back online...leaving another garden behind - acknowledging the hiatus

[d_donahoo]

well. looks like all is working again in the world of html and asp behind the front-end of this forum.

and while all was quiet. we got sick of rowdy neighbours and moved. so another rental property garden left behind and another blank slate to work with.

anyone got any good winter projects I could start on?

besides cutting away some branches - leeting in some sun and raising some beds?

[Chook Nut]

Hi Don,

Not sure what i would do down your way as your winters are colder.... the only thing i could suggest is probably sowing legumes as a cover crop and as a source of composting material for the spring planting.

Are you moving to acerage or suburbia? i find autumn and winter the safest months to plant fruit trees also.... if you have a good landlord he may let you use the council voucher for free trees(our council offer 2 plants per year) and get some bush food plants. If thats a goer i would get to know your neighbours and see if they use theirs.... a great way to say hi to them as well.

Good luck.... and stay warm ???

Dave

[d_donahoo]

dave,

your LGA gives out free fruit trees? really? or just trees?

i think you are right. an intensive planning phase and planting good nitrogen fixing crops. might even sqeeze in some broad beans if we are quick.

cheers

dan

[Chook Nut]

hey Don,

yeah, they are all natives though....a mix of fruit and mainly bird attracting trees.

we just had a local 'green day' and i managed to pick up 3 dozen native bush food plants. Some that are too big for my surburban block are making their way to friends acerages ::

they ranged from native limes, midyims (yum! ) riberry's, beech cherries(like guavas) and larger pines and fig trees etc. all great stuff for my climate.

I like the idea of incorporating native foods in our permaculture systems.

They had lots of great info about encouraging native animals and birds. What stole my attention was a stall by the native bee society. I have put my order in with the missus for my birthday this year :p

their website has a good amount of information....

http://www.zeta.org.au/~anbrc/

gives you hope about councils thinking more sustainably!

cheers

Dave

[d_donahoo]

bit too far south for productive natiove bee honey production...but very impressive body of knowledge being gathered on the subject.

our landcare groups in vic. - once you join - offer free trees which is great...

our local shire has been running an excellent series on housing - looking at innovative and alternative approaches - they've pulled in some big names too...from uni's in nsw, vic and sa.

progressive local councils really make you feel good about the future possibilities of local government.

[Chook Nut]

yeah .... it really is encouraging

it seems Brisbane city council are moving away from focusing on bird attracting trees as we now have a lot of miner birds in the suburbs that are wrecking the peace for other natives like finches, pidgeons etc.... the trees they are encouraging are a lot for these other birds now to boost their populations to compete with the miners. I will give some credit to the miners though.... i have seen them group to nearly 2 dozen to chase hawks that come in our back yard for my chickens :angry:

we are now ready to take the council up on their $500 rebate on rainwater tanks... the deadline is end of June.... we're just gonna scrape it in with our finances.

Brisbane has changed a lot over the last 12 mths with our big blocks being divided into 405sqm plots. The council puts on exhibits and has a lot of information to make our houses more sustainable yet seems reluctant to bring in compulsory regulations..... guess thats the price of a booming house economy here .... they get more rates from it

I went to a straw bale house information night not so long ago and it was good to see representatives of the council there..... they actually allow straw houses in our suburbs.... even new estates.

oh well.... rambling again

Dave