Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 29 i Pip Magazine

Pip wants to do more than just inspire you to live your best life. We want to lead by example, practise what we preach and live by the ethics of earth care, people care and fair share. And although permaculture is a concept created 40-odd years ago, these ideas aren’t new. Indigenous people all around the world have been living like this for tens of thousands of years. Pip acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land; past, present and emerging. Created on the lands of the Yuin Nation, Pip respects the great wealth of knowledge and rich tradition which has cared for this country for millennia. We invite First Nations People to share their knowledge within Pip, so that we can all have a deeper connection to country and learn…

The burrawang belongs to the cycad family. There are roughly 30 species of cycad along the east coast of Australia in tropical and subtropical climates. Other species occur in Central and other parts of Australia. The botanical name for the burrawang on NSW’s south coast is Macrozamia communis, indicating the plant lives in small communities. In the local Aboriginal language, Dhurga, the burrawang is known as banggawu and the nut is called yiburr. The bulbous female seed cluster is more prolific compared to the elongated male cluster. You’ll usually find one or two male plants among the community of females. USE CAUTION Aboriginal people used extreme caution when handling burrawang seeds or leaves. It’s carcinogenic and can be absorbed through the skin. For protection, hands were coated in a layer…

“Plants grown with organic fertilisers will be more nutrient-dense than those grown with synthetic alternatives” Now’s the time to get your soil ready for spring seedlings and summer harvests. Let’s consider the what, why and how of the various ways of feeding your soil and plants with compost, fertilisers and minerals. Healthy soil is the foundation every garden needs. You might always be thinking about what to provide your plants so they grow and produce abundantly, but have you considered that you need to feed your soil as well? Fertilisers and manures are great for soil fertility, and compost is king for building organic matter in your garden beds, but what about seaweed, worm castings, trace mineral rock dust, soil probiotics and more? COMPOST OR FERTILISER? Compost and fertiliser perform…

This diminutive Castlemaine home was a passion project by retirees with a bold dream to live comfortably, without debt and to use as many natural and recycled materials as they could. At the ages of 66 and 62 respectively, Fay and Terry White decided the best thing they could do after four decades of marriage was self-build a home together. Planning began in 2011, the first sod was turned in June 2016 and the house was completed by February 2019. Moving from the nearby central Victorian town of Maryborough, they bought their 784 m2 south-sloping block in Castlemaine with a narrow north-facing street view. Having lived in draughty, leaky houses for most of their lives, the goals for their forever home were it needed to be airtight, comfortable, inexpensive and…

The arrival of spring’s warmer weather is a great time to introduce chooks into your patch. More than just protection from weather and predators, a chicken coop needs to be well considered to ensure your flock stays happy, healthy and laying. Integrating a flock of chickens into your patch has so many more benefits than simply a regular supply of healthy eggs. They process kitchen waste, fight common garden pests and produce nitrogen-rich fertiliser. When it comes to supplying them a cosy home, they have some specific requirements that need to be considered. But a well thought-out design – both in terms of the structure itself and how it fits into your space – will ensure you’re getting the most from your flock, while they stay happy and healthy. SIZE…

Q WHAT CHEESE IS MADE BACKWARDS? A EDAM FUN FACTS ABOUT WORMS Six things you may not know about these important creatures 1 Worms don’t have lungs, they breathe through their skin. 2 The average lifespan of a composting worm is about two years. 3 Baby worms hatch from tiny lemon-shaped eggs called cocoons. 4 Earthworms are found on every continent except Antarctica. 5 Earthworms predate vertebrates, meaning they’re older than dinosaurs. 6 The largest earthworm ever found measured 6.7 metres long! Q WHAT DO YOU CALL A KOALA WITH NO TEETH? A AGUMMYBEAR FIND-A-WORD How many of the 24 words from this issue can you find hidden in this box? ACRES ASPARAGUS BRAINS BURRAWANG CAULIFLOWER CHICKEN COMPOST COOP FERTILISER FLYING FOX GARDEN GARLIC MANURE MASSAGE MURNONG OFFAL ROOST SEAWEED…

