Growing Raspberries - Urban Growers - Neo-Peasants Bush Foods Guide - Beanie Pattern - Colouring in - Earthship - Bush Schools

BACKYARD GOATS - GROWING RASPBERRIES - URBAN GROWERS - NEO-PEASANTS BUSH FOODS GUIDE - BEANIE PATTERN - COLOURING IN - EARTHSHIP - BUSH SCHOOLS

Just tAbout the ... CONTENTS REGULARS: 6. PERMACULTURE AROUND THE WORLD by Morag Gamble 8. PIP PICKS 10. NOTICEBOARD 12. LETTERS 14. PERMACULTURE PLANT: RASPBERRIES by Steven and Anne-Marie Jeffries 16. PERMACULTURE ANIMAL: MUSCOVY DUCKS by Robyn Rosenfeldt 18. EAT YOUR WEEDS: SMALL-FLOWERED MALLOW by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman 19. SAVE YOUR SEEDS: NASTURTIUM by Jude and Michel Fanton 20. IN THE GARDEN: July – October 24 84: KIDS’ PATCH 86: COLOURING IN 88. COURSE PROVIDERS DIRECTORY FEATURES: 96. BOOK REVIEWS 24. GOATS IN A PERMACULTURE SYSTEM by Beck Lowe 28: URBAN GOAT CO-OPERATIVE by Maude Farrugia 32: ECOBURBIA: AN EXPERIMENT IN URBAN LIVING by Samantha Allemann 36: ROSEMARY MORROW: A PERMACULTURE PIONEER by Delvin Solkinson, Dana Wilson, Annaliese Hordern, Robyn Rosenfeldt and Kym Chi GROW: 40: GROW YOUR OWN MULCH by John Champagne BUILD: 44: EARTHSHIP IRONBANK by Koren Helbig

2 EAT: 48: GROW YOUR OWN BUSH FOODS: A TASTE OF THE BUSH IN THE BACKYARD 48 by Robin Francis 14

THRIVE: 52: NEO-PEASANTRY: A WAY OF LIFE by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman

DESIGN: 56: ADVENTURES IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: TEN YEARS ON by Alison Mellor 60

66 80

TECHNOLOGY: 74: DIY BUCKET COMPOST TOILET by Emily Stokes

MEET THE PEEPS: PERMACULTURE AID: 60: URBAN ABUNDANCE: 78: ENOUGH: THE STORY OF A PEACE PRODUCTIVE SMALL SPACE GROWERS COMMUNITY IN KABUL by Rosemary Morrow by Samantha Allemann MAKE: PARENTING: 67: BASIC BEANIE PATTERN 80: BUSH SCHOOLS: CONNECTING TO NATURE by Deb Brearley by Niki Buchan

3 CONNECT: KIDS: 70: PERTH CITY FARM 85: HOW TO MAKE MINI WICKING BEDS by Samantha Allemann by Scotty Rrama CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher / Editor / Art Director: Robyn Rosenfeldt Design and Illustration: Grace West, North South Grace West KOREN HELBIG Editorial Assistant: Samantha Allemann Koren is an Australian freelance Proofreader: Peter Ascot writer recently returned from Spain Social Media, Marketing and Events Manager: Maude Farrugia Advertising: Jane Baldwin and now living on an organic farm in Cover Art: Kate Mason South Australia’s Adelaide Hills. She Shop Manager and Admin: Felicie Vachon is particularly fascinated by uncon- Editorial enquiries email: [email protected] ventional people and oddball lifestyles. Advertising enquiries: [email protected] / (02) Koren stumbled across permaculture 6100 4606 or download our media kit at pipmagazine.com.au/ while interviewing various folk for mag- advertising azine stories and noticing this strange word repeatedly pop- Directory listings and classifieds enquiries:hello@pipmagazine. com.au ping up – many referenced permaculture as a major turning Submissions: We would love to hear from you if you have ideas point in their lives, so she had to know more. Now complet- for articles. Send your pitch to: [email protected] ing a permaculture design certificate at The Food Forest, Ko- Stockist enquiries: If you would like to stock Pip contact ren dreams of building her own straw bale house and living [email protected] largely on homegrown food. See her work at korenhelbig.com. Writers: Samantha Allemann, Deb Brearley, Niki Buchan, John Champagne, Kym Chi, Jude and Michel Fanton, Christina Giudici, Gnomes Farm- ing Co-op, Nadja Osterstock, Kathleen Hosking, Maude Farrugia, SAMANTHA ALLEMANN Robyn Francis, Morag Gamble, Koren Helbig, Annaliese Hordern, Samantha is a Melbourne based writ- Steven and Anne-Marie Jeffries, Patrick Jones, Beck Lowe, Alison er and editor. She has recently joined Mellor, Rosemary Morrow, Scotty Rrama, Robyn Rosenfeldt, Delvin the Pip team as Editorial Assistant. Solkinson, Emily Stokes, Meg Ulman and Dana Wilson. With a background in higher education Photos: publishing, Sam was also part of the Emma Belyea, Alan Benson, Niki Buchan, John Champagne, Robyn Francis, Dario Franzinelli, Shani Graham, Koren Helbig, Laura Melbourne Permablitz collective for Hesse, Wendy Hughes, Patrick Jones, Beck Lowe, Alison Mellor, several years. She was a co-presenter Tracy Milchick, Rosemary Morrow, Indira Naidoo, Amy Piessel, of RRR’s environment show Greening Robyn Rosenfeldt, Emily Stokes, Meg Ulman and Dana Wilson. the Apocalypse and every now and Pip Magazine is printed in Australia, by Printgraphics on FSC paper then can be heard on RRR playing music and talking in her and printed with vegetable inks. radio voice. Sam’s curious about lots of things (mainly goats) and loves to speak to people about what they’re passionate about. Sam is determined to make cats an official permaculture animal. Quality Environment ISO 9001 ISO 14001

Pip magazine is a published independently by Robyn Rosenfeldt. PO Box 172 Pambula, NSW, 2549. NIKI BUCHAN ABN: 14 513061 540 Niki is an international educational consultant with Natural Learning Early Copyright: Pip Magazine is subject to copyright in its entirety. Childhood Consultancy. She has a sci- Permission must be sought from the publisher and author before content may be reproduced in any form. Views expressed by the ence background and has been calling authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. To the extent Australia home since 2011. She works permitted by law, the publisher disclaims any liability whatsoever internationally as a conference keynote in relation to advice, representation, statement, conclusion or opinion expressed in Pip Magazine. speaker, nature pedagogue, playground advisor, international study visit facili- tator, mentor and author. She delivers 4 a large range of professional learning opportunities on all aspects of Early Childhood Education and Care. She is the author of Children in Wild Nature: a Practical Approach to Nature-Based Practice (Teaching Solutions 2015). EDITORIAL

Hello faithful readers, hood commons for hunting, gathering, foraging and growing. In bringing together They choose to live with less, which gives them the time to this issue of the mag, I do more for themselves. am reminded more and In Ecoburbia we see that we don’t have to be able to afford more that permaculture huge loan repayments on our own. Tim Darby and Shani Gra- offers so much in the ham have creatively responded to the high cost of property way of solutions to the by dividing their home into several separate rentable living challenges facing many spaces with communal gardens and common areas. of us today, from rising And just because you live in the city doesn’t mean you can’t house and food prices, farm animals. In Urban Goat Co-operative we meet Angelica work and time pressures, and her goat co-op members. They communally share the and the industrialisation love, responsibilities and milk of their two goats in suburban of our food systems. Melbourne. By working in a co-op they have the pleasure of In this issue, we meet caring for and milking goats without the daily commitment people around the coun- that this would usually entail. try responding to these The most inspiring story of all is Rosemary Morrow’s pro- problems by being more file, where we follow her remarkable life of service using per- self-reliant and creating maculture to help communities in need all around the world. their own solutions. I find the stories in this issue to be an exciting sign, that on When we read about Meg Ulman and Patrick Jones’ life many levels we can choose our own life way. and their bucking of the system in Neo-peasantry; a way of life, we see that we don’t have to be weighed down by the Happy reading. costs and demands of modern living. They live car free, have Robyn a modest-sized house and block, and use their neighbour-

COVER ARTIST: KATE MASON Kate Mason is an internationally licensed illustrator living in beautiful Adelaide, South Australia along with her husband and five young children. She is a self-taught artist and loves to work in a hybrid way with a mix of traditional and digital methods. Kate loves lush colour, whimsical designs and storytelling. Her art can be found in magazines, on food packaging, on fabric, jigsaw puzzles and home decor pieces, around the globe. She is represented by LillaRogers.com in Boston, USA and she can be found on Instagram @KateMasonArtist.

5 PERMACULTURE AROUND THE WORLD Words by Morag Gamble Photos courtesy of projects

PERMACULTURE IN THE ARCTIC www.tofrar.com What’s it like to do permaculture in icy climates? Quite different from anything we have here in Australia? There seems to be a growing movement of permaculture in Ice- land, and this is where the Nordic Festival of Permaculture is happening this July. A new permaculture farm in Iceland, Töfrastaðir, aims to become the permaculture school for cold climates. It has been offering PDCs since 2015, with the first one led by Robyn Frances and Albert Bates. Töfrastaðir is starting to grow food for their local community and keenly working with animals, particularly chickens. Through their program of courses and workshops they are showing others how to permaculture in cold climates too. Töfrastaðir describe themselves as being about ‘making a better life, advancing agriculture, creating abundance and building a community that cares’. The name, Töfrastaðir, means ‘magical place’ in Icelandic. I can imagine it would be quite spectacular when the Northern Lights glow. If you want to visit, get in touch. This permaculture farm welcomes visitors who want to get involved.

PERMACULTURE IN ARGENTINA www.cidep.org, www.gaia.org.ar

One of the leading permaculture places in the southwest of Argentina is the Center for Investigation, Development and Teaching Permaculture (CIDEP). CIDEP has a 12 hectare farm in a picturesque, mountainous rural area near the border of Chile, which it manages with the support of many volunteers. The team at CIDEP hold regular courses in natural building, appropriate technology and, of course, permaculture. Many are led by Carlos Straub, who was among the first to bring permaculture to Argentina in the 1990s, along with folk at the Gaia Ecovillage. Gaia Ecovillage is the home to the Instituto Argentino de Permacultura. The ecovillage started in 1996 on a 20 hectare site 100 km from Buenos Aires, inspired by native American cultures and international projects. It is a living and learning centre, offering programs for youth and adults 6 wanting to live a sustainable life, to initiate sustainable projects or looking for inspiration and practical tools. Their programs include permaculture, natural building, renewable energy, community life, cooking, dancing and natural health. EDUCATIONAL ECOVILLAGE www.lostvalley.org Permaculture education is at the heart of what happens at Lost Val- ley Education Centre near Eugene, Oregon. This centre is not-for- profit, established in 1989 to create a place to learn practical skills for sustainable community living and to connect with nature. Lost Valley’s 35 hectares are mostly forested, but nestled in the centre are permaculture gardens: vegetable and perennial herb gardens, beehives, fruit and nut trees and berry bushes. They have a network of hiking trails through the forest and a natural swimming hole, as well as a wood-fired sauna and hot tub. The residential community at Lost Valley teach PDCs, the Ecovil- lage Design Education program, sustainable living workshops and lead Earthquest programs. They also have links with the University of Oregon where they run Holistic Sustainability programs. The 40–50 resident staff have formed the Meadowsong Ecovil- lage. Everyone who lives there is part of co-creating the educational village. Their seasonal population ebbs and flows with interns, students and event participants. They accept volunteers too.

PERMACULTURE INTERNS IN INDIA www.permacultureindia.org www.ipcindia2017.org www.permaculturepatashala.com/internship Aranya Agricultural Alternatives has worked with farmers for decades in this region. Thirty years ago, they worked with Bidakanne, a village 115 km northwest of Hyderabad. They helped poor villagers access land and supported them to sustainably grow traditional foods. But over time, self-sufficient rain-fed farms were replaced by chemical cash-cropping. Now there are monocultures, depleted soil and water shortages. Well depths have had to increase from 10 m to 75 m. This year Aranya has brought its attention back to this village and arrived with a team of helpers. Participants on their practical permaculture internship program (run with Living Ecology) worked with farmers and a school. Under mentorship, each intern worked directly with a farmer to develop plans to once again grow food, save seed, diversify, regenerate the soil, harvest rainwater and replenish water systems. 7 Before the monsoons, the interns will help farmers implement these plans. To find our more about the internships, visit the Permaculture Pa- tashala website. In November, India is hosting the International Permacul- ture Conference in Hyderabad, the home of Permaculture India. PIP PICKS: PRODUCTS WE LIKE

ROOT VEGETABLE THUNDERPANTS Thunderpants are made from 90% organically grown cotton and 10% spandex to give them that super comfy, soft stretchy feel. Designed BEEKEEPER BACKPACKS for comfort and built to last, they are available in BeeKeeper backpacks help reduce waste by us- women’s original and hipsters, crop tops, men’s ing fabric remnants discarded by local factories briefs and boxers, and kids sizes. that would otherwise be thrown into landfill. For every pair of Root Vegetable Thunder- For every BeeKeeper backpack you buy, you pants sold, $2 will be donated to start-up or- will send one child in rural Cambodia to English ganic community gardens around New Zealand. class for one whole year. That is an incredible From $20 plus shipping thing to be able to do for a child! www.thunderpants.co.nz BeeKeeper’s eye-catching backpacks have these practical features: • Secret zip-up compartment at the top, to keep your secret stuff safe. • Laptop compartment on the inside. • Two front compartments, one with an organ- iser. • Two side pockets that can hold 750 ml bottles. From $89. www.beekeeperparade.com

8 MILLPOST MERINO YARN Millpost Merino yarn is spun from Millpost Farm’s best fleece wool, which averages 17.5 micron, and is available in DK (double knit) and 4 ply in a range of gorgeous complemen- tary colours. Undyed hanks are also available for indie and home dyers. The yarn is spun and dyed by Design Spun in Napier, NZ. Millpost Farm is a broadacre permaculture farm near Bun- gendore on the NSW Southern Tablelands where they breed superfine Saxon poll merinos. Three generations live on the farm and produce their own food, energy and timber, while also undertaking extensive tree planting for shelter, shade and habitat, and restorion and regeneration of their native grass- lands and forests. 50 g Superfine Merino Ball $12.50 www.millpostmerino.com/

PINCINOX STAINLESS STEEL PEGS Pincinox stainless steel pegs are not only elegant and superiorly crafted but they have been designed to last the test of time. Backed by a lifetime warranty, these pegs are a purchase for life. In a world where products are built to fail and only last for a short time, Pincinox pegs are a refreshing change. If you’re wanting to make your washing line look funky, check out the Brevi- nox variety. Because of their moving parts they don’t have a lifetime warranty, but are still built to last. Pincinox 20 pack $34 & Brevinox 20 pack mixed colour $37 www.stainlesssteelpegs.com

DIY SEED STORAGE BOX You don’t always need to buy things new. There are lots of great ways to upcycle, creating useful products from waste. This DIY seed storage box was made from upcycling an old wooden box that was just the right height to hold seed packets vertically. Three pieces of thick cardboard were cut to size and slotted together to create six small compartments. Adding three simple headings (summer, winter and all year round) allows for easy categorising of seed collections. Decorate with images from your favourite magazine or calendar. To help seeds keep for longer, store them in tiny Ziploc bags within the pa- Alison Mellor per packets and store your box inside your home on 9 the bookshelf. NOTICEBOARD

To place your event here, email [email protected]

SCHOOLS TREE DAY ON 28 JULY 2017 Each year, around 200,000 Australian school students participate in a special National Tree Day event designed just for children, called Schools Tree Day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get kids into nature, instill a love for the great outdoors, and teach them the importance of environmental stewardship and taking care of the planet. Students nationwide learn how to plant and care for the seedlings they grow. There’s many ways for schools to get involved. Visit www.treeday.planetark.org/schools for more information.

AUSTRALASIAN PERMACULTURE CONVERGENCE (APC14) 2018 ON 15–19 APRIL 2018 IN CANBERRA The theme of APC14 is ‘connectivity’. The convergence will kick off with a one-day public permaculture festival held at Canberra City Farm on the Sunday. This will be a day jam-packed with stalls, talks, local food and sustainability demonstrations. The convergence itself will be open to PDC holders (or equiv- alent) and will be run at the Greenhills Centre near Cotter Dam. Children are welcome and a separate children’s activity program is in the works. Registrations will be opening soon, as well as presentation submissions. Volunteer enquiries are welcome too. The website is due to be launched soon, but in the meantime, search 10 Facebook for ‘Australasian Permaculture Convergence’ or contact [email protected]. 13TH INTERNATIONAL PERMACULTURE CONVERGENCE (IPC INDIA 2017) FROM 25 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER 2017 Aranya Agricultural Alternatives is the happy host of the 13th International Permaculture Convergence (IPC India 2017) in Hyderabad. This event will guide and inspire more than 1200 participants from over 70 countries. Individuals, farmers, policy makers and researchers who share a strong interest in sustainable farming practices and other initiatives contributing to sustainable liveli- hoods will come together for this diverse and engaging program. SUSTAINABLE HOUSE DAY, • The 2-day conference is open to all and will be packed SEPTEMBER 17 2017 with presentations, workshops, panel discussions and a lot of The need for homes that are cheaper to run cultural exchange. and more comfortable to live in has never been • The 5-day convergence presents a chance for Permacul- greater. This is why Sustainable House Day is ture Design Course Certificate graduates to connect deeply so important. with each other and the theme of the event. It is a residential, With houses open around the country, be in- experiential learning forum where the program emerges from spired by sustainable living by touring some of the contributions of participants. Networking, knowledge shar- Australia’s most environmentally progressive ing, hands-on practices and celebrations will be at the heart of homes. This unique peer to peer educational this event. experience is a valuable resource for anyone The event’s main theme is ‘Towards healthy societies’. looking for inspiration, ideas and the key to Change is already happening! Will you be a part of it? Visit: sustainable living. www.ipcindia2017.org/ And if you have designed, built or renovat- ed your home with sustainability in mind, and are passionate about sharing your knowledge with others, you can submit your house into the program. More information at www.sustainable- houseday.com

SOUTH COAST FIELD DAYS ON 23–24 SEPTEMBER 2017 IN COBARGO, NSW The South Coast Field Days are going back to their roots with the theme ‘Traditional Skills and Useful Crafts’. A wide range of knowledgeable and experienced crafts people from the South Coast will share their skills in the delightful country village of Cobargo in the Bega Valley. Held on the first weekend of the school hol- idays, it will be a unique opportunity to learn something new and share 11 hands-on experiences with local and visiting families. In these days of ‘virtual reality’, the thrill of doing something real has even more meaning. n, Beck Lowe gto llin LETTERS TO PIP Li n a I , s r e v a L t a K , Joh ble INS T n Ch am A a R R m G U p B a g PIP ST gne, Mora

Question for the Pip Brains Trust? Email [email protected]

We have access to lots of coffee grounds. Just wondering about choose to grow in containers, this has an extra advantage of putting it around the fruit trees in the orchard which is also the letting you put a cover over the plant when there is a risk of chook run? Will they bother eating it and is it bad for them? Or will frost. This is like a blanket – at night only. Also, the soil level they be cackling and crowing all night?! [Cheryl, Brogo, NSW] is higher than the surrounding ground level so that also keeps the plants a bit warmer, as cold air sinks. If this is your only Chickens don’t tend to eat used coffee grounds. They hold place to grow food, you can consider removing some trees, little nutritional value for them and caffeine is not good for or do your food gardening at a friend’s or community garden chickens. The chickens will however scratch around in the instead. As for specific choices of what to grow, find neigh- coffee grounds and may make a dust bath in it. Their scratch- bours who do have success and/or the local gardening group. ing will help you spread the coffee around the garden. In the They can share seeds, cuttings and advice. [Ian] chook run, the mix of coffee grounds, manure, hay and food scraps makes a great base for compost; I rake this all up and put it directly into my compost bays. I love things getting What is the best thing to do for a chook with runny poo? She has pre-prepared like this as it makes composting easier. Com- a varied diet, including layer pellets, kitchen scraps, grasshoppers posted coffee grounds give more direct benefit to your gar- and grass seeds and my toddler often shares whatever he is eating den. [Morag] with her. Yet there is always loads of runny poo on the verandah... [Jasmine, Nobbys Creek, NSW]

What can I do to stop my greywater stinking? There’s no detergent It is normal for chooks to do a couple of runny poos a day, in it, just a few plate scrapings. It’s driving me nuts and I think it’s but regular runny poo can be a symptom of parasites or other doing bad things to the plants near the outlet. [Jen, Charlwood, QLD] illnesses. If the chook appears healthy otherwise (active, alert and with a red comb), I would not worry about it too much. I’m presuming that you’re collecting greywater from the kitch- To be on the safe side, you should treat her for worms: add en sink and moving a hose around in your garden. Greywa- some crushed garlic or finely chopped wormwood to her feed ter requires some form of primary treatment, with the most (wet some layer pellets and mix the herbs into the mash). Al- common being either reedbed filtration beds or a gravel filter lowing chooks to self-medicate on plants such as wormwood system. In the process, greywater should never be in contact is also beneficial. Your toddler and chook must have a very with the air, which is probably why you’re getting the smell. cute relationship! However it sounds like your chook may be You could dig a mulch pit to release your greywater into. Dig on its own. Chooks are always happier with other chook com- a hole at least a metre in circumference and half a metre panions, so to keep her healthy and happy consider extending deep, then fill this up with mulch material such as woodchips. your flock. [Beck] Have the outlet pipe go into this mulch pit below the surface. Depending on the volume of greywater, you may need a few of these mulch pits scattered around your garden. [John] What would you do if you had two really large hazelnut bushes that are at least 10 years old but haven’t fruited in three years, and you don’t know what variety they are to work out whether you have What can I grow in a frost sensitive area that is useful or edi- the right cultivars? [Lisa, South Hobart, TAS] ble, that thrives in a situation of eucalypt allellopathy? [Louise, Mt Adrah, NSW] Firstly I’d suggest checking the health of both trees. Any signs of stress or disease? Are they getting enough food and 12 All plants need plenty of food and water, and eucalypts are water? If this pair used to fruit, then chances are they are the very successful competitors. At the micro scale, you can use right cultivars, unless someone has removed another nearby containers to keep your soil separate from the eucalyptus hazel. Assuming the problem is with pollination, hazelnuts are roots, but you still have to rake leaves off the top to remove fussy with their partners so if you don’t know the existing va- the allopathic effect of the leaves as they decompose. If you riety it can be difficult to select the right cultivar. I’d suggest documenting your trees and approaching a specialist nurs- house wall or paved area, to reduce the edge that you’ll need ery, heritage fruit group or hazelnut growers association with to patrol. [Kat] photos, leaf samples and dates, etc. Hopefully they can help you narrow down the variety. A nursery supplying hazelnuts should also be able to help you select a locally adapted ‘uni- What’s the best way to utilise/contain/capture a feral chicken versal pollinator’ with the best chance of success. [Kat] that has decided my urban permaculture backyard is the best place to play/scratch/destroy? [Brooke, Deer Park, VIC]

