Spam comments

Due to our blog having been hit by comment spam, we will now have to moderate comments before we publish them, but please don't let that stop you from leaving comments, it just may take a bit longer for it to be published.

New Book for Library

Diana dropped off a new book for our library recently called "The Orchid Thief". The library books and records of loans book are in a large plastic container in the shed for those who wish to borrow.

"The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean.

"The Orchid Thief" is a non-fiction book by American journalist and author Susan Orlean based on her investigation of the 1994 arrest of John Laroche and a group of Seminole Indians in South Florida for poaching rare orchids in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. Laroche, a plant dealer was determined to find and clone the rare Ghost Orchid for profit. Orlean spent two years shadowing Laroche and exploring the odd and fascinating world of orchid fanatics.The book is based on an earlier article Orlean wrote for the New Yorker magazine and the book, Orlean and Laroche were later used as the subjects of the highly fictionalized and self-reverential film Adaptation (2002).

Seed Saving Workshop

Traditionally we have held a Seed Saving Workshop each year. This year it is to be held on Sunday 4 th May 2008 at 1pm. Also we will celebrate our harvest with cooking up a delicious pumpkin soup. The drought has seen our garden plots a bit scarce on produce yet nevertheless by scrounging here and there as you can see on the poster we have a good representative of seeds for the next coming year. Let the rains come.

Come and share, trade or just come along. Guaranteed you will leave wiser and richer with a pocket full of seeds...and maybe we can pursuade ourselves to share in the growing of seedlings and therefore reducing a tiny amount of landfill by using less plastic containers. Most commercial seeds are treated with fungicides and and other chemicals.

marijka

Proposed positioning of Water Tanks

Edain has drawn up a couple of proposed ideas for the Water tanks. How good is this...to have someone with these skills in the garden...

The size and positioning of the tanks still to be discussed and finalized hopefully at the next working bee April 6th 2008 1.30 pm...

Also a copy of these diagrams will be on the notice board.

Water tank and Working bee

Chris, Edain, Ros, Jane, Rebecca and Marijka attended the Working Bee yesterday and thanks to Chris's great preliminary work we were able to make a few crucial decisions about the water tanks. The main water collection points suggest that the best places to put tanks are at the back behind the shed to catch water from the Telstra tower roof and the shed roof. We need to decide if we want one really large round tank, or a few slim-line tanks. Edain has offered to do some rough specs of the areas we think are appropriate, and then we will be able to submit all of this to plumbers in order to get quotes for the whole job from cement base up, before applying for our grant.
It's exciting to think we may actually have water tanks sometime this year!

Water Tanks

The first draft of the two roofs in the garden... done by Chris the Younger.
He has also made extensive notes on "Positioning of Water Tank (s)" under the headings of "Things to Consider" including absolutely stunning pieces of info:
"Note: Average yearly rainfall to 2000 about 630 mm per yr.
2004 - 602 mm
2005 - 589 mm
2007 - 310 mm

All of Chris's calculations and notes can be seen and discussed at the working bee.

Hopefully we will have a fabulous number of people at the next working bee this coming Sunday. March 2nd at 1.30pm where we can continue to discuss the Water tanks and what needs to be done.
We have already fulfilled some of the criteria that Community Water Grants consider important if they are to grant money for a water project.

1. Roz has approached Bunnings and Miter 10 for assistance with success.
2. Rebecca has sold $100 worth of Tshirt on the NcgRedBubble site. Money going towards the Water Tank project.
3. I have spoken to Darebin Council and they are more than happy to give us a letter of recommendation.
Marijka.

Wurundjeri Acknowledgement

Antar Victoria are selling these Traditional Owner acknowledgment plaques, and in light of our Government's recent Apology to Indigenous Australians perhaps we could also express our respect, and get one for our front gate?