Author Archives: Helen

About Helen

I have always been interesting in living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and used to do what I could. Now, I have come to realise that we have reached such a point in terms of environmental degradation that it is more important - perhaps - to focus on building resilience. I therefore do as much as I can to reuse, grow my own and encourage a supportive community, for example. I also keep reading and learning all the time.

Caraway

Posted on July 27, 2017

What is your favourite type of bread? Mine is pumpernickel but I can’t get the ingredients to make that and my bread maker would probably struggle, anyway. However, it does do a decent wholemeal rye – as demonstrated by how … Continue reading →

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Longing for rosemary

Posted on July 26, 2017

Four of my rosemary seeds germinated and I duly potted them on. Then one of these seedlings went brown and died. On the windowsill that works, of all places. The two seedlings I put in the shed are doing okay, … Continue reading →

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I don’t think it’s seakale

Posted on July 23, 2017

I got a second wind at dusk – had already removed a number of poppies during the day and decided to more or less finish off the job later. There is a final tomato plant to put in the ground … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Headless no more!

Posted on July 21, 2017

If one of my hugel beds seems to have disappeared, another I built more recently certainly hasn’t. Besides, it is clearly a good place to grow, although whether that is because of the wood or just what would be happening … Continue reading →

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Where has all the wood gone?

Posted on July 20, 2017

After another wait for rain, I was able to plant the remaining two cucurbits this afternoon. It still wasn’t great for digging a hole deep enough but at least I didn’t wish I had a pneumatic drill. I had, however, … Continue reading →

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Heat and hugelculture 

Posted on July 19, 2017

The other day, newly grown chard on a hugel bed I built earlier in the year looked like this: Never before have I known chard to wilt, let alone be prostrate. Now, it has been warm and dry but I … Continue reading →

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The melon 

Posted on July 17, 2017

For weeks, I’ve been waiting for a female flower to open on the melon plants. Perhaps they did but I simply missed them… However, whilst doing the morning watering just now, at last I saw a healthy looking ovary with … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , | 8 Comments