BAMBOO HARVESTING AND COOKING

with NZ BAMBOO SOCIETY

CANCELLED

Saturday 20 April 2024 - 12:30pm to 2:30pm (2 hours)

Discover the many uses of Bamboo in this workshop with Stephan Peters and Mark Mortimer from the New Zealand Bamboo Society. Learn all about bamboo, and it's many uses including culinary, erosion control, windbreaks, construction materials, fibre, and more! This workshop will break down the misconceptions about this easy to forage, multi use plant.

At Kelmarna we have the Bamboo species Bambusa oldhamii, commonly used as a shelter belt in Northern New Zealand and the shoot harvesting season runs from mid February to late April. You can often find these at markets or harvest some yourself – they’re probably one of the easiest species to find if you live in the top half of the north island.

What to expect:

In this workshop, we will introduce you to the New Zealand Bamboo Society, who will share their expert knowledge on the growing, management and uses of Bamboo, including cooking. The first portion of this session will discuss different species of bamboo, their morphology and growth habits, and what makes an invasive or non invasive variety. Then we will focus on Kelmarna's bamboo grove, for a live demonstration of harvesting bamboo shoots for cooking.

The session will move into the kitchen for an overview of the cooking uses of bamboo, and an introduction including practical demonstration on processing bamboo to make it safe for eating. After some basic processing the bamboo can be used in all sorts of dishes, boiled, fried, stuffed, roasted or in salad. The tutor's will share their special 'bambummus' (bamboo hummus recipie).

The workshop will close with a shared snack, sampling dishes including bamboo!

Tickets include:

theoretical and practical instruction,
a handout with instructions and recipes,
shared snack and refreshments,
~as well as~
an introduction to the NZ Bamboo Society and what they do.

What to bring:

Essential:

a refillable water bottle (to stay hydrated).
weather appropriate gear (to keep comfortable).

Recommended:

a notebook and pen (to take notes, if you like).
a pair of gloves (for the practical tasks, if you like).

The New Zealand Bamboo Society was formed in 1989 and aims to promote the appreciation, growing, and use of bamboo.
Find out more about the New Zealand Bamboo Society at their website, facebook and instagram pages, or become a member for a 35% discount on this workshop.

At Kelmarna, we strive to make education accessible for everyone. So, where possible, we also offer a 35% discount on our workshops to valid Community Services Card holders. If you book one of these tickets, please email us a copy of your valid Community Services Card, and remember to bring it along to the workshop. Please note that this option does not include Super Gold Card holders.

We look forward to seeing you on the farm soon!

Kelmarna Community Farm Workshops Program and NZ Bamboo Society