I have done a workshop or two with  great results and some with bad results.  When St David’s Marist Inanda contacted me to train a few staff members, I did more research and came up with some notes and a worksheet for the staff.

I think its important information to share and process freely, and am more than happy to give more workshops at schools and sports grounds for staff wanting to grow their own food and medicine.  I also advise on nutrient and carbon content plants to grow as green layers for the compost, some of which are ingredients in making either anti-pest or fertilizer for the garden.  That, however is a different workshop.  Please contact me, Netanya, on 072 146 9017 to make a workshop date in the Johannesburg area.

So, here is some important information to share:

What is the purpose of Composting?

• Composting is a way to reduce waste by re-using organic materials to recycle nutrients as a soil conditioner or multi-vitamin.
• Compost is the result of organic materials e.g. branches, leaves, food waste decomposing under controlled conditions.
• Compost is super – food for plants

Controlled conditions means YOU need to monitor the compost piles. If you maintain a pile with the correct moisture, air and carbon and nitrogen contents of the raw materials, then the decomposing organisms – insects, worms, bacteria and fungi do the rest.

What are carbon and nitrogen contents and why do we need them?

The organisms – insects, worms, bacteria and fungi depend on a ‘diet’ to survive. It is your job to take care of them, if you want to grow soil. They need nitrogen and carbon to survive.

This is important because the key to making great compost is to combine the right amount of moisture, and aeration with carbon and nitrogen materials in one pile. This means that making compost is like layering ingredients or materials in a dish of lasagna. It is in layers.

Maintenance of the Compost Pile

1. Cover the pile when it rains to prevent it from getting too wet or losing nutrients
2. Turn the heap regularly (every week or two) Building the pile on top of a palette allows air flow from below the pile which means you will need to turn the heap less regularly. A smelly compost heap tells us that it needs oxygen, it means it is time to turn the heap.
3. Water the heap in dry conditions
4. Chop or shred the leaves, twigs and other materials to speed up the decomposition process.
5. Be careful, it can get hot in there

This is the year of the soil, to some of us, it is perfect timing to prepare for a new earth as more and more people begin to implement permaculture gardening principles, earth heals.  Healthy earth means a higher yield, stronger plants and far more than we can fathom

One of my first visits to a garden as a consultant, took me to a beautiful couples’ home who have cats.  This is the first time someone has asked me for a anti-pest for cats.  The lady told me that orange skins work but are not good for the soil or worms, which led me to google a bit and ask around.

To repel cats one can indeed, place orange peels cut face up near plants.  Orange peels are acidic and tend to burn into the skins of worms, causing severe burns, and death to the worms, but they usually are deeper into the soil than close to the surface.  This should be safe for the worms.

You can also mix 10 drops of lavender oil and/or 10 drops of eucalyptus oil in 200mls of water and spray on mulch and rocks in the garden as needed.

Making use of rough material such as sharp edged wood-chip or twig-mulch as a border or perimeter is also recommended as a repellent.

Another solution is to interplant your garden with plants that cats hate the smell of. A few of these plants can be planted in between the other plants of your garden, making the entire area seem disgusting to the local feline population.

• Rue is an especially effective cat repellent.  It also repels wasps from fruit trees, and is an excellent ingredient in a tisane as it has muscle relaxant properties, and is also an aphrodesiac… making it even more perfect for this young couples solution
• Other options include lavender, pennyroyal, geranium, and lemon thyme.
• Scatter the dried version or dab on an oiled version to the same effect.
• Cayenne pepper, dry mustard, cinnamon, and garlic powder are often used, as well.
• As for oils, consider using lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, or mustard oil.

I also discovered that it is useful to sprinkle coffee grounds for the purpose of deterring cats as well, as you own hair cuttings.   Empty your hairbrushes into the garden, because the scent of human hair really sucks in cat world.  Cats actually love mint, honeysuckle and catnip.  Why not plant a small, cat-friendly area in the garden?

If you have enjoyed this post and are in the Johannesburg area, and would like to have me over for a consultation, report and quotation to improve the self sustainability of your home and surrounds please contact me – Netanya on 072 146 9017

The change in season comes with changes in every garden, and the recent odd showers have soaked into the soil showing me lines or contours of the land with which it is time to dance.

