My Sustainability Journey

20/09/2024

All gardeners and food growers should know this transformatiom and the incredible feeling of getting your hands into the earth and working with your handa for what you put in your mouth.

If this is you then keep being awesome, take in all the small moments and see victories as learning experiences and failures as opportunities 🌻🌻🌻

11/09/2024

I'm in hospital at the moment and just wanted to share what improvements the medical industry is taking to be more sustainable, which is amazing to see 👏👏👏

I took the liberty to ask them and they said these containers are made from 100% fabrics and are 100% recyclable. They add the containers (not the contents 😂) to a mulcher here at the hospital before it is collected and recycled again.

Well done to Mediclinic Southern Africa for taking such great steps forward 🌻

10/09/2024

Nothing beats the sweet tartness of freshly picked raspberries straight from the garden!

In this video I reach you how to prune a raspberry plant, how to identify raspberry canes and then we look at raspberry leaf growth. By the end of this raspberry video you should know everything there is to know about raspberries 🌻

Having your own raspberry plant at home is incredibly rewarding. Nothing beats the sweet tartness of freshly picked raspberries straight from the garden. In ...

05/09/2024

Globally food prices are soaring and quickly becoming a real concern to many people. However, there are specialists, experts and economists around the world giving advice on how to handle the rise in food costs, yet none of them actually provide information on how to reduce or eliminate food spend by growing your own food!

Growing your own food at home is the ONLY WAY to control your food bill and bring down the ever rising food prices whilst increasing the quality of your food at the same.

https://youtu.be/hHzvEbfZGeM

Globally food prices are soaring and quickly becoming a real concern to many people. However, there are specialists, experts and economists around the world ...

30/08/2024

The cold has been absolutely relentless this year and what I have found is that this gifted, knitted beanie is the best thing ever! 🥶🥶🥶

Why? Because synthetic materials make my head super itchy. Does it do that to you too?

Natural fabrics are very sustainable by nature and are also very gentle on your skin so where possible look for natural alternatives for all your wearables 🌻

25/08/2024

Cooking from scratch is the ONLY way to have a nutrient dense diet and protect your family from all the rubbish and chemicals we find in our food.

Here we have Sorghum ground into a flour to make our famous dish, Maltabela. HOWEVER, look at the colour...it looks like dark chocolate and it's chunkier as it's not refined or filtered, meaning you get the nutritional benefit of the full seed.

You are the only one that can protect your health plus, you can. Grow your own sorghum one reduce your food bill 🌻

23/08/2024

Being in the bramble family, Raspberries are known for spreading, sometimes out of control and taking over.

Late winter into early Spring is the perfect time to control your raspberry plant and....making more raspberry plants.

Taking new plants that pop out the side of the mother plant, as well as cuttings, are a great way to get more raspberry plants for your garden or to gift to others 🌻

Raspberries have to be my FAVOURITE FRUIT! Their delicate flavour with sweet tanginess is an iconic summer pleasure and growing your own Raspberries at home ...

16/08/2024

We spend a huge amount of time making sure our fruit trees have the best possible structure. This will ensure maximum fruit production without the risk of a branch breaking under the weight of a tree full of fruit.

Using string to place fruit tree branches is an incredibly effective way to position and correct branch placement.

You can correct your fruit trees branch placement and structure at any time of the year and you need to leave the string on the branch for at least a full year.

15/08/2024

It's Apple blossom season 🌸🌸🌸

Here we have an Anna Apple which is incredible for urban gardens as they are self pollinating, meaning you only need one tree. This allows you to grow other fruit rather than needing a pollinator.

Hopefully I get some wonderful Anna Apples this year 🤞

13/08/2024

It's the time of the year where if you haven't yet pruned your fruit trees you need to get to it ASAP (if you are in the Southern Hemisphere).

There is also a nice theory part in this video to help you navigate your pruning decisions 🌻

In this video we will be pruning a few fruit trees together. Join me as I talk you through my thinking on each tree, my motivation behind making certain cuts...

12/08/2024

Did someone say chickpeas? 😁

This is going to be a completely experimental crop for me this year and I will be splitting the 200 cell tray into 150 plants on Tamakoa Homestead and 50 in my urban garden. They are very different climates and I'm keen to see how they grow and ultimately if/how the yields differ.

I'll be posting regular updates on this for you 🌻

11/08/2024

You may have seen some of my previous mushroom posts, you may not have. I absolutely love wild mushroom foraging BUT I will only eat 2 kinds of mushrooms, namely pine rings and Boletes. The others are just too risky for me personally.

Here we have a beautiful Bay Bolete which has a unique characteristic that it bruises blue on the sponge when touched. It's quite a magical experience and they taste absolutely incredible quickly sautéed in garlic and butter.

TIP: to enjoy Boletes you need to remove the spongy underside of the cap, otherwise you will end up with a slimy mess 🌻

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07/08/2024

Buying a fruit tree can be a daunting task, but it need not be!

In this video I talk you through everything you need to know, ask and research to buy the perfect fruit tree for your needs and space 🌻

https://youtu.be/qjxlj_9OUFY

In this comprehensive fruit tree buying guide video I take you through the steps you need to take to find the best fruit trees at your local nursery. Whether...

30/07/2024

Same core ingredient, very different final product. Since making the move to tallow-based skincare more than half a year ago I have been amazed at how my skin has responded.

