Kitchen Garden: Cynthia Kimlin's homemade pumpkin pie

By coincidence, I purchased the original Jack Be Little pumpkins in May 2018 from Linda and Carole Ayliffe, plot holder growers at Canberra City Farm. They were raised from seed originally from 4Seasons Seeds. I gave the pumpkins to the Harvest Group.

So it was a treat to visit the Kimlin garden last week. They bought the block of land on Goodwin Hill in Macgregor in 1973. It had formerly been used for sheep grazing. Masses of rock were excavated from the site for the house foundations and the large boulders and rocks were used by Cynthia's husband to build retaining walls.

Over the years the back garden has changed to meet the demands of their four children and seven grandchildren. It is a place of winding paths and foliage, Australian native plants plus fig tree and lime trees, rattlesnake beans, pungent sage and a cumquat covered in scented flowers which have been in a pot for 50 years. Wombats visit and an echidna and bower birds. Cynthia's husband has always done the heavy construction work and lopping of large branches and prunings remain onsite after being put through a shredder.

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This year Cynthia has grown vegetables on the north-facing front nature strip, with great success. Leaf litter collected from the street, horse manure from Pegasus, chook manure and shredded paper were piled up over six months and vegetable seeds were planted directly into the mounds. She usually grows from seeds started inside before potting into paper pots which are then planted directly into the garden.

Many vegetable and flower seeds are saved from year to year, originally sourced from Diggers Club, others are collected from friends or bought at the arboretum market stalls. Cynthia picked a handful of yellow tomatoes and an orange variety grown from seed from her cousin in Milton, also yellow and green zucchini, and cucumber and she showed Canberra Times photographer Elesa Kurtz and me the ripening Jack Be Little pumpkins on the vine.

The family has kept hens for about 25 years and currently they have five hens, Isa Browns, bought at Jamison Trash and Treasure market. They thrive on kitchen scraps and all the bugs they find in the garden green waste that is piled into their enclosure which is overhung by a pomegranate tree.

For most of the year, Cynthia collects four eggs a day, although they usually lay less in winter.

The eggs are used in the pumpkin pie recipe which was handed down from her mother, Brenda, and was always a favourite at home when she was growing up, as it is with their children and their families. Elesa and I were invited to sit on a raised terrace surrounded by pots of white autumn crocus and white anemones propagated by Cynthia who said that is her favourite garden activity. A fish pond and shady trees were welcome on a hot day while Cynthia served us slices of the delicious pie and iced water.

Open Gardens Canberra is starting its 2023 season on March 4 and 5 with the opening of Canberra City Farm at Dairy Road, Fyshwick, which president John Peters calls their Open Farm Weekend. Entry will be free but there will be a donation box. There will be tours of the farm and information stalls of the organisations associated with the farm including garlic growing, worm farming, orchard, vineyard and vegetable plots. Members will be onsite to talk to visitors. See opengardenscanberra.org.au.

Ingredients

Pastry:

4 tbsp butter

1 cup flour

water

Filling:

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup mashed pumpkin

pinch of salt

1 tsp mixed spice (nutmeg and cinnamon)

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C.

2. Cynthia makes her own to her mother's basic recipe and, after watching her for years, she just makes it by sight and texture, all ingredients are approximate. Rub about 4 tbsp butter and 1 cup flour together to breadcrumb consistency, add a small amount of water to make firm dough (sugar can be added if desired). Chill about 30 minutes before use. Line a 20cm pie plate with the shortcrust pastry.

3. Beat eggs and sugar stir in milk, add other ingredients. Spoon into unbaked pastry case. Bake in moderate oven for about 40 minutes. Cool. Serve with cream or ice cream.

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