Nirvana Biodynamics

In the early 80’s I always made my own yogurt. I  had a dacor yogurt maker, fairly simple an esky with a 1 litre glass jar and thermometer it always made good yogurt and the next batch was started from the previous.We then met up with the folks from Paris Creek Dairy , they where just starting out so it was a good idea to support them so I sold the yogurt maker and we bought yogurt. Over the years we consumed more and more yogurt  Paris Creek for on cereals, yogurt cakes,potato salad. Jalana on pancakes,as a cream subistute. One of the problems is all those plastic containers , I know they make good plant labels and my plastic container  cupboards and freezer are  full of them but at  2 a week they start to mount up , sure you can put them in the recycle bin but I’d rather not have them. We are very lucky to buy our milk, unparerised direct from the only dairy left in our district. They have a honour system get the milk from the fridge and leave your money....

Every gardener have their own theories and growing methods.I grow mine in the same bed every year (This is the 6th year). This seems a no no according to Adelaide garden experts but I met many older , mostly Italian gardeners who grow them in the same place every year. In small gardens this is often necessary. I grow all my own seeds either from my own seeds or in the beginning ,Franchi seeds in my own seed raising mix made from my compost and leaf mulch from under the camellia tree. Seeds are planted 2 days before the August full moon.Seedlings are planted out on the September new moon into the tunnel house and the October new moon into the garden. the garden is prepared at least 4 weeks in advance with my best biodynamic compost, lime and wood ash.as my compost is sawdust based ‘raw’ in not really an option.During the first month they receive 3 lots of nettle tea. I use cages to grow them in but by the end of the season they are often trailing out of these. The first ripe tomatoes a...

As we pick the last of the mulberries , the packing shed coverts briefly into a classroom before the chestnut season begins. The courses are generally slow to fill at this time of the year despite being the best time to establish gardens and compost. In general most people think of such things in Spring , missing the best establishment opportunities. Much of the last few weeks has been dominated by basketry activities. Its time to collect, dry and store  much of the material needed plus  Basketry SA’s exhibition, ‘Warp on the Wild Side’ is now in progress.Being my first  at such and event has been a busy time preparing as well as a rewarding experience and steep learning curve.   At the Bottom of the Garden’ Gardens can house many secret lives if we take the time to look. Gnomes are the elemental being connected with all that is below in the earth, and the fertility of the soil. Since the soil is more active and alive in winter, I like to thin...