Dear reader,

Hello there!  This is my first newsletter from where I've been transplanted to.  It has been quite a journey but I and a huge number of beloved plants are settling into the new space.  Of course I miss the farm massively and everything about it that I loved.  Slowly I'm getting to know this new garden and what I have discovered as I've been digging holes and planting trees is that this section has worm filled top soil, that is sandy and light, so free draining, with a mustardy coloured subsoil. It is the same profile we had on the farm.  When all the trees start producing it will be an abundant little orchard. I have written a blog about what I've plantedso far, and how I've covered the lawn in preparation for a new vegetable garden. See it all here.

I even dug up and transplanted weeds of course!! My blog tells you which ones.  There is very little in the way of weeds or greens here and that has been the hardest part, feeling cut off from my food source.  But friends have been amazing and brought bags of greens and weeds and I've gone and picked them from friends places too.  This is where community comes in to share the abundance.  With that in mind, Tauranga has a growing, thriving monthly Crop Swop group where everyone brings something from their garden.  It is as much a social sharing as a crop sharing.  After a cuppa, a bell is rung and we wander around the room taking a little of what we want and there is enough for everyone.  It is so cool!!

I'm starting to run workshops again.
Workshops coming up:

Greet Barrier Island, 2nd and 3rd September - I can't wait to go over to the Barrier again.
I'm leading two workshops as part of the winter lecture series the Gallery offers each year.  Spaces are booked through the Community Art Gallery

Katikati, Bay of Plenty, Sunday 24th September. Go here for more info and bookings.

North Loburn, Canterbury, Sunday 12th November.  Here is all the information.

Being able to communicate with animals and plants is something I'm deeply interested in.  A woman who does this really well is Anna Breytenbach, a wonderful woman who calls herself an interspecies communicator.   I listened to this interview and was totally enthralled.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it too and learn a lot about wild wisdom.  Have a listen here.

In this next You Tube Clip Anna communicates with a very aggressive black leopard named Diablo.  I find this story extremely moving because Anna is able to find out what is troubling this big cat, and the outcome is stunning.  Watch it here.

I ran my edible weed workshop and this patch of wild plants I'm standing in had some healthy hemlock plants (Conium maculatum).  We got to study them well and it was very obvious how to identify them with their maroon blotchy stems (see the photo below) and strong unpleasant smell.  Wild carrot on the other hand has a green stem, no blotching and smells of carrot, if you rub the leaves.

My creative web master Sharon gave me this framed poem and photo for my birthday one year. I wanted to share it with you as it is rather lovely.  I believe all plants have an equal right to live. What are your thoughts on that, I'd love to hear them?

This cherry tree has been flowering for over a month and been such a cheerful delight to look at from the kitchen window and the back door.  The waxeyes have enjoyed the nectar and I've so enjoyed the pink splash of colour.

Another delight in the new garden is this kakabeak  (Clianthus puniceus) now in full flower.  Kakabeaks are in the legume family so are nitrogen fixers. This will be a good source of nitrogen for the nearby fruit trees.  There is also a white Kakabeak in bud, which I've never seen before. However, I discovered that I'm not the only one who is admiring this plant, the snails are devouring it.  I went out this evening with my head light and picked a handful of snails off the plant.  Interestingly snails and slugs don't eat weeds.  I've transplanted chicory and twin cress and they're left in peace to adjust to their new situation.

This is a delcious sandwich I made with toasted sprouted seed bread from our local bakery Flaveur breads  based at Mount Maunganui with coconut oil, avocado, wild lettuce (lactuca virosa), and twin cress (Lepidium didymum). I added some salt to the avocado. While wild lettuce is quite bitter and twin cress spicy - all the flavours melded together and the whole thing tasted delicious. I myself was very surprised how good it was.

Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are one of the first 'weeds' to start growing now in August.  The tender young shoots are great to stem or add to soups or your smoothies.  You'll get a great boost of magnesium and a good injection of the earth energy and zest for life this plant embodies.  I wrote an article on nettle you can read it here and get  a tasty soup recipe.

Until next time, enjoy the warmer spring weather.

Green blessings, and wild wisdom to you,

Julia