Vagaries of nature

Apologies for the delay in answering your comments to my last posting - we have just had a manic two weeks. The rep we hired for our Cape Town based business has inundated us with enquiries - and in particular one very large order.  It is the type of order where you can't say "Ooops - I left something out of your quote, so I am adding it on at the end" and we had to give it our undivided attention, checking and re-checking, and re-checking again. Thankfully, the quote is now finalised, and has been submitted, and now we wait to hear the outcome...

In the meantime, I need help.

Please, can anyone help me identify this tree? 

Our unknown tree is currently
3 - 3.5 mtrs tall

It is a relatively fast growing, evergreen tree...

This is a close up of the pinnate leaves

... with pinnate leaves.

The fruit hanging on the tree - not many,
but intriguing

For the first time this year I noticed that it had a few fruit on it (duh - I couldn't miss them, could I - especially when they turned red LOL)

Yes, the one on the right has had a little Dani nibble
taken out it  The taste is sweet-ish although a
little tart.  But quite pleasant.

Curiosity killed the cat,and it may certainly do the same to me.  I had to taste it.  Against RMan's advice.

The taste was quite pleasant - sweet, but tart.  There is roughly 2 - 3 mm of flesh and it has quite a large "hairy" pip inside.

I'd love to know what it is and are the fruit edible - hopefully someone out "there" can help...?  It would be wonderful if they are edible, as, in addition to our pomegranate, peach, plum, pear and apple trees, they can provide us with an alternative source of fruit. :) 

Then, secondly, I read about a tree - a Paulowina - in a magazine article a few years ago.  It was a tree of which I had never heard before, and my curiosity was piqued, especially after some googling where I discovered that it triples in size every year - reaching (harvestable) maturity in 15 years (if required).   Being short of shade here, it seemed worthwhile trying to grow.  And a few saplings were on offer.  The only problem was that they were on offer in Pretoria - roughly 1600kms from where we lived.  But, persistence pays, they say, and the seller managed, on a trip  down to the coast for a holiday a few months later, to bring me three saplings.

The first signs of leaf growth this Spring

They were planted in the ground, and placed on our irrigation line.  Sadly, we lost one of them (it got chewed by a dog), but the other two have weathered the first two years of heat and wind and are doing well - not quite tripping in height every year, but certainly sprouting higher and more quickly than the other trees in our garden.

But, at the end of last summer I noticed for the first time that there were flower "pods" on only one of the branches.  They did absolutely nothing, so I reckoned that they had developed too late and the winter cold and frost had killed them.

A couple of the "pods" have
suddenly burst into flower

Ha!  Exactly how much do I think I know?

In the last 10 days those "dead" pods have started to bloom.

The flower is orchid like in appearance, with
"tracks" running down the inside as though
to guide the bees to the stamens

A truly spectacular orchid-like blossom with the most wonderful perfume.  I can imagine that when the tree is more mature, and bearing many pods which burst into flower, the scent will be wonderful.  Apparently, trees can be grown from the seeds they produce - not easily, but it is possible.  I love a challenge :)

These young leaves are already bigger than my hand
- and they only emerged last week.

The leaves - well, they grow to about the size of a bread plate and they seem to be handling our wind OK.

Happy days :)

Bits and pieces

Boring I know, but I also managed to harvest yet more swiss chard over the Easter Weekend.  Wow, I now have so much parceled up in the freezer - we certainly won't be running out this winter.  Spinach soup, spanokopita (hopefully cooked in the Dover stove) spinach omelettes, creamed spinach - yummy, another firm favourite vegetable that even RMan will eat.

Yet more swiss chard ready for harvesting

I had previously harvested the only pumpkin off a withered stalk and I was delighted to find another one - growing on the last plant I left in situ "just in case".  I'm not sure if it's going to gain much bulk as I fear it is too late in the season - I'll have to wait and see.

A baby pumpkin lay hidden - waiting to surprise
and delight me :)

You recall we left our potted Christmas tree behind in our town garden, and that we had to purchase a pomegranate tree from a local nursery in order to use it as a Christmas tree.

The pomegranate tree we used as a
Christmas tree

Well, before we left the farm in January we planted them, ensuring that they were watered via the timed irrigation hose.  One of the trees had had three small pomegranates hanging from some branches.  At Easter they were ripe, so we picked one.

Our first pomegranate fruit

To give you a sense of proportion, the fruit we picked was the size of two of my hands loosely cupped together (roughly 8 - 10cms diameter).  We cracked it open and delved into it's deliciousness.

