End of December 2010

A total of 4 beds have been planted up with Tomatoes, Capsicums, Chilli, Lettuces, Chinese and Ceylon Spinach, Silverbeet, Strawberries, Watermelon and Cucumbers.

3 beds now have shade up now and just as well. 2010 ended with high temperatures and strong hot northerly winds!

As extra support and to neaten the appearance and stability of the shade cloth, pvc pipe can be added between the hoops. With the ends of the pipe cut to fit over the hose and a hole drilled through, cable ties attach it firmly.

Neat and secure from the wind.

Peterborough Community Garden has been planted!

The first Wicking Tank Bed was planted on 10 Dec 2010.

During the week a magnificent 41mm of rain fell and lucky for us the work experience guys had connected up the guttering on the little shed. The rainwater tank now has water in it!!!

Workshops were held for prospective plot holders to learn how the Wicking system works and to see a bed being built, planted and shaded.

Busy November

A busy week began on Sunday when the garden become a Trees For Life Distribution Depot. Volunteer growers came to pick up their supplies for this seasons growing. 150 Boxes were filled with the special potting mix from the bales, their bags of gravel, fertilizer, planting tubes were sorted together with the growers seeds and paperwork. All ran smoothly.

Tuesday the Project Manager was allowed to borrow the hospital's little tractor and moved most of the manure in position next to each of the growing tank beds and filled the tank beds which are not going to be made into wicking beds.

On Friday a very pleasant day was spent weeding the windbreak, whipper snipping (brushcutting) the edges, collecting rocks, flattening the ramps to the shed and shadehouse and fixing a few other jobs before we shared a couple of homemade pizzas and coffee.

Manure, Tanks and a Dragon!!!

During the week 3 truckloads of well rotted horse manure
was collected from the meatworks and delivered to the site.

The 5 new growing bed tanks were picked up from Jamestown.
These were put in place with the other 6
that had been stored in a garage near the garden
(thank you).

Our rainwater tank for the shed was collected
from the supplier in town
and positioned near the shed
ready for the ground to be prepared for it's resting spot.

All our gear that has been stored in the shed
up the top of the hill
was brought down on the ute
to be stored in OUR shed!!!!

This Bearded Dragon kept a close eye on our activities.

End of Oct

During the last two weeks of October the pace quickened.

The windbreak was given a thorough weeding
and with recent rain has noticeably grown.

The shade house is up!

The shed is up!!

The baled soil from Trees For Life
has arrived in readiness for the first Distribution Depot
to be held in Peterborough.

Concrete Slabs

The guys have done a great job with the concrete slabs for the shed

and the shade house.

They have even prepared the site for the Cob Oven and left a message!

I can almost smell the pizzas and hear the friendly chat
as we enjoy eating them.

Slab Prep and Windbreak Growth

With recent rain the windbreak is looking very weedy.

The Wallowa Wattles Acacia calamifollia are growing strongly
and the Old Man Saltbush Atriplex nummularia
is out-growing it’s protective cover.

The site of the slab for the future Cob Oven is measured up.

Shade house slab site prepared with form work and plastic.

As is the shed slab on the other side of the tap.

Tables

The concrete table sets were delivered from the local supplier.

With the help of the forklift they were taken off the pallets
and positioned in place.

A few days later they were pieced together
and now we have two great places to sit and eat!!

10 Sept 2010

The Work Experience boys from the high school
are back putting up the gate on the western side.

Much discussion and even some helpful suggestions!!

Meanwhile the new concrete table sets have been delivered.

The African Boxthorn is a declared weed in our district
and as such must be removed.
Here it is cut back so we can get closer to the base of the plant.

With the gate in place the pathways are clearer.

The most important billy boiling on a welcome fire on a freezing cold day!!

End of August

Gate fittings have been attached.
Thanks to the work experience boys
from the local high school!

Fill from the leftover mounds
from clearing for the Medical Centre
has been moved to the pathways for spreading.

With some help from an excavator
more pathways were cleared.

The northern fence line where the mesh has been flattened
and rocks added.

Inside the western fence
the windbreak continues to grow
now protected with the rabbit proof mesh
on the re-wired fence.

The Old Man Saltbush in the windbreak planting
is fast outgrowing it’s protective covers.

End of July

It's the end of July and the fence is showing the boundary of the garden to all.

The ponies next door aren't all that pleased
with the prospect of no more escapades into the garden site.

The shrubs and trees in the new windbreak seem to have survived the seemingly endless stream of frosty mornings this year but have welcomed any rain that has fallen. The mulch is keeping the soil around them moist.

Work continues on the fencing with the gates going in soon.