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Living beautifully and acting effectively - making country life easier for the rural entrepreneur.
ELDERFLOWER TIME!
Quite possibly two of the loveliest words in the English language! Like distilled summer. Elderflowers are in full swing in hedgerows and paddocks all over the country – seems to be a great year for them. Some see this plant as a weed but it is fully medicinal and such an asset. Bubbly or cordial from the flowers, cordials from the fruit. Good reason for us to leave the hedgerows alone to provide food for human, animal and insect foraging.
The Kitchen Gardener’s Year - Late Spring in the Kitchen Garden. November in NZ
November (Or May if you live in the Northern Hemisphere ) is a wonderful time in the garden. The weather has warmed up although there may still be the chance of late frosts or even snow in the cooler parts of the country. But everything can be planted from now with a second sowing of many vegetables sown earlier in spring. This post is especially for you if you are following the Crop Rotation Poster .
The Kitchen Garden at a Glance for September (Early Spring)
Here are some jobs for you to do in the kitchen garden this month in early spring in our part of the world. Things are warming up and it’s about to get really busy! If you want some guidance on what to do and when for the gardening year then you may like to purchase the Crop Rotation Poster which you can find here in the store.
Spring is in the air…
Spring is definitely in the air in the part of the world where I live here in New Zealand. There are lambs on my morning walk, daffodils under the blossoming trees in the orchard and the days are getting longer. This morning as I was getting ready to go to work I heard a pair of Paradise Ducks honking outside and I thought to myself - everyone is busy! The birds are busy, the bees are getting busy, the farm animals - the plants. I suddenly felt a sense of overwhelm about all the things I have to do this month. Who knows that feeling? It can be paralysing as we think of all the things that need to be done as well as all the other things going on in our lives.
Facing the resistance…. Morning walk musings.
So I’ve been doing a challenge recently where I aim to show up daily on social media with a walking and talking type post. The brief is to chat to the audience (you) as though I am telling you about something on my mind, to do with my business or life or whatever, and you are a fellow walker also puffing away beside me. The aim is to get comfortable putting one’s face out there, (so you will know I am actually a real person) and also to get my butt into shape by moving every day.
This month at a glance in the Kitchen Garden
What do to this month in the Kitchen Garden - in your vegetable garden in winter.
The Kitchen Gardener’s Year - Winter/August
I do love this quote by Patience Strong where she is perfectly describing this month. Although it is still winter, the promise of spring is in the air. The winter narcissi are flowering and the classic harbinger of spring, the daffodil will be out soon if not already depending on your micro climate. There are lambs frolicking on the hills and you may find that with the occasional warm springlike days we will get this month your own sap will start rising and you want to get out there and garden! But hold your horses for a bit longer. Get excited of course but channel that into this list of “P” things to do this month.
Money Monday - Managing Finances for the Professional Countrywoman.
Managing business finances can feel like a juggling act—balancing expenses, tracking cash flow, and planning for growth. But with the right strategies, keeping your finances in check doesn’t have to be overwhelming! From budgeting smarter to utilising digital tools, small changes can make a big impact on your bottom line.
This is an area I really struggle in and I am sure I am not the only one. Guest blogger, Mary Johnson from Self-employed Solutions gives some advice on what we can do to get ourselves organised when it comes to finances.