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Tag: Soil

compost dirt

How to start a Compost Pile

Debbie,

May 25, 2023May 12, 2023

Composting is an awesome way to turn your kitchen and garden waste into wonderful nutritious…

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Welcome to Merchant Homestead

This is me, Debbie, in my natural habitat. Messy hair, natural face, wearing Dan’s borrowed jersey. This is the happy face of a girl in the sunshine, snacking on peas and picking spinach. It’s a good time and I’m glad you can enjoy it too. Thanks for following along my garden journey.

Do you remember the huge plum tree we netted with

Do you remember the huge plum tree we netted with friends a few weeks ago? Turns out we did an excellent job and these plums are almost perfect. In a few short days they'll be hauling in an abundant harvest. 🥰

#thegoodlife #fruittrees #gardening #abundance

A bountiful harvest after 5 days away from my swee

A bountiful harvest after 5 days away from my sweet garden. I am really so grateful for the joy of coming home. Visiting berry forest with Dan. Picking armloads of beans. And dreaming of future pickles. Home always welcomes you. ❤️🥰🫐

These last few days we've spent hiking the Rakiura

These last few days we've spent hiking the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island. Spent an evening with white tail deer. Found kiwi tracks on the beach. Overcame the muddy mile and spotted some cool little mushies. Hauled ourselves and our packs over big hills, powered by scroggin and apple snacks. Satisfied to have made it back in one piece, tired feets and all. ☀️

#hiking #newzealand #trekking #natureisbeautiful #thegreatoutdoors #outtheredoingit #adventure

New year. Same delicious harvests. 😍🍓🫐

New year. Same delicious harvests. 😍🍓🫐

It's a great day to look back on a year that was n

It's a great day to look back on a year that was nothing short of spectacular. We travelled the world, spent countless hours outside in nature, visited friends and family, grew basketloads of food, saw some of our best friends married, smiled, and laughed a whole lot. Bring on the new adventures of 2025. 🌼❤️

Unsupervised and oversized courgette 😅🥒

Unsupervised and oversized courgette 😅🥒

Christmas is a time of gratitude. Not just for wha

Christmas is a time of gratitude. Not just for what's under the tree, but for the people sitting around it. We spent Christmas Day with Dan's family this year, my inherited family, and it was such a wonderful time. We don't often get the opportunity to be all together, with people often spread over different cities/countries.

This is the sweet path that always brings me a smile, walking me into that inherited family home and joining the cheeky, kind, generous, and enthusiastic squad that is my in-laws.

Our time this year was full of big laughs, speed croquet, puzzling, and great (really great) food. Special memories to be savoured for years to come. 🥰🎄

#thegoodlife #gratitude #family

We've been out of town visiting family for five da

We've been out of town visiting family for five days, it's been so wonderful. And now that we've popped home again, I can confidently say the garden is in full summer swing! My basket is overflowing. 🤩

What's on your Christmas menu this year? #mercha

What's on your Christmas menu this year?

#merchanthomestead #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #bakingbread #bakingfromscratch

Our green beans are in full swing now! Laden with

Our green beans are in full swing now! Laden with these fellas, plenty for garden snacks and are harvest too. Are you growing green beans this season? 😊😊

Yesterday, we visited the Ironridge Sculpture Park

Yesterday, we visited the Ironridge Sculpture Park, an old quarry now become a gallery garden full of quirky and charming pieces. They stand as part of the landscape, somehow not dwarfed by the stunning vista of valleys and hills. It's a talented artist who can hold their own in such an environment.

#gardenart #sculpture #kineticsculpture

Bananarama!! This beautiful big flower has opened

Bananarama!! This beautiful big flower has opened so quickly. And there are sooooo maaaaany bananas hiding under the petals! Our second ever banana bunch, and I'm really hoping for the best 🤞🤩🍌

That jiggle 🤩🍞 can't beat it #merchanthomes

That jiggle 🤩🍞 can't beat it

#merchanthomestead #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #ironclad #bakingbread

Happy Friday, my friends ❤️ for me, the last w

Happy Friday, my friends ❤️ for me, the last working day of the year. And the first day of some great adventures with great people. May your future summer also be filled with joy, connection, fresh air, and abundance. 🌼

It's pickle season!! 🥳🥳🥒🥒 #merchantho

It's pickle season!! 🥳🥳🥒🥒

#merchanthomestead #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #mybackyard #gardening #growingfood #pickles #gherkin #picklelover

Can't resist a little tomato harvest... 😅🍅

Can't resist a little tomato harvest... 😅🍅

That slow expand at the end.. 😍 First attempt

That slow expand at the end.. 😍

First attempt at making a sourdough spelt loaf! Decent result, chewy and tasty, but could use a little more air next time, I reckon. 🤔

#merchanthomestead #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #breadmaking #breadscience #sourdoughstarter #homebaking

It's been a rocky road for these green beans! They

It's been a rocky road for these green beans! They started out with such hope, on a huge climbing frame structure built with big dreams and optimism.

