Seed saving goes back to the dawn of agriculture so we are looking at very ancient traditions. Seeds were carried by nomads and planted where they stopped for spring, summer and autumn. Many of their seeds were sacred to them and very important for their ritual life. I was taught about seed saving when I was 4 years old my Grandmother as my Mentor. She had a compost heap. We got cow manure from an uncle out of town. We collected lots of seaweed at the nearby beach. We got leaf litter from the nearby forest where we also filled up our water containers from a sacred mineral spring. Grandmother had a beautiful garden full of edible stuff and lots of herbs and flowers for medicinal use. She taught me how to save seeds and she had a small personal seed catalogue full of … [Read more...] about Seed Saving
Archives
Companion Planting in Mareeba Region
Parsley, Shallots and Marjoram Basil, Shallots and Comfrey Comfrey and Winter Tarragon Winter Tarragon, Brazil Spinach and tomatoes Pigeon Pea and Brazil Spinach Rocket and Wild Rocket Tree Lettuce seems to like all Comfrey grows well with Brazil Spinach and Arrow Root Brazil Spinach grows well with Spring Onion and Shallots Comfrey, Lemongrass, Bird Eye Chilli and Sacred Basil Sunflowers, Arrow Root and Turmeric Cucumber, Snake Bean and Rocket Dandelion, Mint and Tree Capsicum Edible Hibiscus, Sweet Leaf, Chinese Spinach, Arrow Root Brazil Spinach and Pawpaw Silver Beet, Comfrey and Shallots Amaranth, Broad leaf Plantain, tomatoes and beans Passion fruit loves to grow up Mango trees Mint, Parsley, Oregano, Rosemary and Basil Edible Chrysanthemum, Coriander, Winter Tarragon, Nasturtium, … [Read more...] about Companion Planting in Mareeba Region
What to Plant/Sow When in Mareeba Region
What grows all year round in Mareeba Region Aibika, Aloe Vera, Arrow Root and Queensland, Basil, Bean, Bok Choy, Capsicum, Cassava, Chillies, Chives Common and Garlic, Comfrey, Cosmos, Cranberry, Cucumber, Dandelion, Eggplant, Galangal, Ginger, Lemongrass, Lettuce Tree and Darwin, Luffa, Marigold, Mint, Mustard hot green leaf, Nasturtium, Nut Meg Basil, Old Woman Gossip Tree Kale/Cabbage, Parsley, Peppers, Pigeon Pea, Plantain Broad and Narrow leaf, Pumpkin, Rocket, Rosemary, Shallots , Spinach Brazil, Warringal, Ceylon, Salad Mallow and Chinese, Sweet Corn, Sweet Leaf, Thai coriander, Thyme, Tomato, Tree Capsicum, Turmeric, Winter Tarragon January Summer and wet season Aibika, Aloe Vera, Amaranth, Arrow root, Atherton Bulb Shallots, Basil Purple, Camphor and Thai, Bean … [Read more...] about What to Plant/Sow When in Mareeba Region
Garden Spirit and the Wildlife
I always tell the garden spirits that I am going away on a holiday of any length. They like to know my whereabouts and this way they don’t feel left out. More important is for us humans to acknowledge that the garden spirits are our helpers and supporters and they perform a lot of magic that you might not be aware of if you can’t see, feel or hear it. If you still your mind and take time to observe with all your senses what is going on in your garden or nature you will eventually start learning and understand. The spirits all present themselves one way or the other. Sometimes you will see a different light or energy movement between the sunflowers. You might get a pat on your shoulder or you hat will get knocked off your head while walking through your fruit orchard all caused by the … [Read more...] about Garden Spirit and the Wildlife
My Cow Horn Mandala
As some of you know I am a textile artist and I love being just that. A very creative textile stirrer, they call me. I do artist stirring of like minded people to be creative and go with the flow. I love being with people who like me think out of the square. I love creating anything from materials such as fabric to garden hoses, old onion bags to hand spun yarns, paper bags and rubber bands. From flowers and bamboo leaves to spider web and banana trunks. I love working with colours. I love creating patterns and making travel journals. I love beach combing collecting washed up sticks, shells and beans then string it together and hang the stuff in the almighty Beach Almond tree while soaking up the colours of the sunset crashing with the white sand and the turquoise water. I am in my … [Read more...] about My Cow Horn Mandala
Mighty Mekong Delta
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City and for those of you who are a bit delicate it will be a great challenge to discover its beauty. I love the fascinating Ho Chi Minh down town. We have just booked in at a small guest house with such friendly staff that we feel at home straight away. We have a great view from third floor. Lovely breakfast included in the price and as much coffee and tea as you can drink – all day – every day. We are soon on the street roaming the dirty back alleys. The locals are milling around selling coconuts, cooked sweet potatoes, balloons, soft drinks, rubber bands and what have you. Heaps of rubbish is piled up everywhere and the smell is definitively a challenge to your system. In places it stinks to high heaven and it seems to me like a risk to my respiratory passage … [Read more...] about Mighty Mekong Delta