AUSTRALIAN PERMACULTURE

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Mail this coupon to Expiry Signature ______The Diggers Club, Code: PPIP PO Box 300, Dromana, VIC 3936 Phone: 03 5984 7900 Email: [email protected] 3 easy ways to join! Call 03 5984 7900, visit or use the coupon! CONTENTS REGULARS: 6. PERMACULTURE AROUND THE WORLD by Morag Gamble 8. PIP PICKS 10. NOTICEBOARD 12. LETTERS TO PIP: TABITHA’S TIPS FOR HEALTHY, HAPPY CHICKENS by Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins 14. PERMACULTURE PLANT: YARROW by Morag Gamble 15. PERMACULTURE ANIMAL: JAPANESE QUAIL by Kat Lavers 16. EAT YOUR WEEDS: WILD FENNEL by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman 17. SAVE YOUR SEEDS: CORIANDER by Jude and Michel Fanton 22 18. IN THE GARDEN: March–June 84: KIDS’ PATCH FEATURES: 86: COLOURING IN 88. COURSE PROVIDERS DIRECTORY 22. A TRIBUTE TO BILL MOLLISON by Ian Lillington 96. BOOK REVIEWS 26: BACKYARD CHICKEN HEALTH by Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins 29: CHOOSE YOUR CHOOK: YOUR GUIDE TO BACKYARD CHICKEN BREEDS by Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins 30: RAISING MEAT CHICKENS by Annie Werner 34: BACKYARD POULTRY BREEDING by Fleur Baker MEET THE PEEPS: 38: RARE TRADES: IN AN AGE OF MASS PRODUCTION THESE MAKERS ARE KEEPING THESE DYING ARTS ALIVE by Robyn Rosenfeldt GROW: 2 44: GROWING GARLIC FOR YEAR- ROUND SUPPLY by Helen Lynch 30 BUILD: 48: ABDALLAH HOUSE by Richard Telford EAT: 52: PICKLING THE HARVEST by Matt and Lentil Purbrick THRIVE: 56: FEATHER AND BONE by Laura Darymple NURTURE: 38 58: VEGAN PERMACULTURE by Amanda Volpatti 44 52 68

TECHNOLOGY: 72: THE LOWDOWN ON ELECTRIC: ARE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THE ANSWER? by Robyn Rosenfeldt DESIGN: PERMACULTURE AID: 75: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A 60: SAUVETERRE PERMACULTURE PERMACULTURE AID WORKER? by Jed Walker by Ben Buggy MAKE: RECIPES: 78: NUKAZUKE: JAPANESE FERMENTING 64: NATURAL DYEING: COLOURS FROM by Hiromi Yuasa NATURE by Maude Farrugia CONNECT: PARENTING: 3 68: FAIR HARVEST PERMACULTURE 80: NATURAL LEARNING & HOMESCHOOLING by Robyn Rosenfeldt by Emily Stokes CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher / Editor / Art Director: Robyn Rosenfeldt Design and Illustration: Grace West, North South Grace West KAT LAVERS Sub Editor: Bernadette O’Leary Kat Lavers is a passionate gardener, Social Media, Marketing and Events Manager: Maude Farrugia permaculture designer and trainer. Her Advertising: Aliza Levy Cover Art: Katherine Wheeler award-winning house and garden, The Shop Manager and Admin: Felicie Vachon Plummery, is a 1/14th acre urban per- Editorial enquiries email: [email protected] maculture system that produces almost Advertising enquiries: [email protected] / (02) all the vegies, herbs, fruit and eggs 6100 4606 or download our media kit at pipmagazine.com.au/ consumed (more than 350kg in 2016!), advertising as well as recycling all organic waste on Directory listings and classižeds enquiries: hello@pipmagazine. com.au site. Kat is a volunteer coordinator of Permablitz Melbourne, Submissions: We would love to hear from you if you have ideas currently manages the My Smart Garden sustainable gardening for articles. Send through a pitch before you write it. robyn@ education program for Hobsons Bay City Council, and is a sought - pipmagazine.com.au after freelance presenter. http://www.instagram.com/kat.lavers Stockist enquiries: If you would like to stock Pip contact hello@ pipmagazine.com.au Contributors: Morag Gamble, Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins, Kat Lavers, Patrick Jones, Jude and Michel Fanton, IanLillington, Annie Werner, Fleur TABITHA BILANIWSKYJZARINS Baker, Robyn Rosenfeldt, Helen Lynch, Richard Telford, Matt and Tabitha is a horticulturist with a pas- Lentil Purbrick, Jed Walker, Maude Farrugia, Laura Dalrymple, sion for botany, chickens & wool. Amanda Volpatti, Hiromi Yuasa, Emily Stokes, Megan Forward, Tabitha has bred, shown and judged Jesse Forward, Ruby Woodger Rosenfeldt, Sydney Miller, Kirsten Bradley, Peter McCoy. poultry for nearly forty years. She runs sixty geese and eighty-odd chickens in Photographers and illustrators: Kat Lavers, Patrick Jones, Jamie, Christina Giudici, Maude Farrugia, her permaculture garden, her ‘farmy Emma Lupin, Trish Allen, Russ Grayson, Robyn Francis, Martin army’. She lives on a mixed small Bridge, David Holmgren, Fleur Baker, Amy Russell, Ješ Donne, Eu- farm in Candelo NSW where she runs genia Neave, Marnie Hawson, Michelle Troop, Jann Lane, Richard Telford, Erika Hildegard, Alan Benson, Extraordinary Pork, Laura a small wool business that provides Dalrymple, Robyn Rosenfeldt, Hiromi Yuasa, Emily Stokes, April wool products from rescued sheep to Sampson Kelly, Megan Forward, Katherine Wheeler.

felters, spinners and artisans. Tabitha custom designs tailored Pip Magazine is printed in Australia, by Printgraphics on FSC paper clothing from her own felted fabrics and hand-spun yarns. and printed with vegetable inks. Visit her at www.tabandyfarm.com or see her on River Cot- tage Australia. She loves writing for Pip.

Pip magazine is a published independently by Robyn Rosenfeldt. BEN BUGGY PO Box 172 Pambula, NSW, 2549. Ben studied his PDC in 2012, and com- ABN: 14 513061 540 pleted the Diploma in Permaculture Design in 2013. He came to permacul- Copyright: Pip Magazine is subject to copyright in its entirety. The content may not be reproduced in any form without the permission ture during his experiences WWOOF- of the publisher and authors. Views expressed by the authors are ing on small farms around Australia. not necessarily those of the publisher. To the extent permitted by While studying in Melbourne he lived law, the publisher disclaims any liability whatsoever in relation to advice, representation, statement, conclusion or opinion expressed at the Murundaka Cohousing Commu- in Pip Magazine. nity and helped to develop their shared food gardens. He also worked with Transition 3081 (a Transition Towns group in Melbourne) codeveloping their 4 strategic plan. Since 2013 he has lived in the Bega Valley, developing his farm and teaching permaculture. EDITORIAL

We as humans have included they were worshipped and often they were used as oracles chickens as part of house- and omens in times of war. hold life for thousands of Now days chickens are still found in households across years. The earliest evidence the world, scratching the dirt, eating bugs and supplying the of domestication is believed household with eggs and sometimes meat. And what good to date back to 5400BCE in permaculture system doesn’t have a few chickens clucking China and evidence has been about in it? found dating back thousands In this issue we’ve brought you the lowdown on some of the of years across the world, in basics of chicken care: from keeping them healthy, to breed- Iran, Pakistan, India, Africa, ing them and growing them for meat. I’ve invited ‘eggsperts’ North and South America. to share their knowledge about all things clucky. We also have All chickens have descend- an article on vegan permaculture where chickens are in the ed from the red jungle fowl system but not used for their produce. We also look at alter- of South-East Asia and from natives to chickens for small spaces with the Japanese Quail. there have been traded and Enjoy this our seventh issue of Pip magazine. We are now transported across the globe in our fourth year of publishing and we are increasing pro- and been embedded in civili- duction from two issues a year to three: March, July and No- sations throughout history. vember, so there won’t be so long to wait between reads. I Around 800BCE ancient Egyptians were arti¦cially incu- hope you enjoy this ink and paper collection of knowledge bating eggs and at the same time, Romans were experiment- and inspiration and ¦nd an opportunity to slow down and en- ing with dishes such as omelettes and stu§ed chickens and joy the read. using farming practices to fatten birds for eating. What has caused the humble chicken to be so ubiquitous Until next time, throughout time? It hasn’t always been for their meat and Robyn eggs, chickens were often held in religious esteem where

COVER ARTIST: KATHERINE WHEELER Katherine Wheeler is a Castlemaine based artist trained in gold and silversmithing and visual arts, now mainly working in pen and ink artworks, and ceramics; creating hand-built, bespoke jewel- lery, vessels and planters. Her range of one o§ pieces made in di§erent clay bodies combine the wearable, useful and beautiful. The hand painted designs and pen-and-ink drawings re«ect the subtle details, colours and patterns in the natural environment, mimicking and re«ecting the re- petitive lines and shapes found when closely examining small objects such as feathers, seedpods, leaves, coral, shells, bones. www.instagram.com/katherinearts

5 PERMACULTURE AROUND THE WORLD by Morag Gamble Photos courtesy of projects www.our-permaculture-life.blogspot.com

GOURMET FARMS ON CITY STREETS Sole Food Street Farms, Vancouver Canada http://solefoodfarms.com In one of the worst slums in North America, Sole Food Street Farms is showing how growing food and connecting people to land and community provides a pathway to recovery – nourishing others as a way to heal our world and ourselves. Sole Food Street Farms has been growing in Vancouver for over seven years. The project, led by the Cultivate Canada Society, is an- other initiative of pioneering urban agriculturalist, Michael Ableman who recently released a book about it called Street Farm: Growing Food, Jobs, and Hope on the Urban Frontier. He has also written a great 15-point urban food manifesto. These street farms are growing vast quantities of artisanal organ- ic food right in the middle of the city. The produce is sold at local markets, restaurants and shops. On a series of sites, they’ve trans- formed vacant and contaminated land to become North America’s biggest urban farm project. A key is that they are not just creating jobs and new skills, but meaning and empowerment for many people managing addition and chronic mental health problems. The primary goal is to provide meaningful employment for peo- ple who have limited resources or employment opportunities, using credible models of urban agriculture. Sole Food Street Farms is sustainable, organic, local, ethical, incredibly healing, and top chefs are proudly serving its food.

PERMACULTURE FOR HOMESCHOOLERS, TEENS & TOTS Fairview Gardens, California USA www.fairviewgardens.org

Fairview Gardens, established by Michael Ableman in 1997, is an amazing hub of urban permaculture education and engagement – ¦ve hectare edible oasis on some of the best soil in California. This diverse community farm, surrounded by vast suburban developments, is a remnant – a reminder of how orchard groves used to stretch as far as the eye could see. Run amongst these orchards and gardens are a range of programs for urban youth – to connect with food and nature. There are teenage permaculture ap- prenticeships, homeschool permaculture classes, college internships, preschool groups, summer camps and after-school activities in addition to the community volunteer programs. This last little piece of farm is protected by a land trust and has become a highly valued community space – a productive food hub and nature play haven in the heart of a denatured landscape. It too was almost lost under a sea of roofs, but was saved by a very public campaign. The abundance of fruits and vegetables 6 from Fairview Gardens is sold through a farm gate store, farmers markets and directly to chefs. The farm is of course open to visitors. ENCOURAGING YOUNG FAMILIES TO STAY IN NEPAL Mountain View Eco Farm, Pokhara Valley, Nepal www.mvef.org.npv Mountain View Eco Farm was started by Govinda Bedraj and his young family. After witnessing his generation leaving Nepal to ¦nd work abroad he decided he want- ed to demonstrate to the young Nepalese that there is a future for them in Nepal, which involves natural living, PERMACULTURE DRYLAND natural building and permaculture. They are establishing their edible landscape and ed- FARMING INTERNSHIPS ucation centre, for school groups to reconnect young Aranya Permaculture Farm, Telangana, India people with their food, and promote sustainable agricul- www.permacultureindia.org, www.facebook.com/Ara- ture as a valuable career path. They will also work with nyaAgriculturalAlternatives, www.livingecology.org famers to help them transition back away from chemical dependence. These little eco-farms are becoming an in- valuable part of local economic resilience and the Nepali Ministry of Agriculture recognises the bene¦ts on local economies, communities and cross-cultural exchanges.

Aranya Permaculture Farm is leading example of practical permaculture in India led by one of the country’s permaculture pioneers, Narsanna Kop- pula. The vision is to show village farmers, with under a hectare how to eat a healthy diet of cereals, oil seed, pulses, vegetables, fruits and nuts as well as generate money without using chemicals or irrigation. Aranya is a mature, four-and-a-half hectare, dryland food forest that has never been irrigated. It focuses instead on improving the soil, manag- ing water «ows and storing water in the soil. It demonstrates how small farms focused on feeding the soil and diversi¦cation can generate both food for their families and income too. You can volunteer with this organisation for a minimum of three months or join the four-month internship program and help create permacul- ture demonstration farms and sites in local villages throughout rural India under the mentorship of an amazing Indian permaculture elder, gaining practical skills and actually contributing to local community.

PERMACULTURE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SAE LAO Project, Vang Vieng, Laos. http://www.saelaoproject.com SAE LAO is an award-winning (Energy Globe Awards 2015) not-for-pro¦t project working to demonstrate low-impact, holistic and sustainable living, using appropriate transferable technologies and strategies. The project is developing permaculture gardens; natural buildings; biogas digesters; water harvesting and ¦ltering; and more. Already, because of the active involvement of the local community, the ideas are rippling out to nearby villages. SAE LAO founder, Sengkeo Frichitthavong grew up in this valley. He was a teenager when his family «ed to Canada 7 for twelve years as refugees. On returning home, he hardly recognised the area – it had been decimated by forest de- struction, pollution and rapid tourism development. Sengkeo has come back to Laos to work with the local community, protect the local culture and environment, and ¦nd more sustainable ways of living and development that ¦t in this culture and context. Volunteers are welcome. PIP PICKS

TUMUT MILLET BROOMS Handmade millet brooms have been made at the Tumut Broom Factory, the same way, since 1946. All brooms are handmade at the factory, using 100% millet and quality Tasmanian oak handles. These brooms are hard-wearing and will last. TESLA POWERWALL 2 Visit the factory and see how the brooms are made. The next generation of Tesla’s home battery sys- Buy at the factory – see www.tumutbroomfactory. tem has just become available in Australia with com – or buy online at www.shsproducts.com.au/ limited numbers available as of February 2017. tumut-broom. Prices start at $25. It has double the storage capacity and a lower cost. The Powerwall 2.0 is a complete lithium battery storage system with its own built-in in- verter and the ability to hold up to 13.5kWh of energy. Power output is 7kW peak and 5kW con- tinuous. It can be installed in an o§-grid or grid-con- nected solar system and provide backup power in the case of a grid failure. You can also charge from the mains grid via lower-priced o§-peak power. You can monitor your solar electricity use from your computer or hand-held device. 10 year warranty. Priced at $8400 plus in- stallation starting at $2100. www.tesla.com/ en_AU/powerwall

8 LE SECATEUR: OPINEL’S NEW HAND PRUNER Opinel has recently added Le Secateur hand pruners to their range of quality products. The robust stainless steel blade has an optimised shape to reduce cutting force required and to give a sharp clean cut. The three-position switch allows adjustment to di§erent siz- es, to ¦t the diameter of the branches and the size of the hand. The spring mechanism protects from clogging and pinching. The secateurs have a polished wood handle, with a polyamide guard for maximum comfort. They not only cut well but are beautiful to use. See www.pipmagazine.com.au/shop/opinel-le-seca- teur-hand-pruner. $86.

UNISEX TRIBAL RINGS FROM RED PEG ECO STUDIO Made from 100% recycled sterling silver, these rings are roll printed with the dried foliage of native plants, and then hand- stamped for extra pattern and texture. They are unre¦ned and imperfect, designed to show the handcraftsmanship of the maker. Gabrielle McGrath embraces the use of ethically-sourced mama-- terials with a minimal environmental impact. She recycles, up-cycles, salvages and uses natural alternatives to chemi- cals in the cleaning, polishing and oxidising processes. All of the silver used is recycled from commercial and indus- trial enterprises. Gabrielle also melts down old scrap jew- ellery and fabricates it into usable pieces again. Buy online or visit the open studio and shop on the Far South Coast of NSW. See www.redpegecostudio.com. Ring prices range from $120–150.

MORAIGRA’S UMBRELLAS Mora-Igra umbrellas are a buy-it-once item. With the mar- ket full of cheap throwaway umbrellas made in China, it’s great to have the option to buy one that is sturdy and well made. Spend a bit more and get a quality handmade umbrella that will last. With a huge range of materials, frames and handles to choose from, each umbrella is truly unique. There is a huge range of umbrellas in stock, from sturdy all-weather, everyday umbrellas, gorgeous fashion creations and frilly lace umbrellas, to elegant men’s umbrellas. Or you can have one designed just for you. Mora-Igra’s umbrellas are available at the factory in Brendale on the north side of Brisbane, or you can order by phone or email. See the online range at 9 www.moraigraumbrellas.com.au. Prices start at $69. NOTICEBOARD

To place your event here, email [email protected]

13TH INTERNATIONAL PERMACULTURE CONVERGENCE (IPC), INDIA The next IPC will be held from 25 November to 2 De- cember 2017 in India. The Conference, on 25–26 November, will be held at Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture Uni- versity, Hyderabad. The Convergence, on 27 November to 2 December, The two invigorating days of conference will be packed will be held at Polam Farm, Medak District. with presentations and demonstrations on, and in- The theme of IPC India is ‘Towards Healthy Societ- sights into: permaculture design philosophy; regener- ies’, with six strands of activity: ation of soils; and water harvesting and management, 1. Women as agents of change and its importance in the current scenarios of water 2. Sustainable water resource management crisis, climate change mitigation and sustainable living 3. Revitalising and preserving traditional farming practices. practices The convergence is an opportunity for permaculture 4. Permaculture as a social responsibility practitioners and ecologically-conscious individuals to 5. Grassroots permaculture in action collaborate, learn, and share ways to fortify the per- 6. Permaculture and climate change adaptations maculture movement in India. Keynote speakers are: Please contact the organisers if you would like to Dr Vandana Shiva – author, scientist, environmen- deliver a presentation, abstract, demonstration or talist, social activist (India) workshop that connects to the theme or any of the six David Holmgren – co-originator of permaculture strands of the IPC. (Australia) Registration Robyn Francis – award-winning international per- Call: 040 2414 2295 or +91 850 028 1058 maculture pioneer (Australia) Write to: [email protected] Andy Goldring – Permaculture Association (UK). Or ¦nd out more at: www.ipcindia2017.org or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/IPCIndia2017

LOST TRADES FAIR, KYNETON VICTORIA Kyneton Racecourse: 10 am – 4 pm Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March. The Lost Trades Fair was born on the principle that people are fasci- nated when artisans and craftspeople demonstrate their skills and share their knowledge. Meet the makers, more than eighty traditional artisans: armourers, chair makers, coopers, blacksmiths, leatherworkers, silver- smiths and coachbuilders. Start planning a road trip to the fabulous cen- tral highlands of Victoria, and enjoy a ‘lost weekend’ at the most inspiring event you will experience in 2017. The Fair aims to inspire, to educate and to open the eyes and minds of the next generation. Visit: www.losttrades.info 10 AUSTRALASIAN PERMACULTURE CONVERGENCE (APC14) 15–19 APRIL 2018, CANBERRA, ACT

The next APC will be held in Canberra in April 2018. It will be hosted by the South East region of NSW, with permaculture related courses before and after the event and regional tours to Illawarra, Bega Valley and Canberra and surrounds. INTERNATIONAL PERMACULTURE DAY, 7 MAY 2017 Location and further details are to be an- International Permaculture Day is a day of celebration and action for nounced. If you would like to be involved permaculture around the world. It is a day when visitors can see these in the organisation and running of the myriad initiatives, ask questions of their developers and decide for them- convergence, please email apcfourteen@ selves whether the permaculture design system has relevance to the gmail.com challenges we face and to creating communities that are resilient in the face of undesirable and unforeseeable impacts. Now in its 7th year, International Permaculture Day has grown rapidly from its roots as a local Australian initiative to a global day of permacul- ture celebrated in over 35 countries. Why not experience permaculture on the ground with practitioners? It is a chance to visit homes, gardens and farms, or go along to ¦lm screen- ings, workshops, permablitzes (garden makeovers) and much more. To nd out more or register an event in your area go to www.per- macultureday.org

PERMACULTURE AUSTRALIA †PA‡ activities and events to mark

30-year anniversary! As part of the Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne from 10–12 February, Permacul- ture Australia is having a stall at the Green Market along the river bank walk at Birrarung Marr http://www.slf.org.au/green-market/ We ST ERTH APPLE FESTIVAL 8›9 APRIL will be there in conjunction with Permaculture Meet the Pommes and indulge at the Hidden Garden of St Erth, Victoria and look forward to having a chat with taste, sip, enjoy! Wander the heritage fruit orchard, be inspired by you about how to inspire permaculture all over espalier, taste the best of heritage fruit and learn to produce your Australia. own organic produce. Take inspiration from the food forest and dine on food and fruit that has only travelled a few meters in the Fork to Fork Café PERMACULTURE AUSTRALIA Address: 189 Simmons Reef Rd, Blackwood Contact number: 03 5368 6514 GATHERING & AGM 13›14 MAY Adult entry price: Diggers Club Members and under 16yo free. Sat 13: Permaculture Fair + evening dinner Visitors $10. Sun 14: AGM and PA Visioning workshop Join us for 2 days of workshops, networking, 11 information sharing and 2017 PA AGM Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of PIL/PA Venue: Djanbung Gardens, Nimbin NSW Details www.permacultureaustralia.org.au LETTERS TO PIP TABITHA’S TIPS FOR HEALTHY, HAPPY CHICKENS

Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins answers readers questions about all things poultry.

