Category Archives: Eco Thrifty Life

Eco Thrifty Baby, permaculture, Uncategorized

Permaculture Kids: Integrate – Don’t Segregate

June 17, 2016 Estwing 1 Comment

There is always a lot to do when practicing regenerative agriculture on a worn out horse property. But instead of the children getting in the way of getting work done, we try as much as possible to integrate them into the day-to-day workings on the farm, as well as with special events.

Verti, who is nearly 4, helps feed the birds every afternoon. She also loves digging drains, planting in the garden and picking fruit. Manu is still too young to help, but I can put him in a backpack and get a good three hours worth of work done. (I do occasionally forget he’s on my back and accidentally bump his head into a branch or low doorway.)

Another one of Verti’s jobs is to welcome visitors onto the farm and give a little tour. Here she is with 17 teenage boys from Wanganui Collegiate School this week.

We believe integrating the children with our work on the farm is all a part of instilling in them what is normal for a family: composting, cutting firewood, growing veges, raising hens, eating cockerels, and soon milking goats.

When we look towards an uncertain future of environmental decline and when many current occupations will not even exist, it’s really time to think, “What are the characteristics and skills we need to develop in our young people and how do we help nurture their development?”

The short answer is getting them outdoors as much as possible and away from screens of all types. That’s a start anyway.

Peace, Estwing

Eco Thrifty Life, growing food, no-dig gardens, permaculture, Uncategorized

Preparing Annual Beds: No Motors Required

June 11, 2016 Estwing 3 Comments

Converting pasture or lawn to annual beds is never easy. The most critical element is to eliminate perennial weeds. The importance of this cannot be overstated, and is lost on ‘Facebook permaculturists’. But any market gardener knows this.

We do our conversions without the use of a rotary hoe/rototiller. It takes time but the end result is far superior.

First step, kill off most existing plant life. We use plastic for four months.

Next involves forking…

…and removing any leftover plants.

Forking is very important because it decompresses and aerates the compacted soil. Again, it’s difficult to understate the importance of this process.

A broad fork can be purchased in New Zealand for around $300. We made our stainless steel broad forks for $100 each.

Fairly straightforward process involving some welding…

…and some threaded rod.

All ready to plant 2,000+ garlic over the next three weeks.

Peace, Estwing

Eco Thrifty Life, permaculture, Uncategorized

Sophie and Mike Finish a Big Project

May 30, 2016 Estwing 2 Comments

This week we finally finished a big project: the water storage area/duck pond we mentioned in our first post. The pond area is a great example of permaculture practices as it benefits many different elements of the farm and each aspect of its design works to produce various desired effects.

To start with, it would be unfair of us to explain the construction of the pond without first giving credit to Marina and Heloisa, the interns at the Eco School before us. The hole in the ground that forms the centre of the area was already roughly halfway dug before we even started, making the initial process of digging somewhat easier; a huge benefit to us as the digging was of course the bulk of the work. It took perseverance to complete, but gave us lots of clay and topsoil to use in other areas of the property (the topsoil was added to an area where avocados will be planted later in the year and the clay to stabilise a bank below the garden). We were pretty excited when it was finished and left a little ramp of clay in one corner just to make sure that even the least athletic ducks could make use of the facilities.

The main aim of the pond is of course water storage and the necessity of this has become evident very recently. Winter in Wanganui is wet and the pond has filled up at an alarming rate over the last few weeks. There is a lot of surface water on the farm making the ground very boggy and as this area is prone to landslides storing the water in a safe area where it can be accessed, such as the pond is all the more important. The water has been converted from a potentially dangerous liability to an asset with multiple uses. It also looks rather nice and provided a temporary mud pit for the kids to play in during its construction.

Before we arrived at the farm Nelson propagated some willow trees with a view to planting them in several locations around the property to use as a windbreak. We decided to plant some of them around the pond so as to stabilise the bank, take up more excess groundwater and provide a sheltered area for the ducks to live in. However, due to the location of the project (in the middle of the goats’ paddock), we had to find some way of protecting the young willows from Goatbusters’ tenacious efforts to devour any branches that come his way.

A square fence was the perfect solution, and under Nelson’s guidance we were able to knock together a reasonably stable fence out of a few bits of timber, some nails and several lengths of chicken wire. Despite looking like a bit of very rough carpentry, the fence is actually designed for its adaptability and longevity. Firstly, it is raised several inches from the earth on concrete blocks in order to prevent groundwater from wicking up into the frame, increasing its lifespan. Secondly, the wire encircling it has holes large enough for a duck to pass through but too small for a goat to push its head through. Overall, this creates a great duck habitat whilst giving the willow trees some much needed protection. We also installed a duck house just inside of the frame so as to make it even more tempting for them to move in…

All in all, the pond is a great example of permaculture in practice as it incorporates many key principles – converting liabilities to assets, intelligent water storage and ensuring that any modifications that you make to your property are holistically designed in order to have multiple functions and be as effective as possible.

