Hello to anyone reading this.
We had a fabulous sweet potato harvest recently. 24.7kg of orange sweet potatoes or Kumaras I think they are called.
 This year was very good for them here in the mountains of Victoria. Last year we got none, the year before, our first we got a big basin full.

I am asked how do I grow these, well here is my secret.
I have a plant growing all year in my polytunnel, yes it dies down over Winter but it doesn't rot off like they do outside in the ground.
And in Spring when it warms up quicker than outside I take cuttings and get them rooting early and plant them out when the ground has warmed a bit, around November.
Some mushroom compost dug into a spot and plant away. They do like a fair bit of water but that's ok, more water more tubers, its an investment.
Don't worry if you don't have a polyhouse or glasshouse, just take some cuttings in early autumn, grow them in a big pot and keep it in the house over winter. Very little water, none really but keep it protected from the elements and the roots should keep over Winter, put it in a sunny window as the weather warms, give it a bit of water and wait for the shoots to appear. You can always up end it as Spring approaches and check to see if there are roots in the soil first.
Have a go!

We lost our lovely Plumpet today.
I cried and cried, she was such a fantastic little chook, the foster mother to nearly our entire flock of 15.
The fox jumped the 1.8m fence at about 10am and killed her and Rosie wheaten marans and possibly Arya Isa brown, she is hanging on.
Very sad.
Her 5 chicks are old enough to survive but will find it harder without her guidance, they will sleep with the big chooks tonight and will get pecked a bit, but its safer that way.
We spent all day adding another 40cm of wire to the top of the fence, leaning out like a prison, or as Martin puts it, a fortress.
We will have to be vigilant because he will try again.

These are her final chicks, 5 Australorps born October this year.

Panda bum and Melissa puddleduck, Plumpet raised them and their brother Henry, December last year. The fox got the girls and couple of months ago. That was very sad too.

Arya and Rosie on the right.

Plumpet

just about weaning time for her ducklings in march this year.

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Plumpet and her french wheaten marans chicks born September 2013. The roosters are dark coloured but the hens are the ginger ones in the centre, the darker if these was Rosie who also died today.

Lavender Aracaua chick peeking out from under Plumpets wing. Oct 2012

along with the Aracauna were 3 silver Campine chicks. We gave the aracauna away as he was a rooster and a facebook friend needed him for a breeding program, lucky him. We sold the campine rooster known as Chanty pronounced shonty for $50. He was a lovely bird.
The two girls have been wonderfully fecundant laying the lovely white eggs that some of you may know. Both of the girls had their feathers ruffled by the fox, I do hope he did not get his teeth into them or they could sicken and die.

.

The lavender aracauna rooster nearly grown up.

Chanty and his sisters Clara and Cora (gormangast fame)

And in March 2012 she gave us her first hatching. Fertile eggs from a neighbour, we got 5 chicks 2 roosters which were delicious and 3 hens. We still have 2 of the hens, one died earlier this year of some thing.

So these are all of Plumpets broods, she was an amazing mum and sweet little chook, we were just talking about getting some eggs of her breed for her next hatching as more like her would be very welcome.
I shall miss her.

Polyhouse shadecloth on and off.

Hi again,
making a habit of it aren't I?
Its that time of the year when the temperature won't go up to 30 C till next Summer. So time to take the shadecloth off my polyhouse and let the Sun in.

after

before

All the afters are before the befores.
Easy to take off and easy to put on. We just tie some rope on and throw it over the top and pull it over and tie down. Makes such a difference. Plants would cook without it over summer.
Dale

Back for a visit

Hello anyone who is still connected, I took some lovely photos of my garden and just have to share them.

We were trialling a vine screen out the front of the house to keep the sun out in the afternoon. It works really well so we will extend it for next summer.

 

Dead Sheep!? No we were given a bag of fleece, no good for spinning but good for mulch and I threw the skull on top. A great conversation starter!

cheers
Dale

Au revoir

Dear Blog,

It has been a while since I visited. I have thought about you and have wondered why I haven't been as attentive as in the past.
And  think I have been seduced by facebook.
Sorry about that but I have found some fabulous group pages and met some great people.

So heres the thing, the reason I began here is because I had found a wonderful place where I could talk to my self about my life. I could post relavant photos of what I was up to and any friends far and wide could share in those photos and stories. And I had a ball.

But I can't force myself to come back so I think the time has come to say goodbye. I won't close you down, I might come back from time to time and have a look. Or I might get the bug again and get blogging, but my new love has me for now.
Au revoir!

This is Kevin and Crumpet, crumpet has gone back to Doris place to be a friend to another lonely bantam.

unusual vegetables

Check out this carrot!

4 carrots on one top!

and of course my love spud!

Dayla

City Farm in East Perth

I was really taken by this place. I have been to community gardens before, even had a plot in one in Canberra many years ago. But this was vibrant and alive. We entered through the gardens, greeted by beautiful mosaics.

Viv and I wandered through the gardens and looked at the beds growing all sorts of produce in varying stages of growth.

Citrus trees had their trunks painted with Lime as a pesticide I presume.

nice shady places to sit and contemplate

Murals and graffiti was on the walls of the buildings. Looked good!

The train rushed past while we were there. Gives you an idea of the lower value of land and why it was given over to a City Farm Community Garden space.

ooh! I thought, chooks! But they were all roosters. Really lovely birds they were too.

Here is Viv at the Aquaponics area

The fish in here

grow bed with expanded clay balls as growing media

An old pallet used as a planter

A strange looking rooster, This poor chap was very ugly. A silky bantam rooster with no feathers on his head, only purple black skin. I believe the Chinese really like these black skinned chickens. Very good for ladies problems!

I found this place really great. It had gardens for those who wish to garden. It had an area for those with disabilities to come and pot on and get into some gardening. It had a cafe full of local business people all busy discussing high flying business. There were more buildings and areas for functions and all sorts. It was vibrant and full of potential being realised. A great place to visit.
Dayla