My frizzle Harriet was unwell (scaly leg mite) which is now BEHAVIOUR under control but her ‘cheeks’ are still a little pale. Is there any What’s the best – and gentlest – way to show a cocky rooster particular vegie or something else I could feed her to help build who’s boss (and work my way back up the pecking order)? her system back up again? [tashmohring] [sophmg] A chicken’s omb and wattles should be bright red; if they are Cockerels (under twelve months) and young roosters are like pale then this can be a sign of anaemia, lack of oxygen in teenagers: full of testosterone, and primed to take on rivals. the blood, or dehydration. The comb may also appear dull There is sometimes heightened aggression at breeding time, and discoloured. The comb and wattles, where the blood is which can be anytime the female chooses to brood. From two cooled, are a good indication something’s wrong. Seek vet- years and older roosters will generally settle down and can erinary advice immediately if Harriet has stopped eating or provide valuable comfort and protection to the hens. drinking. If your rooster is an older bird and aggressive towards you, Anaemia can be caused by parasites such as red mite, lice that can be an undesirable genetic trait and there is nothing or worms. Lack of oxygen in the blood can be caused by a you can do to train him out of it. Always buy from a reputable respiratory disease. Check for parasites, and if evident treat breeder or, if breeding, choose birds without this behaviour. accordingly. Clean out housing and refresh with clean, dry Choose breeds known to be gentle and quiet. bedding. Wormwood is great for preventing parasites in nest- If you would like to persevere with your cocky rooster, re- ing boxes, and chickens may browse on it to self-medicate. move him at breeding time (or at irregular intervals) from Give your hens fresh water with a dilute solution of garlic your girls, and keep him isolated until it’s over. Move slowly and cider vinegar (one millilitre each day) or add it to feed. and con¦dently around him when feeding and watering. Han- Cider vinegar helps boost the immune system, and garlic is a dling him often will also help quieten him down. If he’s exert- good antibiotic. Together these are a good external parasite ing his dominance over other roosters (e.g. attacking, pulling deterrent; and chickens can be bathed in a warm bath with a out their feathers) you might need to rehome them. little of each added. Free ranging, dust bathing and sunshine are a fabulous nat- What is the best way to snap a broody chook out of her broodi- ural tonic also. ness? [justsomegardening] Broodiness is a trait that some chickens are bred for (e.g. How do we get rid of stickfast fleas? [Avril Cox] Silkies), and it can be more apparent in certain individuals. Stickfast «eas are slightly smaller than regular «eas, and Basically it has to run its course. brownish in colour. They stick fast to the skin around the A natural cycle for chickens is to lay eggs over a period eyes, face and feathers. They reproduce quickly, the larvae until a nest of eggs is obtained. Then their body temperature hatch then burrow into the soil until they emerge 100 days increases and they begin to sit on the eggs; incubation of each later. They are seen more in warmer months, but can be egg begins at the same time. Broody hens are hypnotised present all year round. They can cause serious blood loss in blobs of feathers, very reluctant to go anywhere. Be prepared chickens, and death. for broodiness to last for at least incubation time, or longer – A preventative measure is to concrete the poultry house depending on her breed. «oor. This breaks the life cycle (larvae can’t burrow into the To prevent broodiness: collect eggs daily and keep hens ac- soil beneath) and numbers will be greatly reduced or eradi- tive; at the ¦rst sign of broodiness, remove the nest or lock cated. Or use deep-litter «ooring, with a layer of eucalyptus her out of the nesting area, and encourage her to participate and tea tree mulch changed regularly. in her daily routine. If she starts to become broody while other Control adult «eas with an application of petroleum jelly, to hens are laying there will be nothing to stop her from sitting. su§ocate the «eas. Treat outbreaks with a registered poul- Or choose breeds with less broody traits, such as Leghorns. 12 try spray (e.g. Maldison, from your veterinarian, or pet/pro- duce store) on housing and perches, and/or dusts (applied to birds). You may have to repeat treatments. Quarantine new birds to avoid re-introducing parasites. Why do some chooks pluck or lose feathers below their neck/ chest area? [Miranda Jean Elizabeth] Feather loss can be factor of stress (e.g. not having enough room, food or water) or normal. Self-plucking may mean external parasites (e.g. lice or mites). Clean out housing and replace with fresh bedding. Fresh wormwood is a good natural pest repellent, or spray perches with a solution of garlic and cider vinegar in water. Allow chickens to dust bathe and sun bake. Broody hens may self-pluck to line their nest. Chickens moult at regular times, mostly at end of summer; a natural process, where old feathers are replaced by new, Do you need to protect baby chicks from the other hens or rooster and bald spots are common. Moulting starts at the head and in the flock when they hatch? [sarahj99] neck, and continues down the body through to the wings, That depends on your hen and how much handling she’s had, thighs and tail. Chickens are cannibals – so plucking out and your «ock, and how protective your rooster is. It can be a good eating blood-¦lled new quills is tempting – make sure there idea to set her up in a safe place once she starts to sit on her is plenty of food, fresh water and room to move. eggs, because it’s much harder to move her once the chickens have hatched. She may not like being moved – and leave the BREEDS nest – so design your pen and nesting area carefully. We want to start keeping chickens, and feel strongly about Leaving hens with chickens with the rest of the «ock is heritage breeds. What breed(s) would you recommend for great for socialising the chickens, and your hen will feel more first-timers? [thewitchofhedgerowcottage] relaxed and con¦dent, particularly a ¦rst-time mum. And ex- There are many beautiful, practical, bred for purpose, and perienced, successful mother hens left with others will teach exotic heritage breeds to choose from. Attending a local agri- younger hens how to be mothers. cultural or poultry club show will provide an excellent oppor- As soon as chickens hatch provide shallow water contain- tunity to view a grand selection of heritage breeds, and the ers and chicken-speci¦c crumble. They will eat and drink in chance to talk to the breeders, before you choose. twenty-four to thirty-eight hours after hatching. Many heritage breeds are ¦ne for ¦rst-time owners, but do your homework on the characteristics of your preferred I have just put four guinea fowl eggs under my clucky chook. Will breed. Some questions to ask are: what am I keeping poultry they grow up as chickens or guinea fowl –when it comes time to for (eggs, meat, both)?; do I want a pretty chook, or a big/ leave the nest will they follow mama hen around or gravitate to small chook?; heavy (non-«ight) or light (can «y)? When the guinea fowls? Will the hen realise she has to sit on the eggs you see the array of heritage breeds there will be one you longer, or will nature tell her to jump off at twenty-one days? will ‘just have to have’! So learn about them before you de- [wandagar.farm] cide, and provide the appropriate housing and yards to suit Your guinea fowl (keets) will imprint on the mother that they their needs. For example, if choosing a large breed for meat hatch under: they will think they’re chickens; and the oth- and eggs, you will need housing and yards that have enough er chooks will think they are too. However, eventually they’ll space to accommodate large birds, and quality feed is ex- migrate to their own kind, and you can hasten this by putting pensive. Choosing a small laying chicken that can «y can be them with the adult guinea fowl once they can fend for them- ¦ne for free-ranging, roosting in trees around the house, but selves and are large enough. Guinea fowl are slow to mature, consider predators and the collection of eggs. so be prepared to have them living with their mother hen for Once you have chosen a breed, the next consideration is at least a year if you want to transition them naturally. genetics: make sure you buy from a reputable breeder, and The hen will usually incubate as long as required. Raise be prepared to pay for quality. (Refer to chart on page 29). your keets on turkey or game starter. OTHER I really want chickens, but we have little dog stay with us every second week. Can dogs and chicken be friends? [westiewestwest] Dogs and chickens can be friends. However, if the dog has not been exposed to chickens then a slow supervised introduction is recommended. Have doggy treats as positive rewards in your pockets when introducing the dog, on a lead; and have 13 the dog with you when you feed and handle the chickens. Do not allow unsupervised contact unless you are certain that the dog will not get excited by a feather «utter or a running chicken. Alternatively, build a dog-safe chicken yard. PERMACULTURE PLANT YARROW Words by Morag Gamble

BOTANICAL NAME: Achillea millefolium • Leaves added to bathwater can relieve menstrual cramps, ORIGIN: Native to Eurasia bring down a fever and soothe itching skin. HISTORY: Yarrow has been used since ancient times: its There are also many positive bene¦ts from adding yarrow to fossilised pollen has been found in Neanderthal burial caves your permaculture garden system: dating from 60 000 years ago. It’s named after Achilles, of • as a compost activator – add a few leaves in each layer of Greek legend, who used it on soldiers’ wounds in the Trojan the compost War. Popular as a vegetable in the 17th century. • to improve the soil – its deep roots accumulate potassium, phosphorus, and copper DESCRIPTION: Yarrow is a perennial herb of the Astera- • as a ‘chop and drop’ mulch, to build soil ceae (daisy) family. It’s a wonderfully adaptable, low-mainte- • add leaves to a no-dig garden nance, hardy and drought-tolerant edible and medicinal plant, • as a drought-hardy groundcover or living mulch to prevent that is very useful to have in any permaculture garden. It can soil erosion be grown from sea level to elevations of 3500 metres, and is • as a good cover crop under fruit trees, to help fertilise and found almost worldwide. It’s an attractive plant, with delicate enhance fruit production feathery leaves of dark green growing in thick mats, and an • as a bee and good bug attractor, to provide habitat (for lace- abundance of «at-top composite «owers, typically white, but wings, parasitoid wasps, ground beetles, spiders, ladybugs also available in many colours. It generally grows in a spread- and hover«ies) and its pungent odour repels pests ing low mound, with the «owers reaching to one metre. • to improve pasture and help prevent mineral de¦ciencies in ruminants. PERMACULTURE USES Or make a fertiliser by soaking leaves in a bucket of water for As food. Young leaves can be used as a salad green or leaf a few weeks: use one part tea to ten parts water. vegetable – cooked (as for spinach) or added to soups, om- elettes, stews and other vegetable dishes. Dried leaves can be PROPAGATION used as a culinary herb. Yarrow can be easily propagated. Divide o§ a section with some roots, and plant in a new location. In spring you can As medicine. Yarrow is a famous wound and fever herb. take stem cuttings. • Leaves can be used directly on the skin. Its most famous and ancient use is for wounds, typically as a poultice. It can CAUTIONS stop bleeding, nosebleeds, prevent infection, speed healing Some people develop a rash from touching the fresh plant. and give pain relief. It can be rubbed on skin to soothe ar- Avoid the plant: during pregnancy, because it stimulates the thritis, bruises and sprains, and reduce spider veins. uterus; or if you have an allergy to ragweed. • Both leaves and «owers can be used as a tea. It’s good for Yarrow is a common weed, and should be grown with care. colds, fevers and indigestion.

14 Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn PERMACULTURE ANIMAL JAPANESE QUAIL Words and photos by Kat Lavers

Japanese quails Coturnix japonica are an alternative in ur- • other foods, such as scraps from the kitchen, compost ban areas, where space and noise constraints may rule out worms from a worm farm, insects from the deep litter and backyard chickens. Quails will provide you with fresh, gold- garden, plus a big bunch of garden greens and weeds every en-yoked eggs from even a tiny space. You’ll also get pest day control, fertiliser and compost making services. • a dustbath – quails love to bathe, and this behaviour nat- urally inhibits lice and mites FEED AND HOUSING • grit – birds have no teeth, and swallow small stones and Housing could be a walk-in aviary or a low cage, but must shells to grind up food in their gizzard; you can provide ¦nely be completely dog, cat and fox proof. Quails prefer to simply crushed eggshells, small stones or purchased shell grit. sit on the ground at night rather than roost, and – at least in Free ranging is problematic: although quails are Melbourne’s climate – they need little special care other than ground-dwelling they will «y straight upwards – with force summer shade, and protection from wind and rain. They will – if alarmed, and could easily clear a typical fence. Moveable lay their eggs anywhere in the run so it’s an Easter-egg hunt ‘quail tractors’ or ranging in secure caged areas are great every day! options. Most ethical quail keepers cite a maximum stocking rate of ¦ve birds per square metre, though I give mine more than IN THE KITCHEN twice that. I use a deep-litter system to keep their environ- Four to ¦ve quail eggs equals one chicken egg. Quail egg scis- ment stimulating: a ¦fteen centimetre layer of carbon-rich sors are an essential tool for opening little eggs quickly! The materials (e.g. wood chips) on the base of the run. The car- taste is indistinguishable from chicken eggs, but slightly richer bon balances the nitrogen in manure, preventing smells and because of the larger yolk. eventually breaking down into a rich compost. Insects are at- tracted to deep litter, adding valuable live food to the quail’s GETTING YOUR QUAIL diet. You never need to clean out the house, except to harvest Point-of-lay quail hens cost about $7 on Gumtree or the Trad- compost for your garden, although you will need to turn it ing Post. They start laying fast – at six to ten weeks – but occasionally with a garden fork. rarely live past three years, so you’ll need a succession plan. They almost never go broody, so eggs are hatched in an in- Quail housing should also include: cubator, although some breeders have had success with a • unlimited clean, cool water – I use nipple waterers ($1 broody bantam chook foster mum. each on eBay) screwed into the base of a food grade plastic bucket For more information see www.instagram.com/kat.lavers • basic feed (e.g. chook layer pellets) – I use a homemade or contact [email protected] trigger-feeder that the quails peck to release pellets, which reduces waste and prevents rodent access

15 EAT YOUR WEEDS WILD FENNEL Words and photos by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman

Wild fennel Foeniculum vulgare also called fenkel, sweet fen- harvesting wild fennel seed in the winter months: the cane- nel, ¦nule, is a hardy, frost tolerant biennial or short-lived pe- like stems and leaves die back, and at this stage it can appear rennial in the carrot family. It originated in the Mediterranean very similar to deadly hemlock, which belongs to the same basin and has naturalised in many parts of the world. It was family. However, hemlock seeds have no smell, so use your ¦rst recorded in Australia in 1803, and is widely distributed nose and smell for the licorice-like aroma. here. Its preferred habitat is rough terrain: empty lots, beside roads and railway lines, in ¦elds, on hillsides and ocean cli§s. USES It’s particularly well-adapted to disturbed soils, which has en- The ancient Greeks called wild fennel Marathron – from mara- abled its rampant spread. ino which means to grow thin – and it is still used today to Fennel is one of the nine sacred healing plants of pre-Chris- aid slimming. The soft green stems can be peeled like celery tian Europe; one of the ‘Nine Herbs Charm’ of Anglo-Saxon and added to salads or cooked. Seeds can be used to «avour cosmology. Wild fennel is di§erent from the cultivated variety, stews, breads, soups, teas and ferments. The feathery green which has «avourless leaves but an edible, ¦brous, iron-rich leaves, chopped ¦ne, make an aromatic garnish for any sum- bulb. Wild fennel doesn’t produce a bulb, but it does produce mer meal, and can also be cooked to «avour soups. a thick perennial rootstock. It has highly aromatic leaves and Fennel is also regarded as a honey plant, bees love it. Fennel seeds that o§er both medicinal and culinary uses and, along- honey has been used to treat gastritis and intestinal parasite side similar-tasting anise, is one of the primary ingredients in worms, colds, coughs, bloating and water retention. As well the liqueur absinthe. Wild fennel releases allelopaths (chem- as a medicine plant, fennel is used in beauty treatments. It is ical inhibitors) so doesn’t make good a companion for toma- high in manganese, potassium, vitamins A and C, and iron. Its toes and beans. aromatic aniseed «avour comes from the compound anethole, which has powerful antimicrobial properties. DESCRIPTION Fennel’s green feathery leaves sprout in the spring from last If you have a question about gardening with weeds, you year’s roots, resembling dill. Tall stems grow up to 2.5 metres can email us at [email protected]. by autumn. Tiny blossoms are clustered in an explosion of yellow umbrellas on top of the stems, which produce hun- dreds of seeds. The plant reproduces by seed and by taproot, which is branched and stout. Living and dead hollow stems grow beside each other during the growing season. Foragers need to be vigilant when

16 SAVE YOUR SEEDS CORIANDER Words by Jude and Michel Fanton

BOTANICAL NAME: Coriandrum sativum – the genus the stems and place them in a paper bag. When fully dried, name comes from the Greek word for bug, referring to the rub the cut material in your hands to loosen the seeds. smell of its unripe seeds. Also called cilantro and Chinese parsley. STORAGE: well-stored seeds last for three years, and are ninety to the gram. ORIGIN: southern Europe and parts of Eurasia – 3000-year-old seeds were found in Egyptian tombs. USE: the seed has a warm, aromatic taste and is used, of- ten ground, as a condiment throughout Asia, Latin and South DESCRIPTION: a small annual herb that is usually America. The leaves are used in soups, meat dishes and es- grown for its leaves in Australia. pecially with ¦sh. The crushed thin roots are an essential in- gredient in Thai cuisine. In Chile the leaves are even used in CULTIVATION: plant seeds directly in place, at a time fruit salad. Chewing the ripe seeds stimulates secretion of of year when you know you can keep the water up to it. gastric juices. Seedlings do not transplant well. If the plant dries out it will go to seed quickly. Try growing it in the shade of larger TYPES: there are two types of coriander for di§erent pur- vegetables. poses. One gives large seeds which, when ground, are an important ingredient in curry powder. The other gives small SAVING THE SEEDS: «owers are perfect, self-fertile seeds, and provides the better tasting and more abundant and visited by many insects; if you have di§erent sorts of leaves. Oval and round seeds are available in Indian food coriander they will cross. The white, lacy «owers are pro- shops. duced on top of the branches in spreading umbels. The plant goes through an unpleasant odour stage when the Taken from the Seed Savers Handbook by Jude and Mi- seeds are green so that, for a certain time, it is barely edible. chel Fanton (Seed Saver Network 2014) The seeds then turn light brown and harden, and are harvest- ed for replanting or for use as spice. The seeds do not all ripen at once. Because the smallest disturbance makes the seeds fall when ripe, successive har- vests are necessary. Once the seeds are dry on the plant, cut Jamie at gardenamateur.blogspot.com

17 IN THE GARDEN: MARCH – JUNE Seasonal garden guides for all climates.

COOL TEMPERATE What to sow and plant: • Brassica seedlings. [March and April] • Successive crops of broad beans, English spinach and peas; and winter vegies such as beetroot, carrot, cel- ery, Florence fennel, leek, parsnip, turnip. [late March through to May] • Green manure crops, for winter digging in. [from March to May] • Hard neck garlic. [April to May] • Asian greens, silverbeet, spring onion and winter let- tuce will keep you in fresh greens in winter and early spring. [from April] • Soft-neck garlic. [from May to June] • Non-keeping salad onions, such as red or white variet- ies. [from May] • As June approaches, shift your focus from planting an- nual vegies to perennials – lift, divide and replant the fol- lowing through June and July: asparagus, chive, garlic chive, globe artichoke, horseradish, Jerusalem arti- choke, onion, potato, rhubarb, shallot. • Plant bare-rooted deciduous trees and cane fruit during their winter dormancy. • Some annuals will germinate and grow (slowly) in cold winter soil: use broad bean, English spinach, pea, radish, spring onion to ¦ll gaps. What to do: • As you clear summer crops (such as sweet corn, tomato, zucchini), rake up any mulch that was on those beds and compost it. This reduces the habitat for slugs and snails that could overwinter in the mulch. • Try to keep on top of weeds and grass so that they don’t set new seed. • In early autumn young brassicas are still vulnerable to the cabbage white butter‰y – squash the grubs. • Pick pumpkins before the frosts come. Always leave a bit of stalk attached, and the pumpkin will extract the last bit of goodness from the stalk as it dries o§. After har- vest, let the pumpkins sit somewhere sunny and out of the weather for a few days to help the skin cure. Then store in a cool, dry and dark spot. [March and April] : grey ones on 18 • Watch out for late outbreaks of aphids brassica, especially where broccoli or cabbage heads are forming; and black ones on chive, young garlic or spring onion. [autumn] FEATURE

Clockwise from above left: Warm temperate seedlings; Cool temperature rocotos; Subtropical comfrey; Mediterranean artichoke; Cool temperature lettuce. Following page, left to right: Tropical turmeric; Mediterranean artichoke; Tropical wing bean.

WARM TEMPERATE What to sow and plant: • Sow direct: ˚ beetroot, carrots, coriander, daikon, English spinach, mizuna, pak choi, parsley, radish, silverbeet. [from March to May] SUBTROPICAL ˚ broad beans, lettuce, radish. [from March to What to sow/plant June]. • Beetroot, broad bean, carrot, leek (seedlings), lettuce, • Sow in succession, in trays in a protected area: non- pak choi, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spring onion. [all loose-leaf brassicas, fennel, leeks. [March, plant out season] from April] • In frost free areas: bean, capsicum, cucumber, egg- • Garlic. [March until May, depending on variety] plant, okra, potato, pumpkin, rosella, sweet potato, • Onions and strawberry runners. [from May, directly] tomato, zucchini. [all months] • Green peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas, • Coriander, fennel. [from March to May] in succession for a long crop. [from April] • Raise in a protected area, before transplanting out in • Raise strawberry seeds in a protected area. [from June] succession: non-loose-leaf brassica, celeriac, celery. [from April] What to do: • Onion, pea (climbing, sugar snap and snow). [from • Stake and tie broad bean in case of windy weather. April] • Clear summer vegie growth as it begins to die o§, and • Begin to sow garlic and strawberries. [from May] mulch and compost. • Begin to sow parsnip. [from June] • Collect autumn leaves for hot-compost carbon. • Divide overgrown perennials and transplant. What to do • Cut down asparagus as it turns yellow, mulch and feed • Finish clearing summer weeds, then mulch before well. winter weeds get a foothold. [from March] • Keep an eye on citrus for gall wasp. [May and June] • Plant winter tomatoes in a spot where they will get at • Plant green manures for winter digging in. [from April] least six hours of direct sunlight daily. • If you live in a low-lying or frosty spot, protect any • Divide and transplant overgrown perennials. vulnerable plants by covering them on clear nights. • Propagate herbs and shrubs from cuttings. [winter] and shrubs, and • Prune deciduous fruit trees plant 19 • Prepare areas for winter-planted perennials and fruit bare-rooted varieties. [June] trees. [autumn, plant from June] • Feed leafy greens with a liquid fertiliser. MEDITERRANEAN TROPICAL What to sow/plant What to sow/plant • Asian greens, bean, horseradish. [March] • Tomato, heat tolerant greens and tropical fruit trees. • Beetroot, broad bean, endive, kohlrabi, onion. [from [March] March to May] • April is a transition period from the wet to dry seasons, • Broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauli‰ower, celeriac, celery, and planting directly is risky if there is a large downpour kale, leek, lettuce, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, – try: raising seedlings of kale, lettuce, onion tomato; swede, turnip, watercress. [from March to June] or direct sowing plants such as bean and carrot. • Artichoke, asparagus crowns, brussels sprout, cab- • Asian greens (including mustard leaves such as bage, cauli‰ower, celeriac, celery, kale, kohlrabi, leek, komatsuna), basil, bean (except broad bean), beetroot, lettuce, onion, radish, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, chilli, Chinese cab- swede, turnip, watercress. [from April to June] bage, carrot, cauli‰ower (in a cold part of the garden), • Garlic cloves, seed potatoes, strawberry runners. celery, chives, coriander, cucumber, dill, eggplant, [from May to June] endive, English spinach, fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce (all), Mediterranean herbs. What to do melons, okra, onion, parsley, pea (including snow pea), • Remove shading as days shorten and there is less pumpkin, radicchio, radish (including daikon), rocket, intense heat (except for any late hot spikes). silverbeet, spring onion, squash, sweet corn, tomato, • Feed citrus while there’s still enough warmth for them zucchini. [May] to use it, especially if they are potted. [March and April] • Watch for vines dying back, and knock on melons to What to do see if they sound hollow. Cut pumpkins with plenty of • Turn in green manure before it «owers, and plant green stalk and let them cure for a few weeks before using or manure crops in areas ready for winter vegetables later. storing over winter. [March] • Compost spent summer vegie plants. • Continue to work on swales and drainage, as there • Spread mature compost around fruit trees, dig it into could be a lot more rain to come. vegie beds and use a small amount to make compost tea • Keep on top of weeds during the wet season. for liquid plant feeds. Water compost in well, especially if • Fertilise trees and perennial plants with trace elements, soil has become water repellent over a long dry summer. to build the soil up for the dry season and replace micro- • Prune apricot trees during ne weather – paint any nutrients leached by the heavy water inundation. large wounds to prevent fungal infection. [April] • Start looking at trees which will need to be pruned • Order bare-rooted deciduous trees for winter planting at the end of the wet season: pruning in April will not and get the soil ready. [plant in June] cause the «ush of new growth which follows pruning • Plant perennials such as artichoke, asparagus, berries, during the wet season. rhubarb. [from June] • Mark the locations of Chinese keys, ginger, Javanese • Plant green manures for winter digging in. [from April] turmeric, sand ginger and turmeric before the vege- • Collect falling leaves for mulch or compost. [autumn] tation dies o§. This allows you to protect the area and • Have a cup of tea on the porch, and enjoy the mellow harvest rhizomes as required. Remove the vegetation as sunshine through the autumn leaves. it dies down; keep the area clean and well mulched. The • Nurture leafy greens with liquid fertilisers (e.g. ¦sh rhizomes can be harvested and processed for stor- solution, weed tea, worm wee, seaweed) – water over age, or they can be left in the ground and harvested as the whole plant for a foliar and root-feed, to ensure required. maximum absorption. • If you live in a low-lying or frosty spot, 20 protect any vul- Compiled by the Pip team with contributions by nerable plants by covering them on clear nights, and Christina Giudici of FIMBY, Nadja Osterstock of Nadja’s don’t prune o§ frost-damaged parts of plants until the Garden, Morag Gamble of Our Permaculture Life and frost risk has passed, as they protect the healthy parts Kathleen Hosking of Solution Focussed below. [winter] Autumn Harvest Festival A celebration of growing your own delicious, healthy herbs, fruit and vegies... featuring fantastic produce specials, events and workshops all week!

