Basil, coriander, rocket and parsely June 10, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Gardening, South Africa, Sustainable Living, Urban Agriculture.add a comment
The herbs I started growing from seed in my recycled seedling containers a while ago have grown up! Of course they have been re-planted into larger pots…
Basil
Coriander
Rocket
Parsely
I’ve also grown quite a few tomato plants, but I suspect I left it too late in the season for them to still bear fruit before it gets too cold.
Recycled seedling containers June 2, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Environment, Gardening, Organic Food, South Africa, Sustainable Living, Urban Agriculture.add a comment
If you’re throwing away loads of plastic containers and bottles like these…
… you should probably have a serious look at your consumption habits – *gulp* – and definitely recycle as many of them as you can. Alternatively, why not turn some of them into little planting pots to raise veggie and herb seeds in?
First, clean them out with water and cut off the bottles:
Then punch holes into the bottoms for drainage:
Now just add soil, seeds and water:
South Africa resuscitates nuke programme May 26, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Environment, Nuclear Power, South Africa.add a comment
When Eskom appeared to stop it’s plans to build more nuclear power stations in South Africa at the end of last year, those of us who oppose this expensive, dangerous and environmentally costly form of electricity generation heaved a big, but temporary sigh of relief, knowing perfectly well that the monster would be back soon enough. So here it is: the national power utility is hoping to build not one, but three new conventional atomic power plants.
According to Melanie Gosling, Eskom is:
asking to be allowed to combine authorisations to develop Nuclear-1, Nuclear-2 and Nuclear-3 power stations at all three coastal sites earmarked for the nuclear programme. The three sites are Bantamsklip near Pearly Beach in the Overstrand, Thyspunt near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape and the Koeberg site of Dynefontein 30km north of Cape Town. At the start of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) the three places were to be assessed as alternative sites for the proposed Nuclear-1. [...] The application includes the “roll-out dates” for the first three nuclear power stations: site preparation for Nuclear-1 will start in January next year and the nuke will come online in July 2018; site preparation for Nuclear-2 will begin in January 2013 and come online in July 2020 and Nuclear-3 site preparation start in January 2015 and come online in July 2022.
Great. We’re told that South African passports can’t be trusted, but we’re asked to put our faith in Eskom’s load-shedding hands when it comes to running a fully-fledged nuclear power programme…
If you’re looking for a juicy project encompassing both politics and the environment into which to sink your activist teeth, helping to stop this lunacy should be near the top of your agenda.
Cat-proofing veggie beds May 21, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Gardening, Life, Organic Food, South Africa, Sustainable Living, Urban Agriculture.add a comment
I built a couple of raised beds for growing veggies in a small corner behind our house some time ago. The main problem with them has been that our cat, Perry, has been using them as her toilet. Not good for growing food and really smelly, too! She has her own “facilities” right next to the beds, but I guess she finds them less convenient, so I set about trying to cat-proof the beds.
I cleaned up the beds and installed shade netting to keep Perry out of them. Here's the culprit inspecting my handiwork
Veggie garden in cat exclusion mode! Of course in summer the shade netting will also help to keep out the scalding sun.
My efforts seem to have been reasonably successful, although keeping the cat out of the beds completely is never going to happen. I did sow some stuff in the beds and we’ve already harvested some beans.
Success!
Some suburban farming principles May 7, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Gardening, Life, Organic Food, South Africa, Sustainable Living, Urban Agriculture.1 comment so far
Nothing complicated here, just a couple of principles I’d like to follow as I start getting into this urban agriculture thing in our garden. It’s all a bit daunting at the moment as we head into winter and the whole garden goes into hibernation. Here goes:
DIY – I’d like to do as much of my gardening myself and don’t want “experts” to do the job for me. I’m very open to advice, suggestions and help, of course 
Organic – no synthetic fertilisers or chemicals in this garden! I’m hoping to broadly follow the principles of permaculture in my approach.
Sustainable – In our climate that means being particularly mindful of water requirements, but also of other inputs such as compost. I also want our garden to be fairly low-maintenance… I’ve got a job, you know.
Cheap – I’d like to use as many cheap and free resources as possible and am hoping that Freecycle and the Cape Town Talent Exchange (a local alternative currency system) will help achieve that goal.
Beautiful and functional – I’d like our garden to be a place that the whole family enjoys spending time in, while at the same time offering habitats for wildlife (I’m talking mostly birds, reptiles and insects here, not antelope and such…) and providing us with a steady supply of healthy, organic and fresh fruit and vegetables.
That’s about it for the moment. Will add more if I can think of any…
I wanna be a suburban farmer! April 30, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Gardening, Life, South Africa, Sustainable Living, Urban Agriculture.2 comments
After my visit to Harvest of Hope I was really inspired to start getting our own garden into some sort of shape. I have long been fascinated by the idea of urban agriculture and the promise of a degree of food self-sufficiency and although I have spent some time in the past trying to apply what I’ve learned about these things in books and online in our home, our garden has fallen into a state of what I’d suggest is benevolent neglect.
My somewhat neglected attempt at a miniature food forest
That’s all going to change. One of the motivations for quitting my regular job a year ago was to start growing more of our own food and although my parenting and job commitments will keep me busy, I’m planning to do just that. Slowly, one baby-step at a time. I’ll keep you up to date with my progress.
Expanses of water-thirsty, unproductive lawn...
Just for the record, here are some more pics of our garden from January 2009. Hopefully I’ll be able to report on gradual improvements as time goes by.
End Xenophobia! April 28, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Politics, Society, South Africa, Southern Africa, activism.add a comment
Wow! Some really powerful anti-xenophobia posters by Zimbabwean designer Sindiso Nyoni. They’re based on the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
More here.
Last night’s Nope! party April 22, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Politics, Society, South Africa, activism, anarchism.4 comments
A couple of pics from last night’s Nope! party at the Melting Pot in Muizenberg. A great success methinks and definitely something to build on!
The Conscious Marimba Band were brilliant!
Vrygrond and Kyalitsha Nopesters put their thoughts and desires on the big board
Who says a political party can't be fun?
Forgotten Superhero subversive folk. Love it!
The "finished" board
NOPE! on video April 17, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Politics, South Africa, activism, anarchism.add a comment
NOPE! Party April 15, 2009
Posted by Andreas in Cape Town, Politics, Society, South Africa, activism, anarchism.add a comment
Join the only party worth not voting for at
The Melting Pot
Church Street, Muizenberg Village*
21 April 2009
8pm
Live music, DJ, Cash Bar
R20 donation towards the musician from those who can afford it
(*Take the M5 to Muizenberg, at the circle turn right into New Baden Powell Drive, this will become Atlantic and you will pass the Muizenberg Waterfront on your left. Turn right into Killarney Road (the road just before the railway bridge). Church is the next road crossing Killarney and you should be able to see the Melting Pot in front of you.)
Call Peter (083 256 0457) Andreas (084 772 1056) for more info
