The Project Takes Off: No Dig Vege Gardening Part 2

Well, the no-dig vege garden has definitely been a success: at the time of writing this (about 4 weeks after this photo was taken) the garden has gone absolutely crazy! We have been picking State Fair-worthy zucchini, eating sweet sugar-snap peas and delicious bok choy. Now the corn has developing ears and the pumpkins are starting to take over their end of the garden... so I have started work on Garden #2 (photos to come soon). Apart from being able to enjoy fresh, home-grown produce it has been fantastic to be able to grow it on otherwise barren, rocky soil, without having to break the ground. I have not needed to use any kind of insecticide so I have also managed to fulfill my other goal of keeping the garden completely organic. The soaker hose usually only gets turned on for about 15 minutes a day and that has been plenty to keep everything looking as healthy as you see it here. Shredded paper mulch salvaged from the office helps with water retention and the whole thing is doing marvelously.

The Project Begins: No Dig Vege Gardening Part 1

I decided not long before we went to Australia that on our return I would build a no-dig vegetable garden in our backyard. I did some research (see Other Links of Interest) and got some really great (big) ideas. There is a fantastic spot in our backyard that gets all-day sun, is slightly sloped (good drainage!) but is rocky and virtually devoid of soil. Perfect, in other words, for no-dig gardening.

I constructed the border of the garden (which is roughly 4 x 2 metres) out of surplus firewood logs (it's Arizona: the fireplace was only ever going to be ornamental although we have been known to strike a match and set the fire occasionally). Don't ask me what kind of wood it is, it's not very dense but we don't have a clue what it's called. Anyway, it makes an ideal edge for the garden. The planting medium is made up of layers of cardboard, newspaper, hay, manure and compost. Cardboard and newspaper we had plenty of lying around at home. The hay I was given by a very generous rancher friend of ours (thanks Golden!). The manure I collected from the local corrals. Near the mine there are horse and stock corrals that are rented out to local people. No shortage of organic manure that's for sure, and it's free for the shovelling which is what I did last Sunday morning. It's hot work but well worth it.

The next day my very keen apprentice and I set to work to build the garden. The bulk of it was done in a couple of hours and watered in just before the first summer thunderstorm arrived. No rain but! Thunderstorms mean the monsoon is coming but as yet it's early days and we haven't had any rain. More help the next day from the future market gardener and we have corn and peas planted. The peas I have been growing from seed in containers but they are now ready for their debut in the vege patch. Watch this space for spinach, carrots, bok choy, lettuce, capsicums and more still to come.

Arizona: Take Two

We arrived back in Ay Zee on May 1st after a marathon journey from Perth via Melbourne and LA. It was incredibly long and tiring but at least it was uneventful. We had a wonderful time in Australia and like all good holidays seem to be, it was over far too quickly.

It's good to be back here and to see our American friends again. Summer has definitely started with temps in the mid-30's (that's Celsius, folks) every day. This week the humidity has kicked up a notch and the afternoon thunderstorms have started, signalling the start of the monsoon season.

Australia Revisited (aka G'day from WA) - Part 1 in an Occasional Series

We're back in WA at the mo for our first Australian visit since relocating to Arizona in April 2007. It has been terrific to be back here and to be able to turn off the alarm clock for a few weeks while we just relax.

We spent the first 5 days of our visit (including the Easter long weekend) in Sydney as we waited in nervous anticipation for our US visa renewal interview. Lucky for us the visa was renewed and we will be returning to Arizona next month as planned. It is a huge weight off our minds.

Here in Perth we have been having a great time catching up with friends and family whom we haven't seen in at least 2 years. It is just over 3 years since I was last here and I'm really happy to be back, even if it's just for a short while. I've been stocking up on Australian souvenirs, snacks and groceries to take back to the US. It's amazing what you miss when you're away.

Monster Jamming with the Digger - Spot the Closet Rev-Head

In late January I crossed another "must-do" American experience off my wish-list: taking in the live spectacle that is Monster Jam. I think that my excitement even eclipsed N's, and he is a die-hard fan of monster trucks. I happily waited in line for over an hour to see the Digger up close and get Pablo Huffaker's autograph - it was totally worth it. This picture has pride of place on the wall in my office at work.

It was a long day and by the time the show started at 7.30pm, we'd been there nearly 4 hours (using our pit passes and working our way through the throng to check out all the trucks) and N was starting to get bored. The racing started with kids racing ATV's, a stunt driver then the monster trucks' preliminary round, then N started asking if we could go back to the hotel, but I wasn't going to miss FREESTYLE!!! It did not disappoint. There were crashes, stacks, roll-overs, broken axles and all the action a truck fan could ask for. A bonus: N was given a T-shirt that had been shot into the crowd by T-shirt cannon! Size XL, it will fit him in about 20 years. The only really bad part of the evening was when Grave Digger didn't win the competition, and the driver of the winning truck (Bounty Hunter - he put on an excellent performance, a really great driver) came up to collect his trophy - the crowd very loudly booed him. They were only there for one truck. Needless to say I had a fantastic time (yes, P and N did too) and I only wish there was a way that we could make it to Vegas for the World Champs at the end of March... I'll have to keep working on that one!

Amusing Questions We Have Been Asked - Part 7 in an Occasional Series

"What language do you speak in Australia?"

("What language do you think I am speaking now?")

"I don't know... Australian?"

Get Ready Australia, We're Coming!

Yes, what you've heard is true: in April this year we will be making our first visit to Australia since coming to the US 2 years ago. We are all very excited to be visiting Australia again and I for one have a definite agenda: meat pies, seafood and eat it. We will be going to Perth for 3 glorious weeks and I can't wait to be back by the sea again and enjoying everything that we have missed in the past 2 years (and I never thought for a minute that I would EVER miss PIES). N wants to see a kangaroo and I want to stock up on grocery items and souvenirs - the shopping list is getting long already! As well as catching up with friends and family, we will have to apply for a new US visa while we are in Perth, as without one we won't be allowed back into the US. The visa we have now is fine for while we're here, but as soon as we leave the country it's game over and we have to apply for a new visa. Here's hoping that it all goes smoothly and we make it back to Bagdad again without any hassles.