nirvana organic farm

One Happy Spider

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Nirvana Fresh Berries- the taste of summer

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Fresh berries grown in own cool valley are ripening now and available exclusively from our farm shop.

Raspberries- red and yellow.

Red and White Currants

English Gooseberries (mid-late Dec)

Black Currants (late Dec-Jan)

Mulberries (Jan-Feb)

Fruit Vinegars Our fruit vinegars are triple infused to bring out the best fruity flavours.Used as a cordial makes a refreshing drink.Can add zing to a salad, desert,sauce or be used to deglaze. Raspberry, Elderberry, Mulberry and Red Currant.	Dried Chestnut Pieces Ideal for stuffing your Christmas poultry or delicious chocolate chestnut cake. 250g makes approx. 700g Elderflower Cordial Try it on a hot day,topped up with soda water and ice. Make it into an ice block for the children. Try it as a syllabub or to sweeten cream.
Jams Handmade in small batches to ensure fine flavour from our own biodynamically grown produce.	Natural Fibre Baskets Woven with various plant materials growing at Nirvana and surrounding neighbourhood. About Deb’s Baskets

All handmade by Deb and available only from our farm shop.

Open daily 10 am –6pm except Christmas day,wednesdays and total fire ban days.

Nirvana Organic Farm 184 Longwood Rd HEATHFIELD

For Yummy way with berries click here

MULTI FUNCTION POULTRY

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Nirvana gardens and orchards are truly poultry heaven where the poultry work together as part of the MFP for the benefit of the garden

Sunrise is heralded in by Robert Rooster Early Morning Calls and after a delicious breakfast of bran and Deb’s mix of special chooky herbs like nettles,rue,wormwood, comfrey and chard its time to concentrate on the tasks at hand in the garden.

On arrival at ourr garden you will be Greeted by Honky Tonk Alarms

And then checked out by the staff of Black Bitch Security

Tails Up Mowing and Fertilizer Service are out tending to the orchard ground covers

overseen by Black Bitch Security

Around the MFP headquarters you will find the Speckley Egg Co operating at full capacity.

Red Hen Hatchery has hatched a dividend and they will soon be being trained to be valuable members of the MFP community

Amongst the cover of the gardens you will notice the Beak and Claw Weed Control in action with mulch and soil flying everywhere

.Or you notice them on a break or getting a drink from a close by bird bath.

Bird feathers are tended to in many large dust baths around the garden.Or they may just be sitting around the garden enjoying its ambience.

Mother Goose Natural Hatchery are busily

sitting on feather lined nests waiting patiently

for more yellow fluff balls to hatch

while others care for their newly hatched goslings.Mother Goose Post Natal Care has a group of young goslings grazing on short grass close to the house.A good sign for a prosperous future.

All workers of the MFP contribute to a super scheme, which combines their resources for the

U-Kekt-It Compost Company which pays big dividends for the gardens and orchards ensuring a

good future for the MFP community.

As the sun goes down all the members of the MFP return to their cosy homes guarded by employees of Black Bitch Security until the sun rises

on another day to spend in the gardens and orchards.

Spring workshops at Nirvana

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INTRODUCTION TO BIODYNAMIC METHODS

Sunday, September 18th 8.30am – 4.30pm $120

One day course to introduce the practical concepts of the biodynamic methods to farmers & gardeners. The biodynamic method is a modern organic approach that creates a holistic approach to building healthy soil, plants, animals & humans. Includes notes, biodynamic preparations, lunch & teas.

VEGETABLES FOR YOUR TABLE.

Sunday, October 2nd 9.00 -12.30 $50

Practical guide to establishing & maintaining a productive & healthy vegetable garden. Our climate offers many opportunities to grow food for your table all year round. Discover what plants to grow, and when. Practical tips & ideas.

COMPOSTING & MULCHING

Sunday, October 9^th 9.00 -12.30 $50

Reduce water use by learning the principles of composting & mulching, techniques & materials used & how they can be used most effectively on your garden or farm.

INTRODUCTION TO MOON PLANTING AND USING THE PLANTING CALENDAR

Sunday, October 16^th 9.00 -12.30 $50

Working with the rhythms of nature can develop your skills in fine tuning your garden and can add a new dimension to your gardening experience.

ORGANIC FRUIT, NUTS & BERRIES

Sunday, October 23^rd 9.00 -12.30 pm. $50

Practical guide to growing fruits, nuts & berries. Establishing, maintenance, ground covers, soils.

POULTRY KEEPING

Sunday October 30^th 9.00 – 12 30 $50

All you need to know about getting started with poultry. Includes breed selection, housing, feeding, breeding, pests.

WEAVING A BIT OF MAGIC

Sunday, November 6^th 9am 4pm $120

The ideal way to recycle your garden prunings .A introduction to natural fibre weaving. Includes techniques, suitable plants & other materials to make baskets, fences & trellises. Includes all materials, lunch & teas.

All courses are held at NIRVANA ORGANIC FARM

184 LONGWOOD ROAD, HEATHFIELD

UBD 157:G7. Exit from SE Freeway at Stirling, turn right at roundabout & travel 3.5 km.

The courses are practical, ‘hands on’ conducted by experienced biodynamic/organic farmers, Deb & Quentin. Their successful small holding has been run under BIO-DYNAMIC principles since 1983.

The 4.5 ha property provides the ideal classroom filled with practical examples of how goals can be achieved & gives inspiration into this GARDEN QUALITY FARMING to both gardeners & farmers alike.

FOR BOOKINGS & FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

DEB OR QUENTIN PHONE/ (08) 8339 2519 nirvanafarm@gmail.com

RASPBERRIES–the taste of summer direct from the Adelaide Hills.

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With the late start to summer and the Christmas rush over the berries are now at there best. The raspberries along with their cousins, the English gooseberries, black currants ,and red and white currants are all ripe and dripping with flavour. All the berries are grown using biodynamic methods in a cool spring fed valley. We take the same care in picking our berries as we do growing them. This ensures only the best are sold. We don’t sell seconds for a couple of reasons-(1) the way they are grown and picked and (2) we do all our own value adding.

Our berries are only available from our farm shop which means they have travelled no more than 300 metres. While we are picking, people drop in to the farm to buy berries. It is nice to stop picking for a few minutes and chat with regulars who enjoy buying directly from the producer. We receive direct feedback and the visitors take away high quality, fresh, biodynamic food.

Our farm shop is unique as it only sells our produce, fresh fruits in season and value added products made from our own fruit by Deb - 20+ varieties of jams and preserves to choose from Plus a range of Deb’s baskets hand crafted from materials growing at Nirvana and roadside weeds.

Nirvana Organic Farm is 5 kilometres from the Adelaide GPO the way the crow flies but for those who do not fly take the Stirling exit off the South Eastern Freeway , turn right at roundabout and travel 3.5 km to 184 Longwood Road HEATHFIELD. or check out your street directory UBD 157:G7 .

We are open Daily 9-5 during the berry season.

As the raspberries fade the Black Mulberry harvest begins.

This is my tree!

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According to this young goslings the shahtoot mulberry near our veranda, along with another tree in the mixed fruit orchard, belongs to it.It spends its day alone cruising between the two mulberries trees.It is not alone in liking these sweet fruits as the tree is constantly visited by wattle birds, silvereyes and blackbirds.These birds are quite clumsy and knock the mulberries down to the delight of the gosling.The gosling has also learnt to jump up and grab lower limbs and shake off the mulberries.

These are the sweet yummy mulberries.

The red shahtoot mulberry is popular as well but we have it netted this year.

CHESTNUT BLIGHT

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The potentially devastating news that chestnut blight has been found in north eastern Victoria puts all chestnut growers on edge. In USA it wiped out the entire industry in 3 years!

Chestnut blight is a fungus that enters through wounds in the bark. Which is a real worry for us as our trees are regularly smashed by the neighbour’s unmanaged Stringybark's.It grows underneath it causing a canker which will girdles and kills the branch above the infection point. The disease can kill the tree if the trunk is girdled by a large canker or several cankers growing together.

The first signs of infection is often seen as wilting, yellowing and death of leaves and shoots.Yellow –brown to orange cankers on young smooth barked trees or branches may also be early signs of infection.

The fungus is spread by animals (especially humans in this global village) that come into contact with the cankers and through the air after rain. If you suspect anything or need more information contact www.planthealthaustralia.com.au

Chestnut blight occurs in Japan, China, Korea, USA, Canada, Italy and throughout Europe. It infects chestnuts, oak, red maple, shagbark hickory and eucalyptus.

Biosecurity team checking our orchard for chestnut blight.

A Stringybark falls from neighbouring property and damages another chestnut. In the last few years 5 productive trees have been damaged by falling trees.

Enjoying Spring

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Winter seemed cold and drawn out which means it was a typical hills winter - grey and damp. The past few winters have been cold yet sunny. The grey meant we had average rainfall at long last so hopefully their is enough subsoil moisture to get us through the coming summer.

Now spring has arrived and everything looks wonderful and fresh. So good that you want to be out there all day. The morning and evening scents are also so full of fragrance , gentle and refreshing.

The frogs are busy calling while the birds display their riches plumes.While weeding the berries the blue wrens follow me along the rows chasing the tiny lives I’ve disturbed.

It would not be Spring at Nirvana without those fast growing yellow fluff ball goslings that quickly turn into mini geese as they continually graze the orchards.

Spring is a special time to observe and enjoy.

SPRING WORKSHOPS TO INSPIRE A PRODUCTIVE HOME GARDEN

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Nirvana Organic Farm offers gardeners a chance to share Deb’s 30+ years of experience in creating a productive landscape in a unique and beautiful living classroom.

COMPOSTING AND MULCHING

Sunday, September 5th

9.00 - 12 30 $45

Principles of composting and mulching, techniques and materials used and how they can be used most effectively on your garden or farm.

ORGANIC VEGETABLESFOR YOUR TABLE

Sunday, September 12^th

9.00—12.30 $45

Practical guide to establishing and maintaining a productive and healthy

vegetable garden.

BIO- DYNAMIC AGRICULTURE

BEYOND ORGANICS

Improve your soils water holding capacity.

A one day course to introduce the practical concepts of the biodynamic methods to farmers and gardeners.

The Bio -Dynamic method is a modern organic method that creates a holistic approach to building healthy soil, plants animals and humans.

