ALS members Blogs

There is nothing quite like a feijoa – they are simply the most amazing fruit. Fragrant, pungent, sweet yet sour, gooey in the middle and grainy round the edges. The original yum in a small green torpedo. They also tend to appear as a surprise in large quantities when ripe, probably because they’re so darn hard to see on the tree. If you’re planting them, plant them in a high-traffic area, lest you miss their amazingness until it’s too late in the season… Feijoa fruit and flower (why it was still vaguely flowering in Autumn I’m not quite sure) Why you can end up with a glut – feijoas are hard to see, when hidden by their foliage (there are actually 36 feijoas in this photo. Ok not really, but there could be!)… The feijoa is also known as pineapple guava or guavasteen. Wikipedia says it’s native to South America...

The May Gardening Australia magazine is full of great ideas to get your garden ready for winter. There is a great article on how to build a Hot Compost Heap. Tim Marshall has helped Sophie Thomson with a very useful step by step guide to building a great compost heap surrounded by straw bales to keep the warmth in over winter.Maggie Beer has got her timing right as usual with an article on growing (and of course using) Onions. Just as I am about to plant out the first lot of onions seedlings into the garden. She explains how day length will determine the success of your onion crop by choosing the right varieties to plant at a given time of the year.We have seen Costa getting his neighbours out in the street working working the Verge Garden. Everyone seems to be getting involved which is great. Anna Evangeli has...

Scarecrow's Garden Journal Notes:Temperatures range for April:Lowest Min 0.4CHighest Min 14.9CLowest Max 16.1CHighest Max 32.6C3 mm RainRain comparison with other years, April average is 22mm:2012 3mm2011 3mm2010 18mm2009 31mm2008 24.5mm2007 30mmHarvest Tally for April:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making. For Salads, Juice and Stirfries  I have been picking Kale, Silverbeet, Leaf Amaranth, Mushroom Plant, Gotu Kola, Parsley, Basil, Nasturtium leaves and Beetroot Leaves which are not always weighed.Beans  Purple King 601gBeans Butter 697gCapsicum California Wonder 2668gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow 651gCarrots Mixed 157gCucumber Suyo Long 195gLeeks Bulgarian Giant 328gOnion Stuttgart  765gOnion Domenica  Sweet 413gOnion Red 137gPumpkin Triamble 8372gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 8743gSilverbeet Rainbow Mixed 374gSquash Golden 1034gTomato Money Maker 1317gTomato Stor Gul 424gTomato Silvery Fir Tree 227gZucchini Nero di Milano 1030gTotal Veg Harvest for April 28.1KgsApple Cox's Orange Pippin 1275gApple Jonathon 734gApples Red Fuji...

Title: Urban Food Forest Garden Workshop 11/12 SydneyVenue: Alexandria Park Community Centre / SydneyCategory: Forest Garden WorkshopDate: Nov 3 2012 - Nov 4 2012Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Join Dan Harris Pascal for a hands-on workshop in understanding, designing and installing an URBAN temperate forest garden system. Forest Gardens are perennial polyculture systems   which mimic the structure and ecology of a forest ecosystem. Further, they can be designed to produce diverse yields from the different layers within the forest.By careful design, the polycultures in the forest garden can produce more food than when the plants are grown separately. This is achieved by 'guilding' plants together so that the products and functions of one plant meet the needs and requirements on another. Further, a forest garden seeks to support and provide for the needs of beneficial birds, insects and animals which reduce our work and increase yields when they take up residence...

Ditto for Permaculture Day and kudos on this post. Its really all about the different ways that people react to threats…being reactive (zombie nay sayers who make the fortresses with the guns cache) and proactive (those who choose to study up, “do” and make a real difference to their immediate environment to help reduce the threat to their own and their communities way of life). When you think that most of the world lives in cities in apartments and whenever they are faced with “CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS LOOMING IMMINENT” they get scared and can’t see any way of surviving this sort of doomsday prophacy because they have no means to provide for themselves. They don’t know their neighbour (let alone trust them) and so its a terrifying proposition that has a fear reaction. Once people are able to put a bit of distance between themselves and their fear/threat they are...