Property is being cleared for a new home; worried about losing Although chickens’ scratching behaviour is the basis of per- topsoil as it’s raining. Cover crops are best sown in the autumn, maculture ‘chicken tractors’, unmanaged chickens can be but can I sow them now to help hold the soil, without diminishing the very destructive in the garden! The best way to contain a green manure properties? [Pam, Marysville, WA] chook is to clip one wing: cut the long ‘flight’ feathers about halfway down and the bird will be too unbalanced to fly very The priority is to stabilise the exposed topsoil now, rather far. But first you need to catch it! This is easiest at night when than grow a green manure crop. You can always ‘chop and the chook is roosting. I take it that this is not your chicken? drop’ whatever is grown as organic matter later on after the Visit your neighbours and try to find out where she is coming roots have anchored into the soil. During most times of the from – maybe she has a roost she goes to each night. If so, year, a fast germinating grain crop should be available for you can nicely ask to visit in the evening to clip her wing. If your climate that will grow quickly. Germination rates can be you can’t find where she sleeps, start taming her by throwing improved with a light sprinkling of mulch material over the her some wheat each day so she will start to associate you seed straight after sowing. [John] with food. Once she is calmer around you, use a large net to catch her and clip her wing. You can then return her to her home (if you found it), keep her contained in your own sys- I’m currently setting up my suburban backyard farm area. What tem or find her another home. Good luck! [Beck] is the best way to deal with dog poo and also mushy cooked bones (chicken and beef) from bone broth? Currently my compost heap is in with the chooks, so dog poo and bones are put in the bin. [Jess, Petrie, QLD] LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I recommend having lots of different sorts of compost sys- Write to us and let us know what you think of the mag tems for varied uses around the garden. Having a few differ- and your thoughts on any of the articles. ent ways to process pet and bone waste too would ensure The best letter will receive a Pip Magazine art print. that one system does not become overloaded. I’d suggest Printed with archival inks on beautiful textured some worm towers and a Bokashi bin. Bokashi accelerates archival 300 gsm rag paper. decomposition and helps to get rid of smells; perfect for pet waste. I would definitely keep dog poo and bones out of the standard compost, as they harbour unhealthy bacteria and Dear Robyn, attract unwanted animal attention. [Morag] I would like to subscribe to your magazine but I cannot navigate a computer. (Even if my life depends on it.) I will be watching the mail with great anticipation. Is there any harmonious way of getting rid of couch grass? It’s I have read No.7 about four times and am still finding completely invaded all my no dig beds. [Linda, Katoomba, NSW] bits and pieces that I can use. I have ‘photocopied’ the Bill Mollison sketch and it is on my craft room wall. Unfortunately there’s no silver bullet for chemical-free re- What a man (no crap about him)! What an inspiration! moval for couch grass, but on a backyard scale I’ve had great I am 72 and fit as a scrub bull and love my vegie success tackling couch grass with people power. Many hands garden. I am still of the belief that you are never too make light work and hosting a Couch Grass Removal Party old to learn. (with celebratory music, food and drink!) will transform an PS: I am a great-Grandma. otherwise daunting task into a fast, manageable and, dare I Cheers for all, say, fun occasion. Then fertilise with something high in nitro- Leigh gen and sheet mulch with heavily overlapped wet newspaper Frankston (minimum 10 sheets but thicker is better), followed by woodchips. Fertiliser stimulates growth, but mulch prevents it from 13 reaching the sun, helping to exhaust its stored energy. A few shoots will stage a comeback, but with a bit of vigilance you should be able to pull these out before they get established. Start your eradication efforts from a solid structure, like a PERMACULTURE PLANT GROW YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES Words by Steven and Anne-Marie Jeffries

There is nothing quite as exquisite as fresh home- year old canes and autumn varieties fruit on the first year’s grown raspberries. Tasting a homegrown plump and growth. This is important to know when it comes to pruning. juicy berry, you realise that the supermarket raspber- If you choose a range of both varieties you can be harvesting ries you have tasted just don’t compare. Bought rasp- raspberries from your garden from early summer through to berries are expensive and have often been sprayed late autumn. with chemicals and travelled hundreds of kilometres One of the most important things to keep in mind is the to get to you, leaving them lifeless and lacking in taste. required number of chill hours each variety needs. Chill hours are the total number of hours a plant is exposed to tempera- The good news is, raspberries are easy to grow and can be tures usually considered to be below 5°C. This ensures the grown in any backyard as you don’t need lots of room. Rasp- plant sets fruit well. berries can be grown in a range of climates but prefer cooler Generally, most will need approximately 400–800 hours. If temperatures. you are intending to grow in a warmer area, avoid European varieties as they tend to need more hours to set fruit. PREPARING THE SOIL Raspberries need to be planted in rich soil that provides good PRUNING drainage and has a pH of 5.5–6.5. Depending on the variety, When it comes to pruning, you need to know whether your the pH may need to be adjusted to accommodate the specific raspberries are autumn or summer varieties. requirements of the plant. Try using pine needles to prepare the soil and reduce the pH, placing the pine needles around Summer varieties the base during the warmer months. This can also act as a As mentioned earlier, summer varieties fruit on second mulch. year growth. Cut down to ground level all of the two year old canes that have produced fruit, and leave the PLANTING one year old canes, which need to be trellised and left to Raspberries need to be planted in rows running north-south fruit next year. It is best to prune soon after fruiting so to ensure even sunlight. Add lots of compost and well-rotted you know which canes are which. manure to the soil before planting. Create a long mound approximately 20 cm above ground level to provide good drain- Autumn varieties age. Depending on the variety, canes should be planted be- Prune canes down to ground level. Alternatively you tween 450–600 mm apart. July to September are the best could try the technique of tip pruning at the end of Jan- times to plant the canes. uary, two nodes down from the last fruiting flower, as One of the most economical ways of propagating is to cut this will produce a crop for the following summer. suckers from the main plant and strike for the following season, or to bury the suckers directly into the ground. If a friend grows raspberries they will often have suckers that you can just carefully dig up, taking care of the roots, and replant immediately. Wrap the roots of the suckers in damp newspaper to keep moist. Create a trellis with two to three strands of wire attached securely to posts on each end. Then as the canes grow, train them along the wires.

VARIETIES There are a multitude of varieties of raspberries available both 14 commercially and via retail outlets; the skill is in identifying the right variety for your area. It is likely you will need to experiment with a few varieties before finding one that is suitable. There are two main types of raspberries, summer and autumn fruiting varieties. Summer varieties will fruit on two Shutterstock VARIETY CHARACTERISTICS HARVEST TIME

Low yield, good flavour, soft fruit. Does not store Mid Season. Starts February for 6–8 weeks Heritage well. Low chill variety

Heavy consistent yield, good flavour fruit, little Mid summer followed by a late autumn flush problem with fruit formation with fluctuation of Chilliwack temperature. Not thorny

Good yield, good flavour fruit. Fruit tends to burn Mid to late season summer variety Tulameen on hot days (>35˚C)

Excellent yield, good flavour, heat tolerant. Fruit is Autumn and a small summer crop with firm and holds well in the punnet (up to seven days tip pruning Himbo Top at <3˚C)

Good yield, beautiful flavour fruit, fruit tends to burn Mid season followed by a late autumn flush Chilcotin on hot days (>35˚C)

Willamette Nice flavour, soft fruit. Does not store well Mid to late summer with second flush in autumn

Easy to grow, delicious fruit, self-fertile. Prune all Autumn Autumn Bliss growth at end of autumn

Skeena Low yield, nice flavour, small fruit Summer for four weeks

HARVEST likely to be overripe. The flavour of an overripe raspberry is Harvests will vary greatly depending on the weather condi- still wonderful, but the holding properties decrease signifi- tions during growing seasons and harvest. The table below cantly and they tend to bleed. Raspberries stored below 3˚C provides a guide only; this will vary from year to year and can be held for up to seven days in a punnet, depending on depend on the variety and location. the variety. In areas of high temperatures it is recommended to provide Raspberries are a great crop to grow as they are most de- shade for the hottest parts of the day. Shade-cloth works well licious picked straight from the plant. Best of all for backyard and can also assist with reducing bird damage. gardeners, they are relatively easy to grow in any sized space. Harvesting ripe raspberries is best done early in the morn- Happy growing! ings as the fruit tends to be firmer. Subtle colour changes can make the difference between a perfect raspberry and an okay Steven and Anne-Marie (Annie) Jeffries from the Berry raspberry. Generally the darker the colour, the riper the fruit, Farm grow raspberries commercially in the Adelaide however once the colour starts to move to a plum shade it is Hills. Their berries are grown using organic principles.

SEASON START FINISH COMMENT

Late December to early Possible to get 1–2 picks in Summer varieties Mid to late November January every day

Autumn varieties Autumn varieties Autumn varieties Autumn varieties

Dual varieties Dual varieties April/May As above

50cm

100cm 15

20cm 50cm 50cm 20cm Clockwise from above left: Muscovy ducks foraging in the grass; Muscovies living beneath fruit trees; Muscovy ducks in a netted orchard with paddling pool behind; Mother duck with freshly hatched chicks; Female black muscovy with distinctive marking around the eyes.

16 PERMACULTURE ANIMAL MUSCOVY DUCKS Words and photos by Robyn Rosenfeldt

Muscovy ducks are a popular animal in many perma- with a small paddling pool, like the ones you can buy for kids. culture systems as they perform multiple functions, If their pool is moved around from tree to tree in an or- especially in the orchard or food forest. They are also chard and emptied out onto the tree, the poo-infested water a pleasure to watch waddling around the garden. will feed the plants. The water needs to be changed regularly Muscovies come in a range of colours from all white, all though to avoid disease. black, black and white, black with green feathers, and brown and white. They have a distinctive appearance with a bright HOUSING red mask around their eyes and beak, which is more pro- Muscovies like to roost. They need shelter and a place to hide nounced in the male. as they are vulnerable to predators such as foxes. They don’t Muscovies are quiet ducks, which makes them a great fit need the same sort of housing as chickens though. They can for residential areas. Instead of quacking, the males make a be quite happy under low-lying fruit trees or any bushes they hissing sound. can get beneath in order to feel secure and safe. If you have housing for them it will need to be cleared out regularly as FUNCTIONS IN A PERMACULTURE SYSTEM they poo a lot and it gets messy quickly. Muscovies are one of the few breeds of ducks that eat bugs, As lovely as it is to see Muscovies wandering around the grass and fallen fruit, which makes them the perfect animal garden, their poo is very sloppy and quite abundant! They for an orchard or food forest. Eating the grass helps to con- have a penchant for pooing on the doorstep, so it’s best to trol the weeds, although they do struggle to keep up with keep them away from the house. kikuyu. By eating bugs they help to keep down pest populations, and by eating fallen fruit they help manage fruit fly and BREEDING other diseases. Muscovies generally make good mothers. They will lay one Their appetite for fruit doesn’t stop at what’s already on the egg a day and once they have laid their clutch of eggs (8–10 ground either – they will fly up and eat the fruit directly from eggs), they will sit steadily. They will come off at intervals to the tree, usually just before it’s ripe, so either take them out of eat and bathe. Make sure their nest is sheltered and safe from the orchard when your trees are fruiting, or clip their wings. predators. Muscovy eggs are great for baking as they are quite stiff After approximately 35 days the eggs will hatch. It is best to and rich. The eggs are much larger than a chicken egg with separate mother and babies from the rest of the flock, to keep a whiter, harder shell. Muscovies also make good meat birds the babies safe from drakes. The babies also need protecting if you are so inclined, and will be ready for the table around from any sort of predators, including cats, birds and foxes. 10–12 weeks. Once they reach 4–6 weeks they are safe to join the rest of the flock. FEED Muscovies eat a varied diet of grass, weeds, plants, fruits and COMPANIONS bugs but will also benefit from some sort of grain. You can Muscovy ducks like to live with others, so having at least one supplement their diet with grain or pellets specifically made other duck will be enough, but three or four is ideal. for ducks. However, some people argue that given the right conditions with a good range of food sources, the ducks can easily survive on what they forage. If you are feeding them grain, put it in some sort of container, so they aren’t eating their food off the ground amongst their droppings, as this can cause disease.

WATER 17 Muscovies love water. They need to be able to get their nos- trils right under the water to clear out their nasal passages. Although a duck pond is preferable, they are just as happy EAT YOUR WEEDS SMALL-FLOWERED MALLOW Word and photos by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman (Artist as Family)

The small-flowered mallow (Malva parviflora .),L is also known roots and leaves are used to make shampoo, hair softeners as whorled mallow, whorl-flower mallow, ringleaf marshmal- and even dandruff treatments. The leaves can be used on low and cheeseweed. It originated in the Mediterranean and sores and boils. They are high in calcium, iron and vitamin C. south-western Europe, but is considered native to Asia and The leaf extracts contain antioxidant properties and are con- North Africa too. It has naturalised throughout the world in- sidered anti-inflammatory with free-radical-scavenging and cluding all states and territories in Australia. metal-chelating activities. The plant is used as a medicine to treat tapeworm in South Africa. DESCRIPTION The fruits or cheeses are delicious raw in a salad and the Small-flowered mallow is a hardy, adaptable and temperate youngest leaves can be eaten raw too. By eating these fruits, climate plant. It now grows in the tropics, tolerates rabbit pre- you mitigate the spread of this plant – disturbing the soil by dation and is naturally tolerant to glyphosate. It is however digging, poisoning or burning creates more opportunities for vulnerable to rust fungus infestation. When growing rigorous- weeds, whereas eating the reproductive units of a plant limits ly, it’s an indicator of fertile soil. Small-flowered mallow is a its development and produces low-impact food. highly adaptable weed that sprawls or grows erect, up to Although they don’t have a particularly strong flavour, the 1.5 m in height. leaves of small-flowered mallow make a lovely cooked vegeta- The flowers are smaller than other mallow species (hence ble. Steam the leaves to soften them, strain, then drizzle with the name) and each have five pink or white petals. The flow- olive oil, salt and raw garlic to produce a simple neo-peasant ers develop into tiny pumpkin-like green fruits, also referred dish, or cook as part of a stir-fry with peppers, wakame and to as cheeses, which are approximately 6–10 mm in diame- rice. The young tip leaves can be included in a salad with ter. These dry to become the seeds of the plant. The leaves the soft, nutty cheese rounds (the little green fruits), which are round, heart-shaped and soft. Stems, taproot, leaves and although can be fiddly to harvest are well worth the patience. fruits are all edible, making this lovely biennial plant a useful The taproots are washed and prepared with other root vege- contributor to any garden or foraging commons. tables and best cooked in abattoir-free animal fat, particularly duck. USES Small-flowered mallow has many uses. The seeds or fruits If you have a question about weeds you can email us at: can relieve inflammation or irritation. They have a pleasant [email protected] nutty flavour and are used to treat stomach ulcers. The plant’s

18 SAVE YOUR SEEDS NASTURTIUM Words by Jude and Michel Fanton Photos by Tracy Milchick

BOTANICAL NAME: Tropaeolum majus – the genus STORAGE: Well-stored seeds last for three years, and are name comes from the Latin word for trophy, an allusion to the thirty to the gram. likeness of the flowers to the helmets and shields displayed at Roman triumphs. USE: You can utilise all of this plant in your kitchen and garden. Add the flowers and young leaves to salads. You can use ORIGIN: Peru’s cool highlands. the green seeds (harvested after the petals have fallen) as a substitute for capers – to do this, simply pour freshly boiled DESCRIPTION: An annual which behaves as a perennial vinegar into a tightly packed jar of unripe nasturtium seeds, in warm climates. The modern breed of nasturtium is bushy seal the jar and store in a cool place. with deep red, bright orange or yellow flowers. Having nasturtium in your garden will deter pumpkin bee- tles and attract aphids, acting as a catch plant so that the CULTIVATION: Nasturtium flourishes in rich soils, al- pests stay in the one spot. Grow nasturtium next to brassicas though it can tolerate poor soils. Seedlings are difficult to to deter cabbage white butterflies. transplant so it’s best to plant the seeds directly. To make an effective scalp tonic lotion, add a hundred grams of nasturtium leaves and green seeds with the same weight of SAVING THE SEEDS: The spreading bushes are flow- nettles and macerate in half a bottle of vodka for two weeks. ering right through the growing season and the harvesting This concoction can also help with hair loss. of the seeds can be done whenever the three-lobed seed compound becomes brown and feels dry and light. Taken from the Seed Savers Handbook by Jude and Mi- It is however possible to harvest while still green but ma- chel Fanton (Seed Saver Network 2014) ture enough to be fertile, as is done commercially. For more on making nasturtium capers go to: www.pip- As the flowers are worked by insects (which love both the magazine.com.au/eat/nasturtium-capers-recipe/ nectar and pollen), only one sort of nasturtium should be grown in each garden for raising pure seeds.

19 IN THE GARDEN: JULY – OCTOBER

Seasonal garden guides for all climates.

TROPICAL SUBTROPICAL ARID COOL MEDITERRANEAN WARM

COOL TEMPERATE by Christina Giudici What to sow: What to do: • July: English spinach, peas and broad beans, spring • July is a good time to clean and tidy your strawberry onions and radishes. Divide and share, perennials such as beds. If your plants are a few years old, snip off the run- rhubarb, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, globe arti- ners and give them away. If they’re four years or older, chokes, chives, garlic chives, horseradish, potato onions it’s best to replace them with new plants. and shallots. Propagate cane fruit like raspberries, cur- • In July and August you should finish off your winter rants, gooseberries and silvan berries and loganberries. pruning of apple and pear trees. Keep your garlic and • August: Potatoes, peas, broad beans, spring onions, Je- other onion family plants weeded. rusalem artichokes, rhubarb divisions, chive divisions, oca • Weeds tend to surge in spring and all of the overwintered (a tuberous oxalis relative that grows like a potato). And brassicas, rocket, silverbeet, celery and leeks get feisty, all the leafy greens: lettuce, rocket, Asian greens, celery sending up flower stalks. You’ll have a large amount of and English spinach. In raised beds and warm spots start biomass for compost fodder just when it’s a great time succession sowings of carrot, beetroot and turnips. to use up the last of your old compost around summer • September: Leafy greens, peas and broad beans. Roots plants – perfect! like carrots, parsnip, beetroot, turnips and swedes, celery • September is a great time to feed everything. The and silverbeet (or rainbow chard), brassicas like brocco- complex web of life in healthy soil is constantly breaking li and cabbage, leeks, and the ubiquitous spring onions down old organic matter making the nutrients available to and radish. Chunky things too like potatoes, Jerusalem plants. Try to use organic fertilisers and compost, ani- artichokes, rhubarb and asparagus crowns. Start plant- mal manures, worm castings and worm wee, rock dust, ing seeds of summer vegies such as tomatoes, pumpkin, seaweed products and compost tea to give the soil a zucchini, capsicum and sweetcorn in pots on a windowsill balanced menu. or greenhouse. • October: The best time to plant tomatoes is when the soil has warmed up a bit and the risk of a late frost is nearly nil. (Look for self-sown tomato or sunflower seedlings 20 emerging). Capsicum, chilli, basil, eggplant, rockmelon, watermelon, summer variety of beans, pumpkin and sweet corn. Plant corn in blocks (3 x 3 plants minimum) as block design helps maximise the chance of pollination. WARM TEMPERATE by Gnomes Farming Co-op What to do: What to sow: • July: asparagus crowns, strawberries, peas and the last • In July get excited about spring coming, and begin plan- of your late onions. ning your sowing and succession. Dig in late-autumn- • August: Once the risk of frost has largely passed you can sown green manures. begin to sow seed potatoes. Radishes, shallots, coriander, • Remove winter crops as they finish in August and begin pak choi, leek, spring onion, kale, tatsoi, chives, spinach a schedule of hot composting to get ready for spring and and rocket can also be sown. Basil can be started indoors summer planting. on a sunny windowsill. • In September keep an eye on brassicas for mealy • September: beetroot, kohlrabi, sugar beet, carrots, let- aphids and cabbage moth. Hand removal is best as it tuce, mizuna, silverbeet, parsley, dill. Amaranth can be allows you to avoid beneficial insects who are likely to be started indoors. attacking pests at the same time as you are! Also hill up • October: tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber, pumpkin, zuc- early sown potatoes as they grow. chini and melons can be started in a warm spot (a sunny • In October ensure your irrigation system is working. windowsill or greenhouse) later in the month. Begin mulching from the end of October as the weather heats up.

MEDITERRANEAN by Nadja Osterstock What to sow: What to do: • July: Most deciduous fruit and nut trees are now dor- • In July hill up potatoes, leaving a few pairs of leaves mant and leafless, ready for winter pruning, planting or protruding on each plant. Leeks can be backfilled as they transplanting. If you have a sheltered spot or your nights grow, to produce long white stems. Leafy greens already aren’t too chilly, it’s worth putting in a few potatoes, on- established will benefit from fortnightly liquid fertilisers. ions and garlic, and green manuring any vacant vegetable Check the soil moisture, as despite the cold there may beds. not have been enough rain to keep vegetables well- • August: asparagus and rhubarb can be divided and trans- watered. Harvest peas daily to keep them coming, and planted. Keep planting successive crops of all types of provide support as they grow taller. peas. Green manure crops should be dug in before they • In August you should get in before the spring weeds flower and set seed (unless you’ve decided to keep those take off. Pull them out or sheet mulch over them. Add broad beans for eating). organic matter to the soil ready for planting spring vege- • September and October: broccoli, kale, spinach, Asian tables, citrus and other evergreen trees and vines. Finish greens, leek, radish, spinach, silverbeet, parsley, corian- winter pruning of stone fruit trees at the beginning of a der, rocket and lettuces; loose leaf types allow you to pick fine spell, so the wounds can dry out and resist fungal the outside leaves while they keep on growing. infection. Deciduous trees can be grafted this month. • October: start planting beans (both bush and climbing • In September you can dig in green manure crops, whip types), beetroot and carrots. Pumpkins, squash, corn/ out weeds before they set seed and hot compost old maize, melons and cucumbers can be sown directly in mulch from the vegie garden to break the pest cycle succession planting over the next few months. Sow corn and help the soil to absorb spring sunshine. Catch and either in a block or in a patch shared with squash and squash caterpillars, or feed them to a friendly chook or beans for the traditional ‘three sisters’ planting guild. magpie. Plant seeds of tomatoes, chilli, capsicum and eggplant in • Thin out stone fruit as they set in October, to improve protected seedling trays. Transplant into larger pots when fruit quality and protect branches from breaking. Mulch they have a couple of sets of true leaves, then gradually garden beds as the weather warms up. Check drip irriga- harden them into open garden conditions and finally plant tion to ensure it’s working effectively and extend it to new 21 out when the soil has warmed. plantings. SUBTROPICAL by Morag Gamble What to sow: What to do: • July: salad greens like lettuce, coriander, rocket, peas, • Replenish washed-out soils in July. Fork open areas onions, leeks, shallots, kale, beetroot, daikon, radish, that feel compacted, gently lifting but not turning. Grow kohlrabi, purple top turnips, Asian greens and mustard green manures and mulch crops, compost your garden’s greens. summer abundance, and gather resources for the spring • August: basil, beans, beetroot, bok choy, pak choy, cu- garden. July is also the time for citrus pruning, so look cumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, melons, okra, pumpkin, potato, for dead and damaged branches, removing shoots that spring onions and tomatoes. Don’t forget to interplant sprout from below the graft. Remove lower branches that with some colourful flowers such as amaranth, cosmos drag on the soil when laden with fruit, and check for gall and salvia sunflower. wasp attack (swellings on stems), removing and burning • September: basil, beans, beetroot, bok choy, pak choy, these before spring. cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, melons, okra, pumpkin, • In August start focusing on feeding the soil so that potato, spring onions and tomatoes, rosella, sweet potato, you’re supporting diverse and abundant soil life, which yacón and oca. helps control many diseases and pests. Increase organ- • October: basil, beans, beetroot, bok choy, pak choy, ic matter in the soil by adding a cover crop around fruit cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, melons, okra, pumpkin, trees, digging in green manures and forking soil to aerate potato, spring onions and tomatoes, rosella, sweet potato, it. Citrus trees have been hard at work producing an yacón, oca and choko. abundance of fruit so it’s a good idea to feed them well and give a good soak. Leggy herbs should be getting a good trim now too so they’ll be ready for a new burst of growth. • In September keep an eye on weeds and pests, as they can begin to proliferate as the weather warms up. Especially watch out for cabbage moth and mealy aphids on any summer brassicas. Ensure drip irrigation is in working order and ready for the summer. • In October continue to keep weeds and warm weather pests under control. Fertilise fruit trees with potash to improve taste, flowering and plant health.

