Wow, alot has happened in the last many few weeks. I have so many thoughts that don't make it to my blog. Always circling is the environmental teaching, as I walk through a world that needs to change a bit more-- but sometimes there are vivid things I think are meant to be communicated.
The other day I got into a shouting match with a stranger. I have realized now that alot of people's weirdness and aggression comes from the stress of modern living, the burden of carrying the load so your family will survive-- I had had a really stressful day (these days are semi-new to me, I was protected from them as a mom for awhile), absolutely needing to meet a deadline, and not having met it, being forced to be late to pick up my kids. Talk about being in a grind-- between two forces, and panicked. After being with the kids, and entering their happy world, but very tired, we walked home from the bus with their friend Booms. We walk along a busy road, every day, and they are trained not to go into the road.
Still, Luke looked young and unpredictable as he paused on the footpath's corner, next to a roundabout. I barked an order at him not to move, which stopped him. But this seemed to bother a lady sitting in an SUV full of her friends and kids. I had caught up to Luke, and we were moving on, when she was called out of her car to me about being careful. Not in the mood for sidewalk judgment, at all, I called out, "So, you're going to judge me, are you?" in annoyance, and we moved along. She responded by revving around the corner and stopping. "So you're going to fight with me are you?" I said, the tired Mom. She jumped out of the car, and started to lambast me for my own benefit. Her son had had a close call last week. I excused myself by saying "I've got to get the kids out of the rain." This incensed the person, who started reacting, "Oh, get them out of the rain, when they could have gotten killed!" SUV driving mom probably never let her kids stand near a driveway, but some Moms actually walk with their children and take buses. Her kids gawked from the safety of their SUV. Then she really offended me by asking if they were all MY children (one of them is obviously Maori). Was I the Nanny? I had had enough. In my head, No. I am THE MOTHER. And I told her, LEAVE...ME...ALONE. She said threatenly, I'll could call the police on you!
Did she know me? Did she have any idea how careful of a mom I was? Did she know me at all? No, it was just a snap judgment from one moment on a kerb.
The whole point of this was, even a gentle, super-trying to be positive all the time, person, can be SQUISHED by the stress and pressure we are under today, and flip out. So it's just the urban grind that makes us all so negative.
I yelled at her, protecting what I had left of my personal deep self, on the edge as I was. I yelled at her and pointed at her as I walked away, and was far away. LEAVE--ME--ALONE!!!! At the top of my voice. Just like the Bronx.
The apes (of our ancestry) would have been proud.
sustainable living blog
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wellesley Street, Auckland, Then and Now
I am posting two images that I contrasted in my temp graphic design job, for a cover of a student magazine. The best is to save them though, in a folder, and go back and forth switching between them. This gives you chills.
The first image is from around a century ago (obviously), it's an old postcard I scanned from a lady's collection, I used to help her as a caregiver as she had M.S. This came from her mother's collection of old postcards (Lily Stokes). I didn't record the date. The second one is a photo I took in the exact same spot last week (2010).
But I forgot to write what I have been meaning to say for a long time. It is something getting stronger and stronger in me, the more experience I have:
We are not listening to nature (as a group). Many of us are not listening to our own natures, what we really need, and also what the world really needs. Until we start listening again, becoming sensitive, honest people, we will be destructive in the world.
The first image is from around a century ago (obviously), it's an old postcard I scanned from a lady's collection, I used to help her as a caregiver as she had M.S. This came from her mother's collection of old postcards (Lily Stokes). I didn't record the date. The second one is a photo I took in the exact same spot last week (2010).
But I forgot to write what I have been meaning to say for a long time. It is something getting stronger and stronger in me, the more experience I have:
We are not listening to nature (as a group). Many of us are not listening to our own natures, what we really need, and also what the world really needs. Until we start listening again, becoming sensitive, honest people, we will be destructive in the world.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Seven Arrows by Hyemeyohsts Storm
There is something inside me, either passion, or archivist-compulsivity-- or both, that needs to share everything that is valuable that fires up my spirit. But truthfully, I know it is more than that; it is something we are driven to do as part of the whole-- share valuable knowledge.
