7 Tips For Home Food Gardens
Tips For Home Food Production
Dearest Farm-ily,
Well it is in unusual times that we find ourselves....enforced reflection, contemplation, and isolation for many. Whilst others are working in what is left of their businesses and industries, as the economic collapse deepens.
What is certain, is that none of us truly know what will remain standing, as we move forward into the new paradigm of our co-creation. And as Byron Shire is built upon Tourism, and Hospitality, we can expect that our community may experience big changes in the future with the rapid decline of these industries.
If you've been following my blog over the years, you will know that food sovereignty, and its links to health, is something that I have talked about a LOT :)
It seems clear to many of us, that we must create security in our communities by creating food sovereignty in our region, and embracing decentralisation as a model for the future. Indeed, there is no reason why our region could not re-embrace it's agricultural roots, and invest in regenerative agriculture, and growers like me.
We are being forced to sloooow down, re-asses, re-prioritise and simplify...to take back some of the responsibilities we have given to others for our health, well-being, safety, food, shelter etc.
I have been excited to witness the revival of interest in home food gardening. It is imperative, as we make this transition to come back into connection with our basic needs, becoming more self-sufficient as a society with our practical living requirements.
We have devalued things that we make with our hands in this society, choosing to purchase all our basic living needs...this system (consumerism), is doomed to failure, as it is not sustainable environmentally or socially. After all, many of us only need to go back to our grandparents, or great grandparents generations when EVERY household had a food garden, these skills were passed from generation to generation, and provided at least a small amount of produce for the inhabitants. Each household took some responsibility in providing some of its own food.
Fast forward to today, where many landscaped gardens are full of ornamental plants, bushes and trees and ZERO food production :( In a climate like ours here in the Australian sub-tropics this is craaazy. We need to build back these skills into our families to create resiliency in these changing times.
7 GARDEN TIPS
1. Choose a sunny, well drained position for your Food Garden.
2. When choosing a site for your vegetable garden, do make sure that it is big enough for your families requirements, I find that most people grossly under-estimate the size of the garden beds required to feed the amount of people in their families, the variety, and quantity of produce that they desire.
3. I suggest that you choose your families top 1-5 autumn vegetables to grow in abundance, depending on the amount of space you have allocated to food production in your garden. It is best that you choose vegetables that you, or your family eat a lot of to ensure you get the most out of your efforts.
4. Plant them frequently to ensure continuous supply - Once a month
5. Plant what is in Season to be successful...You can find a copy of my Sub-Tropical Autumn Crop Selection & Planting Guide, on my website.
6. Water new transplants in twice a day for first couple of weeks whilst they are getting established.
7. Shade cloth for the first few weeks is also a great option, to assist seedlings to adjust to their new environment. Installing a garden irrigation system on a timer, is a purrfect solution to regular watering...there are some great inexpensive systems available at all hardware stores.
The weather is AMAZING at the moment...Your seedlings are growing well!
I am spending a couple of hours each day walking in nature, and the rest in the garden...I hope you are all finding ways to keep moving, and growing :))
From my heart to yours,
sheia x
