Free-Range Living

October's a time when there's not too much to do on the eco micro-holding growing-wise, and the urge is more focused on work and jobs to do to prepare for winter - predicted here to be quite severe again. Some jobs are bigger, like renovating and 'making good' the conservatory, and house painting, others are smaller such as bringing in a supply of logs, digging the last of the spuds and putting the runner bean foliage onto the compost heap.

Solar production is dipping with cloudier skies but can still be a help, as can the shortly expected load of 'waste' wood -  cunningly designed to make a hole in those allegedly inflated profits the big energy companies are raking in.

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Meeting life needs here from a mix of money and 'own effort' sources, means getting some sort of 'balance', as probably in many areas of life. Eco micro-holding life went quieter in the restful month of August, but now in Sept there are jobs such as house painting and conservatory renovation to get done before winter, as well as sorting out some new radiators and flushing out the new last winter log burner central heating system, besides the myriad of small jobs - mostly a 'labour of love' - which generally need doing and providing spice in life in the form of a varied programme. The new solar electric system continues to perform pretty well, the focus now settling on whether to use some of the 'free' daytime electric produced to power an electric form of transport.

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Cooler, 'catchy' weather over the last few weeks here in the UK midlands has produced a profusion of flowers but mixed results in the veg patch here on the eco micro-holding, where a measure of frugality suits. Mainline culture, though, seems more tuned into the 'pots of dosh' philosophy, with seemingly a 'greed is good' mantra. Maybe the economists' message, which could have been misunderstood, of peoples' 'profit maximisation' standard behaviour, has then overly influenced the western-style culture, and creating an 'it's all about money' climate.

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Crikey, what a growing year - in these parts, the growth of vegetation in April through May has been quite startling, leaving the countryside hereabouts looking stunning, in spite of the lack of rain in April. Rain did come, probably just in time to save the day, and for the last three to four weeks, ground moisture levels have been good. Rain may not exactly suit sun-worshippers, but my, it does give a 'green and pleasant  land' effect, which certainly uplifts at least some spirits. The East and South-East of the UK, though, are still very desperate for rain, having had very little for three months whereas the North and North-West has had more than enough - hard to believe there could be such a difference within such a small country.

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April's a busy month on the organic eco-holding normally, but particularly this year due to the virtual complete absence of rain, translating then into more  watering work. The upside is that plant growth has been phenomenal and the crop area looks pretty good. Although it's a lean time of year for eatable produce, onions are still available from store, the recently installed 'early production' glasshouse in the small paddock has yielded very timely salads produce, and of course, the good ol' spring greens, having survived a savage winter, have 'burgeoned' brilliantly to provide fresh, healthy and TASTY veg. 

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Four-Course Rotation

Maybe older ways and concepts may make a comeback as modern resources such as oil become scarcer, particularly as world-wide demand for material goods and comforts seems to be ever growing. Modern food growing uses considerable amounts of fossil fuels in the production of fertilisers for instance. In 'olden' days before fertiliser and spray availability, people had to plan and think ahead long-term, to ensure that soil fertility was on-going, just as modern organic farmers have to do. Maybe thinking and operating longer-term is an additional attraction of organic growing? .

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