A man on the bus lent me a book. (Wayne.) He is a dignified man, who you can tell has survived some hardship in his past. It is a book of teachings of the plains Indian people, from the way they lived and experienced the world before we rolled in. It starts like this:
"You are about to begin an adventure of the People, the Plains Indian People. You probably have known of these People only by their whiteman names, as the Cheyenne, the Crow and the Sioux. Here you will learn to know of them as they were truly known among the People, as the Painted Arrow, the Little Black Eagle, and the Brother People."
I am going to upload the whole book, find it here:
A man on the bus lent me a book. (Wayne.) He is a dignified man, who you can tell has survived some hardship in his past. It is a book of teachings of the plains Indian people, from the way they lived and experienced the world before we rolled in. It starts like this:
"You are about to begin an adventure of the People, the Plains Indian People. You probably have known of these People only by their whiteman names, as the Cheyenne, the Crow and the Sioux. Here you will learn to know of them as they were truly known among the People, as the Painted Arrow, the Little Black Eagle, and the Brother People."
I am going to upload the whole book, find it here:
(Note from 2011 November: still haven't - but will very soon, promise.)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Louise deVarga's FAQ about Worm Farming
Louise deVarga, someone who first inspired me about worm farming and composting in general (the original "worm lady"), had this posted on her old Composting for Shore website. I am glad I saved this, and can re-publish it on the web through my blog.
(Although after you get the "feel", it far more simple! All you need to remember is to keep churning the contents of the layer you are adding food to around, round and round, to help the process, and also add lots of paper regularly. I just tear up my pizza boxes now, that's enough paper-- simple.)
One thing I loved from visiting Louise's garden (which has won awards in the past from "Create Your Own Eden") was her comment about how her garden, with worms in it, was compared to a neighbour's grass yard. Her garden was full of native trees and plants, with steps made from railway sleepers going through it. It was full of insects, worms churning up the soil, and birds and all kinds of life. Compare this garden to the sunbeaten grass yard, chemically fertilized-- with only one species, grass.
From Louise deVarga and Composting for Shore:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR WORM COMPOSTER
How should I start operation of my Worm Composter?
Add to the bottom of your worm composter old compost, vermicast, peat moss, palm peat/coconut block (available from Composting for Shore). Empty your worms from the packaging on top of this bedding. Place a small amount of worm feed on top (a light covering on the surface). Cover with an old piece of carpet or woollen underfelt. This allows the worms to feed at the surface while remaining protected from light and the carpet holds in the moisture.
The more worms you have, the more kitchen waste you can dispose of organically. We recommend that you purchase a minimum of 500g (2000)worms.
The more worms you start with the quicker your Worm Composter will reach its full working potential. If you choose to start with 250g worms it will take a fairly long time to reach full working potential. On the other hand 1kg worms from the start would see your Worm Composter fully up and running in a matter of weeks rather than months.
Do I need to dilute the liquid that comes out of my Worm Composter?Yes, dilute it 1-10 with water. It is a leachate and should be diluted. It is a wonderful plant food.
Will I get to the point where I have too many worms in my Worm Composter?No, you can never have too many worms. They will regulate their population to the confines of available space. Worm concentration should reach capacity after 2-5 years depending on space and feeding.
Worms will eat pretty much anything that was once living. This includes left over vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea leaves/bags, coffee filters and grounds, vacuum cleaner dust, hair and nail clippings, scrunched up envelopes and broken up egg cartons, soaked shredded cardboard, crushed eggshells. The greater the variety of material you use, the better the vermicast.
What is not suitable to feed compost worms?
Onions, meat (attracts flies), dairy products, bread and citrus peel, fat.
Can I feed my worms garden refuge?
