"Like you, we have solved a rabbit problem simply by letting the grass grow long, very long. We had a serious warren when we arrived a year ago and now, every burrow is abandoned.
I'm not certain about preventing rabbits from ring-barking…"
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Earl Mardle
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Earl Mardle's Groups
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Food Forests NZ
109 members
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Raw Organic Milk
113 members
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Working Bees Auckland
21 members
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Seasonal Recipes
299 members
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Agreements
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Mixed urban gardening and transition feeds
Earl Mardle's Page
Latest Activity
"I have had plenty of success using sand, even a couple of what I thought were failed tubers sprouted - AFTER - I had bought some new seedlings. I bought some cutting mix just to be sure. The point about using the sand is that kumera carry a virus…"
the line up
"Hi LMF. I'm assuming the bottles are laid between the inner clay layer and an outer layer and that they act as insulation which is very cool, or hot. But I see the necks are buried in the clay. How do you avoid the air in the bottles expanding…"
Kali commented on Earl Mardle's group Gardening Books"Been reading and thoroughly enjoying 'the History of New Zealand Gardening' by Bee Dawson. Has really interesting photos and is a chronicle of the evolution of gardening in this country from pre-european Maori to the early settlers and…"
"Plantorama in Drury has lots of kumera seedlings - and they are apparenty great little seedlings. I was planning on popping in there next week to get a handful
I'm not sure about wormwood..."
Kali commented on Earl Mardle's blog post Still looking for seedlings"I have some wormwood seeds if you would like them Earl"
Still looking for seedlings
Still on the lookout for both Wormwood and now Kumera tupu. While most of the seedlings and cutting survived the shift, both of those failed and I'd really like to get some kumera in the ground before its too late.Anyone near Bombay know where I can get some? Please? Pretty please? With honey.See More
"What you are describing fits our dolly perfectly. Does her bum look like this?
I used warm water to clean her feathers and waited. She came right in a couple of days and is now active and eating happily again, but no eggs yet.
Like you,…"
Helen left a comment for Earl Mardle"Hi Earl , happy to send you courier bag, i just put plants in wet paper , bend the tops over a bit and then another layer of paper - put all into grocery bag, that goes into plastic courier bag and is usally received day after…"
Helen left a comment for Earl Mardle"Hi Earl , Just wondering if there is any chance of getting a little tumeric and if you grow any other spices , i dont seem to have heard much , but am sure there are spices grown somewhere out there!! not sure what i have to swap with you but…"
"I'm all for wormwood but Tara MacFarlane down the road from us reports the bunnies eating her wormwood to the ground and killing it. Any other evidence that it does or does not work on rabbits?"
"Backing up Helen on spices. We are growing some good looking turmeric and producing reasonable amounts of good tasting ginger. We've also had good luck at the old place with chillies but we'd be glad to hear from anyone else growing the…"
"We found shavers are so easy to handle that even for a bunny like me, clipping a wing while holding the bird is not hard. They also have such long feathers that you can give them a good shorten without risking any flesh and bone. Don't forget…"
"Whoa. Bunnies eat WORMWOOD??? Dang. Looks like we'll need to have a battalion of Marigolds out again. And I had hoped to have plenty of Lavendar in the orchard ley as well. They haven't found our few plants so far but maybe its a different…"
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- Swapping Food, Community Gardens, Learning, Preserving, Helping Others, Seed Savers, Eating Local Food
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Earl Mardle's Blog
Another response to the Self Sufficiency Myth
Laine has a link to a post by Toby Hemmenway about whether permaculture is capable of providing us with self sufficiency, self reliance etc and even whether that would be a good thing.
I think he misses the point.
Permaculture itself is a response to the question about how long we can go on using the land in an unsustainable way. To be clear about…
ContinuePosted on February 13, 2013 at 8:30am
Still looking for seedlings
Still on the lookout for both Wormwood and now Kumera tupu. While most of the seedlings and cutting survived the shift, both of those failed and I'd really like to get some kumera in the ground before its too late.
Anyone near Bombay know where I can get some? Please? Pretty please? With honey.
Posted on December 4, 2012 at 1:01pm — 2 Comments
Houston, we have a problem
Anyone with an interest in pollination has been holding their breath for a decade now as CCD has ravaged hives in other parts of the world, especially the US. So it was not a surprise to wake this morning to this headline from the NZHerald
ContinueAn Auckland beekeeper who has set up 300 hives around the region says his insects have started…
Posted on September 10, 2012 at 7:44am
Kumera Tupu
Turns out we can't shift house, get 10 acres organised and keep last year's seedlings alive for this year. There have been several casualties of distraction but the Kumera are the most important.
Anyone know where I can get about 30 seedlings within reasonable distance of Pukekohe?
Posted on September 7, 2012 at 4:52pm
Food resilience
Spot-on graphic that looks at why, despite the apaprent abundance, our food system is actually locked up by a very few organisations and therefore at risk both of manipulation and fragility when any of them hit a wall or get bitten by a Black Swan. 