Saturday 4th to Monday 13th March See our website for details baag.com.au/HarvestFestival 6 Manningham Rd West, Bulleen (03) 8850 3030

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Practical, on-farm experience. • Whole farm planning • Full course list online. Bookings essential Organics, permaculture, www.southernharvest.net.au Keyline and drought tolerance 22 Martin Bridge FEATURE A TRIBUTE TO BILL MOLLISON Words by Ian Lillington

Bill Mollison – the ‘father of permaculture’ – died on Bill and David began to develop the permaculture concept 24 September 2016. To imagine and then create a in 1974, and as they grew an experimental garden they also worldwide movement of remarkable resilience is an began to design and to write. They drew on the ideas of FH incredible feat. Permaculture books are printed in King (an American agricultural scientist) who had observed many languages, it’s taught and practised in almost the highly productive agricultures of Asia1, and the ‘keyline’ every country of the world, and found on websites in concept from PA Yeomans2. And Bill was in«uenced later by at least 110 languages. Masanobu Fukuoka3. Together Bill and David created a design concept for landscapes, water systems and forestry, along Bill didn’t do this alone – his mix of Aussie-gru§ness, love for with permanence in human activities, which they called per- storytelling and massive charisma was just what was needed maculture. to create a vision, a design system, and a network of teachers David’s thesis for his Environmental Design degree was and practitioners who have spread the concept globally. the manuscript that became Permaculture One4 in 1978; Per- Bill had a brilliant mind. He observed, he catalogued and maculture Two5 followed in 1979. Through the 1980s, Bill used a systems approach to help weave seemingly disparate travelled, taught and wrote. He worked closely with Andrew ideas into the most detailed tapestry. In this sense he was a Jeeves who illustrated the Designers’ Manual6, and Reny Mia true visionary. He was also challenging, angry and driven by Slay who played a major role in distilling his work into the a deep sense of injustice. He used to say, ‘First feel fear, then Introduction to Permaculture7, the ¦rst book to codify a set of get angry, then go with your life into the ¦ght’. principles, with help from little-known American John Quin- Growing up in Stanley, Tasmania, Bill left school at ¦fteen ney. These principles o§ered a framework beyond the three to help run the family bakery, and then went on to work as a permaculture ethics, and gave a starting point for the devel- shark ¦sherman, seaman, forester, mill-worker, trapper, trac- opment of a more extensive description of principles by Bill, tor-driver and naturalist. He joined the CSIRO (Wildlife Survey Rosemary Morrow and other permaculture teachers in the Section) in 1954, and gained extensive research knowledge. 21st century. His lack of formal education gave him many learning opportu- Bill wanted to spread his ideas and – rejecting the model nities in how the real world works. of formal education – he decided to teach an informal sev- After ten years at the CSIRO he left to study biogeography enty-two hour course in permaculture, a new discipline that at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. He became a lecturer he would o§er to anyone who might turn up; a move so au- in 1968, and developed the relatively new discipline of Envi- dacious that it was laughable to his critics. And yet, even on ronmental Psychology. His calls for a more interdisciplinary those early courses, Bill demonstrated to students – with typ- approach were ignored or rejected, so he resigned to allow ical force of will – that they were part of an idea that was scope to pursue his studies in combining psychology with the unstoppable. natural world. Bill’s PDC was intended to inspire self-belief: that ordinary While he was still a lecturer at the University he met his people, without prior knowledge or expertise can reach out co-author and co-originator of permaculture, David Holmgren, and achieve change in their lives. He encouraged insurrection an environmental design student. They started to discuss why against a prevailing system that he saw as destructive to us 23 the agriculture of indigenous peoples had survived the cen- and the natural world, by advocating small-scale changes to the turies, and why modern agriculture was only good for a rela- way we choose to live our lives. His legacy is an ever-growing tively short time. mass of over three million permaculture practitioners. Trish Allen

Front page: Bill Mollison artwork by Martin Bridge; This page, clockwise from below: Dr Venkat and Bill, 1987 during 1st PDC in India; Bill Mollison portrait; Bill, David Holmgren and Steve Cran. Opposite page: Bill Mollison and Robyn Francis in Enmore 1986. Robyn Francis Russ Grayson

In 1981, Bill received the Right Livelihood Award (some- with landscape design and productive agriculture, and em- times called the Alternative Nobel Prize), and the award he braced the complexity of life rather than reducing it to discon- was most proud of – the Vavilov Medal. Bill was also admitted nected disciplines. to the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In his autobiography8 Bill wrote: ’The greatest change we After his travels in the 1980s Bill was celebrated in the 1991 need to make is from consumption to production, even if on TV series The Global Gardener as innovative, farsighted and a small scale, in our own gardens. If only 10% of us do this, practical. He taught thousands of students but, more signi¦- there is enough for everyone. Hence the futility of revolution- cantly, the magic in his message inspired them to teach and aries who have no gardens, who depend on the very system to ‘do’ permaculture in a myriad of ways. they attack, and who produce words and bullets, not food and From its early days, permaculture appealed to architects, shelter.’ engineers, farmers and community organisers throughout the Bill’s idea that ‘Permaculture is a dance with nature – in English speaking world. By the 1990s it was being taught in which nature leads’, is a lyrical example of his ability to under- over half the countries of the world, and it’s now translated stand and communicate this evolving new approach. into dozens of languages. Bill had started a movement where ‘Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, permaculture was integrated into supposedly unrelated sub- the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.’ (Bill Mollison) ject areas. Now permaculture serves people who are working in sustainable agriculture, reforestation, natural building and MEMORIES OF BILL MOLLISON architecture, environmental education and regional econom- With the passing of Bill Mollison comes the end of an era for ics – and those who simply seek a holistic life. many thousands of people around the world whose lives were Bill had put together the architecture for a regenerative de- transformed by the teaching and writing of one of Australia’s 24 sign approach that drew on knowledge of traditional cultures, most in«uential ecological pioneers. My two-year student/ while adapting to the opportunities of new technologies and mentor relationship with Bill from late 1974 was certainly the systems-thinking. Permaculture integrated ecological thinking de¦ning relationship that set the course for the rest of my life. The following words recall that pivotal moment when I ¦rst Few people are born who are world class heroes to those met Bill: who know them and unknown to the great majority, until one ‘He might have been late forties I supposed, stocky, bald- day their inescapable in«uence «oats to the surface and is ing slightly, beard covering protruding chin. Meaty hands and generally recognised for the cream it is. In hindsight, such thick nicotine stained ¦ngers; of a working man, I thought. His leaders go on to become household names. way of thinking and expression were fascinating; grounded Bill was also a sensitive man, eloquent raconteur, poet and

but at same time, holistic. Ecological! I thought, but not like appreciative of the poetry of others. He knew how to provoke FEATURE any of the activists who called themselves ecologists, or the others to action, but also when to withdraw and let others academically trained ones, who seemed just as reductionist carry on the work. as most scientists.’(A Chance Meeting, Spring 1974 as fea- Though often outwardly gru§ and challenging, there was tured in Permaculture Diary 2011) real heart to everything he did. ‘If, as physical scientists as- Bill’s brilliance was in gathering together the ecological sure us, we all contain a few molecules of Einstein, and if the insights, principles, strategies and techniques that could be atomic particles of our physical body reach to the outermost applied to create the world we do want rather than ¦ghting bounds of the universe, then we are all de facto components against the world we reject. His personal life was as tumultu- of all things. There is nowhere left for us to go if we are al- ous as his public persona: at times tragic but always full of the ready everywhere, and this is, in truth, all we will ever have or passion and contradiction that the term ‘ecological warrior’ need. If we love ourselves at all, we should respect all things represents. His legacy lives on in all those who were trans- equally, and not claim any superiority over what are, in e§ect, formed by his teaching. our other parts.’ – David Holmgren, co-originator of permaculture – Graham Bell

Bill was a man of deep compassion; more than once I saw If you never knew Bill Mollison, the founding father of perma- him shed a quiet tear when talking of injustice. In India he culture, you missed out. The Bill Mollison I knew was a cheeky went out of his way to meet the ‘invisible people’ – the cooks, old bastard. Being a cheeky bastard myself, we got on like a cleaners, drivers, lackeys – and know their names. He gave house on ¦re. We became good friends. special support and acknowledgement to participants working The ¦rst time I met Bill was on a ¦eld trip as a student at in diºcult circumstances and extreme poverty. He made no the end on my ¦rst Permaculture Design Certi¦cate course in attempt to hide his disdain and contempt for the self-import- 1990. He smoked a lot and swore a lot; I liked him immediate- ant, wealthy and pretentious. ly. Touring around his gardens with him, for just a few hours, instantly doubled my understanding of permaculture that day. When I heard he had died, I thought of all the people I’ve trained in permaculture around the world. In my mind’s eye I saw the legions of permaculture activists, trainers and prac- titioners doing their thing, quietly creating a massive green wave. All because of Bill Mollison and his permaculture. It was Bill who saw my potential. Bill saw the warrior in me way back in the day. He convinced me that permaculture can save the world, and I still believe that. I’ve used it to help peo- ple in war zones, poverty zones and disaster zones; to rebuild

Robyn Francis their lives and their lands. Bill told us that the problem is the solution. Bill Mollison’s legacy is still growing. I’ll miss you Bill. We will all miss you mate. – Steve Cran

Bill de¦nitely didn’t su§er fools well, and carried a burning 1 Farmers of Forty Centuries: or Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea and rage for the perpetrators of social and environment exploita- Japan (1911) tion. He could be brutally acerbic when rubbed up the wrong 2 The Keyline Plan (1954) 3 The One-Straw Revolution: an Introduction to Natural Farming (1975) way, and was not afraid to o§end. 4 Permaculture One: a Perennial Agricultural System for Human Settlements Bill could be exceptionally generous, overwhelmingly hum- (Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, Corgi Books 1978) ble, or frustratingly arrogant and stubborn. He was a man 5 Permaculture Two: Practical Design for Town and Country in Permanent Agriculture (Bill Mollison, Tagari Publications 1979) of extremes. He had a wicked sense of humour and was an 6 Permaculture: a Designers’ Manual (Bill Mollison, Tagari Publications 1988) engaging storyteller. He knew how to challenge your dogmas 7 Introduction to Permaculture (Bill Mollison with Reny Mia Slay, Tagari Publi- cations 1991) and make you think. Most of all he had a knack of inspiring 8 Travels in Dreams: an Autobiography (Bill Mollison, Tagari Publications 1997) and empowering people to have courage to act and achieve the impossible. These qualities enabled him to inspire a global movement dedicated to building a better world. – Robyn Francis OBSERVE AND INTERACT BACKYARD CHICKEN HEALTH Words byTabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins

Keeping backyard chickens is a joy shared by many – the site of a ¥ock of ladies scratching around your garden warms the soul (as long as it’s not your vegie garden). There are simple ways to keep your chick- ens healthy naturally: give them fresh water, clean housing and bedding, and high-quality feed. Allowing exercise through free-ranging, and providing a stress- free environment by not overcrowding, will encourage happy birds. Happy, healthy chickens will provide you with delicious eggs, meat and free labour in the gar- den for many years.

HOUSING AND HYGIENE Poultry housing should be large enough to accommodate the number of chickens without stress. There are many theories about the amount of space needed for each bird but, as a gen- eral guide, allow around one square metre. A naturally light and airy chicken house will discourage nasty parasites from

lurking in dark places. Shutterstock Provide roosting perches so that birds are not resting on the ground in their own droppings and feather dander, which can harbour internal parasites and viruses. Alternatively, chickens that can «y can stay quite safe and naturally healthy by perching in trees. Clean, dry bedding such as straw, rice husks, shredded newspaper or sawdust should be replaced regularly in the chicken house and yard. Rake out feather dander, droppings and old feed from the ground regularly. All of this can be re- cycled onto garden beds and around fruit trees, or composted. Young chicks should have a clean, dry and safe place to nest at night under their mum.

BIOSECURITY At the ¦rst sign of a distressed chicken, remove it from the rest of the «ock and put it in a quarantined area until you know 26 that it’s not contagious. After you’ve worked in an infected (or potentially infected) pen, wash your hands thoroughly and

change your shoes and clothing before you re enter areas with Shutterstock healthy chickens. Feather dander and dust can carry micro- Provide food in containers – not on the ground. Remove FEATURE scopic parasites and viruses which could spread through your uneaten food as it will attract rats at night, and then eventually healthy chickens quickly. snakes! Uneaten grain also attracts wild birds such as spar- To ensure that existing healthy chickens are not compro- rows, which carry external parasites such as lice. And wash mised by the introduction of new – potentially unhealthy – out and scrub feed containers regularly. chickens, keep them quarantined separately for around six Free-ranging your chickens, and feeding them kitchen weeks. This allows any symptoms of ill health to appear in scraps, are healthy additions to a balanced diet. your new «ock, which can be treated before you blend new with existing birds. EXERCISE Keep purchased new healthy young chickens separate from Exercise is just as important for chickens as it is for humans. your older birds to prevent them picking up any nasty diseas- Free-ranging is good exercise. Where this isn’t possible give es from your established «ock. Younger chicken’s immunity is chickens something to scratch through, such as garden waste, not as strong as that of an established older «ock. House new lucerne or kitchen scraps – this will keep them exercising for chickens on clean, uninfected ground. hours. Free-ranging and exercise also allows for development Chicken yard rotation – similar to crop rotation – can be a of healthy chicken mental wellbeing through social interaction. good idea if keeping di§erent aged birds. Allowing young chicks to be raised naturally by a mother hen teaches them the art of foraging, while building immunity WATER naturally and early by exposing the chick to the soil and sur- Fresh, clean and cool drinking water is essential for healthy rounds. chickens. Replace water daily, and keep water containers in the shade. Chickens will not drink warm or hot water, so THINGS CAN STILL GO WRONG refresh water containers several times on very hot days. If No matter how healthy you maintain your chicken «ock, dis- you’re unable to do this, «oat a frozen drink bottle in the wa- ease or parasites can invade. General signs of an unhealthy ter, or provide several water points in deep shade. bird can include: lethargy, a lack of interest in eating and/or Natural tonics can be added to chickens’ water, such as drinking, reduced or no egg-laying and separation from the apple cider vinegar and garlic, to maintain a healthy digestive «ock. Physical changes include: colour changes in the comb system. and wattles from red to purple (indicating a lack of oxygen); Regularly wash out and scrub water containers to prevent wounds, sprains and broken limbs. algal growth. Most parasites, such as lice, can be seen by the naked eye and a major infestation can cause anaemia. There are topical FOOD applications to treat lice and mites on the bird and in their It is essential to feed your chickens with a complete diet to housing. ensure that they get adequate nutrition, especially enough If in doubt about an unhealthy chicken seek veterinary ad- protein for egg production and moulting. Good nutrition also vice. Not only will this help your chicken, but you’ll learn about minimises the risks of chickens becoming egg-bound, laying the signs and symptoms of the diseases and parasites that soft shell-less eggs, or reduced fertility. you have in your area. Manufactured high-quality, high-protein pellets are a Certain diseases and parasites can be more prevalent in well-balanced meal for poultry; organic pellets are available. speci¦c areas, for example: respiratory diseases, lice and Grains such as wheat, pearl barley and corn are an excellent worms will occur in more sub-tropical to tropical areas with source of vitamins and minerals. high rainfall and humidity; cold and temperate regions will ex- Day-old and young chicks can be given good-quality, perience less disease, and the occasional outbreak of external high-protein ‘chick starter’ and then moved on to a ‘chick parasites and worms; and there may be a higher chance of grower’. These are balanced, prepared crumbles suitable infertility and lower egg production in colder areas. for that stage of development. Medicated ‘starter’ crumbles The following are some very common domestic health are designed to boost your chicken’s immunity against some problems that you will encounter. serious soil-borne diseases such as coccidiosis, and are a suitable alternative if you don’t have access to early vaccina- RESPIRATORY DISEASES tion programs. An appropriate diet in the early stages of your Colds and serious respiratory problems are most likely in 27 chickens’ development will ensure a healthy immune system very warm areas with high rainfall. Signs can include wa- for the many of diseases which can a§ect them throughout tery eyes, sneezing, runny nose and wheezing. Respiratory their lives. diseases are highly contagious to other chickens. Quarantine See your veterinarian, or check whether the local poultry club has a vaccination program. To avoid spreading this disease: remove infected birds; dis- infect water and feed bowls, and perches; and clean housing and yards.

MAREK’S DISEASE This is a very serious herpes virus, and common in all areas. Symptoms include paralysis of the legs, wings or neck. It can lead to cancer, blindness and wasting disease. In some cases there are no symptoms and no cure. The only prevention is vaccination! Only buy chickens from reputable sources, where they’ve been vaccinated.

Shutterstock HANDY FIRST AID LIST FOR THE DOMESTIC POULTRY KEEPER Front page above: a raised hen house can save space Have these to hand: and protect chickens from predators; Front page below: • basic poultry-keeping book chickens need their feed to be o§ the ground. This page: • your vet’s phone number chickens need free ranging space for exercise. • avian multivitamin supplement • poultry wormer infected birds and seek veterinary advice. Diluted garlic can • coccidistat help ease symptoms, and saline solution wiped across the • iodine eyes is very good. • Vaseline • sulphur (based medication or yellow powder) COCCIDIOSIS • a quarantine/transportable cage This is a parasite that infects the intestines and can be pres- • an axe. ent in all climatic regions. Their eggs can lay dormant in soil, from a previously infected chicken’s droppings, for up to a year. An outbreak is more likely to occur in high-rainfall areas, or around wet ground. The main symptom is a red ‘worm’ or blood in the chick- en’s droppings, although this can also be a symptom of actual worms being present. Or chickens may huddle together, or appear pale and «u§ed up. Chickens can be very sick and then die quickly. Seek veterinary advice if you need to. Young chickens are most at risk because they lack immu- nity, hence the value of medicated chick starter for day-olds. Treatment is readily available in a concentrated coccidistat, given diluted in water. Immunity is built up over time, and will be seen less in an old established «ock.

FOWL POX Fowl pox is a very common dis¦guring and debilitating viral disease. It is either dry or wet, depending on how it’s spread. Dry pox occurs mainly of the face, wattles and comb, and appears as raised dark dry scabs which spread over the area to later burst and leave scarring. To relieve pain, apply diluted iodine to the scabs, or two tablespoons of sulphur powder mixed with half a cup of Vaseline to soften hard scabs. Give avian vitamin supplements in drinking water. Wet pox presents itself as a cheesy wet substance in the 100% Natural Ingredients: mouth and throat which can spread to the chest and cause 28 Pollard, High Protein Bran, Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar, death. Bubbles will appear in the eyes. Remove cheesy sub- Diatomaceous Earth, Dolamite, Sulphur, Carrot, Garlic, Probiotics stance easily with tweezers to ease breathing diºculties. Day-old chicks and una§ected adults can be vaccinated. CHOOSE YOUR CHOOK: YOUR GUIDE TO BACKYARD CHICKEN BREEDS The choice of chicken breeds is as vast as with dog breeds. The following table is a general guide to understanding a few of the more commonly available breeds, although

availability will di§er between regions. FEATURE A good idea, before you choose your chickens, is to attend your local poultry or agricultural show, view the chickens and talk to the breeders. #

Good layer Meat chicken care Easy Can ¥y tendency Broody Good mothers trees in Roost to breed Easy eggs Large Friendly Heritage breed climate Warm Cool climate Bantam available Ancona •••• ••• Araucana ••••• BE •••• Australian Game •• ••••• Australian Langshan ••••••••• Australorp •• •••••• Barnevelder •••••••••• Belgium ••• TB Cornish Cross ••• ••• Frizzle • ••••• Indian Game • •••••• Isa Brown •• •••• Japanese ••• TB Leghorn •••••••••• Old English Game •••••••••• Orpington •••••••• Pekin •••• •••• TB Plymouth Rock •••••••••• Polish •• ••• Rhode Island Red •••••••••• Rosecomb •••••••• TB Sebright •••••••• TB Silkies • BM •••••••• Sussex • •••••• Transylvanian Naked Necks ••••••••••••• Welsummer •••••••••• Wyandotte •• • ••••• 29

OBTAIN A YIELD FEATURE RAISING MEAT CHICKENS

Words by Annie Werner Photos by Jay Black

Australians eat a staggering number of chickens each Many people say negative things about Cornish Cross meat year. An extreme minority are raised on pasture, with chickens, because of industrial agriculture. Birds raised in the vast majority conžned in sheds. Even if you’re over populated sheds, with unlimited and extremely high-pro- buying ‘free range’ or even organic chicken from a tein feed, and a huge amount of medication, are generally un- supermarket, chances are you’d be appalled at the well with high mortality rates. Our experience of raising meat conditions in which these chickens live and die. chickens on pasture tells us that, given the right conditions (fresh grass, sunlight, protection from predators and a rea- So, what is an ethical solution for those who want a little bit sonable feeding regime), these birds are just as hardy as any of chicken meat in our diet? First of all, remember those wise other breed we’ve encountered. words of Michael Pollan: ‘eat food, not too much, mostly plants’. For the purposes of this article we’re considering growing You don’t need to eat meat every day. Think of quality, ethical- Cornish Cross chickens. However, depending on what hatch- ly-grown meat as a treat: buying ethically raised meat is going ery you use, you may ¦nd that your breed has a di§erent to cost you more. Either source your chicken directly from a name (e.g. Ross Cobb or Big Meat Broiler); they are all basi- small-scale farmer, who is raising the birds on pasture (best cally the same birds. for the farmer), or through an ethically-driven meat provedore such as Feather and Bone, who can tell you about the farms WHAT’S NEEDED and farmers they source their meat from. (See article page 56) To raise a small number of birds for home consumption you’ll If you have an acre or more of land you may want to con- need the following. sider growing meat chickens for your family. It’s a rewarding, Chicks. You can source day-old chicks from a hatchery. ¦nancially-viable method of growing protein. It’s something Most will have a minimum order (chicks usually come in a that children love to be involved in, and the rewards in «a- box of around thirty) so you may need to split your order with vour are almost unimaginable. Here is everything you need to a neighbour or friend. Chicks usually cost from $3–$5 each, know about growing your own pastured chickens. depending on the breed. Heritage breeds are more expensive. You can raise your own chicks, but meat chickens don’t go BREEDS clucky – you’d need to incubate fertile eggs. First, consider what breed of chicken you want to grow. If Brooder space for your chicks for the ¦rst three weeks. you grew up eating chicken bought from a butcher or su- This is perhaps the most important part of growing meat permarket, and some juicy, tender roasted chicken is what chickens: you need to make sure your chicks have a healthy you want from your chicken-eating experience, then Cornish start, so that when they move out to pasture they’re strong. Cross is a good choice. Our family eats two kinds of chicken: They’ll need a warm, dry, draft-free space, with a heat source Cornish Cross, grown just for the delectable eating; and any (usually a heat lamp). roosters our Wyandotte hens hatch out in summer (we keep The brooder space can be as simple as a large box or crate the hens for eggs). Even though Wyandottes are considered a – the main thing is that it’s weather- and predator-proof. In ‘dual-purpose’ heritage breed (good for meat and eggs), eat- our brooder house we bed the chicks down on dry grass clip- 31 ing them is an entirely di§erent experience, usually requiring pings and/or wood shavings. The bedding needs to be kept slow cooking in a soup or stew. Heritage bird meat is darker dry at all times. If you have a large number of chicks (more and tougher, and they’re more diºcult to process. than thirty), after about a week you’ll probably need to turn top of each other, then you know it’s too cold; if there are no chicks under the lamp, and they’re spread in the corners of the brooder, then you know it’s too hot. A moveable pasture-house. After three weeks your chicks can move out to pasture full time. The pasture-house can be any kind of moveable pen which provides shelter from rain and sun, and which is big enough for all of your chickens to sleep in. Cornish Cross chickens don’t have a roosting instinct, so will sleep on the grass – this means your pasture-house can be low-lying. We use dogs for predator protection; if you don’t have dogs you’ll need to make your pasture-house completely fox-proof. We make an A-frame house from lightweight alu- minium and old cor«ute signs, so it’s very lightweight, which the bedding and add fresh bedding every day. By not remov- makes moving it easy. We move the pasture-house every ing existing bedding material/manure you create a ‘deep litter’ day onto fresh ground, so that the chickens have access to system. If you smell ammonia in your brooder space you’ll fresh, clean grass. This prevents the build-up of diseases, and need to add more dry bedding, until the smell is gone; am- spreads manure all over your paddock! monia build-up can create serious health problems for your Feeders and waterers. Meat chickens eat and drink a LOT. chicks, which leads to slower-growing, less robust birds. Ide- We use non-GMO, non-medicated meat bird feed from our ally the brooder space should be located adjacent to pasture, local stockfeeds shop: don’t use layer pellets or scratch mix so that the chicks can forage each day (weather permitting). for Cornish Cross birds. We’ve found that chicks which are let outside daily, from four For the ¦rst six weeks we allow unrestricted access to feed, days old, are much better foragers and much healthier birds. and keep the feeders and waterers ¦lled at all times. We also A heat source. Heat lamps can be purchased online or add kelp meal and grit to the feeders (a handful of kelp meal from a pet shop that caters for reptile owners. Lamps come and a handful of grit to each three kilograms of feed), and in various styles and sizes, so seek advice on what’s best apple cider vinegar to the water (quarter of a cup of vinegar for your setup, and make sure the lamp is big enough for the to a ¦ve-litre waterer). After six weeks we feed them only number of chicks you’ll have. in the morning – this encourages the birds to exercise and The heat needs to be reduced every couple of days so that forage in the pasture, which in turn makes them healthier and the chicks don’t get a shock when they go onto pasture. Start more robust. o§ at around 35°C, and then gradually reduce it so that by the We usually spread the feed and grit out on some newspaper time they go out to pasture the brooder is a similar tempera- on the ¦rst day, so it’s easy for the chicks to ¦nd while they ture to the average ambient temperature outside. We usually learn the lay of their brooder and become familiar with the don’t turn the heat on at all for the last few days in the brood- feeders. They need a good dose of grit early on, to deal with er, just to make sure they’re ready to move out; for the last their food. You could provide a dish of grit for them to peck week we only turn it on at night. The whole brooder doesn’t from, but mixing it together means they get a good amount. 32 need to be at 35°C, but there needs to be enough heat so that Once you start letting them out of the brooder, and then move the chicks can go under the lamp and get warm if they start to pasture, providing grit becomes less important, because to chill: if they’re all crowded under the lamp or piling on they ¦nd it for themselves. A place to slaughter your birds and a freezer to put them FEATURE all in! If you are growing a small number of birds for home consumption you won’t be able to take them to an abattoir so, at some point, you’ll be responsible for dispatching them. We usually killed our commercial birds at around eight weeks, which resulted in a dressed weight of two to three kilograms. We also keep some birds longer, for home consumption or special occasions, and have kept meat chickens for as long as six months. This results in a much larger bird (four to ¦ve kilograms dressed) with darker, ¦rmer meat; it will still be tenderer than even a very young heritage rooster. If you’ve not processed chickens before I strongly recom- mend that you do at least your ¦rst few birds with the help of a neighbour or friend who has experience. There are some helpful videos online (and instructions in Pip issue 2) but nothing is as good as having someone there to teach you. There are many di§erent methods of dispatch. Choose what- ever method suits your individual set-up, time constraints and level of expertise. The main thing is that your birds are kept calm, and killed as quickly and humanely as possible. Once you’ve eaten truly pasture-raised home-killed chicken you’ll probably ¦nd there is no going back. Your pasture and/ or garden will thank you, and your family and friends will rev- el in the delicious «avours and nutrient density of the meat.

