The Journey Begins
At the age of seventeen, Paul and I knew that we wanted rural living and a self-sufficient lifestyle. Money was our challenge. We hatched a long term plan. At age twenty we bought our first home. It was in need of a makeover. Two years later we sold it at a profit. At age twenty three we bought our second home. It two was in need of a makeover. Five years later we sold it at substantial profit. To earn extra money I did child minding on weekends and Paul coached highs school students in mathematics. Where ever we living I grew fruit and vegetables a and Paul taught himself building and mechanical skills. By age twenty seven, we had saved the funds to purchase eight acres of land which had a two bedroom house. Paul named the property as Earthkeepers. It became a life of educating people in all corners of the world. How to reduced their carbon footprint on this planet. How to live in harmony with Mother Nature. How to be a keeper of the earth.
This photo was taken a few months before we bought our rural property.
Who are we?
Our chosen lifestyle shaped us into sustainable lifestyle educators. Years of first hand experience, living the Good Life. We have walked the talk for more than half of a century.
During our lifetime we have occupied and revitalised two urban and three rural properties. Converting each into a comfortable, environmentally friendly home with an edible landscape. We employ a number of proven systems. Climatic passive living, solar energy, self-reliance, self-provision, seed saving, companion planting, intercropping, permaculture and biodynamics and recycling.
OUR HOME is a fourteen acre bush block of sand, rock and clay. It is partially flanked by a steep, rocky ravine. We respect native land. Using only a portion on which to grow our food and animals. To support native wildlife we created a corridor for them to journey undisturbed through bushland.
We harvest rain and solar power. Previous to the bush fire in 2019, for many years, we had lived off-grid.
GARDEN TO THE TABLE: Throughout the year we grow and harvest food plants for daily meals and for long term storage. The Veggie patch never rests. It operates on the principle of a twelve month harvest. Producing seasonable vegetables, berries, herbs, spices and dwarf fruit trees.
THE FOOD FOREST: Ducks live within the banana circle. Chickens free-range beneath the stone fruit trees. The citrus grove is an alternative yard for the ducks. To create bio-diversity the three food forest zones are companion planted with scented geraniums, herbs and flowering shrubs.
Our consumer footprint is small. Yearly overhead costs are low.
Over many years Paul and I have touched the lives of hundreds of people through lectures, courses, three month internships, personal consultations and instructional garden tours of our property. Inspiring and equipping both individuals and communities to grow their own food and to environmentally retrofit their home. Our reach has touched people in Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Israel, America, Canada , Peru, Uruguay and Africa.
Our life-long journey has witnessed the rise in environmental interests. Such as self-sufficiency, biodynamic farming, permaculture, solar energy, sustainable building, natural health and climate change. In the 1970’s Grass Roots magazine grew out of public demand for hands-on information. As did Earth Garden magazine. The Natural Health Society encouraged healthy eating. Re-nu Energy magazine gave a voice to natural home building and to the solar and sustainable architecture movement. Eden Seeds supplied gardeners and farmers with organic seed. Clive and Penny Blazey created The Diggers Club. The Seed Savers network encouraged us all to save seeds. It was an exciting era. Together, we have encounraged people to fulfill their role as a keeper of the Earth.
Fifty plus years later
BUSH FIRE completely destroyed the property at 11.30am 19th December, 2019
Paul died on the 4th of September 2024.