All those arils (seeds)with their delicious juice are
carefully stored in different protective
compartments within the fruit

Pomegranates are delicious in a salad (a green or fruit salad), added as a garnish to meals, as an ice cream topping or squeezed for their juice.  Pomegranate juice can also be made into a syrup and used as a cordial, or added to sauces / gravies.  Dried pomegranate arils (seeds) can be used in granola bars.


A single pomegranate with a 10cm (4") diameter (weighing approx. 280 gms) has a high anti-oxidant content and is also high in Vitamin C and Vitamin K - the latter being essential for the proper absorption of calcium - obtained either from your diet or when taken as a supplement.

The fruit from one pomegranate - we shared it
between us :)

The other two fruits were too ripe and had cracked open.  So I scooped out the seed, rinsed and dried them off and set them aside.  I will and try and grow a couple more pomegranate trees next spring :)


RMan and I are very encouraged to finally be reaping some "fruits of our labour".  I have so many ideas of what I want to do, especially with the lemons and pomegranates - I can hardly wait for them to produce more fruit...




By the way, I am unable to post in the new Blogger GUI - I finally thought of, and have changed back to the old Blogger GUI to post this.  I have reported it, but, if the Old Blogger should fail, then I fear you are going to have silence from me until the problem is resolved.

Lemon orchard progress

I was looking through photo's we had taken during our December / January visit and realized that I hadn't shared our lemon orchard progress with you yet.


The digger / loader had previously cleared all the renosterbos from the area, and we got John, our part-time helper to dig us a couple of holes. The locals have devised a way of digging holes in that hard ground which is amazing.  They thump the ground with a pointed metal pole (I don't know what it is called, but it is available at our local Co-Op) and every so often they scoop the loosened sand / rock out with a can.  Defies belief, but it works, and works better than a pickax!


I say a couple - well, actually, 15 holes LOL


Then we laid down a row of weedguard.

Preparing the site for more lemon trees

RMan got busy attaching the porous pipe to the irrigation hose connectors - not an easy task because, although the porous pipe is relatively flexible, the ends are quite a tight fit for the connectors.  Too tight for a mere female to do  - well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)

I'm very grateful for the strength in RMan's hands
and arms

To soften the porous pipe, we placed the ends in boiling water.  This definitely does help - but strength of fingers and arms is imperative for this task.  And it's just up RMan's street :)

Porous pipe ready to be installed on the timed
irrigation hose

With the size of the diameter of the circle we have allowed for growing space for the lemon tree trunk.  Also, bear in mind that the porous pipe will supply water to the ground for a distance of 500mm to either side of it.  So I anticipate good coverage of the future tree root system.

The rocks are there as support for the young
lemon sapling, and to close the X we made
in the weedguard in order to plant the trees

We have put this irrigation on the timer as well.  So it will get 10 minutes of water every 2 days.  Given that the water is being applied under the weedguard, there will be minimal evapouration, no wastage / run off, nor drying of the soil surface through the action of strong wind, and no blocked pin pricks in the irrigation pipe as we had in the first orchard section last year :)

You can see the outline of the porous pipe
below the weedguard

A sight to please anyone's eyes :)  And orchard in progress...

The trees we planted last year are in the
foreground - the latest trees are in the
background

Hard to believe the trees next to the
closest  shadecloth were only planted last January.
You can also see the position to which we have
moved the caravan.

The new section in the orchard - 15 more
trees to add to the 15 which were planted last year.

1st orchard on the left - new orchard on the right

I took a chance and planted some really small saplings (the baby row).  One of the five I know didn't make it, but the others seemed fine when last we were there.

From left - the smallest lemon saplings,
slightly bigger in the centre, and the
sturdier new ones on the very right/

Do you remember I wrote about forgetting a whole lot of dried out looking lemon pips in my fridge last August and which I "reconstituted" in a bowl of water overnight?  Well, on the off chance that they were still viable, I shoved them into a pot of soil, place the pot in a sunny spot and kept the soil damp.


This is what happened...

A whole pot of trees waiting to be set free

Looks like I'm going to be busy...

And, Mr H, thanks for the tip.  I have also dropped two different types of apple pips into a pot of soil.  They are also popping their heads above ground.  I guess I'm going to have to find a spot for them too :)

In addition to all the veggies, I will also have a pomegranate, grape, lemon, apple and naartjie (mandarin), strawberry, raspberry and gooseberry harvest at some stage in the future.  It surely can't get much better than that!

I am so very grateful for all of this.  The future harvests, the opportunity of being able to become more self-sufficient, and for the wonderful, exciting, exhausting and the mentally, spiritually and physically enriching journey that RMan and I are on, even if it is at an advanced stage in our lives.  I guess you could say that we are living proof of never being too old to try something new.