Title: Joel Salatin: Pastured Beef and Pork: MasterclassVenue: Jamberoo Valley Lodge / JamberooCategory: Joel Salatin Masterclass SeriesDate: Feb 19 2013 - Feb 19 2013Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Join Joel Salatin for a unique one-day masterclass sharing his innovative beef and pork production systems at Polyface Farm. Learn how to set up your own small-farm enterprise for 'beyond organic' mob-stocked beef (with integrated eggmobiles) and pigearator + forested pigs, using cost effective, ethical, DIY systems! Joel will share his family's hard-won knowledge on how to start small and succeed in producing ethical, 100% pastured beef and pork that is of exceptional quality, and which can be part of a profitable, regenerative farming enterprise, built from the ground up. This masterclass will look closely at Polyface's beef and pork operations from start to finish, including but not limited to: Polyface's 'Salad Bar Beef' systems, which improve the land while producing great 'beyond...

Yesterday Ashar and I went mushroom foraging at our local pine forest, just to see what there might be after a rainy day in Autumn. And look what we found! Slippery Jacks. Yum.Slippery Jacks are usually found in pine forests. Or at least that’s the only place I’ve ever seen them. We found these on the forest’s edge, in the grass, near a quiet road. They are slippery on top and have this fantastic pore-structure beneath, which is sturdy yet spongy. They are found across the world in pine forests, and have all sorts of local names, my favorite being ‘sticky bun mushroom’. Once you have your Slippery Jacks, you need to peel the brown sticky part off before eating them, as it’s not so digestible. I also read that it’s best to take the spore/sponge part off, and in the interests of wanting my 3 year old to...

Title: Joel Salatin: You Can Farm: MasterclassVenue: Jamberoo Valley Lodge / JamberooCategory: Joel Salatin Masterclass SeriesDate: Feb 17 2013 - Feb 17 2013Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Join Joel Salatin for a unique one-day masterclass exploring how to set up a thriving, profitable and ethical small farm, using Polyface Farms' innovative techniques. This masterclass is perfect for beginner farmers, wanna-be farmers, tree-changers and landholders ready to get serious about regenerative agriculture, as well as existing farmers looking to broaden their on-farm offerings.This masterclass will look at how to succeed in a diverse small-farm enterprise, focusing on: Getting started: what you need to know and how to approach the first 5 yearsSetting up, budgeting, farm design and planning for successWhole farm water design including dams and passive-feed stock watering solutionsIntegrating different animal systems for maximum effect, fertility and yields Integrated nutrient cycling and on-farm compostingPeople power - internship and apprenticeship schemesDirect marketing,...

Nick was asked by International Permaculture Day 2012 to video his take on permaculture, so here it is. Recorded stealthily during naptime, to avoid the otherwise ever-present soundtrack of a joyful 3 year old. This International Permaculture Day we’re heading to the city to run an Earthbag bench workshop, but there’s a lot of other things to see and do this weekend, in over 17 countries! Check it all out at International Permaculture Day 2012… Like this:One blogger likes this post.Original link...

Title: Joel Salatin: Pastured Poultry MasterclassVenue: Jamberoo Valley Lodge / JamberooCategory: Joel Salatin Masterclass SeriesDate: Feb 18 2013 - Feb 18 2013Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Join Joel Salatin for a unique one-day masterclass exploring the pastured poultry systems of Polyface Farm. Learn how to set up your own small-farm enterprise for 'beyond organic' free range pastured layers, pastured meat birds and turkeys using cost effective, ethical, DIY systems! Joel will share his family's hard-won knowledge on how to start small and succeed in producing the highest quality eggs, chicken and turkey that is of exceptional quality, and which can be part of a profitable, regenerative farming enterprise, built from the ground up. This masterclass will look closely at Polyface's pastured poultry operations from start to finish, including but not limited to: Pastured egg production systems: the eggmobile and the feathernet systems; construction, management, pasture rotation & integrations with salad bar...