The course covers history, concept of a living organism, soils, compost, special preparations that enhance nature and equipment required.

Sunday, Sept 19^th 2010. 8.30 am. -4.30 pm. Cost: $110

Includes: notes, lunch, Membership of Adelaide Hills Biodynamic Group

INTRODUCTION TO MOON PLANTING AND USING THE PLANTING CALENDAR

Sunday, September 26^th 9.00-12.30 $45

Working with the rhythms of nature can develop your skills in fine tuning your garden and can add a new dimension to your gardening experience

ORGANIC FRUIT, NUTS & BERRIES.

Sunday, October 10^th

9.00 -12.30 $45

Practical guide to orcharding. Includes establishment, soils, ground covers, maintenance & pruning.

POULTRY KEEPING.

Sunday October 17th

9.00 pm – 12.30 $45

All you need to know about getting started with poultry. Includes selection, housing, feeding, breeding, pests.

WEAVING A BIT OF MAGIC

Sunday October 24^th

9am – 4pm

$110

.The ideal way to recycle your garden prunings. This introduction to natural fibre weaving will show you the essential techniques, suitable plants & other materials to make baskets, fences, or trellises.

Course includes all materials, lunch, morning & afternoon tea.

To enrol and get further Information

phone Deb or Quentin 8339 2519

La Via Campesina

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Via Campesina is an international movement of peasants, small- and medium-sized producers, landless, rural women, indigenous people, rural youth and agricultural workers. We defend the values and the basic interests of our members. We are an autonomous, pluralist and multicultural movement, independent of any political, economic, or other type of affiliation. Our 148 members are from 69 countries from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

We had a wonderful visit in late June organised by Friends of the Earth for members of La Via Campesina ,East Asia & South East Asia along with farmers from , Japan-Japanese Family Farmers Movement, Korea – Korean Women's Peasant Association and East Timor.

US Social Forum: Statement from the People’s Movement Assembly on Food Sovereignty

US Social Forum, Detroit, 2010

Over a half-century ago, Mahatma Gandhi led a multitude of Indians to the sea to make salt—in defiance of the British Empire’s monopoly on this resource critical to people’s diet. The action catalysed the fragmented movement for Indian independence and was the beginning of the end for Britain’s rule over India. The act of “making salt” has since been repeated
many times in many forms by people’s movements seeking liberation, justice and sovereignty: Cesar Chavez, Nelson Mandela, and the Zapatistas are just a few of the most prominent examples. Our food movement— one that spans the globe—seeks food sovereignty from the monopolies that dominate our food systems with the complicity of our governments. We are powerful, creative, committed and diverse. It is our time to make salt.

A movement for food sovereignty – the people’s democratic control of the food system, the right of all people to healthy, culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems – is building from every corner of the globe.

We find that our work to build a better food system in the Unites States is inextricably linked to the struggle for workers’ rights, immigrant’s rights, women’s rights, the fight to dismantle racism in our communities, and the struggle for sovereignty in indigenous communities. We find that in order to create a better food system, we must break up the corporate control of our seeds, land, water and natural resources.

Because at a time of record harvests and record profits we have over one billion hungry people on the planet; because poverty is the root cause of hunger; because the world’s oceans are being polluted and plundered,because industrial agriculture contributes one third of all greenhouse gas emissions, because increasing inequality, poverty, hunger, a global land grab, and environmental destruction are threatening the livelihoods of family farmers,farm workers, fisher folk, and marginalized communities worldwide; and because community based food systems and agro ecological farming can cool the planet, build resilience to climate change, and eliminate poverty;

We therefore commit to re-building local food economies in our own communities, to dismantling structural racism, to democratizing land access, to building opportunities for the leadership of our youth, and to working towards food sovereignty in partnership with social movements around the world;

We call on others in the US to demand an end to the global land grab, to end both corporate and military land occupations, to demand fairer trade,aid and investment policies, land reform, and support for sustainable peasant and community agriculture and sustainable community fisheries;
We endorse actions that include: the liberation of land and water resources for the production of food and sustainable livelihoods; the creation of new structures for cooperative ownership of land and food production, processing and distribution; the integration of labour rights, immigrant’s rights and food justice; the valuing of women as primary food providers, and the denouncement of false solutions and false partnerships addressing climate change, hunger and economic development;

We demand a world in which everyone has control over their food and no one has to put food in their mouth that hurts people or the environment.Organizations and individuals among us have therefore committed to the following actions:

• Launching a campaign for food sovereignty as a right of the people
• Growing and harvesting as much food as we possibly can everywhere
• Liberating land through reclaiming urban and rural spaces for the production of food for communities; demanding the use of public lands for food production
• Participating in a global campaign against land grabs, in which corporations and governments grab up the lands of communities
• Carrying forward the people’s agenda coming out of the Cochabamba climate summit — including popular education around food and climate justice and promoting sustainable agriculture as a solution to climate change
• Standing with the people of Haiti, Palestine, Honduras, and other countries whose food sovereignty is threatened by political, military,and/or corporate occupation
• Hosting collective meals in our communities as a way of connecting people across generations and cultural backgrounds and as a tool for dismantling racism in the food system
• Forging new models of collective control of land and waterways; assuring legal protection of the commons
• Building the leadership of the next generation; providing opportunities for urban and rural youth to have a future in food and farming
• Rejecting GMOs and other forms of the corporate takeover of our food systems
• Creatively and strategically working to dismantle the corporations who have hijacked the world’s food systems
• Affirming the sovereignty of indigenous peoples in North America and throughout the globe
• Committing our food movements in the US to be active participants in the global movement for food sovereignty and to work to stop our government and corporations from practices that undermine food sovereignty globally.
• Challenging US food and agricultural aid and development policy (e.g.,Monsanto and USAID’s recent “donation” of seeds to Haiti)
• Working towards a people’s food and farm bill based on principles of food sovereignty
• Hosting community seed exchanges
• Engaging communities in popular education on GMOs and the role of corporations in our food system
• Engaging communities in popular education on community nutrition and public health
• Creating more community farmers markets that are accessible and affordable to all; affirming everyone’s right to food that is good, safe,healthy, and fair
• Helping everyone understand where their food comes from and who helped bring it to their table
• Highlighting the common struggles between farmers and farm workers in the US and their counterparts throughout the world

Chestnut harvest …..and more

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We have had a very busy time of late with the chestnut harvest,shed relocation and farm tours. Fortunately we had some excellent help from woofers', Emanuele and

Federica from Northern Italy who where keen to learn about our farming methods and sustainable lifestyle. While they were able to experience our lifestyle and farming methods first hand we learned about chestnut forests in Northern Italy and their traditional foods, celebrations and way of life. The polenta and kangaroo is a merging of the two cultures.

They were keen to experience food from paddock to plate .Here they are preparing birds for the table a valuable experience as they wanted to provide quality food for themselves in the future.

A few new building skills never go astray.

Emanuele also put 26 years of rainfall records on the computer (something I planned to do one day but never got around to.) Now its easy to see patterns and trends in our rainfall patterns.

The busy pattern continues as Deb will be attending a 4 day Biodynamic trainers seminar at the end of the week.We have enlisted the help of Maggie and Bob to man the farm shop while Deb’s away.

We are still awaiting the autumn rains so the biodynamic preparations can be applied and we can experience the creeks running once more.

After that, the next couple of months will fall into a nice pattern of selling chestnuts and weekend roasting chestnuts until the cold room empties and we snuggle up for winter . Quentin calls this the ‘football and firewood season.’

CHESTNUT HARVEST

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The chestnut harvest is underway. It started with 30+C days which was hard on the hands as the burrs were dry and easily penetrated the leather gloves. But now the Autumn rains have arrived the burrs open easily. The quality this year is excellent. They seem to benefit from the doubling of the irrigation to try and counter the drought and lack of subsoil moisture.

Each morning we harvest, then grade the nuts. Now that the rains have come this is an especially good experience, the smell of damp soil and the explosion of fungus popping up everywhere. It would be much better if they where the edible types.

Once the chestnuts are picked and graded they are stored in the cold room. The coldroom maturation starts the process of the starches converting to sugars. Fresh chestnuts are sold direct to the public from our farm shop. The shop is opened daily.We can pick and complete other chores because we have a radio controlled pager to inform us that you need serving. Once the cooler weather arrives the chestnut roasting season begins in the Stirling village, on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons from Saturday 1st May and lasts until we have sold all our nuts- usually late June-early July.

Changing Seasons

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As we pick the last of the mulberries , the packing shed coverts briefly into a classroom before the chestnut season begins.

The courses are generally slow to fill at this time of the year despite being the best time to establish gardens and compost. In general most people think of such things in Spring , missing the best establishment opportunities.

Much of the last few weeks has been dominated by basketry activities. Its time to collect, dry and store much of the material needed plus Basketry SA’s exhibition, ‘Warp on the Wild Side’ is now in progress.Being my first at such and event has been a busy time preparing as well as a rewarding experience and steep learning curve.

At the Bottom of the Garden’

Gardens can house many secret lives if we take the time to look.

Gnomes are the elemental being connected with all that is below in the earth, and the fertility of the soil. Since the soil is more active and alive in winter, I like to think that in summer they emerge from deep within the earth to frolic in the summer sunshine, revitalizing themselves like the sun trapped in quartz crystals. If you venture to the bottom of my garden you may find their summer house amongst the grasses and faded flowers along with a few other seasonal visitors.

Like the common brown butterfly you’ll find resting amongst dead leaves and grasses. They are masters of camouflage even reducing their shadow by leaning to one side. They fly in waves amongst the orchard trees emerging from the dry summer grass.

Ants are also connected with the earth and like gnomes most of their activities are underground, they also like undisturbed areas. Their nests within the soil creating tunnels and spaces that help water infiltrate the soil while the ants busy themselves foraging, thus keeping the place tidy.

