ASPARTAME

In the latest newsletter for the Rare Fruits Council (Wide Bay branch) I included an article on the artifical sweetener, Aspartame, and the terrible health effects of it.
Today I have caught up with my emails, and there was my regular newsletter from The Food Coach website. The Article of the week is How a simple diet diary revealed aspartame poisoning.
It would appear that a researcher conducted a 2 year 8 month experiment on the effects of aspartame on rats. She fed some of them the relative equivalent of two thirds the aspartame contained in a cane of diet soft drink
(see http://myaspartameexperiment.com/for this incredible study).
The photos of the diseased and genetically altered rates that accompany her article are terrifically shocking. How did something so toxic find its way into out diets:
Aspartame is simply the most dangerous substance that is added to food, if you called processed food "food".
I am constantly shaking my head when I see the so called food that some people consume, and then they also have a can of soft drink in the other hand. What's the saying - Rubbish in, Rubbish out. In this case, the long term health benefits are disastrous.
Maybe in years to come, there will be a class action against the food manufacturers, for the so called "preservatives" and other ingredients they are adding to our food.

ELIZABETH LOWELL

Besides getting on hooked on crochet, I have been catching up on reading, especially some of the books that I have received through Bookmooch.
3 books by Elizabeth Lowell have been particularly good, and I have found that whereas Nora Roberts stories tend to be very predictable after a while, this author brings interesting elements into her stories.
So far I have read - Jade Island, Amber Beach and Midnight in Ruby Bayou; in each of these stories, you get a good insight into the gems themselves. I am waiting to receive Pearl Cove, which I believe has a bit of Australia in it.
Would definitely recommend this author.

RARE FRUITS COUNCIL - WIDE BAY BRANCH

I am in the process of editing the next newsletter for the Group, and find myself being not so daunted as what I was in the early stages.
A few of the members are now providing me with articles to include in the newsletter, which is a big help.
This time around, one of the members is going to conduct soilPH tests for any members who want to bring along a soil sample of their property etc.
As the meeting is being held on the Saturday following the Fraser Coast show, there will be an opportunity to taste the fruit that was displayed on the Rare Fruits Stand for the 2 day show event. Always popular tasting the various fruits.

Have included in the newsletter, the winning recipe from the cooking competition at our last meeting. It was delicious.

CASSAVA CAKE

4 cups grated cassava
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
1 can of coconut cream

Mix all ingredients and bake in oven at 180C. When halfway cooked, remove from the oven and spread with the topping.
TOPPING:
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup coconur cream puree

Mix and pour on top of cake. Put back in the oven and bake a little bit more until the topping is golden brown.

I just have a few queries which I will bring up at the meeting:

How long do you bake in the oven before putting on the topping;
do you cook the cassava before grating it;
what size can of coconut cream.

CROCHET BAY RUG

I have just completed a baby rug for the new grandson, and knitted the rug, just in garter stitch (stripes). Finished with a crochet edge. Very good effect and pleased with the result.
So much in fact that I did a small crochet afghan, just to get started. Surprised at how quickly crochet comes together, and I have now started a second afghan.

Isaac RATTRAY

Another grandchild born - Michael's daughter Beulah, gave birth to Isaac on the 18th of April and he's a big boy. 8lb all up and he just about covers the surface of the baby quilt cover that I made for him.
Will have to get cracking on the knitted blanket that I am doing. Nearly three quarters of the way through the pattern, and once the knitting is done, will crochet around the edges. That I will take a bit slower, as I am only a novice at the crochet.

RECYCLED DENIM

As I mentioned in the previous post, I made a small bag from one of the legs of an old pair of jeans.
Embroidered a design on the front and decorated with a shell ribbon band.
Used part of the side seams for the handles.

RARE FRUIT TREES

I attended the bi-monthly meeting of the Rare Fruits Council (Wide Bay) of which I am a member, and as usual came home with a few trees to plant. Some are still in the shade house, as they are a bit small to be planting out at the moment - these are a Japanese Lemon and a Peanut Butter Bush.
We did plant out, using a new method, a Cherry Guava, Drumstick Tree, Candlenut Tree, and another Saba Nut tree.
The method we used this time, is to place a cardboard box in the hole, fill it with potting mix, and then plant in the potting mix. As we are on sand, it is difficult establishing the fruit trees, and this sounded a good idea.
Well it seems to be working, as all of the trees are looking good and have new shoots appearing.
I have since used this method to plant out a couple of Bambino Bougainvillea plants, which are also doing well.

A new concept for planting pumpkin seeds -
While reading through a back issue of Earth Garden magazine, Jackie French had advised someone to reuse their old black compost bins to plant pumpkins.
This also works, as the photo shows.
I filled the bin with compost, straw, dried leaves, etc. and planted out the seeds.
The idea is that the pumpkin will feed off everything in the compost bin.

Lots of flowers on the vine so far, so hoping that will be a winner.