1MayPosted May 1, 2012 by everydayinthegarden in Other. Tagged: Garden, Permaculture, Every Day In The Garden, Environmentality, 89.9FM. 1 CommentLike this:2 bloggers like this post. Original link...

Update: Last week of  April 2012 First frost damaged the Zucchinis but spared the pumpkins still growing in the Old Chook Run gardenWeather Highlights:Lowest Min 2CHighest Max 21.7C1.5 mm RainPropagation:Planting out:Celery Tendercrisp seedlings into Bed 2 in the Main Veg GardenRomanesco Broccoli seedlings into bed 18 in the Old Chook Run GardenThe following have been planted into the Old Chook Run edge beds:Marguerite Daisy Double White Argyranthemum frutescensDaisy Marguerite Maroon Centred Argyranthemum frutescens Lovage Levisticum officinaleSage Grandfather Salvia apianaSage Purple Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea'Zaatar Origanum syriacumScented Pelargoniums - Pot Pouri, LemonHarvest Tally:Beans Purple King 52gBeans Butter 261gCapsicum California Wonder 2024gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow 522gCucumber Suyo Long 195gOnion Stuttgart 362gOnion Domenica Sweet 399gOnion Red 137gPumpkin Triamble 8372gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 8743gSilverbeet Rainbow Mixed 56gZucchini Nero di Milano 489gApples Golden Delicious 4266gEggs: Total for the week 190 from the lone Barnevelder19 from the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 from the 4 Faverolles  The Zucchinis have been removed...

This Sunday Nick is leading a free earthbag bench building workshop as part of National Permaculture Day in Sydney. Do you want to come along? Earthbag is a really excellent, low-impact building technique used for building strong, solid structures; be they benches, garden beds, or homes. We’ve cut our teeth on an Earthbag dome at Milkwood Farm, and now we’re ready to pass on the knowledge. So we’re starting this weekend. Earthbag dome building workshop at Milkwood Farm. Lots of whackin' of bags of earth, with a great result! Earthbag bench building! These three pics via EarthbagBuilding.comIn short, earthbag construction involves filling long bags with earth (with or without a small amount of cement added, depending on the job), then pounding them flat, laying wire ontop of them, and then repeating the process. In a short time you build up a very strong structure with impressive tensile strength, which...

The weather's turned cool here, its been drizzling ALL day and I've had a stack of study to do for mid-semester science exams.I needed something quick and easy, tasty and nutritious for lunch. I remembered I have a huge sweet potato so I dug up a recipe for Spicy Thai Sweet Potato Soup (courtesy of Kurma Dasa - you might remember Cooking with Kurma on SBS years ago).Here it is;Heat oil in a saucepanAdd 1 large tablespoon of red curry paste (or laksa paste)Add the diced sweet potatoAdd 500ml of vegetable stockAdd 1 can of coconut milk or creamAdd 1 tablespoon of palm sugar Let simmer for as long as you like, until sweet potato is soft and mushyAdd a splash of fish sauce (or not if you prefer)Add the juice of 1 limeBlitz to a smooth consistency with a stick blenderServe and enjoySo easy - very, very warming and...

Its mushroom season again! For all of the people out there who missed my post last year on Alison Pouliot and her awesome Fungal Ecology Workshop I thought that I would do a recap and update her current seasons workshop dates. Last year Ol’Pauly and I went to one of Allison’s workshops in Daylesford.  It was fun and very inspiring. Alison Pouliot. I thought perhaps I knew a thing or two about mushrooms. I mean, I know the different types that you can buy at the shop. However, from the minute I walked in the room and saw Allison’s fabulous fungi display I realised that, in fact, I knew virtually nothing at all. That wasn’t a problem though because that’s precisely what this workshop was all about. By the end of the day we had learnt how to tell the difference between an edible mushroom and an inedible mushroom. We learnt where to...