Annie Werner runs Autumn Farm with her partner Front page: Pasture-raised cornish cross. Opposite Genevieve Derwent where they previously farmed page, above to below: The moveable pasture house; pasture-raised chicken for sale to their local Young chicks foraging close to home. This page, above to community. www.instagram.com/autumnfarmpastured below: Young chicks in the brooder house. Free ranging makes for healthier birds;

33 Clockwise from below: Felix the rooster with his ladies; egg candling; chick hatching in incubator; new chicks.

34 USE ¡ VALUE RENEWABLE

RESOURCES ¡ SERVICES FEATURE BACKYARD POULTRY BREEDING Words and photos by Fleur Baker

Watching a chick hatch from an egg is an amazing while some breeds such as Silkies seem to go broody every process, and to be a part of raising your own ¥ock of couple of weeks, and make excellent mother hens. chickens is an exciting and rewarding experience. SOURCING FERTILE EGGS There are many reasons why you might want to breed your If you’re running a rooster with your hens, and they are all own chickens: just for fun; to replace your laying «ock; to pro- healthy and active, chances are your eggs are fertile. Consider duce roosters for harvest to the freezer; to make money; to what breed(s) will be in the mix: are they purebred, or will you protect and show rare breeds; or just small-scale backyard be producing an odd mix of several breeds? Temperament production. and health of the parents are important too. Collect and store To raise chicks to adulthood successfully you need some eggs at cool room temperature (not in the fridge), pointy side good basic knowledge and skills, and a safe place for your down; they can remain viable for two to four weeks before hen to sit and for chicks to be raised. Despite all your best setting. e§orts, things may still go wrong sometimes and the chicks won’t make it. ‘raising your own flock of chickens HATCHING CHICKS is an exciting and rewarding There are two main ways to hatch chicks. experience’ You can use an arti¦cial incubator, which provides steady warmth (about 37.5°C) and humidity, and a space for the Alternatively, you can contact a breeder willing to sell you chicks to hatch. A fully-automatic incubator turns the eggs at fertile eggs, preferably one not too far away, and choose the regular intervals; otherwise you’ll have to turn them manually, breed you would like. Transporting eggs can be risky, and 180 degrees, twice a day. many factors a§ect the fertility of eggs, so make sure you If you’re planning to buy an incubator, choose the best mod- can go back to the seller for advice. Most breeders are hap- el you can a§ord: you get what you pay for. A good incubator py to guarantee around seventy-¦ve per cent fertility, but is not cheap, so be prepared to spend a minimum of a few that doesn’t necessarily mean you will achieve that rate of hundred dollars. If this is a once-o§ school holiday activity hatching. To research the many di§erent breeds available visit you may be able to hire a small incubator from the breeder, www.backyardpoultry.com and ¦nd a breeder. rather than spending big dollars up front. If using purchased fertile eggs, let them settle for twen- Alternatively, you can place fertile eggs under a ‘broody’ ty-four hours, especially if they have travelled in the post. hen. She’ll keep the eggs warm, provide humidity and egg When you have enough eggs (see below), set them under turning instinctively, and usually hatch and raise chicks with your hen or in the incubator (according to instructions) all at very little intervention from you. You can tell when a hen is the same time, so that they also hatch at the same time. broody: she will sit tight on the nest, behaving in an unusually grumpy manner, and swear at you in her best chook language. CARING FOR THE MOTHER HEN 35 Most pure-bred hens will go broody a couple of times If hatching under a broody hen, there are a few important jobs during the laying season (spring to summer). Modern com- to do, so that she stays healthy while sitting. Give her a good mercial laying hens, such as ISA Browns, rarely go broody; dusting with Pestene (sulphur and rotenone) powder to pre- vent lice and mites. This is a non organic treatement. There make sure she stays sitting on the nest and is in a healthy are a range of natural alternatives if you research online but condition. Prepare a backup plan, in case the power goes out be aware that they will not be as e§ective or as quick to act. for longer than a couple of hours. Hens are more prone to mites while sitting, as these thrive in the warm nest she has made. Dust the rest of the «ock too, CHECKING EGG QUALITY if they haven’t been treated in the last month. Although the After about seven to ten days of incubation you can check the broody hen will get o§ the nest for a quick bite to eat and eggs by candling them. Practise on non-fertile eggs ¦rst. Buy drink, she will not look after herself as usual. In hot weather, a small, bright LED torch. Wait until evening, and carefully re- make sure she has fresh water close by, and o§er her extra move the eggs from the incubator or nest. Then, in the dark, treats to maintain her body condition. shine the light through the rounded end of the egg: it will look clear, with the shape of the yolk showing. If the shell is dark CHOOSING A LOCATION FOR A HEN TO SIT it will be more diºcult to see. When you candle a fertile egg Chances are a hen will go broody in a nesting box still in use you will see a network of veins spreading out from a central by other hens. Decide if you need to move her into her own dot – this is a good sign that the egg is fertile. Mark the fertile coop. If so, move her in the dark, leaving her to settle before eggs and, if you are con¦dent, throw out any eggs that are setting the fertile eggs under her. Sometimes disturbing the not fertile. Return the fertile eggs to the nest or incubator. hen is enough to ‘break’ her broody behaviour, depending on You can candle again at about fourteen to seventeen days the breed and how long she has been broody. If you decide to incubation. leave her where she is, mark the fertile eggs with a felt pen, so that you can easily see and remove any fresh eggs she SETTING UP A BROODER BOX pulls into the nest. Chicks require supplementary heat for up to six weeks after hatching. If raised by a hen, she will care for them and provide SETTING EGGS warmth and shelter (some breeds make more attentive mums When deciding how many eggs to set, perhaps the most im- than others). Otherwise you’ll need to set up a brooder box portant question is what to do with the roosters. Don’t as- to house the chicks. If you are hatching only a small number sume you’ll be able to give them away, send them to live on of chicks a cardboard box can be used, lined with newspa- a farm, or just dump them to ‘go free.’ If you hatch them you per and wood shavings. An old-fashioned desk lamp, with a are responsible for them. bendy neck, can be positioned over the box to provide heat. You will need to use a sixty watt halogen light bulb, as LEDs ‘The most important and compact «uorescents don’t produce heat. The chicks will need water – use a very shallow water dish (no more than question is what to do one centimetre deep), with small pebbles or marbles so that with the roosters.’ they can’t fall in. They’ll also need a shallow feed dish. You can buy chick-sized feed and water dispensers, but you can probably ¦nd something suitable in your kitchen cupboard. Then, consider how many hens you want to add to your «ock. Take that number, double it to allow for roosters, then FOOD add a couple of spares in case some don’t hatch. You’ll need to provide the proper food for chicks. A com- And ¦nally, consider the size of your hen. A bigger hen mercial ‘chick starter’ has the right levels of nutrients for can keep more eggs warm, but a smaller smooth feathered fast-growing chicks. If your chicks are being raised by a hen, breed won’t be able to spread herself so far. If your hen is a provide a mix of chick starter with her layer ration: she will ¦rst-time mother, don’t overload her with eggs, as she may teach the chicks to peck at the small starter crumble, and take not cope with too many chicks. Six to eight eggs is probably the larger size pellets or grains herself. Make sure there are enough for most hens. no water containers the chicks can fall into; hang any adult water dispensers above chick height, and provide a shallow INCUBATION TIME water container for the chicks (see above). It takes twenty-one days for chicken eggs to hatch, twen- Chick starter also contains a medication called a coccidio- ty-eight days for most duck breeds, and up to thirty-¦ve days stat (not an antibiotic) to prevent coccidiosis. Coccidiosis is a for Muscovy ducks and geese. While you’re waiting impa- protozoan that infests the intestines of all poultry, other birds tiently, borrow a good chook book from the library, research and many other species. The immature systems of young reputable poultry information online and talk to experienced chicks can become overwhelmed by the organism, resulting breeders. Start to put together the supplies you’ll need after in poor health, failure to thrive and death. Keeping the brooder hatching. Read up on chick vaccinations; you can administer box clean and dry helps to prevent a build-up of coccidiosis. them yourself, but they need to be done as soon as possible Additional medication can be added to the water if needed. As 36 after hatching to be e§ective, and can be diºcult and expen- chicks mature they develop resistance to coccidiosis – by the sive to source. Keep an eye on the incubator; some models time they are at laying age they no longer require medicated are more reliable than others. Keep an eye on your hen to feed, and can be switched to an adult layer diet. FEATURE

Clockwise above left: Hen and chicks; chicks under heat lamp; Charli in incubator.

LOOKING AFTER YOUNG CHICKS Chicks need fresh water morning and evening, and a regular clean-out of the brooder box. One advantage of a cardboard box is that you can upgrade to a clean larger box after two to three weeks, and dispose of the old box (preferably in the compost). By around ¦ve to six weeks old the chicks can go outside in the coop during the day in ¦ne weather, then back inside overnight, to acclimatise gradually. Supervise your chicks if free-ranging on grass. Young chicks are susceptible to predators such as cats, ravens kook- aburras and magpies, and it takes them some time to learn to hide under the shrubbery if threatened. A mother hen will do her best to protect the chicks, but it is not unusual for a chick to go missing if it is free-ranging outside of a secure pen. By around eight weeks old they should be living outside in the coop, with limited free-ranging. Unless being raised by a mother hen, house them separately from older hens, as they will get picked on and also need time to develop a mature im- mune system. By now you’ll also have a good idea about how For Backyard Chickens Everywhere many roosters you’ve raised. Decide now what you’re going Encouraging backyard chicken keeping as to do with them, and resist naming any destined for the freez- er. The chicks are then ready to move onto the next range part of a slower permaculture designed lifestyle of feed, called ‘pullet grower’, along with a small amount of the feeder, its wonderful. The treats, and fresh fruit and vegie scraps. chooks got used to it very quickly By sixteen to twenty weeks old your chicks are no longer and the feed is safe from the rats, which dont even bother to enter cute little «u§-balls, but approaching their adult size and lay- the shed anymore. ing age. Move them on to adult layer-pellets or grains, and integrate them with any older hens (be prepared for some ar- Thanks so much, it is going to gy-bargy). Keep them in a clean, predator-proof environment, make life a lot less wasteful. It is with good nutrition and basic health care, and they should also lovely to buy something manufactured locally provide you with years of enjoyment and productivity.

We are very impressed with the Fleur Baker runs Book a Chook where she provides design which appears to be very 37 chickens for rent and sale to households all over refined, and also with the Melbourne. http://www.bookachook.com. She also workmanship which is very professional runs her permaculture design and education business Santosha Permaculture. [email protected] Old Wool Shed@farmsteadHQ Meredith 3333 RARE TRADES IN AN AGE OF MASS PRODUCTION THESE MAKERS ARE KEEPING THESE DYING ARTS ALIVE. Words by Robyn Rosenfeldt MEET Amy Russell

GEORGE SMITHWICK: COOPER

What is a cooper? Someone who makes a watertight vessel out of timber. It in- volves a lot of skill and practice.

How long have you been coopering? ‘I’m a ¦fth-generation cooper. I made my ¦rst barrel when I was ¦fteen, and I came to the trade full-time when I was forty – thirty years ago now. I’m an old bastard.’

What sort of vessels do you make? to pick up the tools. He’d give me a belt over the back of the ‘Mostly buckets and barrels, butter churns, hand-operated head if I did something wrong, and I’d learn something. I used washing machine tubs. I’m retired now, and I make mostly for to work with my father on weekends, and muck around in the alternative lifestylers, barrels for dry goods, wine and whisky shed.’ barrels; they’re made to last. I have buckets my grandfather made that are still as good as the day he made them, ninety Are there many coopers still practising the craft? years ago.’ ‘There are a few still practising in SA, but they specialise in small barrels, and there’s a bloke in Bendigo who caters to the What brought you back to the trade of coopering at wine industry; but I don’t know anyone who makes a range the age of forty? of products like I do. You’d have to be crazy to make buckets. ‘My father died, and he’d asked my mother to put in the obitu- There’s a lot of imported stu§ that is just rubbish: you get ary: “last in line of four generations of coopers”. I didn’t want what you pay for.’ her to write that, so I had to take it on. I wanted to keep the family tradition alive. I was a furniture maker previously, so I Why do you do it? understood timber.’ ‘Every minute I spend in that shed I’m with my father. I want- ed to keep the family tradition alive. But I think it will end 39 How did you learn? with me. Although, I have a granddaughter who pesters me to ‘I learnt from my father. As a child I’d go out to the shed with make things, and she’s made her own bucket. My dream in life the old man and play in the sawdust until I was old enough is to die working at the bench, making a bucket or a barrel.’ Eugenia Neave

EUGENIA NEAVE: BESPOKE SHOEMAKER

Why did you decide to become a shoemaker? one hundred processes to make a pair of shoes. If I was to ‘I did work experience with a shoemaker in the Adelaide Hills, just work on one pair I think it may take about three to four and I loved it. I wanted their lifestyle. I just wanted to make days.’ stu§ all day. All my family make things: my dad is a jeweller; my mum is an artist; and my brother makes sets and props for How many practise your craft in Australia? the theatre. There was no doubt I was going to make some- ‘Many people make shoes as a hobby, and there are di§erent thing.’ kinds of shoemakers too: bespoke, orthopaedic or just man- ufacturers. I think there are probably a handful of us in each How did you learn? state.’ ‘I studied shoemaking at school as a year 12 project. Imme- diately following school I studied with a few private teachers. Do you think the art of handmade shoemaking will I found a Bulgarian master in Port Noarlunga, just south of survive? Adelaide. I then went on to study it at TAFE. I learnt most of ‘I think and hope it will survive, with a few committed and what I know now through an unoºcial apprentice-style ar- passionate artisans willing to keep it alive. Fingers crossed rangement with a practising shoemaker; I worked with him for that one of my children might take it up!’ seven years. I have now been making shoes for twenty-two years.’

What do you love about your craft? ‘I love making things every day. I love the diversity of the trade, including all aspects: design, sculpting, pattern cutting, sewing and getting a bit dirty. I love all the interesting people I meet, and I especially love being able to say: “look what I made today”. It’s very satisfying!’ 40 How long does it take you to make a pair of shoes? ‘This is such a diºcult question to answer, as I’m usually working on many pairs at once. There are roughly eighty to MEET Robyn Rosenfeldt Je§ Donne

JEFF DONNE: SPOONSMITH

Describe what you do? What do you love about spoon carving? ‘I make hand-carved wooden spoons, using a range of sim- ‘It calms me and grounds me. It takes me on a journey with ple tools and contraptions. My toolkit comes with no power no de¦ned ending, and it mixes together earth, mind and body cords or plugs, and my workshop can be wherever I place my to come up with something that is functional and deliciously chopping block. When carving with a knife I’m in the moment, wonky.’ slowly producing curves, sharp angles, cranks and facets that come together at the end to form a spoon. It really is a form What is your favourite spoon? of meditation ... I call it spoonfulness!’ ‘I’ve been fortunate enough to hold and collect spoons made by some of the world’s best, but my absolute favourite spoon What inspired you to start making spoons? was crafted from peppermint gum by a woman who came to ‘A little book on green-woodworking, with a bearded guy on one of my workshops. It was a giant ladle with a handle made the cover pedalling a foot-powered lathe and surrounded by from a forked branch, and the ¦rst spoon I’ve ever seen with his wares, tools and woodland workshop. I then went to that handlebars. You just can’t buy that stu§ from Ikea!’ woodland workshop, and watched a master craftsman make a chair leg on a lathe powered by foot and a springy sapling. Is spoon carving a dying art? It was that precise moment, watching him make ribbons of ‘Thanks to renewed interest in making things using traditional wood leap into the air, as his chisel glided across the grain, skills, it’s grown young again.’ that inspiration hit. I wanted to make things from wood, the natural way. That was twenty years ago.’ Why do you think it’s an art that should be saved? ‘I get a lot out of sharing this process with other people. It’s Who did you learn your skills from? about enlivening our minds by giving our hands something to ‘I started learning woodworking from a Herefordshire master do other than swiping screens and tapping out emails. Some- craftsman, Mike Abbott, as he guided me through the process one once said that our hands are where the mind meets the of making a traditional ladder back chair from a single log of world, and I hope people are walking away from my work- English ash. Over the years chairs gave way to spoons, which shops with tingling ¦ngers and minds.’ 41 draw on the same skills but rely on a greater sense of spon- taneity and adventure.’ Marnie Hawson

ALICIA MORA-HYDE: UMBRELLA MAKER

How many years have you been practising your How many people would you say practise your craft craft? in Australia? ’Since 1971 – so forty-¦ve years. It started as a bit of a hob- ‘I’m the only one in Australia, and I believe I’m the only one by. I moved from Chile, and had a job working as a nanny for in the world who makes the umbrella from tip to handle; I do the owner of an umbrella factory. As the children grew up I everything. Most umbrella manufacturers have one person for started working in the factory, a few days here and there. In each stage of the process – they need seven people to make 1977 I started full-time, eventually becoming «oor manager. In one umbrella. ’ 2000 the previous owner died, and his sons had no interest in running the business, so I took over the company. I work on Who buys your umbrellas? my own now; I do everything.’ ‘My umbrellas are made for people who appreciate quality; they’re made for beauty, not just to keep the rain o§. Some How do your umbrellas differ from those made over- people say: “Why would I buy from you? They are more ex- seas? pensive. I can go to the shop and get one for cheap.” I say: ‘My frames are better, the quality is better. I use the Fox frame “OK, go to the shop”.’ for gents, it’s the very best in the trade. The nylon comes from Italy.’ Is umbrella making by hand a dying trade? ‘Yes: I have lots of people who want to learn, but I have no How long does it take to make an umbrella? patience or time for teaching. My hands are getting weaker ‘Between half an hour and one hour, depending on the design. and I have so many opportunities to make business, but I don’t I could make up to 100 in a week, if I wanted to; but I have a know how to use a computer and that makes it hard. I also very sick husband who I need to look after now.’ have no family to help me.’

What is your favourite umbrella? ‘My favourite umbrellas – and also the most popular – are one colour inside and another on the outside, and the ribs are 42 hidden. No one else has them. They are beautiful.’ MEET Michelle TroopMichelle Jann Lane

CYNAMON AERIA: WEAVER

How many years have you been practising your What do you love about weaving? craft? ‘It’s an art form rich with history, technique and cultural con- ‘I ¦rst learnt basic braid weaving techniques when I was nine nection. Weaving lends itself to many di§erent methods and years old, but it wasn’t until 2007 that I began to learn spe- styles, which appeals to my freely creative and analytical ci¦c basketry and weaving techniques. I’ve been weaving and sides. I’m constantly challenged and inspired, and this pushes teaching weaving ever since.’ me to develop as an artist and a teacher. Weaving is also a lovely medium to connect with people and nature: I’m able to What inspired you to start weaving? touch on community and environmental issues as I teach.’ ‘During my travels in 2007 I went to a festival in Laura, Queensland, where I joined in with a weaving group. I learnt What sort of things do you weave? to weave my ¦rst coconut palm basket – very challenging but ‘I weave baskets, mats, pouches, bags, hats and decorative immensely satisfying! Then I attended a very short workshop items. I’ve started to use more contemporary techniques to do in Alice Springs with the Tjanpi Weavers: we sat in a group sculptural weaving, such as big woven orbs, huge sculptural and made coil baskets with wonderful Indigenous women. I birds and human-sized native animals.’ loved the simplicity and the social aspect of their weaving process, and I’ve been hooked ever since.’ Is weaving a forgotten skill? ‘In western societies weaving is largely a forgotten skill. Like Where else did you learn your skills? a lot of contemporary craft items, woven baskets and mats ‘I have sought out as many classes, workshops and teachers have been replaced by cheap, synthetic, machine-made mer- in basket weaving as possible. I did a lot of research via books chandise rolled o§ production lines. Convenience has made and online courses, and I practised on my own. When I trav- the skill of weaving, unnecessary and redundant. But there is elled overseas I made a point of meeting with basketry crafts- a growing appreciation for handmade woven items, especially people, and I shared my ideas and asked them to teach me. In indigenous woven artworks which grow in value over time. In this way I’ve learnt many di§erent techniques from di§erent Australia, the Tjanpi Weavers have contributed greatly to this cultures, for example Australian Aboriginal, Indonesian, Native improvement.’ 43 American and Maori techniques. I’ve progressed to develop my own style of basket and sculptural weaving.’ Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn

Clockwise from above: Garlic ready to be cured; Lokalen; Spanish Roja; Garlic grown as part of the Braidwood Garlic Growers Group; Duganski garlic. Daniel Rasmussen Tasmanian Garlic Company Garlic Company Tasmanian Daniel Rasmussen Letetia Ware Australian Gourmet Garlic Gourmet Australian Ware Letetia Daniel Rasmussen Tasmanian Garlic Company Tasmanian Daniel Rasmussen Helen Lynch CATCH AND STORE ENERGY GROWING GARLIC FOR YEAR-ROUND SUPPLY GROW

