Friday 23 November 2012

Preparations Day One & Two

The last couple of days have begun and been busy organising things for 'Summerfest'. We are grateful to all who have volunteered time and resources over the last while and especially the last couple of days organising, sourcing, gathering, delivering... Thank you so much to our neighbours for giving us their wood piles to put in the systems and to everyone who has contributed newspaper, cardboard, wooden pallets, cardboard bales, time etc.

Chopping Cardboard for 'Worm food slurry':











making a cardboard roll
feeding it in
shredded 



worm food

 Neighbour's forest and wood piles. Gathering, chopping, transporting wood. New discoveries and wonders:

tall trees
termite mound
dead matter pile


loading
loaded


 Discoveries:
ants

ant highway and animal
trail
shaped wood



somethings home
gaul wasp nodes



Standbye Paddock Preparation:

new contour


pond beginning to fill from a beautiful downpour of
rain. We suggest you bring your gumboots!

Things just want to grow!! Growth on the contours beginning
already

fertility system/living system hole partially full of water




 Another load of wood from the neighbours - thank you!!
We kept imagining this being planted out and created into
a beautiful forest again! It has so much potential. 
load on the move
investigating all sorts of new things.
what is happening around some of the woodpiles at the
neighbours. They are naturally creating living
systems. It was really exciting to see what is happening.
There were some different soil creatures,
beetles, ants, insects etc beginning. Not much else, but there is life.
I feel there was much that I 'couldn't' see also doing lots of work.

millipede
sculptural log stacking



what water does to wood
woodchip


en-route
unloading

new home

 Thanks so much for all your help, 'pre' preparing! We are grateful for your desire, help and growing friendships!






after some rain



Tuesday 13 November 2012

SummerFest in Kentucky, 2012

We have been planning and are organising for an exciting event in a couple of weeks: 


Kentucky SummerFest 2012 Project
 27th November - 4th December 

Below is an idea of what will be happening at SummerFest, a Day visitors Guide. You are also welcome to camp and there is another document to read with more detailed information which you can go to by following this Link if you desire to camp and/or attend the entire week (press on 'link' and it will take you there or visit www.divinetruth.com go to What's New on the Left hand side and then look at the SummerFest at Kentucky and there are documents underneath that you can click on).


Note: This document is designed to provide a brief overview of the event. If you plan to attend it is essential that you watch or listen to the orientation materials, and see the full facility and event schedule details at God's Way Of Love Event Schedule (http://www.godswayoflove.org/PDF/Org/GWOL%20Event%20Schedule.pdf).

SummerFest is a week long ‘festival’ to be held at Kyabra Station, Kentucky, NSW. The week is designed to give participants an opportunity to experience hands-on experimental techniques for farming, land re-generation, and home gardening, based around principles such as:

Teaching about the land and how quickly we can change it to become more fertile, abundant and balanced.

Empowering people to do it themselves in a new way 

Educating People who are passionate about the land/environment etc, globally 

How to put love back into eco-systems, and to support eco-systems as the most effective and loving way to regenerate nature

ORIENTATION MATERIAL

1. If you plan to attend on any of the days please read, watch or listen to the orientation presentations found in the following link:
(Kentucky SummerFest Orientation Material) http://www.divinetruth.com/HTML/whatsnew.htm)

This information is designed to give you a good overview of the principles behind activities we will be undertaking during the days at SummerFest. If you are pressed for time the audio files give an overview. If you are interested in a broader scope and examples of the main principles in action watch the youtube videos. If you do not have the chance to watch or listen to these materials prior to arrival at SummerFest there will be a daily orientation session where you will be able to watch these. It is important that you watch or listen to this material before joining us in the field so that you have a good understanding of our ethos.

2. OTHER SUGGESTED WATCHING MATERIAL:
Greening the Desert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohI6vnWZmk 
Chernobyl Life in the Dead Zone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVv1vsZxV00

3. Please RSVP Via Email: event@godswayoflove.org
Or Phone: Peter & Eloisa Lytton-Hitchins ph. 02 6778 7458

4. OVERVIEW OF WEEK’S ACTIVITIES 

* 28th November – Swales, Systems & Contour Planting

We will begin the week in a large paddock (around 100 acres) focussing on large scale soil improvement and water management. Methods to be demonstrated and created include: using contours and ponds to redirect and retain water, and building living eco systems to provide fertility and regenerate soil, and seeding of grasses to prevent soil erosion.