Yes, although your Worm Composter is designed to break down soft organic waste. Garden waste is best dealt with by conventional composting. You can add some compost to your Worm Composter for the worms to break down into vermicast.
I’ve had my Worm Composter for a month now, but the worms don’t seem to be eating?
The worms may be eating your bedding material if you used aged manure or compost. They will eat this before eating newly introduced feed.
How much will my worms eat?
Worms will feed at a faster rate once they have adapted to any new food source. Worms will also eat more if food is offered in a digestible form (i.e. moist and without large clumps is best).
The worms will eat their body weight every 1-2 days, but it will take 8-10 weeks until they have fully adjusted to their newenvironment and able to eat at maximum levels. As you become familiar with them, you will learn their rate of food consumption.
How can I help my worms eat more?
Although not a requirement of operating your Worm Composter, you may choose to make a regular addition of worm fattener. This will encourage stronger, fatter worms. Mix together proportionally – 50% chicken layers pellets, 10% wheat or corn flour, 10% powdered while milk/skim milk, 20% bran or wheat meal, 10% agricultural lime or Dolomite. You can sprinkle lightly over food wastes about once a week.
Can I overfeed my worms?Yes.
If you have overfed your worms and the feed has become smelly, the worms will stay lower in your Worm Composter and may die. The best test of whether you have overfed your worms is simply by the smell. The only smell associated with a well maintained worm farm is a pleasant earthy smell.
What do I do if my Worm Composter smells?
If your worm Composter has an offensive smell, it is an indication that anaerobic bacteria have built up in the system in uneaten food wastes. Either: remove the old food and start with a very small amount of new food, or stop feeding the worms and stir the wastes with a garden fork, adding garden lime as well. This aerates the organic material and allows worms to move through it more easily. Repeat this aeration procedure regularly to prevent recurrence. Start feeding again when all smells are gone.
What about temperature changes?
If you get much hotter than this, make sure your Worm Composter is in a shady place. By watering through the top, this will help to maintain the temperature when in a shady place. During winter months, particularly in Otago/Southland, it pays to place your worm farm under cover. The best temperature range for worms is between 18-23 degrees C, though Otago/Southland temps get lower. If temperatures are very low in winter it pays to keep your composter in a shed or good shelter.
Should I add water to my Worm Composter?The contents of your Worm Composter should always be moist. When adding your kitchen scraps, add some water to it before it goes into your unit, alternatively use your watering can to add some water if you feel it is too dry. Worms work better when their conditions are moist.
Can the contents of my Worm Composter be too moist?
If rain continues over a period of time, e.g. 1-2 days or longer, or is very heavy rain, if you Worm Composter is outdoors you should cover the top of it. Use plastic sheeting held down by a brick. The reason for this is the worms work better in moist rather than waterlogged conditions.
Will my Worm Composter attract ants or flies?
You may get ants in your Worm Composter if it becomes dry or acidic. Add water to increase moisture levels and a sprinkling of garden lime. Flies may indicate overfeeding. Offensive odours would also indicate overfeeding. To eradicate vinegar flies, slow your rate of feeding and ensure freshly added wastes are covered with a layer of old carpet. A sprinkling of lime will control vinegar flies entering your Worm Composter.
What about maggots?If you experience any influx of maggots, it will most likely be the soldier fly or vinegar fly larvae. Don’t be too alarmed if they appear, they are actually beneficial to the waste breakdown. If you want to remove them though, do so by liberally applying lime.
What are the little white worms?These look like baby worms but are completely white. They are enchytraeids although some growers incorrectly call them nematods. Don’t worry about them, they do not harm composting worms, if you want to reduce the numbers don’t feed bread or floury products. They are part of the recycling system.
Can I put compost worms in the garden?
Only if you have a thick surface layer of mulch in your garden. Compost worms require moist conditions all year round. This is because they do not tunnel deep like earthworms (flat tailed worms) to find moisture. If you cannot provide this environment in your garden, do not introduce compost worms into it.
