Weekend social 29/09/2017

Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, September 29th, 2017 - 53 comments
Categories: weekend social - Tags:

Christmas truce 1914It’s been a long election and we’re currently in political limbo. Writers are taking it easy. Time to revive weekend social? This post is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever.

No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?

53 comments on “Weekend social 29/09/2017 ”

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  1. r0b 1
    29 September 2017 at 2:48 pm

    So, gardens. We’ve had a glasshouse for a couple of years now, and the yield is phenomenal. But I know we should be taking better care of the soil in there. What’s the best way to feed / care for a glasshouse?

    • Tracey 1.1
      29 September 2017 at 4:03 pm

      Have been thinking of getting one so looking forward to answers

    • Leopold 1.2
      29 September 2017 at 4:16 pm

      Follow ‘The Martian’ – ie compost (not necessary to be as extreme in obtaining it as he does)

    • Cinny 1.3
      29 September 2017 at 4:53 pm

      Hey r0b, I guess it depends on where you live/accessibility etc.. In a city, head to the warehouse for some blood and bone plus lime and dried sheep pallets, scatter it around per pkts instructions.

      In Motueka, i just go gathering.
      To the beach gather some seaweed, then the local RDA happy horse shit $2 a sack, finally the river for some sand, throw it on the soil and dig it in, adding lawn clippings and leaves if you have, sawdust from untreated timber etc

      Horse manure is the only manure you can put on fresh, it dosen’t burn.
      Seaweed is super helpful in a garden as it retains water, swells up when wet, brilliant stuff.

      Mr Guyton will have some good advice, that man is a gardening genius.

    • weka 1.4
      29 September 2017 at 6:43 pm

      Worm castings. Either from your own farm or you might be able to buy some locally. Plants will love it and it helps them resist pest insects too.

      • r0b 1.4.1
        29 September 2017 at 11:40 pm

        We tried a worm farm last year but not very successful. Any tips?

        • Robert Guyton 1.4.1.1
          30 September 2017 at 4:15 am

          The secret to successful worm farming is dung; they love it and need it; sheep, cow, horse, llama, rabbit especially. I once collected elephant dung when a circus visited Riverton. Mountains of it.

        • weka 1.4.1.2
          30 September 2017 at 10:29 pm

          I use a wooden box, 1m x 1m x 1m that has a lid on it. I put in only kitchen waste, layered with carbon (old leaves, pea straw). Generally the worms breed and eat faster than I can feed them, so I get a good turn around on the castings.

          There are some tricks like don’t put in too much citrus or onions, so if you have a lot of those daily them compost them instead. Keeping the farm moist is important too. What happened to yours?

      • ianmac 1.4.2
        30 September 2017 at 8:51 am

        Bunnings were selling tiger worms here recently. Also small plastic worm farm units.
        A neighbour has a glasshouse set up with raised gardens full of horse shit and ? There were thousands of tiger worms beavering away mostly near the surface of the soon-to-be soil. Later he plants in the beds.
        Envious? Yep.

    • Ffloyd 1.5
      29 September 2017 at 6:44 pm

      Put bill english/Stephen joyce/Paula Bennett in there for a while. You’ll get all the s..t/compost you will need.

    • BM 1.6
      29 September 2017 at 7:35 pm

      Hydroponics

    • Robert Guyton 1.7
      29 September 2017 at 8:04 pm

      Okay. Soil undercover degrades over time but can be refreshed easily; by replacing it 🙂 You could shift the tired soil out and bring in your own bulk home-made compost, putting the old stuff where the new came from. You might not have the puff for that, so, rinse the soil you have in situ by flooding the glasshouse with good water – rain is always best, to wash out accumulated salts. Then add a soil conditioner, like … compost. You don’t have to replace, adding is sufficient. Test your pH. If you need anything, it’ll probably be lime, which is cheap. You could just cultivate and let oxygen in; that’ll help. Chickens too, will work your soil up in readiness for planting. You could make up a series of teas; comfrey, grass clipping, seaweed, pony poo, zoo doo, whatever you can find and apply every few days to rev-up your soil micro-organisms. Don’t use herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, molluscicides, rodenticides, anti-biotics of any sort; give the soil colonies a chance to strike a balance with each other. You could sow a quick cover crop: cress, mustard, an annual clover; something to protect the soil from the sunlight and desiccation. Plant your food crops amongst that. Too much?

