Systems are part of what helps us in planning and trying to keep an even keel in the garden. Or at least minimise the damage when we get busy with other things.
Edges to the vegie beds- grass barrier formed by double rows of bricks and mulch is very easy to mow or whipper snipper up to.
and planted with oregano/ marjoram in some places as an experiement to act as a green barrier.
Processing greenwaste & kitchen waste
Rabbits get selected greenwaste including twiggy prunings and things like couch grass and dandelion roots because they transform them into manure without the danger of spreading weeds further.
Chickens get the kitchen scraps and bulk greenwaste especially that with seeds or flowers about to seed. They eat some, kick around the other bits and mix it all with chicken manure and straw. Perfect compost making ingredients.
Worm farms get some kitchen scraps – things like bulk apple cores and skins from bottling, or overgrown zucchinis that the chickens will just kick around. Rabbit manure is also a favourite ingredient to the worm farm mix.
- Compost area with multiple bins. We are now up to 7 I think. 4 regular ones, and 3 tumblers. The favourite tumbler is the one in this photo below.
Seed raising
- heat mat in laundry – don’t use this as much as I used to, since Chris started Hobart Kitchen Gardens and sells wonderfully healthy and interesting seedlings at the FarmGate Market.
- greenhouse for young plants and tomato race contenders. This greenhouse is tucked in under the back stairs and enclosed with laserlite. When we had the stairs built, this space underneath was perfect for a short person!
- soil blockers for seed planting.
It’s all about maximising the return of investment of time and energy. For example, the compost is just outside the chook shed. The wheelbarrow can fit in the chook shed door, and the chooks kick and scratch the greenwaste and straw downhill. We can go to the greenhouse easily off the deck – so we can pick herbs in our socks if needed. When the aquaponics are up and running the growbed will be in the greenhouse, making this even better.