RACHEL GOLDLUST Dr Rachel Goldlust is a researcher, writer, academic, educator and the founder of the national platform/directory Natural Building Australia launched this year. Recently moving to Castlemaine on Djaara country, she is passionate about oral history, natural and built heritage, environmental and social justice, travel, storytelling and bringing sustainable living ideas to wider audiences. Combining her current work for the national household sustainability not-for-profit Renew, she loves sharing her passion for good building, clever design and natural-material homes. NIKKI SING Nikki Sing is a journalist and passionate advocate for organic gardening and natural living. Residing in north central Victoria on a picturesque 12-acre property, Nikki together with her husband and four children embrace the principles of permaculture in pursuit of creating a more self-sufficient life. Through her work as…

Woodtamer 860 CARVING AXE This Australian-made axe marries a hand-forged 5150 steel head with an Australian Spotted Gum timber faceted handle and is designed to achieve both full-swing blows and slow, controlled cuts. It has a handle length of 330 millimetres and a cutting edge of 110 millimetres, while the forged head accounts for 560 of the axe’s 860-gram total weight. The cutting edge is a 30-degree hollow-grind bevel which is protected by a handmade leather sheath. $395.00 www.woodtamer.com.au Cotopaxi TECA HALF-ZIP WINDBREAKER Cotopaxi garments are constructed using leftover fabric from other companies’ production runs, meaning each one is a limited edition. This three-season windbreaker is lightweight yet durable, is vented at the back and has elastic binding at the cuffs, hem and hood. As well as conventionally located hand…

FLYING FOXES What is a flying fox? Grey-headed flying foxes are one of the largest bat species in the world; known as megabats. Their faces resemble that of a fox, with light grey fur on the head and a russet collar encircling the neck. Their scientific name is Pteropus poliocephalus. They are the only mammals capable of active flight with a wingspan of up to a metre long and they fly up to 40 kilometres a night. They are commonly known as fruit bats because of their passion for backyard bounty. Why are bats so important? Flying foxes’ main food is the nectar and pollen of eucalyptus trees. Flying foxes are long-distance pollinators, covering multiple states. They drop seeds helping to build eucalypt forests and keep them genetically healthy. They…

Brassica oleracea var. botrytis – brassica is latin for cabbage, and oleracea for vegetable-like; botrytis means grape-like in Greek. ORIGINS This is a vegetable that does not exist in the wild because it derives from kale, which is of ancient cultivation. It was popular in ancient Rome but originated in Syria where it was supposedly grown for over a millennium beforehand. Also called cole-flower in Tudor times, when the heads were no larger than tennis balls. DESCRIPTION The cauliflower is grown for its curd which nestles inside its large leaves. CULTIVATION Cauliflower is sensitive to overly acid soils and prefers a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 for a healthy seed crop. The soil should be well supplied with organic matter and be well draining. In Australia, it grows best when…

Perfect for small spaces, this timber planter doubles as a compost bin and worm farm. Not only will this Modbed bundle help you divert waste, grow food and do something great for the planet, it makes having a composting worm farm really easy.  subpod.com.au As well as going into the draw to win this modbed bundle from subpod valued at over $800 you’ll learn the skills and be inspired to reduce waste, grow food, make compost, forage for food, preserve your harvest, save seeds, keep bees and chooks, build eco-homes, make your own clothes and so much more! CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS SCAN QR CODE TO ENTER! IT’S EASY TO ORDER! grow.pipmagazine.com.au subscribe@pipmagazine.com.au 0475 621 074 SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS FREE DELIVERY To your door WIN Eligiblity for subscriber giveaways PRACTICAL The perfect gift…

Seaweed lives and grows in the nutrient-rich waters of the ocean, where it absorbs important vitamins, minerals and trace elements which are often lacking in food grown in soil. By eating seaweed, we are increasing our vitamin and mineral consumption. The more diverse types of seaweed we eat, the wider the range of nutritional benefits we experience. Different seaweeds contain different nutrients depending on their species and where they are growing. As well as zinc and iodine, some of the goodness found in seaweeds include Vitamin A, B1, B2, C, E, K, calcium, folate, potassium, iron, magnesium and copper. Some seaweeds contain B12 as well. TRADITIONAL USES There is evidence of seaweed being used by Indigenous Australians as far back as 45,000 years ago in Tasmania. Indigenous Australians, specifically the…

