A natural-coloured old wool blanket dyed with vegetables. These colours are fast. Purple carrot = purple (of course). Onion skin = orange.  Avocado seed = light brown.

Brown onion skins boiled for 1 hour in water. The fabric is then submerged into this pot and boiled for another hour. The samples above were only in for 15 minutes. While the colour does not wash out it fades over time – then you can simply refresh the colour with another soak.

Boiling up the purple carrot and avocado colour pots.

Last weekend I took Maia and Hugh to do a family-friendly natural dye workshop with Alieta, Leeza and Olin from the Forest Art Collective in Maleny. It revolutionised my thinking about what we can do about making non-toxic clothing – I’m totally hooked!

The learning circle.

Fabulous creative science. Many young children loved this workshop.

I really cannot believe how simple and effective the techniques are and how colouring fabrics this way creates only a tiny bit of compostable waste – the onion skins, boiled carrots and avocado seeds.

The waste from the botanical print dying process – compostable leaves, re-usable twine, and reusable metal scraps.

During the workshop we also experimented with botanical prints using leaves on natural fabrics. Here are the sample strips I did. You can see silky oak, eucalyptus, cinerea, bleeding heart – on silk, cotton, wool and paper.  I can’t wait to keep experimenting and making my own hand-dyed organic clothing. Thankfully there’s a great shop in my local town where I can source un-dyed organic fabrics.

My first go at creating natural botanical prints using natural fabrics and paper, leaves, water, twine and an iron rod.

I moistened the wool strip. (NB: you can see the original colour of the wool here that was used in the carrot, onion and avocado dyes)

Roll the leaves tightly in with the wool onto a rusty iron rod. The iron helps to fix the plant print to the fabric and give the black colour.

Bind tightly with twine to hold it all in place when it is boiled. Wool with

Create whatever patterns you like – here I used cinerea and eucalypt

I added 4 different leaf arrangements on my rod. It is also possible to have a large piece of fabric folded over to create leaf patterned prints.

Boil the wrapped iron rods in a pot of water for 1 hour.

I unravelled my stick as soon as it came out of the pot – so curious to see what had happened. If I’d had the patience to leave it rolled and moist for 3 weeks, all the colours would be far more intense.

We used iron at the workshop, but by wrapping and boiling with different rods you can get different effects. When you boil up in a stainless steel or aluminium pot,  iron = black, copper = blueish tinge, wood = neutral. The metals also fix the colours.

The post Chemical-free clothes: Easy DIY Natural Dye Using Common Foods appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

Watch this 5 minute film to see how to simply and cheaply make your own natural beeswax wraps – to wrap veggies and fruit, leftover bowls, cheese, sandwiches, jar tops, bread loaves, lunchbox snacks and so much more.

Yes, it’s a small step, but many small steps, and a sense of commitment to want to make a difference, is more powerful than you may think.  When you take positive steps forward, there’s a ripple effect of positive change.

For the method shown in the film, all you need is to make your own beeswax wraps is:

• a piece of natural cotton cloth (choose the size you need for your particular use – I find 20cm x 20cm is a useful bowl-top size)
• natural beeswax (about 5-10 grams is all you need for 20cm x 20cm cloth)
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil
• flat sandwich hotplate

5 easy steps  to make beeswax cloths:

To wash – simply wipe, rinse off or use warm soapy water – not hot.

The post Five Easy Steps to Make Cheap Beeswax Wraps & Reduce Cling Wrap Use. Film #10 with Morag Gamble (5 mins) appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

Watch this 5 minute film to see how to simply and cheaply make your own natural beeswax wraps – to wrap veggies and fruit, leftover bowls, cheese, sandwiches, jar tops, bread loaves, lunchbox snacks and so much more.

Yes, it’s a small step, but many small steps, and a sense of commitment to want to make a difference, is more powerful than you may think.  When you take positive steps forward, there’s a ripple effect of positive change.

For the method shown in the film, all you need is to make your own beeswax wraps is:

• a piece of natural cotton cloth (choose the size you need for your particular use – I find 20cm x 20cm is a useful bowl-top size)
• natural beeswax (about 5-10 grams is all you need for 20cm x 20cm cloth)
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil
• flat sandwich hotplate

5 easy steps  to make beeswax cloths:

To wash – simply wipe, rinse off or use warm soapy water – not hot.

The post Five Easy Steps to Make Cheap Beeswax Wraps & Reduce Cling Wrap Use. Film #10 with Morag Gamble (5 mins) appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

My ‘rough basket’ – first ever go at basket-weaving. This too about an hour. Just a bit of tidying left to do.

Emma showing us different methods of simple basket weaving.

Two woven circles tied together with vine. Add an odd number of spines. Weave back and forth, pulling it closer.

My kids have claimed this as the egg basket. I can’t wait to show them how to do it.

The post I Learned To Weave a Basket Today & Was Surprised How Much Joy I Felt. appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

Each week my permaculture livelihood brings something different, interesting and challenging, and connects me with different communities and places. I always learn something new – about a plant, about a way of seeing the world, about an innovative technology… I love my work. This week I learnt from one of the mums from India that they mix Ajwain seeds with tulsi – the sacred basil I grow. Among other things, it can be used to sooth coughs and ease asthma. I am going to explore this plant more.

