Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 30 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…

CREATIVE HARVEST Victoria’s West Gippsland region will play host to the sixth annual Creative Harvest, which brings creative minds and green thumbs together in a celebration of sustainability. Held over 27–28 January, there’ll be 15 open food gardens to visit, plus 30 artists and producers in attendance, as well as workshops, talks, market stalls and refreshments. To keep across the gardens and creatives lined up for the 2024 event, visit www.creativeharvest.org.au. PIP TIP! Turn a much-loved button-up shirt into a kitchen apron by cutting off the sleeves, back panel and collar, but leaving the base of the collar intact. Cut two strips of fabric from the back panel, attach them to the sides to form a back tie, and you’ve made a useful item that you can love for another…

There are about 60 species of saltbush in Australia and around 250 throughout the world, however not all of them are edible. As its name suggests, saltbush is a hardy saline-tolerant plant. A member of the Chenopodiaceae subfamily, it grows in Australia’s dry areas, preferring warm climates without a lot of rainfall. In the right conditions, saltbush can grow up to three metres high and up to five metres wide. COASTAL SALTBUSH The Coastal saltbush (Atriplex cinerea) – also known as grey saltbush, barilla, old man saltbush or truganini – favours coastal regions and grows in most states. The oval-shaped leaves are pointed and grow to 10 centimetres long. Coastal saltbush is smoky-grey in colour and prefers full sun. White to creamy-coloured flowers form in clusters in spring and autumn.…

Mysterious creatures that turn our green waste into a power pack of microbial- and nutrient-rich castings, worms are essential to both soil and plant health. Creating your own worm farm is inexpensive, easy and a fantastic way to turn vegie scraps, coffee grounds, newspapers and even eggshells into a rich resource that builds soil and increases plant health. Low maintenance, worms require little more than a couple of handfuls of vegie scraps each week applied to their shaded home, and what they will give you in return is pure garden gold. WORM TYPES AND BREEDS With around 1000 species of worms in Australia, there is a species suited to every application. Worms can be separated into three types, there are worms that do better in a worm-farm setting, called epigeic,…

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“Keeping active, squatting, lifting, bending and moving in the garden helps keep your body flexible and strong” Many answers to how we can live long and happy lives can be found by looking at the common traits of the communities in the world with the longest-living populations. There has been a lot of talk lately about what helps us live to a ripe old age and how we can enjoy health and happiness along the way. And it seems that the answers are surprisingly simple. It doesn’t require fancy diets, expensive supplements or well-intentioned gym memberships. If we look to the ‘blue zones’, which are regions of the world with the highest concentration of centenarians, we find common traits exist across these communities. And although genetics does play a part…

After years coveting a better way of life, environmental artist Liz Walker has found the home, time and space to do just that. If you didn’t know better, you’d peg Liz Walker as an incurable hoarder. Countless boxes of rubbish fastidiously and lovingly collected from the beach and streets nearby her Mornington Peninsula home are dotted around her work spaces, while the downstairs room housing her stores of preserves would be the envy of the most earnest of doomsday preppers. But Liz Walker is nothing of the sort. A highly accomplished artist, the piles of plastic, rope and objects – all washed and meticulously sorted – play an important role in her artwork which probes at the social and environmental issues affecting us all. And the storeroom? Well that’s just…

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. Email the photo to editorial@pipmagazine.com.au to win a copy of The Dam, by David Almond. This issue’s winner is Maisie Keunen. FESTIVE PAPER CHAINS By Emma Gibbs Put your old Pip Kitchen Garden Calendars to good use by upcycling them into festive paper chains to decorate your home or Christmas tree. WHAT YOU’LL NEED An old Pip Kitchen Garden Calendar (or brightly coloured construction paper) Scissors Ruler Pencil Glue DIRECTIONS 1 Gather your old Pip Kitchen Garden Calendars. You can use any old calendars you have or colourful construction paper, it just needs to be thick enough so the chain holds its shape.…

