At the risk of perpetuating stereotypes about both farmers and Tasmania, it’s impossible not to talk about the weather this spring. After a few days of alluring sunshine, 40mm of rain will land or 100km/hr gusts of wind return! The garden beds that were planted out or were covered with plastic are in better condition than those that were more exposed. Pathways are muddy and some are quite watery. We’ve been trying to figure out what to do to make things better, both now and for next year, without unintended consequences. As a golfer, Alex wants to install drains everywhere. Christie organised a permaculture consultant to visit and to her surprise they suggested starting with drains. But they also suggested more plants and trees with deeper roots uphill from the garden and digging a hole that could one day become a pond. We still have much to learn about the way the water is moving on our property. It’s possible that the garden on rock, which is why the water eventually pools there. In the meantime Christie should get on with repairing the hole in her gumboots.

While we’re struggling to grow some crops reliably – radish, carrot and broccoli, to name but a few – we’re really quite happy with our lettuce. It’s good to feel on top of one crop even if it’s an easy one! Happily we also have a new customer – a local restaurant that is passionate about using locally grown ingredients. However we are  still learning to manage the slugs that are loving the wet conditions and our lettuce. Night patrols have been supplemented by morning checks under planks of wood lying in the paths as traps. Beer traps would be less work but it seems our slugs are teetotallers – perhaps the result of a Darwinian selection process that drowned their booze-loving predecessors? We’re still resisting pellets (even the organically approved ones) because of the collateral damage and our goal of promoting biodiversity in the garden and soil.

In between hiding from rain and digging trial trenches to drain rain, we’ve been attacking the weeds and grass that has sprawled in the borders, sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings and, of course, making compost. Never one to adhere blindly to rules, Alex has optimistically planted tomatoes outside (under fleece at least), rather than waiting three more weeks until Hobart Show Day like everyone else here. Seeds have been sown for back-up plants in anticipation of disappointment!