The Windbreak Looks Closer...

At the May Steering Committee meeting we discussed the possible planting of our windbreak particularly along the existing western fence.
It has been suggested to use milk containers for tree guards. Note how the tops are cut to allow the stake/stick to anchor the whole thing into the ground so that it can go over the top of hoses/drippers etc.
We would need sturdy sticks for this as our ground is hard. Obviously the bottoms are cut off too!
The milk containers (or other opaque plastic bottles) are easily cut with sturdy scissors.Everyone is now collecting those milk bottles just make sure they are clean when they are stored!!
Get a piece of string (baling twine) and tie it to one handle then thread the other containers on to the string through their handles. It makes storing (can hang them in the shed) and carrying them so much easier!

We have an offer of free mulch from the local council This will be great and keep the water right where it's needed, at the roots of the plants where a dripper delivers it.

March 5th 2010 - Working Bee

The call went out for a Working Bee.
The hardwood logs/posts were loaded onto a trailer for the journey from the storage shed. That was better than carrying each one and walking down the hill.

Each of the holes needed to be dug out by hand after previously being dug by the Bobcat in January. Despite a lack of rain the soil was relatively easy to remove.

Only one hole needed to be moved over slightly to allow one of the gates to fit!
Fortunately we had a couple of new helpers on this working bee...even a visitor was roped in to help out for a while!!
With all the hard work a coffee/food break was much appreciated with water boiled on a camp stove and scones and pizzas from home. Yum!

Back to work after the break and the donated tank was cut to make 3 good sized raised bed edges. Power for the grinder and 'nibbler' came from a petrol generator.

As a surprise when the first ring was removed we found a load of plant pots waiting. They had been donated by a kind member of the public who thought they would come in useful in the Community Garden. Thank you very much!

Feb 5th 2010 - The Tap

We have water!! With the purchase and installation of a water meter we now have a tap on the garden site!!!
This was attached to the existing water supply up the hill.
The piping was already in place so just needed a tap to be attached to a dropper post at the garden site.
The spider who had taken up residence in the hole didn't appreciate the shower when the water was tested for the first time.

…A small twist for a man; a giant puddle for the spider!

A Great Start to the New Year

After the Christmas break Mr Councilworker was back at the site on Monday 4 Jan and this time brought a friend with him in a Bobcat.

A few hours later and we had the block earthworks completed.

With the trench digger attachment on the Bobcat the trench for the mains water piping was dug much more easily than by hand.

The trencher was traded for the post hole attachment and the holes were dug for the fence posts... ...he'd finished in the time it would have taken to dig one hole by hand (with a crowbar).

Our group of five helpers proceeded to lay the pipe and backfill the trench.

Later in the week one of the Heath Team organisers managed to get these two huge bales of Pea Straw from a farmer for FREE!!!