It's almost impossible to believe it's been a year since we began our little venture and at around the same time planted our gifted 3000 cloves of garlic.
When we ignore the pages of our calendar flipping by, the seasons have a way of reminding us and in this instance the sprouting garlic begging to be brought to life again is ready and reminding us of how much has been packed into this last twelve months.
And so, our very own seed stock is being planted into the same ground.
This time round the task is somewhat more labour intensive as the fertile ground we worked so hard to build up has fed many other, well some might say weeds........ but we've benefitted greatly from the shepherds purse and the stinging nettle that made home in the paddock garden. Tea, nettle tarts and shepherds purse salad have been a welcome treat.
With help from generous friends the beds are formed (thank you Penny)
The shooting cloves are separated
...and the prepared earth forms a perfect bed for the next 5 months or so.
Pumpkins growing wild were also harvested, love it when we can reap what we havent sown!
and the last of the stinging nettle which has already done wonderful work enriching the soil will be made into a "tea" fertiliser to feed the garlic in the next few weeks.
Now back to ignoring those weeks whizzing by........
[images by sam mackie]
