Lacuna Sabbath

we now resume our normal broadcast..........

Somewhere there I lost the blogging mojo. But here we are again.

The love affair with onion seedlings continues. I have Pukekohe Long Keepers, Gladalans, Creamgolds, Red Brunswicks and Ailsa Craigs all coming along nicely. The cold nights are slowing down growth a little. The seedlings coming up on the new all you beaut heated seedling mat (above) have overtaken the ones sown weeks ago in the greenhouse (below). I guess its all about soil temperature.

Queen Atalia update.

The girls seem to be going well. On warm days there it lots of foraging happening. I notice the scouts buzzing around the place looking for new sources of nectar. At bee club the other night (also attended by the charming Mr Bredbo Valley View Farm) there was some talk about more natural less chemically inclined ways of preserving supers. I have been putting off painting my new boxes waiting for inspiration on this very topic. Some folks are using boiled linseed oil. Another fellow is using melted beeswax and natural turpentine. The boiled linseed oil thingy sounded OK until I discovered that rather than "boiled" its cut with mineral turpentine, which is a hydrocarbon. Which kinda defeats the whole purpose of not using paint......

So yesterday I tried painting the super pieces with an equal mix of raw linseed oil and natural turpentine. I think it is going to take a few coats, but I am happy with the result so far. The smell is nice rather than toxic.

I have discovered Eliot Coleman's "Winter Harvest Handbook" and am DEEPLY inspired. Its specifically focused on winter food production without artificial heating in places much much MUCH colder than the ONC. While I have been getting better at growing more food over winter, this book is just FANTASTIC. I am keen to get on down to the community garden to set up more wind protection.......

If you buy one gardening book this year, I reckon it should be this one.