TROPICAL by Kathleen Hosking What to sow: What to do: • July: Mediterranean herbs love this weather, so plant in • In July you should fertilise fruit trees with potash to full sun. Plant Surinam spinach and Okinawa spinach in improve fruiting and plant strength. the shade of a north side fence. • In August be sure to maintain mulch and monitor soil • August: Plant the last crop of lettuce, endive, Chinese moisture levels. Water fruit trees regularly to maintain cabbage and other fast growing greens. Radishes and moisture levels. Brassicas are coming to the end of their carrots still have time to crop before the weather heats life and can now be composted. up. Onion bulbs and horseradish can also be ordered now • Trim and use any straggly looking plants as mulch in and planted out. September, as they will be putting on their spring growth • August–October: Plant and look after asparagus, tur- when the weather warms and humidity starts rising. Bag meric, galangal and ginger rhizomes, and water chestnut any fruit susceptible to fruit flies. Fertilise fruit trees bulbs. with potash for sweet fruit and strong tissue. • September: Pumpkin planted now will likely provide for • In October clear any overgrowth or overhanging plants Christmas dinner, as can other summer crops like toma- along the fence line. Cut sweetleaf to ground level so toes and sweet corn. There is much that can be planted that fresh growth is generated; this encourages a bushier at this time of year, but be aware that some crops will be growth habit. Maintain fertiliser routines, and water well lost if there is an early wet season. before applying fertiliser. 22 • October: Rocket, turmeric, cassava, mustard, tatsoi and miner’s lettuce will all tolerate the build up to wet season. Darwin lettuce is a more traditional option that does well at this time of the year. for backyard chickens everywhere

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keep your chickens happy with feed available on demand

saves you money! 24 Laura Hesse USE + VALUE RENEWABLE

RESOURCES + SERVICES FEATURE GOATS IN A PERMACULTURE SYSTEM Words by Beck Lowe

Goats are entertaining, intelligent and productive ani- Goats are less effective at mowing lawns as they don’t eat mals and can offer a lot of inputs into a permaculture the grass down to a very low level, although they will keep it system. short. They will also manage thistles and other low-growing plants. But beware! Don’t allow them near your fruit trees Due to their varied palate, they can be very useful in manag- as they can seriously damage them in a short space of time. ing woody and weedy vegetation, as well as blackberries. In fact, much of their feed can come from excess growth around Milk: the garden. If you have tried commercially produced goat milk and didn’t Having fresh milk on hand is also a strong motivator for like it, do not despair – fresh, unpasteurised goat milk tastes many potential goat keepers, with homemade goats cheese completely different! A goat will give around 1-2 litres of milk being a delicacy. Goats can also be kept as a meat source, per day, and more at the start of lactation. Milk can be made as well as for their manure, which adds fertility to soil. Unlike into cheese, yoghurt and kefir. larger hooved animals, goats can be kept in urban areas, as Milking can be undertaken either once or twice per day. long as they are taken out to forage daily. Twice a day will give you more milk, but less flexibility in your day. Goats can be milked year round and some milking goats BENEFITS OF KEEPING GOATS can produce for years without birthing again. Manure & mulch: Being home at a particular time each day to milk could be Goats provide useful manure that can be used for composting seen as a burden, but this is not an issue if you have a home- and adding directly onto the garden or orchard. It is hard to based lifestyle. Consider sharing the milking with a neighbour collect in the paddock but easy to clear out of the goat shed, to give both households flexibility and fresh milk! especially if it is mixed with straw or wood shavings from If kids are kept on their mother it is less stressful for ev- the floor. eryone. They can be separated at night with a mesh divider Goat manure comes out in neat pellets, making it easy to so mum can be milked in the morning and the kids can drink collect and spread around the garden. It is also milder than during the day. This also provides flexibility—if you won’t be chicken manure and similar in nutrients to cow manure, de- home you can leave them together and you won’t need to pending on what the goats are fed and their conditions. milk. If you are feeding goats branches, the remaining sticks can be used as a coarse mulch around fruit trees (useful for stop- Meat: ping chickens scratching up the goat shed mulch laid under- Goat meat makes for good eating and keeping goats for meat neath) or for kindling. Otherwise they can be mulched and can be productive. Goats generally produce twins and meat used wherever needed. breeds can thrive in areas where other meat animals might not. Hides are another benefit of producing goat meat. Vegetation control: Goats are great for managing weedy, overgrown areas. Many REQUIREMENTS of the plants that we find problematic in our systems are rel- Company: 25 ished by goats, even very prickly plants such as blackberries, Goats are very social animals, so a solitary goat will not be which have a tendency to take over and may otherwise be happy. They need at least one companion, although this can sprayed with herbicides. be another species, such as a sheep. Laura Hesse

Front page: Goats can be very affectionate animals. This page, clockwise from above: Goats at feeding time; Goat’s can form strong bonds with children; Goat with triplets. Opposite page: Old buck goat. Beck Lowe

Feeding:

Beck Lowe Goats are predominantly browsers, eating leaves and twigs from shrubs and trees, but they will also eat low-growing plants such as grass. Goats should not be given direct access to any trees you want to keep, as they will destroy them very Goats also need human company. A tame goat that is used quickly. A ‘cut and carry’ system works well, and if there are to humans is far easier to manage, particularly for tasks such trees or scrub to get rid of, goats can feed directly. as milking and trimming hooves. Spending time with your A variety of fodder is important. From the vegetable gar- goats should be a joy; they are entertaining and affectionate! den, goats will appreciate excess produce, weeds and parts of plants that humans do not normally eat, such as corn stalks. Infrastructure: They can be fed prunings from fruit trees (except peaches A good shelter is needed as goats hate getting wet. This should and avocados), nurse trees and shelterbelts. protect them from the rain and provide shade in the heat. Consider planting some fodder trees. Various acacias, Goats need good fencing, but it is a myth that they are im- locusts, tagasaste and many deciduous trees make useful possible to contain. A well-strained and maintained ringlock goat feed with multiple other uses in a permaculture system. fence of standard height will do the job. Being intelligent an- You can also cut fodder from outside your property. I regular- imals, they are likely to notice and sometimes even check to ly harvest willow, elm, poplar, ash and cherry plum branches see if you have shut the gate correctly. The consequences of from along the creek in town. escape can be dire – they can cause havoc in tree plantations, Most goats will live happily on a combination of grazing orchards and gardens! grassy areas and ‘cut and carry’ branches, however a pro- Moveable electric fencing can be used, giving more op- ductive milking goat will need more concentrated feed. Pro- tions for moving goats to where their services can be utilised. viding a bucket of feed whilst milking calms and distracts the However, this requires fine weather or a moveable shelter. goat. Concentrated feeds include tree seeds (e.g. acorns), Tethers are another possibility for allowing goats to access tree pods (e.g. carob) and some vegetables (e.g. sugar beet). feed they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get. Keeping a goat In most systems you will have to buy in some extra feed for on tether permanently is cruel, however goats will learn to your milking goat – oats or sprouted barley with oaten chaff 26 enjoy limited periods on a tether if they’re put in interesting are good options. places with a range of feed. Ensure that they cannot knock Unless you are in an area of well-balanced soil and can feed over their water bucket and that the tether is unlikely to snag your goats from a very wide range of plants, you will probably on anything. need to supplement their feed with seaweed and minerals. Beck Lowe

BREEDS The main milking breeds in Australia are Saanens, Toggen- burgs and British Alpines. Beware of very ‘well bred’ milking goats, as they sometimes produce too much milk for their own health and will need a lot of concentrated feed. Anglo Nubians, with their floppy ears and interesting colours, are

a large dual-purpose breed with less milk but a high cream FEATURE content. Boer goats are a meat breed that grows fast, breeds reliably and isn’t fussy about feed. Many goats are mixed breeds, with some descended from feral populations – these are often smaller goats who are great escape artists but are good at controlling vegetation.

COMMON GOAT BREEDS IN AUSTRALIA

BREED + DESCRIPTION CHARACTERISTICS PRIMARY FUNCTION

Saanen Large, lean, white goats Produces large amounts of milk (sometimes to Dairy the detriment of their health). Relatively docile and easy to manage and contain

Toggenburg Large brown goats with white Produces good amounts of milk over a long Dairy sides of their faces, lower legs and period of time. An active, hardy breed that can rumps be more difficult to contain

British Alpine Large black goats with white sides Less common than other dairy breeds. Noted for Dairy of their faces, lower legs and milk production over very long periods rumps

Anglo-Nubian Large, solid goats with arched Dual-purpose meat and dairy breed. Copes well Dairy/Meat noses and long pendulous ears; with heat. Lower volumes of milk than other many colours and often very dairy breeds, but higher in butterfat. Very vocal attractive markings with a tendency for jumping

Boer Goat Medium-sized, heavy Grows quickly, producing a high proportion of Meat goats with a brown muscle. Good at vegetation control. Hardy but head on a white body quiet and easy to contain

Rangeland Many different colours, tend to be Originates from Australia’s feral population. Good Meat smaller than most breeds at vegetation control. Very hardy and low maintenance but slow growing and hard to contain

Angora Smaller goats with long, curly Mostly kept for mohair production, but are also Fibre fleece good for vegetation management

Miniature goats Very small size, various colours Uncommon in Australia, although three miniature Pets breeds are present. Good for smaller areas. The Nigerian Dwarf is bred for milk production

Beck Lowe is currently writing a book on permaculture and animals. If you have an interesting example of a 27 permaculture animal system, she’d love to hear about it: [email protected] 28 INTEGRATE RATHER

THAN SEGREGATE FEATURE URBAN GOAT CO-OPERATIVE Words by Maude Farrugia Photos by Emma Belyea

Hibi Farm is nestled on a sprawling suburban block in the garden,’ recalls Angelica. Thoughts of other benefits of a quiet court in Melbourne’s not-quite-inner north. You keeping goats only came later when research around milking could be forgiven for forgetting you were in the middle was done. When the goats arrived, with their unique person- of postwar-built suburbia and instead had been trans- alities and loving natures, the co-operative members were ported back in time to the Swiss Alps, Heidi-style. sold on the benefits of keeping them as pets and companion animals. Chickens peck around the goat pen, which sits at the back of ‘Instead of having a dog, you can just have a goat,’ says the yard, beyond the extensive fruit and vegetable gardens. Edwin. ‘Although I’m not sure that I’d want the goat sleeping Michi Pusswald, a householder at Hibi Farm, scrapes out the on our bed.’ straw bedding. His wife Angelica nuzzles Tessie, a beard- ed Toggenburg milking goat, leading her up onto the milking MILK stand. Michi and Angelica are on the ‘goater’ shift this morn- The goats provide seasonal milk for the co-operative members ing, and that means an early start. and cover most of their needs. Things can get a little lean in Hibi Farm sits at the centre of the Hood; a loose collective winter, so some families in the co-operative choose to supple- of local households living the good life. Central to the opera- ment with shop bought milk, but much of the time the goaters tion of Hibi Farm is the goat co-operative. Milking the goats is are dealing with more milk than they can handle. a daily ritual undertaken by one of the 15-odd official ‘goaters’ ‘It’s a lot of work and a lot of milk, so we started including rostered on. This milk is shared between their households one extra household, and then added another and another,’ and then further afield as currency in bartering arrangements says Maria. One of their first goats, a Saanen (the largest of with friends and neighbours. the milking breeds), produced so much that the co-operative couldn’t cope with the amount of high energy feed and milk- ‘Instead of having ing she required. ‘We actually don’t want the most productive dairy goats because they’re tricky for us to manage. We want a dog, you can just one with an easy personality, one who is robust and friendly have a goat’ to children.’

GOAT MENTOR HOW IT ALL STARTED ‘We have a goat mentor,’ Maria explains. This is the breeder The goat co-operative is well established. Angelica, her sis- who sold them the goats, and his ongoing support and advice ter Maria and their families moved into the area around eight to the co-operative is vital. ‘We’d definitely recommend getting years ago. Inspiration struck when Maria’s husband Edwin a mentor if you’re wanting to keep dairy goats,’ Edwin says. saw a Burke’s Backyard article on backyard goats. It took ‘It’s not really the sort of thing you can just learn in books.’ them about a year of careful research and planning before Their mentor has generously shared advice on everything they got their first goats. from milking to common goat ailments, as well as his passion 29 ‘We would buy bags of manure for the garden and it was for keeping the animals. ‘He’s really just so happy about what the idea that we were constantly buying stuff in, that made us we’re doing; that a new generation of people are interested in think; wouldn’t it be nice to have animals to produce that for keeping goats,’ says Angelica. Front page: Tessa enjoying a brush after being milked. This page, clockwise from above: Angelica milking Tessa with a chicken looking on; Feed instructions and goating roster; Fresh milk for coffee; Angelica finishing up for the day with a pot of fresh milk to take home.

30 INPUTS CYCLES ‘It’s a huge logistical mission to get all the feed and supple- The desire for goats at Hibi Farm was initially for manure pur- ments,’ says Edwin, and his fellow Hibi farmers agree. ‘Their poses. Cycling the goats’ outputs into useful compost for the food is based on grain, which at the moment is barley and garden is a big part of the system they have set up. Compost

rolled oats, and some chaff, and that’s what they get for break- bays adjoin the goat shed so that goat bedding and manure FEATURE fast and dinner at milking times. During the rest of the day they can be easily transferred, while chickens move freely through have access to oaten hay and lucerne hay.’ both spaces. ‘I don’t think we could have the goats without the Mineral supplements of copper, sulphur and dolomite are chickens,’ says Angelica. Chooks peck edible seeds out of the important for milk production and are added to the mix, along goat manure, as well as fly maggots which breed quickly. ‘We with apple cider vinegar, seaweed meal and olive oil. The goat had a fly problem early on, and we worked out that the chick- menu changes seasonally and Angelica, with a background ens could help us control that.’ Chickens also clean up the goat in agricultural science, is well-versed in the importance of pen floor after milking, scratching through the fallen feed for ruminant nutrition. ‘We’re constantly managing the food we any protein-rich morsels. get in throughout the year. Sometimes the lucerne’s really stalky, other times it’s lush and leafy, so we need to adjust the RULES AND REGULATIONS amounts and balance their diet so they don’t get belly aches ‘It took us about a year to get organised to apply for a goat or runny poo.’ The goats also receive branches and prunings permit,’ Angelica says, though regulations vary from council from members of the co-operative and neighbours. to council. While it was straightforward, Maria and Angeli- The co-operative are well aware of the inputs of their goats. ca worked hard to ensure it came through. ‘We were scared Angelica says that they tried making chaff early on and sourc- about not getting it, so we put a huge amount of work into ing organic feed, but found this almost impossible. ‘We’re un- drawing up plans and showing that we’d thought about things der no illusion that this is any more sustainable than truck- like hygiene, smells and storing all the food,’ says Angelica. ing in good organic dairy products for our households, but it does have added benefits,’ she says. These include valuing ‘Rosie and Tessie are the dairy in their diet far more than they ever did, the children growing up with a connection to where their milk comes from two very happy goats’ and the companionship of these beautiful creatures. The local council are on-side now. Angelica says that the ranger comes yearly for an inspection but ‘really it’s just because she likes to come and see the goats!’ There aren’t strict regulations for keeping goats in the space, but the goaters did plenty of research before designing the pen. ‘They’re not pas- ture animals that need a certain amount of grass,’ says Maria. The goats’ compact pen easily fits within the confines of the Hibi Farm backyard. With all of their food brought to them, as well as constant visits and nuzzles from children and goaters, Rosie and Tessie are two very happy goats.

TIME ASPIRING GOAT CO-OPERATIVE TIPS: Time is a major input into the keeping of goats. While the dai- • Get a goat mentor ly milking shift can happen quickly (each goat can be milked • Keep your co-operative as small as you can, the in under 10 minutes), there can be other obligations. On the more people involved the greater the logistical morning we visit, Rosie is recovering from mastitis, and An- challenge gelica must massage and coax the milk out of her blocked • Be realistic about the responsibility of owning a milk ducts – all while avoiding a kicked milk bucket from an goat/goats understandably agitated Rosie! A goat with mastitis requires • Don’t go for the best milkers; good personality and two milkings a day. Cleaning out the pen and filtering and robustness are equally important pasteurising the milk are other daily tasks, while managing • Be ready to become a crazy goat person, as these the finances, rostering, distribution and communication of the animals are as infatuating as cats and dogs co-operative take time too. Members are assigned roles to help share the workload. The goats also enjoy regular walks; a 31 PR exercise in the local neighbourhood for the cause of goats. ‘We’re really careful about it – we take a little broom so we can sweep up after the goats,’ says Maria. Robyn Rosenfeldt

32 Robyn Rosenfeldt INTEGRATE RATHER

THAN SEGREGATE FEATURE ECOBURBIA: AN EXPERIMENT IN URBAN LIVING Words by Samantha Allemann

When Shani Graham and Tim Darby learned about Tim is Ecoburbia’s main builder and designer, with Shani peak oil and climate change, their first instincts were being the main gardener and office bod. Three rooms are to leg it to the country. ‘I was keen to stay in the city, rented to five ‘houselings’; long-term residents who contrib- although I couldn’t see how we could make that hap- ute to the ongoing community. Shani points out however that pen,’ recalls Shani. Ecoburbia is not a housing co-operative. ‘It’s not a group of people who have come together, bought a property and are all After much consideration, instead of fleeing the problem, they working together on that kind of project – it’s our property,’ decided to channel their energies into running sustainability she says. business ventures in urban settings. Tim and Shani set up an environmentally friendly B&B called the Painted Fish on Hul- ‘The houselings share food, bert Street in South Fremantle. Soon after, they purchased a property down the street, retrofitting it to incorporate so- music, adventures, skills, lar passive principles, making it more sustainable. They then company and resources’ began running Living Smart courses, behaviour change programs aimed at educating people to reduce their environmental impact. Although they don’t have many formal rules, Shani and Tim Inspired by what they’d learned on Hulbert Street, as well are the decision-makers when it comes to how the property is as by David Holmgren’s work on retrofitting the suburbs, Tim run. ‘Rental includes all bills and also things like dishwashing and Shani embarked on a new experiment. They decided liquid, laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner, so that to reconfigure an existing building to significantly increase means we can control what goes down the greywater,’ Shani the density without increasing the built footprint. ‘I get really says. ‘I used to be a school principal, and basically this place frustrated whenever I see large suburban blocks being sub- is run like a school.’ divided into smaller blocks, creating more overbuilt houses, ‘There are no formal meetings or structured timetables,’ more separation and isolation, and replication of seldom-used says Tim. ‘We often hang out and share time as and when resources (such as laundries),’ says Tim. ‘Most often infill is a we feel like it. The houselings share food, music, adventures, bitter pill that compromises the social and structural amenity skills, company and resources in a way that we had hoped for. as it increases density. In a way it’s much more than we’d hoped for.’ ‘We went for the biggest block we could find and afford in People interested in moving into Ecoburbia are shown the area we wanted to live in,’ explains Tim. This meant buy- around the property, and the following day will have a chat ing a 1970s Italianate house sitting on a quarter acre block over tea with Tim and Shani. ‘Usually we ask what are the in Beaconsfield, a suburb of Fremantle. ‘We turned it into a three best and worst things about them and do the same 33 cross between an urban infill, a housing collective, a commu- for ourselves, which is interesting,’ says Tim. ‘For a couple nity garden and an eco demonstration/experiment,’ says Tim. of people, the tours have been a deal breaker,’ Shani says, It became Ecoburbia. explaining that part of living in a demonstration sustainable house means that visitors can come by to see how it func- Tim describes Little White as a ‘grumpy grandma goat’, tions. ‘There’s an expectation that they will allow others to who picks on Whimsy, who in turn ‘picks on new people and come through four times a year in a tour situation; a bit like a kids’. Whimsy was one of a litter of six; quite an unusual oc- rental inspection because everyone gets everything cleaned currence with goat births. ‘You’d think mother and daughter up and ready.’ would get along very well, but Little White feels the need to Both parties get another 24 hours to make a decision and constantly point out that she’s the boss,’ says Shani. talk logistics. If it’s a good fit, a new houseling arrives. Ecobur- Little White and Whimsy get pregnant on alternate years. bia’s current residents are Claire, who runs the front herb gar- ‘We know when they’re on heat as they will stand at the den, Simon the resident mechanic, Alfeus the resident activist, gate and just cry all day, looking onto the horizon to see if Ross the cycle enthusiast and Laura, the ‘salad engineer’. they can find a man,’ says Shani. ‘At that point we put them HelpX volunteers also come to stay in the house’s spare in the car and they go for a ‘date’ in the country, the male room. Pauline and Ewan have come to Ecoburbia via HelpX, does his deed and we take them home again, hoping they get with Pauline assisting Shani in the garden and office, and Ewan pregnant.’ rendering the house and looking after the goat pen. Airbnb Excess milk is made into cheese as well as shared. ‘We guests also stay occasionally, as do friends, relatives and a work with people; there are people who get milk from us,’ stream of interesting guests including David Holmgren. ‘Neil says Shani. ‘The goats know them quite well because we Murray, my favourite singer/songwriter, stayed for a week and always make sure that they see them being milked. Everyone did a house concert,’ says Tim. ‘That was amazing for me. who comes for a visit gets to see that process. And we’ve ‘Apart from the tours, you’ve got your own space and can planted goat fodder all the way around their pen, so it means do anything you like in it,’ Tim explains. There are communal that whenever anyone comes they know that they can pick a areas such as the laundry as well as a small amphitheatre few bits and pieces of comfrey and wormwood and give it to where concerts and movies are shown in the summer. The the goats. As soon as the goats see someone coming they’ll communal dining room and kitchen are used a lot despite come running in the hope that they will get some food. It’s a there being kitchen facilities in the rooms. ‘People hang out nice set-up.’ because we all tend to be pretty social and collectively minded,’ says Tim. ‘The goats are an integral It’s not just humans who inhabit Ecoburbia. There are 12 chickens, as well as Jacko the dog and lots of bees. And then part of a closed-loop urban there’s Little White and Whimsy, a mother/daughter pair of food production system’ Saanen goats, a common milking breed. Shani and Tim had been considering keeping goats when a Plastic Free July challenge several years ago cemented the decision. ‘You ‘The goats eat all of the scraps from both the house and were challenged to not use any single-use plastic,’ says surrounding neighbours, as well as garden cuttings,’ explains Shani. ‘One of the years we did it, we couldn’t get milk in Tim. Shani and Tim call upon their goat mentor, who they re- anything other than plastic bottles. We were toying with the fer to as ‘goat girl’, when they need advice. One thing they’ve idea of having goats anyway.’ learned is to not blindly trust common perceptions of what Robyn Rosenfeldt you can and can’t do in terms of keeping animals. ‘Everyone tells you things like you can’t have cloven-hoofed animals in the suburbs, but none of that is actually true when you go and look at the legislation,’ says Shani. ‘I’ll always recommend people do that, to find out what the legislation actually is.’ ‘The goats are an integral part of a closed-loop urban food production system and they’ve got heaps of personality,’ says Tim. ‘They’re very easy to train and pretty clever – I use clicker training with them and they learn within five minutes,’ Shani says. With lots of hands on deck, looking after the two goats is manageable, but they don’t want to extend their goat population just yet. There’s plenty to keep Tim and Shani busy. Tim looks after the building and maintenance of Ecoburbia, writes about what’s happening at the property, teaches, gives talks and 34 consultations, and does ‘what I am told to in the garden’. He also creates sand sculptures, with his background being in sculpture and fine arts. Shani is responsible for looking after Ecoburbia’s bookings and bookwork, as well as the garden and animals. She writes about what she’s been up to, gives three concentric circles. In the middle is us doing our sort of talks, runs workshops and facilitates groups. sustainable life – gardening, milking, making things, writing, Shani also runs Living Smart courses (which she’s been chatting to people. The next ring is sharing – talking to people doing for nearly ten years), with Tim pitching in when he has about what we do, running monthly movies on sustainabili-

time. ‘We tend to use participants in the group that have ex- ty, giving away excess produce, playing music with people, FEATURE pertise to run bits and pieces of the program,’ says Shani. helping out with stuff. The last and most peripheral ring is the ‘There’s no curriculum; there are ten topics that you have to sharing we get paid for.’ cover but how you cover them is totally up to you. We talk to After all of the work they’ve put into Ecoburbia, they have the group about what they want to learn.’ no plans to leave. ‘We believe we will be able to age here,’ The course runs for seven weeks, with the Living Smart says Tim. ‘Shani says when we get too old to garden we participants often developing good relationships with each can rent one of the dwellings to a gardener, then a nurse other in this time. ‘For a lot of them who’ve been struggling and finally an undertaker.’ Shani adds that being able to age along by themselves trying to convince partners or friends in the one place, without having to move, is very important that [sustainability] is important, they really like meeting to them. ‘Ecoburbia has been designed so that if the garden like-minded people,’ says Shani. Other feedback they’ve re- gets a bit much we can put someone in who only pays half ceived is that the participants have made changes in their rent and works in the garden,’ she says. ‘If we need nursing own lives and feel really proud about that. care, same thing. One of the units is on a level so that if we Shani and Tim love what they do. ‘My theory is that when needed a wheelchair, we could go and live there. So we’re you’re doing what you really want to do and money is not really thinking this is it now.’ your primary driver, then you’re retired,’ says Tim. ‘On that basis we are sort of retired. Our business model looks like Robyn Rosenfeldt Shani Graham Shani Graham

Front page, above to below: Tim sitting in the herb beds that double as tiered seating for their community movie nights; Backyard with vegie beds and goat pen in left corner and one of the residential units on the right. Opposite page: Little White the goat. This page, clockwise from above left: Garden 35 beds that are shared by all the residents of Ecoburbia; North facing side of house looking into the communal meeting space; Unit in ecoburbia. 36 Dana Wilson Gaiacraft PROFILE

OBSERVE AND

INTERACT FEATURE ROSEMARY MORROW: A PERMACULTURE PIONEER Edited from interviews by Delvin Solkinson, Dana Wilson, Annaliese Hordern, Robyn Rosenfeldt and Kym Chi

