The full article has tempting close-ups of her fruit and veg – Audrey is already a seasoned allotmenteer. She also has a good shot of a cardboard mulch, which she describes thus:

“Outside last October (but you could join in the experiment if you start soon.) I have begun to prepare my no-dig vegetable space. I took off a narrow strip of lawn and laid cardboard on the bare soil then covered with a thick layer of lawn mowing then an even thicker layer of compost made from kitchen waste made during the year. The theory is that the earthworms will do the work and come spring I will be able to plant vegetables in my new growing space.”

And in practice, in my experience, this system can work very well on certain soil types for certain crops. You can even use thick layers of newspaper instead of cardboard. It has to be well overlapped, and you should avoid putting compost with weed seed on top. Don’t try to any small seeds direct: grow plants on the windowsill, then make holes in the cardboard and make a little planting hole underneath for each plant, with a mixture of soil and compost in it. Or you can make a planting row. The cardboard mulch can then stay in place for the whole season, suppressing weeds and gradually rotting into the soil.

It works brilliantly with larger plants like potatoes and courgettes. This isn’t a new-fangled idea: various forms of “minimum cultivation” and “zero cultivation” have been used by some mainstream farmers on a field scale for decades, particularly on light soils. Turning the soil over (with plough or spade) buries the most fertile layer, and reduces the amount of organic matter in the soil by exposing it to oxidation. – Chris Duggan

Thanks to The Stirrer for Audrey’s article, and the Transition Brum email network for bringing it to our attention.

Turn off all lights and as many electrical appliances as possible, to give our planet a “breather”. If participation is overwhelming, the energy saving may be huge. Just shut everything down for ten minutes, to see what happens…

We all know our planet is suffering from man’s overuse of resources and many people in the world already live without electricity – here is something we can do to share the experience and make a difference…

Ten minutes of darkness. Light a candle, look at the flame and breathe, together with the planet.
Remember: unity is power. The internet can thus be enormously powerful – and even more than that.
Spread the word, if you have friends abroad, please forward this message to them.
Received by email through the Transition Brum network. Full text of email if you want to pass it on:

We all know our planet is suffering from man’s overuse of resources and many people in the world already live without electricity – here is something we can do to share the experience and make a difference…

*English:*
Worldwide Darkness: on Wednesday September 17th 2008, from 21:50 hours to 22:00 hours in the local time of your country.
The proposal is to turn off all lights and as many electrical appliances as possible, to give our planet a “breather”. If participation is overwhelming, the energy saving may be huge. Just shut everything down for ten minutes, to see what happens…
Ten minutes of darkness. Light a candle, look at the flame and breathe, together with the planet.
Remember: unity is power. The internet can thus be enormously powerful – and even more than that.
Spread the word, if you have friends abroad, please forward this message to them.

*Magyar:*
A világ sötétségbe borul: 2008.szeptember 17-én 21:50-től 22:00-ig kapcsolj le minden világítást, és ha lehetséges kapcsolj ki minden elektromos készüléket, hogy a bolygónk „levegőhöz” jusson. Ha a reakció pozitív, akkor ez egy brutális energiatakarékosság.
Mindössze 10 perc,és lásd hogy mi történik. Igen,10 perc a sötétben, gyújtunk egy gyertyát és csak nézzük azt…lélegzünk,ahogyan a bolygónk is. Emlékezz,hogy az összefogás erő,az Internetnek pedig hatalma van…sőt közösen tehetünk valami hatalmasat.
Juttasd el ezt a hírt az összes barátodnak…fogjunk össze szeptember 17-én a világunkért.
Data: Martedì 9 settembre 2008, 12:03

*Italiano:*
Oscurità mondiale: il 17 settembre 2008 dalle 21.50 alle 22.00. Proponiamo
di spegnere tutte le luci e gli apparecchi elettronici affinchè il nostro
pianeta possa ‘respirare’. Se ci sarà una risposta collettiva
l’energia risparmiata sarà moltissima. Solo dieci minuti e vedremo cosa succede.
Stiamo 10 minuti nell’oscurità, prendiamo una candela e semplicemente
fermiamoci a guardarla mentre il nostro pianeta respira. Ricordate che
l’unione fa la forza e internet ha molta influenza, può essere qualcosa di
veramente grande.

Gira la mail, se hai amici che vivono in altri paesi fai girare loro la
notizia.

*Castellano:*
Oscuridad mundial: En Septiembre 17, 2008 desde las 21:50 a las 22:00 horas.
Se propone apagar todas las luces y si es posible todos los aparatos
eléctricos, para que nuestro planeta pueda ‘respirar’. Si la respuesta
es masiva, la energía que se ahorra puede ser brutal. Solo 10 minutos y vea que
pasa. Si estamos 10 minutos en la oscuridad, prendamos una vela y
simplemente la miramos y nosotros estaremos respirando y nuestro planeta.
Recuerde que la unión hace la fuerza y el Internet puede tener mucho poder y
puede ser aun algo más grande.

Pase la noticia, si usted tiene amigos que viven en otros países envíeselo a
ellos.

