I grew it myself

Wow-can you believe it?

2011-06-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

I'm the world's worst blogger. I haven't even begun to look at how my patch went over the summer.

In a word-terrible!

As someone who prides themselves on her tomatoes, I had a rubbish crop this year. I did have plenty of success with zucchini, and boundless pickle jars later, I am sorted for the winter.

Still have some broad beans in the freezer too.

My veggies are looking a little lean at the moment, baby Cavolo Nero and Broccoli are in, and some weeny seedlings will be in soon.

Chooks are laying 2 eggs a day, even in this freezing weather. Not too bad I guess.

Tomorrow I am looking at a property in country Victoria, it's only 607m sq, so if it does come into fruition, I'll have to figure out what to do in such a small space. I'll keep you posted.

Ciao for now-promise I'll be back soon.

X DD

Horticulture baby.

2010-10-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

I'm about halfway through my Discovering Horticulture course, and last night's soil class was awesome!

Deciding what to do next is the tricky part-

I'll upload some pics of the cranking spring garden soon-broad beans, artichokes and silverbeet will take over the world!!!

Or at least my little patch x x

Inspired by design.

2010-08-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

So I thought I'd get a little serious here, a little reflective too. I spent the weekend in Sydney and was reinvigorated in my own design thinking.

ALL of my recreation time is spent in my garden, and my day to day job helps to pay the bills and allows me to live in the house that accommodates my chickens and lets me grow my food on a relatively large scale.

In a couple of weeks I am starting a course at Melbourne Uni that will lead me to do my Masters. In Urban Horticulture. I really believe that we all need to walk with intent, consume less and put thought into what we put into our bodies. Of course I love to garden, but it's so much more than that. I have an urge to impart the knowledge I have and shout it from the rooftops- it feels so good too!

Do you think I should teach people how to grow food better? with beautiful design? organically? in urban spaces? thoughtfully? with multiple purposes? start a business?

*sigh*

I am a little excited and scared and excited.

x x

Spring is so close....

2010-08-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hyacinth bursts
Peach Blossom
Lady in the Snow apples-divine and so crunchy!
Snow peas
Romanesco Broccoli- or spaceship broccoli as I like to call it!

What else is going on at your place?

Winter activities.

2010-06-27T20:13:00.000-07:00

Granny squares
Broccoli, cauli, kale and chard. Yum yum yum.

It's that time of year again....

2010-06-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.rosemagazine.com/images/ambridge1.jpg

When I get a huge plant delivery...and it's not all food plants this time!

I know it's garden vanity, but people care is a permaculture principle and old-fashioned David Austin roses make me happy x

I may just get some peonies too.

I have decided to turn the front yard into a cottage-garden/orchard this winter, it's such a boring suburban lawn- I hope the landlord doesn't mind.

The backyard is in full-winter swing, broad beans are getting leggy, and the brassicas are fighting off the cabbage moths. I have three baby chickens too, they make my day when they jump on my shoulders. I wonder what will happen when they are fully grown.

Pretty Polly at 3 weeks.

No more rooster.

2010-05-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

He sadly became a horrible bird- my ladies were terrified and traumatised.
The good part is that he went quickly, then quicker into a pot at my friend's house (he's neither vegetarian or squeamish).
Now my girls could not be happier and my garden is back to tranqulity.
I am getting some baby chicks this weekend- so excited, they are Australorps, all black and shiny!
All winter crops are in and looking lovely, broad beans are poking out and I am starting a new compost pile this weekend. Hooray for the cooler weather- it lets me stay out all day without getting sweaty and gross.
Bye for now.

First Blitz.

2010-04-24T00:21:00.001-07:00

I just got back from my first permablitz- whew did I need one of these!

It was immensely satisfying and got to work in a community setting that assists adults with intellectual difficulties.

We kicked the kikuyu grasses ass, but unfortunately it took most of the day- we did get to plant some gorgeous winter veg seedlings and eat copious amounts of dhal and rice, sorry honey!

Looking forward to the next one, met some lovely squishy permie peeps, and caught up with some oldies-it was RAD.

I love autumn!

2010-04-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Cos it's time for this stuff...
Bubba pumpkin!
Outdoor pantry
And our new family member-

Trixie-the rooster. We thought he was a girl, but he doesn't seem to be causing too much trouble with the ladies, and he crows at a reasonable hour-so we're keeping him until the council complain. He's a handsome devil!

I didn't grow these...

2010-04-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

But *sigh* aren't they wonderful?

So the summer is over....

2010-03-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

Before the summer heat kicked in, here's some pics of the plot.

And what have I done?

Been an extraordinarily lazy blogger that's for sure...my internet is up and running thankfully-so no excuses! I also am planning a wedding, so the garden has taken a back step for the moment, it's still kicking along-but not nearly as well as I had hoped.

We got two new chooks, and one has turned out to be a rooster-bloody heck! I think my fella's going to eat him if he keeps up his anti-social behaviour.

What did I learn?

Never to grow yellow fig cherry tomatoes again...they took over the garden and weren't all that tasty.