And, happily, one of the most important reasons for our purchasing our smallholding and travelling along our eco-friendly path (and documenting it, firstly, on my web page, and, secondly, through this blog) has culminated in an absolutely wonderful result and action. Beyond my wildest dreams :)  I have big news to share with you - but not yet...

And, finally, this photo is to give you an idea of the "growing" area on the farm - as it now stands.

In the foreground, potatoes in their tyres,
veggies in the shadecloth veggie hut behind the tyres,
strawberry, gooseberry and raspberry bushes are further
down behind, and below, the veggie hut,
and the lemon tree orchard on the right.
And, just out of view to the left - the future
root cellar, as well as the pomegranate orchard
which is situated in front of the house :).

And, that is what we have accomplished in our garden in the past year... Reckon the next year could be even more interesting :)  I'm so impatient I can barely handle the wait... (you gather that I am not a patient person - so I've learnt that too! LOL)

Final harvest and Spring growth

A final broad bean harvest awaited our arrival on the farm.  Another 8 kgs (roughly 18lbs) of beans landed in my kitchen sink!  As well as quite a few pods of seeds for next year.

It is a bit of a hassle removing the inner sheath from the broad beans (and naturally I have to have a sample now and then - well, a woman can't work herself to death and starve in the process, can she?), but the meal and taste sensation that these beans provide is worth every minute.  Whether slathered in cholesterol reducing (LOL) butter or tossed in a simple vinaigrette - they are just too delicious!  A complete meal in themselves.  They are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium and are also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Phosphorus, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Folate.

Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4322/2

Three of our pomegranate trees are filed with the most beautiful coral red flower buds.  The colour is so striking that they can be seen from the house - a good 40 - 45 mtrs (140 feet) away.  I can't wait to see whether any of the flowers produce fruit this year.  The trees are now three years old and should produce viable fruit for the first time.  (Did you know that the pomegranate fruit contains 613 seeds, which apparently represent the 613 commandments in the first 5 books of the Old Testament?)

Even this little grape plant is chock a block with developing grapes!  Compared to our plant in our town garden, which doesn't have a single bunch (and is 2 years older and gets regular TLC) this is absolutely amazing!  Another perfect example of leaving it to Mother Nature - who knows best!  :)

Hey buds below...

Hey buds below ... up is where to grow

Up with which below can't compare with.

Hurry - it's lovely up here ...

Life down a hole takes an awful toll,

What with not a soul there to share with

Hurry - it’s lovely up here!

Wake up, bestir yourself, it's time that you disinter yourself

You’ve got a spot to fill - a pot to fill 

And what a gift package of showers, sun and love 

You’ll be met above everywhere with,

Fondled and sniffed by millions who drift by,

Life here is rosy - if you’re a posy

Hurry it's lovely here!

Lyrics from the song "Hey buds below" from the 1970 movie "On A Clear Day"

featuring Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand

One of the penalties of having a house that faces a view is the fact that the view is to the south, which means inside the house is generally freezing when compared to outside.  For instance, today we have a temperature of 18oC inside and outside it is 24oC. 

Perfect weather for all those little plants to pop their heads above ground, or burst out of their winter hibernation.  The grape vine has produced new growth on a branch which, to all intents and purposes, looked dead.

Our grape vine - bursting
out of itself

My strawberry plants are popping out flowers...

...and the baby strawberry plants I captured from last season are coming along nicely.

Even my pomegranate tree is producing buds - it's now entering it's fourth year - perhaps this year I'll be able to harvest some fruit from it?

Pomegranate bud

I know that the reward of tending and taking care of all the plants in my vegetable patch is yummy, fresh, chemical free and "prop full of goodness" meals on our table.  Such as one of our favourites...

Home grown spinach - picked just minutes
before cooking

...creamed spinach for dinner.  This is one of the few vegetarian meals that RMan will eat...

Creamed spinach and egg with a fresh roll - yummy!

... he's such a silly man - he doesn't know what he is missing the rest of the time.  But I'm working on him...

Signs of Spring

After our last cold snap, it seems that my town garden is bursting at the seams to show off the first sings of Spring.  Literally, in the last week all hell has broken loose - if you don't believe me, here's proof...

The pomegranate in our back garden - it's 4 years old this year - so hopefully it will bear some fruit...?  The nursery that I originally purchased it from didn't know which species it was, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see what fruit it produces.

The Mission Olive tree is budding - but the wretched south easter always seems to blow off any fruit that forms

A very confused Aubergine plant - it's from last season...

