Orchard, Sign, New plot and Christmas...already!!!

The herb garden has now become Liz's plot, and last week Chris and I decided to use all the lovely rocks Alistair is excavating, to make a path between her plot and mine leading to the fabulous new orchard. (Under construction). We were doing o.k. with it, but then Ros came to help out and turned it into a masterpiece of stonework. Thanks Ros! The sign is looking very stately thanks to Alistair, Vince and Chris's efforts. For those of you concerned about it's legibility, an 8 year old on a scooter stood next to me while I took this photo and managed to spell it out without any help from me, so it's not too bad. And it is pretty.

We have our Christmas party this Sunday 1st December and the native clematis on the front fence is appropriately covered in fluffy white stars. It's been a good year at the NCG and we all deserve to celebrate!

Posted by Rebecca.

September Working Bee

It's nearly time for the October Working Bee ( Oct. 7th) but here's some "better late than never" snaps of the September Working Bee.
We had lots more planting of the natives, Ros and Christine constructed a raised bed out of the old fencing that has been sitting about for ages, and we had some more of Christine's yummy sausages followed by some sitting about enjoying the Spring sunshine and watching Alistair, Chris and Vince work on their secret project. (Shhh!).
Plus a fond (temporary) farewell to Heather who is now in Europe having an adventure, but will be back in a few months time.

Posted by Rebecca. (Photo of Christine by Marijka).

Darebin Food Harvest Network

After Alistair and I attended an information session last night at Preston Town Hall we are now officially part of the Darebin Food Harvest Network and have joint responsibility with other food/garden/permaculture groups in Darebin for the maintenance of the website.
Click on this link to check it out and let me know if you have anything you would like to put up there- it's a great network and should help us reach more of our local community and other like-minded green folk.

Posted by Rebecca.

Sunday 26th August

Once again lots happening at the gardens last Sunday.
Alistair's new Heritage Orchard is coming along nicely with broadbeans sprouting and destined to be slashed for green manure. (We now have a "Heritage Fruits" page on the blog for progress reports). Chris and Alistair had some friendly discussions ...but no one was injured.

Vince made a new shelf for the shed at Marijka's request. Looks super!

Chris and Liz removed the lemon verbena in the old herb garden in preparation for Liz's new plot. (So nice to have her back too!) 

And Marijka, Ros and Christine continued with planting the natives in the park area. Next week-end
is the Working Bee so hopefully we'll get the last of
them planted then.
We all can't wait for some real Spring weather now!

Fruit Fly is here.

Here's a link to an article about how we are now going to have to contend with fruit fly just as those poor growers in Qld and NSW do. Sigh.
Victoria waters down fruit fly controls

2012 AGM- a hive of activity (literally)

The bees were busy and so were we on Sunday with a good turn-out for our Annual General Meeting. Elizabeth took the minutes (very professionally too) and Heather provided us with popcorn to sustain us throughout the meeting. At the end of the meeting it was lovely to be able to give Ros and Marijka their Diggers' vouchers in appreciation for everything they both do- they are the heart and soul of our gardens.

After all the talking was done and we had sustained ourselves a little more with a typical NCG feast, everyone busied themselves with various activities. Ros taught Christine and Dianne how to make felt balls in a plastic container then they grouted the sign, Vince and Alistair disappeared for a while then reappeared with some serious wooden planks in preparation for the new orchard fence, and Pauline harvested a bumper crop of carrots (only slightly chewed on by the rats). Our bathtub of potatoes is looking super too- here's a before and after shot.

(Posted by Rebecca)

VERY INSPIRING VIDEO.

                                            

MORE INSPIRING VIDEOS.

Alistair strikes again!

He's back- he's most definitely back! Alistiar has begun a new mini-orchard project at the front of the gardens, and as you can see it has necessitated removing the loquat and rosemary (and a few natives) to make space. (Also necessitated a few stern words from Marijka about the natives- woops.)

In his usual energetic style he has weeded, fertilised, mulched and planted some green manure crops in the area as well. So watch this space- literally! (Sigh- Makes me exhausted just typing all this..) Christine and Diane had been to a sausage making workshop this morning so they decided to take their magnificent creations to the gardens and build a fire "in the gypsy way" (to quote Diane) to cook them, and sip some wine while enjoying the fine view Alistair has now created.

Biggles posed beautifully while more natives were being planted behind her, and our lovely native clematis and hardenbergias are in full flower right now. Spring must be on its way! Check out the blackboard for a new list of seeds to plant now.

Planting Bee

Well the council has delivered all the indigenous plants and mulch as promised for the area behind the basketball hoop- plus a few spare!The last couple of Sundays have been spent weeding and planting in the areas along the path and behind the basketball hoop, and there are still plenty more plants to go. Today we tackled the area next to the front fence, under Marijka and Ros's supervision,(that's Marijka imitating a wood-sprite in the bushes)and it's looking great. Lovely to have Alistair back too- especially when we can make him and Chris the official "barrow boys" to quote Ros.

Someone or something must have been really hungry.... Posted by Rebecca (the old one).

The Greenhorns

This is a group of young farmers in America and a really interesting organisation. They have made a documentary and this is the trailer. Sounds good doesn't it?
Posted by Rebecca.

July planting

Hardenbergia violacia.

Happy wanderer.

Rosemary grevillia.

We did some planting around the half basketball court.

Still some more to go..

Down memory lane.a couple of 'old' timers in the foreground.

The way we were.