Back in late January, I planted potatoes across the front of our yard. We had recently built the terraced garden beds and filled them with dirt (clay lumps) and stable sweepings. Potatoes are a great way to break up lumpy dirt, rot down manures, and generally improve the soil.

Last Friday, Megan and I dug up [...]

Yesterday I met up with Tim Denshire-Key at Wollongong University, and he interviewed me about our participation in the Sustainable Illawarra Super Challenge and our efforts to become more sustainable in an ordinary suburban house. He’ll use the audio in an upcoming podcast.

Tim is studying Industrial Design at RMIT in Melbourne, and is currently undertaking [...]

My FridgeMate Mk II digital temperature controller arrived in the post today.

If you are thinking of a similar project, or just looking for home brew supplies, I highly recommend MashMaster.

I left a question about the FridgeMate for them via their web site, and they answered it within a few hours (and this was outside of [...]

Tonight we had a couple of kangaroo mini-roasts for dinner, bought from our local Woolworths supermarket.

I’ve eaten kangaroo many times before, and like it just as much as beef. Megan has never been quite so keen, simply because it’s kangaroo. However, we both enjoyed this pre-packaged roast. It was quick and easy to cook, and [...]

One of the big energy hogs in our house is our clunky old second fridge in the garage. I measured its energy consumption with the MS6115 power meter, and it uses a whopping 2.5 kWh/day!

Many Aussie houses have one of these beasts, which is a big reason why the NSW State Government is now offering [...]

A couple of weeks ago I promised to post the recipes of the lillypilly treats I made. This is the first…

A real bellini is a “brunch cocktail”, made by pouring some peach puree into the bottom of a champagne flute and then topping it up with sparkling Italian wine. Champagne or other sparkling wines are [...]

[ April 29, 2009; 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. ] Free “Finding Critters in Wetlands” fauna monitoring workshop that will cover techniques for monitoring frogs, aquatic bugs, water birds and mammals. In the afternoon a field visit will be undertaken to man-made frog ponds so you’ll need to dress for the outdoors. This workshop is ideal for Landcare and Bushcare groups, but everyone is welcome. Bookings [...]

[ May 5, 2009; 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. ] Join the hunt for retro, vintage and pre-loved treasures! The tour will run from 9:30am to 2:30pm, with pick up points at Kiama and Albion Park. Every participant has the chance to be professionally styled by Kylie Hughes, a local fashion stylist. Kylie will guide you through what clothes best suit certain body types, colour choices [...]

[ May 17, 2009; 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] Come and learn the basics of successful composting and wormfarming, as well as the revolutionary Bokashi bin system. Each household participating in the workshop will receive a **FREE** compost bin, or can purchase the Bokashi Bin at a reduced rate. This offer is only available to residents who have not received a compost bin when [...]

[ June 27, 2009; 8:00 am to 11:00 am. ] World Environment Day Event. Come and sample a delicious array of local produce – breads, dairy, meat, jams and sauces, coffee, fruits and vegetables, plus more. Find out directly from the producer where and when the food is available, how the food is grown or made, and the best ways to serve the food. - **Venue:** Harbourside Brighton [...]