WOODSTOCK PEACE GARDEN

SandyB · October 04, 2009, 04:56:39 PM

I mentioned earlier about our garden patch ... The Alpha school donated a huge tract of their ground to Woodstock community for a peace garden ... Paul and I had been deliberating taking a patch , to do a bit of gardening , grow some of the unusual veggies as a challenge ... both very busy , so we asked Cherry to come join in .. she an avid gardener but also as per us stays in a cottage with small garden ... so we have formed a team ... today we started on our little 15 square m plot .. Cherry brought her garden helper by the name of Festival , and I have enlisted the help of a short Kenyan by the name of Joseph ... I have been observing this man for a while ... he has never begged ... always seen him picking the berries that fall off the trees from the school across the road ... I started to engage him in conversation ,, anyhow with the now commitment to the garden ,,, I thought to myself .. we need help at home with various things and need somebody who is prepared to work ... testing ground would be to see how he works in our peace garden ,, anyhow he has not been around lately so I put my message to the universe ..., Lo and behold Friday evening I'm coming home from work round the corner in my street and there is he standing on the corner ... I hooted waved and told him to come to the house ... discussed my proposal he was so grateful for the offer ... gave him cash to get back home to Delft and back for 10: 30 this morning ... well he was here punctual at 10: 20 gave him a good breakfast ( cannot work on an empty stomach ) ... Cherry arrived at 11: 00 with Festival ... cars loaded with tools and bits and pieces... Cherry and Paul drove up and I walked the dogs up ... we stared at about 11:30 .. plotted out the poles .. Festival and Joseph digging the pole holes down to 500mm ... Cherry Paul and me turning soil and weeding in meantime .. hell man Cherry can dig and work with a fork and

... We worked till 13:00 then came home for lunch ... and then back ... all working like Trojans .. well at 16: 00 poles planted earth turned .. black plastic put down to allow fallow time to kill off any remaining weeds ... job done for the day ... I'm very happy .. the Joseph has as per my instinct been exactly as I envisaged .. a hard working gentle soul and yes trustworthy .. dogs are never wrong .. Madame Tina is a difficult bitch and does not take easily to people .. well she after he came into the house .. laid down close to his feet ... and was cool with him ... I did not have my camera so no pics today .. I will post pics of the garden progress and our team later on ...

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · October 04, 2009, 07:03:31 PM

I can imagine how good you all feel, I felt good just reading about you day in your peace garden. Hell I nearly logged off to go and have a shower. It is always a good feeling when one has worked hard at something then at the end of the day to stand back and admire all you've achieved.I realy have to get my *ss into gear and get out into my garden. Been threating to do it for a while now.Maybe this is just what I needed. Lucky for me its dark now else I'd have gathered me tools and got out there.

SandyB · October 04, 2009, 09:04:46 PM

More so Diana this is good for me Paul and Cherry .. a team thing with tangible outcomes and as I mentioned the Joseph who has been literally foraging for food yet never begging or expecting handout .. my soul has been prodding me to give him a hand up and not the hand out .. if he continues the same as the first day he has a at least once weekly job in my home . garden or the peace garden .. dignity from earning honest money , mutual respect for a good work ethic etc etc .. everybody here knows my mind workings so I need not elaborate hey ??? its all good ..

SandyB · October 11, 2009, 03:57:52 PM

The joseph was a bit late this morning ... we wanted a 09:30 start ( public transport on sundays ?non existent here ) .. anyhow Paul went off to get more wind net I drove up with all my portable tools trusting that he would turn up at the plot .. got there unpacked toold and here he came a running ,, apologising profulsely ... only tihng is he missed a good breakfast ... luckily I had some sweet pastries in the cooldrink bag ... we got working I have tested him with various hand and electrical tools , he handles and masters all .. so yes he just not crude labour ... he now has an extra job helping Paul on his friday job of redesigning Davids garden ,,, not bad from nothing he now has two days work a week ... all I want is a good soul who is relaible as possible and not shy to work and so far seems Ok , hope no rot sets in .

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · October 11, 2009, 07:59:02 PM

Need a photo of our Garden Gnomes.

SandyB · October 11, 2009, 09:37:44 PM

Me Paul and Cherry elve size .. the Joseph is indded gnome size ... methinks he's about 1.5 or less tall will post when we do work next week ..

Bertie Horak · October 12, 2009, 03:30:38 AM

Very good for the soul.. working in the soil. Looking forward to photo's, Sandy! Let me know if you need a herb or two to add to your garden, I might be able to spare a plant or two!

Michael Alexander · October 12, 2009, 03:36:49 PM

What about that big red tractor? Can Sandy Borrow that, it looks like it might look cool going down the M5....

SandyB · October 12, 2009, 06:30:09 PM

Our little graden patch will just be parking for the tractor ...

Bertie Horak · October 13, 2009, 03:36:37 AM

Ha-ha! Any time, but I'm definitely NOT driving it all the way from Bonnievale to Cape Town!

Michael Alexander · October 15, 2009, 02:54:03 PM

You should paint your tractor blue and white wtripes and take her to Nuweland on Saturday!

Bertie Horak · October 15, 2009, 05:55:07 PM

Great idea! If I paint tonight and leave early tomorrow I might make it to the game in time and the paint can dry on the way! Only about 210 km to Newlands! The drive back bothers me a bit....

Michael Alexander · October 15, 2009, 05:57:50 PM

What are you worried about, you have a tractor.... you don't have to drive along the road, just plot a straight line across the flats..... make sure nobody steals your tyres though!

SandyB · October 26, 2009, 06:45:29 PM

Our garden patch taking good shape .. Me , Paul , Cherry and Joseph did the raised beds ( milk crates ) and also dug in a car load of compost and soil mix as the ground is very clayey ... next week is planting time after we see how many weeds have popped up ... the Joseph now has 3 days work ... Monday and Friday at David and Sunday with us ... not bad going from nothing .. and when we start on the one cellar digging out possibly more days ,,more than enough work for a gentle hard working soul ... will post pics of the planting next week ...

SandyB · December 20, 2009, 05:20:28 PM

As promised ... pics ,,, growing is artichokes , brussels sprouts , red cabbage , broccoli , patty pans , courgettes , red onion , spring onion , granadilla , perrinial basil , Blood sorrel , rocket , bell peppers , papino melon , sage , celery , strawberries , bronze fennel , Okra , adzuki beans .
(rosemary , lavender , marigolds for pest repellent ) , new plantlings today are peppadews , jalapeno, peppers , broad beans and butternut .. not bad for a small size plot hey ?? Cherry the spring onions are ready for harvest sooon !!