Since I’m planning to write more about our vege garden this year I thought I would start by describing what our growing conditions are like.
We live on the west coast of the lower North Island, inland, tucked up under the Tararua’s. This means we have very good rainfall. It also means that the temperatures are mild, not too hot in summer but not so cold in winter. Usually we would have about 5 frosts a year (this year was an exception). Sunshine hours are not high, due to cloud build up around the hills. This can lead to ripening issues.
Above is the actual garden. It is made of raised beds. The soil is heavy, verging on clay. The drainage is not great, we live on the edge of what was once a huge swamp, flax milling was the first industry in our area. You can see the puddles on the paths in the right of the picture.
I have improved the soil, but it is a work in progress.
You can see Magnolia’s blooming in the background. Since I took this picture we have had 3 frosts, which turned the flowers to brown mush. This winter has been cold and quite dry, leading to clear sky’s and lots of frosts.
So what are we eating from the garden?
This week I picked spring onions, nothing else. I was hoping to eat a cabbage but our pet ‘lamb’, who is really a 40kg hogget, got loose, and she really likes cabbages. I found her sitting in the bed where the cabbages were (note the past tense), chewing her cud, which was probably made up of cabbage.
Trying to look on the positive side she did free up a bed for summer planting and graciously left it manured!
Does fine weather make you feel better?
My girls caught one of these yesterday. It is a freshwater crayfish. They caught it in our stream using a net bought for them by a single girl at church. The net has been a wonderful toy, a great gift!
Our crab apple tree has a prolific crop every year. In past years all of this crop has been used for either one or two. This is because to make jelly you need a piece of muslin to strain the juice from the pulp. Despite the fact that I do spend time in fabric shops I never got around to buying a piece of muslin. Until last year. But when I went down to check on the status of the crab apple crop they were all gone. I can only guess that birds were the culprits.
I know it’s Saturday, but Friday came and went. Just pretend it’s Friday while you’re reading this.
A New Adventure
There has been a lot of press lately about how the price of food has increased. All this discussion has got me thinking.
A few years ago the then editor of New Zealand Gardener, Lynda Hallinan, tried to live off her land. But there was only one of her to feed. No offence Lynda, but it’s a bit harder to feed four.
So I’ve been thinking about a new adventure. From August I’m going to try and see how much we can grow, on our section, for our family of four. My plan is to document what we grow, what succeeds, what doesn’t and how much we save (or don’t!).
I know that those of us with families are stretched for time and the family will go and get fish and chips if you serve them cream of silverbeet soup for the third day in a row. With that in mind I don’t expect that we will be able to grow all that we eat. The idea is to see how much we can grow and inspire others to do the same.
I guess there is no such thing as a typical family so I’ll re-introduce the tribe so you can get an ide
a of who I’m feeding.
G1 is 11 1/2, and growing like a pumpkin on compost. She eats as much as me, but since she is now size 10 in women’s clothing, and still growing, she is allowed to.
G2 is 9, never short for her age, she is the height of an average 11 year old, fortunately she doesn’t e
at like one yet.
DA MAN is still 6’2, he is supposed to be eating less, but he still has to fill that lanky frame. I took this picture of him after I explained that the vege options will have to alternate between broad beans and silverbeet in October.
Then there is me. As an active women of generous height, 178cm last time my children measured me, (that’s just shy of 6’ in old currency), I eat like a man. I tell myself that is OK, since I can eyeball most men I meet.
Along with the gardening there will be other tips to help families shave their food bills and recipes for using all that food I’m going to grow. I don’t know it all and if you have any good ideas let me know.
So are you ready to join me on my new adventure?