Green Zebras are delicious.

So are Black Russians.

Eggplants are tricky.

After the wedding I'll be back with my hands in the dirt, in the meantime I have to maintain my manicure :o)

Signing off for now-

Dani

So lazy...but here's the update!

2009-11-15T14:19:00.001-08:00

I've been completing a Permaculture Design Certificate with Forest Edge Permaculture and every week my teacher never fails to blow my mind! I have been so inspired and excited to be a part of a revolution that with hopefully one day take over the world...it'll have to to survive!

What I have done that is really important is-

Installed a water tank (we got some awesome rain)

Started growing dynamic accumulators that will encourage diversity and nutrient take-up in plants.

Mulched the crap out of everything.

Erected trellises for shade and extra growing space in the veggie garden.

Experimenting with new and unusual heirloom vegetables...especially tomatoes!

I now have around 25 varieties of tomato, and only 15 in the ground...I need more ground!

I have some new water-saving devices, and this weekend I am making compost tea...delicious :o)

Sorry about all of the exclamation marks, I love my life!

Spring Lamb!

2009-09-07T21:48:00.001-07:00

Not of the eating kind...this sweet pea is staying at our house until she's big and strong!

It's getting warmer.

2009-08-18T05:21:00.000-07:00

Ahh...the greenery!
These broads are tall!
Silverbeet artichoke, lettuce oh my!
Lettuce is delicious and prolific
Broccoli is cranking!

Look what popped out of the ground...

Then I made this...

2009-08-18T05:18:00.000-07:00

Mmmm....beetroot, pea and broadbean salad.

Look what I growed!

2009-07-28T20:58:00.001-07:00

It's getting lighter so I can garden after work-woo hoo!

Lazy lazy blogger

2009-07-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

I have been on school holidays, lots of pottering, winter garden clean-ups and a new picket fence have happened...I'll post pics soon!

Back at school trying to squeeze in some garden week-day time, hopefully it'll start to get lighter soon!

Shhh...it's sleeping!

2009-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

This came in the mail the other day...

2009-06-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

Lamb's Ears Dwarf Peach- China Flat
Hanging Rosemary

Foxglove
Hellebores
Apricot Hibiscus

OOH....It's like Christmas for this garden nerd!

I know my birthday was a while ago....

2009-06-18T04:51:00.000-07:00

Ornamental Cabbages and Pom Poms!
Boy did I get spoilt!

What a big week!

2009-06-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

My big chicken has started laying eggs-go Burly!

My garlic is sprouting.

My coriander is luscious.

My lettuce is getting bigger.

Green manure is coming through.

I got a wine barrel to cut in half.

I am about to build a picket fence around the veggie garden-to keep the chookies out!

Getting new secateurs for my birthday-look out fruit trees!

That's exciting huh?

Still gotta get that water tank though....the rains are a'comin'!

R.I.P. Nance x x

2009-05-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

To our sweet little chooky with the quietest tweet...hope you're having a ball of a time in that big dustbath in the sky x x We'll miss your little brown face.

I am a bad gardener...

2009-05-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I didn't do any dirty work this weekend :o(

I did however, buy a new book about Australian organic gardening... inspiration to get some green back in the garden! This weekend it's garlic, shallots, tulips and ranunculi-plus a good seaweed tonic for everyone :o)

2009-04-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

Here are the last of my sunflowers before they turned to compost!

The rain! The rain!

2009-04-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

I have decided to spend my $900 on a water tank to get my veggies through next summer...I am loving the rain and cooler weather, having planted half of my winter crop in, this weekend it's root crop and more broad beans to fix nitrogen into the soil after the tommies in the summer.

Not much luck with tomatoes this year, all of my fruit came on after the heat wave, no time to ripen, so lots of green tomato relish! It's really good on sourdough toast with avo.

Hoping to finish my brassicas too...c'mon cauliflower seedlings! I have a greenhouse now so that the back sunroom doesn't get filled with dirt when I'm on a seedy binge...haw haw.

p.s. I think I'm going to my first permablitz this weekend....weeeeeee!

Here she is!

2009-04-21T22:55:00.001-07:00

This is Pearl next to Barbara....isn't she pretty?

New addition to the family...

2009-03-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

We have adopted a new chicken that fell of the back of a meat truck. A student of mine knows I am a sucker for animals...I'll post some pics soon. Her name is Pearl (or Burly) and I've never met a bigger chook.

I know it's a little late...

2009-03-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this at a guerilla garden in Clifton Hill on Valentine's Day... precious huh?

Hope you all had a lovely, romantic day...even if it was over a month ago, this picture makes me smile.

Permaculture across the globe!

2009-03-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

I found this while learning how to embed html...I'm new to this stuff you see.

It's proof that growing food from home isn't just for nerdy green thumbs like me-it's helped to feed a country that has been disconnected from the rest of the trading world, yet can supply nearly all of it's own food...hooray for sustainable gardening!

What I'm eating this week....

2009-02-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

Purple Cabbage...Yum!

Prolific Basil-pesto anyone?