Jost and Julie Steller's house in Deakin is surrounded by a citrus orchard. Cumquats and a Tahitian lime tree in pots decorate the elevated front terrace with its views to the National Arboretum. In a sheltered spot near the driveway is a red grapefruit and, in a micro-climate along the side of the house are a lemonade tree (the fruit is distinguished from lemons in having no nipples), Meyer and Eureka lemon trees and a magnificent Valencia orange tree with fragrant huge blossoms. Oranges hang on the tree for 'storage' and are squeezed for fresh orange juice every morning. Yates' Nature's Way Citrus & Ornamental Spray, the only registered spray for home garden use on edible citrus, keeps Bronze Orange stink bugs away.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
New home orchard plantings
Jost graduated in forestry at the ANU and worked in city parks for 38 years. In 2008 we visited the Steller garden where the couple has lived since 1994, but as Jost says, there have been 'new twists' to the plantings.
There is a bay tree, an Anzac peach which is a new variety less susceptible to brown rot and fruit fly than the original Elberta, a Tilton apricot tree to go with the original Moorpark cherry and a Honey Murcott mandarin. A Mariposa blood plum and a Black Genoa fig tree with a huge trunk, were original plantings. An Asian pear produces prolific crops as does a mature feijoa and there are Fuji and Gala apple trees.
Family of orchardists
Jost's grandfather, Immanuel Steller, grew up in a German settlement on the outskirts of what is now Tel Aviv. The Steller home was the first Sarona house to have undergone a restoration process in 2003 and form part of the beautifully landscaped Sarona Gardens precinct where 33 original German Templer buildings up to 140 years old now house boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and bars. It opened in 2014.
Immanuel Steller was one of the largest citrus growers in Sarona. The British deported him, his wife and older son and family to Australia during WWII with hundreds of Templers. In 1950, Jost's father Hugo established a successful orchard in the Dural region of Sydney, carrying on the family tradition which Jost continued for 20 years after his father's death in 1984.
A new berry
Because it is named the Jostaberry, Jost's friend Bob Gardiner of Isabella Plains, gave him a young shrub for his birthday. With a label called "rruiting wonders", it was purchased from Bunnings.This complex-cross fruit bush involves the currant, the North American coastal black gooseberry and the European gooseberry.
Chooks
The Stellers have changed their type of chooks from Australorp to Hy-Line Browns sourced from Belchambers in Fyshwick. They are brilliant layers and very placid, allowed to roam in the garden at 3pm every day, and the grandchildren love them. On the suggestion of Jost's friend Jim Laity, a window has been added to the chook roost so eggs can be easily reached fro a straw-lined bed.
The chook run is next to the vegie garden and rhubarb patch for easy distribution of chook manure.
The kitchen
Both Julie and Jost Steller share the cooking, and Jost often makes dishes learned from his grandmother who was a great Middle Eastern cook. Here, Jost shares a traditional German soup recipe from his mother's side of the family.
Julie shares her mother's recipe for rhubarb muffins. Her parents, Peggy and Don Cleaver are both 92, live in Launceston where they still have a large vegetable and fruit tree garden. Don delights in his garden while Peggy makes relishes, jams and preserves from the produce.
Bob Gardiner who takes some of the Steller crop of lemons to make and share limoncello and lemon butter. Bob has a dryer and dries D'Agen prune plums from a huge tree near the Steller kitchen door, as well as Asian pears and apples. He also poaches their figs in fruit red wine, with allspice berries, peppercorns and vanilla bean.
Lentil and smoked pork rib soup
2 medium onions
6 carrots
6 medium potatoes
4 homegrown bay leaves
1 clove garlic
250g brown lentils
3 tsp olive oil
1.5 litres water
8 smoked pork spare ribs, cut up
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook and stir until tender, stir in garlic and bay leaves and cook for two minutes. Wash lentils then stir in with the water plus the pork spare ribs Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for at least one hour. Add cornflour to thicken if desired, salt and pepper to taste.
Rhubarb muffins
2 cups plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
half tsp salt
three-quarters cup sugar
1 cup milk
100g butter melted and cooled slightly
1 egg
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
3 tbsp raw sugar plus 1 tbsp cinnamon
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add sugar and combine. In a separate bowl mix together milk, melted butter and egg. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and combine, then stir in rhubarb. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans. Sprinkle with raw sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 220C for 15 minutes.
Susan Parsons is a Canberra writer.
