End of Competetion draws near

Although the end is loaming of this years greenest street competition our street just like the other two will carry on with trying to lower our foot print. Its been great meeting and getting together with others in the street and learning new things along the way. We may not have been the busiest street as we are are already a street of busy working people but we tried our best to have regular get togethers and I feel that if we ever have  a natural disaster at least we now know each other and would work together as a tight community. I think we are better equipped to look out and after each other with the sharing we have done.

Carrots and Working Chooks

Here's another post from Carolyn...

I have to date been unsuccessful in my attempts to grow carrots.  A neighbour had told us when we moved in 9 years ago, not even to bother.  I tucked the information away as a challenge to be addressed at a later date.

This week I was reading a Xanthe White book – all lovely with glossy photos – and got another tip for fighting the carrot white fly to add to my collection which so far consists of

·         cover seed after planting with fleece – as in unspun wool (and I have some)

·         barriers around the sendlings may help protect them as apparently  white fly keep fairly low to the ground

·         companion plant with garlic and onions

·         neem tree granules should help deter any unwanted visitors.

 So into a large black planter, that is reasonably high, I have placed neem tree granules, my precious wee seeds, a couple of garlic cloves and a light layer of fleece.  I’ve crossed my fingers and we’ll see what happens.

I also now have ‘working chickens’ – I have two bantams, Butter and Meggie, who have not laid any egg since January.  Robbie threatens to knock them off but as they are my last two originals I’m not ready to let them go yet.  I saw Kath Irvine’s,  previous Green gardener ,  set up for her chocks to work her garden beds.  While our garden is not as well planned and has evolved, as does life for many of us mere mortals, I am giving it a go.  I have used a random collection of stakes and pools to hold up some plastic mesh and have thrown bird netting over the top – these two are known for their flying capabilities – clipped or not.  Hey also get to use an old rabbit hutch I got from free cycle, which Rob has put a nice new lid , and I figure that perches are a privilege for those that lay.

Yesterday I pronounced there first project complete they have worked the soil and demolished all but a few select weeds – they don’t seem to like dock or a clover type weed, and I am really hoping they like mustard as their new project is in a bed with a green crop.   The ’caging’ set up may not be pretty but it works and they are doing something useful, so it’s a win/win.  I will now remove the remaining weeds from the first bed, aerate with a fork and tuck down till spring with a layer of compost and mulch.  I love playing in my garden.

This is their first project at completion

This is their current project – This was taken two weeks ago and I am pleased to report they are doing well.

A Potluck BBQ and an afternoon get together Earlier in the year

We had a pot luck BBQ one sunny evening.

and an afternoon tea for Oxfam.

Composting Workshop 2nd June

Wayne and tom made some compost bins for people in the street then Rachel came and gave  a lesson on composting. It was a very cold day Queens Birthday weekend so thanks to those who could make it.

Leaves Collected

Bags of shredded paper,pizza boxes,egg cartons,brown pieces collected from street gutter.

Garden weeds etc

Rachel adding First Brown layer needs to be twigs etc so air can get in.

End of the session. We did it!!

Sustainable Show

Have finally learnt how to get the photos off Toms Phone so thats a plus from the competetion.

Setting up our space showing ,

 Give away things you don't need

 Vegs and fruit we grow in Grange Park, 

Home made Household cleaners,

Preserves,

Make your own gifts,

Grow your veg in containers.

Cycling Tips

This is a post from Carolyn. I'm posting it due to various 'challenges'!

The second mulcher training took place on the 19^th with at least 12 households represented.   It was nice to see a few folk from Rainbow Court.  A lovely southerly blowing helped encourage people to put their backs into it and really get the feel of the machine – we had a good pile to practice on. 

This was followed by a very friendly pot luck lunch, hot soup and yummy apple pie – bet you wish you were there!

We wanted a way to ‘mark’ the mulcher so it would be forever identifiable as the club mulcher.  The creative among us came up with the idea of making the mouth look like a crocodile – now we eagerly await the artistic juices to flow.