I ran into Hilliers (on Brighton Road, Horsham) the other day to buy a hat, and of course, they got me--one of those little items at the checkout to entice you--I think they call it an impulse buy item. Not only was it at the checkout, but it was on offer. When you make a purchase, they give you a voucher for a fiver off of the yogurt maker (but act quick as the offer expires on the 30th of May.)
I was sold. While I was doing my permaculture training, I stayed with a woman who made her own yogurt. She didn't have a yogurt maker. She didn't need one, but I thought that if I was going to make the transition to making my own yogurt, I want it to be successful, and the EasiYo yogurt maker makes it so easy it has to be successful.
You put some water in a jar and add some yogurt culture (which you have to buy in addition to the yogurt maker.) Then you fill the thermos up with boiling water. Put the jar in the thermos. Close it up. Wait for at least six hours and up to twelve. Check to make sure it has set. Put it in the fridge and presto.
My yogurt tastes lovely. I let it cook for 7 1/2 hours before putting it in the fridge because the longer you leave it to cook, the more sour it gets, and I like mine smooth. It has also helped with some discomfort I was having in my stomach (probably due to the intense physical exercise I do at work.) So, for the cost of just over a tenner (the yogurt maker was 10 after the discount and the cultures were another 1.50 or 2,) I've got fresh, homemade yogurt.
Now, here's the kicker. They don't tell you this in any of the info associated with the yogurt maker, but you never have to buy cultures again. You already have them in the yogurt. All you have to do for an endless supply of fresh yogurt is add a few tablespoons of your yogurt to the jar and fill the rest with milk--skimmed, semiskimmed or full-fat--and bobs your father. Happy Yogurt-making.
I've slowlybeen getting into foraging. I learn a plant here or there, and I remember it, but I only know a few handfuls of edibles. I've been looking for books for a long time, but I've been rather intimidated by them so far. When I heard about Alys Fowler's new book, I thought that it might be the way into foraging that I've been looking for, and indeed it has been.
Alys identifies about 70 plants--enough to keep you busy for quite awhile, but not so many that you are overwhelmed. She discusses how to identify them and how to eat them, often with recipes. There are many pictures, but be forewarned, don't think that as soon as you read the description and see the photo, you will be able to identify the plant. Alys warns of this herself. I often ask my work mates to show me specific plants, but I have had to consult the internet as well. And there are streams of info on foraging online as well.
One thing that this book has done for me is to change the way that I smell woodlands. I am much more observant of the smells of plants as my nose seeks out edibles here and there.
The Thrifty forager is available from Permanent Publications here or can be reserved from a West Sussex Library.
I had finally had it. No more electric hover flash for me. After spending over three hours trying to mow our tiny little lawn, I broke down and bought a new mower. It's the Qualcast Panther 30 push mower. I was worried that mowing the lawn might take four hours now that I didn't have electricity to help nudge me along, but I got it done in less than 30 minutes. This seems to be a high quality mower with a four bar cylinder and cutting blade on the bottom.
Okay, I gave it quite a bit of force to get it mowing, but I still can't believe the quality of the mow. I bought mine for just under 40 quid, and it was well worth the money. It came with a collection basket to gather up the cut grass, but I didn't use mine as I'd rather the nutrients in the cut grass went back to the soil.
My one quip with the mower is that it says that it makes lines in the grass to make it look professional, but I didn't have much luck with that. I will let you know how my wife gets on with it when she gives it a push, but so far, I highly recommend it.
Hamish and his crack team of volunteers tend the plot at Southwater's Community Garden. Hamish is watering some newly planted onions while others cultivate the land. Potatoes are already in the ground with more waiting to be planted. Hamish Mackay had a vision--tend some land for the sake of the community--especially for those who might want or need extra support. He brought his ideas to others, and soon, his idea started to spread. First, there was enthusiasm. Then, there were donations including a plot of land. Last year, they even produced some crops... all within a year from the birth of the Action to Revive the Community's Dig Southwater campaign. I got to enjoy some of the produce last week that had overwintered, and you can taste the enthusiasm. Now, with the movement gaining steam, Hamish is starting to realize that the movement is well on its way.
So, where will it end? There's no telling, but Hamish has big hopes, big ideas, commitment, dedication and knack for getting the impossible done. Hamish is looking for volunteers to help develop the project and could use help with planning this year's garden. If you would like to join him on his adventure, then he can be contacted at Southwater's Action to Revive Community.And if you join him in tending the plot or helping out, you are likely to see me there as well because this is a project that inherently demands my involvement.
light earth, also called light clay, clay-straw and leichtlehm, is a building technique that makes solid wall insulation. the light earth solution, a mixture of clay, water and straw is used to fill in a frame. the solution sets and hardens to give very good natural insulation.
lucky for me, australian permaculturalist kat lavers passed this article on to me, which is the best i could find at describing light earth construction. below you will see photos of my go at it.
 in the top image, we are mixing clay in a wheelie bin. it was full of debris, so we filtered the clay through a 6 millimeter screen so we needed it to be quite fluid. the middle photo shows us getting ready to mix the straw with a clay slip. our slip was quite runny compared to what is recommended but should be fit for purpose as our light earth is buttressed by a wall along the back. we went for maximizing the insulation properties of the light earth as it has so much support.
