Summer News

Hopefully you have had a happy and enjoyable summer. The soil is wet, the tanks are full, the ground is still warm and the autumn period is upon us so quickly, it doesn't feel as if we have had a real summer. I think the garden knows this too as most veges have struggled or put up a late flowering effort, which in some cases will not set fruits in time before the frosts. I wont have melons this year, my eggplant have been few and far between. no Ceylon spinach (it really likes heat) and the prospects of luffa sponges this year don't look too good either.

Our Coming events

We are Looking for hosts & suggestions so please let me know if you are willing to host a meeting. or have any requests for workshops/visits.

Feb 27th - @ 658 Wyndham St Shepparton Propagating Day sharing of herbs and other woody shrubs / roots and plants, discussion about future of GV Seed Savers

March 27th - Seedy Sunday Summer Seeds Collection seed cleaning, recording, packing

April - Regional Seed Saver Annual Swap & get-together Albury date to be confirmed

Seed Savers News
Our seed bank desperately needs planting out we have a great collection but no-one is using it and the seed will become less viable.   I think we need to keep our group and seed bank moving forward so that we develop a resource for the Goulburn Valley in terms of locally adapted seed and a knowledge base.

If you want some seed and are unsure about propagating or successful seed saving please come along to our garden visits and meetings, everyone learns from one another; everyone gets lots of unusual seeds and cuttings this is where we share this knowledge. But if you cant make it along then contact myself and we can arrange a cuppa or garden visit.

At our Feb meeting i would like to discuss where we are heading some aims of our group and governance of the group. we have a chance to leave something for everyone here. these are the Seed Savers Networks aims but i want you to think about what aims The GV group should have

• To find, grow and distribute locally adapted seeds, particularly of vegetables and herbs as well as plants that are propagated by tubers, cuttings, rhizomes, bulbs, etc.,
• To adapt new varieties to local conditions.
• To promote the practice of seed saving and the importance of conserving diversity in our food crops, to schools for example,
• To support other LSNs by sharing knowledge, skills, seeds and planting material,

Latest from the Seed Savers Network

Concentration of Ownership of Seed. Since 1995 the speed of take overs of seed companies has increased astronomically....  read on

See film clips we have selected from over 250 that we have uploaded. Some show how to save seeds, some are on seeds for sale on markets, others are interviews with Third World women. www.youtube.com/user/seedsavers

Jobs in the Patch
 
Make the most of this next 3-4 weeks, this is planting time; it is the time to put in all the veg you want to eat for winter, from more carrots and silver beet to broccoli, celery, caulies. It is also the perfect time to put in trees, bushes, asparagus… almost anything in fact.

Other jobs

• Keep on look out for fruit fly destroy spoiled fruit at bottom of trees, and if you suspect damage put damaged fruit in plastic bag in freezer and contact DPI.
• Use seaweed fertiliser as a foliar spray to keep vegetables healthy.
• Keep an eye on citrus for scale problems, the first sign is usually the appearance of Black Sooty Mould, a fungus that feeds on the excretions of scale and aphids, spray with Natrasoap or white Oil.
• Control caterpillars with Dipel or Success. Exclusion nets when used early will keep the moths out and eliminate the need to spray.
• Thin apples and pears, Summer prune if you haven't already. Check for codling moth damage. Keep an eye out for Pear and Cherry Slug.



I also have several copies of seed savers manual for sale, and Jenny Lister has the Permaculture diary and calender available please email for details. gvseedsavers@bigpond.com