PPGT

Post date: May 31, 2014

Pigs, pigeons update, greenhouse start, and Tenterfield community garden

Two new recently weaned female pigs came a week ago and are settling in the pen. Slowly they are getting used to us:

Soon, they will join Digga who has been digging his area very well:

Earlier in the week we started the foundation for the back wall and front of the greenhouse.

The half a back wall will be a heat mass and the front will have a door and glass around it. The arches will be 50mm polypipe over star pickets with plastic over them. We have chosen an area that is rocky and unusable for much and an orientation to get maximum Winter sun. The foundation slopes downhill, so we are building some rock wall to get two stepped levels. On top of this we will use concrete blocks filled with gravel or soil for mass which will be heated by the sun and air temperature during the day. The heat will be slowly released after the sun goes down and plans are to supplement this with a rocket stove heating a tank of water.

On Thursday, we opened the top door of the pigeon house (after 8 weeks with us to home them in). After 5 minutes, a few ventured out and another 5 minutes saw a group of 7 take to the skies. Hopefully they will forage and return safely. More than half remain inside courting, nest building, and the like...

After a very interesting BLOG event with Michael Sommerlad who answered everyone’s questions about keeping chickens, we went to check out the Tenterfield Community Garden. Greg was there and showed us what was growing:

It is quitewell equipped, although under utilised by the community. Hopefully, some more people will get involved and start growing their food there. Well fenced with many plots to grow in:

Anyhow, we were very happy to score some excellent broccoli and lettuce. Thank you!