Bach and Kitchen Garden
Where in the world are we? and what on earth are we doing?
We are living on D'Urville Island in New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds.
Stop right there if your mind is wandering away to the daydream of sipping on a straw inserted into a coconut, under the palms gently swaying to the rythm of the lapping ocean in your hammock on a white sandy beach.....yes it sounds nice the word island conjures up all sorts if ideas. but thats not entirely the reality, although the hammock we can do, its perfect for a refreshing dunk in the sea or just to sit and listen to the sounds of the ocean. D'urville island, in the Marlborough Sounds is one of New Zealands most preserved natural pieces of land. The westside is rugged and wild with calm inlets and its position between the Tasman Sea and the cook strait makes that it is windy and rough sea at times. whareatea bay is on the east side thus more sheltered. Our site is only accessible by boat or by small tracks on d'urville island, so yea it is what people generally call 'isolated'. we'd rather call it peacefull and a world of its own in the midst of nature. our closest neighbours are the MEET Trust in the same bay. We are also surrounded by DOC- land
The bach site (see photo above) is situated 50 mtrs above sea level and a 5 min walk away from the sea with its clean water and rocky beach
Stop right there if your mind is wandering away to the daydream of sipping on a straw inserted into a coconut, under the palms gently swaying to the rythm of the lapping ocean in your hammock on a white sandy beach.....yes it sounds nice the word island conjures up all sorts if ideas. but thats not entirely the reality, although the hammock we can do, its perfect for a refreshing dunk in the sea or just to sit and listen to the sounds of the ocean. D'urville island, in the Marlborough Sounds is one of New Zealands most preserved natural pieces of land. The westside is rugged and wild with calm inlets and its position between the Tasman Sea and the cook strait makes that it is windy and rough sea at times. whareatea bay is on the east side thus more sheltered. Our site is only accessible by boat or by small tracks on d'urville island, so yea it is what people generally call 'isolated'. we'd rather call it peacefull and a world of its own in the midst of nature. our closest neighbours are the MEET Trust in the same bay. We are also surrounded by DOC- land
The bach site (see photo above) is situated 50 mtrs above sea level and a 5 min walk away from the sea with its clean water and rocky beach
Taking A Step
We need to utilize the planet's resources wisely, to minimize our impact on the environment. Globalization has made so many changes to our lives that reversing it is not possible at all in one generation. Researchers are of the view that building environmentally friendly structures which are economically feasible and by taking the steps to being environment friendly, encourages others to follow suit. It is important that we put in some efforts to maintain harmony with the environment. The survival of species on this planet is dependent on the environment to such a large extent that we cannot afford to ignore the consequences of our own actions. While there are a lot of debates and discussions on this issue, the need is to preserve our natural wealth in simple ways. To live a low-impact lifestyle is to live lightly on the earth, this means to intelligently and intensively manage our surrounding environment in order to maximize return (in the forms of energy, water, food, shelter and products) and minimize waste (through recycling, composting and energy efficient systems). In order to show low-impact living, it is necessary to create dwellings, gardens and infrastructure able to support such a venture. working this way, also alows us to work from our heart and establish a spiritual connection with the nature surrounding and sustaining us. |
Establishing the Project
First steps taken have been to clear manuka trees from a piece of the land land to plant fruit and nut trees and berrie bushes while focusing on diversity, establishing rock terracing for the beds of the food gardens, and the greenhouse. we're inspired by the land itself, permaculture ideas and natural farming. The land is manuka forest with pockets of diverse eco environments yet to be fully established. Building the composting toilet is underway, shower facilities and accommodations are also to be completed before visitors arrive. All the while keeping in mind that most of the work will be done with hand tools with only very little aid of machinery . Emphasis will be mainly on the gardens for the first year. We are new to the area which has national park status, though the covanance allows eco dwellings, so we still have to explore observe and learn about local flora and fauna What Exactly Is It We Are Doing
Yes that a good question and simply put, we are following our nose, listening to our intuition, taking one step at a time. Feeling our way, not blindly but with an open heart. |