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The year's pushing on a bit isn't it. There's not been an awful lot really to jot down on me blog at the moment garden wise. After over a year as an Organic Gardener I feel like it is definitely a career that I want to be in. I'm continuously learning and keep reaching points in the learning process where I think i'm doing really well, but then soon realise that as I tackle more and believe I'm becoming more accomplished, that there is still plenty left to learn. Some people have gardened all their lives, and some of these people are our clients, so you do sometimes meet your match, which puts me in my place a little. I started doing my sisters garden the other day up in Nottingham. It's a pretty blank canvas at the moment, so I did a bit of clearing, and then did some planting. Over the last 6 months I've been saving seedlings that have naturally started growing in a number of gardens I work in, It's a great resource to have, plus it saves a lot of money. Sooo, aside from gardening what else am I thinking generally.... Politics I'm a bit pissed off with all this hype about Donald Trump, I'm obviously not a great fan of his, but all this mega commentary on it has been consuming me a bit too much and not in a particularly positive way, I like to pay attention to news and trends and everyones opinion too, but after a discussion with a lady I work with, we came to the realisation that we are easily conditioned as a society to live and think by certain narratives, and that by doing this, we put ourselves at mercy to however life is told and lived out. I think this idea was highlighted in a recent documentary by Adam Curtis, Hypernormalisation. I've decided not to let what is happening effect me so much, and create my own narrative in life that I live by, by adding progressiveness, productivity and positivity into the world as I go along. Food I shared an article on my Facebook feed the other day about the recent 'vegetable crisis' It was very interesting, and it looks at our approach to seasonality, consumer desires, and practical alternative options for self sufficient vegetable consumption! Something to think about as we approach a new growing season. Article Creativity I'm feeling generally quite creative at the moment, I played a few gigs last month and having been doing some recording recently at home with a new external sound card I purchased. I have a few gigs lined up in the next few months. You can listen to some of my music on Soundcloud if you like. I also attended an open mic poetry / spoken word evening last night in Salisbury, called Poetika. I played one of my songs and it went down well. It was also wonderful to meet some other creative thinkers and doers in Salisbury. I can't wait for the spring to arrive, and I also look forward to how this year progresses. I'm hoping to become involved in more community events and initiatives, including community planting to help the Bee's. And as an ode to the brief February Snow we had, here is some music from one of my favourite acoustic artists these days Will Varley. Keep on keeping on :) It's been a year filled with so many new experiences that it's right up there, if not been the best year of my life. I would never have envisaged myself saying that as a twentysomething, However, I've found that all the mystery, fun and adventure that came with my 20's has been replaced with a deeper understanding and connection with the earth and it's inhabitants.
My comprehension of our symbiotic relationship with nature and it's importance has really blown my mind, not only practically but on a spiritual level. It has refined my knowledge and feelings I had about the world and help me craft a more focused approach of how we tackle problems and offer solutions. One particular thing I've learnt is that you've got to get out there and get involved in life. I could quite easily still be sat at home waiting for things to change. If there's something you want to do and something's stopping you inside, then you've simply got to push onwards and force whatever is stopping you out the way. I'm reading a book currently called 'Land: A New Paridym for a Thriving World'. In this book the author Martin Adams discusses why social and economic reform is a a great challenge. and he quotes the late Henry David Thoreau; "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." Even though this quote is referring to the corrupt and unjust nature that society can sometimes exhibit, I found this quote particularly poignant because it also says a lot about dealing with problems in general. By focusing on the effects caused by a bigger problem we are not getting to the root cause, and by facing the root problem however big, small or scary it is, you are going to incite change in your life in some way or another. I'm still reserved in some respects and still waiver between pure motivation to improve and then doing nothing. However I'm still in the process of change, and trying to iron out all those years of unmotivated monotony, and the years of being told by society what you need from life and how you contribute. Everyone's different though I guess, you might be just fine doing what you're doing I'm just happy and motivated by the fact that there was something out there for me and i'm in a position where I can pass on my message, and perhaps inspire someone who is floating around, lost or disillusioned, wondering what life is about. I still have a plethora of things to learn from life and i'm hopeful that 2017 will bring forth the opportunity to grow even more and contribute what I know and think to society. I have a year of Organic Gardening under the belt now, and I look forward to learning even more. I will be helping to set up a Social Enterprise this year, and the new growing season is just around the corner, I just need to weather a few months of cold. I hope to keep my blog going as things develop. With so much hope out there, it seems a real shame that as we enter a new year the people who are about to take control of the western world are the exact opposite of what is really needed. However perhaps we need to go through even more turbulant times for civilization as a whole to collectively agree that there are far better solutions out there. I'm hopeful we can. Happy New Year everyone, I wish you the very best. Engaging in a debate about the politics of society is a challenging one which divides opinion greatly, but something that really interests me. I've found my journey into this world has being very progressive over the years spanning the 'conspiracy 9/11 truth' age, to the 'Anti Capitalist' age, through to the 'lets do something productive' about this age. Generally