Shahn has been working on her catalog, and putting out plants at the market with my tisanes and teas. Here are some images… please feel free to contact us.

Kyla got together a few of the rugby guys to assist in bagging and moving mulch and soil – they are a hardworking bunch thank you guys and gal.

Some people came in with Doug Edgar and chopped down the hedge and ivy, he usually works on making roads with SA Grassing cc, and can be contacted on 083 300 3004 or doug.edgar@tiscali.co.za The team has done a wonderful job of creating mulch piles for me to use in the garden.  Unfortunately the result has negatives and positives… removing so much of the hedge has exposed the garden a bit more to the smog from the road, and wind. That is the downside. On the upside, Pirates has a plan to upgrade that fence and this is part of rehabilitating that stretch of land.   I am also creating a planting and harvesting cycle with all this material… I have started a small potting area in the meantime;-) Also, on the upside, the garden seems to flourish on its own, all I am adding is a few coffee grains at irregular intervals. And to top it off I was donated two wheelbarrows, loads of pots, loads of amber soil from Vuma , and mulch of wood chip and leaves from the hedge. I am in deep gratitude for these items and am making progress with them on hand this week again THANK YOU

This is actually the part where gardening becomes a dance for me, where I have an idea but its not structured it changes as I apply it step right and left hover forward and back on your haunches on your knees… turn around You see?

I am looking forward to planting up two bags of cuttings in the morning too, which I will use as a means to prevent soil from washing down and creating more of a slope. These have been donated by Ingrid of the Jozi Real Food Market at Pirates Sports Club. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Alot of people ask me what a tisane is, as I have the word on my infusions.  A tisane is an infusion, as of dried leaves used as a beverage or for medicinal purposes.  This post will explain the difference between a tea, an infusion, and a tincture? This will also explain the difference it can make to your overall health and body, between cooking with your herbs and making an infusion or tincture with them.

Teas and infusions are daily methods of feeding and nourishing our body that can also assist in the healing process.  Tinctures are a way of healing our body and helping to prevent illness.

Plants contain various compounds: flavonoids, alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, and others too… but we are just going to bare these in mind.

Flavonoids are compounds that can be extracted by water or alcohol.  They have a variety of medicinal effects but one of the most important effects of flavonoids is their antioxidant effect.  An antioxidant is a molecule that can slow down or prevent the oxidation of other molecules.

Alkaloids are compounds that can be extracted very well by alcohol and much less so by water. They can sometimes dissipate with heat which is why a tea or infusion isn’t the best method when you’re trying to extract these compounds.  Alkaloids are the healing or medicinal compounds that are typically the ones that scientist try to isolate to develop a pharmaceutical.

Vitamins and Minerals are extracted by water and nourish and feed the body which provides a different type of healing affect than an alkaloid.

So, when you look at those 4 compounds and understand what they do and how you can extract them from the plant, it becomes very easy to determine which method to use.

A tea will extract flavonoids with their antioxidant properties as well as vitamins and minerals.  However due to the short steeping time, they would not extract as much and would be used  more as a soothing, relaxing beverage.

 Infusions are very much like food for our bodies.  They are high in vitamins and minerals and are a wonderful way to get these nutrients into our bodies.  When we drink the nutrients as an infusion (or a tea) our bodies are much more able to assimilate them than when they are taken in pill form. 

A tincture is made by infusing herbs in alcohol.  The alcohol will extract many of the medicinal constituents of the herbs including alkaloids and flavonoids, but because 100 proof vodka is 50% alcohol and 50% water, the tincture will also extract vitamins and minerals.  Tinctures have a long shelf life and are an easy way to get the herbs into your system.  It’s easy to take a dropperful of tincture when you need it.

If you have an aversion to alcohol, glycerin can be used instead, but glycerin doesn’t extract as many of the medicinal constituents and only has a shelf life of 6 months – 1 year.  However a glycerin based tincture may be a good option for children.