Foxes and Heatwave

2010-01-09T14:31:00.001+10:30

We are enduring another heat wave on top of a fox problem. In all our years here we have never seen so many foxes or been subjected to so many attacks. The last 3 have been a zero result for the fox but in the process we lost a goosing and a chook both where killed but dropped the birds when pursued by the dogs. The latest attempt was well cut off in the orchard but in this heat you can’t be out on the lookout all the time. This has meant the birds have been kept in their pens more of the time. I only allow a few out each day which is more difficult in the heat as there are lots of cool shady places for them to hang out.
The foxes we have seen are larger than normal and are out and about around midday .Hear say around the district is they are around in large numbers. Being an urban fringe area there are really no control taking place. With a mix of smaller properties and plenty of bushes for them to hide any sort of control is difficult. Quentin mentions getting out the gun but he is only 5 weeks out from a total knee replacement and needs to watch is steps especially on the slopes. (Actually it’s amazing how he has progressed in such a short period)
So now we are on fox, weather and fire watch .During a heatwave all you can hope to do is a few chores not involving any machinery early in the mornings, keep the water up to the orchards, keep a watch on the poultry and go inside. Every half hour I check the poultry. They have shaded pens fitted with misters that run for about 10 minutes every half hour as well as a sprinkler on the shed roof to cool it down in the afternoon.
As a result of the Victorian bushfires there has been much hype over what householders should or should not do in case of a fire. Our plan has always been to stay and defend as result, on serious fire risk day we always stay at home, alert to the possible risks. The areas around our house are kept well watered ,sprinkler in the roof. the fire pumps are all well serviced and ready to go (unlike many that come to Quentin to be serviced or fixed after being left out in the weather all winter!) We also have suitable clothes, pants, boots, woollen jumpers, hat etc all there ready to put on at a moment’s notice. We hope we never have to implement our plan but we are ready

Busy Spring

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Recent events at Nirvana –Diversity of a small mixed orchard.

Spring workshop season ended this month with Deb conducting an extra biodynamic workshop.

Nirvana also hosted several school tours .Firstly a visit by Bridgewater Primary School who are part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation a school gardening and cooking program. Then several groups from Belair Primary who were studding the concept ‘From paddock to Plate’ and where and how food is grown.

The basketry workshop ‘weaving magic naturally’ was also a successful day of learning, sharing and creating.

Next event is the BERRY SEASON Where you can buy fresh berries direct from our farm shop. The berries have travelled no more than 300 metres. Red and white currants, English gooseberries and Raspberries in December and black currants and mulberries in January.

A Close Encounter!

2009-11-16T14:02:00.001+10:30

Today I had a reminder of how dangerous some farming activities can be. While returning the self –propelled slasher to the shed via the chestnut hill (a steep slope) it jumped out of gear and started running backwards increasingly faster down the slope. I was trapped between the handles and kept running backwards until I fell and the machine ran me over trapping one of my legs under it. Fortunately the mower blades where turned off. There I was stuck and screaming out for help. Quentin, who was mowing on the other hill finally heard and came to my rescue, lifting the heavy machine off my leg. Fortunately for me I only suffered some nasty bruises and skun elbows. This is an important wake up call as I often work alone and there is no one to help.

Today being a cooler day after the first ever November heatwave , which is set to continue this week , we were keen to get stuck into the long list of things to do before harvest and before Quentin’s knee operation which will put him out of action for all our berry harvest.

Early mornings are really the only time to get things done in the orchard before the searing heat drives you indoors. By the time the sun starts to fade and the evening cools your usually too drained to do anything except tend the vegie garden and relax.

Another job on the list is to set up an irrigation system on the raspberries. Being in a cool damp valley they have never needed additional water until last year. There is still plenty of moisture there at present, but it’s only November and we are in the middle of a heatwave and my midweek it’s expected to reach 41oC. The Red currants, and cherries are turning red, the gooseberries are large and succulent and will need their protective bird netting put up this week. At this rate I expect the raspberries to be early as well.

Spring

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It’s been a hectic spring with goslings and chickens hatching, a new dog to train and lots of lovely rain. Although the rain has slowed down the orchard work there is plenty to do.

The horns have been retrieved yielding excellent quality biodynamic 500.

The spring workshops have had a wonderful cross section of people participating and I’ve scheduled a second biodynamic workshop this weekend for those who missed out in September.

We have had a rush of schools ordering fertile eggs to incubate and now primary schools are learning about food from paddock to plate , several tours have been booked by schools throughout November.

December and the beginning of the berry harvest is not far away. There are many more things to do before then but now it’s important to enjoy and savour the season of SPRING- the green of our valley, the activity of the wildlife, the vibrant colours and perfumes of the flowers and the fast growth of the goslings and chickens.

September, but it's not quite Spring yet.

2009-09-06T13:47:00.005+09:30

For most of Adelaide Spring is deemed to start on the 1^st of September but here in the cool Adelaide Hills it does not really arrive till around the equinox.

It is very noticeable from the winter solstice that the days are lengthening, the buds start swelling, chooks start their laying season after the moult, the geese and wild birds start nesting. All signs that Spring is approaching but not yet here. The soil is cold and the sound of ‘squish’ comes to mind as the valley struggles to take in anymore water. The plants are smiling as they know there will be enough moisture to get them comfortably through the coming Summer. Such waterlogging could be a problem but the berries are all planted on raised beds. The weeding needs to be delayed to the end of September early October so as not to damage the soil.

With the tragic loss of little Hebe back in May we have finally found a replacement fox deterrent/poultry guard. .Late August saw the arrival of our new ‘family’ member Mika, a 9 month old kelpieX . Who is very keen and already progressing very well in her retraining.

Frank is also enjoying having another dog to run

and play with as well as sharing the guard duties.He is more than a little bemused at her passion for toys especially balls.

The geese have been sitting for 3 weeks so next week we expect to see goslings.

When the soil warms a little and the rain and excess water has soaked in it will be time to get stirring and put out the Spring biodynamic preparations.

Winter and Rain.

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The last couple of weeks have seen nice steady rain, the valley has taken on its usual waterlogged squish squash which means the water is slowly being absorbed by the subsoil.

Our first order creek which joins up with others to become Scott Creek is flowing again and the filter ponds are slowing down the flow and the flow forms are doing their job of aerating and energizing the water before it leaves Nirvana Farm on its way to Clarendon Weir. (It is then pumped back to the Heathfield water tanks to supply this area… but that’s another story!)

Here are the flow forms in action in our creek.

There is an abundance of wildlife around at present, maybe a sign of early spring! The kangaroos are enjoying the damp grass, while the bird’s colours seem to be brighter as they busily move around the bare trees. This cute ringtail possum has been around the garden for the past few weeks and managed to sneak into the kitchen when the door was left open.

The passing of the Winter Solstice has seen the usual increase in egg production, the chooks all have lovely new feathers and look great. The geese also have responded to the increasing day length by pairing off and starting the mating squabbles. They will begin laying by the end of July or the beginning of August. Here is one of the roosters.

Quality above all

2009-06-08T18:58:00.002+09:30

Isn’t it interesting that if you wait long enough what you do becomes trendy. For 26 years we have created a wholistic garden & farm, ‘Garden Quality Farming” in balance with its surroundings. Although it is a commercial orchard it is also a system that embraces the whole and provides opportunities to learn the many skills that have been lost through the generations. A successful example of such a lifestyle is rare let alone so close to a major city & costs the public purse nothing.

Whether its educational farm tours that show the overall diversity & balances that can be achieved on any scale to the home orchard , vegetable & herb gardens or natural fibre gardens its all here.

Here everything has its place under the cosmos and everything interacts with everything else creating a wholistic system. To achieve such a system takes planning, work and definitely does not happen overnight or in fact after several years. Once the quality environment starts to click into place you can then consider the quality food & lifestyle benefits.

When you live a lifestyle in harmony with nature you can enjoy your surroundings. What for example is the value of watching a fledgling wattle bird learning to fly or finding a koala in a tree you planted as a 6 inch seedling or walk through the clouds of the common brown butterflies in summer or simply observing the seasons as they pass by.

When it comes to food you can boast regular ‘meals that money can’t buy’ everything from the gardens including the wood to cook it. Just as a typical example we can start with goose liver pate- with homemade bread, roast goose or rooster stuffed with fruit and herbs depending on the season, mixed roasted vegetables including carrots, parsnips. salify, garlic, beetroot, onions fresh greens, chestnut puree (Speciality of the house) followed by a desert with berries, fruits nuts either fresh or preserved to choose from and the time and company to enjoy it.

To create a lifestyle based on quality environment, food/flavour, lifestyle you need to first jump into the slow lane so you can enjoy it and then creatively take what ever bit of earth you have be it large or small and get it into balance and harmony because nowhere else in the world will food taste the same as it does from your soil, climate under your human care.

Never forget agriculture (& therefore gardening) at its most basic level is the solar gift and work is love in action.

Biodynamic Autumn

2009-05-12T20:26:00.007+09:30

Tonight I sat on the veranda and celebrated the completion of putting out the autumn bio dynamic preparations. After a long hot and dry summer it was wonderful that autumn arrived and delivered some much needed rain, although the springs have not started running or the creek flowing yet it’s a good start.

If the ants are any indication the serious rains are on the way as they have built up their nests at least 4inches.

While walking through the orchard the other morning I noticed the most amazing aroma, an aroma I had never experienced before, an aroma that eclipsed that of rain on dust! Up to that moment my most favourite smell. But the earthy, damp, sweet, like humus rich compost aroma filled the air.It felt like the soil had become light and moved into the air. I thought may be being morning it was rising from the earth and the dew had contributed to the aroma and feel so I returned latter in the morning then early afternoon and again at sunset it was the same lingering aroma each time –just magic, in fact I just need to keep coming back for more. For about a week now it’s been the same and I feel it's a result of the intense program of bio dynamic preparations I have been applying.

As we had endured a long dry and very hot summer I thought a concentrated effort of bio dynamic preps would be the ideal way for the orchard to celebrate autumn. A mix of yarrow tea and barrel compost was used 3x on consecutive days followed by 500 on the fourth day. .Although our property is only small (4.5ha) this has taken 12 days of stirring and putting out as I always dived into 3 sections based on crop and soil type. It’s been a wonderful experience if not tiring on the knees. I also made sure all the terrace banks had a good dose of barrel compost by putting out most areas by hand.

Rain is expected for the next few days so I’ll be interested to see if the aroma persists. Rudolf Steiner said each occupation had a sense to develop and for farmers it was smell.

Such experiences make farming worthwhile and enduring such a harsh summer helps see deeper into nature’s processes..

It's Chestnut Season

2009-04-21T20:09:00.007+09:30

Get them while there fresh.