speaking though my opinion towards society is still as if not more critical than it ever has been. A number of people I speak to ask me why I immerse myself so much into looking for answers to big questions, and righting wrongs when I only have one life to live. "Why spend your precious time critiquing everything when you could be enjoying yourself?" they ask. I understand what they are saying, to an extent, for critical analysis isn't without it's draw backs, however for the most part I find social examination enjoyable, engaging and life affirming. It gives me a reason and purpose to existence. For thousands of years key well known people have spoken out about their disillusionment about society and culture and dedicate their lives to the dissection of it's purpose. As far back as the great Philosophers such as Plato, through to more contemporaries like Martin Luther King Jr. Another interesting guy I came across a few years ago whilst surrounded in a haze of smoke is Terrence McKenna who once claimed that "Culture is not your friend" Terrence believes in a quick nutshell that the construct of our culture from the top down isn't designed in a way that serves our true needs, and is tailored to the needs of the establishment. His video below is a snap shot into his thoughts. He was a great man that sadly passed away in 2000, but also a man that middle class political dinosaurs will probably condemn to the hippie trash pile. Mainstream modern day culture doesn't have room for free radical thinkers unfortunately, however Permaculture in some way is prolonging legacies like Terrence's and incorporating values like Earth Care, People Care and Fair share which men like Terrence would be proud of, and something that I am also proud to be associated with. When I see and smell old things that remind me of the past
I think of times of when I've had a good old proper blast But it weren't all that gravy, there's plenty of times that really grate But most of all it's inequality that I really hate And here comes Jeremy on the very left side Recently elected to challenge what we call this ride and hopes of a new approach which are the closest thing I've seen of heading in a direction that seems more rightly clean and good for the people who seem to suffer more who work real hard and feel real strong it's time for a reform But i'm not sure that we'll get it, cos the biggest challenge of them all is displacing these greedy bastards who above us are mighty tall and powerful and loaded with both money and a gun they're the biggest enemy we've had since we fought the hun This is my anthem, for progression The environment's important it really is fragile and we can do more to help you can see that from a mile and there are far more policies that can be implemented for this it won't be perfect from the start, they'll be some hit and miss But if we can fight the fight we can at least say that we tried and be remembered like our martyrs, didn't bottle it and hide To the lovers and the haters and the critics of this all we don't want a utopia, we just want to calm the storm This is my anthem, for progression There is something a little sad about the end of the Summer, where we almost mourn the loss of something, the end of life somewhat, and perhaps that creeping feeling of another school year approaching that is still burnt into our genetic makeup. However, after it's worked itself out we can then start to settle in and perhaps even enjoy what the new season has to bring.
A man whose garden I was working in a few days ago commented on how he loves this time of year, when there is still a nice amount of sunshine but the days are a bit cooler. I also enjoy the new dimensions of colour, and with the sun being a bit lower in the sky it creates new colours, shades and shadows, like a new painting. Whilst I was driving to work the other morning I looked down on the Woodford Valley and saw low lying fog and mist intertwined with the greenery and a church poking its head above, it looked beautiful. My gardening company has been doing a lot more garden design work recently and I've been involved in putting it together, it's a rewarding process and you observe which plants work well together, and in time you will see the design bloom when you can really appreciate the hard work involved in crafting it. Our collective of organic gardeners are very interested in designing gardens that not only look good but also incorporate key permaculture principles in their design. This includes picking plants that attract bee's and other pollinating insects, and ensuring that their is ground cover plants so the soil is protected. We will also where possible recycle plants that are already in the garden, and sometimes split them up and spread them across the garden. This not only saves money and energy from buying new plants, but also spreads the colours and patterns throughout the garden at periodical points which is appealing to the eye. Combining art and permaculture is a very rewarding thing to do, It is like I am channelling all my creativeness and passion for sustainable practices into one thing and also getting paid for it! The weather sure has been nice these past months and it's been a pleasure to be able to work outside in it and feed off the energy that mother nature is providing us. My little veg patch which you can see below has blossomed nicely, I've got a mixture of Corn, beans and courgettes nestled amongst an array of companion plants like nasturtiums, calendula and sunflowers. The wild flower seeds I also planted which were sent to me by '38 Degrees' contained a lot of Phacelia, and my god, the bee's absolutely love them. Every time I visit there are a dozen honeybee's floating around them. Hopefully I have helped contribute towards increasing their numbers this summer, whilst also pollinating all the vegetable plants productively. The corn is really skyrocketing and we will have some nice cobs to munch on soon. I've been harvesting an endless supply of Courgettes and Tomatoes, as well as Runner Beans, Cucumbers, Beetroot, French Beans and Salad Leaves. I've been crafting my own salads for lunch, which is a delight, who said there's no such thing as a free lunch...
Despite it being a really hot August, I have noticed recently how the summer season is slowly winding itself up. It's interesting to observe the changing of the seasons from a different perspective this year. I feel very much in tune with it's cyclical nature, and with this it gives me a far deeper understanding of how we humans should work with it in a symbiotic way. Garden life for the last month or so has been in a period of major transition and with this radical change it brings new challenges and lots of education.
