Mitch Theissen has the enviable role of Head Gardener at the award winning Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk, just outside of Hobart.

Having grown up in the Huon Valley, born into a long line of apple farmers, Mitch started his career in the kitchen, first in Hobart, then Sydney, before spending time in Japan. It was here that his thoughts returned to agriculture and produce, and upon returning to Australia he sought out the next phase of his career, landing this dream gig a few years ago and being pivotal in what it looks like, and how it operates, today.

Mitch lives, works and gardens with his partner, and young family on the land of the wulawali people in New Norfolk, in lutruwita/Tasmania's Derwent Valley.

Before we get to that, Emily and Maddie are (as well as talking over the top of each other -- sorry about that --) talking about radishes. Yep, that's about it.

We also talk about

• Compost
• Soil
• Salad spinners (lol, yes)
• And maybe you need to rush out to buy some Japanese Salad Turnip Seeds. IYIYK
  
  Mitch is recommending Eliot Coleman's New Organic Gardener.

We're drinking a Baklava Old Fashioned - Maddie had leftover baklava syrup (sugar, water, cinnamon, honey) and has turned it into an old fashioned with burbon, amaretto and a dash of bitters. Absolutely delish!

Emily has scored herself the perfect harvest basket, and her benchtop is housing a hard-working dehydrator as she works through the abundance of nashi pears.

Maddie delves into the good and the bad dahlia chat.

We discuss tree peonies and mimosa hydrangeas before delving into some questions that you - our amazing listeners - have asked of us. The ones we get into in this episode are:
-What are some things you wish you could grow, and what would you never grow
-How did you two meet?
-What are your favourite cocktails.

This was fun, and there are more questions to answer in future eps. Feel like asking us a question? Drop us a DM at @avantgardeners.podcast

This week's guest is the delightful, talented Rubie Gallagher. Rubie is an illustrator and micro flower farmer, who met Emily when she and her husband Max took a Calm Birth class ahead of their first child.

After an accident in 2019, Rubie she spent time in rehabilitation at the Royal Talbot Rehab Centre in Melbourne which our recent guest Steven Wells created. The two crossed paths there during Rubie's rehab.

Since her accident, Rubie and her husband, along with some very helpful friends, have worked together to create Rubie's Flower Farm, a micro farm growing flowers for florists, DIY buckets and edible flowers out of Mount Rumney just outside of Hobart.

Rubie talks about memories from the rehab garden, what led her to create her farm, how gardening with a kid is bloody hard, and how she deals with the cold weather (hint: she draws). We talk about improving soil, taking cuttings, sneaking cuttings and not sweating the small stuff.

Before we get to this great chat with Rubie, we're talking about geraniums, using kids to get away with things, roses in abundance, Elephant Garlic, Helen Goh's Pear & Caramel Self Saucing Pudding in the Good Weekend.

Rubie recommends the following books during her chat:

• Phosphoresence, by Julia Baird
• If Women Rose Rooted, by Sharon Blackie

"Grass is going to grass, and weeds are going to weed." - Rubie Gallagher

We are back, and we felt like drinking something tried and tested, so Emily's cracked a Sigurd, Chenin Blanc.

Emily shares an unexpected stay in hospital, and she's got a lot of thoughts about the paediatric ward 'sgarden (very topical as we've recently spoken to Nurse and Therapeutic Horticulturalist Steven Wells - listen to that episode here).
Maddie interogates how Emily gets so many things done, so we go deep on lists.
Emily's planting garlic and spending time in her outdoor bath.
We're processing tomatoes.
Maddie shares a story about South Sydney's jacaranda history, and a recent event at Longley Organic Farm that looked oh so wholesome.
Emily has got on board Tiny Farm Tas's CSA, and is growing Romanesco.
Maddie has raspberry success, a scale scenario, and a twitch sitch.

Maddie is recommending the benchtop bin from Bokashi One (use AG15 at checkout for 5% off).

We are the founding members of the Jac Semmler Fan Club. This is the second time we've been lucky enough to interview Jac, celebrating the launch of what will become an absolute gardening book staple, Flower Power.

In this episode we answer a bunch of your questions, including
-How and should I pivot to horticulture
-How do I get my poppies to germinate
-What are some surprising performers in the garden

We talk about changing climate, bogan pronounciation of plant names, the amazing work Jac's doing at Super Bloom, and so much more.

Before we get to that:
Maddie and Em are drinking a dirty cacao (cacao powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, sea salt, shot of coffee), we're talking agastache, liquorice plant, planting in pots (inspired by Connie Cao), Flannel Flower, Succulents, Mother in Law's Tongue.

Thanks for being here.

Emily & Maddie are back with so much chat this week. We go a little off topic, but that's pretty standard...right?

We cover:

• Philodendron
• Shrub (not of the plant variety!)
• Spent flowers are self seeding
• Ferment for Good - Sharon Flynn
• Justin O'Brien's self-seeding success
• Compost bins
• Proteas not opening
• Olive grove maintenance
• Drowning in Plums
• Different types of clematis - who knew!
• Emily is on the hunt for the perfect garden basket from op shops near and far.

Next week we're so excited to be releasing our chat with the amazing Jac Semmler of Super Bloom!

Emily and Maddie were lucky enough to meet Steven in Victoria late last year, having followed his journey for a long time. Steven began his career as a nurse, before studying horticulture, with no intention of fusing the two. But he delved deeper into therapeutic gardens, gaining a Churchill Fellowship to help support research, and he started the Therapeutic Garden at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre nearly 20 years ago, providing immeasurable benefit to patients, their families, friends and staff.

Steven recently downsized from a much-celebrated garden in the Melbourne suburbs, Steven now has a lush veranda in the clouds, overlooking Melbourne's CBD. This downsizing has given him time and space to focus on other passions and projects in his life.

Steven lives, works and gardens in Naarm / Melbourne, on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation.

Before we get to Steven's chat, Maddie and Emily are dreaming of fields of sunflowers - Emily is reminiscing about her time in Europe with sunflowers and cosmos all around. Maddie is reminiscing of her time on a farm stay in Portugal while staying in a yurt.

We ask Steven for his favourite Evergreen plants, which are:

• Agave Attenuata / Foxtail Agave
• Variegated aspidistra
• Bromeliads

And his tips for Textural Plants in a Sensory garden include Lambs Ear or Kalanchoe 'Oak Leaf'.

It's a Maddie & Emily chat this week.

Maddie is loving (despite calling the colour urine-esque) the White Gate Co White Blend and if you're in Tassie go book and wine shopping at Five Leaves Left.

Emily was creating new neural pathways and happened upon a great side-street garden stall. Win!

We're lamenting the end of cherry season, but enjoying choc-covered cherries from a local stall.

We're rolling (metaphorically, not literally) in peastraw and alpaca poo.

Lettuce is ON!

Emily has has success with a poppy (yes, just the one), and it's reminding her of her grandfather. Maddie's hollyhocks have popped and it's reminding her of her grandmother.

Emily is recommending Death and the Gardener, and Maddie is recommending Recipe Tin Eats' scone recipe but a shout out to Lady Flo's Pumpkin Scones too.