Seymour Alternative Farming Expo, 20-22 February, Seymour, Victoria. Website

Australian Open Garden Scheme Plant Fair, 28 Feb-1 March, Mornington Peninsular. Website

Brisbane ABC Gardening Expo, 17-19 April 2009, Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank. Website

Sydney ABC Gardening Expo, 28-30 August 2009, Olympic Park, Homebush. Website

Melbourne ABC Gardening Expo, TBA, Website

What's Happening Updated 3 December 2008

The last two events on this year's calendar were very successful and great fun. Again it is so good to get first hand feed back from those of you who have grown Franchi seed and stop by to give me feedback. The Norton Street Italian Festa, Leichardt held on Sunday 26 October attracted a big crowd of Italophiles, and I was kept so busy, even with the help of some friends, that I did not get a chance to check out all the other activities on offer.

The Organic Fair at Allsun Farm, Gundaroo, an Australian Open Garden Scheme event held over the weekend of the 1st November was remarkable. In addition to the wide range of vegetables under cultivation, most of them Franchi varieties, and the integrated poultry farm (using chooks as tractors!), there were demonstrations of compost making, bed preparation, the use of worms, rock dust and mulch, and cooking demonstrations. Cima di rapa  or rapini  (see Maggie Beer's article in the September Gardening Australia Magazine) was picked straight from the garden, cooked briefly in boiling water, drained and finished off in some good olive oil, garlic and dried chilli and served as bruschetta. Delicious!

In Jamie Oliver's latest book, "Jamie at Home" (Penguin), he talks about growing and cooking vegetables and lists his favourites varieties. Not surprisingly, many are available from Franchi Sementi through The Italian Gardener and I have added a note in the description of the varieties as appropriate.

Maggie Beer's article on growing and cooking cima di rapa (rapini) in the Sepember issue of Gardening Australia has created a lot of interest. From the south of Italy, this assertively flavoured green is normally parboiled until tender and then braised briefly in olive oil with garlic and chilli. It can then be used as a side dish or with oricchetti pasta.

Steve Manfredi, renowned chef and restauranteur, has nothing but praise for Franchi vegetable seed. Extracts from a recent email to me include:

• " I'm a big fan of Franchi seeds and I buy from you regularly. Thank you so much for importing them. I love the fact that many of these seeds are Italian heirlooms and many just can't be found easily anywhere else."
• "The PUMPKIN marina di Chioggia won hands down in a taste off. It's our pumpkin of choice for making my family's traditional pumpkin tortelli."
• Other favourites, among many are CHICORY pan di zucchero - tall and twisted, tight leafy lettuce shape with light green and snow white tender leaves; LETTUCE reggina dei ghiacciole- lovely iceberg with wonderful flavour;  TOMATO costoluto fiorentino - great for roasting;  love the beet leaves, mustard greens, the radicchios sprouting turnip tops (chima di rapa), savoy cabbages (lovely right now). Oh...and the cavolo nero is fantastic. it should also be encouraged as an ornamental because of its colour- elephant grey. I could go on and on... 

Further information on Steve Manfredi