Native earthworm

Native earthworms can grow well over 1 meter long.

Long horn Beetle

Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes. This long horn beetle is visiting a mustard flower.

Pupa

The giant pupae of the Convolvulus Hawk Moth.

Found when digging our Kumara. Kumara belong to the same family as Convolvulus so share the same pests. This guy did not effect the Kumara harvest. I only wish I got to see the beautiful caterpillar.

Alligator weed

This is what large parts of our paddocks looked like before we started any alligator weed control.

Thanks to the great advice and hard work spent by the Regional Councils pest weed contractors we have found no plants on our property this season.

Yay!! Its taken hours that probably add up to a couple of weeks but it has paid off. I am now dreaming of re-planting my orchard and having more flexibility with the way I run things.

Not to mention no more poision!!

Moso

Our timber bamboo is growing. Every year we notice a difference. You can see this years growth as the new culms have a distinct white rings around each node. Moso turns a lovely yellow as it ages.

The stand is a lovely place to be when the wind is blowing the rustling leaves, when the sun is hot outside, when there are children running through it, when you want to imagine..............

This bamboo can grow up to 50cm a day in this location. I visit it regularly when it is first sprouting. It is such a powerful place to be.

Autumn harvest

Potatoes and popcorn.

It feels so good to put your food into a flax basket you have grown and woven yourself.

Native weevil

This beautiful iridescent weevil loves eating the pollen on the Amaranth.

It is a native weevil and can often be found in our gardens.

Frogs

You know you are doing something right when your garden is full of frogs.

We created a new pond a few years back and even with children, herons and ducks we are still inundated with frogs.

Cabin couch

Finished covering the mattress and pillows on the cabin couch. 

It is a fun challenge to find fabric to re-purpose.

The pillow fabric came from a second hand shop -somebodies remnants.

The couch fabric was a remnant from a local upholstery shop.

Just looking out for a second hand divan bed to be the base.

Self sown

These Silverbeet seedlings knew when they needed to germinate.
I will transplant them now and possibly sow some more winter greens.

It is great to garden as if you know nothing. I think you see a lot more and tune in to what nature is telling you. We will never be able to understand the full complexity of it all.

Learning to read. Every day. The patterns and webs nature weaves.

Hungry wasp

I hate Common Wasps!!!

In late Feburary - Early March when wasps are breeding up their queens they need protein.

This small predator can take down big insects. This wasp took down a big dragonfly and has been taking pieces back to the nest to feed the queens.

Floundering

We usually get a feed. We always have a great walk with family and friends.

Giraffe

An amazing male Giraffe  weevil.

The males have their feelers a the  tip of their nose and use them to fight.

They eat dead wood.

Columns.

We want to make bricks. So. First step build a brickyard.

That way we also get to play with our pumice columns.

Butternut flower

Butternut pumpkins belong to the Curcubita family. Their flowers are known for their trumpet shapes with deep nectar wells.

Their flowers are incomplete -either male or female. The female flowers have a swelling (ovary) under the base of the flower.

This flower is a male.

If there are plenty it can be used for cooking.

Foxglove

Foxgloves have their own runways all lit up to show bees the way.

Water

The cabin has water!!

Was going to take a photo of my legs after working with a pick and shovel all day in clay. But hey the cabin is great -and look at the tap. Beautiful clear spring water.

Next part of the design will be getting the water hooked up inside and to the shower.

Small Hover Fly

These small hoverflies are not only pollinators their maggots eat aphids, thrips and scale insects.

I always make sure I have food for the adults in early spring (lots of simple open flowers like Mustard and Allysum) and as my brassicas start seeding there are usually aphids for the pupae. If you have got the right balance your aphids will kick in and a week or so later you will start to see Hover Fly maggots. These guys pupate in the ground so I always make sure I ave food sources I can leave in place for a while.

Silverbeet flower

To watch a plant go to seed gives you a whole new appreciation of our living world. How could you pull out something so beautiful?

I love the way the flower heads of silverbeet whorl out. They then provide food for our all important insect gardeners and seed for next years beet -which will germinate in perfect timing. This will be easier if the plant is left to end its cycle in situ and drop the required mulch onto the ground around seeds.

It provides a great service to the soil and its many residents by keeping it shaded during the hot summer.

Although I must admit I do sometimes rogue out weaker plants, collect some seed just in case and tie up plants that cross paths.

Edible weeds

 

What a great day.

I hosted another Permaculture design course field trip organised by the amazing Catherine and Neville Dunton-McLeod of  Plenty Permaculture.

I always learn soo much from everyone and get to show off all of my latest developments and bounce my ideas of a great enthusiastic bunch of people. Ahhh!!!

One inspirational person was Julia Suck from Julia's Edible Weeds. She has given me a whole new lense to look at my property -and food.

Baby worm and egg

I love Tiger Worms.

I have been emptying a worm farm to make potting mix.

Here is a worm egg (the yellow ball) and a baby worm just hatched. There can be up to 8 worms in a single egg. Amazing.

All working for me if I look after them right.

Tramp

A fly fishing tramp. Just one night but enough time for a good getaway.

On the lake

My old stomping ground. I love Lake Rotoma.

A fun paddle.

Bamboo shoots

Lots of Bamboo species are edible. This one (Pseudosasa japonica) is considered a weed in New Zealand.

Bamboo only has a short growing season (similar to asparagus).

When in season we;
-snap off the shoots under 30cm long.
-slice in half with a sharp knife.
-peel off sheathes.
-simmer gently for 20 minutes to get rid of acidity.
Use in stir-fry or melt butter over and eat.
If shoots taste acidic you have not cooked for long enough. Change water and bring to boil for longer.

Finishing tee pee

Last job -to fasten the smoke flaps.
The tee pee is now ready for our 100 year party.

We are both turning 40 and have been together for 20 years.

We have been busy making cheese, salami, fruit juice, beer, ginger beer, and growing pork and salads. Should be a fun weekend.

Forging

Now we get to fire up the forge.

Bamboo

Moso. We have this Bamboo growing but it will not reach this size for a while yet.

For now we barter with the neighbors.

Native Sundew

New Zealand has some beautiful carnivorous plants if you know where to look. This is one of the special ones growing on our farm.

Charcoal

Charcoal to make resin glue, fire the kiln and for my crayon  making experiment.

Charcoal kiln

Keeping the charcoal kiln stoked is a very important job. A lot of the fire is coming from the downdraft of gasses.