I haven’t written in a while, and I have really missed it. The emails I get are like getting a gift in the mail. I just love the way people share their own stories with me, so thank you.

I feel like I am coming out of hibernation after a long, hard winter, but even though I am in Pozieres, just outside Stanthorpe, the coldest place in Queensland, it was not the cold that was troubling me; it was the lack of rain. We are in some serious trouble in many parts of Australia, so we all need to be water-wise in everything we do. It is a part of living a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle to watch our resource consumption and water is one of our most precious.

With spring arriving, I return to the garden, which has been dormant for the most part throughout the winter. Garden beds need to be improved, with old mulch raked back, weeding done, and then compost dug in. I give everything a good watering and then MULCH again. Mulching is vital. It keeps the soil cool during the hot summer months and reduces water loss, allowing you to use less water in your garden.

I have been working on my orchard for the past few weeks. I have 14 trees, including peach, orange, lemon, olive, plum, nectarine, mulberry, pear, and fig. I also have Kikuyu grass, which is the bane of my existence. If you have the same problem in your yard, don’t let it get the better of you. Pull back the mulch, dig out the grass, and then reapply the mulch. I do this every year, and each year it gets a little easier. Fruit trees do not tolerate competition for water and nutrients, so ensure that you remove the grass to the tree’s drip line.

This year, I have also planted some English Gooseberries. They were just two sticks in the ground a week ago, but the leaves are already starting to shoot. I want to expand the jams I can make for my family, and I love gooseberry jam. They are also wonderful as a pastry in a turnover. I think that they will make a wonderful addition to my garden.

Having fruit trees, canes, or bushes in your garden is something you should seriously consider. The fruit you grow yourself will be extra sweet because you grew it. Eat the fruits fresh, cook with them or make preserves. It’s a great step in the right direction to live a more sustainable, self-sufficient life, and it saves you money at the same time.

I can see myself this summer already; a gooseberry tart in my hand, lying in my hammock in the garden, listening to the bees buzz around the rosemary. Life is looking good.

As always, live well.

Valerie