    • r0b 1.8
      29 September 2017 at 11:40 pm

      Thank you all, thank you Robert! That’s pretty comprehensive! We did a layer of home made compost last year, will do the same again, try some of the other suggestions, see if we can get some seaweed. Come to think of it I have a source for horse poo too. Must say there’s nothing like home grown tomatoes…

      • Cinny 1.8.1
        30 September 2017 at 2:08 pm

        Far out Mr Guyton is a guru, I’ve parsley under my fig tree to help with mould spores, thanks to his excellent advice, gosh he’s clever.

        R0b, add some nitrogen via some bean plants, amongst your intended crop… works a treat..

      • Ian 1.8.2
        30 September 2017 at 7:25 pm

        I compost all grass clippings and leaves from a large garden and use chicken manure from our 10 hens as an activator. This compost is added to the outdoor vege garden,and around the perrenial gardens and fruit trees. Also use calf shed woodchips to mulch trees ,etc. but this has recently become a valuable product for sale to get all the plants going around our new roads.have a large amount of cow manure available but got to be carefull with the clover seeds that are very viable after passing through the cow. Springtime shit is OK.
        The glasshouse gets different treatment.I remove the top few inches containing last seasons tomato and weed seeds and plant tomatoes,peppers,chillies ,telegraph cucumber,,rock melon ,egg plant and of course the herbs in their own 10 liters of tomato mix from Bunnings. I then add a few wheelbarrows of my own compost .As a follower of the late Prof Walker,I am a generous user of Nitro phoska. The results are pretty good even if I say so myself.
        A bonus from the compost arises from the composting area being under a native area and 25 % of the weeds that come up are lemonwood,pittosporum and cordyline ,which can be potted and planted out on the farm ,later.

    • francesca 1.9
      30 September 2017 at 9:14 pm

      I don’t believe in replacing the soil each season
      Fill all the ecological niches with beneficial fungi associated with decomposition .This helps keep the parasitic disease type fungi out.
      Dig in plenty of organic matter, home made compost, seaweed, sheep pellets etc
      Test for ph, but you probably don’t need to lime as often as outside, with less leaching going on
      I also wash down the whole house with a eucalyptus based disinfectant.
      Its also a good idea to flush the soil with water so salts don’t build up
      God , I’ve just scrolled down and seen Roberts post.Bloody genius, I love his columns!
      So now I’ll crawl away and shut up

  2. Carolyn_nth 2
    29 September 2017 at 3:13 pm

    Over the last 2 weeks, I’ve re-watched The Martian a couple of times – makes it at least 4 viewings.

    It has it’s faults – NASA/US propaganda; world co-operation, feel good movie – and 80s disco.

    But I like the thing of using new and older technologies, plus ingenuity, to solve problems of survival – and I love the cinematography and CGI – the red planet and space, plus they way it integrates with sound – and it has some well-timed humour.

    Quote: “I’m just gonna have to science the shit out of this.”

    • Exkiwiforces 2.1
      29 September 2017 at 3:51 pm

      Yes, Carolyn_nth it’s a good movie once you get over the B/S.

      My partner was asking all sorts of questions about survival in a hostile environment as she knew I have done a Combat Survival cse some yrs ago with work.

      As long as you have Shelter, Water and Food in that order you can survive just about everything that can thrown at you. If you have the complete Survival Triangle it then gives you to form a plan on what course of action you need to take.

      One thing of note if you have food and shelter, but no water you will yourself in trouble as you need “clean water” to digest your food. Your body can survive without water for 7 days and 30 days without food depending on how tall/ how fat you are etc if you have shelter.