Words by Helen Lynch

Garlic planting time is coming around, as is the time and cut a§ected bits o§ immediately so that it doesn’t spread. when many garlic varieties are sprouting or starting When humidity is not anticipated, the garlic stem and roots to rot. For many of us this means going without garlic, can be left attached when the bulbs are hung. This drying or searching far and wide for growers who still have stage removes the moisture from the skins, the basal plate stock. Imported garlic is often available at this time of and the stem, which allows nutrients to pass from the leaves year, but is best avoided as it has usually been irra- down into the bulb and improves the storage life. Leave the diated and treated with a range of chemicals to stop bunches alone for around three to four weeks for Turban va- sprouting, and to kill bugs and germs. rieties, and ensure the temperature is constant and humidity relatively low. Optimal curing conditions require a tempera- To make our garlic supply last all year round there are several ture range between a minimum of 10–15 °C up to a maximum factors to consider. We need to: of 30°C, and relative humidity of 45–50%. • cure and store garlic well to ensure it lasts as long as possible STORING • choose a range of garlic varieties with di§erent harvest The most common way to store garlic is to plait it after it’s and storage times been dried. The attached stems are used to create a braid, • preserve garlic to stretch its lifespan. and the roots are removed or trimmed close. This is by far the simplest method, and keeping the stems attached to the CURING AND STORING bulb helps to extend its life. The preferred storage conditions To make garlic last as long as possible, you need to follow for plaits are similar to the curing conditions described above. some basic steps to ensure it’s cured and stored well. Gar- Garlic can also be stored by cutting the roots and stems lic is rarely consumed fresh – it’s usually eaten after going o§, and putting it in a place where the air can still get through through a drying process, which starts during the last stage (e.g. slatted boxes, stockings or nets). of bulb maturation in the ground. Drying begins when lower Storage is generally an extension of curing. It will only keep leaves start to die o§ prior to harvest, generally during the last the bulb viable for the natural life of the garlic: short season two weeks in the ground. Harvest the bulbs when the leaves garlic – the majority grown in Australia – will remain viable in start to turn brown. a plait until the following autumn planting season. Most backyard growers stick to varieties that don’t last past CURING May. If we want to be truly self suºcient in garlic supply Once harvested, the bulbs can be lightly brushed clean of we need to look at other varieties and ways to make it keep dirt and hung, as is, undercover in bunches, away from direct longer. sunlight where there is air «ow and low, stable humidity. If there is likely to be humidity or dampness, or big variations in CHOOSING YOUR VARIETIES 45 temperature, then roots should be trimmed. Roots can attract Most Australian garlic varieties grown for the table are moisture, which in turn attracts bacteria and fungus which early-season Turbans. These are easy to grow, adaptable to a can cause rot. Watch out for any mould on leaves or skins, wide climate range, and planted and harvested early. They are Letetia Ware

good all-rounders and work with a range of cuisines. They Above: Plant, harvest and storage chart for NSW. For include the Monaro Purple and the Italian Purple; both have a charts of other states go to www.tasmaniangourmetgar- short storage life. lic.com.au. Opposite page left: The garlic harvest team at To extend your supply of garlic – to last all year round – Winlen House. Opposite page right: The curing process. consider other varieties which are harvested later in the sea- son and store well. The following store for longer, and main- tain their crisp character and freshness long after the Turbans How long each variety stores for not only depends on the have sprouted and are ready to go back into the ground. group it comes from, but on the quality of the drying, curing and storage: it’s essential to maintain a dry, disease free, sta- Spanish Roja (Creole group). A mid-season garlic – ble temperature and low humidity environment. planted in May and harvested in December/January, although it can be planted as an early garlic. Stores well PRESERVING for six to eight months, and sometimes as long as twelve. Preserving can also help prolong the life of your garlic, and extend its availability in your household. While not complicat- Dunganski (Standard Purple Stripe group). A late- ed, preserving is precise and there are di§erences of opinion season garlic – planted in June, but can be as late as about how to get the best results. July, and harvested in February. Requires a very cold If you grow your own garlic, cure and store most of it but winter chill combined with a hot, dry spring. Stores well keep some aside for preserving. If you don’t grow your own, for eight to ten months. buy up big at the beginning of the season. Find a reliable local grower, growing clean (chemical free) bulbs and see Lokalen (Silver Skin group). A late-season garlic – if you can buy at least ¦ve kilograms more than you would planted in June, but can be as late as July, and harvested normally buy. in February. Stores well for ten to twelve months. Has a All preserving recipes start with clove peeling, which can distinctive «avour. be a pain but is unavoidable. Cloves are easiest to peel early in the season when fresh and not really fully dried, or late in Planting will depend on your climatic conditions, but garlic the season when ready to be planted. If you have trouble, pop usually requires a good winter chill, a mild spring and regular a bulb in the microwave for around twenty seconds – this 46 watering through the growing period. Application of generous makes peeling easier but would never be contemplated by amounts of boron is recommended. Garlic hates competition, a garlic fanatic, as there is a slight chance of the process so weed it well. a§ecting «avour. Helen Lynch Robyn Rosenfeldt Robyn GROW

Confit Drying Take a lesson from the French and con¦t at least six bulbs. Drying to preserve garlic is best done when the bulbs are al- This is a process of slow cooking in olive oil. The perfect con- ready quite dry. However, it provides a di§erent sort of prod- ¦t garlic is achieved with a good quality virgin olive oil; don’t uct, which can be a challenge to reuse short of rehydrating use a strongly «avoured oil as you want the garlic «avour to and using as you would fresh garlic. You have to try it to see dominate. Great for bruschetta, or spoon the oil and cloves if you like it. Peel the cloves, slice them in half, place them in into stir-fried greens or mashed potato. a food dehydrator and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. By experimenting with di§erent garlic varieties, making Ingredients sure you cure and store it well, and using some simple pre- garlic cloves, peeled serving techniques, you could have a year-round supply for olive oil your family and friends.

Method Helen Lynch and Bronwyn Richards run Wynlen House Slow Pre-heat the oven to 100 °C. Food Farm (see www.wynlenhouse.com), and are part of the Place cloves in a shallow ovenproof dish and cover with Braidwood Garlic Growers’ Group which is experimenting oil. Place the dish in the oven for at least one hour. Don’t with garlic varieties so that Australian garlic can be available let the garlic colour, but it needs to soften thoroughly so commercially year round. that it’s spreadable. Decant the cooked garlic into a clean glass jar and keep For more information see: it in the fridge; make sure the garlic is covered by the oil. Australian Garlic Industry Association at This will keep for several weeks, or can be frozen for sev- www.australiangarlic.net.au eral months. You do need to be careful to avoid botulism. Braidwood Garlic Growers’ Group at www.braidwoodgarlic.com.au Pickling Tasmanian Gourmet Garlic, suppliers of seed garlic at There are many reliable recipes on the web. Some combine www.tasmaniangourmetgarlic.com.au garlic with herbs and spices, others with «avourings. Pick- ling recipes that include a quick blanch/boil for the cloves, Garlic: an Organic Guide to Knowing, Growing and or cooking them a little in the pickling solution, are preferred. Using Garlic, from Australian Whites and Tasmanian Cooking reduces the capacity for the garlic to carry bacteria. Purples to Korean Reds and Shandongs by Penny Be careful with every bit of preserving you do, to make sure Woodward (Hyland House Publishing Pty Ltd 2014). 47 the rules of preserving are followed religiously. Keep every- Available in the Pip shop at www.pipmagazine.com.au/ thing as clean and as germ free as possible! shop/garlic-by-penny-woodward Richard Telford Richard

Clockwise from above: Grapevine growing up to proivde shade in summer; Richard and Kunie with sons, Kai and Sen; Crazy paving. Following page, top: The north-facing living

Richard Telford Richard room. Last page: The cellar entry. Erika Hildegard

48 USE ¡ VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES ¡ SERVICES ABDALLAH HOUSE Words by Richard Telford

The Abdallah House project began in May 2008 in We planned to reorient and restump the original building, BUILD suburban Seymour, central Victoria, with the pur- and then extend a living space to the north. The shack had no chase of a three-roomed bungalow, with bathroom/ gutters and water had pooled under it, rotting out the stumps, laundry tacked onto the side, on a 584 m2 block. The compromising the integrity of the building. That, and the old project is driven by permaculture practitioner Richard termite nest in the base of the redgum, led to a change of Telford with support from his partner Kunie, and chil- plan: we carefully deconstructed and repurposed almost all of dren Kai and Sen. the materials and started the building from scratch.

In mid-2005 I decided on a tree change, and moved to Com- NO MONEY, NO JOB – HOW DO WE PAY FOR monground Co operative, a small intentional social change THIS? community in Seymour. While I liked the idea of building a I knew money was going to be a challenge. I decided to re- place at the community, there were downsides, for example if cord the whole process on a blog, and used this as the basis we wanted to leave our home in future, we couldn’t reinvest for a diploma in permaculture, which entitled me to Austudy that energy into a new home. payments. In May 2008, in the midst of the global ¦nancial crisis, I I ¦gured on a $50 000 budget, but Peter told me to double attended the auction of a deceased estate, curious to ¦nd it. My local credit union manager o§ered a bridging loan, to out how much ’the worst house in Seymour’ would sell for. allow me to withdraw up to $100 000, $10 000 at a time. The The place was passed in with no bids. As I was about the property provided the collateral, and we got the loan. leave the property I thought to myself, ‘Why not just o§er We turned the ¦rst sod in May 2009. A few months later them what I have in savings?’. I made an o§er and, after we found out that Kunie was pregnant with our second child, negotiation, agreed on a purchase price of $53 000. We now and wanted the homebirth in the new house: the pressure owned a place of our own: a derelict shack on a small piece was on. I’d intended the building to take about a year, and we of river «at. managed to get the house to lockup stage in seven months. I already had some building experience from my time at We moved in in June 2010, and Sen was born just two weeks Commonground. Together with time spent working on a cou- later, on winter solstice. ple of sites, with builder/architect Peter Lockyer, this gave As we had a new house in a country location we took ad- me the con¦dence to become an owner-builder, with Peter vantage of the generous ¦rst-home owner’s grant on o§er at as my mentor. the time: the $36 500 paid a big chunk o§ our debt. Kunie’s My grand vision was to demonstrate how one could live a initial apprehension of moving into Seymour soon vanished, rich urban life without it costing the earth. and she contributed her savings to the project. With our fru- We spent the ¦rst year designing and working through the gally hedonistic lifestyle, and with what we considered very necessary paperwork for council. My immediate neighbours generous ongoing government family payments, we had our were keen for a huge redgum (which dropped the occasional debt paid o§ within three years. large branch) to go, and contributed some of the funds for the task. We got much needed sunlight for future plantings, and BUILDING MATERIALS 49 timber to build the decks and benchtops. Timber was stacked The house deconstruction yielded: weatherboards, hardwood and dried on site, with the added bene¦t of providing mulch, framing, Baltic pine «oorboards, cement sheeting, roof tiles sawdust and a four-year supply of ¦rewood. and louvre windows; another deconstruction nearby provided Erika Hildegard

green corrugated iron and batten timber. I needed extra «oor- try, and large pieces form entrance steps; varnished rounds boards, hardwood joists and bearers for the sub-«oor, and punch out from the wall and ceiling for light and fan ¦ttings; doors and windows which we acquired secondhand, or were slabs adorn the kitchen benchtop (on a factory-made cup- given by friends; I got new when I couldn’t scrounge. board base) and a bathroom bench. I collected and cleaned about 2800 bricks from a neigh- Hardwood framing timber has been used to build shelves bour’s property, which we used to build formwork for a raised throughout, taking advantage of the high ceiling. slab that was poured over compacted local sand and polished for the living room «oor. The slab sides were insulated and CELLAR AND COOL CUPBOARD covered with lime-washed cement sheet. The slab provides The most unusual feature is a combined tank stand/cellar/ the only thermal mass in the house, in the area it’s needed cool cupboard. An 8000 litre rainwater tank above the brick most; the rest of the house is on stumps. Building o§ the cellar helps keep it cool, for storing bulk and preserved food, ground gave more security against the threat of extreme and drinks. Inspired by the cool cupboard at Melliodora (see «oods. The remaining bricks were used to build: a circular Pip issue 6), a 300 mm diameter pipe follows a slight incline cellar, a base for the carport (on the east side of the house), a for 10 m to the kitchen cool cupboard. Cool cellar air is drawn pond and greenhouse «oor. up from 1.4 m below ground, through the pipe to wire baskets The roof and walls were made with mostly new materials. in the cupboard where it is exhausted through a 1.6 m high We built curved, boxed roof-beams on site (by bending plan- black «ue, with a whirly bird atop. During winter the under- tation pine, with noggins in between, and plywood glued and ground pipe is closed o§, and a vent is opened under the nailed to the sides); light and easy for two people to handle. house to draw in colder air. New corrugated iron was ¦xed to the top and bottom, as roof and ceiling, with two layers of R2.5 polyester batts (recycled), ENERGY AND WATER STORAGE/USE, AND using foil and an air gap above. The walls were made with NUTRIENT CYCLING corrugated iron on the outside, an air gap with foil, and R2.0 Our aim was to consume minimal energy. The house is orien- batts in a pine frame with plywood on the inside. New pine tated to face north, allowing the sun to warm up the insulated boards were used for the skirting and cornices. slab in the living room during winter, and limit unwanted sun The hallway wall, running the length of the house, was penetration in the summer. Reinforcing steel curves down lined with original weatherboards, «ipped and sanded to re- from the eaves over the northern deck, where grape vines veal the grain. The «oors and walls were painted with the provide shade in summer. The vines are irrigated with grey- same citrus-based bio-varnish, adding a feeling of warmth water from the kitchen (via subterranean chambers that can to the place; a nice contrast to the metal ceiling and polished be redirected to sewer). 50 concrete «oor in the living room. Our 1.5 kW solar system generates, on average, around 6 The redgum features in and around the house: several bush kWh per day, and we use around 3.5 kWh. We got the premi- poles are used around the carport, another at the front en- um feed-in tari§, returning $600–800 a year, with no bills! One reason for our low usage is our super-eºcient fridge: an We have a netted orchard/straw yard with chooks to help upright freezer with digital temperature controller added, that turn our unwanted biomass into rich compost. I compost ma- can be programmed to turn on/o§ and used like a fridge. terial from the yard with wood ash and humanure. Our locally made Gourmet wood-¦red oven is the main Food production in 2013 and 2016 was around 275 kg of heating and cooking for about four months each year – vegetables. Fruit varieties and production increased from 90 around two cubic metres of wood is sourced mainly locally. to 163kg as more trees started producing, and egg production A wetback thermosiphons to a heat exchanger, heating water also increased from 509 to 782 with more hens. Our ‘bin- in the cylinder which is connected to two «at plate solar pan- imum’ mission – for minimising rubbish and recycling – in els above the greenhouse. The system requires no pumps or 2011 and 2016 resulted in one 240 litre bin of recycling, and power backup. Only occasionally (e.g. in overcast weather), one 120 litre bin of rubbish for both years. do we have lukewarm water. Our place is an example of an ‘extreme retro¦t’, which has Two locally-made corrugated iron tanks hold 32 000 litres repurposed onsite materials to maximise bene¦cial outcomes. of rainwater, used for the household, pond, a garden bath (to A record of the building process is available on the blog at which we add liquid manures and compost teas) and hand www.abdallahhouse.com, and we open the property for tours watering. Most of the garden is irrigated using town water. on Permaculture Day and by private arrangement. Aspects of Laneway runo§ is directed to a large ¦ltration basin in our the project are included as a case study in David Holmgren’s front yard, which over«ows to irrigate a raised bed on the upcoming book RetroSuburbia: a Downshifters Guide to a Resil- nature strip. ient Future (see www.retrosuburbia.com). We open the bathroom up to the adjacent greenhouse as needed, to heat or cool the eastern side of the house. From Richard Telford is the designer of the permaculture BUILD the bathroom we monitor seedlings and other plants. principles icons, founder of permacultureprinciples.com The inside toilet has a hatch that opens up into the green- and coordinator of the permaculture calendar since house, allowing easy removal of the twenty litre humanure 2012. He also coordinates the wholesale permaculture buckets (Jenkins’ system). Bays are located nearby to compost bookstore at www.melliodora.com. the mix (six–twelve months), before use around the garden. Contact: [email protected]

51 Clockwise from left: Pickled vegetables; Matt and Lentil harvesting cucumbers for pickling; Dill pickles.

whole cabbage 52 CATCH AND STORE ENERGY PICKLING THE HARVEST

Words and photos by Matt and Lentil Purbrick

People have been preserving food forever. Before the the recipe with whatever herbs and spices you love. Try tar- invention of fridges, knowing how to preserve your ragon instead of dill, or add a hint of chilli. Have a play! harvest by salting and drying meats or fermenting vegetables was an absolute necessity. These days the ULTIMATE DILL PICKLES need for preserving may seem to have disappeared, Quantity: one litre jar but we feel it’s as important as ever. We still see pre- Time to make: ten minutes preparation, and ¦ve to seven days serving your harvest as a fundamental part of living a fermenting. full life. It’s in our blood: there is a deep satisfaction in EAT preparing a larder so that you can enjoy foods that are Ingredients out of season all year round. 400 ml pickling brine (see notes) 1 clove of garlic, halved (unpeeled is ¦ne if clean) There is no better time to learn to preserve than when sum- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds mer is in full swing. Everything is ‘in’ and no other time of 1 teaspoon coriander seeds the year feels quite so abundant. Sometimes the late summer 1 teaspoon black peppercorns harvest can be so abundant that it’s quite overwhelming! Hav- 600 g small cucumbers (you can pickle any size you ing a few preservation tricks up your sleeve will mean you are like – the only restriction is the size of the vessel – ready for anything. And winter will feel that little bit sunnier and always keep them whole, otherwise they will when you can pull out the summer treats you stored away. ferment too fast and turn mushy) There are loads of ways to preserve, but let’s focus on one 2 dill «owers (or replace with dill fronds if you can’t of the most ancient: lacto-fermentation, an ancient technique source them). that has kept humans healthy and fed for thousands of years. You’ll also need a one litre glass jar. It preserves by helping the good bacteria (lactobacilli) over- power the bad. Method Everything is preserved in the process of lacto-fermenta- Day 1 tion, including all of the original vitamins and minerals and the Make the pickling brine (see notes). Add the garlic and spices natural enzymes; as a bonus, the bioavailability of most of the to the jar, and then stu§ in the whole cucumbers so that they vitamins and minerals is enhanced because of the pre-diges- are all nice and snug. Pour the brine over the cucumbers, ¦lling tion performed by the good bacteria and enzymes. As a result, the jar to the brim. Place the dill «owers on top to make sure the the taste of the food is enhanced, di§ering almost totally from cucumbers stay below the surface of the brine – this is critical, its raw, unpreserved state. When we consume the good bac- otherwise the exposed parts will become soft or mouldy. Put teria present in fermented foods, we are also maintaining the the lid in place, but don’t fully tighten it. Sit the jar on a plate balance of good to bad bacteria in our digestive systems, and (liquid will spill over the lip of the jar during the fermentation) happy digestion equals lots of energy for our bodies. and leave to sit for ¦ve to seven days at room temperature. There are many famous lacto-fermented preserves. Kimchi and sauerkraut are probably the most famous these days. But Days 5–7 53 when it comes to fermented pickles, we think dill pickles are The cucumbers should have turned from a bright green to the undisputed kings. When winter arrives and you have no a nice olive colour. They should be crunchy. If any pickles more fresh cucumbers, you’ll be glad you made these. Vary «oated above the brine and turned soft or mouldy, just cut o§ the soft part and discard. If you’re happy with how they’ve 4. Fill the jar(s) with the pickling brine. fermented, put them in the fridge. If they’re not quite ready, 5. Place a ‘sacri¦cial leaf’, such as a cabbage leaf or dill give them a couple of more days (see note). If you want your fronds or «owers, on top to keep all of the good stu§ pickles to last the longest and stay the crispest, drain the pick- submerged. les from the pickling brine (which can be reused for the next 6. Put the lid in place but don’t fully tighten it. batch) and cover in fresh brine before storing in the fridge 7. Sit the jar on a plate. (see note). Pickles have a very long shelf life when kept in the 8. Leave to ferment for 5–7 days at room temperature. fridge, well into the following season of cucumbers. 9. Discard the sacri¦cial ‘leaf’ and refrigerate.

Notes Each of the following recipes also makes a one litre jar full. Pickling brine is a solution of salt dissolved in unchlori- Time to make: ten minutes preparation, and ¦ve to seven days nated water. For the fermentation to work the amount of fermenting. salt needs to be 2–5% of the water volume. For example, to make 400 ml of brine you need to dissolve 8–20 g GREEN BEANS of salt in 400 ml of water. You must use unchlorinated We all know about blanching and freezing green beans for win- water, as chlorine is an antibacterial, meaning it will stop ter use. But try fermenting them this season. Fermented they all those wonderful lactic-acid producing (good) bacte- are sharp, a little sweet and altogether a surprising and in- ria from doing their thing. Rainwater or spring water is triguing pickle, tasting totally di§erent from their cooked state. best. We always use unre¦ned salt to make our brines, as Ingredients we think it not only tastes the best but keeps the pickles 600 ml pickling brine extra crisp! 1 teaspoon cloves Timing. This recipe is based on summertime pickling. Fer- 5 tarragon sprigs menting takes longer when it’s colder (shorter if you’re 500 g green beans in the tropics!). If it’s winter, and constantly below 12°C 2 dill «owers [sacri¦cial ‘leaf’]. when you are trying to ferment, it’s not going to work very well unless you keep the food warm. Try placing it HOT GREEN CHILLIES in a heated room, near a ¦re or on top of a co§ee ma- We initially gave these to just a couple of our favourite cus- chine, or even wrap it in an electric blanket. tomers when we would pull up to sell vegies in Melbourne’s Storage. You can over-ferment food, which is why we say laneways. But news soon spread, and it wasn’t long before to refrigerate it after ¦ve to seven days fermenting at we were completely unable to keep up with demand. We use room temperature. When we say over-ferment, we don’t them to spice up our sandwiches, a pizza, everything really. mean they spoil or go bad –technically it would be even But beware, they are totally addictive. Maybe make a bigger better for your digestion. Over-fermented means that the batch than usual. good bacteria have started to digest the cellular structure Ingredients of the food you are preserving, and that means it will be- 500 ml pickling brine gin to taste overly sour and eventually become mushy in 1 teaspoon mustard seeds texture. Again, it’s not bad for you, just not very pleasant 1 teaspoon coriander seeds to eat anymore. Stick to the refrigeration steps in the 1 teaspoon black peppercorns recipes and you’ll be ¦ne, although you don’t necessar- 1 clove of garlic, halved (unpeeled is ¦ne if clean) ily have to refrigerate to slow the ferment. Lactobacilli 600 g whole hot green chillies (jalapeños are our are extremely sluggish below about 12°C, the average favourite) temperature of a traditional cellar. So if you have a cellar, 2 dill «owers [sacri¦cial ‘leaf’]. use that.

PICKLING OTHER VEGETABLES OTHER VARIATIONS Fermenting vegetables under brine extends way beyond cu- Use the master recipe to make up your own variations with cumbers – you can ferment almost any vegetable. The tech- whatever excess vegies you have lying around. We often nique works best with those vegies which start out super make up mixed batches of cauli«ower, carrots, beans, onions, crisp when picked fresh. For maximum nutrition try to get the garlic and/or capsicums – anything crisp! Mix up the spices vegies under the brine as soon possible after harvest. and herbs too. The choices are endless. The basic technique remains the same as for the Ultimate Happy pickling everyone! Dill Pickle recipe (above). Matt and Lentil are gardeners, farmers, authors and 54 MASTER RECIPE: METHOD educators who farm on two-and-a-half hectares near 1. Make up a 2–5% pickling brine. Tabilk in Victoria: see www.grownandgathered.com.au 2. Add the spices to the jar(s). 3. Add the vegetables to the jar(s). 3355 Supplied by Feather and Bone

APPLY SELF¥REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK FEATHER AND BONE Words by Laura Dalrymple Alan Benson Laura Dalrymple and Grant Hilliard run Feather and Bone, a small Sydney butcher selling pasture-raised livestock sourced directly from sustainably run, most- ly local farms. Laura shares her story.

