remembering autumn bounty

In depth of winter, good to refresh the memory! These picks are from March, the peak of productivity. From top to bottom: veg and herbs from our own patch; apples from the tree growing in bushland across the road near culvert; giveaways from linedancing class - Barb's cucumber and pears, Betty's agapanthus plants.

winter overnight

Watching the seasons change slowly and feeling them change, unpredictably. And suddenly one morning, one severe night, and the garden of summer and autumn is cut down. A swift end to spent veggies. Unfortunately, missed chance to harvest and use the green tomatoes. 

ch-ch-ch-chilli

Sudden onset of winteriness. The bright note in the garden? Profusion of ripening chillis. Bless the beloved who picked them for me before they could deteriorate. Here's his harvest, and below are things we did to preserve them ...

molto molto tomatoes!

If there's one image, one dream, of this happy home vegie gardener, it's a profusion of ripe, homegrown tomatoes. This year has delivered, finally, and in spades ... From assorted origins came six plants, and although only two truly flourished, between them all we've had as many tomatoes as we want - lots, all sorts, eaten every which way - starting with these grape tomatoes in January and not yet done by April.

bees do it!

They do indeed. Here are busy bees in summer, tackling a couple of their favourites - borage (for nectar?) and artichoke flowers for pollen. My poor hive is no more. My neglect, which I'm very embarrassed about. But in due course I'll get a new hive established, and learn from my mistakes ...

a wet summer's aftermath

After a wet summer, changes are evident all over the place. Some bring challenges, some pleasure, some simply a happy reminder of the interconnected and unpredictable nature of the property. With full dams, after 14 years of - at best - partial and seasonal filling, the growth on their banks is drowned and dying, everything from large wirilda to wide swathes of reeds, dense shrubby nets of cassinia and emerging gum saplings.

a not-a-post post

Can't believe it's been two months since even the most basic post. Which leads me to two observations ...

1. the beauty of gardening - or working on one's land more generally - is that it's a wonderful and rewarding distraction whether or not it comes with much conscious thinking and reflection

2. the reason I like permaculture is because it justifies being lazy! Or at least, it encourages daydreaming and planning and productive work without getting bogged down in work for work's sake

Perhaps the rhythm of picking, tending, gazing, wandering is enough. For now. Looking back on most of the posts and updates here, it's about plans and hopes and work for the future - perhaps I've forgotten to enjoy and record the pleasures of when it all works! So here's a mea culpa post and with that I'll start updating some other pages ...

January floods

Have finally gathered some photos of the 2011 flooding. Will let the pictures tell the story. Starting with a little dog who has had to get used to full dams and the curiosity of running water on the property.

kim chi convert

Prompted by an excess of cabbages, and following Claudia's great example, have been exploring homemade kim chi. Now onto my second batch, with the first batch pictured here. Googling has thrown up lots of recipes, suggestions, and tips, and the confidence to mix and match ingredients, which apparently is 'traditional'. Also threw up a scientific article declaring kim chi one of the world's five healthiest foods.

nature[strip]'s bounty!

From the nature strip - cherry plums. No idea how old these two trees, one of them now died back completely, but Katie tells me they'll have been the root stock of garden plums. Though there's no guarantee they give good fruit, we've been lucky.

bean-anza!

Broad beans - the gift that keeps giving! After a good crop last year, saved seed was used to start a new crop. Both a veg bed crop and some planted experimentally beside one of the orchard trees flourished, after a nervous wait for germination.

the colour of summer

While spring saw a veg patch enlivened by the purple flowers of chives and sage, and there's still traces of purple in the artichokes and eggplant, surely this - gold and luscious, almost drinking up the sun - is the colour of summer. Here zucchini flowers peep out from their leafy mounds, the new bed such a pleasure to spy from my bedroom window each morning, and enjoy whenever out at the clothesline. First zucchinis are just being picked.

the joy of cooking

Okay, so lots of people cook with stuff from their garden. Me included. But this one felt special - it's rare, here, to be able to rely solely on the garden, at least not for a traditional fully cooked family meal, especially outside autumn's bountiful peak.

surprise gift from Barb

Arrived home after a spell away to discover a milk crate of irises, which had to be from Barb next door. On a tour of her garden last month - an overflowing, colour-filled vision of cottagey plants cheek by jowl with native shrubs - she'd asked if I'd like any of the white bearded iris she felt needed dividing, and who am I to look a gift horse etc etc ...

more lovely shallots

Shallots now in full flower, leaves starting to shrivel, and close to harvesting. Bobbing about at hand height, perfectly proportioned to fit in the palm of a hand, can't help giving these an affectionate clasp whenever I walk past, and get a tickly hand massage back!