Available direct from the farm 11am- 5pm daily. Fresh local produce drirect from farm to you.

Hot roasted Chestnuts available on weekends in Stirling main street from 26th April.

See you soon

Chook House Makeover

2009-02-20T18:03:00.010+10:30

A couple of days before the heat wave really set in the large twisted willow that shaded the ‘west wing’ poultry house broke in two halves and fell down . Wind and the Willow
There was an urgent need for shade and cooling as it housed some new pullets, a mum with 8 chicks (1 week old) plus a broody hen that where not yet ready to free range and keep cool under the trees.
I fitted a mister in each pen and a mini wobbler sprinkler on the roof. All these put out very low volumes of water and cooled the area very efficiently.
The morning sun was very fierce as it shone directly on the pens so I fixed some hession and shade cloth around the pens while I designed some simple awnings that would provide shade and ventilation.
Here’s my simple awning. It is lightweight yet strong and has not moved in strong winds.

Using 15mm PVC water pipe and elbows make a frame to fit the area required to cover.

Sew on shade cloth. Strong thread or fishing line is best.

Attach a length of timber using a small bolt to the inside of the frame. Make a hole at the other end of the timber. This will allow you to adjust the awning.

Attach the awning at the top of the areas to be covered. I used 2 cup hooks. Adjust the angle using the timber struts and wire onto frame. It can be easily readjusted or removed when not required.

In really hot weather (lets hope it never gets that hot again) hession or similar can be clipped onto the awning to increase the shade while allowing ventilation. The hession can be kept damp for extra cooling. When the sun sets the hession can be easily removed.

The finished awnings – I added some flaps and a picture made out of black shade cloth. The wormwood on the left was growing at an angle so I have fenced it off until it grows along the front on the pen. It can be hedged down in winter and allowed to grow tall over summer. I have added a few hardy well established pots to add some greenery maybe they will survive until the willow regrows now the rotten parts have been removed .Its always been a challenge to grow ground level plants around our pens as they adjoin the gravel driveway. All the pens on the opposite side of the road have lots of shade via glory vine, plum, nectarine and 100 year oak trees.

MIRICAL CHICKS

2009-02-07T10:23:00.000+10:30

Against my better judgment I gave a fist time broody hen a clutch to sit on mid January. The summer had been very mild and a clutch of 8 had just hatched. Since the hen was very determined and so few hens go broody nowadays I thought it worth the risk.
All was going well until the tree shading the pens fell down and the heatwave set in. Up to then I gave the hen a light spray with water every second morning. I built some shades, turned on the misters for periods through the hottest part of the day and in the late afternoon when the sun hit the shed put a sprinkler on there.
I really did not expect any chicks. But after the usual 21 days, 4 chicks where spotted and where quickly out and moving around. A 50% hatching rate. They are busy eating, drinking and learning how to scratch so all is well for their future.

When Cool Green turns to Brown Crunchy

2009-02-02T14:08:00.003+10:30

It’s just heartbreaking the devastation of the current heatwave. While the home vegie garden has faired well, the valley which is normally cool, lush green, filled with crops such as raspberries, kiwifruits, currants, gooseberries, hazel nuts, grapes plus a few apples and plums which have all flourished over the last 20+ years without irrigation, today the leaves and fruit are sunburnt, they look tired and in need of some cool weather and life giving rain other wise they may perish. The irrigated chestnuts have suffered some losses and like last year reduced yields, size and quality would be likely if the crop can last til harvest. The walnuts ,well what can I say what nuts where there are now on the ground along with shredded leaves, thanks to the black cockatoos ,sulphur crested cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets.
The temperature range has been frightening, looking back at our temperature records of days 40 or over, all where single events except 2006 where there where 2 connective days. So far the recordings 34, 42, 45, 43, 43, 42, 39 and today it are already 37 and what of the next few days? I suppose on the positive side we have had relatively still conditions and been spared the wind and therefore bushfires unlike the Victorians. News of crop losses are increasing daily apples, grapes the latest causalities.
Global warming is here to stay and I don’t see any political will to slow down the effects, they are too busy worrying about a global recession and bailing out greedy businesses- for what purpose soon the planet earth won’t be inhabitable so where will the mighty dollar be then?

In the Heatwave

2009-01-30T14:40:00.006+10:30

As part of our bushfire action plan we stay at home on all total fire ban days. At least one of us has to be here but both are preferable. Sometimes Quentin has to venture out to service a fire pump as people often panic at these times –often they have not tested their fire pump for years! Also as part of our plan is to stay tuned to the radio – of which I often find tedious. For example yesterday they just talked up the heat more heat and power outages continuously. Yesterday the worst advice would have to do with pets and animals, so many people give them human qualities and think they are doing them good but often this advice is misguided. Its extremely important for them to have shade ,shelter and plenty of fresh cool water but not ice water and frozen food!. Even for us these things are not good. The best thirst quencher is cool water not cold! Domestic animals are accustom to eating food from the fridge but frozen meat is not good for digestion & would do no good in cooling down animals A frozen bottle of water placed in but not mixed with water would cool down the water enough, best also to place water bowl in the shade.( this is my grizzle for the day)

This is how our chooks keep cool under the shade of the federation oak planted in 1901!

Our irrigation system is running at its full capacity so there is precious little leeway for those crops that are not normally irrigated to get some much needed water. The hazelnuts and Kiwis are the worst affected with burnt leaves, thus reducing the shading to developing fruit. This morning the kiwis are getting some water. Our valley is usually waterlogged much of the year and there are enough small springs and under surface moisture to service many different crops along the narrow valley without the need for additional irrigation but over the last few summers the creek has stopped flowing, ponds have dried up and now under extreme conditions some of the plants are becoming stressed. (A bit like us)

Early mornings are the best time to get things done, the poultry and irrigation are attended to first up, the shed is opened up to assist with air flow to ensure the cold room is working as efficiently as possible. Any fruit needing harvesting is done. Plums, elderberries and mulberries at present .By this time the temperature is back around 40 and its time to retreat indoors. Every hour we check everything out side and top up water bowls for poultry, dog and birds.

mulberries ready for harvest

Wind and the Willow

2009-01-22T16:57:00.001+10:30

Hebe checks out the damage after the gusty winds of today sent half of this large twisted willow crashing to the ground around her little kennel.

Wildlife Up Close

2009-01-07T18:44:00.005+10:30

Yesterday was one of those days that seemed to revolve around wildlife encounters. While making the chooks breakfast I noticed a koala wandering towards the oak tree than up, on closer inspection there where two up there but after a short while only one remained for the day. Not surprising as they seem to be in every second tree at present and the sound of their grunts continually punctuates the evening.

As dusk fell Quentin noticed a couple of kangaroos come down to the creek, we had also watched them a couple of evenings before while having dinner, these were happily grazing on the grass along the creek.

For after dinner entertainment a ringtail possum jumped from the cable into the mulberry tree and the back onto the cable and off into the night.

Berry Harvest

2009-01-07T18:31:00.003+10:30

The berry harvest has been very slow so far due to a southerly weather pattern and regular small showers of rain resulting in cooler than average temperatures that have slowed ripening. Customers have been hanging out for their Christmas raspberries so by Christmas every berry had someone’s name on it!

So with those busy days leading up to Christmas over it was no wonder the dogs crashed out before the first course was over.

We had a pleasant slow day sharing with neighbour June and a couple of German wwoofers, which meant a vegetarian dish or two. So we tucked into a chestnut and walnut pate en croute (recipe from Wendy E Cook’s Biodynamic food and Cookbook) with plenty of roast vegies and salads all washed down with Elderflower champagne, Limeade and other special brews from the cellar.-Truly a local fare from our own harvests.

The cooler weather has also allowed a lot of the brushcutting to be completed as part of the annual bushfire prevention clean up, pity the neighbours did not do the same!
It really good working weather but most of our days are spent picking and then selling. At least Quentin can watch the cricket in between customers and while he’s manning the shop I can get some gardening done.
Another job to get done is thinning out the kiwi fruit to ensure a crop of good sized fruit. Any day the mulberries will ripen and it will be back to harvest, selling and sharing with customers.

International Identity finds Nirvana

2008-10-24T16:51:00.007+10:30

Earlier in Spring we had a visit from Mr. Farhad Mazhar, Managing director of UBING, Bangladesh (Policy for Development Alternative) who created one of the biggest community seed banks in the world and is a leading player in South Asian bio-diverse and ecological agricultural movements.

He spent a morning with us seeing how our biodynamic practices reflected our diversity & lifestyle. Seeds and seed saving were also compared as we strolled around the orchards. His visit was the initiative of Sue Germein, who together with Jacquie Emery from World Vision, accompanied him.

Mr. Mazhar was touring Australia as an invited guest of One Just World and was in Adelaide addressing a Hawke Centre public lecture at the Adelaide Town Hall. The topic being “Will the world be able to feed itself in 2050? Food security and the developing world.”
Rev. Tim Costello, CEO of World vision and Sophia Murphy, Senior advisor, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy based in Minneapolis. USA also addressed the group. The session put listeners in the know about the current state of world food security , how the food aid dollar is used and expert views on solutions.

The Season of Growth,Grass and Sharing Skills

2008-10-24T13:18:00.002+10:30

Spring is the time that we are surrounded with new life and rampant growth. The berries in our little valley take a while to dry out enough to enable them to be weeded. Now that is mostly done, all the biodynamic preparations have been applied its time to turn our attention to mowing.
While the geese and goslings have been doing their bit grazing the orchards , they can’t quite keep up with the spring flush .
Mowing is very important in the orchard as the living mulch is cut to produce a protective layer of mulch ,over the season it will be cut around 3 times producing valuable organic matter some of which act as mulch and the rest is consumed by the soil micro organisms , especially after being sprayed with biodynamic cow-pat-pit after mowing.
This living mulch becomes even more important as although the winter rainfall was average, the normal spring rains have not come and Spring has all too quickly turned to Summer.
This year all the berries have been mulched with sawdust. The last few years I’ve been trialing this in the red & black currants and it has proven successful.

Spring is also a busy time with workshops. Again a great group of eager students have soaked up what our living classroom and Deb's experience has to offer.
This weekend members of the Adelaide Hills Biodynamic Group will come and we will dig up the horns and compost preparations.