Thanks to a vision to prioritise food security, sustainable practices, entrepreneurial opportunities and wellbeing initiatives for the community, the regional Victorian town of Corryong has shown that from adversity comes new beginnings. When a group of food-growing enthusiasts gathered at the local Corryong Food Swap after the Upper Murray region was devastated in the January 2020 bushfires, they recognised the lack of locally grown fresh food. Acutely aware of the fragility of supply chains and the community’s reliance on them to date, Acres and Acres Co-op was set up in March 2020 to establish a local food source. Now providing food security, resilience and easier accessibility, it’s a result that turned the devastating effects of the bushfires into one of positive change. The six founding members of Dee Mcdonald, Shelly…

DIGGERS Diggers invites you to learn all aspects of sustainable and organic gardening with incredible presenters sharing their knowledge. The program will evolve throughout the seasons, with something for every gardener. www.diggers.com.au/education STUDY ONLINE, AT YOUR PLACE Australia’s best-loved online courses to help you gain the knowledge and practical skills you need for living like it matters: Permaculture Living | Home Mushroom Cultivation | Organic Vegetable Gardening. www.milkwood.net/courses SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PERMACULTURE WORKSHOPS & TOURS Absorb sustainable living skills on a mature certified organic farm growing over 150 varieties of food. Learn with the Brookmans and specialist tutors at open days, permaculture short courses, food production or fully immerse yourself in our Permaculture Design Certificate. www.foodforest.com.au (08) 8522 6450 CRYSTAL WATERS PDC HOSTED BY ROBIN CLAYFIELD Robin and other experienced presenters…

Books THE COMPOST COACH MAKE COMPOST, BUILD SOIL AND GROW A REGENERATIVE GARDEN – WHEREVER YOU LIVE BY KATE FLOOD (MURDOCH BOOKS 2023) Discover how to turn food waste and household carbon into nutrient-rich food for your garden, learn how and why soil matters and make climate activism an everyday mission with this new book by Kate Flood. The Compost Coach is a colourful, comprehensive and accessible guide to creating the very best compost, AKA ‘garden gold’. Kate is on a mission to empower readers to understand the small steps they can take every day to look after the environment and live more sustainability. The book is pitched at the home composter, including people who live in apartments and houses with or without gardens – yes, you can compost without…

https://www.bioguano.com.au/ Bioguano Australia is a family-owned and operated business that has food-growing heritage spanning 100 years. Over that time, it has developed a deep understanding of what makes a highly effective organic fertiliser that cares for the soil and the planet. Guano is a word originating from the Andean Indigenous language, which means ‘the droppings of seabirds’. The production process begins when saltwater fish are consumed and digested by sea birds. Deposited on rocks and baked in the sun, the excrement – along with bits of eggshells, feathers, insects and microbes – matures into what Bioguano Australia says is nature’s best fertiliser. Guano has the ability to clean toxins from soil, improve soil structure, speed up the decomposition process and promote healthy plant colour and growth. BIOGUANO+ Originally created for…

“The rewards of growing food are available to all of us” Growing food is one of the most powerful things we can do. Not only can it have far reaching benefits into our communities and surrounding environments it can also improve our own health and wellbeing. Growing your own food reduces pollution by reducing food miles, when done well it can build our soil health and when shared it can build communities. Growing your own food reduces the intake of chemicals, increases our nutrient intake and brings down our household food bills, thus reducing the cost of living. Taking time in the garden is good for our mental health, it helps us connect to the seasons and with nature, and having our hands in the soil is good for our…

WRITE IN AND WIN! The letter of the issue wins 1 litre of BioGuano+, a concentrated liquid garden fertiliser. LETTER of the ISSUE Wise words Once again a fabulous publication, I never fail to add to my knowledge base when I indulge in a sit down and immersion amongst these pages. I picked up an issue from my fabulous local library yesterday and have read it from cover to cover. My purpose for writing is to commend you on the Nurture article It’s okay by Robyn Rosenfeldt (Pip, Issue 28). What you shared here I recognise as hard-earned wisdom through experience. I hope everyone reads it and recognises the life-saving wisdom. I am a nanna of senior years, a lifelong gardener and passionate environmental advocate, and I learned many decades…

