Road gardening is like talk back radio, but better

Gardening in the street is like talk back radio except the station you choose to listen to is the place where you live. When you garden in the road you have surprising and interesting conversations with complete strangers, or people you’ve seen but never spoken to. It can be more surprising than talk back.  And it builds a community where you live, not in the airwaves. You... Read More

Sustainable house electricity bills things of the past

The latest electricity bill arrived this week. The bill shows the electricity company, Origin Energy, owes me $44.20 for the most recent three month billing period. Adding that sum to the previous credit the company owes me ($69.34), the total accumulated amount owed to me by the company is $113.54. Pleasing to have this money owed to me and to see my solar panels still producing... Read More

Spring is coming, we just have to look

Cat watching spring coming Little green, red and bulging shoots are everywhere. Look closely and you’ll see them in the tips of the fruit trees, Midyem Berry bushes, paw paw and other plants in our road gardens. Yes, it’s hard to believe spring is coming but the flowers and fruits are getting ready.  Some of our first lemons and limes are ripening, too.  All the first... Read More

Rain tanks in Peace Park

Excavation for rain tanks in Peace Park Feeling frisky, I climbed to the top of the kid’s play equipment today, there to obtain a better view of the excavations for the new rain tanks to be buried in the park. I took the photo above. There’s some terrific big, hefty sandstone blocks now stored to one side which have been unearthed by the digger. It’d be terrific... Read More

Warrigal greens in our Chippo urban farm

There are healthy, strong and plentiful outcrops of Warrigal Greens in our Chippo urban farm, particularly in Myrtle street up near City road where I took this photo. This is what the Australian Native Plants Society says about eating and cooking them: “It was widely used as a spinach substitute in the early years of European settlement in Australia and was even taken back... Read More

Talking about compost on ABC Radio

On Monday 2 August at 9.40 am, on ABC Radio 702, Debra Cameron will be talking to me about Chippendale’s composting and it’ll be a chance for me to acknowledge locals and Council and the work we’re doing together to grow soil to grow plants to grow food.  There’s so many gardening now I’m sure I won’t remember you all but thanks to some recent... Read More

Lots of composters today

With Michael Neville from Sydney Council, his colleagues Joel and Kath, about six locals worked on the compost bins and road gardens today. John from the units in City Road is a newcomer and will use some of the compost for the gardens at the units, as well as bring some food from the units to the compost bins in the road. We’ll be working on our urban farm here from 9... Read More

The world is outside my door

You may enjoy this soft burr in an online magazine, The Fifth Estate,  where in a little column  this week I wrote about some things in Chippo that give me pleasure: www.thefifthestate.com…  Read More

Road garden composting progress

This is just a brief report on progress of one part of our community gardening here: public composting. It’s also a thanks to Sydney City Council, it’s General Manager, Monica Barone, Councillors Harris and McInerney, and waste education coordinator officer, Michael Neville, and other staff and councillors; thanks for  your support and vision which is a real confidence... Read More

Australia Post’s Safe Drop for parcels

Have you ever been at home and found a postcard from the Australia Post courier saying they came by but you were out so that to get the parcel you need to take the card to the Post Office? Over the years I’ve spoken to the couriers and arranged that if I don’t answer the door or am not home they can leave any parcel at an agreed location.  When couriers change I have... Read More