A paradigm shift is defined as a fundamental change in an individual’s or society’s view of how things work in the world e.g the shift from heart to brain as the seat of thinking or feeling. I am sure we have all experienced such shifts, a few times, in our lives. Another paradigm shift came for me this week, after meeting regarding an approximately 20 page report and amended agreement with the management of Pirates Sports Club. I had already spent about two weeks, deterring the anxiety into positive energy by moving tyres and mulch and transplanting as I waited for this response…. a response that determines the volition of my success to a degree.
I have tweaked this report and removed the agreement, it is available here - for anyone wanting to spare our sports grounds and clubs the degradation that I see in so many overgrown bowling clubhouses in the cities or simply if you want to start working toward a way to create community anywhere, do give it a read.
Pirates management has advised that an agreement is in place to flatten the garden entirely and AstroTurf it. I am requested to give a termination period i.e. how long plants already seeding need to complete their cycle and to transplant the entire garden anywhere else – a suggested area is the composting bay we were supposed to get going on this weekend. They fully support what I am doing, and will gladly give me a space. An agreement will have to be re-evaluated over the next week. I did request that my circle and couch can stay, with just lavender in one wedge and just mono-crops in the wedges… and the members who have the AstroTurf take over in place, have not yet seen my document, so I was told it would be sent to them…. in the meantime I will begin a new garden design, choose an area more wisely and begin to bag items this Saturday – so they can at least root in bags for a bit, before being transplanted again. Please come by if you wish to assist.
I am also putting my head together with landscaper Jess Rankin, and we came up with Scaping Cultures …. CHECK IT OUT 
Scaping Cultures is a heartfelt expression in a random moment, the result is fantastic energy to just do more of this regardless of land issues.
Who knows where this will lead, but I am still growing tisanes and food for myself and assistance – at least for another 36 months.
Thank you Pirates – always growing The use of this land has saved or changed my life in many ways. I learnt that alot of what I apply, hear or see makes sense, and is actually concluded by studies of things in this world e.g permaculture.
I am working on being in the garden more consistently during market hours at the Pirates Sports Club, inviting public and club members to join in and learn, and trade in the garden. I understand that people got a bit confused as to where I was for a bit, because I was not around as consistently for a while in the market.
This weekend, I managed to put an awesome young landscaper Jess Rankin at my table. I was in and out the garden all day, and got alot done regardless of only two people coming in to see me in the garden. I was gifted with an Avo tree, and traded 4 x Hopi Blue Corn seedlings for 6 packs of Rocket, Pak choi and Rainbow Spinach. I think people need to realize that trading is not charity. Charity is awesome, but if we are going to create a community with a system of fair trade and equal wealth distribution ever then we really need to re- evaluate our ideas on what trade is and what value is based upon. A seedling is worth R3 maximum, it aught to be traded for something to that same value. I agree, some things are ridiculously under-valued or over- priced so to speak, but that is an entirely different tangent.
I do, appreciate the charity and gifting of seeds and plants and especially COMPOST always. Thank you for these beautiful plants
Come say hello in the garden, join in, bring some compost if anyone has…. 57 members in this group and ???? I am pleased that two awesome volunteers have returned from their travels, and are keen to assist again… welcome back James and Louise. At least from this point, its not just wheeling and sifting soil but some interaction and learning going on too.
This is Jess – big thank you Jess, I hope community support grows not only for my stall and the garden, but for every trader at the Jozi Real Food Market every Saturday too.
So many people want what is there but not many seem to be taking note of what their support really means. It means the market can sustain regular stall holders, so that bread or tea or Indian food you tried and boasted about, and returned for months later and couldn’t find and complained about not being there at the market saying the market sucks actually is there every weekend… BUT it starts with buyers being as consistent as traders.
Lets get healthy, strong, free and abundantly sustain our communities together. Lets stop speed reading, liking, sharing, saying yes, giving our power to social media and start DOING
LOVE AND LIGHT <3
During the last Seedy Saturday, before this one, one of my customers over the past months came into the garden to tell me about a group of people wanting to brainstorm a bit about Urban Farming at a dinner. I welcomed the idea, and I invited myself to the dinner. The dinner was held at the Solid Green offices in Rosebank, and the entire office seemed keen on volunteering at Pirates…. This is what we did…
HUGELKULTUUR on top of the ivy… it starts with slashing away the new growth, using a machete is easiest or if you have an awesome hoe like mine, that is even better
In between all the talking, I managed to pop in a few more pieces of garlic and some Hubbard squash seedlings. The coffee lady gave the volunteers a flask of coffee to share, and baker man Jeffrey from the Jozi Real Food Market donated a variety of baked goodies as well. Big thank you for that, I am missing the market missions, and if you have not been to this market, tried this bread and coffee yet then you are missing out too.
Marloes, the owner of Solid Green, jumped in and planted a few Jerusalem artichokes, once the materials for the hugelkultuur ran out.
