The Biodynamic Education Centre is conducting a "Introduction to Biodynamics" course at Purple Pear Organics in early November 2011.
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for your membership and or BD preps etc. You can still pay the old way by cheque or cash, But if you find it easier to do electronic transfer, we now have this option [...]
Newsletter No 82 JULY 2010
In this issue we have a report on the Field Day at Tony and Deidre Honson’s,
HBG Field Day at Tony and Deirdre Honson’s Fassifern Report by Graeme O Brien
We started the day with the usual high quality HBG morning tea. Lots of talk, enthusiasm and expectation.
Pruning
Tony emphasised the following points
· Shaping - light into the tree, no crossovers · Number of flowers Verses the size of wood · You need flowers, no flowers no fruit! · Fruit on last year’s wood
· Create space· Prune to a comfortable height; approximately 1.6m; this means that you do not have to climb a ladder to pick fruit
The Garden Walk
We then went on a walk around the extensive garden
· Extensive use of netting to protect the fruit from birds and flying foxes · Warning about contact with flying foxes - they carry severe nasties which can be fatal to humans
· Old-fashioned way to confuse flying foxes - use a rag soaked in diesel - impacts on their sense of smell · Fruit fly - use of traps and stem painting; mosquito netting also works
We were amazed by the variety of fruit trees:
Mandarin, Mixed stone fruit (40 yo), Mango (take centre out, flower thinning), Orange (for juicing), Lychee,
Geebung, Paw Paw (need M/F trees, north facing), Avocado, Kaffir Lime (had yellowing so required nitrogen
- use blood and bone), Tangelo, Pecan (pecans should be pruned, low to open up tree and to prevent cockies hiding),
Ice Cream Bean Tree (nitrogen fixer), Davidson Plum, (bush tucker - very bitter when picked so leave fruit for a
few days to ripen, slow growing), White Mulberry, China Plate Peach, Macadamia, Gingko Balbao, Banana
(Cavendish), Lemonade, White Fig, Apple, Apricot, Longan (similar to Lychee), Pear, wild ginger, Lilly Pilly,
Jaboticaba (small close fruit on stems), Loquat, White Sapote, Navel Orange, Passionfruit, Kiwi Fruit, Tangerine, Coffee trees.
Composting
Extensive, main source is grass from mowing, decomposed in bins
Water
· mainly dam supplied, extensive soak from higher ground back toward old Toronto railway line · during wet times a permanent drain from the dam to the creek is needed
· approximate capacity 60kL · dam is stocked with crayfish
Pollination
· 6 bee hives
Vegetable Garden
· Large variety - supplied family all year round
· Broccolini, strawberries, pumpkin, pineapple, broad beans, cherry tomato, grosse lisse tomato, rhubarb, onion, nasturtium, corn, silver beet, peas
Chooks
· quite a variety we brought home a present - named him “Honson”
General
· some slag was used for fill on the block - difficult to grow plants in - no substitute for quality soil
Grafting
· must use a grafting knife · sap must be running in mother plant before any grafting will be successful
· critical that in all three forms of grafting demonstrated that plant translocation material in mother plant and bud line up
Chip Budding
1. Remove bud from source material 2. Make cut in receptor material
3. Ensure bud and receptor match up for size 4. Insert bud
Top Work
Tape up (Grafting tape or flower shop tape)
1. Remove material to be grafted from source 2. Make horizontal cut in mother material
3. Make vertical cut in mother material 4. Fit source into mother (ensure line up) 5. Tape
T Budding
1. Source bud 2. Make T-shaped mark on bark 3. Lift bark to accommodate bud 4. Fit bud 5. Tape
REMINDER MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Memberships are due every year at 31st march
$50.00 Supporting, $30.00 Standard, $15.00 Concessional
If you haven’t paid your membership as yet here are some options; It is now even easier to pay for your membership and or BD preps etc.
You can still pay the old way by cheque or cash,
Please send your payment to:
The Treasurer, HBG, PO Box 68, East Maitland, NSW 2323
OR
If you find it easier to do electronic transfer, we now have this option available.
HUNTER BIODYNAMIC GROUP
BSB 802386
ACCOUNT No. 44988
REFERENCE: Your name
Please send an email to Mark Brown info@purplepear.net.au
To notify him as to what the moneys are for.
Tocal Field Days Report
The secret is out!
I hope that you have heard! We were the winner! Best Display 2010 Land Management Pavilion
Congratulations HBG - Well Done!
A special thank you to all of our helpers. To those who helped set up on Thursday afternoon, those who helped on the roster over the weekend, those who
talked at our lecture site, those who helped pack up the display late on Sunday afternoon.
Thank you to all who helped in so many ways.
Susanna O’Brien & Sandra Hare.
Hunter Biodynamic Group PO Box 68 East Maitland 2323
Chair: Danny Woodland 4996 5500 Preps: Margaret Bruvel 4938 5435