WEAR NEXT FASHIONING THE FUTURE BY CLARE PRESS (THAMES & HUDSON 2023) The current fashion system is wasteful, environmentally harmful and exploitative. And, if we carry on as we do now, it could account for a quarter of global emissions by 2050. But creative thinkers are dreaming up new ways to craft our sartorial identities that don’t wreck the planet. Vogue’s first sustainability editor, Clare Press, introduces us to the innovators who are redesigning fashion from the ground up. SUSTAIN GROUNDBREAKING RECIPES AND SKILLS THAT COULD SAVE THE PLANET BY JO BARRETT (HARDIE GRANT PUBLISHING 2023) An inspiring cookbook and manual of ideas, practices and techniques for a more sustainable kitchen. One of Australia’s most respected chefs, Jo Barrett was part of the team behind futurefoodsystem, a landmark experiment in…

BEC SHANN Bec is a waste educator with a passion for living an intentional, permaculture-inspired life. She has a background in agricultural science research and communication, permaculture design and organic gardening. When she’s not writing for Pip, you’ll find her starting a Substack newsletter, educating her local community on all things waste and living the good life with her husband on their small permaculture homestead, on Yuin Country, on the Far South Coast of New South Wales. DEAN TURNER Co-founder of The Crossing Land Education Trust, a non-profit organisation that runs a sustainably designed campsite for secondary and tertiary students near Bermagui, NSW, Dean is the vice chair of the Far South Coast Landcare Association and a member of the Biamanga National Park Board of Management. He has managed outdoor…

Allium sativum – allium was the Roman name for garlic; sativum means cultivated in Latin. ORIGINS It is believed garlic originated in the mountains of Central Asia. It was found wild in the Altaic Mountains of Siberia and also much closer to Europe in the southern part of the Ural Mountains. Garlic’s single character in Chinese, pronounced ‘Suan’, indicates its ancient introduction into China, probably by the nomadic Mongols. Early crusaders thought garlic was native to the Mediterranean because it was depicted on the Egyptian pyramids. It was part of the food supplied by the authorities to keep the builders strong and healthy. DESCRIPTION Flat leaves emerge from the clove. Later a stalk appears and grows to 60 centimetres, ending in infertile flowers. When the stalks die back, the cloves…

lecreuset.com.au The next level of delicious and beautiful, Le Creuset’s Bread Oven’s domed lid traps and circulates steam for maximum rise and ultimate flavour, while the low-profile base promotes even browning and produces a golden, crispy crust. Crafted from cast iron, this purpose-built piece is designed to produce bakery-quality results at home. Perfect for the passionate home baker. As well as going into the draw to win this Le Creuset Bread Oven valued at $540 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! SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS FREE DELIVERY To your door WIN Eligiblity for subscriber giveaways…

Looking every bit a strange creature from the deep, sea urchins are a seafood delicacy. But not only are they good for you and breeding in abundance, they’re playing a significant role in our underwater ecosystems. There are 950 different species of sea urchin found in all parts of the world, of these about 18 are edible. In Australia there are three main sea urchin species harvested for eating; the purple or short-spined sea urchin (Heliocidaris erythrogramma), the long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and the red sea urchin (H. tuberculata). WHERE TO FIND THEM The purple sea urchin is a native Australian species found in the coastal waters of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. They are generally found in shallow waters up to…

These owner builders set out to blend open-plan communal living with soft edges, natural materials and exquisite attention to detail. After living in a tiny house for four years, Adam and Sian’s dream of strawbale home started to take shape in 2017 when they purchased half an acre of land on Gadubanud country, in Deans Marsh, Victoria. A north-facing township block with a gentle fall to the north, it was a blank canvas of pastureland, apart from five mature fruit trees. Importantly though, it boasted high-clay soil which they were able to use in the construction of their home. With experience in construction specialising in natural building, Adam designed the house with a commitment to make it as sustainably as possible. Now, six years on, the result is a 227…

