead.

Autumn has always been by far my favourite time of year.

The colours, the smell of fireplaces kicking off for the season, the relief from the 40°-plus heatwaves, and backing off the sunscreen.

Especially given the long, dry summer we’ve had, I am confident most would agree that we were well and truly ready to see the back of it.

Aside from walking my dogs without high snake-alert anxiety, I’m most excited for the comfort of nourishing soups, curries and bulk production nutritional meals that can be shared, reheated and frozen.

If you simply put a little thought into planning and preparation, you can keep your family well-fed through the coldest months on the most frugal of budgets, with little effort or skill and without compromising taste or nutrients.

I knew little more than nothing about gardening just over a year ago; I am now completely obsessed.

This time last year, I planted my first ever winter veggie garden, relying heavily on guidance from friends, books and Google.

I got a few things right and a few things wrong, but best of all, I got the satisfaction of nurturing seedlings that grew to provide an abundance of produce all the way through to mid-spring.

I had just had my blood checked and discovered I was dangerously low in iron. Dark greens were to be my priority.

Silver beet and spinach were to be grown in abundance and added to every dish possible — soups, pasta sauces, curries, stir-fries, or as a steamed side.

Learning also that the darker the vegetable — purples and dark greens — the better they are for you, I grew purple cauliflower and all the broccolis.

Further learning led me to understand just how medicinal culinary herbs are, so as many of them as possible went into everything I made.

When you grow your own produce, several things happen.

You spend time outside in nature, which is incredibly beneficial to mental and physical health.

Growing plants raises self-esteem, and you get a dopamine hit when you harvest produce.

Harvesting your own produce gives you an appreciation for the food you consume, gratitude (the ultimate wellness practice 101), and you start to experiment more with dishes — creativity (another 101).

My current obsession is medicinal herbs and plants.

Here are just a few incredible friends that you could have living in your garden, and the best part: most grow in pots if you don’t have room for a garden bed.

Since dramatically reducing my alcohol intake over the past year, I’ve found myself curious about alternatives.

Coconut water over ice in a sexy glass got me through most of the summer; however, I’ve recently been playing mocktail mixologist with adaptogens.

Adaptogens are natural substances believed to help the body adapt to and resist stress, as well as support overall wellbeing.

Since pomegranates are in season, try this one out at home:

Start with a sexy glass — never underestimate how much this enhances the drinking experience.

If you are interested in learning more about what plants can do for you, we’re catching up at Riverside Gardens, Kialla on Friday, May 30 for a wander with the knowledgeable Riverside staff.

Come along to make new friends, try new things and improve your health.

Cheers to the new season!

Harvesting Winter Wellness

Friday, May 30 at 10am to 11.30am

Tickets $25 per person, which includes a $20 credit towards purchases on the day, and a herbal beverage on arrival.

Book via liferegenerated.com.au/harvestingwinterwellness-riversidegardens or see the friendly staff at Riverside.