I've managed to obtain a scholarship or a SPENDS course fee reduction in return for some work on projects related to permaculture (only hope its nothing TOO taxing) for the APW 1 year course.
Hooray! The first workshop will be held Saturday 11 February somewhere in Parnell.
I'm sure it will be very interesting and practical. Perhaps it might even have a field trip to a garden. I'm all for field trips. Today I had an interesting field trip to Parrs Park. Not a garden per se but it did have some nice planting by the playground, if only I could identify the flowers there. I am thinking of my nearest park which is pitiful with its sad swing set and slide. Nobody goes there since the playground equipment is so mediocre, there are no picnic tables or anywhere to sit, there's just a couple of trees, a path to cycle or walk dogs on, and that's it. Focal points people! I am thinking of writing to the Supercity amalgamation conglomeration of parks and reserves and complaining that something needs to be done with Riverpark Reserve as even I as an adult am dying of boredom there. I know many council folk can't be bothered even mowing 'berms' anymore but come on make the effort. If you actually had something nice there to play on or look at maybe more people would take ownership and look after the place. I see that with churches too, a sort of 'can I be bovvered' mentality that has church yards look like the pit of hell thats been over run by goats instead of the peaceful prayer sanctuary where you can lay down beside still waters as in Psalm 23.
Or maybe I am the only one who cares?
Finished reading Xanthe White's book who has advised if your soil is terrible you can always garden in pots. But I did learn something - biochar or charcoal makes a good soil amendment, dolomite lime is good for clay, and DO NOT spread barrels of compost on your soil and plant in it. Which is what I had mistakenly been doing. No it has to be spread thinly and actually mixed into the soil. Because I am into no dig I am not going to dig in the compost as that will disturb all the existing plants, so I have learned to scatter it all around and let the rain wash it in like it does in nature. Or the earthworms or Martha to scratch it in. After all nature doesn't make a compost in a huge heap does it? Soils come in layers and plants and earthworms appreciate that.
Still haven't found any worms yet, Kings said they have run out and will get more in. I wagged Myra's place today as had a better offer. Poor Louise then had to fend for herself, making the omelet, but I promised next week would come. She said I wasn't obligated, but I did think that I would give her own daughter a chance to tidy up the place first cos if we did it all, when we didn't really have to, that wouldn't be good for her children not to have the opportunity learn how to love and care for their mother's garden would it? After all, they are the ones who might inherit it, not us.
