sticky beaking (again)

Day eight of twelve in the permaculture design certificate and it was time to hit the road (again) and visit some inspiring permaculture gardens in Brogo and Bega (wellllll Tarraganda which is just out of Bega) .....

First up was Claude and Helene Marmaux's garden at Brogo....

 garden with valley views!

 (here's a snippet of their wonderful mudbrick house - showing the glasshouse pop-out.... it's used to help heat the house in winter - as well as grow the little plants!)

impressive bed layout don't you think? it's waxed pine (nope I've never heard of it before...) but this shot doesn't capture the sunken aspect or the sites all around.... its really delightful!

Deb hamming it up in the vege garden!

and then it was off - further down the same road to John's (all hail our leader) place....

heading down the drive at john champagne's place - (aka brogo permaculture garden)
john just doesn't talk the permy talk - he really REALLY walks the walk...

 from the hill orchard to the house area - and look at the lovely hills beyond!

 here's the house that john built - mudbrick and passive solar (with solar array on the roof) on the left is the chook area (with fruit too) straight ahead is the relaxing area (pond, cob oven, grape vine.... all good!) and down the hill is the vege garden and pome fruit covered orchard. It's a terrific set up with soooo many special touches and clever thinking everywhere

I love the little whimsical touches....

 and the froggie cob pizza oven!

 view through the alliums in the vege garden back to john's house

So after yet another great communal lunch this time at john's we got our convoy on the road again - off to Bega (about 20kms down the highway) to check out Bend (an intentional eco-village right in Bega township..... an amazing endeavour - go have a look at the link and you'll see what I mean - it's the first of it's kind in the state.... corrrrr! I feel like waving my little far south coast flag right now!) and after seeing all that's going on (building building building) we headed a few minutes out of town to Tarraganda and Anneke Van Tholen's seedy haven (it's ok - she'll be pleased I refer to her and her place as seedy - Anneke is the force behind the Bega Seedsavers Network!)

the house that Anneke built - all from recycled materials (it's got soul baby!)

view into the integrated glasshouse.... step inside and you are in the house! there's no separation at all from here it's a step and jump into the living area proper.... (there's a babaco, and passionfruit and mini pond and tomato and seedlings and so much more in this glass structure!)

garden brew.... gets the plants really growing (I think its a mix of seaweed and garden weeds...) and just look at the HUGE seedsaving garden (well I suppose this shot doesn't give you a real idea how large the seed garden is). Anneke is certainly passionate about seeds of edible plants.... (ps I've committed the sams creek crew to growing on reliable butternut pumpkins - as we are so far away from any potential cross-pollinators.... ooooo I'm feeling all seedy myself now!)

carrot flower in Anneke's seed garden.... one step away from becoming lovely seeds...

'I believe that seeds are our future... feed them well and let them lead the way'......  (hee hee hee move over whitney - this is how it shoulda been sung)



tomorrow its back to 'The Crossing' for me - Day Nine


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