Child of the Planet

We had an epic dump of seaweed on the beach this year. It's dissolving in tanks to make fertilizer tea... ,,, and It’s rotting on the asparagus, clumps of it encircle the apple trees. It's melting into the garden beds out the front... … and into the bamboo planting. … and I’m storing some for next summer

Recently I scored a pile of oxtail cuts from a cousin who has a property in the Wairarapa. He runs a few cows and sheep, slaughtering them when required. Buying meat from a shop is my last resort these days. Fell out of the habit after living in the UK during the ‘mad cow’ outbreak. I now find it difficult to trust the mass market meat industry. Veg is getting to be almost as bad, what with all the recent bacteria scares. I boiled up the oxtail with a bay leaf, and let it cool enough to pick out all the little meaty bits lodged in the tail sections. I moved the pot into the fridge for a bit and then skimmed off the congealed fat. Next day, the pot went back on the range and I dropped in diced carrot, celery, onion, followed by a packet of minestrone dry mix. I have grown carrots and celery in the past but didn't have any in the garden when I made the soup. Served it up with some locally made bread from http://www.kapitiartisanbread.co.nz/

This is my third summer here in Otaki and it is the year that the lemon hedge has really taken off'. Looks like there are a few lemons in amongst the foliage too. This is what it looked like at the beginning of the summer… The lemon hedge is one of the first things I planted ( click here to read about it ). It consists of a row of the Yin Bin variety. I've been told that these lemons are more acidic and better to cook with. What I like about a hedge of plants is that I can increase that chance that I’ll get some produce. I can lose a couple of plants and replace as needed. I’ve also planted rosemary and lavender hedges.

Looks like the tomatoes have almost run their course so I'm cleaning up the bed, getting it ready for garlic. After struggling all summer, those crazy capsicums in the front there are still popping out fruit. This year I'm trying out 'no dig' gardening. I’m cutting the tomato stems off at ground level and leaving the roots to rot. This creates water channels I’ve been told. Going to dump a load of horse manure and seaweed on the beds.and wait for the shortest day of the year.    Time to clean up the vegitable gymnasium ( click here to read about it... ) I’m weeding the beds and pulling out the tresses I was using for the peas. The peas weren't super successful during the summer so I've decided to give them another go in the winter. I planted out a row of seeds along the front of the standing mesh where the cucumbers spent the summer hanging out. These little guys were purchased from Koanga as a chick pea replacement.