And, what was supposed to be in the end was rather random in between – as I wanted to say thank you, and there was definitely not enough spinach for that just yet, I handed over one of my calabash art pieces to Marloes… I was very happy that they liked it, and presented it as another idea for empowerment from gardens.
All in all some Spinach did get traded for two assistants, who started nibbling at it immediately
This past month I have been going to see people and walk about their gardens, I have typed up reports, recommending plants according to the families’ dietary requirements. The Suburban Farmer, Gary Dembo, assisted me in getting around and getting materials and labor to site, and put up the fence in the end. I can be reached as always, on 072 146 9017 for a consultation and report. Gary can be reached on 078 148 6588 if you interested in having our input.
Our journey with our first client has been awesome. We did this garden in less than 2 days, and the family already invited us back to continue by doing workshops for the neighbors, before we were done
Step 1 was to do the layout of the beds for the guys to dig into.
While they were digging I was ripping apart cardboard boxes and layering them into the dug up beds with logs on top.
The next layers were green waste – we found bags of pruned bougainvilleas – made it look like a pie.
Next we layered fermented or bokashied food waste, and then soil and compost mixed. These layers ensure that all bacteria and micro-organisms required to breakdown the solid waste such as wood can co-exist under the food growing and thereby enhance the health of the soil. Thus also reducing the need for fertilizer or anit-pest through the season.
Thumbs up to Earth Probiotic and the good work they do – go like their page, alternatively you can purchase Bokash buckets and drums with me, or sign up as a restaurant to up-cycle your food waste.
Then came mulching, we encouraged the families little girl to join in, and had alot of fun on this part…
And we made use of the happy couples’ new plant WILD SAGE – also known as Mother Natures’ Plaster… feels soft like velvet, absorbs blood and has antiseptic properties… a true asset to any garden
and in the end
Im really looking forward to getting back into this space for a workshop, and planting up seeds tomorrow for this family, next full moon it is their turn and perhaps even SEED PLANTING according to the lunar calendar time too.
Don’t forget, our reports and quotations include options, and are suited to your budget.
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
Mix the following ingredients together for an immune boost that should conquer any bronchial and respiratory disorder.
Echinacea Root, Catnip, Yarrow & Wilde-Als
1 tsp herbs per cup of water, boil in a pot
Let it stand 3 – 5 minutes
Add honey, turmeric & ginger-root, aniseed & a dash of cayenne pepper
Echinacea Root awakens and stimulates the immune system, and is used in the treatment of infections in the urinary tract. Catnip has sedative properties. Yarrow is an antiseptic, and Wilde- Als (also known as African Wormwood or Artemesia Afra) is used in treatment of bronchitis.
Honey is also an antiseptic, while Tumeric is an anti-inflammatory, Anise is used to tread colds and flu, as well as stomach ailments. Cayenne Pepper is richest in vitamin C.
This combination, with the added ingredients is a spicy, beautiful tea for bedtime in times when one needs restoration on any level.
I have been setting up a stall every Thursday at the Bryanston Organic Market for about 2 months, and am in month 4 of working the land traded for at the Pirates Sports Club in Greenside. The aim of the garden was to grow herbs and medicinal plants to use in the infusions I make and sell at the Jozi Food Market. I am grateful for the intervention and path that I have walked with Farmer John and his wife Yvette. Both have assisted me in getting into the Bryanston Organic Market, with transporting stock and me from time to time. As part of this market, actually I am not sure why, a committee of people came to see the Pirates Garden. The result was a PGS certification, my Pirates garden is approved as “in transition” because it has not been farmed organically for more than 36 months. So… HERE IT IS (I am not sure why I cannot make this LINK open in a new tab)
PGS Certificate Netanya Naude 2015 06 29
In Yvettes’ words… What does PGS certification mean?
PGS South Africa operates according to the guidelines for Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) as defined by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
“Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are locally focused quality assurance systems. They certify producers based on active participation of stakeholders and are built on a foundation of trust, social networks and knowledge exchange.” (IFOAM, 2008)
PGS represent a real alternative to third party certification, especially adapted to local markets. Thousands of small farmers who grow organic produce are unable to certify their products. Many established organic producers are certified by third party certifiers. It is the system most countries require for organic certification. Third party certification can be quite costly and requires onerous record-keeping and infrastructure beyond the means of most small farmers.
THE STANDARD: Growers are assessed according to a set of Basic Production Principles. These principles are based on the AFRISCO Organic Standard and in compliance with PGS requirements in the South African Draft Regulations. It must be noted that PGSSA has no relationship with AFRISCO and that AFRISCO neither supports nor endorses PGSSA. The choice to use the AFRISCO Standard as baseline is due to the fact that the standard is in general use across Southern Africa and is accredited by IFOAM.
This also means you will always get AWESOME TISANES AND TEA from me, no matter which market I am at
I have 47 different plants in the garden so far, there are more than one of some of them Somehow community involvement is beginning and I am being led to where this garden will lead along with it, it seems<3
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
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