Winter Is Here

The cold has arrived in the Southern Hemisphere, and I have decided to no longer plant new seeds until I can plant my Spring garden.

I'm using the time rake up falling leaves from the trees to feed the soil and to chop and drop overgrown grasses and trees. This move should keep my soil fed and ready for aggressive planting come Spring.

I've also been reading up ( and watching videos) on using produce to grow food. Initial verdict is that it's not a good way to start a garden, as there is a question of whether the produce will even sprout and grow. So far, most of mine have sprouted. And while I recognise the wisdom of what the experts are saying, I'm under hard lockdown and will use anything and everything I can that will benefit my food production.

I also spent a lot of time in the kitchen learning how to can, ferment and pickle some of my produce. I am also learning how to make pita bread. So far, the pita bread experiment is not succeeding well ( my dough didn't form air-pockets and rise enough), but it was still edible, and went well with a spinach and lettuce salad and my homemade yoghurt. I'll keep trying.

Why am I growing my food right now?

So where am I going with all this food growing thing? Do I believe our food system will be disrupted? To be honest, I don't. South Africa was a net producer of basic foods in the 2019/2020 financial year, government says. That means that we produced enough to feed the whole country well and to export to other countries. And judging by the rains this year, the weather promises to be kinder on the farmers this coming year too.

But, it soothes me to know that I can develop my own food supply, right in my yard. Also, I'm always cautious about having to leave home to do my food shopping - having things growing at home means less exposure to the outside world. Third, my budget is limited, and growing my own food gives me access to a variety of foods at a lower price. I just have to be willing to pay with hard work and sweat. And lastly, it's a great physical activity for me to do this during lockdown- boredom is the least of my problems, and working in the garden is great exercise too.

Client work is also going okay. I find that I'm enjoying the teaching much more than I expected. I also hope this situation will inspire me to write more.

I hope that you are all staying safe and healthy!