Where will our food come from?
By Charles Robinson As I write, most of the major northern hemisphere rivers are running dry. From the Yangtze to the Thames; from the Mekong to the Po. The only people celebrating these events are archaeologists as the lowering river levels uncover forgotten ancient artefacts or even sunken warships. But even archaeologists have to eat. …
Hobby beekeepers need to step up
By Debbie Rodda There are three main reasons why people like to keep bees. One is to pollinate their fruit trees and vegie gardens. Another is to “save the bees”. A third reason is to provide honey for family and friends. To my thinking, the honey bee (Apis mellifera) doesn’t necessarily need ‘saving’ in Australia. …
An opportunity gone missing?
By Jonathon Howard There is increasing interest in ‘regenerative’ agriculture. It is a system of farming that promotes a reduction in external inputs, such as chemicals and synthetic fertilisers, and focuses on ‘regenerating’ the natural assets on the farm. In doing so there is evidence to suggest the approach reduces peaks and troughs in farm …
Community Cornucopia
By Chris McGorlick At the height of summer, and as the cusp of Autumn approaches, there is a highly seasonal occurrence that I relish every year. It’s not the flowering of an exotic plant, nor the arrival of a migratory creature, nor the fruiting of a particular vegetable. But rather, the proliferation of harvest …
Why food diversity is important
By Alan Hewett Is the modern diet superior to that of our ancestors? Our eating habits have changed more in the last 150 years than in the previous million years. Thanks to globalisation we can eat a range of foods at all times of the year but how nutritious is that food, how diverse and …
Pond life
By Bruce Key Sometimes we come across a story with a message. Here is one such story. The story is about a large pond, about the size of a farm dam. On day one, a microscopic weed blows into the pond. The weed is very vigorous, and every day it doubles in extent as it …
Getting to know ladybird beetles
By Karen Retra Did you know there are about 500 species of ladybird beetles in Australia? Of these, I regularly see five species in my garden. Ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae family) are terrific pest controllers. For many species, both the larvae and adults feed on small, soft-bodied and sap-sucking insects like aphids, scales and mites. Maybe …
Making compost
By Charles Robinson Autumn is compost-making time and I love it. About twelve years ago I planted an extensive deciduous forest comprising English Oaks, Liquidamber, Claret and Golden Ash, Tulip Trees, Ginko Biloba, Red Oaks and Pin Oaks. These trees have many benefits but, best of all, they provide masses of leaves for the compost. …
Can I suggest a worm farm…?
By Jenny Indian A friend recently commented that she found autumn beautiful and yet a little depressing. This stopped me in my tracks – as one prone to fret about heat and summer, autumn is simply the finest of times. Not just the colour and light from those wonderful deciduous trees but the joy of …
Know where your food comes from
By Jade Miles, Black Barn Farm When I deliver school programs, I ask the kids where their food comes from. Ninety per cent of the time they say ‘the supermarket’. Sometimes they say ‘farms’. Very occasionally they say ‘We grow it’. Never do they say ‘We forage it’. I outline the difference between long and …
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About Living Lightly …
Living Lightly is a column in the Border Mail newspaper on Wednesdays featuring local stories about sustainable living.
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