Hi everyone, So happy to have found this website and that there are people in Aussie want to be involved in what I want to be involved in. In brief, we moved to Ipswich (just inland of Brisbane, Australia for you non geographical people) for my work at the hospital and my husband to study Medicine. We (In our wisdom) bought a tiny block as we thought that no maintenance was a good idea. That lasted about 3 weeks, when i ran out of pots in the backyard. Deciding to get into vegetable growing, I found sites about topics like "Food miles" "Toxic sprays" and "fruit is at least months old before it gets to the shops." Disgusted I read more. Then I read some more. Then I did a little thinking and came up with the plan that i wanted to grow my own food. So I did some of more research until I realised that to live sustainably (as much as is possible) you really need to create a balance. Like the natural balance. Just growing veges wouldn't cut the mustard. Anyway I found the sites and information about Permaculture and added bee-keeping, natural habitats and composting to the mix. I already have a worm farm. Basically I'm here to see what other people are doing and perhaps learn some great starting tips for when my husband allows me to buy land and go from city girl to farming girl. My land is tiny, but i want to see what i can do on it. While I really want to move somewhere with more land, i think the small nature of what i have will really make me appreciate the value of the land when i do get it. Everytime i am in the car these days i drive past all the green open spaces around my suburb and cry "I want that land!!!" Anyway nice to meet you all... I have lot of photos and video's about my progress so far up on my little blog. --> https://sustainablelivingadventures.blogspot.com.au/p/garden-plan.html Stop by if you are interested. I'd also love to see your blogs/websites about what you are doing. Sarah
Hi Sarah - you might like to try Landshare Australia to see if there's anyone near you that has land they'd let you use. In the meantime, make the most of your tiny space. Bill Mollison says that yield is only limited by knowledge and imagination.
Thanks Well i have the imagination, just need the knowledge. Im sure ill find every nook that i can. Thanks about the landshare link ill keep it in mind... SArah
Nice blog, Sarah. Try starting with https://www.insideurbangreen.org/ with your container growing, recycling common products into sub-irrigated planters, or wicking pots.
Hi Sarah A second had tin bath tub inside a cycled wooden box/frame will both work well and look good for a very cheap price. Give your self space under the bath to fit a bucket under the plug. Put at least 2-3 inches of gravel in the bottom and around the plug to stop the soil washing away and to filter the liquid coming out of the plug area, you can simply tip the water back on the garden. Having a box around the tub will stop sunlight hitting the steel and heating up killing off the biological around the edge of the garden. I will be up your way at the Ipswich Plant Expo next weekend. If you want to fire some questions at me come either early or at the end of the show. =) look for my Biochar sign in the organic area. Saturday – 3rd March 2012 – 8:00am – 3:00pm Ipswich Turf Club, 219 Brisbane Road, Bundamba QLD 4304 Enter via TL Cooney Avenue.
I think my Husband would kill me if i put a bathtub in the garden... Especially as there is no where unobtrusive to put it. However it certainly is a good idea. I like the idea of getting the bucket underneath to reuse the water. Today i have been carefully placing my hanging baskets so that the excess water drips nicely into the pots underneath. saves a little water and looks much nicer splating into the plants rather than the concrete. I didn't know about the plants expo. I will have to have a look at my roster (Nurse) and see if i am free. I think i am on nights that week. I will come and have a look around if i can. Oh and by the way i LOVE the orchard design that is in your signature line. Is that your orchard?? so very jealous that is exactly what i want. (Eventually) Thanks for your reply. Sarah
Hi Sarah Yeah that's my place. You could call it a food forest as it has many layers of food producing interaction. It's also a great place to go hide when your having a crappy day =) Baz
Maybe you two should come to an arrangement.... I'm sure Baz has some chop and drop or composting for you to do at this place in return for a box of food.... I have a laundry tub for a worm farm - you might have more luck hiding that from hubby....
Or a food grade tub of any colour you wish. Just do what Brian of www.briansworms.com does, tub on a slight angle with a drain hole, horse manure as bedding. Be careful at Baz's. Spiders as big as your head there.
Now while i love gardening... and spiders are an important part of the ecosystem... I am rather...ummm... afraid of spiders. Lol. Coming from NZ where nothing of any consequence can really bite you to a place where everything is deadly has been a shock..lol. Eco4560 - I Actually managed to sneak a worm farm in already! (Husband was working in a Hospital in India at the time... I took the opportunity to install it I have always loved hiding in gardens. Unfortunately ours is so small and it is the first place the husband looks for me *grin* Have a great day guys !! sarah