Living a committed life of service to humanity and that regularly and it became my mantra. When I was 15 I got this beautiful planet is natural for Rosemary (Rowe) a job with a travel agent, earning 45 pounds and two shillings, Morrow. She has been working and supporting people and bought a plane ticket from Sydney to Darwin.’ in areas of need for more than four decades through In Darwin she worked with Qantas before heading into the teaching permaculture in places where others don’t outback. ‘It was 80 miles to the next-door neighbour and the go. Without permaculture, the needs of people and the rivers flooded five miles wide. The droughts and the heat land would be less adequately met. were awful, as were the mosquitoes and flies, but I loved it. There were thousands of head of cattle and five hundred head Her work has helped establish permaculture as a globally of horses. After about five years, family circumstances took relevant, accessible and practical way for addressing press- me back to Sydney but I always thought I would return.’ ing planetary problems. Rowe’s career in permaculture has Agricultural science studies came next, but Rowe found been dedicated to helping people in the greatest need. She the course to be ‘reductionist, boring and poorly taught’. She has journeyed to meet and learn from farmers and villagers decided to travel to Paris to take up a scholarship at the Sor- in some of the most challenged places. She seeks to offer bonne to study rural sociology. ‘I started doing a PhD but information that makes a difference in places affected by left and volunteered at L’Arche in northern France for a year, worsening climate change, and countries facing the impacts working with people with intellectual disabilities,’ she says. of financial crises. ‘I learned so much that year. I learnt respect for everyone. As climate change impacts become more extreme, Rowe I began to learn how to communicate when you don’t have has offered courses on local resilience and designing for di- words.’ sasters. She has trained and empowered other people around the globe to do aid work and offer service. She often teaches ‘It is everyone’s right to have low-cost or free Permaculture Design Certificate courses for communities, then assists in implementing their designs. This the tools to feed yourself reflects permaculture’s ethics of care. and your family’ Together with co-founder Lis Bastian, Rowe established the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, which offers diplomas to people who have done outstanding work yet cannot access After completing a Masters in Rural Development in Read- or afford accreditations through other pathways. ing, UK, Rowe was sent to Lesotho in southern Africa, where Rowe has always been on the earth trail in some way. In her she lived for four years. ‘I was engaged in the politics of South childhood she played in the bush and climbed trees. ‘Luckily Africa – it was the time of the Soweto uprising and apartheid, 37 I had parents who didn’t feel the need to supervise children,’ and I got caught up in all of that,’ she says. ‘Desmond Tutu Rowe says. ‘I grew up on farms and around 11 years old I was the bishop of Lesotho and you’d see him around town decided I wanted to go and live on a huge cattle station. I said every day. However I was confronted because I did not know Dana Wilson Gaiacraft

where to start in feeding people. Agricultural science had ture and redesign the course structure. I realised that if I was taught me to grow commodities and do research, but when going to be a teacher then I’d better learn about teaching, so I faced with hunger I was helpless. learned about non-formal education in the community. ‘I had a transformative moment when I went into the market ‘Then I was invited to Vietnam by the Quaker Service Aus- and saw a woman sitting there selling her three tomatoes and tralia (QSA), who had money from the Australian Government. four onions. I wondered why she wasn’t eating them, then I It was post-war and the Vietnamese wanted me to teach them realised that she needs energy so she had to sell her meagre industrial coffee production. I looked around and saw that the harvest to buy maize for her family. I understood that when it people had a poor diet and were suffering from malnutrition, comes to hunger, the first thing about nutrition is energy, then so I moved the project toward food security. I taught people protein and finally minerals. If you follow that in situations of permaculture.’ hunger, people stay alive and function. I thought, “I’m going to Rowe found that the best way to make an impact was to learn how to grow food now.” teach through a government organisation or horticultural Rowe returned to Australia and completed a TAFE horti- service. ‘I taught the Vietnamese Women’s Union, which had culture certificate. Her next five years were spent working 15 million members, and they then taught it through to their in Sydney, designing gardens and incorporating them into members. I taught through the Horticultural Society, which schools. ‘I learnt a lot about soil, water and all the basics of had 14 million members. I also taught NGO counterpart staff actually growing food,’ she says. ‘I didn’t see the size of the who then used it in their work. I taught half the provinces in environmental problems then, but I knew we had to be able to Vietnam and the FAO took over and taught the rest. It might restore and protect the forests. Restoration became my pre- not be the most pure permaculture they were teaching, but occupation. I realised that if we could grow abundant food in the essence of design and site analysis was sound.’ small spaces, we could give the earth back its natural systems She spent nine of the next 13 years in Vietnam and Cambo- which support life processes. dia, teaching all the way from the mouth of the Mekong to the ‘I studied some environmental subjects and wanted to learn Chinese border in the north. ‘I learnt never to set up demon- how to design,’ Rowe says. ‘I ended up as a landscape archi- stration model gardens because they always end up being tect in the Department of Environment and Planning, working taken over by corruption,’ Rowe says. ‘I wasted time and in the Sydney Green Space Program, taking areas that had money setting up over 30 gardens throughout Vietnam. They been trashed or overgrown and rehabilitating them. While I was were all corrupted and one was even turned into a brothel, doing this a friend said to me, “I think you should do permacul- with condoms floating in the fish ponds. ture”. I thought, “I’m not doing that new age stuff – I am sci- ‘After Vietnam, I was in Cambodia where everyone was entific, pragmatic, sceptical, tough and I’m not doing that…well, toothpick thin and starving. Then I taught on the Thai–Bur- maybe I should since I’m so prejudiced”. It became a rule in my mese border where Burmese refugees swam the river to at- life; if I hear myself being prejudiced to try it despite myself.’ tend the course. East Timor was another very sad postwar 38 Rowe attended Robyn Francis’ PDC and it proved to be situation. I was in Albania after the dictatorship collapsed and a new beginning. ‘Six months later I was running my own the country was almost totally wrecked. I looked it up recently course up in the Blue Mountains,’ Rowe recalls. ‘All my past and found around half of the people I taught there are still in experiences enabled me to take the essentials of permacul- Permaculture Albania doing interesting work.’ FEATURE Dana Wilson Gaiacraft Supplied by Rosemary Morrow Rosemary by Supplied

Rowe next travelled to Ethiopia. ‘After the famine I worked Front page: Rowe teaching in the field. Opposite page: with the Konso people in the southwest and did two courses Garden classroom. This page, L-R: Working on designs there. One man from that course started teaching women in with students in India; Rowe teaching reading the land- villages, showing them how to grow enough food to feed the scape on a PDC in Greece. people in their compound. Suddenly there were intense lush gardens growing throughout these villages.’ She also went soil and then have a tomato is very important for the future, to Malawi, Zambia and the Solomon Islands, where she sup- because many people don’t see a future or it’s terrifying and ported villagers coming to terms with the reality of sea levels uncertain.’ rising and the prospect of entire village relocation away from What keeps Rowe going is her belief that everyone should their ancestral burial grounds. have the right to information. ‘In Australia you can access the knowledge if you need to; I go to places where people can’t ‘Working in refugee camps get information,’ she says. ‘It is everyone’s right to have the tools to feed yourself and your family. I move on once perma- is my absolute driving force culture is fairly embedded in a place. at the moment’ ‘I would like to see a world where the earth is restored in such a way that natural systems are understood and respect- Recently Rowe has been spending time with peace volun- ed for what they do for us, and we are seen as givers and not teers in Kabul and she’s just returned from five weeks in a takers. Permaculture can help create the world I want to see refugee camp in Kurdistan. ‘It shocks you to the core, seeing by setting up a range of alternatives that people will be able these people who were living peaceful rural lives, having to to be a part of,’ says Rowe. ‘The way permaculture addresses pack everything up into two suitcases and go, with no future issues around quality of life, pace of living and occupations is and no hope,’ she says. ‘When I go to a community, I like to so compelling that people will want to be a part of it. spend a decent amount of time with them. In fact I love being ‘We consider it a right to be literate and numerate; we must there and don’t like to hurry away; I want to take the time to consider it a right to know how to live with care and how to build relationships. Five weeks is a good stint. It’s usually solve future problems. Any individual equipped with the rele- anything from four to eight weeks up to three months. vant knowledge and skills for an uncertain future is going to ‘Working in refugee camps is my absolute driving force at be empowered and part of the solutions.’ the moment,’ says Rowe. ‘Refugees are owed more, and have As well as writing countless articles, Rowe is the author experience and potential to lead generous lives. It is immoral of such books as Earth User’s Guide to Permaculture (Perma- to lock them up and feed them with food aid; it destroys peo- nent Publications 1993) and Earth User’s Guide to Teaching ple. If they can learn permaculture in the camps they can use Permaculture (Melliodora Publishing 2014), both of which are it when they go home or if they stay they can use it. Learning available from the Pip shop. Her latest book, Permaculture in refugee camps can only be a win-win situation. Teaching Matters (2015), can be downloaded for free from her 39 ‘Permaculture needs to reach these people. Growing and website. The website is also where you can find out about her caring for plants and animals gives people’s lives meaning, appearances, teacher trainings and permaculture courses. even small-scale gardening in tin cans! To put a seed in the www.bluemountainspermacultureinstitute.com.au. Clockwise from above left: Plants such as acacia are best kept to a manageable height that is easily reached and cut back to that length each time it’s harvested. Here, half the growth is cut back; Cut material is then placed underneath the avocado tree. Acacia branches can be cut into smaller pieces which assists in breaking them down more quickly; Comfrey leaves are simply all removed down to ground level; Mulching complete with a 10–15 cm layer under the avocado tree. Pay particular attention to spreading it out just past the drip line.

40 USE + VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES + SERVICES GROW YOUR OWN MULCH GROW Words and photos by John Champagne

A key objective for the organic farmer is to create a CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIES SUITABLE closed-loop system that recycles all of the nutrients FOR CHOP AND DROP: and organic matter back into the property from where The selection of species to plant is totally dependent on your it came. site conditions and the limiting factors that affect it. Through trial and error, we’re looking for what works with some broad Directed by principles such as ‘Catch and Store Energy’ and characteristics such as: ‘Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services’, our per- • Needs to be drought tolerant and adapted to your cli- maculture properties should also follow this important objec- mate. Preference is given to species that are easily managed, tive. Growing your own plants to provide mulch becomes a are not too thorny and won’t propagate easily by seed and critical design feature to consider if a closed-loop system is create weed issues the desired outcome. • Ability to reshoot quickly and often after being harvested The focus of this article is on fruiting orchards and food or pruned forest systems; to identify the support plants we can grow • Preferable if species selected are high in biomass ma- to achieve the ‘chop and drop’ technique of mulching. Chop terial (which is the total volume or weight of the plant being and drop refers to those plants we grow which can be cut harvested) periodically with the branches and leaves thrown underneath • Legume species which have the added function of re- and around our fruiting species as mulch. leasing nitrogen to nearby fruiting plants Forest systems do this naturally by shedding their bark, • Deep tap-rooted species twigs and leaves to the forest floor, creating a mulch layer • Dynamic accumulators that bring nutrients to the sur- that is broken down over time, providing organic matter for face and the plants in the forest. • Bee forage plants

BENEFITS OF CHOP AND DROP MULCHING: • Builds up the organic layer so that when it breaks down it increases the nutrient and carbon cycling in the soil • Increases the fungal microorganisms in the soil that break down the organic matter, which is preferable when growing tree crops • Protects the surface of the soil under the fruit trees from drying out from sunlight and assists in water retention • Pruning chop and drop species can allow more sunlight to fruiting plants if required • Prevents weeds from growing

41 CHOP AND DROP FOR YOUR CLIMATE: Clockwise from above left: Albizzia Julibrissin; Sesbania Temperate aegyptiaca; Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera). • Acacia species: Fast-growing legumes that are nitrogen fixing. Excellent pioneer plants for a food forest and orchard. Keep pruned to two to three metres in height for easy management. Tropical • Tagasaste: Also called Tree Lucerne. Nitrogen fixing ev- • Moringa: Fast growing tree that can be kept to a shrub if ergreen small tree, best pruned back to a two to three metre coppiced and then pruned as mulch. Drought tolerant, so suit- shrub. Excellent bee attractor in early spring and great ani- able for both the dry and wet tropics. Edible leaves. mal fodder. • Ice cream bean: Tall legume nitrogen-fixing tree with edi- • Herbaceous perennials: Such as sages, salvias and bush ble pods. Used as a pioneer species in a food forest and excel- basil. Pruned back at the end of autumn each year. Attracts lent shelterbelt plant. bees and nectar-feeding birds. Adds colour to your garden. • Pigeon pea: Short-lived perennial shrub that is nitrogen • Comfrey: Leaves harvested several times a year. Root fixing. Edible pods can be eaten fresh or dried. Good bee at- system mines nutrients to the surface from deep in the soil. tractor and animal fodder as well as an excellent mulch plant. Excellent edge plant that acts as a barrier to creeping grass- • Sesbania: Useful wood and timber. Large shrub. Animal es such as kikuyu. forage crop that is nitrogen fixing. Tolerates poor soil conditions • Bana grass: Perennial grass species with large biomass and is an effective windbreak plant. that can reach four to five metres in height. Cut back in winter. Good windbreak species and also animal fodder. Drylands • Honey locust: Edible seedpods for livestock. Nitrogen-fixing tree that can be coppiced then used as mulch. Drought tolerant and excellent pioneer species to reclaim poor landscapes. • Albizia species: Fast growing small tree that is nitrogen fixing. Useful as a shelterbelt species and is fire retardant. Ed- ible foliage and seedpods for livestock. 42 • Cassia: Clump forming small shrub that is nitrogen fixing. Attracts bees and often used as a hedge plant.

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CATCH AND STORE ENERGY EARTHSHIP IRONBANK Words and Photos by Koren Helbig BUILD

Nestled among gums in South Australia’s Adelaide this Earthship’s walls and neighbouring rainwater tank. ‘Tyres Hills lies an elegant home, made largely of rubbish – are all over the planet – anywhere you find people, you pretty old car tyres, glass bottles and recycled cans. Such much find tyres,’ Marty says. ‘I actually get a real blast out unconventional materials are key to constructing an of going to the tyre store and picking up old tyres.’ In a sim- Earthship, the now global ‘radically sustainable’ build- ilar attempt to reuse something too often sent to landfill, the ing technique pioneered by renegade American eco internal walls are dotted with the muted greens, whites and architect Michael Reynolds since the 1970s. browns of glass bottles, necks cut off and two bottles taped together to create a kind of circular brick It was a visit to Adelaide by Michael himself that sparked this Loads of old bottles and recycled cans went into the bathroom project at Ironbank, one of the first official Earthships to be too, all covered with cement and mortar. That was polished to built in Australia. Michael had popped by to speak at UniSA a waterproof shine using tadelakt, an ancient Moroccan lime in 2009 at the behest of Martin (Marty) Freney, an industrial plaster that Marty and his volunteers painstakingly burnished design lecturer there. Afterwards, the pair headed up to Iron- by hand, rubbing the surface with rose quartz stones. In the bank with a few students for a hands-on lesson in creating Earthship’s main living area, floors were made from sand and the Earthship’s fundamental building block; tyres ram-packed straw, mixed to make a hard earthen floor then sealed with full of soil, which they casually arranged into a U-shaped wall. linseed oil. In the years that followed, Marty gradually realised he had the makings of his own small Earthship and after gaining council NATURAL HEATING AND COOLING approval he launched the project in earnest. Earthship Ironbank’s main living area, which serves as a combined bedroom, kitchen and living room (other Earthships An official Earthship must meet six design principles: have three bedrooms or more), is dug into the hillside and • produce its own energy covered over with soil. The earth creates a kind of thermal • produce its own water wrap that keeps the room warm in winter, helped out by a • treat its own wastewater fireplace that doubles as an oven and stove, and remarkably • use only passive heating and cooling cool even on the hottest of Adelaide’s fierce summer days. • be constructed from sustainable and recycled materials The home is flooded with natural light thanks to huge floor- • produce its own food to-ceiling double-glazed windows that act as a powerless heating and cooling system. North-facing, the enormous win- ‘It’s called an Earthship because it’s like a boat on the ocean dows soak up the low-hanging winter sun and work as a nat- that has to do everything for itself,’ Marty says. He estimates ural heater, while eaves block the baking heat of the summer ticking all those boxes cost about $170,000, though he saved sun. ‘It’s performing quite well here in the summer. If it’s 40°C truckloads on labour as volunteers came from around the outside, it’s 25°C in here,’ Marty says. world to learn while lending a hand with construction. But the most crucial component of this overall system is 45 mostly hidden from view. Dug about two metres beneath the CONSTRUCTED USING SOCIETY’S WASTE Earthship are two large ‘earth tubes’ that pop up in the main All up, about 1000 old car tyres, pounded full of soil, went into living area, through a grille cut into a bench chair. When the Front page: Zoe and Martin Freney outside the entrance. This page, clockwise from above: Designed and drafted by Marty Freeney in consultation with Mike Reynolds; The bathroom with tadelakt bath; Earthship Ironbank from the north; The internal greenhouse.

46 glass living room doors are closed but the skylights above you have a bit of drought situation, you can see how much them are open, hot air rises up and out of the room, drawing water you have in your tank and use less water if you need to. cool air in from below. ‘It’s a totally passive system, just work- These gauges are a really important part of telling people how ing with the physics of hot air rising and the coolness of the to change their behaviour.’ earth,’ Marty says. ‘If you close the windows, the temperature in the living room will jump up within half an hour or so. It’s CONTAINING AND TREATING GREYWATER like shutting a car on a hot sunny day, and that’s your heating A key feature of Earthship design is the ability to recycle in winter.’ wastewater, making the house self-sufficient with only 250 mm of rainfall a year – about half of what Adelaide receives. COLLECTING POWER FROM THE SUN ‘Earthships in the USA are totally self-sufficient in water Rooftop solar panels hooked up to a converter power the mainly because they reuse and recycle the water four times: entire house, including the hot water system, backed up by first for the bath, washing machine and hand basin; second for 12 batteries. ‘With an Earthship, you become the power and irrigating an indoor food garden; third for toilet flushing; and water company,’ Marty says. ‘I probably need to put away fourth for irrigating an outdoor garden,’ Marty says. about $1000 a year for when the batteries or converters need Unfortunately, SA’s health officials wouldn’t play ball, ruling replacing, but I still think economically it’s much better than the reuse of greywater in the Earthship greenhouse beyond paying three or four times that to the electricity and water the scope of wastewater codes. That system would have sent utility companies.’ bath and shower water direct to the plants’ root system via a The system is easier on the environment, too, says Mar- gravel wicking bed laid beneath the greenhouse garden. ‘The ty, who researched Earthships’ thermal performance and soil and the roots actually take out a lot of the pathogens and BUILD environmental impact for his doctoral thesis. ‘Even though bacteria. It acts as a bio filter,’ Marty explains. Instead, he’s there’s lead in those batteries, it’s actually highly recyclable. now forced to send water to a conventional septic tank and The alternative is gas fracking and coal mining, poles and then out into an area that will soon become a fruit orchard. wires everywhere. It’s the same with the water utilities. A But he’s hopeful South Australia will evolve to allow greywa- huge amount of resources go into pumping water, chlorinat- ter recycling in the future. ing water, maintaining dams and draining the Murray River. Just having some rainwater tanks, catching water off your GROWING FOOD INSIDE AND OUT roof and having a pump with some filters is a whole lot better, Perhaps the most visually striking Earthship element is the environmentally speaking.’ long and narrow greenhouse stretching across the front of the building. Ostensibly a corridor entry to all rooms, it doubles HARVESTING AND REUSING RAINWATER as a productive garden bed for edible plants such as bananas, Atop the Earthship’s main room is a large, gravel-covered tomatoes, ruby chard and chillies. ‘Part of the deal is manag- U-shaped roof that acts as a giant water collection basin. The ing this garden so that in the winter you’re letting the sun in roof funnels water to two 5000-litre poly tanks buried behind and in the summer you’re blocking the sun out,’ Marty says. the Earthship, which supply the house. Any extra runoff is Outside is productive too, with herbs growing in tyre planters channelled into an enormous 45,000 litre tank made from and a huge summer pumpkin patch covering both sides of the 300 soil-packed tyres. Incredibly, that’s pretty much all re- house, yielding mountains of produce. served for bushfire fighting purposes, though the tank is twice the council-mandated minimum for the fire-prone Adelaide A CONSTANT WORK IN PROGRESS Hills area. Since late last year, the Earthship Ironbank has been open With such a huge body of water essentially waiting in back- as a bed and breakfast, partly because that was the easiest up, Marty’s found a way to put it to good use in the meantime way to get building approval with another house already on – as a swimming pool. ‘It’s beautiful and cool during summer the block. But Marty, who has now launched Earthship Eco when you jump in to swim, because it’s essentially buried in Homes and is consulting on five new projects, admits he’s still the cool, stable temperature of the earth,’ he says. tinkering around the edges of his own design. ‘I don’t know Supplying the hot water tank is a third 5000 litre poly tank if it will ever be finished. We’re building an outdoor bath and plonked further up the hill, which can operate via gravity feed some little steps…the whole front area will hopefully be nicely but gets a helping hand from a bushfire-safe electric pump. landscaped and we will have terraced gardens,’ he says. Each tank feeds into the Earthship via a ‘water organisation Marty hopes throwing the doors open to visitors will en- module’ (WOM), which allows Marty to pump water from courage more people to consider self-sufficient living. ‘This wherever he chooses at the flick of a valve. A dirt sediment is a really powerful idea, that you can live off the grid without filter and chemical removal filter inside the WOM also ensure needing the government to supply all these life essentials. It rainwater is safe for drinking. takes a whole lot of stress out of your life when you don’t Marty keeps an eye on his water use via a series of exposed have bills to pay.’ 47 plastic pipes in the bathroom, which contain orange floats that rise or fall depending on each tank’s water level. ‘It’s essen- Earthship Ironbank is available for rent: tially like the fuel gauge in your car, which tells you how far www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1611697. you can go,’ Marty explains. ‘So that in summer, if you know Robyn Francis Robyn

Clockwise from above: Bushfood harvest; Macadamias on the tree; Warrigal greens; Finger limes. Following page, top: Riberry fruiting. Last page, L-R: Lemon myrtle tea; Warrigal greens and macadamia pesto. Robyn RosenfeldtRobyn Shutterstock

48 MorePix USE AND VALUE DIVERSITY GROW YOUR OWN BUSH FOODS: A TASTE OF THE BUSH IN THE BACKYARD Words by Robyn Francis

The fruits and aromatic leaves of the tropical and so it won’t take over. Regular mowing around the designated subtropical rainforests of Eastern Australia provide a raspberry patch will keep it in check. In smaller gardens you whole new palette of spices, fragrances and flavours might try growing it in a large container. It has a long bear- for the adventurous cook. These uniquely Australian ing season from May until October, with the occasional fruit flavours, merged with the creativity stimulated by liv- forming through to early December. ing in a multicultural society, readily give rise to an Uses: This variety of native raspberry is a delicious table EAT endless array of culinary innovations. fruit. The fresh fruit freezes well and makes great sauces, conserves and a garnish for all kinds of desserts. It’s surprising how many of these plants are frequently included in regular landscapes, native gardens and public plantings Davidson Plum Davidsonia pruriens var. jerseyana in parks and streetscapes in Sydney and further south; some Growing: This tall and slender rainforest plant will grow and are quite frost hardy. bear in the tiniest garden space. It prefers a semi-shady lo- Most of our subtropical bush foods come from rainforest cation and does well under the canopy of taller trees. The understorey environments; sheltered, frost-free microclimates plum-like fruit grows in clusters along the stem, ripening in with dappled shade. In the garden these understorey plants early summer, usually December to early January. will grow successfully under the canopy of taller trees or in There is another variety known as the Atherton Tablelands protected areas close to the house where they receive some Davidson Plum, which grows a bit taller and bears its fruit in shade throughout the day or are less exposed to frost. It’s also late Autumn. surprising how well many rainforest plants grow in full sun, Uses: The flavour and colour of Davidson Plums are quite in- and more sunshine definitely increases yields of fruiting plants. tense. While being too tart for most of us to eat as a fresh fruit, You don’t need a lot of space to grow a small collection of in cooking it has fast become one of my favourite bush fruits. A rainforest bush foods, and integrating these plants into a gar- little goes a long way to colour and flavour ice cream, mousse den landscape has rewards beyond pleasing the taste buds. and sweet sauces. It makes a sensational fruity savoury sauce Bush foods in the garden provide habitat, forage and attract and gives kangaroo goulash a rich fruity tang. I also love it as a native birds, butterflies and many beneficial insects. They liqueur, steeped in brandy and sugar. Its skin contains tannins contribute to species conservation, as some rainforest bush which makes it an ideal crop for making fruit wine. foods are threatened or endangered, such as the Small Leaf Tamarind. Finger Lime Microcitrus australasica Bush foods ecologically enhance native landscapes and can Growing: This small thorny tree, well loved by finches as a be included in windbreaks, privacy screens and regeneration safe nesting habitat, is a member of the citrus family, though areas as restoration ecology. it looks nothing like your usual citrus tree. A hardy plant, it can handle full sun, shade and even some frost. There are several RAINFOREST BUSH FOODS: varieties with different coloured skin; green, black and red. 49 Atherton Raspberry Rubus fraxinifolius The red-skinned fruit contains pink flesh. The tree doesn’t Growing: Suitable for the larger garden or rural property, the spread very wide (1–1.5 m) and can reach a height of around Atherton Raspberry needs space and diligent management 3 m, so it doesn’t require much space and makes a virtually Native Ginger (Dargahn) Alpinia caerulea Growing: Native Ginger is a hardy plant that grows in moist, lightly shaded areas as well as in full sun. It can be grown in pots and indoors as well. The plant can reach 2 m tall and Robyn Francis Robyn has attractive bright blue berries. It will bring birds to your impenetrable hedge if closely spaced. Some nurseries are garden and add colour to it as well. now grafting a range of Finger Limes of different colours and Uses: You can actually eat the entire plant. The seed pods properties, including seedless varieties. provide an interesting spice to experiment with – try chewing Uses: The oblong fruit, the size and shape of a small finger, a pod as a breath freshener. The centre of the base of the contains perfectly round globules of exquisite lime juice; per- stem can be finely sliced as a spice, used in a similar way to fect with salads, avocado, seafood and cocktails. lemongrass stem.

