Blog feed

The simple chronological feed of all the blog posts published on this site.

From the most recent to the oldest post, follow the entire journey.

Apple crumble, fresh from the oven.

Apple crumble

The best use for an apple harvest, in my opinion. A simple, reliable crumble that never disappoints.

Coprosma robusta - karamu - with droops.

Chickens love coprosma

An accidental observation leads me down a rabbithole.

Cox's Orange Pippin and Calville Blanc d'Hiver apples

Apple harvest

Three of our heritage apple trees produced small harvests this year.

Selfie of Kat doing the thumbs up at the camera after weeding the garden bed.

Getting over garden overwhelm

Gaining a focus on turning around the garden for another season.

Coffee berries ready to be picked on my coffee plant.

Testing the coffee beans

After a recent workshop to learn how to process my own coffee, I put my own coffee beans to the test.

The bananas after Cyclone Gabrielle.

Storm surge

We weren’t entirely unscathed by Gabrielle, but we are left feeling very grateful.

Chickens looking a little confused at a sunflower.

The pursuit of self-sufficiency

We’ve been here a while, so how close are we to being self-sufficient?

Nana Retter's fruit cake - fully iced with a piece cut out.

Making Nana Retter’s Fruit Cake

Last Christmas I joined a long line of women who have made this cake. My great grandmother’s recipe, finally made.

Chickens scavenging through mulch at the base of a banana palm.

The pros and cons of owning chickens

If you love eggs, you might be thinking about owning some chickens… but should you?

The garden in December 2022, before the catnip harvest began.

Six things I did this summer

I’ve had a wonderful summer break, though I’m not sure how relaxing it was. Here’s a catch-up of what I got up to.

Garlic bed just before harvest in December 2022.

2022 Garlic harvest (part 1)

Four of our six garlic varieties are out of the ground! See how it went!

A yellow daffodil with an orange center

On patience

Time marches on and if you’re patient enough, it delights you.

The pine nut tree before I decorated it.

Oh, Christmas Tree

This year our pine nut tree is tall enough to be our outdoor Christmas tree!

Sign at Redwoods Garden Center in Kerikeri. Reads "Avocados / sorry no exchanges or refunds / Avocados are tricky and often fail. Please ask at the till for a planting guide."

Where are the avocados?

We have a lot of trees at The Outpost, but we don’t have any avocado. It’s not just because we’re saving to build a house.

A pile of peanuts in their shells

Planting peanuts

I’m feeling more on top of things in the garden, so I’m growing something new.

My happy place - the garden

My happy place

3 years ago I wrote about my frustration at my new garden. Today, it is my happy place.

Licker - one of the cows in our second herd

Paying for my cow’s farts

How will the proposed agricultural emissions scheme affect my little farm and tiny cattle herd?

Leeks and shallots growing in the garden together, surrounded by a border of catnip on the outside

Vegetables that pay off

All things considered, what vegetables deliver the best returns on investment in the garden?

Kat in front of the banana planting, August 2022

Five trees you’ll find at The Outpost

A tree that can grow 6 meters in a year; another that you can wash your clothes with. A guide to a few of our trees.

A complete and tidy berryhouse with the door closed

Tidying the berry house

The berries are flowering, so it’s time to secure the berry house against birds. If only it were that simple!

Garlic planting at the end of September 2022

A mid-season update on the garlic

After last year’s disaster season, how is the garlic growing in 2022?

Trees and plants purchased on my 40th birthday shopping spree

The shopping spree

I spent my 40th birthday buying and planting trees. 16 year old me would be horrified.