Grant started the business in 2006, in a ¦t of blind enthusi- asm about rare-breed sheep. He’d worked with unemployed youth, as a waiter and sommelier, and studied ¦lmmaking – not exactly the background you need to become a butcher. He didn’t set out to be a butcher, but merely followed his fascination with terroir and food. We believe there’s a fundamental link between the way an animal is raised and how it tastes on your plate. Our busi- ness is built around the desire to ‘open up the line of sight’ between farm and consumer, so that decisions are informed and considered. We don’t shy away from the fact that we’re all about eating animals. We believe that if you’re going to farm, kill and eat animals then you’re obliged to treat every step of the process with the greatest respect and consideration possible. We’re Laura Dalrymple doing our best to run a business that practises this kind of respect and consideration. Around seventy per cent of the farms we source from are certi¦ed biodynamic, organic or Humane Choice free-range, and all livestock is raised on chemical-free pasture. We focus on heritage or rare breeds of livestock because of the need to build greater genetic diversity, in the face of the genetic squeeze imposed by the eºciency-based, factory-farming model. And di§erent breeds suit di§erent climates, environ- ments and palates. We buy whole carcasses because: we respect the life giv- en up by using the whole animal; small farms can’t a§ord to sell parts of their livestock; and we abhor the sale and purchase of boxed meat. We’re committed to promoting the farmers and their produce, and to making sure our custom- 56 ers know exactly what they’re getting, where it came from and how it lived. We visit every farm we represent, as often as possible. Supplied by Feather and Bone Extraordinary Pork

We sell to restaurants and retail customers who want very Opposite page, above to below: Lamb; hearts and brains. good quality meat and poultry with clear, traceable prove- This page, left to right: Laura Dalrymple and Grant Hil- nance. liard; Extraordinary Pork farm visit with Grant Hilliard and Buying whole animals and supporting small farmers is all farmer Michael Hicks. very well, but you also have to sell the whole animal to stay in business, and that’s quite a challenge. Although eye ¦llet THRIVE makes up about two per cent of a cow carcass, its availability OUR RULES and a§ordability is why many of us haven’t learned how to We aim to inform customers about the production, treatment, cook the secondary cuts that make up around seventy per transport and preparation of our produce. Everything we sell: cent of the carcass. • arrives whole and direct from the abattoir or farm, We realised that we had to: enthuse customers about ‘nose neither boxed nor packed in plastic to tail’ eating – excite them with the culinary possibilities of • is traceable to clearly identi¦ed farms that welcome the blade, chuck, shanks and bones ¦lling our coolrooms; ig- scrutiny nite a zeal for abolishing factory-farming and related envi- • is chemical and hormone-free, and not administered ronmental, animal welfare and nutritional issues; stir up their prophylactic antibiotics outrage at the untruths in food packaging; and instil a sense • has lived on, or with access to, pasture, with the space of respect and wonder at the work done by maverick farm- and conditions to allow instinctive behaviour, and fed ap- ers, who choose to farm holistically, building up the intrinsic propriately (e.g. no grain-fed ruminants) strength and resilience of their land. • is not the product of intensive-feeding regimens. The more we learn about livestock production, the more we realise that animals are just one component of an intercon- Every attempt is made by our producers to practise low- nected, natural system which is only as strong as the health stress handling throughout the animals’ growth cycles, and of its component parts. For a cow to be healthy, the vegeta- during the transport and processing of their animals. tion on which it feeds must be healthy, which can only occur when the soil is healthy – when the land carries the stock it For more information see www.featherandbone.com.au can sustain without intervention. Which means fewer cows, or visit their shop in Marrickville: 8/10-14 Lilian Fowler and eating less of them. But the growth in factory farming, Pl, Marrickville NSW or find them at the Moore Park 57 and the never-ending supply of cheap meat, mean that con- Market: 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park NSW. cepts like seasonality and doing without don’t factor in our food purchasing habits anymore. APPLY SELF¥REGULATION AND ACCEPT FEEDBACK VEGAN PERMACULTURE Words and photos by Amanda Volpatti

Mention the words ‘vegan permaculture’ and you’re bound to get a mixed reaction. For many, the idea that permaculture principles can be applied without the use of animals just doesn’t sit right. Yet a growing number of people are combining the two, and žnd that the principles align beautifully to create a system that is modern yet sustainable.

Vegan permaculture is built on the desire to live a lifestyle that improves the health and wellbeing of animals, people and the planet. In the Vegan Book of Permaculture: Recipes for Healthy Eating and Earthright Living (Permanent Publications 2014), Graham Burnett describes permaculture as ‘a useful framework for positive action whatever our lifestyle choic- es’. When the permaculture ethic of fair share is extended to include animals, a choice is made to seek alternatives to commonly produced animal products; vegans also phase out consumables considered as by-products of animal-based food sources. It’s an empowering small and slow solution.

REPLACING ANIMALS AS A FOOD SOURCE The current Australian Dietary Guidelines make it clear that Working together. a well-planned vegan diet is healthy, nutritionally adequate This page, above: This page, below: Bees and brassicas. and appropriate for all stages of life. Crops such as chia, Opposite page, clockwise from top We’re all connected; Pollinator attraction among the moringa, potatoes and beans are perfectly adequate sourc- left: fruit trees; Dried legumes. es of protein, are relatively easy to grow at home, and store well to ensure a year-round supply. Concerns that plant foods lack calcium are also unfounded, with the calcium in dairy easily replaced by tofu, legumes, leafy greens, chia and almonds. Researchers such as Professor Colin T Campbell – nutri- tional biochemist, researcher, and author - believe that it’s too much protein that is causing problems. Preventing and re- versing diseases including heart disease, diabetes and some 58 cancers is an increasingly common reason for adopting a whole food, plant-based or vegan diet. A plant-based diet supports the permaculture ethic of peo- ple care through improved health outcomes. It’s also equally relevant as an application of fair share. A 2010 United Nations report identi¦ed a move towards plant-based foods as a solu- tion to world hunger.

ENJOYING ABUNDANCE WITHOUT ‘Animals are not used in my veganic forest gardens, for food ANIMAL INPUTS or for manure. They wander through and join the system as Stock-free and veganic farming are successful approaches pollinators, biological managers and consumers’. Helen Ath- that use many methods commonly associated with permacul- lowe (Veganic permaculture advocate) ture, such as: forest gardening, permanent mulch, ‘lasagne’ Attracting larger animals to a suburban block isn’t a viable gardening, chop-and-drop crops, green manures and nutrient option. Many vegan permaculturists integrate rescued animals teas. Limiting disruption to the organic materials mimics the into their systems, allowing them to co-exist. In our system: development of a natural ecology. Combined with approaches rescued chickens scratch the compost and add manure where such as square-foot and bio-intensive gardening, it’s possible they roam; adopted guinea pigs run free among the pumpkin to grow large amounts of food in a small area. vines and keep the grass down; worms aerate the soil and Although an organic, grass-fed life is a more pleasant ex- share their wormy goodness. The native garden out the front, perience for livestock, it requires a large amount of land. For and «owering plants throughout the rest of the yard, allow us NURTURE example, beef takes ¦fty per cent more land, and far more to share with the pollinators. We need the birds and the bees. water, to produce than the equivalent of grains or potatoes – an unsustainable option for urban dwellers seeking self- WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER suºciency. Home-grown meat is also an issue for many Our actions a§ect the world around us, and permaculture renters who are unable to keep animals on their property. urges us to use appropriate technology to reduce our impact And, given an ever-increasing number of authorities iden- on society. We are faced with choices each day. Applying a tify animal agriculture as one of the largest contributors to vegan lens to permaculture is one way to interpret the per- climate change, the link to earth care becomes clear. The maculture framework. documentary Cowspiracy: the Sustainability Secret (2014) is a Vegan permaculture appeals as an alternative way to re- must-watch for people wanting to explore the environmental duce our reliance on limited land and energy resources. For motivations for adopting a plant-based diet. some of us vegan permaculture will be the best way, whether it is due to personal ethics or limitations imposed by our home THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ANIMALS environment. When combined, these two ethical frameworks IN THE SYSTEM – both counter-cultures – have the powerful potential to cre- As with all things permaculture – and vegan – applying the ate grassroots social change. 59 framework is highly individual. Although vegan permaculture recognises the place of animals, in its strictest application Amanda is a freelance writer based on the NSW south only wild animals are included. coast. www.AmandaV.com.au. Clockwise from above left: The glasshouse with multiple functions; Claude and Helene out the front of their house; The mandala vegie garden.

60 DESIGN FROM PATTERNS TO DETAILS SAUVETERRE PERMACULTURE Words by Ben Buggy Photos by Robyn Rosenfeldt

After leaving their homeland in France, Claude and be seen in the design of the north facing glasshouse, the Helene Marmoux travelled to Australia where they cool cupboard and the centrally-located combustion stove. settled in Sydney. After buying a house there, and The house faces north, and its eaves are calculated to block running their own business for many years, they left out the hot summer sun and allow winter sun onto a slate to travel the country where they discovered permacul- tiled «oor to absorb heat. A grape-covered pergola along the ture through Robyn Francis. ‘Studying the PDC with north-facing windows also provides shade in summer. A se- Robyn Francis in the nineties was exactly what we ries of clever design features also save water and reduce were looking for, and gave us a new direction in life’, waste. Claude remembers. They knew that a new life, where they provided for themselves, was the best step they THE GLASSHOUSE could take towards saving the earth: ‘As humans liv- The north-facing glasshouse shares a mudbrick wall with the ing on a planet with žnite resources, our žrst step living room, sitting on the north-east corner of the house, and is to reduce our impact, which begins with building acts as a passive heater in winter. Sun energy trapped by the smaller houses’. glass frontage can be directed into the house through vents. Low vents bring cool air in from the living room «oor, pushing Their search for a new home in the country led them to their hot air up and through high vents at the top of the wall, into current property, sitting atop a ridge in Brogo on the Far the house. South Coast of NSW. Sauveterre Permaculture is their home In summer, when the heat isn’t needed, the vents are and design project. Sauveterre – or ‘Save Earth’ – has been closed, and the windows on each end of the glasshouse can their ongoing inspiration in building this small working farm. be opened, along with the louvres on the front. The glass- The overall result is a small parcel of land being managed well house has been set up as a garden space and nursery, making to provide for the needs of the couple. it multifunctional. The project, now in its maturity after twenty-three years of development, is a valuable demonstration of the principles of COOL-AIR CUPBOARD permaculture, and a cornucopia of design features and inno- Cool air is gathered into a pipe from a shaded fernery to the vations. south of the house, and then travels underneath the con- crete slab to the cool cupboard in the kitchen. The cool air is THE HOUSE drawn up past the food kept in wire baskets within, and exits When they moved onto their block in 1993 Claude and Helene through a fan in the roof. Produce in the cupboard is venti- DESIGN had little experience in building, least of all with mudbrick. lated, and the pantry is kept a few degrees cooler than the While living in their shed they helped their neighbours build ambient temperature at all times, so only a small refrigerator houses through the local LETS (Local Exchange Trading Sys- is needed. tem) program. By the time they started their own building they had both the know-how and a group of people ready to help DUCTED HEATING them: ’We needed 2400 mudbricks for the house, and with a The heat from a centrally - located combustion stove in the few people and a hydraulic press we could make 200–300 living room is ducted through pipes that run through the roof 61 bricks in a day’, Claude recalls. cavity to the bedrooms, pushing the heat to the other end of The house was built to include many great features to re- the house. duce the need for energy. Smart use of thermal «ow can Claude Marmoux

SAUVETERRE PERMACULTURE

Sheep yard Big yard

Food forest

Winter garden Reed beds

Chooks and kiwis Mandala garden House Glasshouse

Orchard Water tanks

Grazing paddocks

62 COMPOSTING TOILET PASTURE MANAGEMENT The original Clivus Multrum toilet – that they installed twenty Beyond the inner zones of the house paddock and orchards, years ago – is built into a cavity under the house. The system the property is open pasture and natural bush. works so well, in its warm position to the north, that it’s emp- When ¦reweed started to come up in the pasture they in- tied just once a year. The decomposed manure is used around troduced sheep to control it. Inspired by Allan Savory (Holistic their fruit trees. Management) and a workshop with Bruce Davison from Can- delo, they decided to fence o§ the forest and divide the rest GREYWATER FILTRATION SYSTEM into small paddocks which allows for rotational grazing. De- The water from the kitchen, laundry and bathroom is directed spite the small pasture area they created fourteen paddocks, ¦rst into a grease trap, and then «ows into three large tubs of over an area of two hectares, with an average size of 1300 m2, reeds. ‘The role of the reeds is to keep the water oxygenated, plus an extra one for olive trees. The sheep «ock is rotated to so that the aerobic bacteria can do their work of cleaning the keep the pastures healthy and productive. water.’ The reed beds have been made in concrete, with baf- «es to direct the water through them more slowly. After about OUTER ZONES twelve days in the reed system the water «ows down to the The bush is also an important part of the property, and has duck pond where it also acts as a fox moat around the duck been helped along with the planting of about 1000 indigenous house. The pond is then drained to irrigate and fertilise the trees. ‘Our aim was to regenerate by planting more trees to hazelnuts, or the water can be pumped up to a holding tank sequester carbon, reduce our footprint and at the same time and then drip-fed through the food forest. to support the wildlife.’ Firewood is harvested from the fallen limbs, timber has COVERED FOOD FOREST been milled for building, and smaller trees are thinned out and In 2012 Claude and Helene decided to turn part of the orchard used in building projects. into a food forest area: ‘We decided to reduce the annual work of slashing and netting the fruit trees to protect the fruit from FIRE MANAGEMENT the birds, and to maximise the production in a protected area’. The wooded slope is in their ¦re sector, so they maintain a The area was fertilised with rock dust, blood and bone and ¦rebreak and have planted a zone of local pittosporums to covered with cardboard and old lucerne hay. In the following retard ¦re. autumn they planted green manure crops, which were then The house has been adapted over the years to provide pro- turned back into the soil. tection in case of bush¦re: Claude has cut pressed-cement The food forest now has a shady canopy of dwarf fruit sheets to the size of each window, which can be quickly in- trees, including tamarillos and a variety of guava. Berries and stalled when needed; and the roof has water sprinklers in- currants grow under and around the trees, as well as perenni- stalled, which can douse the house and immediate garden. als such as rhubarb and artichoke. The ground is kept covered using woodchips, carpet under the paths, and ground covers DEMONSTRATION SITE such as warrigal greens and nasturtium. These days, Claude is putting more time into sharing his ex- ‘I get to come out here and forage for my food’, says Claude periences of Sauveterre. Claude and Helene open their home with a smile. This stacking of plants creates a cooler, shadier and garden, in partnership with other local permaculture gar- and wetter environment, which extends the e§ect of rain and dens, to educate and inspire. They give tours and talks for reduces the need for irrigation. students – for example from the University of the Third Age (U3A) and PDCs – as well as the general public, and raise VEGETABLE GARDENS money for Permafund. The mandala vegetable garden was established early on, Claude has also developed a website where he documents while they were working on the house. It is a waxwood (nat- the property with photos and step-by-step instructions, such urally treated) pine structure, made of ¦ve elevated beds plus as how he built his netted food forest. He takes great pride an outside circular one ringing the space. Their crop rota- in seeing that people from all over the world are visiting the tion is literal: they use a structured rotation guide that they’ve site, taking from it what they will. ‘One of the main goals in tweaked over the years, and the plan moves around the tri- permaculture is to reduce your personal carbon footprint on angular beds. the planet – gardening is just a part of it.’ DESIGN The winter garden was built o§ the enclosed chicken yard. As the name suggests, a lot of the produce from this garden WHAT’S NEXT? is preserved for the cooler months: potatoes, tomatoes, corn, Claude and Helene are looking forward to retirement in a cou- beans and pumpkin. More fruit trees are espaliered along the ple of years in a small town nearby where they are retro¦tting edges; these are ingeniously caged and beautifully pruned. a small dwelling – with a vegetable patch of course. The chickens have access to the ¦ve small garden rooms, They will certainly miss the life that they’ve built at Brogo, and are used to clean up after the crop cycle. They also enjoy but they see succession as the best way to keep Sauveterre 63 the shade of a large kiwifruit structure, with ¦ve female plants Permaculture maintained and thriving for a long time to come. and a pollinating male plant. For more information see www.sauveterre-permaculture.com. Clockwise from top: Dyed wools and dye ingredi- ents, avocado, eucalyptus, iron, oxalis and lichen; A dye pot journal: Deb’s collection of dye samples range from the 1970s to now; The wonder of mor- dants: all these wools were dyed with oxalis, and then treated with di§erent mordants (iron and sodi- um bicarbonate) throwing di§erent colours; Shawl died with oxalis. Hand spun, dyed and knitted – Deb crafts her work every step of the way, from ingredi- ents to ¦nished object.

64 USE AND VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND SERVICES NATURAL DYEING: COLOURS FROM NATURE MAKE

Words and photos by Maude Farrugia

‘There’s dye in everything, really’, says artist Deb- Deb spends the morning sharing stories and brewing up orah Brearley, as she unpacks oxalis, lichens, rusty dyes in the kitchen, and this domestic element is central to nails and an array of other gathered materials onto the her love of natural dyeing. ‘I love to use everyday kitchen and kitchen bench: all ingredients for the natural dye pot. garden stu§ in my dyes, it’s kind of magic’, she says as she Deb has been dyeing textiles using natural pigments drops hanks of pure, undyed wool into a cauldron of bubbling for more than three decades, and in the world of nat- oxalis «owers. ‘This is the real witches’ brew stu§’, as she ural dyeing that makes her a bit of a master. gleefully sprinkles sodium bicarbonate into a kitchen bowl, and dabs a steaming yellow ball of yarn in it. A sunburst of ‘This is like a journal’, she says as she produces a loop of orange begins to creep up the strands of yarn as the chemical twisted-wool dyed samples, with handwritten tags such as reaction begins. Lichen (Paradise Falls, Apollo Bay), winter 1979 and Orange Deb’s attitude to natural dyeing is wonderfully playful and fungus (Perrys’, Bacchus Marsh), winter 1981. The journey of focuses on experimentation, using everyday ingredients to her life is noted on these tags, a record of her art and travels, explore colour and texture: ‘I was down in Tassie and didn’t tracking the seasons and places she has been. As well as have any iron with me, but I did have my iron tablets, so dyeing her own ¦bres, Deb spins her own yarn and knits it I put some in and it started working – I said “thank you very into garments and artworks. Her art practice is multidisci- much, I’ll use that!”‘. She also happily sings the praises of the plinary – including painting, quilting and photography; she’s natural world as it ‘throws’ up di§erent colours in each brew. committed to understanding and valuing materials and pro- You can’t predict exactly what colours you’ll get when dyeing cesses, from ground pigment to ¦nished artwork. with naturally found ingredients, just as you can’t replicate the «avour of a wine from vintage to vintage: the growing ‘I look around conditions, harvesting and dyeing process all contribute to the ¦nal colour. For her, that is part of the beauty and fun for materials in the of using home-brewed dyes rather than those obtained from urban environment.’ a bottle. While Deb uses edible ingredients in all her dyes, she says Dyeing is very much Deb’s way of exploring her environ- it’s important to have a healthy respect for them and the dye- ment and the mediums within it, the interactions between ing process. For her tips for health and safety while dyeing natural ¦bres and dyes. Lichen ‘smells like the bush’. Oxalis with natural pigments see the boxed text. is feverishly collected and frozen during its short «owering season to allow for sunny yellow throughout the year. Orange HOW TO DYE YARN NATURALLY fungus is foraged for when in season. As a revegetation pio- Deb favours dyeing wool to start with, rather than cotton or neer and avid gardener, Deb respects and celebrates nature other ¦bres, as the colours take very easily and there is less when collecting her materials: ‘I look around for materials in need for chemical mordants to ¦x the dye colour to the ¦bres: the urban environment, like scraping lichen o§ my shed roof ‘Natural dyeing is a huge world, so this is a nice entry point’. 65 instead of marauding through the bush for it.’ says Deb. Many You can also use silk in the same way; but if you want to natural dyes can be found in re-wilded urban spaces with dye cottons you will need a more advanced understanding of weeds and fungi a rich source of potential dyes. mordants. Deb also suggests collecting yarn remnants from op shops happen instantly, but it’s magic to watch! If you’re playing or your own stash, rather than buying new. ‘They can be dif- around with balls of wool, this is where you can really have ferent colours to start with, but the colours will harmonise to- fun with di§erent mordants, to create crazy pattern e§ects. gether with the second dye-bath, and they will match together in their own special way.’ Step six To get started you will need: Skein the wool and allow it to dry. Once it’s dry, and you’ve • a light-coloured ball of pure wool, any ply rewound it into balls, its ready for your crafty project, if you • a large pot (to be your dye pot forevermore) can bear to use it! • foraged dye plants, such as stinging nettles, oxalis, lichen, wattle bark or avocado skins and pips (see colour chart in the boxed text) BEGINNER’S NATURAL DYE COLOUR • water CHART • small bowls, for adding mordants It’s diºcult to predict exactly what will happen with nat- • a board or book for skeining wool. ural dyes, but the following colour chart gives you some idea of what you can expect to get using various natural Step one dyes on wool or silk. I’ve used the described technique for Depending on the e§ects you would like with your dyes, skein each of these examples. Remember: if you want lighter the wool or wind it into balls. Check out YouTube if you’re un- colours, try a weaker brew or less time with your ¦bre in familiar with either of these techniques, they’re very simple: the pot; if you want darker colours, try a stronger brew you can use your hand for winding small balls, and a book or and more time with your ¦bre in the pot. wooden board to wind skeins around. Loose skeins will help Avocado (pips and skins): pink you achieve evenly dyed wool. Tight balls of wool dye uneven- Elderberries + alum: pale green ly, and create exciting ombre e§ects with di§erent colours in Eucalyptus: di§erent varieties throw di§erent the one ball. shades, from reds through to greens Kangaroo paw stems: red Step two Lichen: orange Bring your primary dye ingredient to the boil over a high heat Lichen + iron: rust red with around one litre of water, and simmer for ¦fteen minutes Oxalis: bright yellow or longer. More or less water and brew time change the dye Oxalis + iron: olive green concentration, so you can experiment with these to achieve Oxalis + sodium bicarbonate: brick orange di§erent hues and colours. Allow the liquid to cool to warm, Stinging nettles + iron: green strain it through a ¦ne cloth over a sieve, and then return the Wattle bark: brown. strained liquid to the dye pot.

Step three SIMPLE DIY MORDANTS Keep your dye pot just warm over a very low heat. You don’t Mordants are the bridge between the dye and the ¦bre – want it too hot, and de¦nitely not boiling. Too much heat can they allow the ¦bre to absorb the dye; they also alter the damage wool, as can agitating it in the dye bath, as it will tend dye colours (see colour chart in other box). Mordants are to felt. usually inorganic, but here are some cheap and cheerful home-style options recommended by Deb. Step four Iron: crushed up iron diet supplements or rusty nails Drop the skeins or balls of wool into the dye pot, and swish brewed up with water them around with tongs. Leave them in the dye liquid for one Sodium bicarbonate: from the pantry hour. Once the desired colour has been reached, remove the Alum: use an aluminium pan to brew dyes when you pot from the heat, remove the wool from the pot and run it un- use this. der warm water. Aim for a water temperature similar to the dye pot as you don’t want to shock the wool with cold water. Gently squeeze out excess water. DYE POT HEALTH AND SAFETY Use dedicated pots and utensils for dyeing – no brewing Step ve up a dye in your pasta pan! If you’re happy with the colour, you can skein your wool now Use rubber gloves while handling ¦bres in dye – so (loosely, don’t stretch the ¦bres). If not, you can experiment that you don’t dye your hands, and there is less chance of with mordants such as iron, alum and sodium bicarbonate absorbing chemicals through your skin. (see boxed text). Mix mordants to a paste in bowls with a Always dye fungus outside. Dyeing with fungus is a small amount of water. Add a little more water and then ex- ‘whole other world’ in terms of colours and combinations, 66 periment with dipping or submerging your wool into these and if you don’t do it in a well-ventilated area you may – the amount of water and time spent soaking will have di§er- ‘send yourself trippy!’. ent e§ects. Be patient and wait for colours to change: it won’t 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

The magazine for those who want to build their own home

If you’re looking to build your own home then The Owner Builder can help! Every two months we can supply you with a great dose of Subscriptions inspiration and technical advice to help you achieve your dream.

You can now order directly Available by direct through our online shop, subscription and Find us on Facebook Badge CMYK / .ai either from Facebook or in newsagents our website (select Shop). Australia-wide Back issues www.theownerbuilder.com.au • www.facebook.com/ TheOwnerBuilder This page, clockwise from above right: Jodie harvesting for juices; Dorothee in the garden; Fresh garden produce; Jodie in the artichokes. Following page, left to right: Jodie and Dorothee in the garden; Fair Harvest sign post. Final page, clockwise from top left: Worm farms provide nutrients for the soil; Gratitude for the garden; The converted barn which now hosts the weeekly lunches and courses.

