"Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and freedom of the forest and the outlaw."

~Henry David Thoreau

We love our food gardens to have the freedom and vigor of the forest, food forests.  So lets get wild this weekend and blitz with the spirit of the vigilante... We've got three coming up for you.  In this newsletter we've also got a permaculture movie star, fungi in the gulf, and a hat tip to those that have been keeping this city feeding us.   Read on...

~~~ Upcoming Blitzes ~~~

For the first time in a long time the blitzes aren't booked out weeks in advance.  So come along, there's still plenty of places on these -- especially Damian's this Saturday!!

Sat May 29 @10:00AM - 04:00PM Blitz #89 Damian's in Reservoir

Sat Jun 05 @10:00AM - 04:00PM Blitz Westmeadows (Blitz #90, Jeremy's 40th birthday blitz)

Sat Jun 12 @10:00AM - 04:00PM Blitz Box Hill North Cindy and Peter (Blitz #91)

~~~ Get Blitzed ~~~

Been to three or so blitzes?  Now is your chance to get blitzed back.  Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

~~~ Big Ups To All You Mediterranean Types ~~~

Back in the 1950s and 60s boats full of workers from the Mediterranean came into the country to escape the poverty or political situations left in the wake of WW2.  And many brought with them seeds from their homelands.

A combination of an eye for good land and perhaps a lack of other options saw the Mediterranean immigrants of the 50s and 60s settle in the rich volcanic plains of Melbourne's North, while those of Anglo descent who could afford it chose the leafier hills of the East, or the sea views of the bay.  As it turns out land values in these suburbs were in inverse proportion to their fertility.  The recent immigrants did not share the cultural cringe against publicly displays food production, nor did they feel any need to attempt to mimic english mansions and their lawns (even if some mimicked mini colosseums in concrete).  Whats more, unlike those of english heritage, they had gardening traditions based on wet winters and dry hot summers.

It is in great part due to them we have a thriving urban food gardening scene in Melbourne to this day, and much experience and genetic diversity to draw on.  So ευχαριστώ, grazie, thankyou!

~~~ Paul Stamets on the Oil Spill ~~~

US permaculture author Toby Hemenway writes:

"We just spent a wonderful week with Paul Stamets at his place in the Gulf Islands, and while we were there, the BP Crisis Management Team called to get his advice. In a way, that's pretty encouraging. People here were wondering what Paul's got to say about the mess, and after the call he put together a position paper on the spill and mycoremediation. It's at www.fungi.com/mycotech/petroleum_problem.html "

Paul reiterates his call for fungi powered compost bioremediation centres near major industrial centres to help deal with toxic waste emergencies.

~~~ First Permie star? ~~~

Ellen Page, star of Juno and Whip It has become totally "interested in permaculture" and just spent a month on a permaculture property.  Lets hope she can do for permaculture what she did for teen pregnancy.  Take something which feels a bit embarrassing and dirty to a lot of people, and make it kind of hip.  (Or did I take the wrong message away from Juno?)

~~~ Deciduous ~~~

To help us aid in our design skills for the future we're currently using the change of seasons to observe which fruit trees drop their leaves first.  It's useful to know so you can moderate the temperature of your house, and sunlight to your vegie patch.  To me it seems like plums > peaches & nectarines  > apricots > figs > apples and pears, with lots of cross overs depending on the microclimate and variety.  What's your observations?