It’s actually quite hard to sum up 2011. It was so big. So vast. So amazing. Such a learning curve, in so many ways! But I’ll try. I started off with one iconic image per month, but that just didn’t cut it. How do you chose between making a pig tractor, and working with Joel…
DetailsAs if Melbourne Permablitz crew weren’t cool enough already, they’ve now outdone themselves. They’ve released a series of organizer’s guides for running a successful permablitz really, really well. These in-depth guides cover all the essential aspects of a great permablitz: designing, facilitating, hosting and documenting. They’re comprehensive documents and a great asset for anyone doing…
DetailsAfter learning the basics of chromatography from Eugenio Gras during his recent visit to Milkwood Farm, Harris and the Milkwood interns got straight into it. The mission: produce a catalog of soil chromatograms for Milkwood Farm. We now have documented the state of our soils across Milkwood in chromatographic form. Each year (or hopefully more…
DetailsHappy Earth are a great little crew down in Wollongong, proving that you can create an abundant urban homestead. And they’re just created a really awesome community resource in the form of this garden guide, which is free to all. Regardless of whether you actually live in the Illawarra region or not, make sure you…
DetailsWe just capped off a massive week at Milkwood Farm – running our last on-farm course till next year, farewelling 6 interns, harvesting honey and braiding garlic. Summer seems determined to skip us this year. It’s now December and we’re still in winter jackets, and eating all the soup we can. What does it all…
DetailsThis list of books by organic market garden expert Eliot Coleman was given to us by the Allsun Farm crew. Apparently these are the 12 books that most influenced Eliot during his transition from school teacher to organic market gardener extraordinaire. They’re pretty radical! Eliot writes: “In order to understand the present and prepare for the future,…
DetailsSix weeks after constructing some zuni bowls as part of our watershed restoration, our structures are full of water for the first time! Exciting to see.
What is it about Guerrilla Gardening? No matter how many times you see it happen, or hear about a new verge planting, it’s always exciting. Is it the fact that growing tomatoes is actually that invigorating? Or is it that people’s small acts of community are that much needed? Either way, here’s a few things…
DetailsRecently the fabulous Hannah Moloney interviewed me about being a female Australian farmer. Hannah has just returned from a stint in Africa with ActionAid working with women farmers and researching where they sit in relation to community food security (right at the center, of course). Now Hannah is back Down Under, she’s featuring some truly…
DetailsI am incredibly excited to report that we’ve just harvested our first ever box of honey from one of our warré beehives. Whoohoo! We are now awash and dripping with organic warré honeycomb. Sweet. The box we took is from the warré hive that had two colonies combined in it last year because of the…
DetailsAs Nick found out when researching for his TEDx Canberra talk on how to save the world with humanure, it’s hard to find good pictures of poo. You may not believe it, but not many folks draw poo very well. Nor the nutrient cycles they interface with. Enter arts collective Cloacina! Am I the only…
DetailsPerhaps you can tell at a glance why I am so excited by this photo? I’ll tell you. We have a humanure compost toilet system built on wheelie bins. We love it. But the place we want to use the finished, composted humanure is over the hill from the toilet block. At the moment, we’re…
DetailsSo we’re creating a forest garden – a lush, shady place, dripping with fruit and springing with herbs, flowers and tubers. But when you think of a forest garden, do you think of paths, their construction, and their capabilities? Or do you just figure you’ll wind your way through the green herbage as you see…
DetailsThe Milkwood newsletter is an occasional publication that’s a treasure trove of writings, free DIY guides, gardening tips, permaculture hacks, special newsletter-only posts and giveaways, and lots, lots more…