How to build a worm farm for almost nothing!

Hi blog people, 

This is me, relaxing on milkwood farm http://milkwood.net/ out near mudgee. Went with a friend who won a prize, very blessed to spend time out here under the stars, with like minded ppl, immersing ourselves in the world of vegetable growing and market gardening.

Spending time under here around the fire, and in the classroom too.

One of the things I learnt was that worm castings are an important ingredient in potting mix, and that worms will happily subsist on a diet of animal manure and coffee grinds... And already knew the worm liquid is amazing foliar spray - you dilute it and spray in leaves of plants...

At milkwood, their worm farms were made from old bathtubs raised on star pickets with some aggregate in the base, then a large piece of shadecloth over that, filled with all the worm food, the worms, and big enough that it can fold over the top to keep the worms shaded and moist.

The following week I headed out to our local tip which has a buy back centre. I came home with a pile of star pickets, a stainless steel industrial double sink and a garden kneeler for weeding for under $20!

Cleaned out under the rabbits, visited a local coffee shop for old grinds and a friend from permaculture who has worm farms was able to share some and hey presto - a worm farm for almost nothing :) a bucket under the drain collects the liquid, and the worms seemed to have fully settled in after a couple of weeks there!

Home sweet home!

Being tourists at home

The other weekend John and I went to Sydney, we had bought tickets to the lion king with my sister and enjoyed our nieces wonder and amazement at the giant animals on stage and the beautiful singing and show, 

We stayed with johns parents and went to church with them, then had tickets to the rugby, but first we thought we would be tourists in our own backyard, going to bare island fort, at la perouse, Sydney.

We had seen the fort whilst visiting la perouse for a swim on a recent Sydney visit and had seen that the fort was only open for tours on Sundays, so seeing as the game wasn't until four on that side of town it seemed the perfect opportunity.

Had a fish and chip lunch at lapa and then enjoyed a tour on the island hearing about this fort which whilst shoddily constructed by a dodgy firm and would have struggled withstand any direct hit, didn't see any wartime action, but has been much more useful as a watch point for vessels coming in and out of the harbour and has been used as a veterans home for a number of years. 

This gun was buried for years, until one of the vets told then where, basically right under where it is now, and a pool table was on top for the vets to use. I think it has the best view I've ever seen for a pool room!

Bare island fort.

Oh and the waratahs won so it all ended well too :)

a confronting movie

Machine Gun Preacher - Our church had a viewing tonight and the man the movie is based on, Sam Childers, is coming to speak tomorrow night. I have observed some controversy around the story, but regardless of exactly what has happened the issues it deals with are real issues.

-Children stolen and forced to fight other people's wars
-Girls who don't perform as comfort women have their lips, ears and noses hacked off with razor blades
-Entire villages are destroyed so the children who are stolen have nothing to come home to
-Children walk miles to and from safe houses each night and morning as they are afraid of being stolen in the night

Some amazing people working with children who have been freed from these forms of slavery are Watoto who have recently seen the first women they are working with complete their facial reconstructions - and get their smiles back! They also have many young men who were previously child soldiers, rehabilitated, restored, part of families and community and education

For I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Anyone near Nowra tomorrow Sam Childers will be speaking at Nowra City Church cnr of Rockhill and McMahons Rd, North Nowra at 7pm.

Grateful for stopping and going.

This is Kieran, my friend's baby on his one month birthday.

Isn't the smell of a newborn baby something special?

Grateful for moments to breathe...

listen...

just be...

These were taken at Gymea baths in Sth Sydney on my way north, just before having dinner with a family friend. I think one of the best pizzas of my life - Crust on Gymea Bay Rd. Thanks for the pizza Sam.

Dropping into a friends and walking around the garden,

Being given some Rhubarb,

Sharing a cup of tea,

Helping fix a saxaphone... who would have thought.

A last minute call to go with my brother and friends out to Wandandian,

Watching them hurl themselves down a hill on mountain bikes,

Big kisses from his dogs,

Lots of laughs,

Hanging out with Kate, his amazing girlfriend,

The beauty of the bush, the way light streams through the trees.

Grateful for travelling and for coming home

I was away for a couple of days with work recently, travelled to Newcastle for some training. We were blessed with an amazing view from the room where the training was held, right on the main Newcastle beach. I may have gotten distracted at times....

Grateful for the chance to catch up with Carli, a very old friend who is studying in Newcastle. She put me up at her place and we got to know each other all over again as we saw the sights, had great coffee by the beach, cooked dinner, went out on the town....

But always grateful to be home,

exploring new walks and undiscovered beaches,

spending time with friends...

Throwing birthday parties, BBQ's and enjoying eating outdoors as the weather begins to get milder.

And being inspired by the Watoto children's choir

These children are all orphans, some in the most horrific circumstances, but they have been found by Watoto, a group that house orphans with widows, who would otherwise have to turn to begging or worse and create families, villages and communities. I was overwhelmed by the joy of these children, the healing they show and their passion for life and for God. This picture shows just a tiny bit of their energy as they danced and sang (and tried to get us to join them)