*Portugués:*
Escuridão mundial: No dia 17 de Setembro de 2008 das 21:50 às 22:00 horas
propõe-se apagar todas as luzes e se possível todos os aparelhos eléctricos,
para o nosso planeta poder ‘respirar’. Se a resposta for massiva, a

poupança energética pode ser brutal. Só 10 minutos, para ver o que acontece. Sim,
estaremos 10 minutos às escuras, podemos acender uma vela e simplesmente
ficar a olhar para ela, estaremos a respirar nós e o planeta. Lembrem-se que
a união faz a força e a Internet pode ter muito poder e podemos mesmo fazer
algo em grande.

Passa a notícia, se tiveres amigos a viver noutros países envia-lhes.

*Francais:*
Darkness monde: Le 17 Septembre 2008 de 21:50 à 22:00 heures Propose de
supprimer toutes les lumières et, si possible, tous les appareils
électriques, à notre planète peut ‘respirer’. Si la réponse est
massive, les économies d’énergie peuvent être brutales. Seulement 10 minutes, et de
voir ce qui se passe. Oui, nous sommes 10 minutes dans le noir, on allume une
bougie et simplement Être regarder, que nous respirons et de notre planète. N’oubliez pas que l’union fait la force et l’Internet peuvent être très électricité
et peut Même faire quelque chose de grand.
Déplace l’actualité.

*Deutsch:*
Darkness Welt: Am 17 September 2008 von 21:50 bis 22:00 Uhr Schlägt vor,
alle Lichter zu löschen und, wenn möglich, alle elektrischen Geräte, die
unseren Planeten kann ‘atmen’. Wenn die Antwort ist derb,
Energieeinsparung kann brutal. Nur 10 Minuten, und sehen Sie, was passiert. Ja, wir sind 10 Minuten im Dunkeln, wir Licht einer Kerze und einfach Sei es bei der Suche,
die wir atmen, und unseres Planeten. Denken Sie daran, dass die Gewerkschaft
ist Stärke und das Internet kann sehr Macht und können Selbst etwas tun
groß.

Verschiebt den Nachrichten..

*Holandés:*
Darkness wereld: Op 17 September 2008 van 21:50 tot 22:00 uur Stelt voor om
alle lichten en zo mogelijk alle elektrische apparaten, om onze planeet kan
‘ademen’. Indien het antwoord is enorm, de energiebesparing kan worden
wreder. Slechts 10 minuten, en zie wat er gebeurt. Ja, we zijn 10 minuten in
het donker, we licht van een kaars en gewoon Wordt kijken, we inademen en
onze planeet. Vergeet niet dat de unie is kracht en het internet kan zeer
macht en kan Zelfs iets te groot.

Items can also be hand-delivered there for others to collect – office hours are 10 am – 5pm Mon-Sat.

BBQ Sunday 31st August Martineau Gardens, Priory Road, Edgbaston 12.30 - 3.00 pm

Martineau Gardens is opposite Priory Hospital, on No.1 bus route, very close to Bristol Road and bus routes 61, 62 and 63, and quite close to Pershore Road (bus 45)

• £2 entry (to cover venue costs)
• Hot and cold food and drinks available for purchase.
• There will be a short talk about Transition Birmingham.
• We also hope to have the file ”Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil” on view on a lap-top, and some musical entertainment.

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/transition-brum-discuss

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/transition-brum-news

“How can Birmingham cope if oil prices stay permanently high? What can we do as communities to combat climate change? You are cordially invited to an evening of discussion to search for positive solutions. Please bring your ideas, and your friends!

A representative from a nearby Transition City group will discuss the actions underway in their community. Is ‘Transition City Birmingham’ the way forward?

The evening will include a screening of the thought-provoking documentary The End of Suburbia :
Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream

Time: 7 – 9 pm
Date: Thu 26 Jun 2008

Venue: Dickens Room, Birmingham and Midland Institute, Margaret Street, B3 3BS

Cost: FREE (donations toward costs gratefully received)

For more information, please e-mail GreeninBrum and we will forward your message to Felipe Molina and Amanda Baker or phone Neil Endicott on 07838 135 924.

Please pass the word around – everyone is invited. Please contact us if you are thinking of attending, to give us an idea of numbers.”

When: Monday 19 May, 7.30-9.30pm

Where: Quaker Meeting House (Priory rooms), 40 Bull Street, B4 6AF (city centre).

More information:

Find out more about transition ideas on: www.transitiontowns.org. This initiative came out of permaculture efforts by West-Midlands based people interested in practically doing something (“WM Perma-Network first met at the end of July 2007, for a permaculture allotment working garden party. We are a network for mutual support, and sharing of ideas and skills”). Permaculture is about “creating sustainable human habitats by following nature’s patterns. An ecological design system that inspires and empowers us to create our own solutions to local and global problems, it provides ways to design and create healthy productive places to work, rest and play.” (source: www.permaculture.org.uk )

Thanks to Rianne at MINE (Midlands Islamic Network for the Environment) for this information