The peach tree is in blossom... 

My first geranium flower - I reckon it's a stunning, striking colour.

This Jasmine plant has always struggled, but it seems to be flowering beautifully this year.

Our Yellowood tree is bursting out its' whorls of new leaves...

Podocarpus falcatus

My first nasturtium flower of the season...

And finally, I have just purchased some catnip, and before I could even plant it in the ground, it would appear that one of the neighbours cats has sampled it... :)

We have a major cold front due to hit us tomorrow - hopefully it doesn't cause too much damage.

Over Wintering...

Seems I've come to an over wintering point...


Mr camera is broken.  My mobile, which I was having to use to take photo's, is frozen / broken, the skies are filled with black, heavy clouds and outside it is cold and miserable, and we can't find a moment to get to the farm...


However, to be grateful whilst I'm complaining, our home is warm and protected from the inclement weather, we have food on the table, and I can read about all the summer warmth and progress on others' blogs :-)


And have I ever found some brilliant idea's out there...


...more uses for those damn plastic bottles...

Image source:http://www.insideurbangreen.org/2010/03/
simpletomake-green-tote-box-sip.html 

This is called a SIP - a sub-irrigated planter.


I am fascinated with "wicking" / SIP type planters and have no idea what is attracting me to them.  But I think they are extremely clever.


What also fascinates me is the fact that apparently the yield in a wicking / SIP planter is noticeably more than in a conventional in-ground bed.  I believe that they have their place in any garden, no matter how small or large.  Certainly our 2 Ha farm has more than enough space to grow what we want, but we are hoping to plant it up with mainly fruit producing trees.  One of the reasons we are going to be doing that is because trees, even fruit trees, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  And any assistance this planet can get in that regard is a must in my book!

Recycled bath

I will be having a shade cloth vegetable patch on the farm - as large as I can make it, for the summers there are wickedly hot.  This will house raised beds, straw bale beds - whilst outside it I will have wicking and SIP planters for those plants which need the benefit of all the bees :-)

This experimental one that RMan made me worked a treat :-)

The plants on the southern side of the vegetable patch will need some protection from the incessant summer wind.  I am visualizing a large "barn sized" vegetable patch, of at least 9 mtrs long by 3½ - 4 mtrs wide - big enough for at least three horizontal beds with paths in between.  That should give me approximately 27 running mtrs for vegetable production - which should produce more than enough food for RMan and I, and still have some left over to barter with / gift :-)


But, my herbs will be planted in wicking / SIP planters close to the kitchen door.  I'm trying to convince RMan that we can (and should) take our recycled bath with us - not sure if I'm going to win this one because he's not mad about the sight / thought of it, even though I have told him I can disguise it better...


Another great site I came across in May this year is this one.  Grant and Max Buster are two young brothers who are applying their brains to assisting the starving millions with their ideas.  There is hope for this planet if youngster like this are in the next generation.

Raised beds (Image source:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Natural-Wood-Raised-Garden/ )

The beauty of all the above systems is the fact that there are a zillion plastic buckets out there, especially food grade one's at restaurants / take away outlets.  When they buy their supplies in bulk, a lot of their consumables are supplied in buckets, and there are just so many buckets they can re-use.  So there will never be a shortage of plastic buckets to go round, all you have to do is become friendly with your closest restaurant / take away and do your bit for recycling...

Straw bale beds (Image source:
http://www.growandmake.com/straw_bale_garden )

And the final benefit of this type of growing container is the water preservation - we all need to conserve our water and use it as sparingly as possible.  I have been fascinated to read in the past couple of years that England goes through periods of drought - England??!!  My country of roots has droughts?  Hard to believe, but it's true.


If England is experiencing droughts, what does that say about South Africa's worsening situation in the years to come?  Help Mother Nature, and she's sure to reward us - but it will take a concerted effort from us all.


Linking the wicking / SIP planters to our irrigation system will ensure that the water will go where it is intended - to the roots of the plants and not to the surface of the soil where it will evaporate.


Itchy - damn so itchy.  I want to get going...  So much to do, so little time.  And patience is not one of my virtues.


Does anyone have any other sites which could provide further inspiration?




Aside:  As I was typing this I received the following message from TUT (Totally Unique Thoughts).  And I thought this mornings message from TUT was particularly apt :-)


"Some will hear, but not listen.
Some will listen, but not understand.
And some will understand, but not act."


I hope someone - anyone - a single person - out there understands what I am trying to do / doing and is influenced by our journey to the extent that they make a change in their life.  Change happens one person at a time...  And "thoughts become things" LOL