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[LynnInColorado]

Hello,
I have been lurking since an article in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye as I was using it to line my parrot's cage.  An upcoming birthday is my excuse, but I am also trying to prepare healthier meals for my husband and myself by purchasing food at Farmer's Markets and by beginning a vegetable garden.   I'm looking forward to making soups to freeze and to trying the delicious recipes I've found here. 
Lynn

[LynnInColorado]

I'd like to add that my first visit to Oz was earlier this year as my husband is working on a project with Boeing Australia.  A group from Brisbane is currently in Denver for a meeting and they're going to a Colorado Rockie's game this evening.  A fun bunch that's for sure!

[brazen20au]

welcome Lynn and congrats!!!

I love colorado, it's so beautiful, which part are you in? (though i've only been to denver and vail)

[Thermomixer]

Welcome Lynn - hope you have lots of fun.  (Especially with us Aussies) 

I have friends in Colorado - small place that it is !!

[judydawn]

Hi and welcome Lynn - lucky you read the paper as you were lining the parrot's cage
Only thing I know about Colorado is John Denver's song  but it sounds a lovely place to live.

[Rowyfo]

LOL @ the parrot cage

I know you are going to love having your TM. I am looking forward to the warmer weather here so I can put some vegies in the ground - I am sure fresh vegies and the TM are going to be a wonderful combination.

I am glad you found us!

[judydawn]

Rowyfo, make sure you put some snail pellets around the vegies - they love them too   They got to my spinach before I laid a handful then when I planted some coriander I didn't have anymore and thought they wouldn't like the taste of it anyway.  Wrong! they demolished it overnight so I had to buy another plant and more snail bait.  Got 2 dozen of the little buggars the first night   They don't touch the spring onions though and haven't worked out where I've planted the parsley and thyme - in a wooden wheelbarrow DH made.

[Shayla]

The snail pellets are really very toxic, as well as killing the snails it kills the birds too as they eat the snails. Much better to use an organic method - ie saucers of beer which they drown in or ducks love to eat snails - they eat only the small ones so you hand pick the big ones. We don't use any chemicals in our garden - we use companion planting mostly and if really necessary an organic compound. Raising the beds helps a lot too or planting in planters.
Shayla in Cape Town

[brazen20au]

i think eggshells stop them too don't they?

[faffa_70]

and saw dust sprinkled around each plant 

[baf65]

I sprinkle used coffee grounds aorund my herbs and stuff, that keeps a lot of things away!

[LynnInColorado]

Thanks everybody!  We are 20 miles SE of Denver.  Our visitors from Brisbane really enjoyed seeing the Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs last night.  They are driving to see Pikes Peak before heading home tonight. 

Our vegetable garden will be as Organic as possible.  Here's another Australia connection...I learned about sheet composting in this article.  The guy learned how to do it when he lived in Australia.  http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-nodig12-2008jun12,0,55177.story

My Thermomix is on its way from Quebec via Ground Shipping, so I'll be back when I've had a try with it.

[Rowyfo]

Argh I hate snails and slugs. They completely ruined my cucumbers a few years ago! And what they didn't get, the dog trampled.

They don't like sliding over anything dry, so eggshells, sawdust etc are great. The thing with snail bait is it is sooo effective when other things aren't. But I don't like to have it around our dog, children and yes, the food chain.

[LynnInColorado]

Delivery date is Friday!  You "veterans" may have already seen such eBay ads.  VERY strange...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROBOT-THERMOMIX-VORWERK-TM-21-EXCEL-STATE-98-00-AUD_W0QQitemZ260460249737QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Home_Appliances?hash=item3ca4a40289&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[brazen20au]

yay!!

wow at that old one lol