When we think about fire preparation, our first thoughts are usually about cleaning up around the house. But as we head towards what’s tipped to be a particularly hot summer, there’s plenty we can learn from people who have survived catastrophic bushfires. The unseasonably warm and dry spring Australia just experienced has followed a triple La Niña weather event. The increase in rainfall during the last three summers has contributed to thick forest undergrowth which, as temperatures increase, is drying out. There’s nothing we can do that will have any bearing on the extreme temperatures Australia is expecting this fire season, but there’s things we can do to prepare, and designs we can implement that can put you and your family on the front foot if the unthinkable happens in…

Because worms are so low-maintenance, making your own worm farm is easier than you might think. There are plenty of reasons to have a worm farm. Not only are they a hugely efficient way to process organic waste from your kitchen and around your home, but the high nutritional value their castings and leachate, or ‘worm wee’, can provide your soil and your plants makes them a must-have for any productive patch. WHAT YOU’LL NEED A worm farm needs two same-sized containers and one well-fitting lid, this can be anything from a couple of plastic pails or tubs to old styrofoam boxes. Styrofoam boxes work well because their insulative properties help to keep your worms cool in summer and warm in winter. For the same reason, it’s not a bad…

COLOUR IN OUR COVER IMAGE Have a go at colouring in the image that appears on this issue’s cover. Once you’re happy with it, ask an adult to take a photo of you holding your finished artwork and have them email it to editorial@pipmagazine.com. au. You can post your entry to Pip magazine, PO Box 172, Pambula, NSW, 2549. The winner will be published in the next issue and will pick up a copy of Searching for Cicadas, by Leslie Gibbs and Judy Watson. The winner of Issue 29’s colouring-in competition is Will Brophy from Yamba, NSW. Well done to everyone who entered. FIND-A-WORD How many of the 24 words from this issue can you find hidden in this box? APRON CHARGER CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL COMPOST ELECTRIC ENVIRONMENTAL FIRE GARLIC LOQUAT…

“To help you live a life more connected to the natural world” Hello lovely people and welcome to our 30th issue of Pip magazine. It’s quite a milestone for our little team who work away behind the scenes bringing each issue together. As I write this, the wind is howling outside, yesterday it poured with rain which caused flooding, and the day before nearby fires burned out of control. What is happening out there? What is happening to our climate? How do we remain positive and joyful in the face of these ongoing threats? For me, I still see the world as an amazing and beautiful place. Our planet is still full of so much beauty and so much wonder. There is so much beauty in life and the small…

WRITE IN AND WIN! The Letter of the Issue wins one litre of Bioguano+, a concentrated liquid garden fertiliser. LETTER of the ISSUE On a whim The only time I buy magazines is at airports when I have a long wait. So when my last flight was delayed, I headed to the newsagent to browse what was available. The cover of Issue 28 caught my eye immediately and made my heart glad. It brought back memories of picking mushrooms with my aunty in Orange, NSW, and my fascination with whimsical fairies and toadstools as a child. I had never seen your magazine before so flicking through the pages and seeing it was sustainable-living and gardening related, I bought it. I’ve recently joined a biodynamic gardening group where I live, and…

Once a popular Australian backyard tree, loquats fell out of favour over a decade ago. However, you can still spot a branch of a mature loquat hanging over a fence, laden with fruit and ripe for the picking. This evergreen tree is a feature in any garden with its dark-green glossy leaves but this time of year it will supply you with an abundance of bright golden-coloured fruit that can be enjoyed fresh from the tree or preserved. A member of the rose family, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a very versatile plant but as it is an early fruiter, take care to manage its bounty – fallen fruit could provide a nursery for fruitfly populations. HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM Loquat trees are evergreen with thick, glossy dark-green leaves around 30…