It is a time when Organic practices really show their worth, and where patience, care and consideration are essential. As the temperature stays in the early to mid 20's this spawns a prolific rise in the number of pests that are hungry and eager to reproduce. Pests that are enemies of the vegetable grower, and can obliterate an entire crop overnight. An easy option to deal with pests like aphids, or the white butterfly is to spray your crops with chemical pesticides, however for me and many others it is not acceptable, as it not only gets on the produce you want to eat, but excess run off gets into the soil and kills off useful microorganisms and helpful predators that eat the pests. Chemicals damage the natural system in place which has worked for millennia to sustain itself and create abundance. This is something we have lost our way with as a society. The organic grower needs to employ other techniques to ensure the plants stay strong and can fight off disease and pests. To do this we have been using Seaweed feed and Comfrey Pellets which gives the plants strength and vitality. We also make sure everything is watered well, however we also rely on our clients to water when we are not there, this sometimes happens, but sometimes doesn't, so you may return a week later to a dying plant in need of resuscitation. It's also the start of increased harvesting, which is a well rewarding pastime, and not bad for a job responsibility. Today I brought home some peas, broad beans and round courgettes (see picture), there's also been lots of strawberries and my dad has done very well with his too ! I have a lot of tomato plants growing, both in the new greenhouse we picked up off freecycle, and also in the back garden. It's surprising the ones in the garden are doing quite well, as usually they need a greenhouse to replicate the mediterranean heat they need. I think the reason they are doing so well is because they are in a heat trap between the back of the house and a garden wall. A heat trap is a useful way to get some plants really going if you find the opportunities. It's nice and warm, and the weather seems to have picked up a bit in the last several days which is nice to work in. I've got tanned arms and face, but am pretty white elsewhere so I need to do some sunbathing to equal it out. I'm off on holiday to Italy at the end of the month, perhaps i'll use this trip to do so. I also enjoy talking to my colleagues while we garden, learning gardening from them and discussing nature, politics and spirituality, whilst also trying to sneak some permacultural techniques into the clients garden we're in! Life is fast, still challenging and some times frustrating, but still deeply rewarding and fascinating. I am finding a healthy balance between work, personal time and some overdue breaks away from normal life. Keep working on your dreams. Had a mega gardening blitz this weekend All the plants are getting a right jig on and the weather has been pretty warm of late so it was time to get some stuff in the ground. I started off with planting tomato, courgette and bean plants over in my mates garden, and then headed over to my dads allotment and started putting in sweetcorn, celery, rocket and wild flowers there. I also donated a spare tomato plant to my local church, because a few months ago they kindly let me take some logs that they'd cut down from the trees in the churchyard. Keeping the neighbourly relations sweet! There's still lots of stuff growing and the garden at home is turning into a thriving polyculture, with a nice mix of ornamentals and edible plants all living in perfect harmony. There's going to be far too much produce for the family to eat so I may be tempted to set up a stall in the front garden in late summer to see if the community fancies purchasing some produce. Here's a short video from the allotment and some pictures of what I've been up to... Humus, but not the other very similar sounding one (Humous) which you find in circular containers in the supermarket. This one is found in the soil. Humus is an essential ingredient. It promotes a healthy ecosystem needed to create the strongest and healthiest soil possible. It is created from decaying plant and animal matter, like what occurs in compost heaps. Humus is created within the cycles of nature, and mother earth is very good at recycling waste and using it to naturally fertilise the land. Amongst a number of great functions Humus aids in bounding the soil together which prevents flooding, it retains vital nutrients in the soils, and promotes the flourishing of essential organisms in the soil such as Mycorrhizal fungi, which connects plants roots and important fungi together in an interlinking system of wonderful symbiotic nutrient sharing! Unfortunately though since industrial agriculture came on the scene, humans have been responsible for degrading Humus and it is having a catastrophic impact on the land and the atmosphere. The most salient point I will touch on is the issue of Carbon retention. Back to school for a moment.... Carbon is an essential element in the reason for life as we know it and is the 4th most abundant element in the universe. It is needed in the atmosphere and serves a very important function, however too much Carbon in the atmosphere creates an off balance, and contributes towards rising global temperatures and global warming. When farmers plough their land they break up Humus aaaand when this occurs Carbon that was being held in the soil dissipates into the atmosphere. A staggering report has shown that the amount of Carbon being lost from the soil is twice as much as that being emitted from power stations and general fossil fuel burning. I couldn't actually believe this when I heard it. Monoculture is the term used for industrial agriculture, and that is what we rely on to feed the billions on this planet, using techniques such as ploughing which are breaking up the soil. Polyculture is the term used for dynamic agriculture, planting a variety of crops within a given area, imitating a natural ecosystem. It also means not ploughing the land and therefore preserving it's natural healthy state. The below Ted talk explains in further detail more about this issue. If you have 20 minutes I really implore you to check it out. |
AdamThe idea is to document my perspective as I embark upon a journey into the world of organic gardening and permaculture, through the medium of literature, music and art Archives
February 2017
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