What about a holiday?
Leaving an established Worm Composter for 1 week without constantly adding food is not a problem. Just feed the worms a good quantity of food waste before you leave. Make sure that you leave your Worm Composter in a cool place with a layer of old carpet on top of them, to protect them from dying out. If away for 1-2 weeks add dried grass clippings. Purchase a bedding block if away for 3 or more weeks.
(Although after you get the "feel", it far more simple! All you need to remember is to keep churning the contents of the layer you are adding food to around, round and round, to help the process, and also add lots of paper regularly. I just tear up my pizza boxes now, that's enough paper-- simple.)
One thing I loved from visiting Louise's garden (which has won awards in the past from "Create Your Own Eden") was her comment about how her garden, with worms in it, was compared to a neighbour's grass yard. Her garden was full of native trees and plants, with steps made from railway sleepers going through it. It was full of insects, worms churning up the soil, and birds and all kinds of life. Compare this garden to the sunbeaten grass yard, chemically fertilized-- with only one species, grass.
From Louise deVarga and Composting for Shore:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR WORM COMPOSTER
How should I start operation of my Worm Composter?
Add to the bottom of your worm composter old compost, vermicast, peat moss, palm peat/coconut block (available from Composting for Shore). Empty your worms from the packaging on top of this bedding. Place a small amount of worm feed on top (a light covering on the surface). Cover with an old piece of carpet or woollen underfelt. This allows the worms to feed at the surface while remaining protected from light and the carpet holds in the moisture.
The more worms you have, the more kitchen waste you can dispose of organically. We recommend that you purchase a minimum of 500g (2000)worms.
The more worms you start with the quicker your Worm Composter will reach its full working potential. If you choose to start with 250g worms it will take a fairly long time to reach full working potential. On the other hand 1kg worms from the start would see your Worm Composter fully up and running in a matter of weeks rather than months.
Do I need to dilute the liquid that comes out of my Worm Composter?Yes, dilute it 1-10 with water. It is a leachate and should be diluted. It is a wonderful plant food.
Will I get to the point where I have too many worms in my Worm Composter?No, you can never have too many worms. They will regulate their population to the confines of available space. Worm concentration should reach capacity after 2-5 years depending on space and feeding.
Worms will eat pretty much anything that was once living. This includes left over vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea leaves/bags, coffee filters and grounds, vacuum cleaner dust, hair and nail clippings, scrunched up envelopes and broken up egg cartons, soaked shredded cardboard, crushed eggshells. The greater the variety of material you use, the better the vermicast.
What is not suitable to feed compost worms?
Onions, meat (attracts flies), dairy products, bread and citrus peel, fat.
Can I feed my worms garden refuge?
Yes, although your Worm Composter is designed to break down soft organic waste. Garden waste is best dealt with by conventional composting. You can add some compost to your Worm Composter for the worms to break down into vermicast.
I’ve had my Worm Composter for a month now, but the worms don’t seem to be eating?
The worms may be eating your bedding material if you used aged manure or compost. They will eat this before eating newly introduced feed.
How much will my worms eat?
Worms will feed at a faster rate once they have adapted to any new food source. Worms will also eat more if food is offered in a digestible form (i.e. moist and without large clumps is best).
The worms will eat their body weight every 1-2 days, but it will take 8-10 weeks until they have fully adjusted to their newenvironment and able to eat at maximum levels. As you become familiar with them, you will learn their rate of food consumption.
How can I help my worms eat more?
Although not a requirement of operating your Worm Composter, you may choose to make a regular addition of worm fattener. This will encourage stronger, fatter worms. Mix together proportionally – 50% chicken layers pellets, 10% wheat or corn flour, 10% powdered while milk/skim milk, 20% bran or wheat meal, 10% agricultural lime or Dolomite. You can sprinkle lightly over food wastes about once a week.
Can I overfeed my worms?Yes.