Sophie & Mike

Eco Thrifty Life, permaculture, Uncategorized, wind breaks

Late Autumn Permaculture Update

May 27, 2016 Estwing 3 Comments

I can’t really call this early winter because cold weather has only just set in. The Indian summer and long mild autumn has caused the muscovy ducks to think it’s spring. These were born last week.

These males think that it is mating season.

These bantams were born two weeks ago.

But now the rains have come and we need to keep all of the animals dry and out of the wind. We built this shelter for the kune kune pigs last weekend.

Hilda is testing out her new bedroom.

Our previous interns, Heloisa and Marina, started these willow cuttings about 8 weeks ago.

Our current interns, Mike and Sophie, planted the willows this week.

Hilda supervises the planting.

The willows will surround a pond that we have been digging by hand for the last six months. The pond will collect water in winter and store it high on the property.

The pond is in the middle of a paddock where the goats live and the pigs spend the day.

Next to the paddock we are planting a windbreak of willow and poplars.

Speaking of windbreaks, these harekeke flax have taken hold well. They were transplanted 20 months ago.

We have started our Black Boy peach stones.

And we are preparing this bed to be planted as a market garden next spring.

Peace, Estwing

compost, Eco Thrifty Life, Uncategorized

What’s up DOC?

May 16, 2016 Estwing 1 Comment

The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) has helped us build fertility on our farm. They had a project recently in our area removing aquatic weeds, raupo and coy carp from a dammed pond, and offered to donate all of this biological goodness to us. Of course I said “Bring it on!”

We have used the raupo to mulch harekeke windbreaks high on the property.

We are composting the aquatic weeds and fish along with extra wood shavings to keep the smell down and add carbon.

Of course the pig eventually got a whiff of the fish and that became a minor temporary problem.

But we layered the pile up with more shavings and some sheep manure. All good, and thanks to DOC for not sending this organic material to landfill!

Chur, Estwing

Eco Thrifty Life, permaculture, Uncategorized

Our First Month on the Farm: An Interns Perspective

April 29, 2016 Estwing 1 Comment

So there we were, two out of shape Brits chugging along in an ageing Subaru down the SH3 to Wanganui, wondering what to expect from the coming 2 months. What would the Eco school be like, we wondered, as we drove the through the pun-strewn town of Bulls. Coming from Bristol in the UK – a very left-leaning and progressive city, by British standards – we have learnt to be sceptical of the capitalist machine, suspicious of large businesses and selective in the things that we buy. Naturally this has made us think twice about where our food comes from, as well as sparking a keenness to learn more about self-sufficiency and organic farming. On the other hand, thinking this way also tends to make us feel a distinct pang of guilt every time we stop for a roadside McDonald’s, or fall for a particularly attractive supermarket bargain.

After a long month adventuring the South Island we were excited to be based somewhere permanent again for a while and it’s amazing how quickly you settle back into a routine even after some extended time out. Dani and Nelson soon set us up with some frequent tasks most of which we perform daily…

We begin our mornings by feeding the chickens and ducks, an enjoyable task but one that needs to be done with speed, particularly in open areas when about ten hungry ducks are on your tail or standing helpfully in the food bowl. This generally takes around 15 minutes and is a good chance to collect eggs, assess the weather and generally find out how all the inhabitants are doing that morning.

After this task we turn compost three times a week. How to make compost was one of our first lessons and a very important one. According to Nelson for successful compost you need to ensure you give it plenty of food, air and water and the biggest mistake you can make is buying a plastic compost bin- thus eliminating water entering the compost naturally and making it difficult for yourself to add air and food. A plastic bin is also, ironically, not particularly eco friendly when you think about it! To create our new heap we took bags of sawdust and sheep manure and stacked these ingredients up in 5 layers rather like a lasagne (a culinary regular of ours thanks to the abundance of courgettes and tomatoes here on the farm). We then started adding food scraps from the kitchen and anything else compostable such as coffee grounds, egg shells and all of the biodegradable waste from an event that Nelson put on at work. We take the top third off with a rake, add the ‘food’ and then rake the rest over the top three times a week.

