It was good to be home after three and a bit weeks away. Arriving back late in the evening, I couldn’t wait till the morning to view my garden. I had been wondering how the garden would cope without my attention for almost a month.
In the early morning light, I grabbed my camera phone to capture the first glimpses of the ‘reunion’.
Well as you can see the garden not only survived but perhaps thrived in my absence (I like that I need my garden more than it needs me).
Currently it is 4am in the morning. I have been awake since 2.30am. Getting out of bed to do something productive is not my preferred option – it is just too cold and may wake the sleeping family.
So now I am hiding under the covers so the illuminated light from my mobile phone doesn’t awake my husband.
Sharing a photograph of flowering broccolini at 4am just feels appropriate (not sure why).
I have allowed one full bed of brocollini to flower this season because it attracts the bees and because it also attracts me to the garden too – as very little is currently flowering. Don’t worry there is plenty of brocollini to eat.
I’m feeling a little sleepy now….
We have built the frame of two raised garden beds, at Buxton Community Garden (Buxton is part of Wollondilly Council, at the base of the Southern Highlands – an hour South of Sydney, Australia).
Buxton Community Garden will now be building wicking (water reservoirs) inside the raised garden frames. The purpose of this is to save water and help with watering – like a self watering system.
The date to build the wicking water reservoirs is September the 27th. Everyone is welcome to come along and learn while getting involved (or welcome to just watch). This is a FREE event. Children are welcomed and encouraged to get involved too.
For all the details check out our event listing.
The raised garden bed frames, will soon have an inbuilt water reservoir, soil and plants.
Stage 1 of Buxton Community Garden is complete!! What’s next? We are planning two workshops on basic composting and building water reservoir, raised garden beds (wicking beds) – information coming soon. Both workshops will be in September.
Stage 2 of our community garden will see more raised garden beds, building our meeting area, establish a three bay compost bin system and worm farm.
Again I would like to take the opportunity to say “thankyou” to all the locals, community groups and businesses who sponsored and supported Buxton Community Garden!!
Children of our Town say "Thankyou" to local businesses who sponsored and helped make Buxton Community Garden a reality
With the generous free use of a 'Dingo' (thanks to Picton Hire), Buxton Community Garden stage 1 build was much easier
Building the first raised garden bed which will be turned into a wicking water reservoir garden bed
Our first raised garden bed is finished
Down tools. It's lunch time
Old black plastic garden pots, reused as planted seed markers - a permanent silver marker was used
Stage 1 build of Buxton Community Garden is completed - two raised garden beds built and a large planted area (netted to keep birds away)
The beginning of Buxton Community Garden
Stage 1 of Buxton Community Garden is completed - this time next year, in 5 years and in 10 years, we will look back at this photo with amazement on how far we have come. We have a big vision!
Buxton Community Garden grand plan
Talk about heart warming and being overwhelmed by community spirit and support!!
Last Sunday was stage one of our town’s community garden build. I will be posting photos and sharing all the amazing details shortly but for now I feel compelled to focus on the ‘thank yous’.
Thankyou to all who came down and got their hands dirty. Thankyou to all the businesses and local community groups who sponsored, supported and helped.
I feel humbled to belong to this community.
Thankyou:
Picton Hire
Picton Mitre 10
Macarthur Seed Savers
Buxton Rural Fire Service
Picton Sand & Soil
Beautique Hair Body & Soul
Pheasant Nest Produce
Matt Mills Carpentry
Peter Hunt Real Estate
Premium Fire Wood
Marks Landscape Supplies
Tahmoor Garden Centre
Derks Pet & Rural Produce
The waitress watched in disbelief “she is eating broccoli?” Our two year old was quick to correct her observation by responding “small trees yummy”.
There is no doubt that at times our Little One is fussy and picky. However generally I would conclude that she is a good eater. Generally it isn’t a challenge ensuring she is getting 7 to 10 proportions of varied fruit and vegetables daily.
Listening to parents share their toddler eating behaviour frustrations, puts me in a reflective mood. Why them, why not me?
Short answer is I don’t know. I say it is because of some luck and some good genes (I was a toddler garbage disposal – eating any veggies my older brother would not). However I feel instinctively that there are two activities that have fueled our toddler’s love of eating a wide variety of nutritious food.
Firstly the simple activity of growing your own veggies. From six months of age I have been gardening with her. Now she will venture into the garden to eat sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, chick peas, snow peas or whatever is in season (without my prompting or help).
Secondly the equally simple activity of cooking. As our Little One showed interest in our cooking pursuits, we have encouraged her involvement with age appropriate tasks. Always keeping in mind the bigger picture when she makes a mess, refuses to give back the pepper shaker or fights us for the spoon – short term annoyances allows for long term, life skills learnt.
Our Little One is planting seeds, watching them grow, harvesting food from the garden then cooking the produce. This has to be contributing to her willingness to then eat the food, she has had envolvement in producing and preparing.
Food for thought.
Up early this morning to capture the garden in the gentle morning light.
My lack of edible gardening posts at home, is a direct result of not venturing outside. As much as I love being outside in the garden, sometimes life gets in the way of doing what you want.
I sense life is changing back to allow more time in the garden. Bliss can once again return.
Mandarins
Snow Peas
Spinach
Flowering Rockett
Broccolini
Broad Beans
Chilies
Garlic
Greener Me 