Within hours of me announcing my new domain, fellow blogger Emma Cooper in the UK also announced her new domain, EmmaCooper.org. Emma is a blogger, podcaster, writer, gardener, chicken raiser and who knows what else. She and her partner Pete have been working hard the last days and weeks preparing a new website, where you can read more about her and what she does.
Lathyrus tuberosus
Last year I got some tuberous pea from Elzo, a local gardening friend. I posted about this before. Because it tends to send its tubers very deep, he suggested growing it in a container if I want to eat it, so the tubers would be more confined and easier to harvest. As an alternative to eating it, it is a native plant (for me) and it is nitrogen fixing, so it’s also possible to ‘set it free’ in the garden, as a green manure plant.
Anyway, last year in the container, I noticed it was growing, but not very much. Just a few shoots, and lots of weeds. I didn’t pay much attention to it, and didn’t take very good care of the weeds, and didn’t even think of harvesting it because I didn’t think I was going to find many tubers.
Look at the container this year! It’s gone wild. I guess this year I’ll have enough tubers to make it worth harvesting…
Plan Be
Friend and fellow blogger Mike in South Africa just moved his blog. What better a time to mention him here so all you new readers know who he is, and to help Google find the new address!
For those of you who know him, be sure to update your blogroll and bookmarks.
If you don’t know him, be sure to have a look! His new blog is here, but he hasn’t migrated his content yet. You might also want to have a look at his old blog so you can see what he’s written in the past.
Brussels Action 17-18 April 2011 — Food, Wine and Song
One of the fantastic things about getting a group of people like this together, was all the great food!
The evening before, when most people coming from out of town were arriving, they held a potluck dinner. Can you imagine, seed savers coming from all over Europe, bringing with them things from their own gardens or local markets? Since people were arriving over the course of the evening, dishes kept getting added to the buffet, so it was possible to go back every hour or so for more… Many people brought local breads and cheeses. A number of farmers were present, and some meats were on offer that looked very home made.
The day of the seed swap vegetarian meals were provided by „popular kitchen” of the „collectif du 123”. It was really nice!
When the seed swap and workshops were over, day turned to evening and the music started. The organic drinks came out, and the celebration began. This band played salsa and world music:
On the day of the demonstration itself, great sandwiches were served for lunch and during the march we had a little impromptu music…
Brussels Action 17-18 April 2011 — The GMO Garden
The conclusion of the events was the planting of a mock GMO garden in the center traffic circle of the EU Parliament complex. They grew square tomatoes and lime green pears. They sprayed everything with chemicals.
Everything was carefully managed by their foreman.
shown here with his assistant at his side.
At the end they appropriately decorated the statue. The blue-green flag belongs to Via Campesina, the organization who called on this and other demonstrations around the world on the same days.