Spring Events at Nirvana

2008-08-30T14:38:00.015+09:30

GUIDED GARDEN & FARM TOUR
September 7th 2-4 pm Adults $8. Accompanied children under 16 $4.
An ideal opportunity to gain an insight into a successfully run biodynamic garden & farm .This farm was established in 1983 so there is a wealth of experience to share. This Garden Quality Farm demonstrates an integrated system incorporating orchards, poultry, native habitat & wetlands, home food production & hardy cottage gardens all rolled into a unique lifestyle.
Life in the slow lane. Advanced bookings only.
Or Book your own tour anytime..
If the dates don’t fit into your schedule then get your friends together & book your own. Minimum 5 persons max.15. Minimum charges apply

BIODYNAMIC METHODS Way Beyond Organics!
Sunday, Sept 21st 8.30am – 4.30pm $95
The Biodynamic methods are by far the most sustainable way to manage your garden. For example the waterholding capacity in increased which means you use less water , developing a dynamic ecosystem means you need less inputs and have less pests . This one day course introduces the practical concepts of the biodynamic methods to farmers & gardeners. The biodynamic method is a modern organic approach that creates a holistic approach to building healthy soil, plants, animals & humans reducing your impact on the earth.. Includes notes, biodynamic preparations, lunch & teas.

COMPOSTING & MULCHING
Sunday, October 12th 9.00 -12.30 $40
Producing good quality composts is essential to any garden. Deb’s 30+ years of experience will guide you through the Principles of composting & mulching, techniques & materials used & how they can be used most effectively on your garden or farm.

VEGETABLES FOR YOUR TABLE.
Sunday, October 19th 9.00 -12 noon $35
A Garden grown for freshness-delicate,fragrant, fleeting freshness = home grown vegetables. Deb shares the experience of getting the most out of your garden. A practical guide to establishing & maintaining a productive & healthy garden that will provide food for your table all year round.

ORGANIC FRUIT, NUTS & BERRIES
Sunday, October 26th 9.00 -12.30 pm. $40
Freshly harvested from your garden. Practical guide to growing fruits, nuts & berries. Establishing, maintenance, ground covers, soils.

POULTRY KEEPING
Sunday November 9th 9.00 - 12 noon. $35
The joy of sharing your space with poultry. All you need to know about getting started with poultry. Includes breed selection, housing, feeding, breeding, pests.

WEAVING A BIT OF MAGIC
Sunday, November 16th 9am 4pm $90
The ideal way to recycle your garden prunings .A introduction to natural fibre weaving. Includes techniques, suitable plants & other materials to make baskets, fences & trellises. Includes all materials, lunch & teas.

All courses are run at Nirvana Organic Farm in our unique 4.5 ha living classroom full of practical solutions & examples of how goals can be achieved.
This successful small holding has been run under BIO-DYNAMIC principles since 1983.
Nirvana Organic Farm was the National Winner of the Organic Federation of Australia Awards of Excellence as the leading Organic Educator.

For Enrollment Details click here

For more infomation and bookings Phone Deb or Quentin 8339 2519 or email us nirvanafarm@chariot.net.au
You will find us at 184 Longwood Rd
HEATHFIELD

Willow House

2008-07-18T19:51:00.010+09:30

Weaving a Magic Place

Some 20 years ago we were given a gift of some osier basket willows from Annemarie & Graham from the Food Forest in Gawler. They figured they would grow better in our wet area. .We planted them as a copse down at the bottom of the valley adjoining our newly planted forest.

Over the years the copse was used for bask ets, poles & trellis.

In August 2002 sculptor Evette Sunset began to weave a living house. A circle was picked out within the existing osier willow copse. Each tree was thinned down to the best large structural branches for the roof & wall frame work .Smaller branches up to 1 mitre long were cross-woven to fill in the ceiling & walls.

The woven willow house took about 12 days to make – with two people working together most of the time. Each winter it is pruned and prunings used for various projects.

The house is a dwelling & visiting place for many creatures. It breathes with the sun, wind & rain.

A circle of light travels across the floor like clockwork, as sun or moon journey through the sky, visible through the central opening in the roof – “the sky gate” or “eye of heaven”(so-called by Mongolian nomadic peoples)

Under the eye to the sky is a clay fireplace, made from digging out a near by pond. When the house was first completed it was decorated with clay, over the years with weather and use its now clothed in moss.

Alive & growing the house looks & feels different in each season .

In Spring its lush with delicate new lime green leaves;

In Summer shady & cool; In Autumn the fallen rich black leaves carpet the floor;

In Winter it’s a huge basket, a skeleton- framework.

A rhythm of gentle change

A of living chair graces the outside area. Here Evette has just pruned it.

A series of ponds where hand dug after the willow house was built but thats another story.
The willow house as become my retreat ,my special place, a great place to relax, watch the birds or read .It has hosted many long lunches, evening bbq & a wedding decorated with purple bougainvillea.

Around my gardens you will find other bits of woven magic

Winter Orchards

2008-06-25T13:42:00.000+09:30

From the Heart

2008-06-14T17:10:00.004+09:30

It’s always a good feeling to complete building a compost heap. I’m tired and worn out, as it usually takes the best part of a day, but with wet materials being heavier and drizzle it has been a long day. But I have a warm glow inside of a job well done.

Compost is the heart of our orchards and gardens, where I (Quinta essentisa) collect the ingredients and put the heap together so that the organic matter (recycled from within the farm) is combined with air, water and warmth to create the new substance of rich black, quality humus which will enliven the soil and strengthen the plants. Click here to see how our compost is made.

When visiting organic farms and gardens I’m amazed that so few practitioners make compost or have thought about how they can develop a system of creating and recycling within their own system. They are more than happy to buy in all their fertility. This is one of the main reasons I never enjoyed being an organic inspector . After 13 years of certification we ditched it as a waste of time, money and with the attitude of minimum standards , where excellence is not considered and everything goes down to the lowest common denominator there seem little point.

Before Winter Sets In.

2008-06-09T19:42:00.011+09:30

June is the time for clearing up, pruning and preparing for the winter rains.

One important job that requires doing before winter sets in, is to make the biodynamic preparations. So last weekend with a perfect autumn day a few of us from the Adelaide Hills Biodynamic group set about filling the horns with fresh manure from Paris Creek BD farm, preparing the compost preparations of yarrow, chamomile, oak and dandelion.

The horns where buried in their usual pit of rich soil and the horn silica (501) was retrieved after spending summer in the earth.

The compost preparations in their clay pots are buried in the humus rich soil of the vegie garden. The oak is down in the wet valley.

Another job is to brush cut the banks after which they had an application of cow pat pit followed by horn manure (500). I then planted some mixed legumes and wheat seeds and within 24 hours the geese where systematically grazing the banks. But really it’s a win, win situation as they don’t often graze these steep banks. Their manure will add to the cut grass to break down and enrich the banks, they will miss a percentage of seeds so they can come back and graze on the new green growth.

I have been renovating a blackcurrant patch, which had been plant about 20 years ago in a star shape. Nice idea but they were a pain to manage and difficult to pick, so I finally decided it was time to change the area. A week or so ago with the help of Gibberagunyah Chris, we moved them into 5 rows , keeping some older bushes and planting some new ones I had propagated last year. After it was completed, I looked at the area and the types of weeds that where growing and decided the rows needed some attention and compost added.

As I embarked on the weeding I was firstly surprised how easily the fork slid into the soil and the weeds lifted out. These are not the usual backyard weeds, this area is often waterlogged (blackcurrants love this type of soil) and a special range of plants adapt to protect the soil .These include deep rooting dock, reeds and other water type plants with very fibrously deep roots and paspalum a very tough grass with very tight fibrous roots – the hardest to dig out.

As I weeded the tilth of the soil would make most vegie growers envious, the fork just glided through. The soil had not really been touched since the’ star’ was planted. Annual maintenance of brushcutting, and weeding around the bushes and adding a little compost. But I should not be surprised at the soil quality since the entire farm as been regularly treated with the biodynamic preparations in autumn and spring for the past 20+ years.

When we started in 1983 the whole valley was very waterlogged with a pH of 3.5- 4, very anaerobic and the soil smelt really bad in fact the stench stayed on your hands for days. Since then drains have been added, raised beds, compost and biodynamic preparations. The area still gets waterlogged – usually in spring, although in the last couple of years less so, the pH is around6-6.5 and the soil smells sweet and earthy.

The Earth Beneath My Feet

2008-04-25T06:15:00.008+09:30

The seasons are changing; summer is slowly making way for autumn. In the air there are still clouds of common brown butterflies & dragon flies, the flame robins look fat & happy and the eastern spinebills are keeping me on my toes as they mimic our customer beeper.
My boots repel the heavy dew that glistens in the morning sunlight; the leaves rustle as I walk through the orchard. Picking chestnuts means eyes to the ground , as well as chestnuts & their burrs around my feet I see new ant hills,

spider holes, worm castings, freshly germinated clover and a multitude of fungi.

My mind drifts off wondering about these interesting fruiting bodies that started off as a spore. When the spore germinates it produces tiny threads called hyphae. When mattered together, these hyphae form mycelium before they appear above ground as fungi. There are many types here but wouldn’t it be nice if some where edible, may be a truffle or morel or chanterelle even a field mushroom (actually there are a few patches of mushrooms) but a greater array would be nice.

Then to the bigger picture, the soil and the world it contains, since a handful of good soil can contain millions of life forms what does their world look like. To start with there are the macro organisms, the ones you can see such as earthworms, springtails, ants, millipedes, mites, and nematodes.
Then there are bacteria such as rhizobia, that fix nitrogen, bacteria that works with phosphate, mycorrhizae fungi, actinomycetes and protozoa.
All these life forms interact to build soil structure. The bacteria exude polysaccharides (sugar) which bind partials of soil to form pods and develop soil structure .The hyphae of Mycorrhizae fungi also bind soil partials .The mycorrhizal fungi also form symbiotic relationship with the roots of plants. Carbohydrates are supplied by the plants and in exchange the fungi search out nutrients and moisture for the plants. The hyphae look like fine cobwebs, around 1 micron. Mycorrhizae fungi are not host specific and often spread from plant to plant and species to species. The strands of their hyphae are interconnected and apparently travel long distances seeking nutrients for plants. In addition various helpful bacteria assist plants to get their nutrition far away from their root zones.

