Who is out there??

[Rex Morris]

I have joined the Whangarei group but there doesn't appear to be anything happening by way of exchanging ideas etc. Who is in this group and what are your interests

[Karen Lee]

Hi Rex,

My name is Karen I started this group when Ooooby first started and haven't really been on here since. Lack of garden and lack of internet being the main factors.

My partner and I rent a small house in Morningside Whangarei. We can't do anything too drastic with the land as we will have to return it to lawn when we leave. We are interested in growing things, esspecially fruit trees, in containers.

We have just built our first raised bed garden using a couple of recycled palettes and are now trying to fill it with soil compost and other material so we can get a crop or two in before it gets too cold.

We have a worm farm so can trade worm tea for seedlings and seeds, top soil or produce.

[Rex Morris]

Hi Karen
Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering if there was some activity around this group. I live in Kensington and have developed quote a productive vege garden.

[Sheryl Gavin]

Hi Rex, I just moved back to Whangarei after 20 years away. I live out in the Mangakahia valley (Titoki to be precise). I've moved into a property that my sister in law planted about 14 years ago but its been a bit neglected so I'm on a mission to clean it up. I'm a keen vege gardener but don't profess to have much knowledge - I just put things in an hope they'll grow, but I'm learning more each season. I haven't got much in the vege patch at the moment - couple of rhubarb, some cauli and broccoli, garlic chives and spinach. Roll on spring.

Keen to see this group ramp up ... there must be a few of us up here in Whangarei, surely ...

[Rex Morris]

Keep adding in ideas and experiences

[Maree W]

Hi Rex.

This group has been pretty quiet, and I must admit that I have not taken much notice in last few months because of that. Good to see there is life here!
I live in Kamo west and have 3 acres. I have a very productive vegie garden, two large raised beds (and growing) and a large potager. I am very keen to be as self sufficient as possible. Had a wonderful crop of lots last season. I am into making my own compost, with lots of garden waste from my ornamental garden, and manure from the shearing shed over the road!
I am also keen to enlarge my orchard, and have planted more fruit and nut trees with more planned for this spring. Bring it on.
I run a couple of the neighbours sheep as lawn mowers in a spare paddock, but in an effort to provide some other meat off my land, I have started breeding rabbits. (Shock, horror!!!!! those poor bunnies).
Rabbit meat is BEAUTIFUL, if you have never eaten it. Very lean.
My vegie garden has really slowed down at present with the cold weather finally getting here. I do have a surplus of lemons if anyone wants any. I would be interested in swapping something for some tamarillos if anyone has a surplus. I am looking for about 24 to make some chutney. They are a horrendous price at the shops!. Happy to swap some chutney for the fruit.
Thats all from me.
Maree

[Karen Lee]

Hi Maree,

Wow so jelous you are where I want to be in the future. Currently I rent a small 2 bedroom house with my partner, his daughter (part-time), our flatmate and his daughter part-time, two cats and a budgie. We have a small front lawn which we have put a rasied bed on (made from a couple of recycled pallets) and a number of cactus and other ornamental plants in pots.

We would love to have fruit and nut trees even if they were dewarf variates in pots, are planning on planting some herbs in pots and are thinking of putting together another pallet garden but money is a bit tight at the moment to get the soil to fill it up.

Wish we had some fruit to swap with you my partner made a little lemon honey today which is yum!

[Rex Morris]

Your garden sounds fantastic. I put a lot of energy into building composts. At this stage I just pile all of the garden waste, mainly from ornamental garden and prunings, into a large pile about 3x3metres. The first one was 4 years in the making and I am now getting many barrow loads of compost from this. I also trench compost - I dig a trench in the vege garden and all weeds, vege leftovers etc etc go into this trench. I also periodically add comfrey leaves and occasionally dolomite or general garden fertiliser. These are great for those nitrogen hungry crops like celery.

[Jane Maarie]

Hi Rex,

You know, I've been dying for a site like this for quite some time, people who are like minded gardeners bursting with ideas that want to share their stuff.  What they did, how they did it & then happy for others to copy that idea so they too can achieve that same enjoyment.  I am all for DIY projects recycling what can be turned into something quite useful & making compost is one of my must have projects on the go always. 

I feel proud about where we live because we have the best neighbours one could ever wish for.  One neighbour often brings me a Ute full of goat poo for my compost bins as his brother owns goats just down the road & is happy to get rid of it and our other neighbour has giant stacks of wood shavings mixed with rotted down cow poo in piles at his cowshed and is eager for me to come take it away so I can add to the already busting compost bins.  As each season pass, I give them food from my gardens which they are forever greatful and life carrys on.  I spent a lot of my life landscaping gardens rather than growing food so I am only new in food growing.   Everything I grow is by seed and  'on trial' as my soil is not the best which is why I make compost.  I finished work so that I can work on our land to improve the soil & try the self sufficiency thing.  So far, I am loving this simple life!

Cheers,

Jane

[Rex Morris]

Hi Jane

I havent been looking at this group much so have only just found your posting.  Sounds like you have really settled to life in the rural area.  I have a large town section, about 3/4 of an acre. We are just off the kamo bypass roundabout.  Much of the section is landscaped and I have quite a large vege garden.  With such a large garden i generate lots of material for the compost - I have about four on the go - I have posted a couple of photos. I put barrow loads of compost onto both flower and vege gardens.  I have started collecting more seeds from vege but still a beginner at this. I have been collecting and using seeds for years from a few flowers such as dahlias, snap dragon and cleome but now branching out into vege seeds. Quite interesting because of the uncertainty of what you will get, especially with courgettes, pumpkins and cucumbers.  We are a long way from self sufficiency but I always get a buzz when we are shopping and I see cauli for example at nearly $5 each and I have a number growing int he garden.

[Rex Morris]

 

That would be great thanks Myles. My email is [e-mail]

 

Where do you meet for this?

[Sharon Smith]

hi Myles

i would like to check out the the seed sweep meet members when do you all meet? I am new at this trying beans and lettuce seeds did use tom seeds but the tom were  abit slow in growing so would be great to get ideas how to do the seed thing

[Jane Maarie]

Hi Myles,

I too would like to be added to the monthly seed swap. My email -   [e-mail] that will be tops thanks!