Pondering from Purple Pear.

[philippa]

Yes, when you're up before dawn stirring some 501 to put out, the full moon setting and the sun lightening the sky in the east you certainly are working with the rhythms of the cosmos. And the stirring itself becomes almost a meditation. I'm glad you understand.

[purplepear]

I was up before dawn today, Phillipa, rescuing chickens who's dome had been damaged by the strong winds that hit the Hunter with a change at 2.30am. It is freezing clod and the icy wind threatens to blow the geese across to the other side of Maitland.

Preparations for the summer crop are going well with plenty of ground prepared for tomatoes and corn and pumpkins.I have run out of the cages for the tomatoes and will need to stake the rest or find money to purchase more wire to make the cages.
We are trying a spring planting of chickpeas for our own use and also red kidney beans and if it goes well I will grow them for the customers in the future as we need to look for staples.

The time for putting BD500 out has been in full swing - with damp evenings allowing for the best opportunities for penetration of the preps. I have been adding cow pat pit to the stirring for the last 20 minutes and yesterday I also added fish emulsion and chick weed tea as well for good measure. This I stirred with the flow form as the fish stirring would have meant me sleeping in the cow shed again and I am glad I was not out in the weather last night.

Next week we have a group of school kids coming for a sleepover to experience the farm things. We get lots of schools coming through but this is the first group who will camp. I have made a camp kitchen in a corner of the shed (poor tractor has been in the weather for years now and has probably forgotten it eve had a home.)
Opps gotta go - more later

[sun burn]

Morning Purple. When you make your tea, do you dilute it before pouring it on the garden. I've got a bin with horse manure and in it i put weeds and grass. I am pretty unsystematic iwth it as yet. I just fill it up and when i get around to it, I get a bucket full and dilute it before adding to the garden. Do you know if i need ot dilute it, or is it alright staright on. The manure is pretty old now - about 2 months, so its probably not as strong as it was.

[purplepear]

definatly dilute it - atleast 20 : 1

[mischief]

PP, what do you use the chickweed tea for, I've got heaps growing and have decided not to pull it out when it shows up.

[purplepear]

It is high in potassium and phosphorus

[andrew curr]

i can vouch for purples gardening skills and simple organization i checked it out a couple of weeks ago)
weeding done by chickens ,welorganized seed raising area
he they have turned tight compacted gutless coastal clay into wonderfull dark friable organic food producing soil.
it has to be seen /touched to be believed.( really loved the working CSA)
thank you purple pear &co

[Fernando Pessoa]

I say three cheers for the Pear,it's a big set of balls and lots of self belief thats required to pull off what he is attempting.Although I have not been to the site I hear nothing but great things about the place.Well done Mr and Mrs Pear you two are inspirational.
Best wishes Fernando

[purplepear]

Geezz Fernando - you'l give a bloke a big head.
Thanks for your kind words guys - Purple Pear is what can happens if you have dreams and follow them. We still have plenty to do though.

The school kids will get a look at where their food comes from ( I hope). We will look at preparing a bed, planting, harvesting and eating potatoes and also "rob" a hive for honey and bake sourdough bread and have bread and honey. We will look at spinning wool and knitting and there will be a chance to build a fort with hay bales and much more - as long as I do not spend time here and get the stuff done before they arrive tomorrow afternoon.

The wind damage has been minimal and I will look to spray with seaweed and molassas and cow pat pit this evening to help alleviate the shock to the plants, especially the grapes - they took a battering.

[eco4560]

Don't tell you insurance company what you are up to. They are sure to put up your public liability cover with such DANGEROUS activities. I mean someone could die from a bee sting. Or a potato allergy, or choke on sour dough....

Wish I was a kid at your place.... Could we play in the cow pat pit after we finish the fort Mr Pear?