Everything about used coffee grounds for compost and fertilizer
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Driverless Cars – Impact on the Insurance Industry and just about eveything else
What are some of the impacts that the Insurance Industry can expect from driverless cars, and what are some of the challenges and benefits that autonomous transport will create for our society? This submission was written for the Aon Benfield Scholarship 2014, in response to the question “Will the Google car end automobile insurance as…
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Chicken Versus Rabbit
It had the makings of a battle royal. A feisty chicken, a hungry mini lop rabbit, a young apple tree with most of the leaves chewed off (the rabbit), a half eaten pepino plant (yep, the rabbit strikes again), and some scratched up dirt (ok that one goes to the chicken). So what happened next?…
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The Day of Chicken Ouch!
I’m not sure which one of the chooks is responsible for this egg monster, but damn that must have hurt! I let out a groan pulling this one out of the nesting box – poor chicken. Although they all seemed to be doing the usual kind of chicken things with no obvious signs of distress.…
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The Melbourne City Forest in Autumn
The Melbourne city forest is an invaluable environmental resource. And at this time of the year, thousands of trees are preparing for the long sleep of Winter. Seen from 15 stories high, all the way down William street to the Yarra river and beyond, to the edge of Southbank. And seeing how it’s in the…
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National Volunteering Week Special Event – Advocacy: Skills, Methods and Means
Hi folks – Australia has been celebrating the role of volunteers in the community this week, and I feel honoured to have been asked to present to corporate and non-profit representatives on this very topic. Corporate philanthropy is a topic close to my heart, and through the foundation established by my employer, opportunities to make a difference…
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Tamarillo Tree following – May 2014
A single fruit remains! Here is all that is left of the crop of 2014 – a lonely overripe tamarillo, just waiting for a bird to snatch. But somehow, they leave it alone. Experience maybe? The sour sweetness of tamarillo is an acquired taste, and I for one, have acquired it. So for this month’s…
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The Day the Chickens went on Strike!
Chickens are reliable, but they are not machines. What happens when the nest box is empty and you only have one egg left but need more! No, you can’t lay your own, but other types of birds can. Enter the Quail!
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The Spider and the Apple
It’s late Autumn now. Chill nights lead to mostly sunny days, but some rainy days too. Only a couple of cicadas left calling for mates, and they will be quiet all too soon. Deciduous plants are preparing to sleep, casting off leaves that survived the Spring bugs and scorching Summer sun. I love Autumn. The leaves…
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It Must Be You
My face on the Sun like lava spat on blue ice when your hand is there
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Broadbean Seedling
This broadbean seedling was growing too close to some garlic so needed to move it. I was surprised by how vigorous the root system was so wanted to share this with you. See how those little grains of rock are growing into the roots? The result of remineralising my soil with basalt and granite dust.…
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The Calming of Chickens
Watching backyard chickens go about their business is kind of like watching wind rustle through a tree, or rain falling on the grass. Anything that you can just sit there and watch for a while, add the chickens.
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Tree following – April 2014
A full week of rain in Melbourne marked the transition from an Indian Summer wannabe to Autumn proper. It felt like the soil itself let out a welcome sigh of relief, as a contestant drizzle eventually soaked the earth until it could hold no more. The best (or worst) sign of this is when find a heap of…