If you have overfed your worms and the feed has become smelly, the worms will stay lower in your Worm Composter and may die. The best test of whether you have overfed your worms is simply by the smell. The only smell associated with a well maintained worm farm is a pleasant earthy smell.
What do I do if my Worm Composter smells?
If your worm Composter has an offensive smell, it is an indication that anaerobic bacteria have built up in the system in uneaten food wastes. Either: remove the old food and start with a very small amount of new food, or stop feeding the worms and stir the wastes with a garden fork, adding garden lime as well. This aerates the organic material and allows worms to move through it more easily. Repeat this aeration procedure regularly to prevent recurrence. Start feeding again when all smells are gone.
What about temperature changes?
If you get much hotter than this, make sure your Worm Composter is in a shady place. By watering through the top, this will help to maintain the temperature when in a shady place. During winter months, particularly in Otago/Southland, it pays to place your worm farm under cover. The best temperature range for worms is between 18-23 degrees C, though Otago/Southland temps get lower. If temperatures are very low in winter it pays to keep your composter in a shed or good shelter.
Should I add water to my Worm Composter?The contents of your Worm Composter should always be moist. When adding your kitchen scraps, add some water to it before it goes into your unit, alternatively use your watering can to add some water if you feel it is too dry. Worms work better when their conditions are moist.
Can the contents of my Worm Composter be too moist?
If rain continues over a period of time, e.g. 1-2 days or longer, or is very heavy rain, if you Worm Composter is outdoors you should cover the top of it. Use plastic sheeting held down by a brick. The reason for this is the worms work better in moist rather than waterlogged conditions.
Will my Worm Composter attract ants or flies?
You may get ants in your Worm Composter if it becomes dry or acidic. Add water to increase moisture levels and a sprinkling of garden lime. Flies may indicate overfeeding. Offensive odours would also indicate overfeeding. To eradicate vinegar flies, slow your rate of feeding and ensure freshly added wastes are covered with a layer of old carpet. A sprinkling of lime will control vinegar flies entering your Worm Composter.
What about maggots?If you experience any influx of maggots, it will most likely be the soldier fly or vinegar fly larvae. Don’t be too alarmed if they appear, they are actually beneficial to the waste breakdown. If you want to remove them though, do so by liberally applying lime.
What are the little white worms?These look like baby worms but are completely white. They are enchytraeids although some growers incorrectly call them nematods. Don’t worry about them, they do not harm composting worms, if you want to reduce the numbers don’t feed bread or floury products. They are part of the recycling system.
Can I put compost worms in the garden?
Only if you have a thick surface layer of mulch in your garden. Compost worms require moist conditions all year round. This is because they do not tunnel deep like earthworms (flat tailed worms) to find moisture. If you cannot provide this environment in your garden, do not introduce compost worms into it.
What about a holiday?
Leaving an established Worm Composter for 1 week without constantly adding food is not a problem. Just feed the worms a good quantity of food waste before you leave. Make sure that you leave your Worm Composter in a cool place with a layer of old carpet on top of them, to protect them from dying out. If away for 1-2 weeks add dried grass clippings. Purchase a bedding block if away for 3 or more weeks.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
How to make quick hummous (without all the plastic containers)
I can't believe how easy this is! Instead of making a large ordeal out of it, this is the recipe for making hummous as you need it.You will need:
Blender or equivalent and...
1 can of chick peas(these are already cooked)
100g Tahini paste(the jar I buy is 300g, so 1/3 of the jar)
2 garlic cloves
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon salt
Plus any spices you want to experiment with
Add together and blender (I cut up my garlic cloves first).
Usually I made a big production out of it, getting dried chick peas, soaking them overnight with baking soda to make them cook more quickly the next day, cooking a big pot of them for hours (too much too eat right away). As a result, I NEVER MADE HUMMOUS. OR you can go out and buy a few cans of cooked chick peas-- directions for hummous usually on the can. Quick Hummous without all the plastic containers.
