Every month I am away from home I buy Will a little present, just to let him know that I am thinking of him.  In May I bought him 48 rolls of recycled toilet paper, 6 rolls of forest friendly paper towel and 12 boxes of forest friendly tissues all home delivered from who gives a crap, I felt that this was a very socially responsible gift that also demonstrated that I cared…  apparently it didn’t really demonstrate I cared enough.  So in June I went for a spot tracker, since Will was driving 2500kms in 2 days with limited mobile coverage around outback Australia I wanted to make sure he could call for help if needed.  Again this was a very responsible gift, after all nothing says I love you like being able to track / stalk your partner even when you are in Antarctica :).  In July I reverted to the good old fashioned gift – food.  A cheese hamper from  Richmond Hill Larder, amazing, yummy and I’m back in the good books.  I guess nothing really does say I love you better then a good old dose of creamy French cheese and some matched beer!!

I was a bit stuck for August, then I had a brainwave and I have outdone myself I rented some grape vines.  This means we get the ‘joy’ of making our own wine, including picking the grapes, pruning the vines and bottling, how ace is that!!!  I am excited and I don’t get to do anything for ages, I am going to need a picture of my vines to dream over for these last four months in Antarctica.  I am sure this is going to be a good present month and if our Shiraz is crap this time next year we can add orange juice and brandy and call it Sangria.  I can’t wait, along with the rest of the world I have harboured thoughts of a idyllic life amongst the vines, making wine and drinking it while lazing in the sun with a picnic that consists of French cheeses and fresh bread.  A little bit carried away there but you get the idea.  By renting the vines you get all the fun with no real pain, if you get a better offer the weekend you are meant to prune they’ll do it for you, no worries.  Perfect wife award this month 🙂

With only four months to go in Antarctica I have allowed myself to start dreaming again about what I am going to do as soon as I touch down at home.  All the cooking, gardening, wine making and just general exploring and adventures.

Garden wise, I have the sides of the house to fill, those places that are at the moment filled with old surf boards, wind surfers, BBQ’s, broken greenhouses etc etc.  So much room I can make productive and as a bonus it is sheltered and warm all year around.

 

I have an area about 15 metres by 1.5 metres and I am going to have 2 or 3  chickens and as many aquaponic beds as I can.  I am thinking an aquaponics tank 1.5mt long by .8mt wide and 1.5 mt deep or 1800litres.  The bottom of the tank will be buried in the ground to maintain water temp in summer.  I’m going to stock  with mussels, some yabbies and approx. 30 trout, that will be a nice addition to the menu as long as they don’t all eat each other!!!

1800 litres of fish nutrient filled water circulating give me plenty of  grown beds for my veggie garden.  Roughly 2, 1.5 long by 75cms deep and 80cms wide beds should easily be supported.  I love homegrown veggies there is nothing better then seeing what is in the garden for lunch and dinner, amazing every time.  One of the thing I have learnt helping with the hydroponics in Antarctica is to give anything a go.  We even have corn growing!!!! Virtually anything can be grown in the grow beds, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicums, eggplants, zucchini’s, herbs and I am hoping carrots and parsnips if I make the beds deep enough.  This will leave my garden beds for more permanent plantings of asparagus, rhubarb and berries.

Another 4 metres of my precious small space will contain a hen house, that should be plenty of room for the 2 – 3 girls.  I want a hen house that is super easy to clean because I definitely do not want any smell, so a big access door is in order.  That is as far as I have got with the design of the hen house… Need to go and google hen house designs.