      • Carolyn_nth 2.1.1
        29 September 2017 at 5:10 pm

        Ah yes – water is the essential. Apparently one of the things the Martian got wrong was the lack of water on Mars – they’ve since found rivers of ice, I think and sometimes water flows.

        Shelter, water, food. I’ll remember that when we/I hit survival times.

    • weka 2.2
      29 September 2017 at 6:47 pm

      I watched the first 2 episodes of the new Star Trek. It has some potential but it seems they dropped the science part of scifi. Shame.

  3. Stuart Munro 3
    29 September 2017 at 3:22 pm

    Tired of searching for the truth and looking for a decent fantasy? You could do worse than Nicholas Eames’ Kings of the Wyld. Nice taut story with comedy elements.

    https://www.tor.com/2017/02/22/book-reviews-kings-of-the-wyld-by-nicholas-eames/

  4. Frida 4
    29 September 2017 at 3:58 pm

    I’m currently working my way through this year’s Booker LongList which is a little indulgence I reserve to myself every year. Just finished Mohsin Hasad “Exit West.” Horrifying, gripping and very well written. Onto Zadie Smith “Swing Time” this weekend – with trepidation. I loved “White Teeth” but haven’t enjoyed any of her others to be honest.

    • Carolyn_nth 4.1
      29 September 2017 at 5:11 pm

      Can you give me a few clues as to why I should read these books?

      • Frida 4.1.1
        29 September 2017 at 5:14 pm

        The first one – an insight into urban life in Syria after Isis…horrifying

        the other one – will let you know! She usually writes about young West Indian women living in London.

        • Carolyn_nth 4.1.1.1
          29 September 2017 at 5:19 pm

          Thanks.

          I have very busy this coming week – will start looking for recreational reading matter after that.

  5. Gristle 5
    29 September 2017 at 4:38 pm

    We’re having a garden party: One that involves lots of shovels, sweat and plants. Fruit trees, berries, vines, citrus, nut trees are the order of the day. The new house dates from the 1950s but has no garden out back except for 4 trees. Anyway, we are on a journey to make 1/4 acre section a bit more productive.

    There will be 5 of doing the work (1 to keep refreshments coming.). It helps when the in laws are gardening freaks. Green fingers with imagination.

    • Robert Guyton 5.1
      29 September 2017 at 8:07 pm

      ” we are on a journey to make 1/4 acre section a bit more productive.”
      It sounds as though it will be significantly more productive. I hope your neighbours all follow suit.

  6. adam 6
    29 September 2017 at 4:40 pm

    This weekend I’m going to spend some money and time at hard to find books in Onehunga.

    They need your help https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/hardtofindbookshop

    • Molly 6.1
      29 September 2017 at 5:22 pm

      Was there a couple of months ago, and as always, left with books I didn’t have on my wish list beforehand.

      Will be a pity to see it go, these individually owned local shops add so much character and circulate money into the community much better than chain stores or franchises.

      (I wonder if he has thought of making it a co-operatively owned enterprise. He may be more likely to find a couple of thousand book lovers willing to part with $500 each to be a part-owner of the building, rather than get the total from straight out donations.)

  7. mickysavage 7
    29 September 2017 at 5:06 pm

    No Daily review tonite. Live long and prosper …

  8. marty mars 8
    29 September 2017 at 6:54 pm

    I’m going through ww2 why we fight propaganda films. But darts and catch up with mates tonight first.

  9. james 9
    29 September 2017 at 7:08 pm

    Heading out with a couple of mates motorbike shopping tomorrow – followed by a BBQ.

    Cooking a Pulled pork (complete with home made kaiser buns of course) and few racks of Ribs – always a winner.

    • In Vino 9.1
      29 September 2017 at 7:36 pm

      No aggro, please. This is plainly a provocation aimed at any non-meat-eaters, and smarmy James knows damned well that there are a good number among the followers of this site.

      • james 9.1.1
        29 September 2017 at 8:09 pm

        Actually no – I am having a BBQ and thats what Im cooking.

        I wasn’t putting out aggro – but I cannot help it if people get offended so easily. some people are too precious.

