Today we travelled to Beechworth to visit Charlie & Faye Robinsons property. Here Charlie and Faye are creating an expansive food sustainable system, with strong design and aesthetics. A lot of work has gone into the design and infrastructure of the 5 ha property, which will be one of its strongest points in the future. Shaded walkways, apple and citrus walks, raised no dig garden beds and beautiful crafted brickwork were highlights of the day along with Faye and Charlie’s hospitality.
Their vegetable patch which could sustain the entire neighbourhood was built up waist level using a double course of bricks. This not only raises it up to an easy height but also creates a thick insulation.
A concrete water tank had been converted into a storage pantry where cans of fruit, sauces and preserves stay a constant temperature.
Charlie has even built an underground cellar which will store more perishable and fresh food items, using the cooling properties of the surrounding earth.
We sampled a delicious Moon and Stars Watermelon, which of course we saved some seeds from. Finally we travelled home through the very scenic Millawa , Beechworth regions, Big thanks to Violet Town Group who organised trip.
Our next meeting will be at Mike Schulz’s in Toolamba on 30th May, 1pm start.
Mike ran a research project on saltbush a few years ago and has maintained an interest, and has many different varieties to see. Bring a plate to share and own mug. Directions: From Mooroopna take the Murchison road. Cross the railway line north of Toolamba. Mikes drive is immediately on the left. Look out for the goat and stone wall.
Also Derek has 4 Carob trees emerging from the ss workshop - so happy to give 3 of these to a good home.
We have compiled our current list of seeds which I will distribute later this week, please look over and try a few different varieties, also look for something that you know well and grow it on for us to return some seeds.
We need to increase the quantity of seed and also distribute the seeds we have to everyone. At the moment we surviving off seeds saved from just a couple of people, and the seeds are not being used, they are sitting in the bank growing old, and this won’t sustain us for very long. I urge you to try saving just one variety, choose something off the list and give it a go I myself started with some easy things and letting a couple of these go to seed by themselves is really quite easy. When it comes time to selecting, collecting or cleaning seeds and you need some guidance I’m always available for a advice or even a visit.
Easy Seeds
Basil
Beans
Broad Beans
Coriander
Dill
Garlic Chives
Lettuce
Marigold
Nasturtium
Pea
Tomato
Capsicum (don’t grow Chilli in the same year you wish to save)
Chilli (don’t grow Capsicums in the same year you wish to save)
With all these seeds if you are worried they might cross with something just grow the one variety. For example grow only one type of lettuce in that season or only let one variety go on to flower.
Finally this is going to be a wet season, make the most of it incorporate lots of compost into your soil grow green manures and mustard (good for soil nemotodes).
Celery - it loves a liquid feed, and remember it’s impossible to over water
Kale can withstand the most intense cold. In fact the best kale of all is picked after a frost Broad Beans should now be sown and growing on. They are another plant that can stand winter cold. Give them a little sulphate of potash. It will toughen up the leaves, induce early flowering and that will give a better crop. Spinach needs perfect drainage so if you’re planting these out build up little ridges and plant the seeds/seedlings on top of that.
Happy Growing Carley
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