An organic gardening workshop and cheesemaking demonstration

Rob came down from Cairns and was kindly given a cheesemaking demonstration by the lovely Delvae Edwards (thanks Delvae!).

At the dinner on saturday night Warren, Gareth, Delvae and Colin enjoyed the fresh ricotta when Rob prepared a yummy baked ricotta dish with fresh thyme.

Rob also planted an olive tree in the orchard. The tree was a gift from my brother Dave and Sister-in-law Cate.

We attended the organic gardening workshop held at the Griffith University Ecocentre by Jerry Coleby-Williams. It was a great workshop. He is also a presenter on the ABC’s ‘Gardening Australia’ and for 11 years managed the horticultural estate at Sydney’s Royal Botanical Gardens.

He also co-created Bellis, a sustainable house and garden in the Bayside of Brisbane. Check out his website http://www.bellis.info/Site_3/Home.html Jerry was inspiring with his sustainability message and reminding us you just need to take small steps to achieve sustainability.

Hopefully one day we can live in an autark system. This is a self-sufficient system; for example, a system that is economically independent. Some religious communities such as the Amish and the Mormons attempt to sustain a viable autarky. 

Warren and Gareth have their hands full with the second litter of piglets from Bernie and Bernadette.

I have Wei Ren Lai (Neck) staying from Taiwan He is from the HelpX organisation. 'Neck' has been great doing mulching around the top garden and weeding in the vegetable garden. He has also had the time to go to Binna Burra to do the bushwalk at the Bellbird circuit walk. 




My nephew Justin told me about HelpX and it is provided primarily as a cultural exchange for working holiday makers who would like the opportunity during their travels abroad, to stay with local people and gain practical experience. In the typical arrangement, the helper works an average of 4 hours per day and receives free accommodation and meals for their efforts. Check out their website http://www.helpx.net/index.asp

And finally flowering in the garden at the moment and the bed of hydrangeas and the drive to the house is purple with the fallen flowers of the Jacaranda trees.