Free Food Month is here and the kids might not be growing too much of their own food yet but they've certainly been going out and getting it! If there's one thing Noel can't abide with a passion it's seeing the kids sitting inside playing video games on a beautiful day. So yesterday he gathered up a merry crew and got them out of bed early to bring home a feed of fish. The sun shone, the sea was as flat as glass and the five of them had a great old time catching dinner. Two of them, Ali and Lalit were experienced fisherman; the other two - both called Liam and both wonderfully vague - had a little more to learn. 'I'm not getting any bites!' complained Liam No.2, whilst Noel explained that fishing was a game of time and patience and that the fish were not going to magically latch onto your hook every time, as soon as you put your line in the water. The boys learned how to set the longline and how to jig for terakihi and eventually returned home that afternoon with a catch of eight terakihi, one kahawai, two gurnard and 10 snapper. Plenty enough to feed the four of us, plus enough for Lalit and Liam No.2 to take home to their families too!
Liam No.2, Ali and Lalit with some of their catch
'Big Liam' with a nice snapper and a kahawai
I'm the first person to admit I'm not much of a fisherman - and I'm not much of a gardener either. Noel has always been the green thumbed one whereas everything I have ever grown has been purely by good luck or accident. However this month I am determined to grow SOME sort of food and see it through from start to finish. I'm not sure what yet, I'll have to look around and see what's good to plant at this time of year but I shall make a concerted effort 1) to look after and water it, 2) not to kill it and 3) to EAT it! I've had enough of being the only one in my family not to be a grower, hunter or gatherer. I'm going to start completely from scratch and see what I can grow. Watch this space - and if you're a fellow black thumb like me, feel free to join in and learn along with me!