Cucurbits, or Cucurbitaceae, take in all of the gourd family, including pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, melons and zucchinis. All are easy and rewarding to grow at home. Abundant summer gardens are just around the corner and there’s a good chance yours will include a variety of cucurbits. They’re perfect for the home patch thanks to their prolific harvests and versatility in the kitchen. Also known as winter and summer squash, cucurbits are warm-weather annuals that may be eaten fresh (like zucchini and melons), or stored for the cooler months (like pumpkins and squash). Now’s the time to get ready for a bumper crop from these easy-to-grow plants in small and large gardens alike. CLIMATE AND SOIL Cucurbits prefer a warm, sheltered spot in the garden with full sun (at least six…

With the summer months upon us, now’s the time to look at how to turn the food you have growing in your garden into refreshing cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Growing a cocktail garden is a lot more than growing garnishes. It’s about selecting the right botanicals which will impart a unique flavour and ultimately become a key ingredient and integral part of the cocktail. Whether you’re growing herbs such as common mint, exotic fruits such as African-horned cucumber, or chilli varieties such the Aleppo pepper, every plant has a role to play in both the garden and in the glass. THINK FLAVOUR The more you delve into flavour, the more ideas will come to mind about their potential use. Take mint for example, slap it between your palms to release…

We’ve known for decades our transport choices are impacting the health of the planet and its inhabitants. So where are we at right now in terms of EV ownership in Australia? Australia is massive; a land of sweeping plains and very long roads. With our relatively low population and mostly underwhelming public transport system, it’s no surprise that as a country, we love our cars and are often dependent on them. We have the second-highest rate of car ownership in the world, behind the US, to prove it. But it’s coming at a huge environmental cost: last year the transport sector made up 19 percent of Australia’s emissions, according to the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Passenger cars and light commercial vehicles contributed 60 percent…

PDC, MARGARET RIVER, WA The immersive two-week course includes camping at its eco-certified campground and catering from the property. Facilitated by a range of practitioners, you will gain knowledge, experience and relationships. www.fairharvest.com.au 0439 568 131 ONLINE LEARNING FOR HANDS-ON LIVING 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 PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE, GAWLER, SA Learn at a mature certified-organic permaculture farm and education centre. Immerse yourself in our PDC (April/May) with David Holmgren and the Brookmans. Explore workshops on organic food, keeping poultry and fruit and nut growing. Tours by appointment. www.foodforest.com.au (08) 8522 6450 CRYSTAL WATERS PDC HOSTED BY ROBIN CLAYFIELD Robin offers dynamic Teaching and…

Books PASTA LOVE HOW TO MAKE, EAT AND CELEBRATE PASTA LIKE AN ITALIAN BY JACLYN CRUPI (AFFIRM PRESS 2023) According to Jaclyn Crupi – a proud Italian-Australian pasta maker and devotee (and whose garden we featured in Pip Issue 28!) – pasta is love, pasta is life. Pasta can be a quick and simple meal or a culinary masterpiece, but in essence it is about generosity, comfort and the beauty to be found in simple and high-quality ingredients. In this book, Jaclyn shares recipes for pasta doughs as well as shapes and seasonal sauces. She explores where pasta comes from and who makes it, profiling nonne and chefs alike, and shows that anyone can and should give pasta-making a go. Pasta Love is a celebration of the food staple we all…

https://www.offgridevent.com.au/ Founded in 2018, the Off-Grid Living Festival has grown into one of the most comprehensive and informative sustainability events in the country. From traditional skills and homesteading to electric vehicles and emerging technology, the Off-Grid Living Festival is far more than an event to help you unplug your energy requirements from the grid. Each year, the two-day event aims to inspire participants to take new steps towards living a more sustainable life. Held at Chiltern Racecourse and Recreation Reserve in Victoria’s northeast over 6–7 April 2024, the event will take in more than 250 exhibitors spread across 10 specific focus areas. There’ll be four dedicated undercover ‘talks tents’, a huge program of hands-on workshops with craftspeople, producers, professionals and long-term off-gridders, as well as a schedule of live music…