When I was little, I was really into barnacles. Yes, actual barnacles – the ones on the rock shelf at low tide. I lived by the beach, so I visited them a lot. Most afternoons after school. I suspected that … Continued
The dams are full and the soft green winter grass in the orchard has returned. There’s been feijoa harvests by day and bioluminescent mushrooms by night. The landscape is slowing down. The frost confirms that this place is finally in Winter, after … Continued
Starting a community food co-op or collective can begin with something as simple as a shared cup of tea, and a question. How can we access great quality, dry bulk food together? And local fresh veg also? With the power … Continued
This year we finally got a chance to try out a three sisters garden planting – maize, beans and squash, growing symbiotically. It was an awesome success. Stacking in space and time is one of my favourite ways to grow … Continued
From collective fruit harvesting to skill sharing to school lunch programs… if you’re looking for inspiration for creating community, the Growing Abundance project in Castlemaine is a treasure trove. The programs run by Growing Abundance are many, but they all centre around food, and … Continued
Building a well designed, passive solar house can mean comfort in both summer and winter, with minimal energy inputs. On the hottest day of summer, it’s comfortable and cool inside. On the coldest night of the year, passively collected solar heat warms … Continued
It’s mid summer here at Melliodora. The days are hot and the cicadas sing in the trees all around. It’s a time for berries, plums, treehouse builds + giant zucchinis. We rise early before the heat starts – to water precious plants, … Continued
Our household runs on a few key foods + drinks that we make from scratch each week with local ingredients and wild fermentation: tibicos, jun, no-knead sourdough, kefir cheese and kraut. Here’s how we make them! Alrighty so for our final article of … Continued
As the weather heats up, the bees get busy. We’re all hoping for a great season. But the hotter weather also brings with it possible bee pests including small hive beetle, especially if you’re beekeeping in wam-temperate Australia. Here’s some tips for … Continued
At Melliodora, the goat forage system is designed to support this permaculture smallholding in numerous ways, while closing the loop, keeping happy goats and making tasty cheese. Every morning, Pip and Willow make their way up to the milking shed … Continued
It’s 2 years since we started transforming a bare patch of city rooftop into an award-winning, thriving community garden space. Now seems like a good time to look back at what worked, what didn’t and what’s growing now. The 107 rooftop garden, … Continued
Rarely have two books landed on our kitchen table at once that have been so different, yet so similar! The Art of Frugal Hedonism + Grown and Gathered encompass deep urban frugalism (for hedonists) to dreamy-yet-muddy farm life+kitchen. With pictures. In a current climate where lots … Continued
Learning how to establish a profitable urban farm takes a LOT of planning and thinking – it’s certainly not just about land access and good seedlings. So we’re very happy that Curtis Stone, author of The Urban Farmer, has launched this … Continued
