 |
| Kia ora koutou Permaculture Whanau. Welcome to Autumn and what is hopefully a more settled period for all of us across Aotearoa. As I said in the last newsletter Council is dedicated to the ‘Whakaoho’ (Reawakening) of our organisation. This graphic illustrates how we are approaching this period with the website, communication strategy and finances all forming the foundation for the areas that we are focused on.  As a member-based organisation people are our priority. Therefore we are planning for how we can not only build value for our membership, but strengthen the Permaculture Community overall. Some of this work is already underway within our digital space with improvements to the website and social media content being planned. We are also undertaking a review of the education models, support for educators, and the opportunities available for people to expand their knowledge. If you are involved in Permaculture education, we will be reaching out over the coming months. If you have stepped into this space over the past few years, or think we may not know about your program, please get in touch so we can promote and support your activities as well as work towards PiNZ educator affiliation. Finally, after undertaking a review of our membership processes, we are making some changes and working on a range of new membership benefits! Over the next 3 months we will move all memberships to a single renewal date that aligns with the new financial year voted on at the 2021 AGM. This means all paid current memberships will be extended and will expire June 30 2024. All membership renewals and new memberships that occur between now and June 30 2023 will also expire June 30 2024. This extension is free, and all our current members, as well as all new members, will benefit the extended membership period. We are currently finalising the details of a range of new membership benefits, so keep a lookout for these in our coming newsletters. We are still confirming the details for those purchasing a membership part way through the new membership year, but if you know someone who has been considering joining then now is the time to make the most of this one-off membership extension. So please spread the word. Nga Mihi Nui Fiona Moorhouse Chairperson Permaculture in New Zealand Get to Know the PiNZ Council As a group, the PiNZ council is always made up of people with a diversity of skills and experience, and this is your chance to get to know them a little better. So, what makes them tick, what are they passionate about, and what are their priorities on council? Click on this link to see what Fiona, Merve, Rory and Nick bring to the role Harvest and Storage of Kumara for the Long Term Permaculture principle #3 is Obtain A Yield, and at this time of the year many of us are starting to harvest crops that produce big yields such as kumara, pumpkins, dried beans and seeds, all of which require long term storage.  This links back to principle #2 Catch and Store Energy, with the crop itself the result of our energy inputs at the time of planting and over the growing season, and now at the time of harvest we are storing that energy and investment of time for future use. Kumara should be harvested from dry ground from March onwards and completed before the first frost. If you have heavy clay soils, you will need to be vigilant as kumara can develop blemishes that turn to rot when left in heavy cold soils. You can use the tips of the stems for your own kai to replace other greens such as spinach, so harvest these first. Then fold back the foliage and using some hedge trimmers remove all the foliage. This big pile can then be used as compost, fed to your animals, or used to make a liquid feed. The kumara grows in clusters so use your hands to brush the dirt away and expose the cluster then dig gently with a fork around the edges to loosen the soils. You then need to carefully extract the trying not to damage the skins or break the tubers as these will not be able to be stored long term. To store kumara long term they need to be cured which hardens the skin and retains the moisture. During this time the sugars also develop which is why kumara that has been in storage tends to be tastier than freshly dug. Cure kumara in the open air for several days (up to 5) in a location that is warm, dry and has good airflow, wire racks are ideal. Once cured brush off any excess dirt but do not wash them. They can then be layered in a cardboard box between layers of newspaper and stored in a warm dry environment. Any that were damaged or had parts broken off need to be used first, so store these on top or in their own box. Be sure to keep checking the layers through the year and remove any that are starting to rot or break down. And finally, what to do with all those thin little kumara that are more than roots? Use these first in soups, stir fry or diced into any other meal to make good use of them. Alternatively if you keep pigs they love these bits so share the bounty with them as they “catch and store energy” to produce yields of their own Events Looking to connect with like minded people, get inspiration or learn new skills and knowledge? There are many events happening here in Aotearoa New Zealand that will help your Permaculture journey. Check out these events across the country… Connect with Us: Facebook Contact Info: Email: info@permaculture.org.nz You receive this because you have expressed an interest in PiNZ in the past. If you have let you membership lapse then you can renew at your profile page. If you want to join PiNZ then go to https://permaculture.org.nz/join-membership |
| Permaculture in New Zealand (Inc) c/- PO Box 173 Matakana, 0948 New Zealand|Unsubscribe | Subscribe | Opt out |