68 INTEGRATE RATHER THAN SEGREGATE FAIR HARVEST PERMACULTURE Words and photos by Robyn Rosenfeldt CONNECT

Fair Harvest Permaculture is a testament to Jodie ing it, we did really well’, says Jodie. ’There was a core group Lane and her dedication to community. Created over of around a dozen people, and always a lot of WWOOFers and the last two decades, Fair Harvest is everything a other people passing through. It was a pretty amazing ten to permaculture demonstration site should be: a living, twelve years.’ breathing example of permaculture principles in ac- tion, honouring the three permaculture ethics. But FAMILY it is not the physical examples of permaculture that Jodie now lives on the property with four generations of her are most striking; it’s the community involvement that family. She lives with her partner Dorothee Perez in the con- stands out the most. verted barn. Jodie’s daughter Oli and her three children live in the farmhouse nearby. Her parents live on the other side of Although Jodie is the heart and soul of Fair Harvest she has the property, and her brother lives next to them in a separate not made it what it is today on her own. Over the years she’s house with his family. made it a hub for her local community and people passing through, who want to learn more about permaculture; feeding COMMUNITY them, sharing her home with them and sharing her knowledge. Fair Harvest is not only home to a large extended family; it’s The 145 hectare property on the edge of Margaret River, also a meeting place and centre of learning for the local com- 270 kilometres south of Perth WA, was bought by her parents munity, WWOOFers and students. Jodie and Dorothee: put on in 1986 as degraded farmland with very few trees. Today it is a community lunch each Thursday, made from produce from a thriving example of working permaculture systems, with a their garden, supplemented with other locally sourced goods; focus on regenerative farming. run Swap Shu¿e Share, a food swap, on the third Tuesday of every month; and they have a full calendar of activities HISTORY throughout the year, including beekeeping courses, PDCs, ¦lm Jodie moved to the farm in 1995 with her partner Chris and nights, wellbeing retreats and events such as the Festival of daughter Oli, who was three at the time. Her parents had re- Fibre which ran in November 2016. cently completed their new home on the other side of the ‘Our aim is to use growing food as a way to interact with property, and vacated the farmhouse that Jodie moved into. the community and encourage them to grow their own food, At the time they were part of a core group that started up and I think we have de¦nitely done that, particularly through the South West Blockade, defending the south-west forests of the swap’, explains Jodie. ‘When we run the café, people WA from logging. The farm became the unoºcial headquar- can come and look through the gardens, and see how food is ters and sanctuary from the blockade, which soon turned into grown and get inspired. The younger generation moving here an intentional community of like-minded people living togeth- can ¦nd a way to get into food growing. I think we can say er on the farm. we’ve played a part in the increase in people growing food in ‘The blockade was ¦ghting against the world we didn’t their own backyards in the area. want, and the farm was creating the world we did want: we ‘We have also had hundreds of people come through here 69 planted trees, grew all our own food, had a common purse, ate doing short courses and our PDCs. And WWOOFers, from all all our meals together, had regular heart circles, ran courses over the world, come to experience life on a functioning per- and it was a really functional community – while we were do- maculture property.’ THE FARM A variety of buildings and elements are dotted around the The farm has developed over the twenty-two years that Jodie place: a book exchange; a barn for events and the food swap; has been living there. You can see that time, thoughtful design a cob oven; a straw bale bench seat; and, most striking, their and hard work have made it the amazing place that it is today. tastefully converted machinery shed which is now the site It has been a gradual process, made possible by all the people for their weekly community lunch and courses, and is hired who have called Fair Harvest home. out for events such as weddings. Each has a story and is a Fair Harvest is a valuable demonstration site as there are monument to the people who helped build it or create it. The many examples of appropriate technologies, and sustainable compost-powered shower is a perfect example of this (see and regenerative farm management. Signs lead you through Pip issue 2): built every year by a group of volunteers, the the property, explaining how things work. shower generates hot water to cater for the many people who pass through – the water stays hot for eleven months FOOD GROWING of the year. The vegie garden and orchard, which are tended by Jodie’s These volunteers are like many of the people who have partner Dorothee, are extensive and provide for Jodie and her passed through Fair Harvest over the years, who were: cared family as well as the weekly lunch for thirty to ¦fty people, and for and fed by Jodie; left with new skills and knowledge learnt students doing courses. during their stay; and, in the process, helped create another Dorothee works hard to create life in the soil. There are part of this amazing place. signs of soil regeneration throughout the garden, from the Jodie not only educates people through her property and worm farms, compost piles and compost teas, to the heavily her courses, but also through her blog, her Pip articles (see mulched beds and paths. The bene¦t of these is evident in the issues one, two, three and ¦ve) and her involvement in her abundance of produce growing. local community. In 2014 Jodie was runner up in the Rural ‘Some of the most important things we’re doing at our place Women’s Award with her ‘Eat local’ project. are improving soil and increasing water retention through composting and animal management’, explains Jodie. ‘I really EATING LOCAL like the idea of regenerative agriculture, where we’re not sim- ‘Eating local is something I’m passionate about. That simple ply being sustainable but we’re improving the land for future act alone can change so many things. There is a huge amount generations.’ of fuel spent in the packaging of products and their transpor- They also cell graze cattle, supplementing their meat needs tation around the globe. We have lost contact with our food and improving pasture. Underneath the trees are beehives, and our growers, and no longer think seasonally. Actually I improving pollination and providing honey. think there is a big environmental cost in not eating local. Above it all, the windmill turns its slow circles, pumping wa- There is such a joy in going to the market and having a rela- 70 ter up from the creek to the holding tank above the garden, tionship with the people who grow your food’, Jodie says. As where it’s gravity fed back down. Swales snake through the she walks around her local market people stop and say hello. property, diverting and catching water to help manage the «ow. She visits her regular suppliers, and supports them by includ- ing their produce in the many meals she prepares for people Through her constant inclusion of people in her life and on who come to her café and attend tours at the property. her property, Jodie has created an amazing example of per- maculture in action, and along the way has shared the knowl- COMMUNITY RESILIENCE edge she has. She’s educated people in her local community ‘Supporting local producers creates a more resilient commu- and also those who’ve passed through and who’ve then taken nity. I don’t see how the world can continue on the track it’s that knowledge back to their communities. going much longer. It’s highly possible that in our kids’ and grandkids’ lifetimes they’ll be forced into self-reliance. We Find out more about Fair Harvest Permaculture at www. need to start thinking: how self-reliant would we be in the fairharvest.com.au. face of catastrophe?’ CONNECT

71 USE AND VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THE LOWDOWN ON ELECTRIC: ARE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THE ANSWER? Words by Robyn Rosenfeldt

Ideally we’d do away with cars altogether, to reduce With the rise of household solar systems, the power to run our reliance on fossil fuels and carbon emissions. We your car can be generated on your own roof by a renewable would use bikes, public transport, walk or even go resource, with zero emissions (aside from the energy used to back to saddling up our trusty steed. But the reality is produce the panels and related hardware). With recent reduc- that most people still use cars daily: in our recent Pip tions in electricity rebates, an EV might be a good way to use survey, 86% of readers said they rely on cars as their excess power generated by your rooftop system. main form of transport. Even if you do choose to run your EV by plugging it into the grid powered by brown coal, according to Paul Paton (pres-

So if you do own a car, and can’t see any way of doing with- ident of the ATA Electric Vehicle Group) the CO2 emissions out it in the near future, what can you do to create the least are reduced by 35% compared with a petrol-powered vehi- impact on the planet? With technology changing fast, electric cle. Re¦ning crude oil into petroleum products uses more vehicles (EVs) seem to be leading the way to create a lower electricity than is used in powering an electric car with coal. emission, smaller carbon footprint alternative to petrol and And with no emissions, local pollution levels will also be re- diesel powered vehicles. duced.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS RANGE There are many ways in which travelling by car a§ects the Range is the biggest factor a§ecting the uptake of EVs in planet, including: the embodied energy in manufacture; fuel Australia: drivers are worried they won’t be able to get from use; and emissions. A to B with ease, and will be stranded on the roadside. As According to the Green Vehicle Guide, the vehicle opera- the average daily distance travelled by car is 35–70 km, and tion phase (at least for a conventional vehicle with an internal the average range of EVs is 50–150 km, this shouldn’t be a combustion engine) consumes around 85–90% of lifecycle concern to most people for local trips; however, it does af- energy use. The extraction, production and transportation of fect those who have only one car and want to travel greater the fuels on which vehicles operate require energy and, in distances. The Nissan Leaf, for example has a current range the process, emissions of both air pollutants and greenhouse of approximately 135 km from a charge, which should be suf- gases are produced. ¦cient to satisfy most driving needs. You do need to recharge EVs regularly and, if you’re relying on solar, you need to be SOURCES OF ELECTRICTY able to charge in the daytime. Unlike petroleum-based fuels, electricity is generated from a Car manufacturers are working on extending the range variety of sources, mainly: brown coal, which has the highest and rumours suggest they will be releasing cars with greater 72 emissions; green power, supplied by your electricity company; range in the near future. or self-generated renewable energy. HYBRID VEHICLES system you have no fuel costs; if you run it o§-peak it might For those who don’t want to rely solely on electricity, and may cost around $300 a year or at peak price $7–800, compared feel nervous travelling longer distances, there is the option of with $2700 for petrol. Added up over a few years you easily TECH a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV). PHEVs still charge from elec- pay for the extra upfront cost. tricity but have both a piston engine and an electric motor, Because of the simpli¦ed engine – around half a dozen allowing you to switch over to petrol when the electric charge moving parts compared with hundreds in a piston engine runs out, extending your range. A good example of this is the – servicing costs for EVs can be less too: less to go wrong Mitsubishi Outlander (see box). means less servicing needed.

PRICE CHARGING AT HOME Hybrid and EVs are currently more expensive than their pet- The other cost to consider when buying an EV is the infra- rol-powered counterparts, partly because of the low uptake structure you need to charge it at home. A dedicated 15 amp so far and economies of scale, and partly because there is power point is recommended for charging from, although little government incentive. The gap should narrow with in- some models can run on 10 amps (check manufacturers’ rec- creased production and more eºcient technology. ommendations). A basic home charger should cost around The cheapest second hand EVs available at the time of writ- $2–300 to install, or you can pay more: a super-charging sta- ing start at around $25 000. However, considering that these tion will set you back several thousand dollars. are only a few years old, and with reduced running costs, this Before buying an EV, be sure to check that your home is may make up for the extra initial outlay. capable of powering the vehicle that you choose, and what The best-selling EV in Australia is currently the Nissan Leaf you will need to charge your vehicle. (see box): with a range of around 135 km they sell for $40 000 new, and around $28 000 second-hand. At the upper end of PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS the market is the Tesla series: with a range of around 320 km, Australia is a large country where people travel long distanc- prices start at around $120 000. es, and it’s lagging behind in public charging. However, public PHEVs include the Holden Volt and Mitsubishi Outlander. stations do exist and the number will grow with uptake. The latter has a 50 km range on the electric engine which Tesla is investing in super-charging stations – where then switches over to petrol, and prices start at about $47 000 you can charge your car in a matter of minutes instead of new. hours – between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, along the main highway. Government support is needed to extend this infrastructure if widespread use of EVs is to happen. RUNNING COSTS 73 According to the My Electric Car website, EVs are 70% A map of residential, public and high-powered charging cheaper to run than petrol vehicles and have greatly reduced stations, around the country and globally, is at www. servicing costs. If you run your car entirely from your solar plugshare.com. CASE STUDY: NISSAN LEAF EV (2011 model) Name of owner: John Hill Cost of vehicle: $40 000. Range: 100–160 km per charge, depending on factors such as driving style, use of A/C, age of battery (2017 model is rumoured to around double this range). [usual daily trip is 80–100 km] Time to charge: 4–5 hours at 10 A standard overnight charge (20 minute charge is possible). Cost of charge: around $2 at o§-peak grid rates. BATTERIES General car use: to drive to work and back, occasional side EV manufacturers are putting a lot of research and devel- trips. opment into extending the range of the vehicles, decreasing Average distance travelled each year: 17 000 km. battery size and reducing purchase price. According to Paul Cost to run per year: $636 registration + $645 comprehen- Paton, battery improvements increase the range of cars 15% sive insurance + $400 service = $1681; + $500 electricity (if each year and prices are dropping. Current battery life is eight not solar) = $2181. to ten years in the car, and they can last another ten if repur- Pros: environmentally good when charged by solar, quiet, posed as an energy-storage battery. minimal maintenance, nippy acceleration and cheap to run. Cons: limited range (not a problem in this case). UPTAKE IN AUSTRALIA Total emissions: zero emissions to run if charged from EVs have been available for the last ¦ve or six years, yet solar; minimal embedded energy, and maximum recyclability Australians have been slow on the uptake, because of: lack (claimed by manufacturer). of government support, high purchase price, lack of battery Ease of service: minimal service required – in three years range and insuºcient fast public charging stations. only one part replaced (A/C pollen ¦lter) and one software Although many developed-country governments o§er sig- update, otherwise just maintenance checks. ni¦cant incentives, which reduce the purchase price and on- going costs (e.g. discounted registration and parking), Austra- CASE STUDY: MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV lian government incentives are not yet suºcient to encourage 4WD (2014 model) uptake. Name of owner: Kerry Hill Cost of vehicle: $55 000. THE FUTURE Range: 30–50 km on electricity depending on factors such So, should we all go out and buy an EV to replace our petrol as driving style, use of A/C, age of battery; 500–570 km on cars? As is often the case with new innovations, the technol- petrol. [usual daily trip 10–40 km] ogy is still developing and will improve rapidly over the next Time to charge: 1–5 hours at 10 A standard overnight decade. So when your current car needs replacing an EV or charge (fast charge – 20 minutes – is optional but not PHEV is worth considering depending on your personal sit- installed). uation but it might be wise to hold out for a year or two for Cost of charge: $1.50 at o§-peak; zero for solar. technologies to improve and prices to come down. Rumour is General use: local trips, occasional holidays. that the major manufacturers will be releasing vehicles with Average distance travelled each year: 15 000 km. greater range and lower costs over the next year or two. Cost to run per year: $619 registration + $579 comprehen- sive insurance + $940 service = $2138; + $300 electricity (if not by solar) + $1400 petrol (long trips) = $3838. Pros: environmentally good when charged by solar, quiet, less maintenance than fully petrol car and cheap to run. Cons: spare tyre not standard and inadequate clearance for real 4WD use. Total emissions: zero emissions to run if charged from solar; the eºcient petrol motor seldom runs, so much less emis- sions than fully petrol car. Ease of service: less wear and tear compared to fully petrol car (engine runs less and regenerative braking); servicing (e.g. oil change) each 15 000 km.

74 For further information see: www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au, myelectriccar.com.au. PROFILE

USE AND VALUE DIVERSITY WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A PERMACULTURE AID WORKER?

Interview with Rosemary Morrow by Jed Walker

Rosemary Morrow is an author, permaculture leg- What sort of person do you need to be? end, teacher of teachers, aid worker and the patron ‘The life of a permaculturalist in a camp is probably three of Permafund, a charity within Permaculture Austra- months, if you can last that. You’ll be lonely. If you’re sick you lia which raises funds for projects in disadvantaged just keep going. The physical conditions are hard. There’s a communities around the world. This septuagenarian is camp in Greece between an army base, a major highway (that having a brief recharge after working with refugees in runs either side) and a big industrial centre, between stinking

Italy and Spain. I asked her what it takes to be an aid traºc and polluting stu§. In a Kenyan camp they’ve cleared all AID worker; it’s not a task for the faint-hearted. the wood and water for ten kilometres, and people just walk further and further. There’s a couple of million displaced by the Taliban in Kabul, in absolutely disgusting living conditions with no sewerage or water. People use plastic bags for cook- ing fuel. ‘Some people want a high-paid UN type job, preferably out-of-country with a high budget. Others want to work at village level; by the time we’ve gone through realities many don’t want to any more. It’s a diºcult job with lots of rewards, but you can get very lonely and homesick. If you want to be happy, it doesn’t work. If you want to have meaning, it does work, but you won’t always be happy! You’re not the most important person – what’s happening for others is the most important thing.’

What do you need to be aware of? ‘First of all, a really good permaculturalist can see what is needed. It might be windbreaks: wind is so damaging to health if it’s carrying dirt and disease. In another it might be shade: Uganda was 40°C and people broiled inside or out, it makes 75 you feel sick and terrible. We started by putting up bamboo shelters, and ¦nally we got fast-growing trees for shade, and a little bit of ¦rewood. We also put in moringa and mango trees for long-term food production. You have to know your Previous page: Rosemary talking to the owner of a palette of plants for each place.’ commercial hydroponics vegetable growing farm in Hong Kong; This page: Rosemary teaching at a Tibetan Bud- What process do you use? dhist monastery in Dehradun. The participants from Lada- ‘We ask di§erent groups: “what are ten vegetables easiest to kh, Bhutan (¦rst Bhutanese permies) Tibet and India were grow here?” They all know. Then you put the groups into one all strict Tibetan Buddhist devotees. class, they bring together their lists, and you ask the class to agree on ten. If you’re in a dry area you’re looking at oasis crops: melons and pumpkins. You need things they know are To explain photosynthesis I’d use a green leaf and someone hardy, and they can grow. would hold a lemon for the sun. Their grandparents were ref- ugees. They have neither farming knowledge nor education. ‘A really good permaculturalist They have no information; you assess that too. You might make a series of posters, and in the evenings have key words can see what is needed.’ and concepts, in English and their own language, of which there are six. Print up a book later and give it to them. Your ‘And then we ask: “what are the threats?” They have to aim is a learning community with relevant knowledge to suit work out what they’d do, to keep out the pig, the bu§alo, the their situation. wind. You throw the problem back to the people – direct their knowledge. They’ve got the answers but not the design to put Where do you start? them into. Always take people into a site analysis. For exam- ‘You start with what people want. People in refugee camps ple, talk about wind and shade – then they can put in their want their children at school, so that’s a pop-up school; per- own knowledge. maculture could be the curriculum. They want safe places for ‘Let them discuss. You provide a sequence of questions women and children. They want to reduce the [impacts of] and small inputs. Acknowledge their input and learn from climate. Ask them if they’d like free food, rather than using the them. People who’ve worked as farmers have a lot more camp shop. They [might] want to grow food, some in commu- local knowledge than a group of westerners. But some, like nity gardens and some outside their tents … things they used Syrians, are often middle-class city people, similar to Sydney to eat at home. You start where they are at, and say “yes, you people – except for trauma, anxiety, displacement. They can can do that” and help, because in many of the camps there’s 76 look things up with computers. no individual capacity to show their ability or experience. ‘In Afghanistan this year I had a group of young people, ‘We could talk about internal currency systems. We might fourteen to twenty-eight-year-olds, mad to get knowledge. give a course on running a small business: why shouldn’t they start a business in the camp? But we’d teach them how write a decent proposal, get things happening, they know how capitalism works, and about how credit can cripple them lat- to do it: that’s a win. er: ¦ve per cent interest per month from the money lender ‘There are lots of traps for young players: what happens is sixty per cent a year; what other ways are there of doing if there’s corruption? how do you stop money going astray? it? It’s about handling a big bad world if they’ve had a closed what if they’re ideologically against the government? You cultural life. have to relax and go with it, say “tell me about it, I’d like to understand”. ‘We have an obligation ‘For a committee you’d do di§erent things: scope the types of development, and what’s wanted. I think there are new ar- to show them how to live eas to work on: ethical money; internal and external migra- without fossil fuels, with tion, whether refugees or workers going to work as slaves wind and water and solar.’ somewhere else.’ What’s next for you? ‘We have an obligation to show them how to live without fos- ‘Permaculture has always worked best for me when I put it sil fuels, with wind and water and solar. Water – start uphill, into an organisation. I’m going to India to put it into Buddhist slow it down, use gravity. How to clean water, make compost, monasteries. The monks and nuns will give talks; they are make bricks out of waste plastic. Give them knowledge they very well regarded and authoritative. They talk about every- can use then and later; they might be there forever. Wherever thing, not only Buddhism: not chopping the forests, not taking they are they want comfortable homes, food, education and the trees, bringing up children, agriculture. Giving them really shops; all refugee camps should be ecovillages.’ good permaculture knowledge equips them to pass it out in perpetuity, so it’s solidly embedded in their communities. You How do you facilitate this? identify the local person with the vision, capacity and some ‘We get them to write a project proposal, every step: can you sort of charisma or authority, to run with it.’ do this? how would you do that? is it a dream? Pin it down: All of which Rowe Morrow has in spades. And she uses who are the bene¦ciaries? how will you get them there? I in- every bit of it. terrogate them. It’s still good if people decide they don’t want to do it. A lot of people go back to their own communities,

77 CATCH AND STORE ENERGY NUKAZUKE JAPANESE FERMENTING Words and photos by Hiromi Yuasa

Nukazuke or rice bran pickles are a culi- nary institution in Japan. While they taste sour and salty, like any western-style pick- le, nukazuke is a natural, wild ferment.

The ‘nuka bed’, in many Japanese kitchens, con- tains a live culture of rice bran paste in which fresh vegetables are preserved. Vegetables are inoculated in the bed for days, or even weeks, to prolong their shelf life, add «avour and turn them into a delicious probiotic snack. Nukazuke has a long history in Japan, and many nuka beds have been passed down in families for generations; some are believed to be 300 years old. Having your own nuka bed is an easy way to keep garden produce fresh without the aid of a fridge, create a healthy addition to your diet and expand your cooking repertoire.