Above, you can see us packing a temporary frame (just some concrete blocks holding some boards in place) with light earth. after a few minutes, the boards are raised to pack more material in above, leapfrogging until at the desired height. ours will go to the ceiling.
more photos to come.
wouldn't it be great if you knew exactly where to turn to get help with your local environmental issue?
might we work better as a community with better communication?
we are creating the following registry to help facilitate the enactment of the agendas of environmental groups in southwater. it will be our aim in the coming weeks to contact many of these organizations so that we can share our talents and experiences. please contact us if you know of an organization that would make our registry more complete... or simply post a comment below.
Southwater Horticultural Society
you may know of Melissa Waddingham as the Truffle and Mushroom Hunter, but did you know she studied at plumpton agricultural college? most of her time is devoted to fungi--partly because she loves the taste and partly because of her love of woodlands--the two are deelply interconnected, and Melissa knows all about it.
Keep Southwater Green was formed to protect the green spaces and farms of Southwater from development.
Southwater Action Team includes a team devoted to the environment.
Just at the bottom of the Shipley Road out of Southwater is a woodyard wonderland. You may not know it is there, but there is a small sign that directs you to take two lefts: first onto the A272 and then again into the woodyard. There is a magic about the place, a sense of infinite possibilities... much of which has been propogated by the owner, Paul Copsey, a man whose intentions never stray far from sustainability. He really does seem to be one of those people with a pure heart. Heritage Conservation is open from 9am til 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am til 4pm on Sunday until the Christmas Holiday, when the hours will revert to normal operating hours. 
Along with their Christmas Trees, Heritage Conservation
supply fuel wood, local coppice products and a wide range of crafts and related items.
They also offer woodland management services, tree surgery and landscaping products. When you look around the woodyard, you will probably be amazed by what you see, and you get just a glimpse of a different kind of life that is buzzing with activity, creativity and imagination just out of view of the mainstream.
Joan Francis, who also works for the Southwater Action Team for the Environment, has quietly been sneaking up on our more reclusive hedgerow species to see if she can find traces of who might be about. She is currently focusing on the dormouse, who is endangered, not to mention cute and fuzzy. If you see any hazelnuts with holes in them, you may be able to help us register the existence of an endangered species. Please email us with any information, or send your information directly to the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species. The following table was taken from the South Wales Dormouse Survey 2007, but even better information can be found here, which was provided by Gareth Ellis from the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species. Gareth reminded me that overzealous searching can disturb dormice, so a gentle approach is necessary. Dormice are an endangered species and should be treated with the utmost care.
 yes, the roof is completely full. 3.75 kw of solar photovoltaic plates. yes, i could have squeezed one more plate on if i had gotten better-performing plates, but i decided on getting znshine panels instead for the sake of getting a small independent company to do the work at a reasonable price.
we have a near-perfectly south-facing roof, so the performance should be great, excepting the shading caused by a tree in our back garden, which, for the next three months, will screen our panels from the best of the winter sun.
so the dilemma becomes, what is the most ecological solution to this dilemma. yes, ours is the big ash tree that dominates the picture. do we accept a ten percent reduction in monetary profits and electricity production for the sake of the current wildlife, or do we learn how to maximize the ecological returns of the void that pollarding the tree will leave. more to come, but please post your thoughts.
i have been privileged to meet two shaman before i met pilar awa owl, and like the other shaman i have met, she is humble enough to not know she is a shaman.
pilar told me that she was sending some of her writings, but i didn't know why until i got them. her book is called, "myth story of a healing journey," and it is a story that she wanted to share with other people who suffered sexual and domestic abuse to inspire them to overcome their struggles, and so it starts... "Pilar Awa went to the well.. and there she was."
and there i was, shocked by the memory of what happened to me and come to terms with it, and finally i understood why i had received the book. i shared the story with pilar and some other people who i trust very much of how i was sexually abused hundred of times by someone who deceitfully befriended my parents, and i was not able to liberate myself for almost ten years from the time the assaults began.
pilar sent me her story to help heal me, and im writing this blog entry to help other people heal. to let them know that i was abused as well, and i have survived. pilar has generously given me her book to pass onto others who it might help, so if you have suffered from sexual abuse or know of others who have, and you think pilar's book might help, please let me know, and i will get the book to you. i am also happy to speak to anyone about my experiences.
if you contact me or not, know that there are people who have survived. some have suffered in silence and some have suffered with the support of others, but please know that you can survive.
and if we can support you, we will be happy to help. you c
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