P.S. May want to try: my gourmet-oriented husband also added a dash of balsamic vinegar dressing, which was really good. Or experiment with spices...
Later note - Oct 2012: Read this!!!
Now that I am much more functional in the kitchen, how difficult is it to cook a few cups of dried chick peas for a few hours, really? The problem was the baking soda, and not having any sense of how to cook dried beans. Just get a few cups and cook them until you TEST them and they are soft. Just like cooking pasta - but takes a bit longer. (You don't have to stick around...)
So whether if you are scared of cooking beans - use the cans instead of the plastic containers at least, although they do have a slightly metallic taste. For best results though, get some dried chick peas from a wholesale food store, or section of a grocery store (to avoid packaging) and cook'em up. Great too for food storage - ability to be self-reliant goals.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Lucky Love
You know how these balances, or relationships work, such as you really enjoy your holiday because you have been working very hard...waste not want not...you reap what you sow...what goes around comes around. I am fascinated by these relationships, and try to observe and learn about them.
One I have observed in life is that if you have acquired too many possessions, so does the pressure and complication build. You can feel pressure for your children to appreciate your sacrifice which was too great, and for me, complication in managing all those items.
Why have the stress? Sometimes the goal we are trying to fill is not actually fulfilled by the choices we make.
A full life for our children is usually one emptier of possessions, and fuller of imagination, the natural world to play in, full of more space. Even the opportunity to create something yourself is very important, instead of having everything, especially for learning minds.
For having some possessions, I am very grateful though. I remember having little money and how important they were. But as you gain more, the level of value drops off exponentially.
How cool to create ornaments, or gifts for your friends that take imagination, and mischief. How beautiful to make things, paint pictures-- actually it should just be from your talent area. Or to do loving things such as donate to those who are in need.
The family I grew up with always had a materially light Christmas, and often little kids gave their toys to others, or we did make alot of things. We wrapped our gifts in newspaper, proud of our complete no frills attitude. But we hung out together and had alot of fun in our family working, doing things like making candy, going to the forest to cut down our own Christmas tree, and playing with our brothers and sisters.
Although at times growing up I felt that our family was too strict, we had to work hard, and that sometimes was rough that we didn't have many frills compared to our friends-- now I just feel incredibly lucky to have always been given what was really important, instead of what was not.
One I have observed in life is that if you have acquired too many possessions, so does the pressure and complication build. You can feel pressure for your children to appreciate your sacrifice which was too great, and for me, complication in managing all those items.
Why have the stress? Sometimes the goal we are trying to fill is not actually fulfilled by the choices we make.
A full life for our children is usually one emptier of possessions, and fuller of imagination, the natural world to play in, full of more space. Even the opportunity to create something yourself is very important, instead of having everything, especially for learning minds.
For having some possessions, I am very grateful though. I remember having little money and how important they were. But as you gain more, the level of value drops off exponentially.
How cool to create ornaments, or gifts for your friends that take imagination, and mischief. How beautiful to make things, paint pictures-- actually it should just be from your talent area. Or to do loving things such as donate to those who are in need.
The family I grew up with always had a materially light Christmas, and often little kids gave their toys to others, or we did make alot of things. We wrapped our gifts in newspaper, proud of our complete no frills attitude. But we hung out together and had alot of fun in our family working, doing things like making candy, going to the forest to cut down our own Christmas tree, and playing with our brothers and sisters.
Although at times growing up I felt that our family was too strict, we had to work hard, and that sometimes was rough that we didn't have many frills compared to our friends-- now I just feel incredibly lucky to have always been given what was really important, instead of what was not.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Putting out the Tomatoes
I grew these ones from seed, in little trays at first, using seed trays left from buying seedlings in the past (six-packs of little containers attached together like the ones in the foreground of the photo above) and planting the strongest seedlings in larger pots later when they got bigger. I hope I have a garden soon to plant these into by the time these get big!
I just love how the they soak up the sun, it feels like my own body is soaking and using the sun instead of wasting the energy.
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