After these tasks we usually start a longer project. We’ve recently been creating a new water storage area in the middle of the goat paddock. The location of the pond was chosen because it is an excellent place for water to collect on the property as it should drain into the pond after heavy rain and throughout wetter periods of the year and will enable it to be stored somewhere useful where it can be accessed if needed, nurture young trees that we intend to plant around it and potentially provide a duck habitat. We dug out the top soil and transported it to a bank which will eventually be an avocado habitat and then dug out the clay underneath and used it to build up an unsteady bank lower down on the property. An important part of permaculture is identifying what resources are assets and which are liabilities and being able to transform liabilities into assets. The pond is an excellent example of this. By creating a place for water to collect where we want it, excess groundwater is transformed into an asset as it is now in a place where it will not cause damage to the property and can be used in times of drought. It is also popular with the goats, pigs and small children!

Verti tends to come and help with the obligatory evening bird feeding session and then our day ends with a lovely home cooked meal. Twice a week this is our undertaking and including multiple lasagnes we have attempted to adapt our standard Bristol-based repertoire to involve some of the wonderful organically grown vegetables produced here on the farm. Surprisingly perhaps, in spite of all the wholesome fruit and veg that surrounds us the ultimate aim remains to produce a proper British bangers & mash… Only time will tell whether this will become a reality…

Sophie and Mike

Eco Thrifty Life, permaculture, Uncategorized

Flood and Drought: The New Normal

April 23, 2016 Estwing 1 Comment

Over the last 10 months we have had weather records broken for wet and for dry. The heavy, compacted soils we inherited on this property don’t help either one.

Our main goals for the property are to improve soil and soil structure, and to moderate hydrological extremes. One strategy we have employed is building a hugelkultur swale along with a series of small ponds. This is what it looked like under construction on day one.

This is what it looked like a year later.

This is the day of our record floods last winter. Note the small tagasaste trees and broad beans.

Ten months later the pond harvests water off the farm roofs. The tagasaste have grown alongside Jerusalem artichoke.

One year of growth on the swale despite a very dry summer.

Slowly but surely we are using nature and muscle to build a more resilient farm for our children and for everyone downstream.

Peace, Estwing

Eco Thrifty Life, permaculture, Uncategorized

Design Exercise for a 3-Year Old

April 2, 2016 Estwing Leave a comment

Eco Thrifty Life, kiwi as, Uncategorized, wanganui

Waste not, want not, says mayoral candidate

April 1, 2016 Estwing 2 Comments

From the Wanganui Chronicle.

Wasted time. Wasted money. Wasted opportunity. These are the things that have defined Whanganui for far too long.

So says eco-entrepeneur Nelson Lebo who today announces his candidacy for mayor of the city.

“If we’re so good at waste, let’s make it our primary industry,” said Dr Lebo, who joins deputy mayor Hamish McDouall and councillor Helen Craig in standing for the mayoralty at October’s local body elections. Launching his campaign with the slogan “Our Waste is Our Salvation” along with the hashtag #WastedLebo, he wants to revitalise Whanganui’s economy, create jobs and cut rates, according to his 280-page manifesto titled What Whaste Whanganui?

His ambitious plan is based around a complete alternative to the council’s proposed $38million wastewater treatment plant, dealing with the waste disposal issue at no cost and, he claims, actually producing revenue.

According to Dr Lebo’s calculations, the construction costs for the new plant, plus interest and operating costs, translates to $80 million over the next 20 years.

“We take $20 million of that and install composting toilets in every household in Whanganui,” he told the Chronicle.

“We manage the collection of the composted ‘night soil’ by forming a council-controlled enterprise and profits from the compost are reinvested to repay the initial $20 million investment over 20 years for a net zero cost to ratepayers.”

The fats and proteins from the Heads Rd industry waste would be directed to a new soap-making company; while organic industrial waste would be made into compost and sold.

“In a strange twist of fate, it may turn out that the very substances that caused the pong can be turned into cha-ching,” he said.

Dr Lebo, an American eco-designer who has lived in Whanganui for more than five years, has secured preliminary rights for the Australasian franchise of the Paper Street Soap Company.

“My colleague in the United States, Tyler Durden, is excited to expand his soap company franchise to this region of the world but, at this stage, is not prepared to talk about it.”

As for the wastewater treatment plant, in almost presidential style, Dr Lebo declared: “We will build a wall around it and we’ll make MWH pay for it!”

– Wanganui Chronicle

By Rapil Loof

Eco Thrifty Life, kiwi as, Uncategorized

My Farm Truck

March 14, 2016 Estwing Leave a comment

Farm trucks – aka “Utes” in New Zealand – are very expensive. Aside from having four wheel drive, I can’t think of anything an expensive, grunty ute can do that my $1,000 Subaru Legacy can’t. With a tow ball and trailer I can collect 700 kgs of kibbled maize. With a roof rack I can carry 6 metre lengths of fence rail.

Recently I had to transport materials for a shelter from the top of our property to the bottom. It’s about half a kilometre and a couple hundred metre drop in elevation. I loaded the Suby.