        Im sorry about the Kaiser buns also – just in case there is someone on here who is gluten intolerant.

        Also – I should point out the stupidity of you saying “no aggro please – then proceed to call me names”

  10. Bondy 10
    29 September 2017 at 9:17 pm

    Daughters arrived from up country, haven’t seen them for a month. They’re growing up wonderfully. We’ll do some walks, local markets and revision for their tests. One voted Nats at her school mock elections, the other was bullied into voting Green at her school. Interesting and disappointing.

  11. gsays 11
    29 September 2017 at 10:36 pm

    For me, after a half days work I am off to dual 60th, both close mates.
    It’s at bridge cafe at ballance, which could be quietly celebrating a couple of alternate manawatu gorge route proposals.

    Then watch the test after breakfast from the barbie (lots of local saussys, bacon eggs), and stories from the nite before.

    I enjoy the company of friends above most other things.

  12. r0b 12
    29 September 2017 at 11:43 pm

    We’re heading up to Christchurch for Postmodern Jukebox on Sunday. I confess I’m a sucker for for the formula – and such excellent performers…

  13. DSpare 13
    30 September 2017 at 10:12 am

    School holidays, so even less free time than usual. Mainly just finding cheap kid-friendly events to go to in Dunedin and hoping that the weather is good for parks, or the museums aren’t too crowded. Lego exhibition at Edgar centre (by PaknSav) in Dunedin this weekend, Wind quintet next Saturday.

    https://www.facebook.com/events/451789655158441/
    http://www.chambermusic.co.nz/whats-on/imani-winds

  15. CoroDale 15
    30 September 2017 at 10:07 pm

    Colours for the Heart

    Warmth rising, from the blood of earth below,
    Horizon orange, with golden sun-glow.

    Under the shelter of trees, cows digest their grass.
    A yellow cat waits, knowing a mouse will pass.

    Green from around, blue from above.
    The wind turned white, by the wings of a dove.

    A bright star shines, through the indigo sky,
    Down to find water, where silvery lakes lie.

    Branches laden with blossom, violet bells of flower,
    The aroma drifts down, filling the heart with power.

    D

  16. eco maori 16
    1 October 2017 at 8:52 am

    Yes Growing veggies is good therapy and one gets fresh organic veges all year around in our country. I learned to grow veggies with my nan .
    What I don’t get is why every council in the country does not have a community garden
    so our elderly with no suitable gardens can gather and teach our youth how grow veggies . Non treated pallets could be used to make raised garden beds so no one gets sore backs and the veggies would grow faster being a couple of degrees warmer in these grow boxes and some of the prouduce could be sold to help cover cost and some given away free to our food banks some taken home by the people growing the vegetables .
    We could have our way ward youth lean how easy it is to grow one own vegetables they could build the grow boxes . We should look at these times when they have to be present to teach them skills like carpentry welding pluming ect and identify task they excel at and have follow on training and work make it a environment were they want to attend it is better to teach a person to fish than give him the fish We have to move OUR WORLD away from that neo liberal way of protecting company profits at all cost.
    Because that system creates heaps of product losses I.E every thing that is not sold goes to the dump WTF we have people that need these products and produce.
    We need to have a fundamental paradigm shift in every way we do everything and I no that shift starts with equal rights for our Ladys. Because by the time most men catch on to this need for change it will be to late .

    • Cinny 16.1
      1 October 2017 at 9:57 am

      Far out yes Eco Maori. Would love to see community gardens in the cities and every town/community , that would change and improve peoples lives.

      We’ve a large community garden in our town and many of the schools run ‘enviro schools’, where they have a food garden at their school. On Friday afternoons I help kids learn about gardening, they planted raspberries this week, didn’t cost anything, have been taking down excess plants from my food garden and the kids love it, and so do I 😀 One of the most valuable skills a human can learn is to grow food, and the kids take their knowledge home and create food gardens for their families, and it gives the kids a huge sense of achievement as they are helping to feed their families with the skills they learn.

      Many people around these parts put their excess crops at the gate, often you’ll see signs saying ‘free lemons’ etc.