If you, like me, are over endless ingredient lists with warnings and strict usage guides then go 100% natural and sustainable and try tallow based skincare 🌻

28/07/2024

Wow, that happened really quickly 😲 guess I'll have to rush to get this pruning video done ASAP! The weather this year has been all kinds of whacky, and considering it snowed this weekend, some crops might now struggle to make it through their early blooming stages but let's 🤞

25/07/2024

I love mayo but all the ingredients in it freaks me out. Luckily homemade mayo tastes sooooo much better than store bought mayo and it's way healthier (within reason). This video walks you through how I make my own mayo at home - enjoy and make it your own 🌻

https://youtu.be/0Ze2tLATyQM

Make your own mayo at home with these simple ingredients and easy to steps. Create your own mayonnaise in less than 5 minutes!Homemade mustard recipe: Bold f...

21/07/2024

A huge thank you to Reza, Chene, Tanya, Ruth, Firmin and others for greatly helping this channel through the coffees they buy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you 💚 💚 💚

18/07/2024

Video 1 in this 10 part series talks about why you want to do what you want to do, and how to set some goals to achieve your why 👇
https://youtu.be/2galKaNuznI

When it comes to growing your own food, living more sustainably, or creating your dream homestead, YOUR why takes centre stage 🌻 🌻 🌻

Join me in video 1 of ten where I will be talking your through everything you need to know about creating your first vegetable garden, growing your own food,...

18/07/2024

I've been using for some time now and I was sooooo excited when I got a package full of new goodies I haven't tried yet!

I've already seen awesome results with the healing balm that I will share with you soon.

Thanks for a great set of products Zero BS and if you want to try it for yourself, head over to their page for more information 🌻

16/07/2024

Just imagine how fun a pile of leaves could be if we weren't all so full of if's and but's and candy and nuts 😂 it's the small things in life that bring us the greatest joy so please don't ever lose your inner child and if you have, go find him/her again 🌻🌻🌻

03/07/2024

When you are sorting out your seeds in preparation for the spring rush and your love for Livingseeds.co.za seeds becomes obvious 💚

25/06/2024

Many people get into things for the wrong reason. Be that fame, fortune or self promotion. Not me. The reason why I started documenting and sharing this journey is to first and foremost help others and share my experiences, both good and bad.

It's comments like this one 👇 that validates what I am doing is indeed helping others and that gives me the deepest level of satisfaction 💚

Step 1 of my upcoming video series is all about goals and your why and this is exactly what we will be covering 🌻🌻🌻

21/06/2024

I have been planning and waiting for this moment for a really long time and it is FINALLY here...my 10-part series on how to start growing your own food or start vegetable gardening 🌻🌻🌻

This series comprises 10 detailed videos that I will be publishing over the next 10 weeks that cover absolutely everything you will need to know to see you through your first season as a new gardener. It will also give some valuable insight to those seasoned gardeners.

I really hope you will enjoy this detailed series in the weeks ahead 💚

https://youtu.be/wfiKu4__jng

If you want to start growing your own food, wants to get into vegetable gardening, or you have just started our on your vegetable gardening journey then this...

20/11/2023

We all know what this is, but after staying somewhere this weekend my little boy (4) asked me what that is and what it is used for...only then did I realise how not having a microwave just became part of everyday living.

Not having a microwave has allowed us to:

1. Eliminate processed foods that require microwaving

2. Eat more nutritious food by not conveniently or quickly nuking food

3. Save electricity and make better and healthier food choices

Convenience, like having a microwave, is very much part of the instant gratification generation, which also tends to be an incredibly unhealthy generation.

Make smarter and healthier choices...its really not that hard 🌻

15/11/2023

The utter beauty of nature is something to behold! A tree full of peaches, with cabbages forming heads, onions forming bulbs, brinjals exploding with growth and tomatoes stretching their legs is a thing of beauty. I am often in awe at how mother nature just keeps going and giving 🌻💚

10/11/2023

Do you know what succession planting is? If not, then you are missing out big time!

This is a perfect example where tomato seeds were sown at the base of cabbages during early spring. The tomatoes are now in full swing as the cabbages are getting ready to harvest. You can then harvest the one crop and almost immediately the other will start bearing.

For smaller spaces this is a highly effective way of increasing your yield as well as ensuring a constant supply of food 🌻

08/11/2023

I luckily don't have to worry about the rediculous price of peaches anymore and yes, this is in an urban garden 🍑🍑🍑

Some fruit are bagged, others not, as I wanted to test for fruit fly and false coddling moth, but not a single sting so far, which means the Ceratrap's are working their magic!

You are way more capable of growing your own food than you think you are. Just give it a go, learn and persevere. It will pay off in the end 🌻

31/10/2023

The Violet Brinjal is probably the most good looking Brinjal plant around. The foliage is bright green with deep purple veins and new growth. It's fruit is also a show stopper!

These beauties are from and I got really good germination!

What varieties are you growing this summer? 🌻

27/10/2023

Monster beets grown very close together 👏

Using the square foot gardening method I have planted 4x beets in a 30cm square, or 1 square foot, and look at the size they are getting to!

Don't always adhere to packet spacing as they often over space for compact urban spaces, which results in wasted growing space, and remember to keep testing until you find what works for you 🌻

23/10/2023

In this garden it's raining apples and pears, not cats and dogs 😂

This time of the year is truely magnificent with flowers showing off in their abundance and the pollinators embracing everything they offer.

This is the time to truely soak up everything you have achieved and the winter you have endured🌻