All these processes are enhanced by the addition of good compost which provides the material for the micro organisms to work.

While thinking of these relationships Peter Proctor suggests that in the Agriculture course given Rudolf Steiner in 1924 when talking about the preparations for the first time and how they would enrich soils & plants that in Chapter 5 these micro organisms are what he was talking about.
“Now if you treat the soil as I have described, the plants will be able to draw on what they need from a very wide area. They will be able to use not only what is in their own field, but also what is in the soil of a nearby meadow if they need it or what is in the soil in a neighboring forest”
For me this paints a wonderful picture of another world, the world under my feet which is busy building life giving soil to grow health giving food.

Harvest Delights

2008-03-24T12:16:00.003+10:30

Now that the weather is more like autumn it is pleasant to walk around the orchard harvesting chestnuts. As your always looking at the ground there are always lots of life to observe. Spiders of various sizes scurrying around, ants busy moving things , small skinks russeling in the grass. Today this little feller was sunning himself. It's always good to see the orchard provides so many homes for these often forgotten creatures.

CRUNCH, Crunch, crunch

2008-03-17T12:02:00.003+10:30

That is the sound of footsteps in the orchard as I harvest the chestnuts. Everything as gone crispy under foot and in the air, a strange cracking sound came from an uphill chestnut, I looked up expecting to see a flock of Adelaide Rosella in the tree but no, it was the sound of dry leaves breaking from the tree and landing on the dry grass. Such as been March so far. The record heat wave has hit this valley hard, just at the time when we should
Be riffling through damp leaves in the morning drizzle. Throughout the hills orchardist are facing this force as they try to harvest apples and pears. Since the beginning of March this is how our temperature reading has gone.
1 29 C Max 10C Min
2 33 & 10
3 35 & 15
4 37 & 18
5 38 & 19
6 37 & 19
7 38 & 22
8 40 & 23
9 39 & 24
10 38 & 17
11 36 & 16
12 38 & 28
13 39 & 24
14 37 & 19
15 37 & 22
16 38 & 23
Today’s temperature is predicted at 39 C. The March average temperatures 22.8 C Max 10.6C min. March average rainfall is 44mm so far 0
Despite the heat and dry conditions the quality of the chestnuts are very good, the yield will be down 2/3rds and it will cool down soon (I hope) and then people will want some hot roasted chestnuts .Until then they are safely stored in the cold room What the long term effects on the orchard will be only time will tell.

The Harvest Continues

2008-03-03T16:22:00.013+10:30

As March begins many of the harvest are reaching their peak.

The grapes are all harvested,

The hazelnuts in their neat fairy dresses have fallen

to earth and been collected up

The birds left some crab apples to harvest.

Their jelly partners the rosehips are also being harvested.

The netted figs can all ripen ready for harvest

We then wait for the weather to cool; nice soaking rains to open the walnuts and chestnuts. To allow the years harvest to be complete.

COMPOSTING

2008-03-03T16:22:00.006+10:30

At Nirvana nothing is more important than producing quality compost to ensure nutrient recycling within the farm system.

In natures ’Wheel of life’ composting occurs at the bottom of the cycle, where death processes are turned back into life processes in the form of humus.

On the farm or garden it is the deliberate putting together materials to produce quality humus of the right quality to enliven the to enliven the soil .The end result is an even, dark brown/ black, humus rich, hygienic, living substance with a pleasant smell.

HUMUS is made up of long chained molecules that act like a sponge to increase the water holding capacity. Humus holds 900 times more water than sand. Humus binds nutrients in its structure so it is available to plants and not lost through leaching. Humus is also the home of soil organisms, who on death become fertiliser.

IN BIO -DYNAMICS there is NO ONE METHOD OF COMPOSTING within a farm or garden. There may be several different types of compost systems.

Just like there is no one way to prepare a family meal. The aim of both is to provide a broad range of ingredients to achieve a balanced meal. (For humans or the soil.)

Bio Dynamic practitioners use a broad range of composting methods. The method selected depends on:

Types of materials available. Both on and off property.
Quantity of materials / Available equipment.
Crops nutritional needs.

Success with composting depends on;

The right mix of ingredients

Compost needs the essential elements of:

Organic matter: Here we have the ‘U-Klekt-It Compost Company’ to supply good quality and quantity of chook and goose manure mixed with sawdust .On its own it makes reasonable compost as its C:N ratio is about right. But the more ingredients the better the compost. We grow comfrey and nettles to add to this along with any other green material. The types of green materials vary according to the seasons. Today’s compost had good quantities of fresh nettles, comfrey and a mix of other greens.

AIR

WATER

WARMTH

All these are required in balance by micro organisms in the heap.

In addition to the above elements compost requires the human element or ‘Quinta essentisa’ .The ordering principle to collect the ingredients and put the heap together. In addition a set of biodynamic preparation are added to the heap. If you think of a compost heap as a body then when we add the biodynamic preparations the heap is organized (Like adding organs to the body) The breakdown and more importantly build up of new substance (humus) is guided and balanced.

To help master the craft of composting draw some comparisons e.g.

Think of the process of making a cake:-collecting the ingredients, incorporating the right amount of air, baking at the correct temperature, testing for readiness, cutting to reveal the texture, moisture and complete baking.

THE COMPOSTING PROCESS

Once the heap is completed the temperature starts to rise reaching between 30 and 50 degrees Celsius with in a few days. This heating process continues for up to 6 weeks then gradually reduces again until it stabilises at air temperature. The compost goes through 3 stages as it develops.

BACTERIA - FUNGUS STAGE

Breakdown:

Proteins are broken down by bacteria producing amino acids and ammonia
Carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars, organic acids and carbon dioxide.

Heat is required.

Build Up:

The fungi ingest the free ammonia and rebuild it into amino acids contained in their mycelia.

Moisture is critical.

2. EARTHWORM STAGE

Heating is reduced and the heat loving bacteria has produced spores and the fungi have pre-digested food for worms.
Mixing of organic substances creating polymerised carbon chains - humus, which absorb captions such as calcium, ammonium, magnesium, potassium, and others becoming a sponge for nutrients.
Arthropods e.g. centipedes begin to develop.

At this stage the compost can be used for heavy feeders, e.g. cabbage, corn, pumpkins ECT.

3. RIPENESS STAGE

Humus bacteria come in. The compost turns into good crumbly humus with the smell of fresh earth. To test for this stage take a handful of compost and shape it into a ball - it should hold its shape, now drop it, it should fall apart. It is ready to use.

Want to learn more check out 2008 Courses

New Helpers

2008-02-06T17:07:00.000+10:30

Today it’s been drizzling all day, although it won’t be a significant amount of moisture it’s a pleasant change.
The moisture as put a temporality stop to the mulberry harvest. Being covered in red juice has been the norm lately as we pick the mulberries.

Today I dusted off a couple of helpers & constructed a couple more with the aim of deterring the black cockatoos from demolishing the walnuts. They are beautiful birds so let’s hope a few scarecrows & flappy things keep them from stopping for lunch in the orchard. Not only do they take the nuts but they shred the leaves and small branches.

JANUARY

2008-01-27T16:31:00.000+10:30

The January weather has been variable from extremely hot to morning fogs and dews. The cooler days have provided an opportunity to get some berries pruned and mowing done. It is the driest since we have been here (25 years) most of the spring fed ponds have dried up. Last week we have missed out on the storms that were associated with a very unusual weather pattern from the east.

Now the main raspberry season is over the main job is pruning the berries as well as picking and processing the ripening fruit.

Another job is removing the nets from the berries. This is one of those ‘many hands make light work’ type of job so with a group of students from the FOOD FOREST permaculture course coming for a farm tour it was an ideal opportunity to get the nets down. As well as a farm tour they enjoyed lunch in the willow house.

Picking mulberries is a messy business, they are plump, juicy and delicious but very few people are interested in buying them……So I’ll process them into vinegar and jam to sell and wine for our table. Some will be frozen for winter crumble tops and cakes. The plums have demolished by the rainbow lorikeets. Next year they will be netted, I’ve been pruning them lower to allow for netting. Which may work for the birds but what about the kangaroos? They are eating rock hard quinces plus the bark and leaves of the trees. They have been around for a couple of years now, in fact ever since a property at the back of us was sub divided and an electric fence was put around 20 acres. This has blocked the corridor through to Mark Oliphant Conservation Park. Add to this to the drought and our greener than average valley is very attractive to the kangaroos.

Christmas

2007-12-26T13:20:00.000+10:30

Christmas day started off just like any other December day, picking raspberries- the difference being the pager would not beep.. Or would it- Yes someone had forgotten to pick up their order and turned up. Once the order was organized it was back to picking. As is usual my mind wanders down many paths while quietly picking those plump ripe berries, the background is filled with birds getting on and the occasional frog. December is a time when clouds of the common brown butterflies fill the orchards. As I picked, I watched them flutter from tree to bush, stopping to feed on the flowers. Then my mind drifs and I wonder why the world is so artifical when there is so much beauty just outside the door. Soon its all picked ,time to pack and store as we will be opened again tomorrow.

With all the berries picked it was time to relax. Lunch was easy to prepare, a simple affair, fresh greens from the garden including the first harvest of beans and cucumber, sprinkled with blackcurrants dressed with Nirvana raspberry vinegar, A platter of goodies including homemade quince paste, pickled olives, walnuts, gooseberries, jostaberries, cucumber plus a couple of local cheeses and almonds. The highlight was the goose liver pate, one of our specialty celebration dishes served with Deb’s special 4 grain sourdough bread.

Lunch was a long slow affair celebrating all those wonderful flavours while relaxing on the verandah overlooking the orchards.

By late afternoon it was time to taste the chestnut cake. It was delicious, moist, rich, and very yummy. This cake is sure to become part of future celebrations. The recipe came from 'The Biodynamic Food & cookbook' by Wendy E Cook. (Well worth a read)

By this time Quentin had the goose, stuffed with chestnuts cooking. While we relaxed on the verandah listening to music and a couple of Goon shows. The goose was presented roasted to perfection along side equally perfect roast vegetables especially the sweetest parsnips from the garden. We could manage a small taste and look foward to a few more meals featuring roast goose.

All in all an enjoyable day off.