Lemon Myrtle Backhousia citriodora Riberry Syzygium luehmannii Growing: A small rainforest tree, Lemon Myrtle can be Growing: A small rainforest tree, Riberry is also called Small pruned to shrub size. The leaves contain aromatic oils, simi- Leafed Lilly Pilly. It bears prolifically in full sun. Young Riber- lar to lemongrass but richer. Grows well in shade or full sun ry plants can tolerate only very light frosts to -4°C. It branch- and tolerates light frosts to -5°C, although the young leaves es from just above ground and is a highly attractive tree with are quite frost sensitive. its shiny dark leaves and striking pink flush of new leaf tips. It Uses: Great in Asian dishes and as a herbal tea, its aro- is often planted as a small specimen tree (unpruned) in parks matic flavour is unsurpassed. Lemon Myrtle is a great herb and gardens and is frequently planted as a small street tree for cooking fish, especially wrapped in broad-leafed palm with the lower branches pruned for visibility. lily leaves. It makes a zesty herb vinegar for salad dressings Uses: Riberries are ripe around summer and can be frozen and can be used to flavour desserts and baked custards. The for future use. The small red fruits have a unique aromat- dried leaves can be ground as a general lemon spice and to ic flavour with undertones of cinnamon and clove. They are flavour biscuits, cakes and damper. great as conserves, added to sweets and desserts and used in salads, poultry and other savoury dishes. Macadamia Macadamia spp. Growing: The Macadamia tree is a hardy plant. It should be Small Leaf Tamarind Diploglottis cambellii planted just before winter time. Grafted varieties are recom- Growing: This species from northern NSW is a hardy, small mended for the home garden. To avoid their root systems to medium sized tree. It is actually endangered, with only an drying out, mulch and irrigate. Average height fully grown is estimated 30 trees left in the wild of Northern NSW. It can around 10–12m but it will take about 20 years to reach this grow up to 30 m tall but is usually around 8-10 m in an open height. Yearly pruning will help them stay manageable. They sunny site. The tree can handle light frosts once established. are excellent as a shade tree. Uses: This tree produces three-lobed pods containing a Uses: Macadamia nuts can be used in numerous recipes bright red fruit. The clean tangy juice of the fruit is perfect and directly substituted for other nuts in cakes, cookies and with seafood, can be used as a substitute for tamarind in slices. To make cream, simply blend the nuts with water to Asian dishes and makes a delicious salad dressing. use as a luscious topping for a whole range of sweet and savoury dishes. Macadamia cream can be further diluted as Warrigal Greens Tetragonia teragoniodes a substitute for coconut milk in many recipes. Growing: Known to many gardeners as New Zealand Spinach, it makes an attractive groundcover. Warrigal Greens grow Midyen-berry Austomyrtus dulcis virtually year round in frost-free areas and in summer bear Growing: An attractive low shrub that is 50–60 cm high, it best in partial shade. In temperate climates it grows well from has become a popular groundcover in native landscapes. It mid spring (or after the last frosts) through to late autumn. grows well in full sun through to dappled shade and tolerates Once established, it will readily self-sow year after year. some frost. The new leaf growth has a lovely pink flush. Uses: Warrigal Greens must be blanched before use to re- 50 Uses: The pale fruit is small and lightly freckled with a sub- duce the oxalic acid content. Add to any dish the same way tle hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Tastes delicious fresh, in fruit you would use silverbeet and spinach. Blanched and chilled salads, as a garnish and makes a superb bush food muffin. they makes a delectable salad or cold side dish, especially with a serve of macadamia cream. Robyn Francis Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn

WARRIGAL GREENS & RIBERRY CHUTNEY FINGER LIME SORBET MACADAMIA PESTO INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS 500 g onions (finely chopped) 950 ml water 1 cup Warrigal Greens 350 ml vinegar 6 Finger Limes ½ cup macadamia nuts 500 g apples (peeled and cored) 250 ml organic raw sugar ¼ cup oil (ideally macadamia or olive) 500 g riberry fruit 2–3 tbsp finger lime globules 1 lime 100 g sultanas 150 ml lime juice 1 tsp pickling spice METHOD 1 tsp salt METHOD EAT 1. Remove the leaves from the Warrigal 1 tsp ground ginger 1. Put 150 ml water and 6 limes (cut in Greens 350 g sugar half) in a cup or small bowl and let 2. Place leaves in a heat-tolerant bowl sit overnight and pour boiling water over them METHOD 2. Combine sugar with 200 ml water 3. Let stand for 2–3 minutes 1. Simmer onion in 125 ml vinegar in a small pot and heat, stirring con- 4. Strain leaves and rinse immediately 2. Add chopped apples, riberries, sul- tinuously until completely dissolved with cold water to prevent overcook- tanas, spices (tied in a muslin bag), then remove from heat and let cool ing salt, ginger and another dash of vin- 3. Mix lime water, sugar water and re- 5. Blend Warrigal Greens and set aside egar maining 600 ml water and lime juice 6. Blend nuts, oil and lime to a smooth 3. Cook gently until fruit is soft, stirring 4. Remove fruit globules from the Fin- paste, gradually adding Warrigal occasionally ger Limes and add to mix then chill Greens 4. Add remainder of vinegar and stir before making the sorbet in sugar 5. Pour chilled sorbet liquid into a plas- SERVING SUGGESTIONS 5. Boil until chutney is thick, removing tic container and place in the freezer Serve with your favourite pasta, added bag of spices 6. Remove from freezer every 15–20 to salad, or use as a garnishing sauce 6. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes and stir with a fork to mix for grilled or BBQ meats, fish or tofu. minutes iced particles evenly through the 7. Bottle into sterilised jars, seal and liquid. Make sure you scrape all ice store away from the sides and bottom, and return immediately to freezer for a SERVING SUGGESTIONS further 15–20 mins Delicious with cheese, cold meats, 7. Continue this process for several grilled meats and grilled tofu. hours until it’s frozen to a very thick slushy mix of fine ice granules

For more information, check out the Pip Bush Foods Guide; a simple guide to growing, foraging and cooking Australian native foods by Robyn Francis and the 51 Pip team. Available free to current subscribers or for purchase from the Pip shop. Email [email protected] to claim your copy. www.pipmagazine.com.au/ shop/bush-foods-guide USE + VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES + SERVICES NEO-PEASANTRY: A WAY OF LIFE Words and Photos by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman

As a culture we have chosen climate change. We have NEO-PEASANTRY created it through unbridled desires, our modes of Our ancestors were peasants from the UK, Europe and Pales- travel, consuming passions and our gluttonous eco- tine before they were dispossessed from their land to become nomic form. As a family, on a household income that working class industrial serfs, boat people, then farmers, pub- would be considered below the poverty line, we have licans, townsfolk and labourers in Australia. They eventually chosen another path. obtained middle-class status by the 1960s, riding waves of post-war affluence triggered by an unprecedented availability LIVING WITH THE SEASONS of cheap crude oil. In many ways how we live is a form of neo-peasantry, ob- The prefix ‘neo’ certainly locates our digital, middle-class serving and interacting with the six distinct Jaara seasons privilege in choosing to be peasant-like. We have arrived at (early spring, true spring, early summer, late summer, au- permacultural neo-peasantry as a pragmatic response to the tumn, winter), drawing on the surviving spirit of the money- predicaments of our time, wishing to prepare ourselves, our less ecological agrarianism that has existed on Dja Dja Wur- children and others wanting to claim greater resilience, com- rung country, where we live, for millennia. munitarianism, frugality and permacultural life skills for what We spend the autumn preserving food, filling the cellar, col- inevitably lies ahead. lecting fallen wood on foot, and planting alliums, broad beans and brassicas. The winter is a time for collecting mushrooms, OUR PLACE dispatching roosters, preparing composts, and drinking plum We call our quarter-acre Tree Elbow, but our homeplace is pip mead and beer made from our hops, honey, dandelion and bigger than this tiny parcel of productivity. It includes the burdock roots. walked, swum, climbed, biked, dug, hunted and social do- We forage weeds and sow vegetable seedlings in early mains of public Daylesford. spring, which are planted out in true spring. We snare rabbits Tree Elbow sits on the edge of town, the Central Lake Re- and dig up young thistle and salsify roots for roasting in early serve and the Wombat State Forest. When we moved here summer. In late summer we keep the potatoes, pumpkins and nearly a decade ago, the vacant swampy block had only two bean crops well watered, carry out building and maintenance trees: an oak to the north and a willow to the south east. Land work, and fish for redfin in Lake Daylesford. We do this both was expensive then for young people, but not entirely out of on foot and by bike. reach like it is now as the wealth divide has widened greatly in this time. CAR FREE Over the years we have planted close to 150 fruit and nut We have the time for all this activity because we are car- trees, and many more on public land. We have perennial and free frugalists. The average car in Australia costs $15,000 a annual vegetable growing areas, a large chicken and duck year (NRMA, RACV figures) with all costs factored in; regis- run, and an anti-aviary containing almonds, hazelnuts and a tration, depreciation, insurance, petrol, maintenance, etc. Ac- Warré hive. We catch our own rainwater and once it’s used, cording to the ABS, the average household owns more than recycle it through our garden swales. 52 two cars. As average Australians we no longer have to find over $30,000 a year, which liberates us from time-poverty THE HOUSE and enables us to enact our own form of climate conscious, The main house is a small modern pre-fab that was con- earth-first economy. structed in a factory in Melbourne and brought up on a single Clockwise from above: L-R Woody, Zephyr, Patrick and Meg; Home-raised meat; Collecting fallen fuel. Following page: Processing broadbeans. THRIVE

53 truck. It unfolded on hinges and we moved in after a few a SWAP (Social Warming Artists and Permaculturists), our flurried weeks of painting, floorboard laying, deck building, version of WWOOF. He came for six weeks, the duration of and installing water tanks and a one-kilowatt solar system. the build. We would do it differently next time. Zephyr, who was in Year Eight and struggling with the con- Although the house is north facing, fully insulated and the fines of a rigid school environment, took six weeks out to windows double-glazed, the house lacks thermal mass. How- learn to construct the tiny house. He collected materials by ever, being on stumps on a sloping block has meant we have bike from the tip, various skip bins around town and from been able to build an undercroft on the east side. As we dug friends’ sheds. He then worked with the pre-loved materials up rocks for vegetable production we turned this on-hand and helped shape them into a new story. The aim was for material into the walls of a cellar. When our fridge dies we Patrick to mentor James, and for James to mentor Zephyr, will not replace it. We are already in transition to living with- to foster a sideways learning between the two young men, 14 out one. years apart.

OTHER DWELLINGS SWAPS As well as the main house, there are six other dwellings that Now the Cumquat is home to Connor and Marta, two perma- dot Tree Elbow, constructed from mainly discarded and sal- nent SWAPs who have been with us since January. Connor vaged materials. There is the chook and duck house that pro- answered our callout for a mentor to live with us for a year, vides shelter for 12 fowls. The Acorn is a double storey tree- to help Zeph navigate this tricky time of adolescence. Mar- house nestled around our oak tree, from which is suspended ta came from Poland as a week-long SWAP…then she and a zip line that Woody, our four year old, uses to travel to the Connor fell in love and have made our small neo-peasant main house when we call him and his friends in for dinner. compound their home. The Permie Love Shack, our Airbnb abode which pays our We have another full-time SWAP too, Jeremy, who has mortgage, is replete with two composting loos, an internal also been doing an informal building apprenticeship with sit-style commode for urine, an outside squat toilet for hu- Patrick to build his own small garden dwelling: the Yause. manure and a shower room filled with warmer climate fruit- The final small building on our block houses another com- 54 ing plants. posting toilet. Later this season it will be rebuilt as a sweat There is the Cumquat, a small dwelling built by Zephyr, our lodge to make our ongoing highland winters a little easier on now 15 year old, and James, under the tutelage of Patrick, all of our hardworking bones, and as a place of ceremony who has worked as a builder. James came to us initially as and detoxification. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT To ensure our permaculture communitarianism expands past the quarter-acre compound of Tree Elbow, we organise various community projects and events. Meg initiated and runs Culture Club, a fermentation group that meets on the first Saturday of each month. She organises free workshops on cheese making, sourdough baking, and cider and vinegar brewing. She also teams up with local growers who supply vegies for community making days to make lacto-fermented pickles, kraut and kimchi. Patrick facilitates Daylesford Community Food Gardeners and organises events such as the Bruce Pascoe and David Holmgren public meeting last year, which he produced into the film Land Cultures: Aboriginal Economies and Permaculture Fu- tures with community friend and filmmaker, Anthony Petrucci. of anthropocentric modern life into a deeper realm of creaturely COMMUNITY GARDENS knowhow, plant wisdom and mycology, to be in service of the The five community gardens in town that we helped estab- forest that in turn keeps us warm and bears us fruit. lish (around the time we went car-free) are important sites for public food. The gardens were started either by guerril- LOCAL DIET la tactics of public land reclamation or through collaborative We eat over 100 species of autonomously growing foods from partnerships with the neighbourhood and health centres. We our walked-for commons. We garden dozens of annual and have monthly working bees, not meetings. We have commu- perennial vegetables at home and in the community. We grow, nal plots, no membership and no annual fees. The gardens glean and forage fruit nine months of the year, bartering and remain public food domains in ready for money’s inevitable swapping bounties with neighbours, friends, community garden- contraction, awaiting greater communitarian times ahead and ers and beyond. We butcher unwanted broilers and roadkill from increased localised productivity. around the town, and as a rule do not eat abattoir-killed meat. Most of the energy we use and the food we consume has FOREST CONNECTION an origin point that we know intimately. When we eat meals The same goes for the extensive forest land to the south of together, with our children, SWAPs, friends and people who our home. We now forage 15 edible species of mushrooms have come to learn about our practice, we take in the life-giving THRIVE there, as well as blackberries, wild apples, hawthorn berries, nourishment of our loved homeplace and with it in our bellies, rosehips, native cherry, elderflowers, countless edible weeds, help establish the grounds for recreating ecological culture. and snare rabbits and glean fallen wood. We make sure we don’t over harvest this renewable resource so as not to inter- TIME FOR A CHANGE rupt the habitats and processes of decomposition required to Turning our backs on an irresponsible economy, one house- keep the soil alive and giving. However, under-harvesting also hold at a time, means making some big decisions. This takes causes a serious threat to the forest. courage, will and a whole load of hard work. While the way Every few years the fuel load builds up to what the CFA and we live is just one response to the predicament of the times, other land authorities deem unsafe for the town, and they set culture change can only occur if households and communities the forest on fire. Each time this occurs, the ringtails (who have begin to map out their own place-specific plans to disentangle built their dreys in the hawthorns to protect them from pow- themselves from the mass destruction of cultural capitalism. erful owls and foxes) and many other critters who have long made their home there are burnt out, the forest humus is once LOCAL CONNECTION again removed and the soil put into a greater state of drying. In whatever form this occurs, an abiding, tangible relationship By harvesting the excess fuel, pruning out non-habitat with one’s local land (be this a farm, forest, suburb or industrial deadwood, chopping and dropping woody material into small, wasteland) must be at the heart. In other words, our central quickly decomposing parts and stomping down the dry, fire- ideology must shift from total extraction to songful regenera- prone blackberry canes (keeping this soil-stabilising plant tion. This, at least, is what we have learned over a decade of as a groundcover so other species can push up through and deliberate transition. The details are what matter, and the flow- eventually shade it out), we give to the forest. ering earth of your loved homeplace will show you the way. Our activity helps to create an ecology that has plenty of hu- 55 mus-building material and thus water conserving properties Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman are the authors of for biodiversity to flourish while reducing the fire risk. This The Art of Free Travel: a frugal family adventure work is transformative as we go outside the typical limitations (NewSouth 2016). @artistasfamily Clockwise from above left: New back room with passive solar design elements; Front garden five years on; Blue triangle butterfly on flowering chives; RE-designed back room; The backyard in 2016. Last Page: Garden harvest.

56 APPLY SELF-REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK ADVENTURES IN URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: TEN YEARS ON

Words and Photos by Alison Mellor

Inspired by their experiences WWOOFING around the cooktop uses LPG gas, and we use one small 45 kg bottle Australia and volunteering at their local community about every 15 months. garden, Alison Mellor and her partner Richard Walter We installed two 9000 litre water tanks, one of which we embarked on an urban sustainability adventure. They hooked up to the washing machine. Simple greywater reuse retrofitted their 1950s suburban house in Wollongong systems were set up to divert greywater from the washing (on NSW’s south coast) and transformed their back- machine and shower to fruit trees in the backyard. yard into a flourishing food garden. Ten years on, they We used eco paints to freshen the place up, and natural reflect on the design process, the changes they’ve linseed-based oil on the revived wooden floors. In the kitchen made and the lessons they’ve learned. we took out a wall to create more connectivity to this important space. IN THE BEGINNING There was a pretty dodgy DIY extension at the back of the In 2007, we first came across what would become our house house; basically a deck that had been boxed in with caravan and garden. It sat on a north facing 920 m2 suburban block. annex type material. It leaked when it rained and was like We saw a blank canvas ripe for creating a flourishing food a greenhouse in summer. Great for raising seedlings, but to garden, and plenty of potential to retrofit the small fibro house make better use of this north-facing space we started work- for sustainability. We spent three months working on the ing with a local architect in 2011. house before we moved in and during this time created the In mid-2012 we started the ten-month process of imple- overall design for the food garden. menting the new design for the back room and moving the kitchen and living room. Richard was able to work like an RETROFITTING THE HOUSE apprentice with the local building company we contracted and Our plan for retrofitting the house focused on energy and wa- enjoyed being very involved in the process. To create ther- ter efficiency and on creating a healthy home environment. mal mass we used core-filled concrete bricks, and with well- For energy efficiency we fitted insulation in the ceiling, redesigned eaves, insulated glass windows and the use of ceil- DESIGN moved a small air conditioner and selected energy efficient ing fans, we vastly improved the comfort of the space. appliances and light fittings. We installed an efficient com- A small deck made from locally sourced sustainable timber bustion wood heater, a 300 litre solar hot water system and provides us with a bird’s-eye view of our back garden. Here a small 1 kW solar power system. we enjoy many a meal made with our garden produce, and On the southern side of the house we planted deciduous watch the wildlife visiting our thriving suburban food forest. fruit trees and grapevines that provide shade in summer and light in winter. All of this reduced our energy use to just 2.5 THE GARDEN DESIGN 57 kWh a day. Since our daughter came along it’s risen to 4 kWh Putting down roots in our hometown, we had the advantage of a day, but we’re still well under the 19 kWh a day average for being familiar with the local climate and knowing the kinds of a three-person household in NSW. Our oven is electric, but edible plants that grow well here. Two of the main challenges Worm farm Firewood Deciduous fruit trees In the design, each tree, shrub and vine was strategically placed based on its requirements for water, protection from Subtropical fruit orchard wind, and general hardiness. It surprises many people that in our coastal climate south of Sydney, we can grow subtropical plants like bananas, jaboticaba, pawpaw, babaco, sapodilla, custard apple and cherimoya. Deciduous The house is an integral part of the garden design and much fruit trees Water-loving thought was given to the way the garden and house interact tropical fruit shrubs with each other. Efficiency in terms of human effort and time Water-loving tropical fruit shrubs was also important in the garden design, and is proving even Support plants more so now we are a family of three! Simple things like Water-loving shrubs having the vegie patch right at the back door and set up with timers for irrigation and taps spread throughout the garden all add up in small ways to make the most efficient use of our Vegetable beds time in the garden. Sink While we were both working full-time outside the home, Compost Compost the garden design took 18 months to implement. We’re very Fruiting shrubs grateful to family and friends who generously helped us out, especially with big jobs like building the rock retaining wall, Banana/ pawpaw front deck and on mulching days. Now with us both working greywater pit

Banana/ Pawpaw orchard part-time and having a daughter, we would probably spend Water tanks an average of ten hours a month managing the garden, not 9000 L including once-a-year big jobs like mulching the paths and

Citrus/ orchard pruning the trees. We never aimed to be self-sufficient, but we enjoy always being able to harvest something and watch- House ing the incredible diversity of urban wildlife that also finds food and refuge in our garden.

THE GARDEN Our front garden started off similar to most others in the street – approximately 300 m2 of flat lawn with a couple

Wind break Porch of exotic palms and a small white fence. There was a large driveway extending for 30 metres down to a garage. It cer- Deciduous and shade- tainly got the neighbours talking when we flipped the entire tolerant fruit trees lawn on its head with a turf cutter, added a little topsoil, soil conditioners and green manure seeds, and grew a field of millet five foot high! CAR Hardy wind-resistant We sheet mulched the verge and planted it out with native PORT fruit trees shrubs and grasses, and used newspaper, mulch and comfrey to create a barrier against grass. Water wise verge of native trees, We tackled the excessive stencil concrete driveway and had shrubs and ground covers it broken up into small pieces by an excavator. Richard spent a back-breaking summer shaping the concrete chunks into smaller pieces, creating a mosaic pathway which winds its in Wollongong with designing a food garden are scorching, way from the front gate to the chicken house down the back dry periods in summer that are increasing with intensity with garden. The back garden is approximately 450 m2. It original- climate change, and the prevalence of Queensland fruit fly. ly had a large in-ground swimming pool with concrete edging, Our garden design takes this into account, focusing on us- and a garage close to the back door. ing fruit fly resistant plants like bananas, as well as water A Besser block retaining wall followed on from there, and management strategies including minimising hard surfaces, the lawn area was scattered with a few small trees. We con- reusing greywater, mini swales, rainwater tanks, and focusing sidered a number of options for the pool – turning it into a 58 on building healthy soil. Diversity is also key to our food gar- pond for wildlife, an underground water tank or aquaponics den design. With over 100 different trees, shrubs, vines and set up. But after weighing up all the pros and cons, we felt groundcovers, no matter what the weather or garden pests vegie beds were the best option for the area right at our back throw at us, something is sure to thrive. doorstep. So we organised for an excavator to break up the seven rectangular beds 2.8 m long by 1.2 m wide, two small herb beds and a long narrow bed 40 cm wide and about 8 m long with a trellis for growing beans and other vines behind the vegie beds.

