DAY 3 - RAISING OF THE HOT-HOUSE

The hard work is done, now I get to play.


This morning I forked the dirt and added horse poo.
Made a path out of pebbles that were sitting around in the yard.
Made some newspaper pots.
Sowed some seed.

I sure am a happy little vegemite now :)

DAY 2 - RAISING OF THE HOT-HOUSE

First thing first this morning, time to dig out a patch of lawn and make a new bed to house the asparagus. Wow that was a job and a half, we have couch grass and for those that have it know how hard it is to get rid of. So the asparagus now has it's new home out of the hot-house I'll be adding some mulch over the next couple of days.

Now on to the hot-house, we had to call in reinforcements as nothing was going to plan.

One end finished.


Tomorrow is planting time, yippeeeee.

DAY 1 - RAISING OF THE HOT-HOUSE

Oh my, isn't interesting how the most amazing plan in your head just doesn't look the same or is as easy to do in real life?

Heidi and the chooks were very helpful.

Here's Darren's novel way of fixing the sharp bits on the droppers, foam and electrical tape hmmmm. My dad would be so proud. At least it won't be seen on the outside.

After heaps of plastic problems eg. me cutting it wrong and lots of other things I won't go into :) the sides are at least up and yes it's getting dark. Just the ends to go, some timber frames to build, that should take up all of tomorrow LOL

FINAL DECISION

So my idea of setting up a polycarbonate hothouse is not going to happen. After a lot more research and asking my good friends over at Down To Earth on their thoughts I have decided to look at another possibility.
My main reason why is due to wind. We live on a hill and where I was going to put the hothouse is exposed to some pretty strong winds all year round, unfortunately there seems to be a strong possibility that my expensive hothouse may end up in pieces all over the neighbourhood.

So on to plan B. This raised bed will now become my hothouse, it's smaller than what I would like but will not cost a lot to set up.

I will be taking out the soil and using it for the other raised beds, the wooden base will be kept and I will make a structure (possibly igloo style) to go over the the bed with steel droppers and polypipe. Plastic will be fixed over the top with air-flow at both ends.
Sounds easy doesn't it? I just have to get over this flu first.

YESTERDAY'S PLANTING

I took these photos yesterday while I was feeling much better than today. So I'm home from work today with a throbbing headache and an extremely nausea's stomache. Here are my little pots looking not so new now but holding together very well.

Look at the empty pots at the bottom of the photo, they are supposed to be my cauliflowers and I can only presume that I didn't put the seeds in because every other seed germinated. Weird huh?

I planted out the bush peas, pots and all. I am glad I only used 2 strips of paper for the pots to allow the roots to find their way out and I also opened up the bottoms when I planted them out.

My climbing peas are taking off well, I do have to guard them closely from the chooks as they make their way out of their yard to have a scratch around however, boy they are quick to peck off those tendrils.

LOOK WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO OWN

Hopefully within the next month I will finally have a hothouse again.

Years ago I had a huge hothouse made from plastic sheeting and curved pipes in an igloo style that I grew all of my out of season crops in. Down where I live we have four very distinct seasons and it's cold for most of the year, so in order to have those tomatoes all year round, a hothouse is required.

Anyway, while pregnant with my second child for some stupid reason I decided that I no longer needed the hothouse and tore it down. Something I have regretted ever since.

I have always wanted a glasshouse but since that is way out of my reach financially and the fact that I have 2 cricketers in the family, I'll settle for a hot-house again.

After seeing Gavin's greenhouse on his blog and chatting with my gorgeous cousin Janelle from Nellie G Designs who stayed over the weekend my mind is now made up.

MUMMY CAN I HAVE A PONY?

Me: Sure you can Sophie, when we shift out of town.
Sophie: When can we shift out of town?
Me: When we are rich Sophie.
Sophie: Can I go to riding lessons?
Me: We can't fit them in Sophie
Sophie: Mummy when can we shift out of town?


AHHHHH, Lesson No.1, when visiting friends don't let them say to your child "would you like a ride on the horse".

I'll never hear the end of this one, but she did have so much fun brushing and riding the horse, thanks Claire for the great afternoon out.
I actually went to visit to bag up some horse poo for my garden. Yah!!! I have poo again.
PS: Sorry for the crappy photos, I only had my phone with me.

BUTT KICKIN'

Okay, I'm here for some real butt kickin' this week. I've become lazy, yes that's it, plain laziness has led me to feel frumpy, lethargic and just plain blaahhh.

Over the years I have always eaten relatively healthy, nutritious foods but lately the sugary and fat laiden snacks have crept into my diet what seems like every day. Time to be accountable, it's pretty simple really STOP PUTTING THE CRAP INTO YOUR MOUTH!!!!

So today I am making a promise to myself to live the way I want to live and be happy, healthy, green, fit and loving to myself and others.

Starting right now calories and fats will be counted.
Starting right now I will make time for running, weights, kickboxing and yoga.
Starting right now I will make even more of an effort in the kitchen to cook from scratch.

I'm sick of over-thinking everything, actions definately speak louder than words.

So this is my day, how is yours going?

POT MAKER

This little gadget arrived in the mail today.

These seed pots are so quick and easy to make and best yet they go straight into the ground with the seedings so as not to disturb the roots.

DIGGING, WORKING, PICKING, PREPARING

A busy time up at the patch this weekend with lots of pulling out and preparing beds for more crops.
I've used up my stash of free poo. Gone is the 3 bags of sheep poo, 3 bags of horse poo, 2 bags of cow poo and 2 bags of dried kelp.
The chook poo is busy rotting down and won't be ready for a while and the worms are still working on producing for me.
So enough poo talk lets look at some dirt. Here's the bed with the pumpkins pulled out (I couldn't get them to produce anything this year) all ready for brassicas.

Here's the new bed I put in this morning recycling some hardwood sleepers and an old big gate that has had many uses over the years. This bed has been planted with climbing peas on both sides.

Okay, on to some produce as I won't bore you with yet another dirt bed full of poo that I've just planted carrot seeds in.
My beetroot plants grown from seed are getting really big, unfortunately the chooks got into there are pulled half of them out

The eggplant has produced heaps of fruit, I'm so happy with it.

I have enough dried chillies to last for years yet they keep on coming.

This is our first season for our Red Delicious apple tree. I love how the kids just go out and help themselves to the apples whenever they feel like it.

Lastly, some very content, happy, plump chookies.