So from our three lemons I made this cake. A simple sponge cake with lemon juice and rind in the cake. The tree is doing really well and never seen it with more flowers. The smell is delicate but as distinctive as those of Sicily and Eritrea.
empty water bottles. You thought I was going to say Coca-Cola. Well, I didn’t. I know that Coke can be used to clean engines. That could be quite useful, if you had a car. I don’t. But I’m making a garden. And this is pretty useful to water my seedlings. And great to spraying water into people’s mouths, ears and kitchens. Yes, today was a rather serious day full of meetings.
Since last summer I have been supporting ‘Introduction to permaculture’ courses that are run by Brighton Permaculture Trust. Pippa leads the course, with various co-teachers and support staff. The first day is often up at the Earthship in Stanmer Park, and the next day in a different location. I have found it so beneficial to be involved in the courses. It means that I regularly get back into taking permaculture back to its basics and telling more people about it. It is such a great opportunity to meet a whole new bunch of people that are interested in the concepts, and to see the number of them that walk away really inspired by the solutions-oriented approach.
Yesterday, a little collection of us made our walk through the dark village of Southease and into Pippa’s wonderful home. She was seated with two kids snuggled by her, and we began our review with the tale of ‘Pancakes for Findus’ and ‘the Hungry Hen‘. Once the kids had been tucked in bed, the tea and chocolate cake came out.
Then the review began, looking at the feedback from past courses and then going through the timetable. It was a great process: balancing the ‘likes’ and ‘do differently’ comments with our own ideas, and desire to try out a few new things. I really feel like we left a little more inspired, not just because the drizzle had cleared, but we a sense that we were involved in a process to make the course feel even more relevant for people. Love it.
My local community association sent round its latest newsletter with an little article right at the end about wanting to get some herbs growing in the planters that are scattered about the area. So I contacted Marek, the chair of the association, and had a good chat about what was already going on around me: the guerrilla gardening, the tre-foil guild and the resident badger. Great to find out more, and combined with my new found campaign (Pimp your pavement), and think fun and mischief will ensue.
It is that time of year again, the food-themed Green Sundays at the Arcola. Sara and I went along last year. It was there first Green Sunday, and I had met Jessie at a talk with Vandana Shiva. We did a session getting people to grow heritage beans and talking a bit about Ready, Steady, Grow. It was just in the two week period of the launch, so great timing for us.
This year I am working on it with Alex and Helen, and we had a meeting yesterday to discuss it and it was so inspiring and exciting. It was just a cider-infused brainstorm about re-imagining the city with a lot more food all over it. 11th April, put it in the diaries.
Oh yes, I went along to the Sustainability Centre, bundled into Jan’s car and chatted along the way about credit, like real credit geeks. We were there for three days and had long, intensely-packed days discussing all manner of things connected to permaculture and teaching. I really liked the set up where it was very much up to us to decide the topics depending on what we were really passionate about, and to see the diversity of issues.
My thing was about designing a permaculture teacher, and I found the session really helpful. We discussed the different design and models people used to get into teaching. So interesting. One of the really clear message that came across to me was that we are a network and there was a real desire for us to act more like one: to share more knowledge and resources. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ll have to start singing or chanting. 
Aren’t they beautiful! When I went for a rummage in my seed box, I came across these beauties. A head of garlic that I picked up at the Slow Food Meeting in Torino. These are a variety that come from Aburzzo and are distinctive because of their pink colour. The flavour is amazing. And I we have pickled garlic flowers in olive oil that just tasted amazing. I hope they take…
Luckily they aren’t the only variety that I plantd this year, and I also have some shallots in. Looking forward to it.
Oh yes, the garden is taking shape: the water butt is almost filled up; the log pile was amassed as the chimney has now been swept; the compost bin has been turned; the raised beds built and lined; found some pallets and building and raised bed and shelving; the shelving has been painted. We are still waiting on the soil and compost, and boy was I cross last Thursday when I called up and the organisation had made another mistake. If it doesn’t arrive this week, I am not sure what will happen. The broad beans are growing away in the kitchen and the bathroom. The Nepalese tomatoes that I saved from last year have come up nicely. So things are looking good. Just waiting on that bloody soil and compost.
I have finally managed to print the photos for the cosmetics cards, and have compiled the info. I have now sent them out to Sarah and Irene so they can look over them, and see if we agree with it. They look quite pretty scattered about on my floor.