Contour/water management site
 *29th November – Re-generation and restoration of swampy land

Activity on this day will using some alternate methods to reduce water logging down from the paddock worked on on day one. We will focus on improving water take up through building living systems above ground and planting shrubs and bushes to absorb water.

*30th November: Swales & Living Systems

Work on this day will build upon swaling that was completed at last year’s ‘Octoberfest’. We will tend to the planting from last year incorporating living systems into swales to create fertility and improve soil.
swales & living systems site

*1st & 2nd December: Various Activities To Choose From

There are three activities to choose from on both Saturday and Sunday. You can choose a different activity each day and have the opportunity to swap between activities during the day at 11.30am.

*Activity 1: Waterless Home Gardening – demonstrating several techniques including fibonachi system to maximise sun and water usage of any area, designing waterflow in your garden, techniques to minimize or completely remove the need for watering, mixed planting incorporating natives both flowering and mulching, fruit trees and vegetables.
waterless garden site

*Activity 2: Nature boxes – positioning boxes for animals and birds according to their particular needs, providing shelter close to food and water. Scouting for suitable locations and some tree climbing will be necessary.

nature boxes















*Activity 3: Creating reptile habitat – Reptiles are often forgotten or even shunned members of vital ecosystems. This activity will focus on providing habitat for reptiles by placing shelter, food and water in close proximity, providing safe transit zones. We will utilize above ground living systems to incorporate suitable living shelters and abundant insect life. There will also be planting for protection and mulching.
Reptile habitat site

*3rd December: Unfinished Projects & Possible Green House Construction

The day’s focus will be on completion of any unfinished projects plus green house construction and waterless seedling propagation. Full details TBA on the day.
Kentucky Summerfest 2012
Detailed Information

House Rules:

The Lytton-Hitchins family request that no meat, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs are brought onto the property. Any persons not respecting this request will be asked to leave.
Also, the family asks that each person comes with an attitude of treating others in the same manner each person who attends would like to be treated themselves.

Arrival:

Please arrive by 7.30am. Day Parking is available by the woolshed

Daily Briefing:

Daily briefing and orientation will start at 7.30 sharp in the woolshed. (Follow the signs from the front gate to find the woolshed

Times:

Activities concerning the environment will run from 7.30 am to 2.30/3pm each day

Evenings:

Every evening there will be an activity in the woolshed that you are welcome to attend if you desire. Activities may range from a concert, dancing, karaoke, sing-a-longs or various presentations about spiritual matters. See the noticeboard in the camping ground for details on the day.

What to Bring:

Food & Snacks: All food and snacks for self and own family

Water bottles: There will be facility to refill water bottles throughout the day but we request that each person bring 2Ltrs for
themselves to start Hats & sun protection

Tools: Picks, Shovels, Forks, Rakes, and Gloves

Evening Meal:

There will be a share meal on the first night and Saturday night. Please bring a plate or pot of vegan or vegetarian food to share on these occasions if you wish to join in.


*Thank you to Jesus and Mary for putting all this information together and taking the time to organise so much of this event! We are grateful for your time, energy and efforts!

Thursday 1 November 2012

To Be Real...

Dare to be real and authentic as I am! 'Mustering' courage to look at what is real and true. Try it, experiment... Who is the 'real' me. Who am I when I am not hiding or fabricating myself. Reveal the truth to myself without judgement, without ridicule, just as it is in this moment now...
Looking to others to find myself, looking to others to find answers, looking to others to define myself, looking to others to know who I am etc.etc, I am finding disappointing, confusing, un-helpful and taking me further away from me.  To truly know myself all of me and every little bit, I need to be willing to trust myself, be myself and look inside myself (God can help me and be with me in this process as she knows everything about me and much more. I am not alone - ever, smile, (the choice to be so is mine)).

A good place to start:  look in the mirror to find what is really there, as it is now...feel that as I discover it... Then the discovery of what is possible can begin and I can grow and flourish abundantly with God guiding me...That sounds pretty beautiful... what is the possibility of me? What is my potential? How does God see me? What is my true condition as God sees it NOW? What does God see my potential as? What will I be like, feel like, look like when I am perfect? (Wow! endless wonderings here!) What stands between me and God? what stands between me and God's version of perfection?