Ok perhaps I’m having a rabidly bright-green moment, but i rekon this artwork is pretty cool. An in-kitchen wormfarm, with built in chopping board! Nutrient cycling beneath the bench… Yes, it’s conceptual, but still… if I was an apartment dweller, I’d be considering building a DIY version based this concept (the worm farm part, anyway)! The project is Parasite Farm by Charlotte Dieckmann. It was produced in collaboration with Nils Ferber and Alexander Giesemann took the photos. Like this:10 bloggers like this post.Original link...

26AprPosted April 26, 2012 by everydayinthegarden in Autumn, Good Home Economics. Tagged: Broad Beans, Corn, Every Day In The Garden, Garden, Garten, Legumes, Peas, Permaculture, Trädgård. 4 CommentsKnowing what should go into the garden at different times of the year can be tricky. It certainly takes a lot of practice to remember it all by heart but there are some resources out there that will help you get it all right. You can buy “Sow What When” charts which are great for a quick and handy reference. I keep one on the back of the laundry door because that door leads out to my vegie patch. I don’t refer to it very often these days but, it seems to come in handy for my house guests. I often find people scanning through it on their way outside. There are also a couple of sites that I would...

Title: Serious Summer VegiesVenue: Alexandria Park Community Centre / SydneyCategory: Serious Backyard VegiesDate: Nov 24 2012 - Nov 25 2012Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Do you want to grow seriously great vegetables in your backyard this Summer? Are you finding that it's a little harder than you thought to get your beloved seeds from their packets all the way to a super, plentiful harvest?Join Michael Hewins, Milkwood Farm's market gardener, for 2 days of hands-on knowledge, tips and tricks on how to grow truly awesome backyard vegies using organic permaculture techniques. This course will cover: Vegetable garden design, placement and retrofittingCreating great garden soil using DIY, organic techniquesRaising great seedlingsPlanting techniques for different plant familiesWhat different vegetable varieties require to grow really wellBackyard nutrient cycling strategies to ensure enough plant foodIntegrated Pest Management Michael has a heap of experience in growing many types of annual vegetables in temperate and sub-tropical environments,...

The further we get into mushroom cultivation, the more I realise just how useful and amazing fungi is. I’ve also found that it’s sometimes a little hard to find info that relates to growing edible mushrooms in Australian conditions. Finding local knowledge is crucial! Luckily, Will Borowski, that friendly expert who teaches the Mushroom Cultivation courses we run, has lots of resources that relate specifically to growing culinary mushrooms in Australia successfully. Which he’s kindly shared with us, so we can learn too…Fungi Down Under – the Fungimap Guide to Australian FungiLog-Grown Shiitake Mushrooms: An Australian Growers’ Manual – Parsuram Sharma-Luital & Rowan Reid – originally published by the Otway Agroforestry Network Of course not all the mushroom cultivation  info we have needs to be Australia-specific, so we’ve got the rest of the world’s fabulous resources to draw on also – three of our favourites are…The Mushroom...

Title: Serious Spring VegiesVenue: Alexandria Park Community Centre / SydneyCategory: Serious Backyard VegiesDate: Sep 8 2012 - Sep 9 2012Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm Description: Do you want to grow seriously great vegetables in your backyard this Spring? Are you finding that it's a little harder than you thought to get your beloved seeds from their packets all the way to a super, plentiful harvest?Join Michael Hewins, Milkwood Farm's market gardener, for 2 days of hands-on knowledge, tips and tricks on how to grow truly awesome backyard vegies using organic permaculture techniques. This course will cover: Vegetable garden design, placement and retrofittingCreating great garden soil using DIY, organic techniquesRaising great seedlingsPlanting techniques for different plant familiesWhat different vegetable varieties require to grow really wellBackyard nutrient cycling strategies to ensure enough plant foodIntegrated Pest Management Michael has a heap of experience in growing many types of annual vegetables in temperate and sub-tropical environments,...