In Albury the couple had a large vegetable patch with several established citrus trees and plantains, a starchy type of cooking banana loved by the possums. Crop growing was restricted due to fruit fly but they squeezed 25 heritage tomato plants grown from seed into their exclusion nets.

Thea joined the local Seed Savers Albury Wodonga group which was established in 2008. She has brought saved seeds to Canberra, particularly the cherry tomato 'Indigo Rose' and a local crookneck variety of pumpkin known as the Bungowannah Butternut for the Riverina locality where its seeds were sourced. Thea places silica gel dry packs (found in vitamin bottles or some food packages) in with the seeds as desiccants to reduce moisture levels.

In Canberra, Thea and Luke are renting a house in Macquarie. They are expecting their first child in late August so, when they moved in, a rotary hoe was hired to make the installation of four long vegetable beds easier in heavily compacted ground. Six cubic metres of 'vegie mix' were delivered to bulk up the soil profile.

These beds are planted with tatsoi plants which are repeat harvested picking outer leaves, beetroot plants with their edible leaves and roots. 'Early White' cauliflowers developing their first curds, kohlrabi and 'Purple Arrow' broccoli. To get a head start on their new garden, these plants were purchased as seedlings at Jamison Sunday Rotary markets from stall holder Heather and her father who are residents of Macquarie.

Thea has also grown plants from heritage (non-hybrid) seed for these beds including cos lettuce, rocket, coriander, oak leaf lettuce, Crimson Flower broad beans, purple podded peas, yellow prince snowpeas, Tuscan black kale, Romanesco broccoli and purple cauliflower. Young lettuce seedlings have halved clear drink bottles used as cloches to protect them from icy Canberra mornings. Pigeons have been deterred from the beds by hanging reflective CDs from ribbons and plastic beer traps control slugs.

They also built six self-watering wicking beds in old wooden orchard boxes purchased on Gumtree. They are used as waist-high 'salad bowls' for multi-pick greens including 'Freckled Bunte' lettuce and kale. A radish called 'Watermelon' and Aquadulce broad beans were grown from Canberra Seed Savers and Canberra City Farm stalls at the Bungendore Harvest Festival.

The wicking bed boxes can be moved using a forklift when the couple leaves. They find real estate agents are very accommodating to them growing edibles so long as they keep the garden tidy and return it to the previous state when they leave.

Thea and Luke share the cooking and are both vegetarian. Lately they have been trying recipes from the plant-based recipe Facebook groups Tasty Vegetarian and BOSH for inspiration. They use seasonal produce from their garden and the Capital Region Farmers Market. They are currently eating brassicas daily and have harvested more than 1.5 kilograms of tatsoi from their garden since late May. Thea says she is a bit of a nerd and keeps weight records or garden harvests which helps her to remember what varieties were successful.

Their kohlrabi is used freshly julienne sliced in salads or as batons in stir fries. Their early purple variety garlic was purchased three years ago online from Diggers Seeds but they save cloves from the previous season, hang in the kitchen throughout the year and plant when they start sprouting.Here is their current favourite dish. The filling can be made a day or more before using and freezes well.

Lentil kale mushroom pies

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, diced

300g mushrooms, diced

half big bunch kale (approx 200g), leaves and stems diced

2 x 400g tins brown lentils, drained

1 x 400g tin crushed/diced tomatoes

puff pastry sheets (number depends on pie tin size)

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp dried coriander leaves

half tsp crushed dried chilli flakes

3 tsp powdered vegetarian 'beef' stock (powdered beef stock from Aldi or Massel is fine for vegetarians)

3 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp mushroom flavour soy sauce or dark soy

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Soften onion in large saucepan in oil. Add mushroom, garlic, chilli and coriander and cook for five minutes. Add diced tomato, lentils, tomato paste, stock, vinegar, soy sauce. Bring to boil, add kale, then reduce to a simmer with lid off. Simmer filling, stirring regularly, for 20-30 minutes, until lentils and tomato begin to break down and filling is not 'watery'. Add salt/pepper to taste. Once filling is finished, allow to cool before placing in blind-baked pastry pie base (so as not to make pastry soggy). Fill pie with filling. Cover with a puff pastry lid. Press down edges and poke 2-3 holes in top of pie. Decorate if desired and finish with egg or milk wash (optional). Cook till golden brown in oven..

Susan Parsons is a Canberra writer.