I love days like this, where I actually have some sort of tangible harvest from my garden. This is the last of the Roma Tomatoes, the mickey's (aka Noisy Minors) got the rest. But I'm sure they enjoyed them more than I would have. There are a few more side shoots from the broccoli at the back that we had for dinner. Never have I actually enjoyed green leafy vegetables before, but these are yum. I had the mulberries for desert, more ripe this time, and starting to get sweet. The strawberries are about 2-3 days growth. If I get this many every few days, about a punnet full I think, then I'll have a giant pot of my own organic strawberry jam in a few weeks time! I cut them up and they're in the freezer now, along with the tomatoes.

Gardening wise I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now. I want to get into spring planting, but there is a lot to organise first, which I shall post about more in the next few days/weeks as it gets moving. I have plans to move my vegie garden to the front of the house, where it gets plenty of sun, and is protected from the westerly winds, which can be quite nasty at times. It also works in well with the permaculture zones, being essentially Zone 1, close to the house and easily accessible. I actually bought Rosemary Morrow's "Earth User's Guide to Permaculture" yesterday, and have been voraciously devouring it. This of course is probably part of the reason for my overwhelmed feeling.

I've tried to read about permaculture before. The idea intrigues me, but Bill Mollison's books were just too theoretical for me, and I couldn't get through them. This book is far more practical, and I'm already finding myself referring to it as I try to plan something. I think I will have to work through the exercises she lists in each chapter, and try to get an overall permaculture plan for our block. Hopefully there will be some posts about that in the future too. (Ever notice how I talk a lot about possible posts that often don't ever eventuate?) There is just so much to it, and so much of it is so useful, but it takes a lot to take it all in.

In other news, my kiwi fruit plants arrived today. 2 plants, male and female, both very tiny. I've been reading up on them, and apparently they grow VERY extensively, and are very strong plants, so I'm going to need somewhere to put them. I'm really wishing right now that I had a pergola out the front, as it would be a perfect place for them. As they're deciduous, they'd give us some nice cool shade in summer, but let in the warm sun in winter. Some planning to do there too...

And as an update to yesterday's post, Roley the rooster has been returned to the breeders we bought the eggs off, and they are going to attempt to find him a new home. Hopefully Jumpy will settle down now that he's the king rooster, and not take after Roley.

Inspiration

I bought a new book today. I've been on the look out for Jackie French's "Backyard Self Sufficiency", after seeing it in a bookstore several months ago and stupidly neglecting to buy it, but still no luck. However, I found this one, also by Jackie French, and it's instantly become my favourite book!

I bought it simply on the strength of the name, but when I first opened the book to this page, I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. I just love it. Jackie French brings organic gardening from the realm of too difficult, into the reach of those of us who don't have the time or knowledge to test our soil, or get everything just right.

I was inspired enough that when we got home, I went out to the vegie garden and staked up my tomatoes (with stakes cut from scrap wood left over from the house building) and planted some more peas, beans and cauliflower. I was also going to have a harvest picture in this post, but unfortunately the 3 potatoes I uncovered had lots of brown spots, and the miniature rockmelons weren't ripe (self seeded out of season, so not surprising). The peas are going great though, had my first one a couple of days ago, and savoured the whole 5 peas that were in the pod! Lots more on the horizon soon. Jackie French guesses that you need 4-6 square metres of peas to get enough for a family of four. I think I have maybe 2 square metres. I think I'd better get planting! Unfortunately, it's a bit dark for that now.

So instead I'm going to get knitting! I've promised DH a beanie, and I think this beautiful grey wool, spun and plyed, looks just right. This was my first attempt at plying, and I think it turned out OK. What surprised me was that wool plied from two strands actually ends up thicker than the two strands together would be! I had two bobbins of this, and plied them together to get three! Very strange.

It's now all washed, and wound into balls and ready to go. How satisfying is that? I also love the way the wool winder leaves the middle end of the wool easily accessible. Knitting from the middle of the ball stops it rolling around the floor as you unwind it, much easier! Now to figure out how to knit a beanie...