Homestead Kit Started in December

[Peter Webber]

I'm living in Springwood and I set this up in December but I've been a bit slack in posting the pics.
Since these photos where taken I have added skylights and they have made a huge difference. I plan to add more over the coming months. I have quite a bit of plant growth now so I will update the pics soon.

[Castaway]

A neat looking system Peter.

[ian]

Peter,
Springwood QLD or NSW?
Cheers Ian K

[Peter Webber]

I'm in Queensland Ian.

[Lee]

Great to see Peter, I dropped off your fish food the other week and from what I could see from the gate looked great.

Can't wait to see more progress shots.

[Peter Webber]

Hi Guys,

Here are a few pics taken on Feb 11 2010.

[Murray]

The Cos are looking good Peter.
How are the fish getting along ?

[Peter Webber]

Hi Murray,

I bought 100 Jades and found 1 dead on a grow bed. I think it must have got into the pipes while I was doing the flood cleaning method that you showed me. The others are growing fast and I have had no more losses yet and the Ph has settles down to below 7.
They REALLY enjoy their food and I find it difficult to know when I have given them enough because they eat so ravenously and I don't want to overfeed them. Every time I throw pellets in the surface of the water bubbles until the food is gone and after 4-5 handfuls I think surely they have had enough now? But they still seem to be searching for food.

[Peter Webber]

Hi Guys,

Here is a sort clip of my system after two months. The clip was taken on 24th Feb 2010. I have great hopes for the Tomatoes!

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(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enhGlnpZrgQ&feature=player_embedded)

[jaybee]

Great video Peter!

The plants are really beginning to take hold now and everything looks in great condition. You're making it look too easy :)

[burnt]

I like the chook house, I can't seem to find space for chooks at my place but now you have me thinking. Do they have access to grass or green feed, some photos of your chook setup would be appreciated.

[Peter Webber]

No problem Burnt, I'll get some pics tonight and put them up.

[Peter Webber]

Hi Burnt,

I have put a few pics up on the Chooks pages.

[Peter Webber]

Hi Everyone, I thought I would post a couple of updates on my progress so far. I have had a wonderful crop of Tomatoes this year but I have had to remove the plants at they where taking over! The next stage of my project is to get clear roof panels for the car port but the tomatoes became so big they were hogging all the light, so as the crop slowed down I reluctantly pulled them out. The bed looks so bare now!

Its only been a few days but the plants in the back grow beds that where shaded have really started to recover and the Capsicums are really perking up.

Sometimes the birds would beat us to the tomatoes but some of the seeds they dropped have germinated and have given us out next generation of plants.

Me and my son spent an afternoon clearing the tomato roots from the bed. We removed about 3 buckets full and at first the roots where really dense. There are no dense areas now but we are still finding a lot of root.

[Peter Webber]

I have also found that from adding aquarium water to help my system cycle, some aquarium snails have set up home in my system. They live only in water and have caused no harm whatsoever to my plants, What they have done is kept my unoccupied fingerling tank spotless. There is not a spec of alge in the fingerling tank or the light exposed wet clay pebbles unlike the main fish tank that I have to clean regularly. These guys could be keeping the pipes clean too!

[Peter Webber]

Hi Guys,

My friend who is a plumber did me a huge favour and plumbed my water tank in for me.
As well as connecting the guttering to the tank and the tank to my pump he installed a tap which is connected to a floating valve that Murray fitted when he helped me out with my system. The system water level is now automated when the water drops the valve opens and the pump kicks in. When the valve closes the back pressure turns off the pump. I love it.

[Peter Webber]

Hi Guys,

I have started my next crop to get that bare ex tomato bed working. There are some things I have not attempted before. The wife and kids are giving me greif over my little pictures that depict a pinch of seed where they are too small or numerous to count.

I have remembered to cover the seeds this time as the birds got into my seed pots last time.

I am also trying baby carrot which I have sprinkled straight into the beads rather than starting in pots. Last time they did not seem to take well to being transplanted. I am also giving Celeriac a go. Its knobbly anyway to what harm could the clay beads do?

As an experiment I have started some potato in an old tire. As it gets bigger I will stack more tires and top up the soil. If they get to a good height the idea is to knock the tires over and harvest the potatoes. I have heard this idea a few times so I thought I would give it a go.

[Murray]

Looking good Peter...
I have a number of potatoes coming up....self sown where we have been throwing the veggie scraps into an old garden bed to build the soil up....
Should work I hope
I reckon there has to be spuds grown to make a garden complete.

[jaybee]

Hey Peter, things have been going well down on the springwood ranch!

Loved the photo of the toms - feral or what :)