But their vigour quickly dwarfed my structure. When a stormy summer day came knocking the whole thing toppled over, beans and all, only to be caught moments from disaster by our dwarf nectarine tree.

Any further and certainly the beans would have had roots ripped up and quickly perished. So, with the second chance afforded me (thanks tree), I righted the frame and reinforced it.

Another stormy day arrived to test our resilience. But the beans stood firm! And now, to celebrate, they're pumping out glorious plump and crisp beans. My optimistic summer of bean abundance has arrived 🤩

The moral of my bean story... dream big! When it all comes crashing down (and it will) lean on a friend.

Then reflect, rebuild, and dream even bigger.

Have you ever seen a pūpūrangi, or Kauri Snail?

Have you ever seen a pūpūrangi, or Kauri Snail? They're a huge land snail native to New Zealand, and while they used to be widespread before us humanfolk came along, many of them are now endangered.

We found this shell when hiking in the Waitakere Ranges. It's only a medium size one, with large ones being up to 8cm in diameter. They can live as long as 20 years!

Don't worry though, this guy isn't gonna put holes in your lettuce, kauri snails are actually carnivorous and eat mainly insects. They're also a popular snack amongst rodents and pigs, which is likely what happened to this one. We actually saw a few pig tracks on our hike!

But that's why conservation and pest control in our forests is so important. This shell got popped back where he came from to return to the earth, hopefully there's many more shells like this one out there still housing our special lil kauri snail friends. 🐌

#thegoodlife #natureisbeautiful #hiking #conservation #newzealand #snail #insectsofinstagram #bugs

This tomato is so laden it can't even hold itself

This tomato is so laden it can't even hold itself up! I was so worried I'd lose this whole branch as the stem had split from the weight. But I gave this champ a little extra support, and we are looking promising! 🍅🤞

Sound on for beautiful Tūī song! 😍🎼🎶 #

Sound on for beautiful Tūī song! 😍🎼🎶

#thegoodlife #birdwatching #birdsofinstagram #birdsong #natureisbeautiful #thegreatoutdoors #peaceful

Excellent afternoon spent hiking the Waitakere Ran

Excellent afternoon spent hiking the Waitakere Ranges with my outdoors man Dan. Training with our packs on for future adventures, wearing in our boots, and spotting this majestic bunch of Tawaka and shells from big kauri snails! The best times are those spent outdoors in good company. ❤️🌱

So this is what the entire flock does after taking

So this is what the entire flock does after taking a dip in their new chilly bin swimming pool 😂 preen preen flap flap, shake it off, and oil up those feathers. 🦆🦆

#merchanthomestead #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #mybackyard #ducksofinstagram #ducklings #ducks

Summer harvests are here! Cherry tomatoes and fres

Summer harvests are here! Cherry tomatoes and fresh plums in my little basket 🤩🍅

Perhaps the most beautiful sunkissed strawberry ev

Perhaps the most beautiful sunkissed strawberry ever. Like a drop of summer. Straight from the garden into my smiling face 😁🍓

Two seeded sourdough loaves coming right up. Hones

Two seeded sourdough loaves coming right up. Honestly the best toast you could ask for to support your Marmite or Vegemite dreams. Which one do you do? 😜🍞

#merchanthomestead #thegoodlife #urbanhomestead #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #bakingbread #bakingfromscratch #healthyfood

It's time to snaffle some plums before the birds d

It's time to snaffle some plums before the birds do!!

A friend told me the other day that I haven't made

A friend told me the other day that I haven't made focaccia in a while... welp, better fix that!! It's the ideal thing for these shared lunches, BBQs, secret santa days that are filling the calendar this time of year. Get yo bake on! 😁

#merchanthomestead #urbanhomestead #fromscratch #homemadefood #sourdough #bakingbread

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