THE CHOOKS We love having chooks in the garden, and designed our garden around keeping a small flock of hens. In our sloping backyard, a rock wall and fences keep them restricted to the lower food forest section and out of the vegie patch. While our young trees and groundcovers were getting established, we had two gorgeous Chinese Silkies. Now our more established back garden can support two Pekins and four larger cross-breed chooks, giving us fresh eggs with the brightest of yellow yolks. After living with and watching our system develop over ten years, we have learnt a lot and made changes as we needed concrete and take it to a local recycling facility, removing the to. Although we had a clear design at the beginning, it has pool. evolved and changed over time as our needs have evolved A friend with a bobcat helped re-level the garden, creating as well. a flat vegie bed area followed by a gentle slope we could work with to hand build a retaining wall using locally sourced rocks. For the latest of happenings in Alison and Richard’s Greywater reuse systems were set up to divert water from suburban garden, visit www.facebook.com/ourHappy- the shower and washing machine. A frog pond was added to Earth. For historical information and more on the the lower backyard, mini swales dug to absorb run-off, and a original design, visit www.happyearth.com.au. chicken house was made from recycled materials. Fruit trees, shrubs and vines were all strategically placed; the spaces between them filled with fast-growing natives. The LESSONS LEARNED IN THE BURBS natives were ‘pioneer trees’, able to grow quickly, bring life to • Invest time in your overall design and then break the soil, create habitat and shade when needed, and then be it into manageable sections, tackling one thing at a removed over time as the fruit trees became established. Ten time to avoid becoming overwhelmed years on we have few pioneer trees left as the fruit trees have • Bamboo is brilliant, but be aware it can often grow come into their own. much taller than expected. Be particularly aware of Around the edges of the property we planted a number of the need to grow small plants under power lines clumping, non-invasive bamboos for privacy. Some of these and close to fence lines have grown much bigger than anticipated and have been re- • Know your local council tree management policies. placed with smaller tiger grasses. If you plan to grow trees as short term ‘pioneer trees,’ be sure to keep them to a small size. Large THE VEGIE PATCH trees may need council tree permit applications to Vegie beds, a plant nursery, water tanks and honeybee hive remove are where the pool used to be. The vegie patch was initially • Check with your local council to see if they have designed as a half mandala, with one circular bed in the cen- guidelines on nature strip plantings. Remember to tre, surrounded by four more circular beds, linked at the pe- leave plenty of space right next to the road for peo- rimeters. Each bed was about three metres in diameter, with ple exiting their cars a small keyhole entrance. Over time we created more access • Don’t be afraid to change things around if certain DESIGN points by extending the keyholes right through the middle of aspects of your garden design aren’t working or are the beds. We thought we would create movable chook domes proving too high maintenance for the beds, but never got around to it – however, the centre • Use wildlife-friendly measures to protect produce of the mandala vegie patch proved a lovely place for our back- (i.e. individual bagging, very small gauge netting), yard wedding! and be prepared to share some produce with urban After having our daughter five years ago, we soon after wildlife undertook a renovation of the back part of the house and ne- 59 glected the vegie beds, letting them go a bit wild. Partly to try something new and partly to see if we could improve the drip irrigation set up, we redesigned the vegie beds. We created OBTAIN A YIELD URBAN ABUNDANCE: PRODUCTIVE SMALL SPACE GROWERS

60 Robyn Rosenfeldt MEET Amy Piessel Amy Piessel

KAT LAVERS Words by Samantha Allemann

The Plummery sounds like a sprawling countryside for years!’ Kat says. ‘I choose vegies where I can eat most of property. Its garden beds grow an abundance of veg- the plant for most of the season, trial varieties to find the most etables, with surrounding fruit and nut trees under- productive for my microclimate and use poles, trellises and planted with shrubs, herbs and flowers. Bubblegum pergolas to grow climbing varieties.’ grape shades the house and there’s a greenhouse with bananas and babaco. A quail aviary sits by the side ‘I’m careful to only grow of the house and on the southern side are avocados, feijoas and a cherry guava. plants that I actually use’

Yet all of this is contained on a 280 m2 block in Melbourne’s ‘I embrace weeds as a bonus crop of food and animal fod- inner city suburb of Northcote, at the home of permaculture der,’ she says. I have a small army of perennial vegetables designer Kat Lavers. Last year, the Plummery provided 350 (wild rocket, chokos, arrowroot) to reduce work. My fruit and kg of herbs, vegies, fruit, eggs and honey, with Kat only spend- nut trees are designed to provide shelter for the house and ing half a day a week gardening. ‘Sometimes I dream about garden, and crop in sequence for a succession of fruit all year planting oaks and chestnuts, but the reality is I don’t have the round.’ time to manage more than I’ve got,’ says Kat. Kat recommends quail as a fantastic egg-laying alternative Kat is creative in overcoming spatial limitations, saying it to chickens for small gardens. Her quail also provide compost has made her a better designer and gardener. ‘You can’t bury through a deep litter system made up of leaves and sawdust. your mistakes under the rug!’ she says. ‘Observation and in- All of the Plummery’s organic waste is processed on site thanks teraction are virtually constant and therefore so is the learn- also to a worm farm and a home-built composting toilet. ing. It also means that you can concentrate your compost, Kat spends hours wandering around the garden, immersed mulch and water resources on a smaller number of plants. in the magic of it all. ‘I love watching the seasons come and Many gardeners don’t get these basics right and have poor go, learning more about my plants and seeing all the creatures yields from much larger gardens.’ that come to visit,’ Kat says. ‘The anticipation of juicy ripe Keeping produce records and a garden diary helps Kat to tomatoes when the first warm weather arrives...pickled cu- refine her planting plans, with much thought going into what camelons, quince paste and feijoas in autumn, sweet carrots 61 she grows. ‘I’m careful to only grow plants that I actually use. and crisp radicchio leaves in winter, and leeks, greens and I love eating my way through the seasons —I used to grow herbs in spring.’ warrigal greens but realised I hadn’t bothered to harvest them Robyn Rosenfeldt Dario Franzinelli

MICHELE AND DARIO FRANZINELLI Words by Samantha Allemann

Michele and Dario Franzinelli’s garden is called Jetto’s The popular garden is regularly visited by PDC participants Patch, a 1482 m2 block that grows over 500 different and Living Smart groups. It also has a large online community, types of produce. In 1989, their suburban Perth back- with over 2000 members in its Facebook group. ‘We all share yard started transforming into the thriving vegetable, photos, information and solve gardening problems,’ says Mi- herb and cottage garden it is today. Their dream was chele. ‘We help each other because we are all learners trying for a garden that could be eaten from all year round, to do what nature does best.’ so that they would not need to rely on supermarkets for food. ‘If you think you have no

‘It has turned into a continuing experiment as to the range of room left, think again’ what can be grown and the list has become surprisingly large,’ says Michele. Jetto’s Patch now contains 200 food-producing Michele and Dario find great satisfaction in their garden – trees (including 46 citrus, 18 types of apple, 12 types of ba- its diversity and the peacefulness, entertainment and exercise nanas and 11 nut trees), 23 vines, 168 seasonal vegies and 144 it provides. ‘It’s a great feeling to know we have an intensely seasonal herbs and edible natives. ‘The object is to follow the diverse range of food at our fingertips and that it’s sustain- natural rules observed in nature and grow without the use of able, easy to maintain and provides habitat for many other chemicals or pesticides,’ says Michele. The garden’s produce creatures,’ says Michele. is mostly used fresh within minutes of picking or is preserved Then there’s the fun challenge to get more into and out by bottling, pickling, drying or fermenting. ‘It provides us with of the garden than would ever seem possible. ‘If you think great-tasting, fresh, natural produce, with no food miles or ad- you have no room left, think again,’ advises Michele. ‘You will ditives, picked straight from the ground or tree,’ says Michele. be surprised at what you can cram in.’ Michele recommends Chicken, cow and sheep manure have been used on the researching plants, streamlining what you can for practicality garden, as has blood and bone and rock dust for trace ele- and ease of use as well as restructuring work areas to get the ments and minerals. Mulch comes from the trees in their gar- most out of what growing space you have. ‘Make a list of what den as well as eucalypts from the neighbouring park. ‘I make you like to eat and plant those, then branch out to try new and 62 seed raising mix from our worm farm contents,’ says Michele. unfamiliar edibles,’ she says. ‘Or make a list of what is ex- ‘Potting mix is made from leaf mould and compost heap soil pensive to buy and grow those. Think practically and outside mixed with sand.’ the box, and more than you ever dreamt possible will soon be growing around you.’ MEET Indira Naidoo Alan Benson

INDIRA NAIDOO Words by Samantha Allemann

When Indira Naidoo first started filling her 13th floor space and the water can drip through to the lower pots un- balcony in Sydney with plants, few people thought derneath it. I’ve found that I actually still have room to dry the that the novice gardener would have any success. ‘Be- clothes on the clothes rack and have a BBQ and some chairs, cause I’d never been a gardener, generally everyone so it’s not an overrun jungle, it’s a space that has multi-uses.’ was sceptical,’ Indira recalls. ‘Really the only person Also on the balcony is a Hungry Bin worm farm which Indira who was positive was Peter Cundall. He said, “just composts food scraps into and gets fertiliser from. give it a go – you won’t know until you try”.’ The other residents of Indira’s vertical village have now become inspired to use their own balconies to grow food. ‘We Indira now grows around 60 different varieties of fruit and share tips, produce and meals and that’s how it’s growing vegetables on the balcony of her inner Sydney apartment. community,’ says Indira. ‘We have our own microclimates ‘The things I’ve found that grow the most successfully tend to within the one building, so that’s been quite a revelation. What be tomatoes, and surprisingly, lemons,’ Indira says. ‘I do car- we’ve found is that some might have more sun, and I’ve no- rots, radishes, potatoes, strawberries and lots of herbs. I love ticed that even in my balcony from one end to the other, there adding fresh herbs into everything I cook, so there’s always are quite different wind and sunlight effects. In my more shel- plenty of parsley, mint and basil. The kale’s coming up pretty tered section that’s where I put my lemons, the tomatoes like nicely, as well as broccoli and little lettuces.’ Indira says that a lot of heat so I push them right in the corner to get lots of she can get as much as half of her household’s produce from direct sun, and the mint I push right at the back.’ the garden at peak season but usually it’s less than that, with ‘If you told me 20 years ago that a few plants would make lettuce, spinach and herbs being what she picks most. you relook at your whole universe differently, I just would not have believed it,’ Indira says. ‘I love all of the birdlife that the ‘an ecosystem within the garden has attracted. It’s beautiful to know that you’ve created an ecosystem within the concrete and tiles. And the way I concrete and tiles’ look at the weather and the environment is so different – it’s not how it used to be where I’d just think whether I needed The three metre height of her balcony comes in handy. ‘I’ve to carry an umbrella. My plants show me that there’s a much got a vertical wall that has 20 little pods; a self-irrigating sys- bigger effect that the weather is going to have, in that it’s 63 tem that allows me to grow all of my shallow-rooted lettuces going to change entire systems. It stops you having that very and herbs and indigenous greens,’ says Indira. ‘And I have myopic human view.’ hanging baskets and pots underneath, so that it uses high Malcolm and Jelina Haines Malcolm and Jelina Haines

MALCOLM AND JELINA HAINES Words by Samantha Allemann

‘Ligaya’ means happiness in the Tagalog language. avoid this. They are also better for water use and provide ‘It’s a special kind of happiness, one that comes from what we would call higher-value crops.’ connectedness with family and community,’ explains And by thinking vertically, ‘the sky’s the limit’. ‘Actually, Malcolm Haines. It’s a fitting name for his family’s gar- about four metres is the practical limit, because my ladder den. Located in Gawler South, South Australia, Liga- doesn’t get me any higher than that,’ Malcolm says. ‘We train ya is home to Malcolm, Jelina and their son Marlon, vines up anything that is vertical. We have pumpkins and mel- as well as Athena the Labrador, three chooks, several ons on foundation mesh, passionfruit and Sweet Apple Berry fish and ‘innumerable bugs’. on the fence, plus we’re making a trellis pergola using hops, chokos, passionfruit and grapes.’ Ligaya grows an abundance of food within its 61 m2. Malcolm reels off a huge list of what it has yielded over the last year. ‘We train vines up ‘Lablab beans, sweet apple berry, muntries, edible chrysan- themums, Jerusalem artichokes, five kinds of deciduous fruit anything that is vertical’ trees, seven citrus, four types of guava, pepinos, okra, olives, hops, two kinds of passionfruit, assorted herbs, the usual The chooks and worms help break down organic material, kitchen vegies, two types of melons, daikon, strange radishes, with a Bokashi system used for kitchen scraps (which are several kinds of saltbush and three varieties of sweet pota- then added to a compost tumbler) and another Bokashi used toes.’ Then there are all of the pots, growing taro and figs to for processing dog poo. All of that means that little organic name just a few. material escapes our block.’ A neighbour donates their lawn ‘We mostly learn as much about our plants before we put cuttings and vegie scraps also. them in,’ says Malcolm. ‘We look at things like size, how ‘By working to build a strong community and sharing with wide do the crown and roots get, does the plant yield a large others around us, we have found that many people produce amount for the small space, is it valuable enough to include? surplus in their own gardens and share lots of produce,’ Mal- Also I think about plants that have multiple purposes. The colm says. ‘We didn’t do well with tomatoes this year, but so deciduous trees for example are a key part of our energy many others did that we were rarely short of tomatoes, and 64 conservation measures, plus provide food, beauty, mulch, lots of people had daikon for the first time when we had a support and shade for other plants. And on a small block, glut.’ digging things up can be disruptive, so perennials can help MEET Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn Rosenfeldt

KRSHNADAS AND PREM KRANTI Words by Robyn Rosenfeldt

Krshnadas and Prem Kranti farm their quarter acre nure crop, the soil becomes less and less vital, despite using plot in his backyard in urban Bega, NSW. On the edge composts.’ of town, just dipping into the flood zone of the Bega ‘We water everything from a 30000 L rainwater tank and River, his plot pumps out enough food to supply to a that is enough most of the year round. With the drippers and box scheme, a weekly market stall, the local whole- thick mulch, I mostly don’t need to water established plants, foods shop and private clients. Krshnadas does most just the seedlings. I find the soil has a good profile and holds of the work in the garden, but Premkranti helps when the moisture well. I do have mains water for backup but I pre- she has time. ‘She is a great pest control person and fer not to use that as it has chlorine in it and it kills the bacte- a good weeder,’ says Krshnadas. ria in the soil. It keeps things alive but they don’t thrive on it.’ The space he has to garden in is large enough for him. ‘I All the food is grown using organic principles (although not have enough room to rotate crops and because I do it all by certified), with Krshnadas planting by the biodynamic cal- hand it’s all that I can manage at this stage. I think some peo- endar, although he wouldn’t claim it is biodynamic. ‘I focus ple can fall down when they start too large and can’t keep up. mostly on leafy greens as they are best fresh and I can supply I use weed matting for the paths and weed the beds by hand.’ them fresh to the customer,’ he says. ‘I also grow lots of tomatoes, capsicums, eggplant, beetroot, peas and beans.’ ‘The food has travelled about Krshnadas says that the great thing about growing in an urban setting is the food miles. ‘When people pick up directly, 50 metres by wheelbarrow’ the food has travelled about 50 metres by wheelbarrow, and when I sell at the market it’s about half a kilometre. The food The garden is called Krishna’s Garden. ‘Everything we grow is really fresh. People get it the day I pick it and it lasts so is an offering to the Lord. It’s about giving thanks,’ explains much longer that way. It will last twice as long as what you Premkranti. And although they don’t make a lot of money from buy at the supermarket.’ it, it covers costs and supplies them with good food. ‘It’s very Keeping the soil productive is one of his main focuses. ‘I satisfying, knowing you are feeding people good organic food,’ make all my own composts,’ says Krshnadas. ‘I make hot com- Krshnadas says. ‘I also like getting outdoors and connecting posts using green cuttings, chook manure from our chooks, with nature and the seasons. I could do something else that 65 and any leftover lucerne from the mulch. Every three years pays better, but this is really stress free.’ I do a green manure crop. I find that without the green ma- 66 Emma Belyea OBTAIN A YIELD BASIC BEANIE PATTERN MAKE Words by Deb Brearley Photo by Emma Belyea

This simple beanie pattern is a breeze to whip up in sizes for everyone in the family and is perfect for early rising gardeners to take the chill off winter mornings. The simple construction makes it a great step up for beginner knitters who are ready to move on from scarves, but aren’t quite ready to knit in the round. You can fancy it up by using a self-patterning yarn either bought from the shop or home-dyed using beautiful natural pigments (see Pip Magazine issue 7 for our how-to on natural dyeing!).

MATERIALS METHOD 1 x 50 g ball of 8 ply yarn 1. Cast on 74 stitches (86 for large size) (x 2 for a large beanie) 2. Work k1, p1 (knit 1, pearl 1) ribbing for 8 rows Pair of 5.5 mm needles 3. Work straight in stocking stitch (k row, p row) until work Yarn needle for sewing up measures 18 cm from cast on edge, ending with a purl row 4. Next row: K1, k2tog across, k1. 38 (44 for large) sts remain SIZE 5. Purl one row Medium size beanie 6. Next row, K1, k2tog across, k1. 20 (23 for large) sts remain

GLOSSARY Cut yarn from remaining wool at around 30 cm and thread the * K2tog across: Knit two end onto yarn needle. Carefully thread the last row of knitting together. Put your right from needle, threading the yarn needle through each stitch. needle through the two Pull tightly, then whip stitch the seam together. I like to thread first stitches on your the tail of the starting thread onto the needle and stitch up the left needle and knit ribbing before this, as it’s easier to stitch up the beanie neatly them together as if they once the rib is anchored. were one stitch. Repeat across the row.

67 Emma Belyea Robyn Rosenfeldt VARIATIONS To create a snugger fitting beanie (perfect for children), knit the medium sized pattern on 4.5 or 5 mm needles. To create a rolled band, just don’t do the ribbed edge, and once cast on commence stocking stitch. The edge forms a natural roll.

Front: Small and large variations. Perfect for the whole family on crisp wintery mornings. This page, clockwise from top: Small medium and large variations, hand dyed using natural dyes; Whip stitch the sides together; Pull the beanie together; Balls of wool. Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn Rosenfeldt

68 The natural alternative reusable food storage Perfect for wrapping fruit and veg, cheeses and snacks on the go! www.honeybeewrap.com.au Handmade in Byron Bay using organic cotton and natural beeswax

“A quarterly lifestyle magazine focused on Rethink Reuse Reduce Recycle”

Issue 9 on sale junkies.com.au now [email protected] 70 APPLY SELF-REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK PERTH CITY FARM Words by Samantha Allemann Photos by Robyn Rosenfeldt CONNECT

Close to Perth’s central business district, something back to safety, let alone consider the organic certification pro- is growing by the Midland railway line. For over 20 cess. ‘Initially 1.5 m of soil had to be removed from the entire years, Perth City Farm (a not-for-profit communi- site manually,’ explains Perth City Farm employee Phoebe ty garden, educational centre and urban oasis) has Dean. ‘You couldn’t even touch the ground, that’s how toxic been welcoming members of the community through the material was! its gates. After its removal and consequent placement in a tip, tonnes of compost was created on the site with heaps of organic The team that started Perth City Farm was made up of material. Vegie scraps, chook poo, horse manure and lawn Rosanne Scott, Chris Ferreira, Clayton Chipper and Neal clippings were used; anything we could get our hands on. As Bodel, with support coming from not-for-profit, non-political this built up, the worms and microorganisms did their tricks, society Men of the Trees. Men of the Trees aimed to improve helping to clean and activate the soil, and we gained organic WA’s environmental quality, get local youth involved in envi- certification by 2004.’ ronmental efforts and promote health and wellbeing through permaculture. ‘We wanted to inspire people to do environ- ‘To visualise a garden growing mental work,’ Chris explains. These values have flowed through to Perth City Farm, in took a lot of imagination’ addition to others the farm would go on to develop. Using the acronym PEACE, Perth City Farm aims to promote perma- A Landcare and Environment Action Program was estab- culture and the environment, education, arts, community and lished, teaching unemployed youth a wide range of horticul- personal development, and enterprise. ture and permaculture skills. Although this program no lon- But before any of these could come into fruition, a site for ger runs, Work for the Dole programs are now undertaken the urban farm needed to be secured. With support from the at the farm, with unemployed community members able to East Perth Redevelopment Authority, a location was found in gain skills, work experience and knowledge in permaculture the mid 90s. But the spot was hardly ideal for growing food. and sustainability. Three Work for the Dole programs have The half hectare of land it sat on had recently been used as a been created, focusing on horticulture experience, furniture battery recycling facility, a scrap metal yard, an engineering build and restoration, and administration training. Participant workshop by Mobil, an engineering foundry and a bus depot. Jamie Hancock says that the program has inspired him to As a result the land was highly polluted and toxic. To visualise keep learning about gardening. ‘After doing this I’m thinking a garden growing took a lot of imagination, with only a vacant of getting a certificate in horticulture,’ he says. lot, courtyard and rundown warehouses to look at. What the Workshops are also regularly held on topics such as plant site did have going for it though was that it could be rented propagation, designing gardens, creating compost and recy- cheaply. Through the efforts of the team as well as close to cling. The guided tours of the farm are also educational. ‘We 30 volunteers, the scene started transitioning from an indus- have school, TAFE and uni groups that come on tours to learn trial site into a blooming and prosperous community garden. about things like the farm, the history of the site, permacul- 71 A vegie patch was planted by the entrance and a warehouse ture, organic gardening and herbal medicine,’ Phoebe says. was repurposed into a classroom. But as the site’s soil was ‘We have gardening clubs and retirement groups that also dangerously contaminated, it was a long process to bring it come along for tours and workshops that are more special- events are fundamental to the farm’s goal of encouraging social connection and community participation, making the space accessible and welcoming to everyone. ‘It is an open space,’ says Thom. ‘People can come in and pick vegies if they need them.’ Jason lives nearby at St Bartholomew’s House, a refuge for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. He enjoys his visits to the farm, describing them as a form of meditation. ‘I come over here to get into my higher power,’ he says. ‘I love the mulberries and the kookaburra. This kookaburra is always here – I come and say hello to him.’ ‘People can come in and pick vegies if they need them’

It’s because of this community connection that locals flock ised, such as worm care and plant propagation. We’ve also to Perth City Farm. They will also fight to protect it. 18 years played host to some recent paid courses in beekeeping.’ ago Perth City Farm almost became a distant memory. There Phoebe started volunteering at Perth City Farm while she were plans to demolish it so that a high-rise building and was studying Environmental Science and Sustainability at car parks could move in instead. The ‘Save City Farm Ac- Murdoch University. She is now one of the farm’s seven staff tion Group’ attempted to stave off this development through a members and one of her responsibilities is to look after the campaign that received media attention and support from the venue hire side of the business. ‘We often get people from community. all over Perth, and sometimes around the world, who have As a result, a two-year lease extension was given. When heard of our “wedding venue” by word of mouth but know that was up, the State Government announced a 40-year nothing about it,’ she says. ‘When they book an appointment peppercorn lease arrangement (a term which refers to a to view the venue, we love seeing their faces light up as we small payment) for Perth City Farm. While they occasionally walk around. Most people cannot believe a place like this ex- receive grants for specific projects or events, such as their ists in the city centre.’ The first wedding at Perth City Farm community recycling hub build, they don’t receive govern- was when Roseanne married Thom Scott, also a long-serving ment funding. team member, on New Year’s Eve 18 years ago. The number of paid staff is small, with volunteers being Perth City Farm also runs popular twilight markets. ‘The a vital part of the running of the farm, and there’s always markets focus on promoting food vendors that sell organ- need for more. ‘We have incredible volunteers who believe in ic, biodynamic and local produce,’ says Phoebe. ‘The night the work; some who have been here for over 10 years,’ says brings in people from all walks of life to enjoy local enter- Phoebe. ‘They are the reason we have a running farm, as tainment and enjoy the ambience of Perth City Farm. It is so we’re completely unfunded by government or local council, spectacular here amongst the garden.’ There are also farm- so everything we do here is a result of our ‘earn-our-way’ er’s markets held on Saturdays, which were the first of their mantra. We don’t have a promotional budget for our organic kind in WA. Eggs from the farm’s chickens are sold at the farmers market and we have nothing like the marketing bud- markets and are used at the City Farm Cafe as well. get other wedding venues may have. Our income is a direct There is a nursery and a shop on site, two chook pens, result of our incredibly hard-working staff and volunteers. two commercial kitchens, an office space, a community room ‘In a CBD that is constantly growing, high-rises multiplying which is used for activities such as yoga and meditation, and a and urban environment spreading, Perth City Farm offers a specific art room used for exhibitions and launch events (pre- bit of peace and tranquillity within the hustle and bustle of city viously the home of Cirquest Circus School). Several small- life,’ she adds. 72 scale businesses also run out of the converted buildings on site. For more information on Perth City Farm visit Perth City Farm has hosted many events over the years, in- www.perthcityfarm.org.au cluding art exhibitions, concerts, festivals and parties. These CONNECT

Front: The giant trowel at the entrance to Perth City Farm. Opposite page: Thom Scott, Rosanne Scott and Chris Ferreira at the farm. This page, clockwise from top left: Sculpture in the middle of the vegie beds with high rise in background; Seedlings for sale; Vegie beds at the farm; Jamie Hancock working on the compost as part of the Work for the Dole program.

73 Clockwise from above left: Humanure compost pile with cover material ready to use; Compost toilet with seat directly on bucket; Humanure compost pile, enclosed on four sides and well covered; Simple bucket compost toilet in a box. Following page: Boxed-in bucket toilet in bath-

Robyn Rosenfeldt room with flushing toilet.