One of the beautiful smiling children I had the pleasure of working with this week with her mini-wicking hanging garden she made at my workshop at Brisbane Square Library this week.

I arrange seeds in their families and put pictures of the plants next to them for the pre-readers. I get many young people helping me to set up, and many of them who like to just get their hands in the seed bowls and feel them.

Rachel – historian, planner, earthship enthusiast and PhD researcher – interviewed me this week. Her work is focussed on Off-Grid living and with me she mostly explored the questions of why I live the way I do and what influences were in my life to bring me to these decisions. It was great to have the chance to think about and articulate this. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her and hearing about her research too.

 CHILDREN’S PERMACULTURE WORKSHOPS

I have an absolute ball with the children’s programs and am always delighted at their enthusiasm and knowledge. Together this week at libraries across Brisbane, I led free gardening sessions for almost 100 children.  We made mini-wicking gardens and planted them with cuttings of permaculture plants from my garden. We made newspaper pots for perennial cuttings and egg carton seed trays for a diversity of seasonal annuals. We made origami seed envelopes too. We explored ecological systems thinking, permaculture design ideas, edible perennial propagation and seed saving, working toward a zero-waste system, simple living ideas, and ways to protect wildlife and nurture diversity.

This girl is delighted with her cuttings of garlic chives, turmeric, pelargonium and cranberry hibiscus to take home for her garden. She has made and decorated a mini-wicking pot out of a 3L milk bottle to help her get these plants started.

This little girl is taking home some Brazilian Spinach, Sacred Basil, plus the ever popular Turmeric and Garlic Chives too.

At one of the seed stations, the children are selecting a range of seasonal vegetables, flowers and herbs to propagate in their egg carton seed tray.

My little display at the workshops of upcoming workshops and articles about our garden. I am really looking forward to a Nature Kids program next week and a PDC from August 29 – September 9.

WORM TOWER WORKSHOP

During the week I also ran an workshop for adults at the Forest Heart Nursery in Maleny about worm towers.  The nursery is now the proud caretaker of a new colony of compost worms. Thanks to Hugh for breeding the worms.  My eight year old son, Hugh, is now launching into his second enterprise – worm farming (his first is Hugh’s Bike Shed) to supply locals who want to set up worm tower systems. (have a look at this previous post for more worm tower information)

Chopping a length of pipe for a low-set worm tower (I have used the full length of pipe in my garden).

It’s important to drill lots of hols for the worms and castings to move out of the tube into the garden. We used a 6mm drill bit here and spaced the holes about 5cm apart through the section that is underground. I don’t put holes above ground to prevent flies from finding the compost.

Extracting the compost worms from another worm farm to place in the worm tower. Mound it up, the worms go away from the heat and light. Scrape off some material and the worms go deeper. Keep doing this until you are left with a bundle of worms.

In goes the pipe – nice and level in all directions (I’m a surveyor’s daughter!).  The soil and mulch will be brought up around the tower and the pot will be placed on top.  Inside the pipe we made sure the base soil was loose, we placed some moist coco-peat at the bottom as a bedding We topped it all off with a handful of mulch to help keep the temperature stable and to prevent flies from landing on the food scraps.

ENTERPRISING CHILDREN

Yesterday the kids and I were busy making things for this weekend’s Crystal Waters Monthly Market. We have an abundance of lemons and limes so they decided to make marmalade. They researched and trialled a few different methods and made 24 jars of delicious preserves to sell at the market.  I have asked them to write these up – so hopefully you’ll see these recipes soon. Maia has decided to join Hugh in worm farming and they’ll have worms for sale too. It’s going to be a fun day with lots of friends and neighbours meeting at the village green.

Some of the delicious lime marmalade Hugh made.

Some of Hugh and Maia’s worms ready to be bundled up.

The post Working as a permaculture designer and teacher. appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

The Maleny cows at the Obi Obi bridge.

The crossing tree.

Colourful crochet on display.

Monty thought the library canon looked pretty funny like this.

The Artisan Market bicycle.

The library tree was one of the most intricately decorated tree.

The kids got to explore textiles from the animals, to the weaving to the making.

The RSL poppies.

So many amazing beanies.

…and shawls.

Fabulous weaving using weed vines.

A felting wonderland

Maia liked these little dry felting worlds …

and these cute little knitted/beaded animals.

The post Colouring the Streets with Collaborative Community Art appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

I had been using the paper roll method for years (and a similar version made of wood), but last weekend I came across another method – the origami pot. I like it too because it creates slightly larger pots that are great for cuttings.

I often run permaculture workshops for children. In one of these I show them how to make the pots, how to collect, plant and care for seeds, and how to take cuttings from herbs and perennial plants – great food-growing skills for us all to have.

These little origami pots were in the kids corner at the Small Farmers tent at the Maleny Show last weekend where I spoke about permaculture design thinking. After packing up, I couldn’t resist stopping and making a few to take home for my kids.