The common garden snail Cornu aspersum is a much-loved delicacy in France and a great source of vitamin A, iron, magnesium and calcium. Snails are low in fat, high in protein and are found in nearly all gardens across Australia. Introduced from Europe over 120 years ago, the common garden snail has made its home in suburban gardens, but is also farmed here in Australia for its culinary uses and exported back to France. Normally cursed by gardeners and overlooked as a food source, these small unassuming culinary morsels can be enjoyed and even celebrated. HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM Cornu aspersum is found in most gardens and is easily identified by its rounded brown shell and large size. Australia has many native and exotic snails, ones with cone-like or decorative…

It’s easy to think you need a big backyard, lots of knowledge and plenty of spare time in order to be able harvest homegrown food for you and your family. But by understanding the space you have and what you consume the most of, there’s no reason why we all can’t be reducing our grocery bills with some homegrown fruit, vegetables and herbs. There are so many great things about growing food. Zero food miles, knowing it hasn’t been sprayed, the savings at the checkout and the real sense of achievement that comes with harvesting live, nutrient-dense produce just an hour or so before sitting down to eat it. There are many things that hold us back from doing it, too. Many people will feel they don’t have the space,…

Underrated and misunderstood, incorporating offal into our diets is highly nutritious and inexpensive way to eat more sustainably. You don’t have to go back very many generations to find a time when organs were the most prized part of an animal to consume. As well as having a far higher nutritional value than the muscle meat we tend to favour today, incorporating what is these days considered waste products into our diets is not only a far more ethical and sustainable way to eat, but it’s nearly always less expensive, too. WHAT CHANGED? Like so many other things, it was the ramping up of large-scale supply chains in the hunt for convenience that probably led to offal falling out of favour among most Australians today. When local abattoirs were the…

“Our measure of success is all too often what we’re doing for everyone else, which can lead to feelings of guilt or selfishness if we do afford ourselves a bit of time” An overwhelmingly positive response to Robyn’s honest and revealing feature last issue speaking to the idea that we can’t do it all and that that’s okay got the Pip team thinking about the importance of self care. In a world where success is often defined by how busy we are, putting aside time for ourselves is difficult when our families, our jobs, our values and our responsibilities are always competing for our attention. And yes, it feels really good when the family is happy, the boss is impressed, there’s bread in the oven and the volunteering you did…

In the little commercial kitchen of the Castlemaine Community House in central Victoria, the Murnong Mammas are in their happy place. A place that intertwines their love of cooking, the friends that support them, the food that stirs their souls and the ingredients that connect them spiritually. There is something humbling about a group gathering in a kitchen to prepare food for others. A splash of laughter, a pinch of experience and a whole lot of love pouring out of them as they cook up a delectable yet intriguing feast for their growing clientele. When they’re cooking, they share the ups and downs in their lives that have ultimately brought them together. But it’s also where they unite to combine age-old wisdom from bush tucker with the modern-day cooking that…

We love seeing what kids are growing with their families in their gardens, so snap and email us an image of what you’re harvesting at the moment. Send the photo to editorial@pipmagazine.com.au – and you might even pick up a snazzy prize! This issue’s winner is Dolly, who has won a copy of Zero Waste by Megan Anderson. SHOW US YOUR GARDEN Little Climate Heroes Playgroup Adelaide, SA Little Climate Heroes Playgroup is a child-centred space to empower our smallest ones with the knowledge, passion and purpose to work to protect our environment, advocate for change and find fulfilment and purpose in community and in nature. It meets once a month at a community garden on Kaurna land called The Goody Patch, where it tends to a shared plot of…

Urban Revolution JAPANESE SICKLE Review by Robyn Rosenfeldt My Japanese sickle is an important member of the close-knit family of tools I call my old trusties. These include a hand trowel, secateurs, a hori hori (part trowel, part knife), scissors and a hand fork. They all live in my tool caddy (Pip, Issue 25) which I carry with me when I am gardening and means I no longer lose my tools to the far corners of the vegie patch. While it might not be as regular a friend as a trowel or secateurs, for the jobs that it does do, there is no other alternative. The Japanese hand sickle has a curved blade that’s 17 centimetres long with serrations on the inside of the curve. It is perfect for when…