74 PRODUCE NO WASTE DIY BUCKET COMPOST TOILET Words and photos by Emily Stokes

Our family has been recycling and reusing our huma- KILLING PATHOGENS nure (human waste) for around seven years. We have To make sure this thermophilic process is safe and effective used a bucket toilet system in both a suburban home you will need to keep your compost pile happy and hot. on a small town block and on our current farm. We 1. Keep the moisture content up. You’ll notice that have always used bucket toilets alongside the existing your compost pile sinks down quite quickly; this is flush toilet. The bucket literally sits in our bathroom through moisture loss. If you’re not receiving adequate next to the flush loo. rainfall or you’re not adding enough moist material, wa- TECH ter your pile (greywater can be used). By doing so, we’ve taken the pressure off the septic and town 2. Get your carbon/nitrogen ratio right, around sewerage systems already in place. This saves our precious 30/1. Humanure on its own contains too much nitro- drinking water, not to mention money and chemicals, from gen which is why we add the cover material. We have otherwise being poured into a system in which people have an abundance of African lovegrass (the local pas- the convenience of simply flushing their waste away. ture weed) on our property, so whenever we slash it we leave piles beside the compost. Kitchen scraps WHAT IS A BUCKET TOILET? are about the right ratio on their own, so add these It’s a very easy and cheap way to take full responsibility for whenever you can. your own humanure; to compost it, recycle it and use it on 3. Monitor the temperature. The top part of your your fruit trees or vegetable gardens. With the bucket system compost pile, which will be where the hot composting we are harnessing thermophilic (heat-loving) microorgan- is happening, needs to be between 50–65°C. Viruses isms that destroy human pathogens, converting humanure and worm eggs will die if the temperature goes over into sweet-smelling humus that can safely be used on food 46°C for one week, or at least 50°C for 24 hours. The gardens. combination of temperature and time (letting it age for It is safe as long as you follow a few simple steps. a year) will ensure that you end up with a valuable resource clear of pathogens. If in doubt, leave your pile to HOW IT WORKS age for an extra year or only use your finished compost Use your bucket toilet like any other toilet. Poo and urine can on fruit trees and flowers. all go in the bucket. After each deposit, cover well with sawdust. Once the bucket is full, put the lid on tight and leave it WORMS to sit while you fill up a second bucket. It will be fine for a Worms will not appear in a thermophilic pile as it’s too hot. few months. They will appear after the compost has aged though. If your Then take both buckets out to your compost pile, dig a little pile is made directly on top of the soil, the worms will migrate depression on top and pour them in. Cover well with your in and out of your compost pile when it suits them. If you are cover material (carbon material such as bundles of weeds, worried about your humanure pile leaching, you can build it hay, straw, etc.). Wash both buckets well and pour the water on a plastic liner and catch the runoff (which will only occur in 75 back onto your compost pile. Stay clean and don’t let this wa- heavy rainfall), then pour it back onto your pile. Note that this ter spread anywhere else. Then simply line your bucket with plastic liner may stop the migration of worms. sawdust and start over. MAKING A BUCKET TOILET

STEP 1. You will need a 20 litre bucket. You may already have one around the house. Scavenge if you can, it obvi- ously doesn’t need to be pristine.

STEP 2. Find yourself a second-hand toilet seat or buy a new one. It doesn’t need to be airtight.

STEP 3. Find a source of sawdust. Is there a sawmill in your area? They will give it away for free if you take your own sacks and fill them. Just make sure the timber is not treated. You can also use leaf mould, rice hulls, peat moss, ground newsprint or finely shredded paper as an CAMPING & FESTIVALS alternative. A container of this material needs to be kept If you’re heading out to a festival or camping for the week- next to your bucket toilet at all times. Every time the toi- end, take your bucket toilet with you. No more having to use let is used, cover your deposit well with sawdust and it those festy portaloos or digging a hole near a waterway when won’t smell. I repeat, no smell if well-covered. camping. Pack a 20 litre bucket, stack another one inside it full of sawdust with a lid on, and you have yourself a handy STEP 4. Build your compost pile. You may already have bucket toilet when nature calls. Once you’ve used the bucket, one. You can use the same pile for all of your human, food put the lid on tight and when you get home add it to your and animal waste. If you have to build one then source compost pile. some free pallets. We made our compost bay with four pallets screwed together, no open side. If you can, build WHAT’S LEGAL? three bays side by side. One for the current compost pile, You’re not dealing with sewage (waterborne excrement), one for the compost that you will leave to age and one which might be illegal. And you’re not building a composting for your cover material. Your cover material can be hay, toilet, which is something that may be regulated in your state. weeds, straw, grass clippings, leaves or whatever you A sawdust bucket toilet doesn’t fit into these categories be- have available. Every time you deposit the contents of cause you are composting outside your home. your bucket onto the top of your pile, cover it well with If you’re building a new home, you’ll need to check with hay or leaves. Keep it well covered. If there’s a smell, you your local council to see what the regulations are for water- haven’t covered it well enough. less compost toilets. If you can show that your compost toilet is a safe and responsible system that will cause no harm to STEP 5. If you want to get fancy, you could build a tim- the environment, they may be fine. You may need to follow ber structure around your bucket. See pictures for ideas. certain specifications, such as having a door from the bathroom directly to the outside so that the bucket is not being carried through the house. While there is some small effort in carting buckets around, I thoroughly enjoy recycling our humanure. It gives me great satisfaction to use this waste to increase the fertility of our soil. Our first pile of humanure was dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling and had the nearby tree sending roots right up into it. A joy to behold.

Suggested reading. • The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins (Jenkins Pub- lishing 1996) • Farmers of Forty Centuries: Organic Farming in China Korea and Japan by F. H. King (Dover Publications 2011)

Emily Stokes lives with her family on a permaculture and holistic management-inspired property on the Far South 76 Coast of NSW, regenerating the soil and her family’s health, and running traditional food workshops. See facebook.com/fermaculturefarm The magazine for those who want to build their own home

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You can now order directly Available by direct through our online shop, subscription and either from Facebook or in newsagents our website (select Shop). Australia-wide Back issues www.theownerbuilder.com.au • www.facebook.com/TheOwnerBuilder APPLY SELF-REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK ENOUGH: THE STORY OF A PEACE COMMUNITY IN KABUL

Words by Rosemary Morrow Photos courtesy of the project

In an unnumbered house on a dirt road in Kabul lives and social problems, has proven invaluable. Land restoration a small community, the Afghan Peace Volunteers is critical in working for and establishing peace. With the loss (APVs). The members are mostly Hazaras, people of farming land due to 40 years of war and the vulnerable who have been appallingly discriminated against in situation in Kabul, growing food and developing a healthy en- invasions and wars. They have no reason to believe in vironment for the desperately polluted city is critical. peace nor even consider it is possible. ‘This is imaginative and Yet a core group of these young people teamed up with a visionary Singaporean doctor, Hakim Tek Young Wee, to focus dramatic peacemaking’ on the needs of the poorest people in their community. They also wanted to make a statement about war; its pain and im- Green Education and Home Gardens is a future-looking pact. This is imaginative and dramatic peacemaking. outreach and education project. It will start with 100 street The residential APV community is just a short walk from the kids and aim to involve their mothers as well. It will be a Borderfree Nonviolence Community Centre (BNVCC) where show-and-teach process, using the Borderfree Nonviolence the APV activities take place. Fifty or more young volunteers Community Centre’s garden. Currently it has $AU100 as its come and go all day, pursuing their peace work and setting working budget. aside traditional ethnic differences. In fact they welcome all The teachers are volunteers who have completed my Per- Afghan ethnic groups. maculture Design Certificate. During the PDC, these enthu- The APVs have worked out a diverse program based on siastic young teachers-to-be are taught skills in learner- three areas: centred permaculture education. • A nonviolent world without war • A green world Other projects already running are: • An equal world • Amuzish, the Borderfree Nonviolence Community Cen- tre’s learning garden, is developing intensive food production Together they have organised 22 teams working in these • The APV guest house community garden major areas. Each has several components or projects which • The Borderfree Nonviolence Community Centre’s perma- are self-managing and follow consensual processes. This culture land will be the volunteers’ food farm management process means that every volunteer has respon- • Bamiyan Peace Park and Kabul Peace Garden sibilities and their voices can be heard in small committees. 2. The Renewable Energy Team 78 Some of the teams and projects are: This team is working on small-scale water recycling, with a turbine to provide energy for households. The aim is to 1. The Green Education and Permaculture Team implement it first at the Borderfree Nonviolence Community Permaculture, with its systems approach to environmental Centre. Clockwise from top left: Learning permaculture; Women’s tailoring project; Winter duvet project. AID

Along with this, the team is looking to: the food rations at the Borderfree Street and Vulnerable Kids • Capture roof water and recycle it for energy School will be locally sustainable. • Provide water for the garden 5. The Duvet Project Team The concept plan (designed by an engineering student in Every winter 3 000 duvets are sewn by 60 seamstresses who consultation with his lecturer) has mostly been implemented, are paid for each duvet they sew. These are then distributed however it has some teething problems. to the poorest families in Kabul, who each receive two duvets.

3. The Borderfree Street and Vulnerable Kids School Team 6. The Borderfree Cycling Club About 100 kids attend the centre where they are taught liter- This club meets and cycles for health and leisure early on acy, basic mathematics and nonviolence by APV volunteers. Friday mornings. On Tuesday afternoons, girls learn to ride There is also a tailoring class for some of the older kids. In at the centre. Along with this club, it is hoped that a bicycle addition, once a month kids are given food (rice and oil) to as- repair shop can be set up so some youth can earn an income. sist their families’ basic needs and to encourage the children to work fewer hours on the streets, giving them time to attend Every one of these young people teaching nonviolence and government schools instead. cooperating for peace is heroic, no matter how small their part in the struggle. In addition, they are building a future 4. The Food Bank Team through skilling young people, giving them a purpose and This team has 11 volunteers who visit and persuade religious hope, and through service. The experience of working in an 79 leaders, shopkeepers, charitable foundations, community APV project should enable the participants to succeed in life, leaders and organisations to donate food items for the street wherever they find themselves. Permaculture is now integral kids. The goal is to have a locally supported food bank so that to their activities. Niki Buchan Niki Buchan Clockwise from above: Making leaf boats; Exploring in macro; Bug catching in the forest.

80 Niki Buchan APPLY SELF-REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK BUSH SCHOOLS: CONNECTING TO NATURE Words by Niki Buchan

Many adults think back to their childhoods with fond children and adults spend long periods of time together in the memories of being outdoors, roaming freely, with long wild natural environment. Many bush schools value the nature periods of time playing on the farm or beach, in the knowledge of our Indigenous Elders and community. creeks, fields and forests, being out from sunrise to Many children are struggling to cope in traditional schools. sunset. This freedom and time to connect with nature The confines of classrooms are displaying an increase in is so often denied to children today and is to the det- challenging behaviour, mental health issues and a decreased riment of their health and our planet. engagement in learning. Concerned adults searching for an- swers became aware of nature-based practice and its asso- In response to this, Australia has seen a range of bush schools ciated benefits. In bush schools, children are free to roam and develop across the country. Also called forest schools, these explore where there are no walls or time constraints to act as educational programs are set outdoors, so children can con- barriers to the mind and body. nect with nature through play and exploration. Bush schools encourage children and educators to be in the natural Aus- ‘With this disconnection comes tralian environment on a regular basis as part of their school day. a decrease in knowledge and Most bush schools currently run for one morning a week understanding of nature’ for two to three hours, although some have increased these sessions to whole days and multiple days every week after Bush schools are trying to recreate the special memories experiencing the benefits. You don’t need to live in the bush that many adults have of their childhoods, that many children to go to a bush school. Bush schools are found all over the today aren’t getting. Memories of walking barefoot on the country, including in urban settings. warm sand, discovering marks and trails left by lizards and Usually no toys or resources are provided, although some kangaroos; of wading into the cool water of a creek, mak- schools may give out a range of tools such as pencils, saws, ing paperbark boats that would float, sink or topple over; of cameras and binoculars. Children are encouraged to be gathering warm rocks to dam the water to make a pool for imaginative in their play while educators step back to allow swimming; of climbing over rough fallen logs searching for a perception of freedom. The educators do not have a specif- tiny slaters and other bugs while keeping a wary eye out for PARENTING ic lesson plan but they observe, assess, reflect, analyse and bull ants and snakes; of building cubbies with sticks and fallen may plan for future experiences outdoors or in the classroom branches to shelter from the hot sun; and climbing into trees, leading on from the children’s interests. as high as you dare in order to find a special sitting spot to Bush schools came about in Australia because adults re- just sit and think in the rocking branches. alised that children were becoming increasingly disconnect- These are the freedoms so often denied to young children ed from nature. With this disconnection comes a decrease today, who tend to be constantly supervised. It is important in knowledge and understanding of nature, and the concern that adults hold onto their own fond childhood memories of that future generations will not have the desire to protect the freedom in nature and strive to provide similar opportunities 81 natural environment. for their children. Australian bush schools are loosely modelled on the Scan- Research shows that children have never been as safe as dinavian forest schools. Traditionally in Aboriginal culture, they are today, but the perception is that the world is a dan- gerous place, particularly the outdoors. Many parents and educators are becoming increasingly risk-averse and concerned about litigation, so they aim to keep their children as protected as possible. This brings risks of its own, maybe not physical, but mental, emotional and social risks that may lead to later physical risks. Many children today suffer from anxiety, stress and other mental health issues, and struggle to regulate their behaviour. Research in Australia shows that suicide rates are increasing. There has been a huge increase in children under 18 being prescribed anti-depressants, including many children under the age of five. Nature acts as a healthy and inex- dren and nature when assessing impact. Taking photographs pensive antidote to the stress many adults and children face of a site over time will allow children to see their impact and today. Children who play regularly in natural environments reflect on how they can reduce this to preserve their sites. are more active, an important benefit to consider with the Bestselling author Richard Louv refers to nature as ‘Vita- current increase in obesity and the long-term health issues min N’ and says it should be prescribed on a regular basis. linked to this. He also coined the term ‘Nature-Deficit Disorder’, saying, ‘If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, ‘At greater risk is the child we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.’ who is not exposed to risk’ Children are born with a natural affinity for nature. If they spend quality time in it, they can read and understand nature Many children spend long periods of time in education and and the elements. With this knowledge comes a love and de- care setting buildings not optimal for human development. sire to protect the natural world. It is the duty of parents and educators to ensure children have regular opportunities in nature. The practical implica- Niki Buchan has worked with both adults and children in tions may seem a burden but as advocates for children, we consultative, naturalistic and sensorial environments for need to do the best we can for the children in our care. This 35 years. www.naturallearning.net.au should motivate educators to overcome the hurdles and drive forward a more nature-based philosophy. Risk, or the perception of increased risk, in the bush may RESOURCES: be an inhibitor to adults. It is helpful to see risk as good; it is • Children in Wild Nature about uncertainty, challenge and opportunity. Children’s actu- (Niki Buchan, Teaching Solutions 2015) al childhood is at risk because adults are trying to keep them • Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from as safe as possible, instead of as safe as necessary. Bumps, Nature-Deficit Disorder scrapes and bruises are a rite of passage in childhood; they (Richard Louv, Workman Publishing Company 2010) are learning injuries. At greater risk is the child who is not ex- • Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life posed to risk, unable to self-assess. Having a risk-taking dis- (Richard Louv, Atlantic Books 2016) position is a great advantage in life, as the child is then more • How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science likely to attempt a difficult maths sum or try a new jigsaw. of Falling in Love with Nature It is helpful to look at hazards children may encounter as (Scott D. Sampson, Mariner Books 2016) good or bad hazards. A good hazard is one that has benefits and the risk is obvious to the child. An example of this is BUSH SCHOOLS: climbing a tree – children are aware of the height and there • Wild Ground, Katoomba, NSW are many benefits to tree climbing. A bad hazard is one that www.wildground.com.au/bush-school/ has no benefits to the child and they are unable to see the • Westgarth Kindergarten, Westgarth, VIC risk. The duty of the adult is to eliminate the serious risks www.wgkg.vic.edu.au/bush-kinder posed by bad hazards, while encouraging the risks and chal- • Moerlina, Mount Claremont, WA lenges offered by good hazards. Children and nature are un- www.moerlina.wa.edu.au/ predictable, so it is important that adults are alert, aware and • Upper Sturt Primary School, Upper Sturt, SA continuously assessing hazards and risks dynamically as they www.uppersturtps.sa.edu.au/ occur to ensure safety. • Tamar Valley Steiner, Launceston, TAS Occasional concern is expressed at the impact children have www.tamarvalleysteiner.com.au/bush-school.html 82 on nature. But children are elements of nature, and as such • Bunyaville Bush Kindy, Albany Creek, QLD have a right to be there just as native animals are. Nature is www.bunyavileec.eq.edu.au/programs/bush-kindy/ tough and able to withstand a fair amount of child erosion. I bush-kindy.html find it useful to weigh up the long-term consequences to chil- iiBca Robyn Rosenfeldt Niki Buchan

Clockwise from above: Unguided play; Taking risks tree climbing; Exploring beneath the canopy. PARENTING

Robyn Rosenfeldt 83 OLIVE, AGED 4, WILTON, NSW LEVI 6 YEARS, KINCUMBER, NSW KIDS’ PATCH

The winner this issue is Levi Orenshaw, aged 6 from Kincumber. Congratulations Levi you receive a set of Little Permies activity cards. Parents send in photos of your kids in the garden or with their homegrown produce to win a download of Grow Do It, the latest Formidable Vegetable Sound System CD. This album is for kids who want to be able to look after themselves, the place where they live and the people they live with by growing and eating healthy food, growing a healthy mind & body and feeling inspired to do amazing ARABELLA things that can change the world! AGED 2, SWAN VIEW, WA To enter send name, age and address of child to [email protected].

S J S N T L A I F X W J R I D Q I W I N T E R R E R N T Y H H U B P U F M S O N U I B N E G F G W W U C P I P H N C A E K N I T T I N G V I B L E E R Z X J C N X G X E K U D Z P U BERRIES R A S P B E R R I E S F C R T BUSHSCHOOL S Q H I N B K Z L R H P O D L COMPOST FARM M R A F D P W V T I S T M T U GOAT G S E I R R E B L Q C Q P S C KNITTING J W P Y W V B J T N H K O J A MULCH PERMACULTURE X H S P L W R Y B W O Z S K M 84 PIP K J O O X Y J V A I O W T R R RASPBERRIES V G O A T A X A M U L C H M E WINTER WOOL T W U X P C E S Y L V U Q E P HOW TO MAKE MINI WICKING BEDS 1 Words by Scotty Rrama Photos by Wendy Hughes

My people are the Yolngu of Arnhem Land, NT. I live in Galiwin’ku community on Elcho Island. Caring for our country is important in our culture, we are connected to the land. Plastic is a big problem on a remote island, so we reduce, reuse and recycle whenever we can. Here is one way we like to recycle drink bottle containers:

Wicking beds are self-watering beds for plants. They absorb water from a container kept below the soil. This way the soil is watered when it needs it and is less likely to dry out.

Here is a very simple way to make mini wicking beds using recycled waste products. Step 1. Get a plastic bottle and cut it in half. Step 2. Take off the lid and put a rag in the bottle’s top half. Step 3. Cut a window in the bottom half (for watering and overflow). Step 4. Fill up the bottom with water, 4 checking that the rag is sitting in the water (so it can wick up). Step 5. Put the top half upside down into the bottom half and fill the top up with soil. 2 Step 6. Plant any seeds you like and enjoy your new garden! Make sure to keep the bottom half filled with water so your plants don’t go thirsty.

5 6

85 JOKE! HAHA. COLOUR IN THE GOAT! Why does the mushroom

Enjoy our colouring-in for big and little get invited to all the parties? kids alike. Post your finished artwork on fungi. a such he’s Because Instagram #pipmag #goatcolouringin. The best one will be published online.

86 BOOK REVIEW! The Thank You Dish by Trace Balla Review by Ella Woodger Rosenfeldt (Age 9)

This book is about being thankful to all the people and animals that help bring food to our plates. It is about a girl named Grace who thanks the kangaroos for not eating the carrots, the alpaca for the wool so Aunty Amber could knit a scarf so Uncle Fred wouldn’t freeze so that he could catch a fish, and last of all her mum for cooking her dinner.

Every page has lots of beautiful drawings. I like it because it’s got a pattern to the story that makes it fun to read.

87 COURSE PROVIDERS DIRECTORY Do you want your course featured here? Send your details to [email protected]: Name, location, courses, web, phone, email.

HEALTHY HARVEST KITCHEN GARDENS, PERMACULTURE SYDNEY NORTH, Lindfield, PERMACULTURE & Springwood, Organic Gardening, Monthly meeting, talks, working bee for members, PERMACULTURE & www healthyharvest.com.au, 0431 383 516, intro to permaculture, permaculture garden tours, SUSTAINABILITY [email protected] mushroom foraging, specialist workshops. SUSTAINABILITY www.permaculturenorth.org.au, (02) 9858 3074, ACT HUMBLE DESIGNS PERMACULTURE, Sydney West [email protected] & Blue Mountains, PDC, (02) 4575 3235. CANBERRA PERMACULTURE DESIGN, Canberra, sites.google.com/site/humbledesignspermaculture, PERMACULTURE SYDNEY SOUTH, Sydney Intro to Permaculture Principles, Permaculture [email protected] South, Vertical Gardens, Biochar, Zones, Waterwise Gardening, Making Wicking Pots www.permaculturesydneysouth.org.au, & Beds, www.canberrapermaculturedesign.com.au, JAMBEROO VALLEY FARM, Jamberoo, PDC, [email protected] 0410 121 272, [email protected] Intro to Permaculture, Social Permaculture, Soil, www.jamberoovalleyfarm.com.au, (02) 4236 1505, PERMACULTURE SYDNEY WEST (TOONGABBIE), SOUTHERN HARVEST EDUCATION, [email protected] Sydney West, Developing Sustainable Balcony Intro to Permaculture, PDC, Specialist courses e.g. Gardens, www.permaculturesydneywest.com.au, Farm establishment, homesteading, forest gardens KIMBRIKI – ECO HOUSE & GARDEN, Kimbriki, [email protected] http://southernharvest.org.au/education/ Composting, Worm Farming, Beginners & Advanced Contact: [email protected] Organic Gardening, No-Dig Gardening, Introduction to PURPLE PEAR FARM, Anambah, PDC, Intro NSW Permaculture (Short & Full Workshops), (02) 9486 to Permaculture, Mandala Gardens, Preserving, A GARDEN FOR LIFE, Helensburgh, Garden Design, 3512, www.kimbriki.com, [email protected] Sourdough, Cheese & Yoghurt, Compost Making, www.agardenforlife.com.au, 0404 123 747, Biodynamics, Propogation, Worm Farms, Grafting, LAGUNA EARTH HOUSE, Laguna, Earth/Straw [email protected] www.purplepearfarm.com.au, (02) 4932 0443, Building, Preserving, Bread Making, ALLYN RIVER PERMACULTURE, Allynbrook, PDC, www.facebook.com/lagunaearthhouse, ROSNAY ORGANIC VINEYARD AND ORCHARD, Intro to Permaculture, Soils & Composting, Small (02) 4998 8072, [email protected] Canowindra, Intro to Permaculture, www.rosnay.com. Animals, Gardening Sustainably, Garden to Market, au, 1300 767 629, [email protected] MILKWOOD, NSW & VIC www allynriverpermaculture.com.au, (02) 4938 PDC, Intro to Permaculture, Organic Gardening, 9748, [email protected] SAGE PROJECT, Moruya, Market Gardening, Seed Market Gardening, Natural Beekeeping, Mushroom Saving, Medicinal Gardens, Beekeeping & Hive BLUE MOUNTAINS PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE, Cultivation, Natural Building and more. Building, Backyard Gardening, Fermenting, Drawing, Blue Mountains, PDC, Permaculture Teacher Training www.milkwood.net, (02) 5300 4473, hello@ www.sageproject.org.au, 0439 032 038, Course, Permaculture in Development Course, 0407 milkwood.net [email protected] 437 553, www.bmpi.com.au, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE (CAMPUS [email protected] SOUTHERN HARVEST EDUCATION, OF TAFE NSW RIVERINA INSTITUTE), Thurgoona, Intro to Permaculture, PDC, Specialist courses e.g. BROGO PERMACULTURE GARDENS, Bermagui, Cert IV (Design a Permaculture Property), Organic Farm establishment, homesteading, forest gardens PDC, Earthworks, www permaculturedesign.com.au, Farming, nec.riverinainstitute.wikispaces.net, www.southernharvest.org.au/education (02) 6492 7306, [email protected] (02) 6043 6700, [email protected] Contact: [email protected]

