Autumn is coming

October is gearing up to be a big month for our plot. We will be doing all the necessary earthworks, install swales and lakes, and plant a lot. We are also going to be some home improvements, so we have an efficient way of keeping the house warm throughout the winter...
Free the oaks

Free the oaks

Oaks are considered a noble tree in Portugal. Spanning multiple species, they used to be widespread across the country. Nowadays the most common trees are Eucalyptus Globulus and, to a lesser degree, pines. Imported from Australia, eucalyptus is considered an invasive...

Dill vs Fennel

Herbs can taste and be used so differently and yet look so similar. A pair that often demands a second look to identify is Dill and Fennel. Here is a way to tell them apart.   Dill vs Fennel: an overview Dill is a wonder herb. Packed with nutrients, it looks good, it...

On humility

As a kid, I was a smartass. I think it got less annoying to others as I got older, but it’s still there on the inside: the tendency to learn about something, assume that it’s Right, and that therefore others are Wrong.As they say, though: “It ain’t...
Courgette vs Pumpkin

Courgette vs Pumpkin

Although we tend to think of these two vegetables as being very different, and cooking/eating them in distinct fashions, the reality is that they are both from the same family (gour/Cucurbitaceae), and genus (Cucurbita). So, in reality, they are quite similar....
Obtaining a yield

Obtaining a yield

One of the first things you learn about Permaculture is its 12 principles, a set of guiding lights through this way of living. Principle number 3 is “Obtain a Yield“. It is quite powerful and active. It drives you into action with a purpose: to get...
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