One of my best travel moments, my meeting with my Tasmanian family, Wilma and Mike, a Wwoofing, music... welcome to a new post on my trip to Australia!
It's 27/01/2023, nice morning, summer sun, I taste my juice and eat my cake in Kettering, the pier town for Bruny Island, when a lady, smiling, approaches me. It’s easy to talk about my guitar sitting next to me. "Can I play?" she said.
Wilma, accompanied by her grandson, seems very curious to meet a young traveller with a backpack and guitar in his hand (not showered for 3 days).
Soon she asked me to pitch my tent in her garden and go together to Bruny Island on their boat.
We spend an incredible evening, in music, around a good homemade meal. I am well spoiled, with my feet in the grass between the rows of beans and potatoes...
We revisit some jazz standars, French songs: Yukulele and acoustic guitar!
Imagine the moment, both sitting in the vegetable garden, setting sun, talking about our cultures and making music until nightfall.
With Wilma, it is a very musical encounter, like a musical and friendly love at first sight.
The next day, it was the discovery of the vegetable garden in permaculture!
This is where I slept! In the middle of a 500m3 of cultivated land facing the sea on the top of the small hill where Wilma lives. Many summer crops include beans, maize, squash, strawberries, potatoes and many fruit trees.
I meet his family, his son and his grandchildren with whom we share an afternoon at the river.
Wilma makes me visit the area, local tips like the dump that turns into Brocante.
The idea is great! In Australia, there are many tip shops in tip rubbish with a flea market where you can recycle and resell at a low price from items that were intended to be thrown away.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-22/australias-first-tip-shop-turns-23/7349626
Wilma introduces me to neighbors who have farms. We take the time, talk to the farmers who are his friends, smile, make music.
Good news, a couple of farm friends are interested in getting help! I'm starting tomorrow!
Monday 30 January, first day at Stan and Briony’s:
After a peaceful night in the hut at the bottom of the garden in which I stay, a gentle awakening at 7am with the singing of the many birds of Tasmania.
When I open the door, I see the many varieties of trees, eucalyptus trees, oaks and fir trees that intertwine and create a fresh harmony of smells.
I join the couple in their home to share an organic coffee.
From 8am to noon, discover the garden!
Watering of green and Thai basilicas under the small greenhouse; Cleaning of old lettuce; Cleaning trails and planting rows (in this case everything is done manually); Planting beets on the ground and watering; Preparation of 4 new rows.
We add a good layer of compost that comes from the dump (Tip rubbish)
Then we share the lunch together, with Stan Indian chef.
This first morning brings back good memories of my first Wwoofing in Normandy where I stayed for 1 month (Les Jardins De La Tillaye – https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100066469757318).
Freshness of the garden, rising sun, varieties of colors and vegetables. I put my hands back into the earth, the soil alive and breathing again.
I take great pleasure in carrying out the various tasks and imagine having my own market garden again.
Tuesday: Hoeing paths; weeding; Harvesting of red onions and carrots,
The following are added to the four new rows of the previous day:
- Algae mixed with water
- We plant cabbage and broccoli
- We water with another mixture water + algae
Today’s meal is delicious! Oats + Vegetable yogurt + blackberries + Mulberries + dried apples.
Wednesday morning is the preparation of orders for the premises and delivery of the 4 restaurants in the local town of Hobart!
It is very interesting and super rewarding to run your production in the village of Hobart and know that it will be cooked by great local chefs. Brewery, Pubs, Restaurants, 4 mythical places in Hobart that I recommend!
- Hamlet Hobart Cafe https://www.hamlet.org.au/
- Ogee https://www.ogeehobart.com.au/
- Templo https://templo.com.au/
- Tom McHugo’s Hobart Hotel https://www.instagram.com/tmchugos/
Stan and Briony's house!
Here they are! Stan, from India, and Briony, from Australia, are both scientists converted into permaculture market gardening. They began building their home in the early 2000s.
Solar panels, rainwater harvesters, dry toilets, sustainable materials, permaculture gardens, ponds, animals, etc., they have created the conditions for a form of self-sufficiency in harmony with life and those around them. The rainwater storage tank is filtered for everyday use (dishware, washing machine, shower, food, etc.). Solar panels provide electricity and heating. The environmentally friendly earth and straw insulation is also very economical as there is no heat loss. Finally, dry toilets are very water-efficient and remove this stupid invention! That of pooping in drinking water!
Everything is composted: human and animal waste, food waste, and therefore used for the garden.
https://goodlifepermaculture.com.au/fat-carrot-farm/
A real place of life and peace where the ecological struggle is organised.
In those moments, I feel so good. In harmony with nature and the living, in peace.
The "afternoon", I go about my business. I go to the sea, ride a bike, keep looking for a car and try to write songs.
I came to this farm,
Intrigued by the verbena smell.
There I met Stan and his chickens.
Surrounded by these large farms that cultivate unreason and maleat.
Here I met a family fighting for humanity.
Big carrots I picked up,
You have to commit to eating well!
You too can take the step,
a reasoned culture or action for humanity.
Because time is running out, time is running out.
Do not hear the rumblings of the earth,
Rug those fierce millionaires.
I'm one of the living who wants to stay that way.
I left town to find the land.
And for that I chose to give my all.
Wwoofing week ends and I go home to Wilma and Mike her husband, whom I don't know yet. Mike's been sick the last few days, he's been at rest. And I'm not disappointed! They are both a wonderful couple, adventurous, smiling, enjoying every moment.
Mike is a retired engineer. He likes to spend time on his computer and electronic cards. Every morning when he gets up, he sits facing the sea and admires the wonderful landscape overlooked by their house. Boats pass slowly, we see in the distance Bruny Island.
I like to wake up and see him sitting there with a big smile on my face! He breathes happiness and joy! Then I have a smile on my face, which is a great way to start the day.
Wilma is a virtually retired dentist, still in love with her business, she has a few appointments every week.
Musician, she likes to play among her ten Yukulele and her big songbooks. She is a very patient woman (with me) and her grandchildren whom she cares for from time to time.
The morning ritual is picking from the vegetable garden, preparing the good meals that we share together, the many musical moments, the simplicity of the things that come, boat trips, swimming down the hill, meeting and visiting their friends, walking with Pitch, the dog of his little children...
I'm having a good time with them. They are very generous with me and leave me great freedom. They're like grandparents, I love them deeply.
A beautiful thought to Philippe (on the right) who lives on the bottom of the land in a beautiful chalet, with whom we also have a good time.
See you soon!