BYRON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Byron Bay NATURE CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NEW SUSTAINABILITY SYSTEMS & SERVICES, Sydney, Mullumbimby, PDC, Accredited Permaculture SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA, Sydney, Seed Saving Workplaces, Water and Energy Efficiency, Ethical Training, and more ... www.byroncollege.org.au & Seasonal Planting, www.nature.org.au, Investment, House Design & Construction, (02) 6684 3374, [email protected] (02) 9516 1488, [email protected] www.sustainabilitysystems.com.au, 0414 385 644, [email protected] NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL, Sydney, Sustainable CAROOLA FARM, Mulloon, Converting to Organic Investing, Sugarbag Beekeeping, Preserving, Production (SPCA Organic Standards), SYDNEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Sydney, Edible Gardens, www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/ www caroolafarm.com.au, (02) 4842 1899, Permaculture: An Introduction, Beekeeping for Waste_Environment/Get_Involved_Green_Events/ [email protected] Beginners, www.sydneycommunitycollege.com.au, Green_Events, (02) 9936 8100, (02) 8752 7555, [email protected] CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY, North Wagga [email protected] Wagga, Sustainable Agriculture, SYDNEY ORGANIC GARDENS, Jannali, Organic ORGANIC FOOD GARDENS, Sydney north, Central www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/saws, Gardening, www.sydneyorganicgardens.com.au, coast. Permaculture, eco gardens, workshops. (02) 6933 2765, [email protected] 0416 229 154, [email protected] organicfoodgardens.com.au, 0414 427 050, COFFS REGIONAL COMMUNITY GARDENS, [email protected] THE QUIET GARDENER, Sydney, Intro to Coffs Harbour, Meal Planning to Reduce Food Permaculture, www.thequietgardener.com.au, PERMACULTURE COLLEGE AUSTRALIA, Nimbin, Waste, Insect Reservoirs, Plant Propagation, 0412 130 221, [email protected] PDC, APT–Cert IV, Diploma. Advanced Courses www.coffscommunitygardens.org.au, –Creative Community Facilitation, Permaculture THE VEGGIE LADY, Narellan, Backyard Vegies, [email protected] Teacher Training & Facilitation, Sustainable Aid for Sensory Gardens, Healing Gardens, Therapeutic ELEMENTAL PERMACULTURE, Warrawong, PDC, Permaculture Development Work, Advanced Design Horticulture, Organic Gardening, Home Grown www elementalpermaculture.wordpress.com, Skills, www.permaculture.com.au, Vegetables & Herbs, Consultations, 0424 241 881, (02) 6689 1755, [email protected] www.theveggielady.com, 0411 579 778, [email protected] [email protected] PERMACULTURE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA, The Channon, PDC, Hand Tools, TRUST NATURE, Byron Bay, Permaculture Soils FERMENTING AUSTRALIA Renewable Energy, Permaculture Teacher Training, & Organic Fertiliser, Living Soils & Composting, Fermentation Workshops by Fermentation Revivalist, Understanding Earthworks, Permaculture Life Skills, www.trustnature.com.au , 0408 66 2468, Sammi Zajko. Workshops held in regional NSW, www.permaculturenews.org, (02) 6688 6578, [email protected] Sydney and Melbourne. [email protected] 88 www.facebook.com/fermentingaustralia VALLEY’S END FARM - TERRA PERMACULTURE, Jilliby, Central Coast, PDC Intro to Permaculture, GARDEN TO TABLE PERMACULTURE, Charlotte PERMACULTURE SYDNEY INSTITUTE, Sydney, Forest Gardening, www.terrapermaculture.com Bay, PDC, Organic Gardening & Permaculture Intro to Permaculture, PDC, Cider & Wine Making, 0424 199 470, [email protected] Courses, Seasonal Harvest Lunches, Edible Garden Biodynamics, Fruit Tree Pruning, Earthworks & Tours, www.gardentotable.com.au, 0413 769 530, Water, www.permaculturesydneyinstitute.org, (02) [email protected] 4568 2036, [email protected] QLD VIC PERMACULTURE SOUTH WEST VICTORIA, ACS DISTANCE EDUCATION, Nerang MDC, BALLARAT PERMACULTURE GUILD, Ballarat, Warrnambool, Permaculture, Home Skills, Organic Farming, www.acs.edu.au/default.aspx, PDC, Intro to Permaculture, courses in practical skills, Appropriate Technology, Fruit Tree Pruning & (07) 5562 1088, [email protected] www.ballaratpermacultureguild.org Grafting Workshops, [email protected] [email protected] MY FOOD GARDEN, Samford, REGRARIANS, Bendigo East, Regenerative Biodynamic gardening–Introductory course to BULLEEN ART & GARDEN, Bulleen, Ornamental Agriculture, www.regrarians.org, 0431 444 836 or biodynamic–gardening principles, 0401 156 532, Edible Garden Design, Preserving, Sowing & Saving 0400 840 845, [email protected] www.myfoodgardens.com.au/workshops Seeds, Vegie Gardening for Absolute Beginners, [email protected] Balcony & Small Space Gardening, Successful RMIT UNIVERSITY, Melbourne, Permaculture & Composting & Worm Farming, www.baag.com.au, Sustainable Living, www.rmit.edu.au, CRYSTAL WATERS, Conondale, PDC, (03) 8850 3030, [email protected] 0419 779 886, [email protected] www.crystalwaters.org.au, PDC, (07) 5494 4620, [email protected] CASTLEMAINE COMMUNITY HOUSE, Castlemaine, TELOPEA MTN PERMACULTURE AND NURSERY, PDC, Cert III in APT, www.cch.org.au, Monbulk, Advanced Permaculture Skills, Preserving, HILL TOP FARM COOKTOWN, Cooktown, (03) 5472 4842, [email protected], Cheesemaking, Cider Making, www.petethepermie. working with nature, courses in permaculture [email protected] com, 0418 665 880, [email protected] and organic growing. www.hilltopfarm.wix. com/beyondsustainability, (07)40695058. CENTRE FOR ADULT EDUCATION, Melbourne, A THE PERMA PIXIE, Dandenong Ranges, [email protected] Year in the Garden: Vegetables & Herbs, Backyard Herbalism, Rewilding & Soil, www.thepermapixie. Beekeeping, How to Build a Traditional Wood-Fired com, 0450 375 528, [email protected] NOOSA FOREST RETREAT COMMUNITY, Oven, www.cae.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx, Sunshine Coast–Residential PDC (03) 9652 0611, [email protected] THE WALLABY’S ROCK GARDEN, Garvoc, Garden www.permaculturecoursequeensland.com.au Design, Natural Building, Appropriate Technology, online course www.permacultureonline.com.au CERES ENVIRONMENT PARK, Melbourne, PDC, www.wallabygarden.com.au, Educational, sustainable and fun array of offerings [email protected] NORTHEY STREET CITY FARM, Windsor, across cooking, cheesemaking, craft, gardening Introduction to Permaculture, PDC and sustainability. From a one-day workshop to TREAD LIGHTLY PERMACULTURE, Dunnstown, Sustainable Living workshops, Introduction to Forest our hands-on gardening courses and our bi-annual PDC, CERT III, Intro to Permaculture, Glass House Gardening, Holistic Decision-Making, Beekeeping, Permaculture Design Course. www.ceres.org.au, Design, Compost Loo Construction & Design, Mulch, Campfire Conversations, Permaculture Practicals, 9389 0124, [email protected] Plant Propogation & Seed Saving, Beekeeping, www. (03) 857 8775, www.nscf.org.au treadlightlypermaculture.com.au, 0400 261 233, CHESTNUT FARM, Ballarat, PDC, Forest Garden [email protected] Design Intensive, Intro to Permaculture, Grafting PERMACULTURE RESEARCH INSTITUTE internship, Permaculture Principles Master Class, SUNSHINE COAST, Kin Kin, PDC, www. VERY EDIBLE GARDENS, Brunswick, Powering-up Your Community Group, Practical Skills. permaculturesunshinecoast.org, (07) 5485 4664, PDC, Biointensive Gardening, Edible Weeds, Rocket Individual grafting tuition available, (03) 5331 3110, [email protected] Stoves, www.veryediblegardens.com, 0409 551 539, www.chestnutfarm.net.au, [email protected] PERMACULTURE TOOLS, Indooroopilly, [email protected] Permaculture earthworks. Hand tool courses, CULTIVATING COMMUNITY, Richmond, Food Waste WA www.permaculturetools.com.au, Avoidance & Recycling (composting, worm farms AHAM VRITTI HERBAL, Perth, PDC, [email protected] & bokashi), www.cultivatingcommunity.org.au, OrganicGardening, Creative Facilitation, ROBIN CLAYFIELD AND FRIENDS, Maleny, (03) 9429 3084, [email protected] www.ahamvrittiherbal.com.au, 0406 449 369, Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning, Creative [email protected] DELICIOUSLY INSPIRING GARDENS (DIG), Geelong, Community Governance & Decision-Making, Organic Gardening & Farming, Livestock, Chickens, CANDLELIGHT FARM, Perth, PDC, APT, Permaculture Meets Creative Design, Permaculture, Soil, www.facebook.com/pages/Deliciously- www.cfpermaculture.com.au, (08) 92951933, Deep Ecology & Earthcare Design, Earth Healing Inspiring-Gardens, 0423 150 448 [email protected] and Nurturing, www.dynamicgroups.com.au, (07) 5494 4707, [email protected] ELTHAM WORMS, Melbourne, Composting FAIR HARVEST, Margaret River, PDC, Beekeeping, & Worm Farming, www.elthamworms.com.au, Cheesemaking, Introduction to Permaculture, SAVOUR SOIL PERMACULTURE, Laidley, PDC, Intro (04) 1931 0003, [email protected] www.fairharvest.com.au/, (08) 9758 8582, to Permaculture, Beekeeping, Backyard Aquaponics [email protected] and Bioponics, Food Forest, Intro to Forest EMPOWER, Melbourne, Creating & Maintaining Gardening, Regenerative Design, Small Space Gardens, www.facebook.com/ MERRI BEE ORGANIC FARMACY, Nannup, [email protected] events/1431512460484444, 0401 822 915, Nourishing Soil, regenerating topsoil for a safe [email protected] climate, www.facebook.com/merribeenannup, SEED INTERNATIONAL, Harper Creek, 0478 602 545, [email protected] Morag Gamble, Our Permaculture Life: Hands HOLMGREN DESIGN, Hepburn, PDC at Yoga On Permaculture, Intro to Permaculture Design, Ashram, Permaculture Forestry, Advanced Design PERMASEED, Bunbury, PDC, Intro to Permaculture, Permaculture Life Workshops, Gardening with Kids Principles, holmgren.com.au, (03) 5348 3636, Aquaponics, Wicking Beds, www.facebook.com/ www.our-permaculture-life.blogspot.com [email protected] peppalucisediblelandscapes, 0427 456 699, (07) 5494 4833, [email protected] [email protected] SA KINGLAKE RANGES PERMACULTURE, Kinglake, Seed Saving, Propagation, Managing a Garden, TERRA PERMA DESIGN, Perth, PDC, Soil, Edible FOOD FOREST, Gawler, PDC, Bushfoods, Mushrooms, Bees, Livestock, 0430 637 748, Weeds, Food Forests, Watering & Irrigation, Chooks, Preserving, Natural Building, Fruit & Nut Growing, [email protected]; [email protected] Nutrient Cycling, www.terraperma.com.au, www.foodforest.com.au, (08) 8522 6450, 0466 633 275 , [email protected] [email protected] LANEWAY LEARNING MELBOURNE, Melbourne, TAS Gardening & Sustainability, lanewaylearning.com, GAIA’S GARDEN, Bracknell, [email protected] ONLINE Permaculture courses, sewing skills to repurpose GEOFF LAWTON, PDC, www.geofflawton.com, and repair clothing and any fabric items, MILKWOOD, NSW & VIC (02) 6688 6578 0412 298 286., [email protected] PDC, Intro to Permaculture, Organic Gardening, PERMACULTURE VISIONS, PDC, Market Gardening, Natural Beekeeping, Mushroom www.permaculturevisions.com, GOOD LIFE PERMACULTURE, Hobart, Cultivation, Natural Building and more, Permaculture Design Courses. Small- (02) 4228 5774, [email protected], www.milkwood.net, (02) 5300 4473, hello@ [email protected] Scale Beekeeping, Growing Food, milkwood.net 89 Fermentation Fest, Introduction to Permaculture. www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au, 0418 307 294 NORTHERN MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TAFE, SPIRAL GARDEN, Hobart, Seedlings Permaculture [email protected] Epping, Information on Organic Agriculture, for Families e-course, spiralgarden.com.au, infohub.ifoam.bio/en/node, (03) 9269 1042, 0401 438 668, [email protected] RESEED, Penguin, Various courses, [email protected] www. permaculturetas.org/main/locations/reseed- centre, [email protected] VIC PHARMCO PTY LTD, Perth, Intro to Beekeeping, THE PRACTICAL BEEKEEPER, Thornbury, 0412 136 945, [email protected] BEEKEEPING History of Beekeeping, Getting Started with ACT a New Hive, Extracting Honey, www. thepracticalbeekeeper.com.au, 0418 863 884, NATURAL BUILDING BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION OF THE ACT – CIT, [email protected] NSW SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE, Bruce, Backyard AREC, Bombira, Sustainable Building, Beekeeping, www.actbeekeepers.asn.au, VICHONEY, Upper Beaconsfield, Beekeeping, http:// arec.com.au, (02) 6372 3899, [email protected] (02) 6282 8112, [email protected] organichoney.melbourne, [email protected] NSW EARTH BUILDING SOLUTIONS, St Georges BEEKEEPING NATURALLY, Bermagui, Natural Basin, Building with Mudbricks, Making Mudbricks, J BEEKEEPING SCHOOL, Diggers Rest, Beekeeping, www.beekeepingnaturally.com.au, Wood-fired Earth Pizza/Bread Ovens, Beekeeping, www.jbeekeeping.org.au, [email protected] 0408 425 855, [email protected] www.earthbuildingsolutions.com.au, MILKWOOD PERMACULTURE, Sydney, [email protected] AMAZING BEES, The Basin, One-on-one Natural Beekeeping, www.milkwood.net, Coaching, www.amazingbees.com.au, 0414 558 (02) 5300 4473, [email protected] LAGUNA EARTH HOUSE, Laguna, Earth/Straw 400, [email protected] Building, www.facebook.com/lagunaearthhouse, NATURAL BEEKEEPING AUSTRALIA, Sydney & (02) 4998 8072, [email protected] BEC’S BEE HIVE, Kallista & Flemington, various Mudgee, Natural Beekeeping (in conjunction with beekeeping workshops, mentoring, supplies STRAWTEC, Jervis Bay, Straw Bale Construction, Milkwood Farm), www.naturalbeekeeping.com.au, & field days www.becsbeehive.com.au, www.strawtec.com.au, 0408 415 806, [email protected] 0409 850 735, [email protected] [email protected] SAGE PROJECT, Moruya, Beekeeping SA & Hive Building, www.sageproject.org.au, BESWICK BEES, Ringwood East, Beekeeping, AGARI NATURAL BUILDERS, Adelaide 0439 032 038, [email protected] beswickbees.com.au, (04) 3305 3358, [email protected] 3 week straw bale round house with recipricol roof, SYDNEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, www.agarifarm.org, 0434 169 349 Sydney, Beekeeping for Beginners, www. CENTRE FOR ADULT EDUCATION, Melbourne, [email protected] sydneycommunitycollege.com.au, (02) 8752 7555, A Year in the Garden: Backyard Beekeeping, www. [email protected] cae.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx, (03) 9652 0611, FOOD FOREST, Gawler, PDC, Organic Vegetables [email protected] and Poultry, Preserving, Natural Building, Fruit & THE URBAN BEEKEEPING, Sydney, Beekeeping, Nut Growing. www.foodforest.com.au, (08) 8522 www.theurbanbeehive.com.au, 0411 191 232, KINGLAKE RANGES PERMACULTURE, Kinglake, 6450, [email protected] [email protected] Bees, 0430 637 748, [email protected], [email protected] VIC QLD MELBOURNE CITY ROOFTOP HONEY, AGARI NATURAL BUILDERS, Mornington SAVOUR SOIL PERMACULTURE, Laidley, Beekeeping, hosting, courses, mentoring & tours peninsula, 1 week straw bale wall raising The Art of Balanced Beekeeping, www. www.rooftophoney.com.au www.agarifarm.org, 0434 169 349 savoursoilpermaculture.com.au, (07) 5465 1399, [email protected] [email protected] PERM-APICULTURE BEEKEEPING GROUP, Melbourne, Natural Beekeeping courses, THE STRAW BALE HOUSES, Axedale, SUGARBAG, Brisbane, Sugarbag Beekeeping, www.naturalbeekeeping.org.au, How to Build a Straw Bale House, Stingless Bees, www.sugarbag.net, 04 3441 6053, [email protected] www.straw-bale-houses.com, 0428 246 868, [email protected] [email protected]

TREAD LIGHTLY PERMACULTURE, Dunnstown, THE WALLABY’S ROCK GARDEN, Garvoc, TAS Beekeeping, treadlightlypermaculture.com.au, Natural Building, Appropriate Technology, GOOD LIFE PERMACULTURE, South Hobart, 0400 261 233, www.wallabygarden.com.au, Small-scale Beekeeping, [email protected] [email protected] www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au, 0418 307 294, [email protected] WA AUSTRALIA WIDE FAIR HARVEST, Margaret River, Beekeeping, MUDMOB, Natural Building, Cob Building www.fairharvest.com.au, (08) 9758 8582, for Animal Shelters, www.mudmob.net, [email protected] [email protected]

Permaculture Australia membership brings you… B a subscription to Pip magazine Join us at … B website promotion for your permaculture business or organisation and for your Permaculture courses, workshops and events B public representation for Australia permaculture

y — big flowers, big ideas. ©Russ Graysony — big flowers, pacific-edge.info big ideas. ©Russ B an opportunity to share your knowledge and know-how. 90 Photo: EmilyPhoto: Gra

Support permaculture’s community development Acquire know-how through Learn and inspire by donating to Permafund Accredited Permaculture Training™ through our website and social network permacultureaustralia.org.au/permafund/ permacultureaustralia.org.au/apt/ permacultureaustralia.org.au Morag Gamble

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GROWING THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY Southern Harvest Education series

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PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE, • Beginner Workshops • Bee related products APRIL 2017, SA. Join David Holmgren (co-originator of Permaculture), Annemarie and • Field Days • Bee friendly advice Graham Brookman and guest presenters at the Food Forest, Gawler, SA for this intensive, life-changing internationally-recognised course. • Mentoring Programs • Hive fresh Honey – Design sustainable homes, gardens, farms, businesses and communities – Visit brilliantly designed properties and businesses • Beekeeping Supplies • And more… – Undertake a major design project to test and sharpen your design skills

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• Certificate III in Permaculture (AHC33816) permaculture design courses • Certificate IV in Permaculture (AHC42116) teacher training courses - Austudy approved - NSW Government subsidised places available earthwork courses - Limited places - call to see if you are eligible open days and consultancies with John Champagne for more info call 02 6684 3374 www. pe rm ac ult ur ed esi g n.co m. au ( 02) 6 4 92 7 30 6 www.byroncollege.org.au

Permaculture Courses with Beck Lowe

NOOSA FOREST RETREAT COMMUNITY -‐ Permaculture Design Courses: SUNSHINE COAST QLD Residen;al Ashram PDC with David Holmgren Castlemaine Community House PDC Residential PDC 28 July to 8 Aug $1295 …and guest roles on other PDCs $200 early bird & student saving www.permaculturecoursequeensland.com.au -‐ Na;onally Accredited Permaculture Training (including RPL) also online course www.permacultureonline.com.au -‐ Permaculture short courses tailored to your group from $15 wk becklowe.com.au [email protected] 0409 661311

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Earth homes sit beautifully within permaculture gardens and philosophy. We can help you achieve your dream of building a safe, healthy, comfortable, desirable and affordable home in any climate using a range of earth building techniques and integrating other appropriate, renewable and sustainable technologies. Our services include building, training and consultancy in earth building technologies. Peter has 33 years experience to share. Practical hands-on workshops to give you skills and confidence. Ph: Peter 0408425855 | [email protected] earthbuildingsolutions.com.au

Fair Harvest Permaculture in Margaret River offers a two week live- in Permaculture Design Certificate with some of WA’s foremost permaculture trainers

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dents from all over the world on a growing permaculture farm in ‘DYNAMIC GROUPS, DYNAMIC LEARNING’ South India in October & November 2017: WITH ROBIN CLAYFIELD - 100+ hour, extended PDC with hands-on sessions, a real-life group 16th – 21st October 2017 at Crystal Waters Permaculture Eco-Village. design project and an elective specialty subject – social permaculture, urban permaculture, agriculture or water & earthworks. Celebrating over 24 years of Training Permaculture Teachers Globally - One-week Teacher Training to expand your abilities to become a more Fully catered, 6 day residential. Only one in Australia this year. versatile, engaging and effective permaculture educator. Many leading Permaculture Teachers have trained with Robin and incorporate ‘Dynamic Groups’ skills into their courses. www.ipcindia2017.org [email protected] | www.dynamicgroups.com.au

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SUBSCRIBE YOURSELF OR A FRIEND AND GO INTO THE DRAW TO WIN A $100 VOUCHER FOR THE PIP STORE AND CHOOSE FROM OUR GREAT RANGE OF PRODUCTS. 95 BOOK REVIEWS P = available in the Pip Shop PERMACULTURE MARKET GARDENER: THE URBAN FARMER: How to Create a A Visual Guide to a Profitable Productive Garden in Any Space P Whole-Systems Farm Business by Justin Calverley & CERES (ABC Books 2017) by Zach Loeks (New Society Publish- Review by Robyn Rosenfeldt ers 2017) Review by Robyn Rosenfeldt The guide for anyone who dreams This book is a guide to profitable, of living the country life in the city. vibrant and sustainable permacul- This beautifully designed book is ture-based market gardening. Zach a collaboration by Justin Calverley Loeks is an educator, designer, con- (formerly of RRR radio show Dirty sultant and farmer from Canada who Deeds) and CERES Community Environment Park in Mel- says that we must balance the mimicry of natural systems with bourne. It is a complete guide to creating your own urban the practice of profit. backyard farm. You won’t find plant charts and guides here. This book takes Justin advocates observing and following nature’s cycles a step back and looks at the farm as a whole ecosystem of and patterns as the best way to a sustainable and produc- people, soils, animals, plants and customers. tive garden. He covers everything you need to know from With chapters on farm ecosystems, whole farm mapping, soils, compost, planting guides, pests, diseases, weeds, bees, holistic planning and design management, Loeks focuses on worms and much more. The information is clear, in-depth planning and design. He also explains in detail his own perm- and accompanied by great photos. Most importantly, Justin abed system and how it works. follows organic and permaculture principles. This book is about how to apply permaculture to growing For anyone wanting to set up their own productive backyard on a commercial scale, because Loeks believes ‘neither the garden, this is a great book to help get you started. Available monoculture farm (a sparse business-as-usual approach) nor in the Pip Shop. the hippie farm (an inefficient/disorganised abundance) will suffice’. THE OLDEST FOODS ON EARTH: A History of VITAMIN N: The Essential Guide to a Australian Native Foods with Recipes P by John Newton (NewSouth 2016) Nature-Rich Life Review by Elizabeth Walton by Richard Louv (Atlantic Books 2016) In his latest publication, John Newton says Review by Robyn Rosenfeldt that encouraging people to cook with Aus- tralian Indigenous food is one thing; break- Richard Louv coined the term ‘nature ing down the barrier between mainstream deficit disorder’ in his book Last Child diets and what we label native food is al- in the Woods (Algonquin Books of Chap- together something else. el Hill, 2008). Louv’s work outlines the To truly embrace Indigenous food, John benefits of a strong nature connection says we must simply call it ‘food’ and normalise its place at our for a child’s healthy physical and emo- table. When we don’t, we are maintaining a cultural barrier. tional development. Newton argues that it’s time to embrace ‘the unique flora and Vitamin N is the follow-up book where he shares practical fauna that nourished the Aboriginal peoples of this land for over ideas about how to get kids more connected with nature. There 50,000 years’. are 500 activities and ideas about how to get you and your kids The book explores how this shift could reposition delicacies out into nature, whether it be for a full-day hike or just simple presently regarded as pest species as marketable opportunities. ways to incorporate vitamin N into your day. He compares this to when blueberries were repositioned from There are ideas for toddlers, primary-aged kids, tweens, what was seen as a problem to being reinvented as a superfood, 96 teens, whole families and even the community as a whole. Newton says. This could happen in Australia with the test re- These ideas include nature writing, games, gardening, creating lease of 4000 magpie geese onto the commercial food market wild spaces and much more. – birds which would usually be eradicated. This book is a great resource for parents, teachers, grand- The book’s recipes integrate the message by celebrating in- parents and anyone who has a desire to help their children get gredients such as indigenous geese and plums as culinary in touch with nature. delights. THE PIP BOOK SHOP

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