Flowing with the Seasons

2007-12-06T13:09:00.000+10:30

or REAPING ENJOYMENT
December is awash with red and green. In the shopping centres there is the holly and the ivy, down on the farm there is red of the ripening raspberries and the wonderful contrast of the radiant green leaves. Adding to our living garden are the cacophony of small birds flitting nervously amongst the trees which shade the fertile valley. Other berries are ripening too. Blackcurrants are colouring and the large green gooseberries look almost translucent and ready to burst. There are red currants and white currants under the curved canopy of protecting leaves. The last of the white shahtoot mulberries are ripening

We are picking raspberries every day now and people are dropping in to the farm to buy raspberries. It is nice to stop picking for a few minutes and chat with regulars who enjoy buying directly from the producer. We receive direct feedback and the visitors take away high quality, fresh, biodynamic food. Our produce is available exclusively from here.

On arrival you will be greeted by Deb or Quentin.

as well as Frank

and Hebe

The gardens have developed over the years to provide a cool & relaxed feel to visitors.

Woven fences & screen add to the uniqueness

Apart from the initial shed, the farm shop is constructed from all recycled materials.

and the view! Only from Nirvana. Look forward to your visit.

Berry Nice

2007-11-30T22:23:00.000+10:30

Spring has reached it's crescendo in the hills with lots of growth ,colour and activity.

The goslings (better known as "Tails up mowing ans fertiliser company") are are growing fast as they graze on the orchard pasture, while the chooks are busy discovering a host of goodies that live in the soil.
Most of the fruit trees have flowered and set fruit and the hills and valleys are looking wonderfully productive. The bees are enjoying the vast array of flowers while the shahtoot mulberries are sort after by everyone
.

Today the air is full of chestnut essence as the catkins hang low with the extra weight.

This also means the berries are ripening and my days are spent harvesting and selling these in a fleeting season that lasts until Christmas. For many of our customers fresh raspberries or currants are the highlight of their Christmas feast.

Role of Poultry in a Biodynamic Orchard

2007-10-22T17:41:00.000+09:30

To achieve a balanced biodynamic farm the “animal element” needs to be included, to move it towards the concept of “the farm as an individual living organism.”
Nirvana is an orchard, so the logical the choice of animals is birds because birds go with trees & bushes. Both the domestic fowl & geese form an essential part of our orchard. They play an important part in composting, and producing vital ingredients to ensure dynamic recycling of nutrients.

The geese have been chosen for their grazing ability, 3 geese = a sheep. Having webbed feet they can graze the damp valley without damage. Their grazing has reduced our mowing costs by one third.

Our base flock is made up of 20 cross breed embden /touslouse. These birds are hardy & reliable breeders.
They graze the orchards each day. They prefer fine grasses, clover and other grasses when they are short. In general they do not like broadleaf weeds. However they do search out and destroy any comfrey leaf or root. Other goodies they seek out are potatoes, and at certain times of the year, nutgrass and soursobs bulbs. Fruit windfalls are cleaned up. As various crops ripen around the orchard, certain groups of geese “own” certain trees and claim “rights” over all windfalls.
Stocking rates vary according to seasonal conditions. By late summer and through winter we run 20 geese on 4.4ha. Most goslings are born Sept-Oct which coincides with the spring flush. They grow rapidly and have an excellent ability to convert feed to flesh. The flock increases to about 60. By Australia Day the hillsides are drying off and excess young birds are processed and some older birds are sold off to other land holders. This system keeps the genetics ticking over and ensures a good variation in age. We sometimes buy in or swap birds from different genetic pools. The low parts of the valley usually stay green all year providing good feed, and the property can sustain the reduced flock. This means there are fewer birds to fence away from the autumn crops and when pasture growth slows in winter months. Over winter the birds receive a small supplement of grain.

Geese are relatively easy to herd and train. If orchards are fenced, they can be moved around various areas, and kept out of areas before and during harvest. Our orchards are not fenced but we use electric fences to keep them out of areas. The berries are netted to exclude the geese as well as other birds. Their favourite food is chestnuts so during harvest they are herded into a paddock each morning & at the end of the day they are let out to take themselves home.
.
Housing needs are simple - the main reason for housing is protection from predators like foxes and dogs. The extra advantage of housing is manure collection (as a valuable compost ingredient). Geese can be very noisy (especially at full moon), so careful consideration as to where the pen is positioned is recommended.
Young orchards and geese do not mix, especially in spring, when the bark is slipping - they find this extremely tasty and will ring bark trees very quickly.
I have noticed on other orchards where there are large dams the geese become lazy & don’t graze as well. Our property has several small ponds down the valley which I think encourages them to graze more evenly.

Reconecting with Community

2007-10-12T10:12:00.000+09:30

From our paddock to your plate
–connecting producers to co-producers
In slow food we have read & heard much about how producers should reconnect to their co-producers giving them the joy of savoring fresh local seasonal produce. For some, farmers markets are a logical way to do this but it does not work for everyone. For the past 20 odd years Nirvana Organic Farm& Produce have been doing this in a unique way that goes beyond just selling produce.
As a small orchard in the urban fringe area of the Adelaide Hills just 20 minutes drive from Adelaide’s CBD (Capital city of South Australia) we have taken advantage of our location to develop a unique small business & lifestyle that not only brings the co-producers to us but also the world.
In the beginning we sold direct to retailers & restaurants .This required a lot of running around & selling, especially to restaurants whose chefs changed regularly & were never prepared to pay a fair price. (They often advertised they sold local produce but only in their dreams did they use such produce) We started selling our produce direct from our farm, constructed a small shop, & built up a clientele of individuals who appreciate quality produce.
Our produce is seasonally based, in early summer (Christmas) we produce raspberries, red & white currants & English gooseberries. Latter in summer we have blackcurrants & mulberries. Then autumn our main crop of chestnuts. In addition I make a range of jams & preserves from our produce which adds to the diversity we offer. Each crop has its own band of addicted co-producers. The advantages of this system are
· Fresh seasonal produce. When something is in season we put out a sign, many wait for the sign but some that can’t wait ring & order in advance. People are gradually beginning to understand the seasons & the shorter the season the special the taste.
· Co-producers meet the producers and visa versa. This is a great way to learn about what certain crops mean to different people, their recipes or that ‘these are the best raspberries I’ve had since I left Scotland’ on enquiring how long that was? ‘36years!’
· We can boast that the produce has traveled no more than 200metres & have been picked for opium quality.
· We can keep working. When someone comes to the shop they press a radio controlled beeper & we then can respond & serve them.
· Some of the crops are visible from the shop. This is an added experience especially with the chestnuts as often the grandfather will show the grandchildren the trees & burrs & tell them how it was in Italy 50 years ago.
Nirvana’s on farm shop

We also sell eggs to locals. Either they have standing orders or just turn up. To purchase the eggs they have to negotiate the chooks, geese & dogs to our back door where they leave their money & take the eggs. (We also buy our fresh raw milk & cream this way just down the road)

Selling our produce is only part of what we do to reconnect the city to their food.
Another part is conducting educational tours .These can be booked & fit in around our work. Being a small diverse farm all the elements can be demonstrated. The produce, native areas, poultry, home gardens both productive & ornamental are all there to experience & learn from. For those that want to know more in the Spring I conduct a range of courses that reflect how we do things. These include bio-dynamic methods, home vegetables, poultry keeping, fruit, nut & berry growing & very importantly composting.
We also host work experience students & WWOOFers (willing workers on organic farms) which brings the world to us.
Adelaide Hills slow food convivium programs also assist in the connection process. Nirvana Organic Farm has hosted a ‘meet the grower’ day with a farm walk & chestnut banquette & also a fundraising event catering for one of our open days
Another program. ‘SHARE A SKILL’ offers a real learning experience to our members.
Many of the skills we have we take for granted, yet someone may be eager to acquire that same skill. You may also be relucent to have a whole tribe of onlookers watching your every move Some jobs an extra pair of hand would be handy with a bonus of learning. Some skills would need a few sessions e.g. wine/beer making. Recently this proved very popular with Nirvana’s annual plucking goose party just before Australia Day. The response was so overwhelming we had to put names in a hat & conduct a draw to see who would attend. Although participant where apprehensive at the beginning they soon got into the tasks at hand & at the end of the evening where rewarded with a top quality dressed goose to celebrate Australia day & the knowledge of where it came from & how it got from our paddock to their plate. We refer this type produce & experience as something that money can’t buy.

Deborah Cantrill
Convivium Leader Adelaide Hills
Terra Madre delegate 2004

Bio-dynamics in action at nirvana

2007-09-13T19:34:00.000+09:30

Biodynamic agriculture is a method of farming and gardening that aims to treat the farm as a living system which interacts with the environment linking soil (mineral), plants, animals and humans. This process builds healthy living soil and produces food that nourishes and vitalises mankind.

The biodynamic methods are derived from the teaching of Rudolf Steiner and subsequent practitioners.

The underlying principle of biodynamic agriculture is the development of life-giving humus from dead organic matter. This biologically active humus is the basis of all living soils. It is achieved by:
· Having a diverse system of plants and animals, landscape variety and water.
· Developing skills in observation and nurturing the soil.
· Enhancing the soil structure and nutrient cycles as well as plant growth by the use of specific preparations which are made from farm sourced material:
*Horn manure 500 is used to enliven the soil, increasing the micro flora and availability of nutrients and trace elements. Through its application root growth in particular is strengthened in a balanced way.
* Horn silica 501 enhances the light and warmth assimilation of the plants, leading to better fruit and seed development with improved flavour, aroma, colour and keeping quality.
* Compost preparations 502-507 help the dynamic cycles of the macro and micro nutrients via the biological processes which lead to humus formation.

