Since June I’ve been so busy with the garden, work in my own practice, studying and learning in permaculture and spending some quality time with friends and visiting the family. I didn’t really have enough time to share and update about my experience on this blog. I posted every now and then on instagram and facebook as it’s faster.
I’ll update you shortly. I was getting really worried, the plants were more than ready to go out. I was even harvesting some for salads right from the windowsill. Luckily on the first week of June I was contacted by Op-Weule to start my vegetable garden in their backyard. I had a previous commitment that week, so I started the work on the 10th of June.
It was tough work to be done in a short period, as the vegetables needed to go in the ground, before it’s too late. Digging all the deep rooted plants and weeds out with little help and a few tools, eeuuufff tiring physical work.
By mid June the plants started going in the ground and the work started to build up from there.
Watching the plants grow brought a very nice motherly feeling. Some plants need to be supported like the tomatoes and peas as you see the photos. Trimming some of the plants like tomatoes for instance is really important for a better yield.
I was busy for a week dismantling pallets to use it in making raised beds to grow herbs. More physical work 🙂
Early August we started to harvest courgettes. The first harvest is such a rewarding feeling. The enthusiasm motivates a lot in creating delicious recipes.
Well September was my month off. I went for a week to Netherlands and 3 weeks to Lebanon. In Lebanon, I learnt by chance that an old friend has started his permaculture project and produce Shams. And for my luck they were organising a 5 day workshop about permaculture. I could manage to attend one of these days. It was really nice to see their nice work and the enthusiasm about growing one’s own food, permaculture and sustainability.
Back In Op-Weule in October started another phase of the project, Compost. And as I harvested some of the annual plants, their greens were perfect to compost.
And we are now working on terracing the slope by the compost using the mulching technique. Getting rid of the ivy that climbs all over the place is a never ending story. Meanwhile we are collecting tree trunks and branches to start building up these terraces soon.
Next spring we will plant these with trees, perennials and some shade loving plants and vegetables all according to the principles of permaculture.
Volunteer of the year:
First we seed and after preparing our land, we then plant and water. Only after a few months that we start harvesting. That’s how it went, not just for the plants, but also for the work and effort I put in it. It was hard work, but finally I was so happy to see my babies grow and to harvest.
A very gratifying part of the harvest was to be selected as the volunteer of the year. It was all a surprise. I was invited to celebrate the end of the year with a get together and drinks. I wasn’t even sure I could make it to the event that day, as I had previous commitments. Eventually I made it and was totally surprised. I was granted the award volunteer of the year by Op- Weule, The Flemish cultural center in Brussels, for the work I’ve done in their garden. I’m quite pleased and thankful for that.