Get into the garden and pick some leaves, try something new or come to the market to see what is on my table.  I usually have tasters

The first Seed Swopping event was held on the 16/05/2015.   A big thankyou to ALL who attended  <3 <3 <3

I must admit I cannot afford much advertising, nor the time and energy to create much more than I have been before.   Please assist with sharing my posts or liking my page on facebook.

I am learning the different perceptions many have about value and what it is based upon.  Most of us do things for the financial remuneration for those we do not know.  When it comes to doing things with love, we do things for family, friends, partners….  I think if the value system or perception that value is money changes, we can have community and organic non GMO food everyday no matter how much money we have.  I see how we put some kind of financial value on people, whereas it is worth about R4000 a month for me to tolerate disrespect of my space or mindset or spirit.  It should be a human right to grow food, to be self sustainable, yet in some countries rates and taxes go up because people grow tomatoes on their pavements.   Ive also learnt that the human capacity I have far out weighs the human ability I have, which makes it virtually impossible to ever exert all my energy in an exchange that is equal to the value of what combined perceptions have given to the way of life I would like to create … it includes underfloor heating    It has been a sad crossing over from doing more trading for space than paying a currency for space.

Anyway, the point is that this idea to gather people from the area to meet with people all over  Johannesburg who want to eat a variety of organic veg for health and longevity, people who want exposure for their businesses to raise the value of what they do in this world, people who want to assist in rehabilitating the land and river….  I am hoping this will result in getting the composting and the garden complete, eventually having the rugby games and all events at the club flowing into a space of love where exchanges, laughter, growth and sustainability are the results.

I called it a Seedy Saturday, offering a Tisane Tasting from 4 – 5pm.  My idea here is to blindfold you, to have you smell herbs in their plant form, feel the plant, breathe it in.  To taste a warm version of the infusion and a cold version of it.  To discuss and reveal the plant.  Thereafter to exchange information about what and who everyone is, and to trade either goods for goods, goods for goods and cash or goods for goods and talents.  I would love to get some plants, soil and things to use in the Pirates garden Im doing to grow my business.  I do not mind exchanging some harvest for these things, or teaching  or sharing my knowledge (afterall it is on every packet of tea or tisane (infusions of dried leaves) I sell.

We had a wonderful time do join in Greensiders and Parkhursters

25 April 2015 Learn how to make compost

An hour long practical with a approximately 45 minute educational talk by Eco Synergy Designs.  Come get involved with your garden fork or spade.

R150 per person

Contact me via email nntreasure@gmail.com or 072 146 9017 or join on the Facebook Workshop Page

Payment can be made into the following account to secure your space in this awesome and essential workshop:
Banking details: Netanya Naude’ FNB Savings Account, Account number 62093348201, Branch Code 254905

I had alot of fun with paper mache’ doing this piece, which I call Mother Nature.

It was a process of layering several layers of newspaper dipped in a mixture of flour and water, all over a casting of a female bust and torso.  I then used the same mix and newspaper to mold the mold onto my canvass, and painted it.

Then I got creative

The finished piece is completely red in the background and still for SALE Contact me for a viewing on 072 146 9017

Things have been stalled, due to being an artist as well – and having to do things for the garden at Pirates in other places.   A wonderful man, named, Eugene and his son have built and will install a tap and metal grid box as covering for a hosepipe, rake, spades and hoe – also donated by Eugene and his family.  They made the box from scrap metal, making it perfect for the garden.  I have been excited about it for about 2 weeks.  Here is a preview   Many blessings from the Universe in THIS GARDEN.

I started constructing a few bottle half moon shaped beds on the collapsing slope, transplanted a few plants from the hugel across the fields and carried rocks back and forth from all over the property, to stuff into and around the couch frame.  Matt and Alistair helped with a load of rocks, and Glen came along for a hour or two carrying rocks too.  Thank you to all for the assistance and ongoing support.

I hope to make much progress in the near future, once some plants and taps and things are sorted out

Eco Synergy team Alistair, Matt and Jabs have returned and kick-started the composting of a large section of unkempt garden nearer to the cricket pitch.  Really excited for the 25th April when they will be hosting a compost making workshop with an hour long practical and an approximately 45 minute educational talk.  The cost is R150 per person.  Please book and pay in advance.  Take a look at what they have already prepared.  Many blessings INDEED