Are you ready for this jelly?

We’ve got upcoming blitzes, we’ve got blitz reports, desert oasis permaculture, and we’ve got fascinating tidbits of dubious relevance, all in another exciting edition of the permablitz newsletter…

When I was at school, those whose wrists were not adorned with the then quite prestigious digital watch would respond to time enquiries, and maintain some face, with the refrain “it’s a hair past a freckle.”  I wonder now, was this actually some kind of instinctual subversion?  For the accuracy of the clock was the necessary precursor to factory work, wage slavery and the boredom of the school system.  Before that it was whatever-the-hell-o’clock you wanted it to be, and that was generally pretty good.  So can we wind back the clock, so to speak, to a point before it even existed, before time was dissected and labelled into strained little packets, or will the metaphor necessarily break first?

Permablitzers don’t need a clock to know what time it is.  If anyone asks, just tell them it’s ten to midnight for the lawn.  And if they say ‘huh?’, just tell them it’s ‘blitz o’clock’.

For it is! Just when we thought the blitzing season was over, we’ve suddenly got three new winter warming blitzes to announce.  Are you ready?

~~~ Upcoming blitzes ~~~

Here we got them folks:

Blitz #47: Tuesday in Dandenong
July 15, 2008
This permablitz will see the total transormation of an apartment backyard in inner Dandenong. To this tiny yard we”ll be adding vegetable patches, paths, potted and espaliered fruit trees, a worm farm and passionfruit vines. RSVP quick.

Bunyip blitz (#48) – designing in water
July 20, 2008
Tamara and Andy have been on their beautiful acre in Bunyip for 2 and a half years now. They have 7 swales, a pond, a tank, greywater and other water infrastructure. Tamara will teach swale workshops on the day and plans to line up some more water related education and activities.

Blitz #49: Get dirty in Dandenong
July 30, 2008
All are welcome at another Wednesday Permabiltz at Willow Lodge Retirement Village in Dandenong. Starting at 10am we’d love your help as we transform two yards into food-producing works of art!

We’re approaching #50, and it’s going to have to be a big party one I think!  Do hold your breath.

~~~ Blitz reports ~~~

West Preston – Blitz #45: Despite the gentle rain, at least 40 people turned up right from the beginning at Alastair and Susie’s front yard with many more coming through over the day.  Too many people and oh dear I’m the public face of chaos, said I.  But it all worked out well.  And with such amazing numbers we were able to pursue a kikuyu grass removal strategy normally only achievable with slave labour.  We turned that yard into a food producing oasis, dug a long greywater trench for Alastair’s inspiring low budget system, and ate a glorious lunch. Many people chipped in with workshops and we learnt about green manuring, compost teas, edible weeds, sheet mulching, swale making and much more. There was a seedling giveaway and the day finished with Ilan’s toy accordion rendition of what may be the world’s only song celebrating the warts on wild celeriacs. Truly wonderful!

East Brunswick – Blitz #46: Pip opened up her wonderful backyard which she has turned, with the help of her neighbors, into a shared food garden.  Around her already cranking vege beds full of winter lushness we planted berries and fruit trees, built a gate, did some radical pruning, cut back overhanging trees, ate a delicious barbie lunch, and learnt all manner of fruit tree related facts from permaculture visionary David Arnold from Violet Town.  But we didn’t just blitz Pip’s, we formed marauding wild permablitzing packs and performed a rogue consultancy at one neighbor’s, and pruned fruit trees at another’s.  Mob mentality!

Pictures here: www.permablitz.net/

~~~ Upcoming courses ~~~

Come along good people to the Permablitz Intro to Permaculture Course #6.

When/where? 16-17 August at Ceres, East Brunwick.

Don’t do what Donny Dont didn’t do, he didn’t not come to our last uncourse.  Now he doesn’t know his worm castings from his own composted feces.  There are still 10 places available, so tell your mates.  But the courses always sell out, so do get in quick, it’s sure to be a ripper!

Register here: <http://permablitz.net/…>

~~~ Permablitz Alice Springs Style ~~~

Don’t let the fact that there’s only 250mm of rain a year stop you.  Blitz!  Under shadecloth, Alice Springs style…
Check out the photos here: <http://www.flickr.com/…>