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:10am — 7 Comments
Comment Wall (23 comments)
- At 8:13pm on November 3, 2012, Helen said…
Hi Earl , happy to send you courier bag, i just put plants in wet paper , bend the tops over a bit and then another layer of paper - put all into grocery bag, that goes into plastic courier bag and is usally received day after sending....I dont have much out of the ordinary really , lavender, shoo fly, peppermint mint (yum in with ice-cream), winter mint, tomatoes plants-still small (black from tula), pineapple sage cuttings, honeysuckle climber cuttings, cheers Helen
- At 4:45pm on November 3, 2012, Helen said…
Hi Earl , Just wondering if there is any chance of getting a little tumeric and if you grow any other spices , i dont seem to have heard much , but am sure there are spices grown somewhere out there!! not sure what i have to swap with you but maybe we can come up with something...
kind regards, helen
- At 1:23pm on June 7, 2012,
Louis Wilson said… Thought you might like this..
- At 11:02pm on January 5, 2012,
Rob Bartrum said… Hi, I started in the Manawatu with this page =) and now we've branched out across NZ via facebook! Can you help by liking your regions page?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Permaculture-Manawatu/263580473655233?sk=app_106171216118819
ABOUT US:
This is a community group for anyone keen on making themselves more useful, healthier and happier by becoming more knowledgeable, skilled and active in relation to the following goals...
PRIMARY GOAL: To build and maintain co-operative, resourceful and creative families and communities with an inter-generational way of thinking (ie "cradle to cradle" rather than "cradle to grave"); and establishing systems around sustainable, regenerative, prosperous production, management and educational systems.
STABILISE THE ENVIRONMENT: Maintain and create stable "carbon positive" eco-systems and environments with secure watersheds
HEALTH, HAPPINESS, FUN & PROSPERITY:Restore and enhance yield, prosperity, health and profitability via integrated and regenerative agricultural development, and holistic management. Have fun, keep your mind healthy and active, create beautiful things
BIO-DIVERSITY & BIO-INTEGRITY: Maintain and increase wildlife species, diversity, and increase numbers and stability of populations - bring space to life
IMPROVING WATER & SOIL: Improve water, soil and vegetation resources of towns and cities, and within both industrial and agricultural sectors
NUTRIENT CYCLES: Maintain and restore local, regional and global mineral/nutrient and water cycles
RIVERS & WATERWAYS: Maintain and restore riverine, riparian and estuary areas
ZERO WASTE: Prevent waste of financial, human and natural resources via reducing consumption, cyclic thinking and zero waste principles
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: Develop decentralised, sustainable energy production systems
REAL "TODAYS WORLD" EDUCATION: Propagate and embed "Holistic Management" decision making and Permaculture Design ethics and principles within the education system, and throughout communities and organisations
DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE: To demonstrate, educate, co-operate, enhance awareness and provide value (to family, students, neighbours, clients, community)
- At 8:49am on September 7, 2011,
Robyn Wolfe said… - Glad the parcel arrived safely. I have heard about the corn treatment. It is supposed to break down the protein to make it easier to absorb but I don't bother. The little cobs are pop corn. They only grow just over a metre and have about 5 cobs to each plant. Thought you might like to try them, too. Have fun!
- At 9:53am on March 9, 2011,
James Samuel said… - Thanks for that Earl. 4 mins is not much when you have to share it with someone who waffles!
- At 5:53pm on March 8, 2011,
Ellen said… Hi Earl. Yep, smoker was running hot. sold lots of jars at this weekend's Heroic Festival for Chch appeal. Yep, would love to pop by and you to pop by. This year I had super success with Ridge Gourd and will cook my first curry tonight and hope to have several of the sponges for pot scrapers. When's good? Ellen
- At 10:06pm on March 7, 2011, Ellen said…
Hi Earl. Congratulations on your tyre success, I remember last years disappointing findings when you showed me the potatoes. Mine have gone a bit better than last year but nothing compared to your Kumara. Guess I have to go with less as I start to run out of sunny spots now as I do not yet want to use the middle of the green patch we have left over.
Congratulations to the Austrian Hullless, I have tried for 3 years, 2 packs, and haven't ever gotten one to germinate!!! If you have some left to swap a few seeds I can offer some back, eg Luffa or sorghum (grain) or a cutting of my hops plant.... I would love to have some success with that pumpkin next year. Cheers, Ellen (Sandringham, your visit to Heroic Gardens 2010)
- At 2:58pm on February 11, 2011,
Pete Russell said… - Cool. Nice one Earl.
- At 1:51pm on February 11, 2011, Pete Russell said…
Great. I have forwarded your details on so let's wait and see.
Yes I think we are due for a cuppa. Maybe once we move into our new home you could venture your way over the seas to visit us here on the island??
The TV programme sounds interesting. I look forward to hearing more.
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