Blog
Weekly tales from The Outpost.
Growing paprika
Paprika is made from specific varieties of capsicum, and this summer, I grew and processed my own.
Animal tales, part 4
Our lives are made richer by the creatures we share this place with. Sometimes I write short stories about them. This is the fourth post in that series.
March in the garden
Not sure what needs doing in your garden this month? I’ve got you covered.
Gran Shirley’s quick pickle
An easy-to-prepare vegetable accompaniment for summer meals.
Planting comfrey under fruit trees
Organic farmers know comfrey as a ‘dynamic accumulator’ – bringing deeply buried nutrients to the surface to feed my fruit trees.
Cleaning up my rusty tools
It’s pruning season but my tools are rusty and I can’t afford new ones. So I tried cleaning them up with vinegar.
How to make your own pruning paste
Pruning paste is helpful for keeping your fruit trees healthy after pruning.
Gardening equipment you won’t regret
Some of my favourite pieces of equipment for taking your garden to the next level.
Sponge-top pudding
Use your fruit harvests by making this simple comforting dessert on these dark winter nights.
Winter gardening in the Far North
It’s time to tidy the strawberries, plant garlic, and prepare for potatoes.
Eating water-glassed eggs
An attempt to avoid buying eggs as our chicken’s production drops off.
Tidying my garden shed
My garden shed is (once again) a mess! Time to tidy it up.
In-ground worm farming
This week I installed some new worm farms directly in the garden.
4 things to consider before buying fruit trees
You’ve finally got a place to plant fruit trees – but there’s dozens at the garden centre! Which one do you buy?
The International Year of Millets
The UN has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, so I tried growing some millet.
Autumn garden update
As we hurtle towards winter, I’m working away in my garden to get it ready for next summer.
My first peanut harvest
My first peanut harvest is in!
Pam and Tommy
Six weeks ago we welcomed two new occupants in our zoo – Pam and Tommy.
Apple crumble
My favourite way to use our apple harvest.
Chickens love coprosma
An accidental observation leads me down a rabbithole.
Apple harvest
Three of our heritage apple trees produced small harvests this year.
Getting over garden overwhelm
Gaining a focus on turning around the garden for another season.