Nepal’s Stolen Children: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary

I had the chance this week to attend the screening of CNN's launch of the Freedom Project which features Demi Moore in Nepal addressing the epidemic issue of human trafficing.

The panel discussed this issue closer to home in Australia.

The arguments went around in circle - how do you modify this trend? Whose responsiblity is it? What are the avenues of communication?

The core issue was gleaned - but not emphasised. The catalyst for human slavery is poverty. You can not stop slavery without removing the desperation of those forced or trapped into it.

The Fair Trade brand was represented and it was this spokesperson who called a spade a spade. To stop global poverty we have to buy Australian Made. That means having less - and paying more. Needless to say if this became a reality he would be out of a job!

There is a silent collusion on the part of every consumer to turn a blind eye to that which we support through our purchasing. It is a cultural addiction. If we could kick it - we wouldn't recognise the world we live in.

The CNN Freedom Project

Maiti Nepal

Spain 3

Reasons why I love Spain / Portugal:

1) They allow weeds to grow in the gutters and become a thing of beauty

2) They have a road of telephone poles called crane city

3) They grow orange trees in the Street!! (seville)

3) They have ancient viaduct systems in their temples that feed the trees and trip up the tourists

 

 

 

 

 

Spain 2

Back to Spain as Summer in Melbourne still eludes us ....

Oporto is famous for Port and for Cork!

At the Graham's Port distillery the depiction of the vineyard in cork had me very excited about ways of planing out the lay of land in hilly areas.

Oporto itself is a city build layer upon layer and the use of space through layering was used across the Spanish landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For certain, the most extreme example of building on a steep incline is Montserrat:

 

 

 

 

 

And this... some Ancient Ruins near Toledo

 

The easiest Compost Pile Technique

I saw this technique on gardening Australia.

Two stakes - either side, and alternate dry / wet piled high. I supported the pile by putting a narrow baboo stake through the centre.

I added thistle and comfrey to assist the break down.

Lets see... time will tell!

 

Cauliflower

About three weeks ago I was weeding around the plum and thought what a shame that the Cabbages I had planted beneath had bolted. My efficient-self was eager to pull them out and add them to the compost bin. Another quiter-self said, not now. Lucky they didn't get the yank... as I got a fabulous fright to see two big white Cauliflower faces smiling up at me - seemingly sprouting over night.

I harvested them today and not a bug in sight!

Curried Cauliflower for dinner!

 

 

Linda Eldredge on Radio National

Today while listening to the bush Telegraph on Radio National - Linda Eldredge's description of working the land while referencing her apps via her iphone and making the paddock her office got the host and in turn myself very excited.

Although determined not to be online 24/7 and therefore holding off the temptations from my phone company to sign up for an iphone, this interview conjured in me some practical uses for Permaculture Design.

For example. Being able to assess a remote property - anywhere on the globe in fact and reporting back a Permculutre design with the aid of video footage.

Also an accurate assessment of lay of the land, climate patterns and topography, while walking the land with a client.

I think it is early days - this interview will provide some inspiration for those (like myself) who are tech wary!

From the kitchen table to the tablet, Nuffield scholar researches real-time technology - Bush Telegraph - ABC Rural (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

PDC 2012

This blog started with the intention to implement a Permaculture Design into the Miyoga Garden.

2 years and 100 posts later... I have enrolled in the Course!

In the meantime more observations and helpful hints to come... including not throwing out what appears to be a bolted cabbage because it just might turn out to be a most beeeautiful head of cauliflower! What a great suprise I got today.

 

Grafting Success

 

Its been just about a month and the grafting has been a success.

The objective for grafting came after a visit to Mama Longo's garden last year. She wanted to have a graft of the plum tree we have here at the Miyoga Garden.

Unfortunately by the time the grafting workshop at BAAG was organised it was too late to graft Plums. Also Mama Longo didn't have a plum so we have this weekend planted one ready to graft next year!

Some tips for Grafting sucess:

In the Southern Hemisphere July - August is the grafting season. When the sap is rising, the tree must be growing, not dormant, but also not flowering.

Drop flowers off below the graft as you don't want them taking precious moisture away from the area.

For Soft Wood a cleft graft is recommended - for other woods a tongue and whip

Keep your grafting knife sterilised with a jar of 1/2 metho and 1/2 water - this is also a good practice for your pruning tools.

Dwarfing trees is made possible by intersecting a species with a segment of a dwarf stock. For example a Pear tree - grafted with a dwarf apple - followed once again by the pear species.

Use small plastic bags to seal the graft and keep moisture in - however watch the temperature on the day.

If you are north facing - then make the graft on the south side of the plant - so that it won't be dried out too quickly.

Always remove buds off the root stock - otherwise it will take over.

Who goes with whom?

Apricot go with Plum
Citrus go with Citrus
Apple go with Pear
Quince go with Pear
Persimon go with Persimon
Plums go with Plums
Apples go with Apples
Nectarines go with peaches
Figs on with Loquot

Benefits of grafting include choosing root stock that is suitable to your land and conditions. For example if you are flood prone then you can grow on root stock that tolerates a wet soil and graft an apple that normally wouldn't survive these conditions.

It also assists in cross pollination and allows for a longer fruiting season. Ideally you could have an apple tree that provides fruit all year round! A challenge.