Bio-Dynamic Agriculture A Farmer’s Perspective
By Deborah L Cantrill*
Bio-Dynamics is not an entirely new approach to agriculture. It is merely another development in the continuing saga of man’s relationship with the soil. The Bio-Dynamic approach does not attempt to replace current knowledge, merely to add to it. Bio-Dynamic agriculture is concerned with producing quality food in a reasonable quantity. The methods are designed to biologically activate life in plants and soil. Skills need to be developed by the farmer to nurture the soil.
To me Bio-Dynamic ag is the craft of farming- the farmer is a skilled, in tune craftsperson. Just like a skilled cabinet maker, using quality timber to make a fine table that will last many generations, compared with mass produced factory table made out of chipboard and staples - made to a price by machines, just like factory farming. Do these products last or sustain?
As a craftsperson, the main thing in ag we are dealing with is LIFE
Life is the key to existence on this planet.
The average farmer and I think more so city gardeners- go out in the morning, not with the concept of life but with the concept of death. They go out to get rid of things. In order to grow a certain crop, everything else is killed.(listen to the questions asked on gardening programs & magazines )
As a Bio-Dynamic farmer I’m always being asked “... But how do you get rid of.......?”
Because life cannot be captured and put under a microscope, it is not understood. You have to become conscious of life before you become aware of how important it is. We have to learn how to experience this.
Bio-Dynamic is connecting this life (bio) with the inter relatedness of the whole system (dynamics ) a bit like group dynamics. This inter-action between all of the kingdoms of nature - MINERAL, PLANT, ANIMAL, HUMAN -- means that everything that is alive is dependent upon other things in a network of living things.
This results in a holistic approach where everything is taken into account from the solid earth to the furthest edge of the cosmos...... including the weather, the conditions in the paddock, the position of the moon and planets , history and potential’s of the land and eco-systems, the needs and abilities of the farmers including their cultural and economic needs.
Part of developing this wholeness is looking deeper into nature. This deeper awareness is based on keen observation and trusting your intuition.
This leads to not letting things run their natural course,, but to intensifying some of the natural processes eg the use of special Bio-Dynamic preparations. Aiding nature where she is week and using human intelligence and good will to foster positive developments.
Putting one’s energy into supporting the good, rather than supporting the bad. WORKING WITH LIFE.

*Deb Cantrill along with Quentin Jones own and run NIRVANA ORGANIC FARM a certified Bio-Dynamic mixed orchard established in 1983 at Heathfield in the Adelaide Hills. Nirvana is an excellent example of both Bio-Dynamic agriculture and small scale sustainable lifestyle that is accessible to the public via farm tours and short courses .The property provides the ideal classroom filled with practical examples for teaching courses in Bio-Dynamic methods, composting, orchard management , vegetable growing and poultry keeping .Nirvana is the National winner of the Organic Federation of Australia Awards of Excellence as the leading Organic Educator.
For more information contact Deb or Quentin
Phone/Fax (08) 8339 2519

Nirvana, An Invitation to Wander

2007-07-26T06:55:00.002+09:30

THROUGH THE INNER GARDENS, THEN OUT INTO THE ORCHARDS, DOWN THE VALLEY AND INTO THE FOREST

BOOK YOUR OWN TOUR .Minimum charges apply, Bookings essential. Individuals,Families, Schools, Groups
Nirvana provides a wonderful lifestyle for Deb and Quentin. It is where 4.5 Ha in the Adelaide Hills can provide an income from the diverse orchards. It is satisfying work flanked by our faithful hounds, our own fresh food, and food to preserve, fruit wines and beer, great spaces to relax and watch the antics of the poultry. Places to observe a multitude of native wildlife and enjoy the different seasons of the Adelaide Hills. Nirvana may not fit into the normal category of a garden or farm, but it’s a place to work, relax and enjoy life... The way in which the commercial crops are treated can be described as ‘garden quality farming.’ The combination of growing commercial crops, our own vegetables and herbs, composting, native habitat areas, poultry and our various gardens around the house and sheds all rolled into a wonderful balanced and beautiful ecosystem.

THE OUTER GARDENS: the orchards, creek, and habitat areas form the framework and atmosphere.
THE INNER GARDENS: dominated by large camellias. The garden is designed to be low maintenance, use minimum water and be chook hardy. It is made up of rooms that ebb and flow with the seasons. The home veggies and herb gardens are also here.
Balancing both is the compost and Bio-Dynamic preparations. Chooks and geese appreciate both areas

HISTORY In 1983 the valley and surrounding hills consisted of 50 chestnuts and 80 walnuts. The remainder was impenetrable blackberries and broom with the lower areas waterlogged. The house garden was very neglected and overgrown. The camellia, which dominates the front garden, had grown so large it had, over the years, turned the tin on the convex veranda into a concave!
We formulated a 10 year plan to transform this degraded property into a largely self-sufficient, enjoyable, as well as viable lifestyle. At that time we only had the weekends to do this as we both had full time jobs in town. Today, 22 years later, the main crops are chestnuts, raspberries, walnuts and 100 odd mixed fruit and berries, which are use to produce a variety of gourmet jams and preserves as well as fruit for our own use. Geese graze the orchards and along with fowls provide the basis for our compost.
We have been using Bio-Dynamic methods here for 22 years. It adds something special to the craft of gardening, because it enhances both the garden and gardener, as one looks more closely into the processes of nature and life. B.D. Bio (life), Dynamic (inter reactions) between all the kingdoms of nature: - mineral, plant, animal, humans (like group dynamics).

PHILOSOPHY
Our garden is more than plants. There is a whole atmosphere about our place, the insects, birds, water, light & shadows, sounds & smells they all there interacting with each other, all ebbing & flowing with the seasons. Our gardens engage all the senses and refresh the soul. Here the garden is a spiritual resource, a place to step back and enjoy the quiet moments.
Nirvana’s gardens are work in progress There is always an area to create or redevelop. Garden plantings are diverse as possible so we can share our garden with a large array of insects, birds, animals both domestic and wild as well as other people. The garden has found its balance & clicked into place.

Nirvana is made up of lots of small garden spaces. The main reason is ease of maintenance for one person to achieve. This also provides a variety of spaces to suit different seasons or times of the day. Even the orchards are divided up into manageable areas; these are divided by natural habitat areas.
The orchards and gardens use little water. To encourage the maximum benefit from the rainfall the soil acts like a sponge so there is no runoff. This is achieved by building up the humus content. (The Bio-Dynamic methods aid this process.) Rather than using hard surfaces, garden areas have paths and sitting areas made from sawdust or gravel. Some areas are irrigated and plants needing more water are grown there and these areas are designed to cool us or the house. Grassed areas are also used to cool the house and act as a firebreak.

What does it takes to run Nirvana Farm? Deb has designed, built & maintains the various gardens. She also works full time as the orchard and farm manager. Quentin works part time depending on the season. He is in charge of marketing, machinery maintenance, mowing, irrigation, & of course Hot Roasted Chestnuts. Woofers (willing workers on organic farms) help out during harvest.

Some highlights you’ll encounter at Nirvana

COMPOST is the soul of the garden. To make quality compost is very important .Our compost is based on poultry manure & bedding along with green plants including comfrey & nettles. The aim is provide new fertility in the form of life giving humus out of dead organic matter.

THE HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN consists of permanent raised beds, quality compost dug in. In the garden veggies are grown for fleeting freshness- delicate –fragrant frequent harvests, small sowing 2 days before a full moon. Once established simple rake over & re seed.
Wild edges provide habitat for beneficial insects & birds.
THE HOUSE & GARDENS were first established in the late 1870’s. The garden is dominated by large camellias & contain chook hardy cottage plants & shady areas. The poultry range through the area enjoying the shade. They also have dust bath areas & train their chicks to roost in the camellias. Native birds are encouraged into the garden via various water containers. An old apple orchard is also near the house.

THE SPRING FED VALLEY forms the headwaters of Scott creek. Water flows through the valley all year round. The creek is dotted with small barrage dams which provide fire water, irrigation & habitat areas. These areas aid the overall balance by sheltering the small beneficial birds, insects & reptiles.
THE FIREWOOD FOREST was planted in 1987 to supply our future firewood needs for cooking & heating. This area also contains various native wetland plants, many endangered.

SHEPARD OF THE WILLOWS .From within the existing cope of French Osier basket willow, sculptor Evette Sunset created a living yurt.
It is a dwelling & visiting place for many creatures. It breathes with the sun, wind & rain. Alive & growing the house reflects the seasons as they pass.
All these along with the orchards & poultry make up the whole that equals an excellent example of a biodynamic farm & gardens all working together to make a whole.

Deborah says'To remember that at its most fundamental level, agriculture is about the artful capture and transformation of the solar gift and work is love in action.

20 years of Hot Roasted Chestnts

2007-04-27T12:28:00.000+09:30

-20 years of roasted chestnuts

Autumn is hot roasted chestnut time and will be the twentieth year that Quentin Jones will be setting up his colorful stall in Stirling village. It all started in 1986 at the Aldgate Autumn Leaves Festival. That first year was a big learning curve and the chestnuts were cooked very, very slowly in a kettle bbq. After a bit of practice the nuts were cooked and a legend was born. The current rotating cooking basket was developed in 1987 over a few beers in a neighbor’s back yard. The basket is ideal because it can cook a lot of nuts in a short time. Over the years Quentin has received much advice from the many nationalities making up our diverse culture. “You have to burn them a bit so they are easier to peel”. This advice was accepted and adds to the color and smell as smoke from the nuts wafts up and down the street. Cars screech to a halt and whole families burst from the doors to purchase their weekend treat. Walkers and window shoppers are also enticed by the smell and movement. There are some people who have never tasted chestnuts and they can have a free sample if they ask. They too may be seduced by the subtle sweetness and soft, warm texture of the humble chestnut.
Quentin says that he loves meeting people and the regular customers have become firm friends, sharing their last year’s experiences as they scoff their cone of hot nuts. The cooking of the chestnuts also gives Quentin a reliable guide to how the rest of the crop is fairing in the cold room, a sort of quality control for his fresh nut sales at the farm gate.
Quentin cooks chestnuts in Stirling Village on Saturdays from 11am and Sundays and public holidays from noon. The season usually goes from Anzac day to early July.
For more info call Quentin or Deb at Nirvana Organic Farm Ph/fax 8339.2519 or
email nirvanafarm@chariot.net.au
184 Longwood Road Heathfield. Exit S.E. freeway at Stirling, turn right at the roundabout and travel 3.3 km.

P.S. Nirvana farm is having a guided tour of the property on April 22nd at 2pm sharp. Adults $8 accompanied children free. Bookings essential or book a tour to suit. This tour is an ideal opportunity to gain access to a successfully run Bio-dynamic orchard. See free range poultry, five composting systems, fruit, nuts and berries. There is the start of Scott Creek and restored native habitat, firewood forest, cottage garden and home veggies. This is life in the slow lane that many people envy.