Backyard chooks
If you’re a regular reader of Secret Garden, you’ll remember that at the start of 2008, I spilled my guts and let all and sundry know my theme for the year. If you’re new to this column though, welcome, and here’s the low down: I don’t make New Year resolutions. Maybe they work for you, but I’ve found that if I resolve to lose five kilograms in the coming year, for example, I’ll almost inevitably put five on by the time December rolls around. Instead, I make a theme.
For 2008 my theme was “reconnect”. The impetus came when I realised how disconnected I was from the source of so many things in life, particularly food, and I decided that I would strive to “bridge the gap” by developing an understanding of where my food actually comes from, in addition to growing as much of my own as possible. It wasn’t a measurable, specific goal, but looking back, I can see that I’ve made a significant amount of progress both in my thinking and behaviour. I’ve bridged some gaps.
For 2009, I’ve decided that my theme will be “sustainable”. By way of explanation, I should probably start by noting that the term sustainability is notoriously difficult to define. One common expression is “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Another approach is the “triple bottom line” or “three pillars”, which is commonly used in a business context. This suggests that sustainability is about the good of the planet and people in addition to sound economics.
However you define it, though, the common denominator in all approaches to sustainability is the environment, so my focus is one of environmental sustainability, particularly as it relates to domestic living, and even more narrowly, home gardening. Let me phrase it another way: gardening should make a positive contribution to the health of the environment, and this year, I’m determined to implement changes that help facilitate such a contribution. If that still sounds a bit highfalutin, I’m looking at a range of practical measures including the following.
1. Replacing petrol powered tools with electric power and manual labour. The most obvious example of this change, even though I don’t own one, is sweeping the path instead of firing up the noisy, dirty two-stroke blower. Some other suggestions might be the use of hedging shears or a cordless electric hedge trimmer rather than a petrol powered model.
2. Producing home-made fertiliser and other soil amendments from manure, compost or worm juice. This is where a backyard flock of chickens really come into their own, recycling all your organic waste and converting it into eggs, manure, and if you’re so inclined, meat. If you don’t have room for chooks, you’ll almost certainly have room for a worm farm or a bokashi bucket.
3. Rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation. I’d like a bigger rainwater tank or two, and the plan this year is to set up efficient drip irrigation to fruit trees and windbreaks. My aim is to be completely self-sufficient in harvesting and storing rainwater for garden use.
4. Purchase quality long lasting tools that rarely, if ever need to be replaced. The cliché that we live in a throwaway society has never been truer than it is today. My favourite gardening fork is an heirloom that belonged to my grandfather, and is going just as strong as it did when purchased more than 40 years ago. The same can’t be said of many gardening tools, which tend to be complete junk that needs regular replacement. My new goal is to buy something once, and make it last.
5. Avoid excess packaging and recycle. The amount of plastic packaging that my family tossed in the bin this Christmas was something to be ashamed of. I already recycle and reuse plant pots, but I reckon I can do a lot more to reduce the other bits of packaging that my gardening efforts produce.
These are just a few areas to kick things off, and I’m sure many more will come into view as the year progresses. Why don’t we do it together? If you have an idea or take an action that makes your garden more sustainable, let me know by mail or email, and I’ll make a note of it in this year’s Garden Cuttings section. Here’s to a more sustainable 2009!
First published in the Toowoomba Chronicle 3rd January, 2009
