Gardening as a renter

I was out there this morning, lugging enormous rounds of wood from one place to another so I could split them and burn them and keep warm this winter. And all the while I was conscious of the fact that I was not hilling potatoes, not patching up the holes in the chook house roof, not checking on the alpacas and not weeding the garlic. 

Seven acres might not sound like much, but some days it feels the size of a Northern Territory cattle station.

Anyway, on the radio came this chap (pictured): Justin Calverley, AKA Digga, telling Radio National presenter Natasha Mitchell how he grows his vegies in 72 polystyrene boxes and his multi-grafted fruit trees in pots. When he moves house (which he does quite often, as he is a renter), he takes it all with him.

It was all about gardening as a renter, part of a series on renting (a quarter of Australians rent their homes, Radio National says), and it was such an interesting and inspirational little segment that I thought I’d share it with you. You can listen here.

Now, I’m not saying I’m going to pack it all in and move to a unit in Glebe, but it did focus my mind on the fact that there are certain advantages to growing food in small, temporary spaces: fewer distractions, for one.

You’ve got to keep your eyes on the prize. I’m going to go and hill those spuds now.