The origami pots I brought home from the Maleny show with lettuce and parsley seedlings.

Here’s how to make both the roll and the origami pot…

METHOD 1: THE PAPER ROLL POT

Chop newspaper sheets in thirds. Place the toilet roll insert or paper towel insert at one end. Make sure the roll hangs over the edge enough to grab hold of it.

Roll the paper up and poke the end into the bottom of the pot firmly – this makes it secure and stable.

Remove the insert and it’s ready to fill with compost and seeds.

METHOD TWO: THE ORIGAMI SEED POT

Use a full page of newspaper.

Fold the bottom half up.

Halve again – folding left side to the right.

Open up the previous fold and take back just one corner to make a little triangle pocket.

Turn the whole thing over and do this on the other side.

Like turning a page, fold over the ‘wing’ to see this shape (do both sides).

Take the left corner and fold into the centre line.

Fold this again into the centre line.

Repeat this double fold for the other side.

Turn it over and repeat the double folds for left and right ‘wings’.

All folded up – smooth the lines.

Fold back the top.

Other side too.

Open out the base and there is your pot.

You can keep the flaps out or fold them in. Fill with potting mix or compost then use as a seed pot or for herb cuttings.

Make a bunch of these origami pots, line them up, fill them with soil and seeds. Grouping them gives them stability.

Keep them on your windowsill or verandah until sprouted and be put in the garden or in larger pots.

It’s a good idea to put them on a tray to avoid seepage on your bench.

They can be kept folded and flat, so it’s a nice idea to have some ready for when a spontaneous planting moment arises and you need some little pots ready to go.

Enjoy!

What other origami or paper pots have you found simple and easy to make?

The post Two Simple Newspaper Seed and Cutting Pots: Make them With Kids appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

I also love to send visitors to my permaculture garden away with handfuls of seeds.  These are perfect and quick to make to give to people.

My daughter loves origami and taught me how to make these.  I am no origami master – these are actually super-easy to make and so convenient.

These envelopes will hold all by the smallest of seeds.

How to fold the origami seed packet:

Find a square of paper – origami, newspaper, a trimmed down A4 or A5 sheet.

Fold in half diagonally.

Fold one corner across to the other side so the top edge of the fold is parallel with the bottom.

Fold the opposite corner across.

Take the top piece of the envelope lid and …

…tuck it into the pouch at the front.

Flatten and neaten the previous fold

Now your envelope can be opened and filled.

To close the lid, tuck the remaining envelope lid flap into the same front pouch.

Fold flat – envelope is complete and closed

Always remember to label the packet – plant, where harvested and when.

I found this diagram – it might help you see more clearly how we make the envelopes.

Happy seed collecting and sharing.

The post DIY Super-Easy Origami Seed Envelopes appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

Some of the keen gardeners from last weekend’s gardening session at Annerley Library.

For those few hours, with the room full of my plants, the library smells amazing. That is the first thing everyone says when they come into the space. In the morning before the gardening sessions, just as the sun is rising, I go out into my dew-laden garden and gather armfuls of plants flourishing that week – herbs, perennial edibles, edible flowers, and bunches of unusual greens.

On many weekends you will find me at one of the 33 libraries run by Council with my buckets overflowing with the selection of incredible edible perennials and an abundance of seeds. I also take a sampling of interesting fruits, a collection of wriggly worms, bokashi sprinkles, a tub of compost, and a selection of reclaimed materials to use as pots.

I explore a range of themes around sustainable food gardening and permaculture in the city and through this aim to build ecoliteracy – understanding how nature works, so we can work with nature.

I must have shared out over 10,000 edible plant cuttings and many thousands of seeds too.  I suggest to participants that once the plants are established, they spread them further and gift the plant abundance again. People always leave my library gardening sessions with at least a few new plants, and I hope a lot of ideas of ways to simply create an edible garden at home or get involved in a local community garden.

It is wonderful now that few libraries in the large Brisbane City Council region are setting up their own community gardens outside. These are becoming important meeting, learning and play spaces – adding to the growing number of community gardens in Brisbane.

The Council lists 37 community gardens on their website, but I know there are very many more not included here, as well numerous school gardens. Community Gardens are great places for growing food and for growing community locally. Many years ago, I helped to set up the Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network – for those interested, there is a wealth of information the website. http://communitygarden.org.au

Last weekend – being in school holidays – I led a special children’s gardening session at Annerley. In the midst of the garden, the kids, their parents and I made mini-wicking gardens, seed balls and origami seed packets. 

There were lots of busy young hands sticking, gluing, propagating, potting up, mixing clay and compost, rolling seedballs, folding origami seed packets.

There were so many happy faces getting their hands in the earth. The seedball making was a particularly popular activity. The kids are so excited to go home and cast them out, or place them in a pot. Perhaps there may be a few guerrilla urban gardeners in the making….?

The post Library gardening: Community Permaculture Education appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.

The colourful new milk frother cleaner

Just the perfect size for this job.

The hand-knitted cloth cleans super well and rinses out easily.

The post DIY handmade cleaning cloth appeared first on Our Permaculture Life.