Hey Folks!

It's no secret that the Empower Tribe loves permaculture and all it stands for! We are also keen on exploring ways in which we can really live our values. In addition to measures and approaches in our project model, we also look at ways in which we can be more sustainable as an organisation and as individuals. 

So we decided to pick someone's backyard and make it productive! Admittedly it's hard getting all our busy volunteers together but we thought it was a great start to what I'm sure will become a tradition in terms of  meaningful and productive team-building!

We picked James' backyard for our first project. As you can see below , its a significant space and there was nothing happening apart from some weeds and a very artsy water feature! Our plan was to make it a productive herb and vegetable garden for James and his family. A simple starting point that could lead to bigger, better and ofcourse...tastier things. 

We started off by doing some sheet mulching. Using old newspaper to cover the garden space after allocating small pathways to allow for easy access after planting. This layer of newspaper serves as a weed blocker and also retains soil moisture before breaking down over time. Basically, it helps build soil health and gives us some control over what we want to grow. We want to maximize how much of that goodness in the soil goes to our plants :)

James's dog "Happy" was having a ball, lapping up the attention and much to our concern...some of the compost! Next we added a soil layer - a mixture of potting mix, leaves, cow manure and blood and bone. This is all organic and great for the soil and the plants we're looking to grow! Notice that we didn't dig around. This is because this is a no-dig garden bed, one that looks to minimize disruption to the soil system. This is also why we allocated small pathways so James and his family avoid trampling the beds, this compacts soil and tends to disturb or kill beneficial critters. 

Almost there! After this, we add a thick layer of sugar cane mulch. This is to prevent erosion, protect seedlings from the wind and most of all, retain moisture. All these layers allow the soil to serve as a much better ecosystem for millions of beneficial microorganisms that a chemical approach would often harm. 

Done! Not too shabby if I do say so myself. We were mighty pleased with our efforts. We planted  lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, chilli, basil, corrander, mint, beetroot and a few strawberries as well. The marigolds in the picture are pretty and functional as they attract beneficial insects and repel nematodes. We also planted some beans in another section of the garden. A great starting point , James already has plans for some fruit trees :)

This spot gets great sunlight throughout the year and if it's well-maintained, it should significantly reduce the family's vege bill and their carbon footprint!

We spent the rest of the afternoon watching "The Economics of Happiness", recommended viewing for those interested in multiple perspectives on the globalizaton vs. localisation debate. Michelle also shared some useful tips on how we can shift behaviours and purchase decisions to be more sustainable.

Overall, a fantastic team exercise. We look forward to larger, more ambitious projects in the future!