HOW TO MAKE A NUKA BED Ingredients 1 litre water 75 grams salt 5 centimetres of kombu (a type of seaweed) 30 grams dried shitake mushrooms 1 kilo ¦ne rice bran 3 dried red chillies, chopped a 4 cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced a container made of enamel, plastic, glass or wood, that has a lid bits of vegetables such as the ends of carrots, cucumbers, daikon leaves (to test the bed) selection of vegetables to pickle extra salt. 78 Method 11. Rub salt into the vegetables you want to pickle. You can 1. Put water, salt, kombu and shitake in a pan on the stove, and peel or cut up hard vegetables (e.g. carrots or radishes), be- bring it to the boil. fore salting. You can put others (e.g. cucumbers) in whole. 2. Turn o§ the stove and leave the pan to cool down. 12. Bury the salted vegetables in the rice bran. 3. Remove kombu and shitake from the pan, and chop it up. 13. Take the vegetables out after a day or longer, depending 4. While the water is cooling down, put the rice bran, chilies, on how sour you like them. A day is usually long enough. ginger, kombu and shitake into a mixing bowl. 14. When you take vegetables out, wipe the rice bran o§ them 5. When the water is cool, pour it into your container slowly, with your clean hands and put it back into the tub. mixing it in with clean, bare hands. Add the water a little at 15. Rinse the vegetables, then slice them up and eat them. a time, mixing it all in before you add more. After adding all 16. Replace the vegetables as you take them out, and mix the the water the mixture should be sticky and doughy. Pat down bed twice a day, morning and night. Always make sure that and wipe o§ any paste from the sides of the container with a the edges of the container are wiped with a cloth, so that clean cloth. there are no bits of bran stuck to the side. RECIPES 6. Add bits of vegetables to the rice bran, and bury them in the bran. Tips 7. Smooth over the surface of the bed, and wipe o§ all the When the bed gets too watery, add more rice bran and mix rice bran bits from the edges with a clean cloth (otherwise it up. unwanted bacteria or mould may grow around the edges). When the room temperature is over 30°C fermentation is Add lid. too fast, so put the container in the fridge. 8. Keep the container in a dark place, ideally at around 25°C If you don’t mix up the bed for a few days and it gets mouldy, degrees; at a lower temperature it will take longer to be ready. your course of action depends on the type of mould: if it’s 9. Mix every day – with clean bare hands – so that the surface white, scrape it o§; if it’s red or green or any other colour, is fully mixed into the bottom of the container. throw the whole lot out and start again. 10. Take the bits of vegetables out of the container every cou- If you don’t want to have any nukazuke for a while: for a ple of days and replace them. Wash the rice husks o§ the week, you can just take all the vegetables out and rest the bed vegetables and taste them. At ¦rst they should just taste salty. in the fridge; for more than a week, take out the vegetables, Gradually they will become sourer as well as salty. During cover the surface with salt, and put it in the fridge – when you 79 spring and summer this might take about a week; during au- want to start using the bed again, scrape the salt o§. tumn and winter about three weeks. Once you decide the bed is ready, you can start making nukazuke. 80 OBSERVE AND INTERACT NATURAL LEARNING & HOMESCHOOLING Words & Photos by Emily Stokes

People žnd homeschooling in di®erent ways, and for research and ended up with a lovely cockatiel which my di®erent reasons. I didn’t even know it existed until I daughter adores and is currently learning how to train (it’s went WWOOFing in Spain about fourteen years ago amazing what people have trained their cockatiels to say on with my now-husband. We lived with a family in the YouTube!). remote Alpujarras mountain region. They practised My children have done classes in woodwork, metal-smith- self-su¯ciency, permaculture, holistic management, ing, gymnastics, swimming, art, and piano. We have found co-sleeping and homeschooling. mentors or ‘teachers’ to support the interests they had at the time. You don’t have to ¦ll up your homeschooled child’s life Inspired, we took all of these practices on board. I believe with outside activities, but it is a way for them to socialise, they are all linked, integrated and very much ¦t in with our learn from others and gain a range of experiences. And you life philosophy of moving towards self-suºciency in all things don’t need unlimited resources to homeschool. Some of our (i.e. taking responsibility for our own health, food production lessons were swapped for produce – there are creative solu- and children’s education). I homeschool because I believe my tions. children learn best when they are self-motivated, self-direct- I did a part-time PDC last year, and because we homes- ed and truly connected with and interested in what’s around chool one of my daughters had the opportunity to join me in them. some classes. She loved learning about water capture, aqua- When our children came along natural learning began from culture, local tree species and garden planning. Best of all birth. Babies and toddlers learn in a very natural way when she met some like-minded permaculture people that she has they’re in a home with caring, interested adults. They learn to continued friendships with. walk and talk without the need for formal lessons. We also run a small business from home. I teach tradition- If you choose to homeschool, your children can continue to al food skills such as making sauerkraut, kimchi, ke¦r, sour- learn perfectly well in a home setting. You don’t need to be a dough bread and bone broths, and natural cheese making. If trained teacher. You do need to observe your children, talk to nothing else, my children will go out in the world knowing how them and ¦nd out what interests them (permaculture princi- to keep themselves healthy through growing, preparing and ple no.1), then support and provide resources so that they can cooking their own food. They love to harvest the cabbages learn what they need to, at that moment. and pound them for sauerkraut, and watch the chemistry in PARENTING For instance, when our eldest child decided that she just turning milk fresh from our cow into delicious cheese. LOVED horses (I could relate!) we got every book out of the Of course the learning is much broader than this. There library on caring for horses. We watched movies on natural is ¦nancial planning – creating a budget and monitoring it – horsemanship, we rode friends’ horses and we joined the lo- seeing how the cash «ows in and out of the bank account, and cal pony club, without a pony. About six months later a beau- how to adjust business and marketing strategies to control tiful old pony came to live with us. What followed was a few this. They not only see Mum and Dad working to provide a years of pure pony enjoyment, and lots of learning. home for them, they are actively involved in it. The horse phase has passed for now, and birds are a con- One of my children runs her own face-painting business. 81 tinuing interest for my eldest daughter. Again we found the She has done many market stalls, a few kids’ parties, ¦eld resources she needed to learn about birds through books, days, and has even set up at the local park. She does it be- internet searches and talking to bird owners. We did some cause she loves to paint faces. A bonus is that she has made enough money to buy a few major items for herself that I ing, writing and ‘rithmetic?’, you may ask. In our natural wouldn’t have otherwise spent money on. And I’ve noticed learning family I’m happy to report that these things happen her con¦dence in dealing with people of all ages continues – naturally. We don’t do sit-down lessons or follow a learn- to grow. ing schedule. We do read books every day – and magazines, Natural learning also happens through conversation. Every- newsletters, websites and letters from Grandma. This leads to day conversation – around the breakfast table or while wash- children reading on their own. Their motivation is intrinsic – it ing the dishes. The most interesting conversations happen in doesn’t come from someone telling them what to do. Writing the car while we’re driving. I’ve had in-depth conversations gets picked up very quickly around birthdays in our house: with my children on local and federal government, climate when my children really wanted to write a list of potential change, sustainability, recycling, and people and their rela- presents, and people they wanted to invite for a party, they tionships. Their understanding of and concern for their peers, quickly learned how. their community and their planet is quite mind blowing. Maths? Try using a recipe to cook without using fractions. For the younger children, a lot of natural learning happens Try measuring up and building your own wooden storage box when they play. Learning through play is a well-known phe- without adding, subtracting and dividing. Maths is covered nomenon in education and psychology. And by homeschool- over and over again during daily life, often without the chil- ing, children have the opportunity to play A LOT. Observing dren being aware (except when Mum excitedly points it out!). the imaginative play of my children is one of my favourite A typical day in our natural learning family pastimes. They are able to process, in their own way, events We get up when it suits us, although we’re fairly early ris- that have occurred; for example, a favourite family pet died, ers and have cows to milk and chooks to feed. The children and their play for the next week was around recreating and sometimes help with the outdoor chores. They are beginning processing that event. to realise that to live vaguely self-suºciently they need to help They learn a great deal through daily life – staying healthy, out, otherwise they might not see Mum all day. caring for their own stu§, looking after a pet, growing food. We eat breakfast together at around 8 am, then clean up and But the most valuable lesson, and the one they have the free- work out what we are doing for the day. We spend about three dom to learn at home, is learning how they learn. When a child days of the week out in the community, usually for activities is self-directed they learn in their own way, and they can ¦nd (gym, woodwork or piano) or meeting up with our homes- out what works best for them. This is a skill they will carry chool group – we are a very social bunch and get together for for the rest of their life, giving them independence, con¦dence informal gatherings at least weekly. and a love of life-long learning. Our home days involve plenty of time out in the fresh air, ‘What about those biggies – school subjects such as read- being inspired by nature. If we’re not tending the animals or

82 Front page, above to below: Making a mini Fairy Garden; The neighbour’s goats provide a comfy place to rest on a goaty picnic. Opposite page, left to right: Nature’s crea- working (playing) in the vegetable garden, we might ¦nd time tures teach us so much; Have driftwood, will spend hours to climb trees, jump on the trampoline or swim in the creek making multi-room outdoor beach housing complex. This in summer. If we’re indoors, we do craft (such as knitting, page, clockwise from below: It’s all action at the beach crochet, painting, drawing or making cards), or games (such on a ‘school’ day; Hand raising poddy goats gives us as building with LEGO, Minecraft or board games). We also many a biology lesson; Milking our house cow is a daily spend a lot of our time reading, writing letters, cooking and of job, for someone! course the inevitable housework. There may be any number of major projects on the go at any one time – constructing a cob tiny-house, making a mini-¦lm on the computer or crocheting the biggest and best granny rug to enter in the local show. During the day there is always time for observation, re«ec- tion, discussion of and recording our learning. The children absolutely love poring over the pictures and stories in their past ‘yearbook’ – a scrapbook for each child, which becomes a physical record of their learning. Of course homeschooling is not all idyllic, joyful moments. There is that housework that I mentioned, and there seems to be an awful lot of it when you’re at home all the time. And while you don’t need to be a teacher to homeschool children, you are their most obvious role model. They will learn the morals and ethics that you live out every day, which means shed; cleaning the wool; then carding, spinning and knitting it that you need to be very conscious of how you conduct your- to make a garment. This is from a gorgeous neighbour who PARENTING self: they watch and learn from you. loves wool-craft, and is kind and patient with my children. Finally, to allow natural learning to happen you need to learn And what do my children want to be when they’re older? to let go of your conditioned view of education. Learn to really The eldest is coming up to teenage awfully quickly. They have listen to your children. Learn to trust in them, and trust that talked about university. They have toyed with world travel. they will learn what they need to learn at the moment that is One is saving to buy her own home. At the moment though, right for them. when they turn eighteen they all want to go WWOOFing ... But you don’t have to be everything to them. You can ¦nd mentors, people in your community who want to help teach Emily Stokes homeschools her children and runs 83 your children. My children are currently learning how a woolly traditional food workshops near her permaculture/ cardigan gets from the sheep to the human body, in a very holistic management inspired property in Southern NSW: practical way: caring for the animals; helping in the shearing see www.fermaculturefarm.com KIDS’ PATCH

RAMONA VOLPATTI AGED 2 NOWRA, NSW

ROMY 1 YEAR PRESTON, VIC

The winner this issue is Pearl Turnbull aged 4 from Bendigo. Congrat- ulations Pearl you receive an original illustration by Trace Bella and a copy of her book Rockhopping (Allen and Unwin 2016) Parents send in photos of your kids in the garden or with their homegrown produce to win a set of Little Permies activity cards. To enter send name, age and address of child to maude@pipmagazine. com.au.

BACKYARD C B F Y K S P Y B W K J BREEDING O O A E N U R L R Q C S CHICKEN PEARL TURNBULL CHICKS R H R I N S J B E J H L AGED 4 BENDIGO, VIC CHOOK B E A I A C A L E C O C CORIANDER T R T J A C E W D I O J DUST EGG G S R S K N A V I L K N FENCE J D U Y O T D L N R D E FOOD U V A D E O L E G A T H GARLIC GRAINS X R W R R E R M R G W T HAY D N E K C I H C D O O F HEN ROOSTER C H I C K S E Z B B T E WATER V Y T L Q H Q E P E G G

SEASONAL FOOD AND GARDENING FOR THE EARLY YEARS by Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation New kitchen garden book for early years educators! 84 This practical illustrated guide gives early years educators an in- troduction to pleasurable food education. The activities and reci- pes in this book are designed to support educators working within the context of the Australian Government’s Early Years Learning Framework. HOW TO ATTRACT NATIVE BEES TO YOUR GARDEN: BUILD A BEE CUBBYHOUSE Words by Jesse (aged 7) and Megan Forward

We need bees in our garden to pollinate the «owers, which then turn into fruit. There are many interesting species of Austra- lian native bees, and you can attract them by building them a home, similar to what they make in nature. If you want to make a cubbyhouse for native bees in your garden, here is how to go about it.

What you’ll need: ¦shing wire; air drying clay; two sticks; box or tin, or an old drawer that is being thrown out (Mum and I keep an eye out at council street throw-out time); pencil; bamboo canes (pencil diameter); more sticks; small hardwood; blocks; a saw and a drill; strong hook and wire, or rope. NOTE: the number of clay/hardwood blocks you will need will depend on the size of your box/tin/drawer. You’ll need an adult to help you.

Step 1. Use the ¦shing wire, tied between two sticks, to cut your clay into a couple of squarish shapes that are deep enough to ¦t into your box. Step 2. Use a pencil and squish it all the way down into the clay making lots of deep holes. It feels really fun to do this, and you can make as many holes as you like. As long as they all stay separate from each other. Leave the clay out to dry for a couple of days. Step 3. Use the side of your box to measure its depth. Ask an adult to cut up pieces of bamboo to ¦t that depth, and enough for all the holes. While they are doing that, break up the sticks into small pieces. Step 4. Ask an adult to drill some holes 3–9 mm wide and at least 80 mm deep into the hardwood blocks. Step 5. Attach a hook (if using one) to the box, so you can hang it up later. Step 6. Lay the box down on a table with the open side up. Put the clay squares and hardwood blocks in wherever you want to. Then slot in all your bamboo tubes. Push the sticks into the areas around the clay, wood and bamboo – as many as you can so that it’s nice and squeezy, and they won’t fall out. Step 7. The cubbyhouse can be placed down low or up high. Either attach wire to your hook, or tie some rope around your box, for hanging it. The bees like a nice cool home. We hung ours under a tree, to get morning sun but be shaded in the middle of the day by the leaves, and protected by the tree trunk from the weather. Bees like a drink of water close by, so we’ll put in a little birdbath, on a dish in a branch. Go out and check on the cubbyhouse every now and then. If you get little plugs of mud covering the holes, that means a female bee has laid her eggs in there and then closed it o§. Take photos or do a drawing of your bee cubbyhouse, especially if you see bees coming and going. Send them to hello@pipmagazine. com.au. The best cubby will be published in the next issue of Pip and its maker will receive a copy of A Patch from Scratch (Megan Forward, Penguin Random House 2016) featuring Jesse. 85 PLACES THAT CHICKENS BELONG

COLOUR IN THE CHICKEN! Enjoy our colouring in for big and little kids alike. Post your ¦nished artwork on Instagram #pipmag #chookcolouringin. The best one will be published online. 86 Our Permaculture Life The Sustainable Living Practical Simplicity for Everyday Life Certificate Course Morag Gamble's Blog & Films Living Simply & Ecovillage Life Simple Abundant Gardens Permaculture in the Home Easy Recipes & DIY Tips Permaculture with Children subscribe Home Education www.our-permaculture-life.blogspot.com www.youtube.com/c/moraggambleourpermaculturelife

Your Journey Begins Here: Learn how to produce your own organic food, The Sage Garden is a Melbourne based reduce waste and live sustainably by using the educational edible garden business that runs a range of hands-on Kinder & Primary principles of: rethink - reduce - reuse - recycle School incursions. The aim is to educate with 20 modules of online learning.. and excite children in the joys of growing their own organic food and to encourage www.slcc.education an awareness of sustainable practices. Education Visit thesagegarden.com.au for more info. [email protected] Growing For Our Future

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Hand tool courses, 0409 551 539, www.chestnutfarm.net.au, www.ahamvrittiherbal.com.au, 0406 449 369, www.permaculturetools.com.au, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] CULTIVATING COMMUNITY, Richmond, Food Waste CANDLELIGHT FARM, Perth, PDC, APT, ROBIN CLAYFIELD AND FRIENDS, Maleny, Avoidance & Recycling (composting, worm farms www.cfpermaculture.com.au, (08) 92951933, Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning, Creative & bokashi), www.cultivatingcommunity.org.au, [email protected] Community Governance & Decision-Making, (03) 9429 3084, [email protected] Permaculture Meets Creative Design, Permaculture, FAIR HARVEST, Margaret River, PDC, Beekeeping, Deep Ecology & Earthcare Design, Earth Healing DELICIOUSLY INSPIRING GARDENS (DIG), Geelong, Cheesemaking, Introduction to Permaculture, and Nurturing, www.dynamicgroups.com.au, Organic Gardening & Farming, Livestock, Chickens, www.fairharvest.com.au/, (08) 9758 8582, (07) 5494 4707, [email protected] Soil, www.facebook.com/pages/Deliciously- [email protected] Inspiring-Gardens, 0423 150 448 SAVOUR SOIL PERMACULTURE, Laidley, PDC, Intro MERRI BEE ORGANIC FARMACY, Nannup, to Permaculture, Beekeeping, Backyard Aquaponics ELTHAM WORMS, Melbourne, Composting Nourishing Soil,regenerating topsoil for a safe and Bioponics, Food Forest, Intro to Forest & Worm Farming, www.elthamworms.com.au, climate, www.facebook.com/merribeenannup, Gardening, Regenerative Design, (04) 1931 0003, [email protected] 0478 602 545, beewin©[email protected] [email protected] EMPOWER, Melbourne, Creating & Maintaining PERMASEED, Bunbury, PDC, Intro to Permaculture, SEED INTERNATIONAL, Harper Creek, Hands on Small Space Gardens, www.facebook.com/ , Aquaponics, Wicking Beds, www.facebook. 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SYDNEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CENTRE FOR ADULT EDUCATION, Melbourne, Sydney, Beekeeping for Beginners, www. A Year in the Garden: Backyard Beekeeping, www. SA sydneycommunitycollege.com.au, (02) 8752 7555, cae.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx, (03) 9652 0611, AGARI NATURAL BUILDERS, Adelaide [email protected] [email protected] 3 week straw bale round house with recipricol roof www.agarifarm.org, 0434 169 349 THE URBAN BEEKEEPING, Sydney, Beekeeping, KINGLAKE RANGES PERMACULTURE, Kinglake, [email protected] www.theurbanbeehive.com.au, 0411 191 232, Bees, 0430 637 748, [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] FOOD FOREST, Gawler, PDC, Organic Vegetables and Poultry, Preserving, Natural Building, Fruit & MELBOURNE CITY ROOFTOP HONEY Nut Growing. www.foodforest.com.au, (08) 8522 QLD Beekeeping, hosting, courses, mentoring & tours 6450, [email protected] SAVOUR SOIL PERMACULTURE, Laidley, www.rooftophoney.com.au The Art of Balanced Beekeeping, www.

savoursoilpermaculture.com.au, (07) 5465 1399, THE PERM-APICULTURE BEEKEEPING GROUP, VIC [email protected] AGARI NATURAL BUILDERS, Mornington Melbourne, Natural Beekeeping, peninsula, 1 week straw bale wall raising www.naturalbeekeeping.org.au, SUGARBAG, Brisbane, Sugarbag Beekeeping, www.agarifarm.org, 0434 169 349 [email protected] Stingless Bees, www.sugarbag.net, 04 3441 6053, [email protected] [email protected] TREAD LIGHTLY PERMACULTURE, Dunnstown, THE STRAW BALE HOUSES, Axedale, Beekeeping, treadlightlypermaculture.com.au, How to Build a Straw Bale House, TAS 0400 261 233, www.straw-bale-houses.com, 0428 246 868, GOOD LIFE PERMACULTURE, South Hobart, [email protected] Small-scale Beekeeping, [email protected] www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au, THE WALLABY’S ROCK GARDEN, Garvoc, 0418 307 294, [email protected] WA FAIR HARVEST, Margaret River, Beekeeping, Natural Building, Appropriate Technology, www.fairharvest.com.au, (08) 9758 8582, www.wallabygarden.com.au, VIC [email protected] [email protected] THE PRACTICAL BEEKEEPER, Thornbury, History of Beekeeping, Getting Started with PHARMCO PTY LTD, Perth, Intro to Beekeeping, a New Hive, Extracting Honey, www. AUSTRALIA WIDE 0412 136 945, [email protected] Natural Building, Cob Building thepracticalbeekeeper.com.au, 0418 863 884, MUDMOB, for Animal Shelters, www.mudmob.net, [email protected] [email protected] VICHONEY, Upper Beacons©eld, Beekeeping, http:// organichoney.melbourne, [email protected] NATURAL BUILDING

NSW J BEEKEEPING SCHOOL, Diggers Rest, AREC, Bombira, Sustainable Building, Beekeeping, www.jbeekeeping.org.au, arec.com.au, (02) 6372 3899, [email protected] [email protected] EARTH BUILDING SOLUTIONS, St Georges AMAZING BEES, The Basin, One-on-one Basin, Building with Mudbricks, Making Mudbricks, Coaching, www.amazingbees.com.au, 0414 558 Wood-©red Earth Pizza/Bread Ovens, 400, [email protected] 0408 425 855, www.earthbuildingsolutions.com.au, BEC’S BEE HIVE, Kallista & Flemington, various [email protected] beekeeping workshops, mentoring, supplies & ©eld days www.becsbeehive.com.au, LAGUNA EARTH HOUSE, Laguna, Earth/Straw 0409 850 735, [email protected] Building, www.facebook.com/lagunaearthhouse, (02) 4998 8072, [email protected]

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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 B an opportunity to share your knowledge and know-how. Photo: Emily Gra y — big flowers, big ideas. ©Russ Graysony — big flowers, pacific-edge.info big ideas. ©Russ 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 Tasmania, Permaculture & you!

Education + Design for the good life Mar 4: Introduction to Small-Scale Beekeeping Apr 1-2: Real Skills 4 Growing Food @ Fat Pig Farm May 6: Introduction to Permaculture May 10-12: Sustainability Educator's Master Class (VIC) Jun-Jul: Part-time Permaculture Design Course

www.goodlifepermaculture.com.au

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Get qualified to do

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• Certificate III in Permaculture (AHC33816) P e r m a c u l t u r e D e s i g n C o u r s e • Certificate IV in Permaculture (AHC42116) - Austudy approved Bermagui, NSW - NSW Government subsidised places available lead teacher John Champagne - Limited places - call to see if you are eligible April 14th to 26th 2017- Book Now 13-Day residential course with engaging team teaching, two full days of site visits and practical hands on activities to support the theoretical content for more info call 02 6684 3374 www.byroncollege.org.au www.permaculturedesign.com.au ( 02) 64927306

Fair Harvest Permaculture in Margaret River ošers a two week live- in Permaculture Design Certi©cate with some of WA’s foremost permaculture trainers

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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 ašordable 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 con©dence. Ph: Peter 0408425855 | [email protected] earthbuildingsolutions.com.au

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EDUCATE DESIGN CONSULT 93

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Please contact us E: [email protected] 95 Tel: (02) 6100 4606 Web: www.pipmagazine.com.au/advertise/ to download our media kit. BOOK REVIEWS THE ART OF FRUGAL HEDONISM: RADICAL MYCOLOGY: A TREATISE ON SEEING A GUIDE TO SPENDING LESS WHILE & WORKING WITH FUNGI

ENJOYING EVERYTHING MORE by Peter McCoy (Chthaeus Press 2016). Review by Tyler Cameron by Annie Raser-Rowland with Adam Grubb (Melliodora Publishing 2016). Besides amateur and DIY mycologists, Review by Kirsten Bradley this book is essential reading for ev- eryone in the permaculture movement. In the current climate, where lots of Fungi are often overlooked in perma- folks want to downsize, downshift, culture designs, but Radical Mycology simplify radically, barter + trade, go attempts to reconnect us with our ‘my- no-waste, grow good food, and re- cohistory’, while providing clear and concise instructions on consider where working for years how to cultivate fungi to remediate the planet and ourselves. from nine to ¦ve in an oºce actually This book represents an exciting opportunity for the perma- gets them in terms of health and hap- culture community to deepen its ecological knowledge and piness, this book is both an antidote and an inspiration of sorts. advance human–fungi relations. The Art of Frugal Hedonism is about living – very – lightly Seamlessly woven with the author’s fungal philosophy, the on this planet, while having a rocking good time. Both Annie book inoculates readers with strands of the ‘mycelial web of and Adam have been doing urban frugalism, rather radically, knowledge’, and teaches us everything from identifying fungi for many years now, and it does certainly seem like they are in the wild, collecting spore prints and tissue samples, through having a good time. to the complete process of low-cost cultivation and ‘mycore- But the book is not just talking about the fact that we all need mediation’. On top of these practical elements, readers are more time, and less clothes (though that’s part of it) to live a equipped with tools to cultivate a community of fungi-lovers, good and happy life. It’s also packed with quirky but solid ad- and to spread the spores of DIY mycology further. vice for ways to re-use, barter, DIY, dumpster dive, swap and A new generation of mycophiles and radical mycologists generally cut down on all the everyday consumption you can will take on the ‘fungamental’ principles and patterns of think of. For the sake of limiting consumption on this one-and- mushroom cultivation – directly in«uenced by the Holmgren’s only planet of ours, and also for the sake of living well, with twelve principles of permaculture – to begin using fungi to a stronger community, and saving the money you do have for restore broken ecologies and social systems. things that actually matter. CHILD OF THE EARTH: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY A PATCH FROM SCRATCH by Glen Ochre (Groupwork Press 2016). by Megan Forward (Penguin Random Review by Richard Telford House 2016). Review by Ruby Woodger Rosenfeldt This book captures the extraordinary life (aged 10) and Sydney Miller (aged 9) and times of Glen Ochre: from her trau- matic origins in outback NSW, to raising A Patch from Scratch is about a fam- a family in poverty as a single parent and ily that decides to grow a garden in setting up a ‘radical revolutionary’ com- their backyard in the city. They want to live more like people munal house, the precursor to the Com- on a farm. monground Intentional Community, to the ¦nal moments before They buy chickens, make compost, plant seeds and make her death. Her story is one of overcoming extreme hardship garden beds. They make things to eat out of the food they throughout her life, drawing on the wisdom of the earth itself grow; they make pizza, salad and lemonade. to transform adversity into strength – inspiring new ways of They have to protect their garden from the possums and living and working together. bugs. It’s clear from her writing that Glen faced a lot of pain on her It’s fun because they can eat all the food that they grow. own, which is probably why she reinforces the importance of 96 When they have ¦nished their patch they are so exhausted collaborating, looking towards positive outcomes and a sense they can’t even move. of fairness – linking back to her gypsy heritage. The book is ¦lled with interesting, detailed drawings show- It’s a challenging and moving read. A wonderful example of ing all the things they do. building resilience, in ourselves and our communities; a legacy she left for us all. STUDY PERMACULTURE AT CQUNIVERSITY AVAILABLE IN 2017

CQUniversity Australia’s new Graduate Certi cate in Permaculture Design is available to study from Term 1, 2017 – the rst of its kind in Australia. Bene t from the  exibility to study by distance education with residential schools hosted by industry partners offering practical learning experiences. For more information visit www.cqu.edu.au/permaculture or call 13 27 86.

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