We have been gathering rainwater at our smallholding for 15 months … small steps but reducing the use of mains water. Despite our rural location, we cycle everywhere. Good for our health and hopefully the folk around us too. Keep up the positive messaging, Claudia.
This is great! Gathering rain water is a forgotten practice unfortunately but so needed especially in areas that struggle with droughts and heat. I read a great book about water two years ago. It’s so needed to learn about the importance of honouring our water.
We grow fruit and vegetables so it makes sense. And the summers are so dry. We have big barns with huge roofs so it just makes sense. We added 5x 1000 litre tanks and there’s a 45,000 litre reservoir underground by our well. All good.
Ah, lovely memories. We’re hoping our grandkids have those memories. They’ve been to the farm twice and they have their own corners of the kitchen garden, with peas, strawberries and blueberries, their favourites.
Yeeees, and the older I get, the more I think of those sunny days in the country side. My grandfather used to make an amazing white wine which he sweetened with honey for us so we can have a glass when we were teenagers. Sometimes we worked with him in the vineyard. They also had two old walnut trees that I loved! I now live in an apartment complex and there's a wall nut tree in the patio. It's my favourite tree.
I'm so glad to hear that your grandkids visit you on your farm to get at least a feeling of what it means to grow food and being a part of this life cycle that is nature.
We’re very new to smallholding but the long hot summers made water storage a priority … we have a busy year of travel this year but in 2026 we’ll be back to growing with gusto.
I have enjoyed the book club and am preparing my Daily Life Project essay. I just wanted to confirm that all we need to do to submit is publish before the 28th? How can we ensure you see it and know it's a submission?
Hi Tara, that's great news! I'll send a wrap-up of the book this Thursday. Yes, please publish the essay and tag me. I'm looking forward to reading it!
I'm grateful to be in a place that's reasonably progressive on these fronts. We shop at our local market and buy as much organic produce as we can and those shops are almost entirely plastic-free, we get our energy from a green supplier (we'd have solar if we owned this apartment and could install it). Global climate awareness is the big one, and combating the disinformation and political dislike of climate goals. If Trump gets in again then I'll lose all hope.
I love this idea. I drive a Tesla and barely shop anyway and we have to bring our own bags grocery shopping, although I do occasionally get a single use coffee cup, so there's definitely room for improvement. This topic is so hard though, because a lot of what the most ardent climate warriors do seems to be counter-productive. Stopping traffic and yelling at people doesn't necessarily convey the right message. I'm looking forward to discussing Robinson's ideas on geoengineering (in some of these opening chapters, they're already discussing one Pinatubo or two Pinatubos).
Part of my challenge last year was to not buy any products wrapped in single use plastic. I was shocked at how many products I had to give up / avoid during the challenge. 40% of single use plastic comes from food packaging.
Anyhow, it’s tough. There should be a law banning single use plastic in supermarkets.
Are there many climate protesters screaming on the street where you live?
Oh yeah. I've seen them lying on tram tracks and blockading freeways. I'm happy to attend marches and wave a banner, but I'm more into researching solutions and talking to people.
😲 that's hardcore. I'm not sure if we have this king of movement here in Austria. At least, I don't see anyone on the street doing anything except for Fridays for Future protests. Would be good to have some Shopping-free Fridays though. 😅
Carbon negative has to be sexy, has to be profitable. Otherwise, nothing will change. Doesn't matter who's president, doesn't matter that I sold my car in 2016, doesn't matter if I buy "so-called" green products, companies will do anything to appear "green" ... greenwashing anyone?
Your title and subtitle remind me of an excerpt from a Jewish tract called Ethics of the Fathers:
The work is not yours to complete, but neither are you free to desist from taking part in it
Regarding the idea of not buying inessentials because they can wait, doesn't that mean potentially MORE shopping trips? We tend to do one massive shop every couple of weeks rather than small shops more frequently than that.
It‘s a great way to put it! Many people shy away from daily action with the excuse: What good does it do? It won’t change anything! But it will change you. That’s enough.
We have been gathering rainwater at our smallholding for 15 months … small steps but reducing the use of mains water. Despite our rural location, we cycle everywhere. Good for our health and hopefully the folk around us too. Keep up the positive messaging, Claudia.
This is great! Gathering rain water is a forgotten practice unfortunately but so needed especially in areas that struggle with droughts and heat. I read a great book about water two years ago. It’s so needed to learn about the importance of honouring our water.
We grow fruit and vegetables so it makes sense. And the summers are so dry. We have big barns with huge roofs so it just makes sense. We added 5x 1000 litre tanks and there’s a 45,000 litre reservoir underground by our well. All good.
Amazing! Used to spend summers with my grandparents and I loved their fruit trees, veggie garden. It's hard work though! I admire you. 👏
Ah, lovely memories. We’re hoping our grandkids have those memories. They’ve been to the farm twice and they have their own corners of the kitchen garden, with peas, strawberries and blueberries, their favourites.
Yeeees, and the older I get, the more I think of those sunny days in the country side. My grandfather used to make an amazing white wine which he sweetened with honey for us so we can have a glass when we were teenagers. Sometimes we worked with him in the vineyard. They also had two old walnut trees that I loved! I now live in an apartment complex and there's a wall nut tree in the patio. It's my favourite tree.
I'm so glad to hear that your grandkids visit you on your farm to get at least a feeling of what it means to grow food and being a part of this life cycle that is nature.
We've had rain barrels for years. The most surprising benefit has been the health of the potted plants, who do not seem to like chlorinated water.
We’re very new to smallholding but the long hot summers made water storage a priority … we have a busy year of travel this year but in 2026 we’ll be back to growing with gusto.
I have enjoyed the book club and am preparing my Daily Life Project essay. I just wanted to confirm that all we need to do to submit is publish before the 28th? How can we ensure you see it and know it's a submission?
Hi Tara, that's great news! I'll send a wrap-up of the book this Thursday. Yes, please publish the essay and tag me. I'm looking forward to reading it!
I'm grateful to be in a place that's reasonably progressive on these fronts. We shop at our local market and buy as much organic produce as we can and those shops are almost entirely plastic-free, we get our energy from a green supplier (we'd have solar if we owned this apartment and could install it). Global climate awareness is the big one, and combating the disinformation and political dislike of climate goals. If Trump gets in again then I'll lose all hope.
There is a general dislike for climate goals. It’s something to reflect on. What causes it? Fear? Narrative? Misinformation?
All of these, I’m sure.
I love this idea. I drive a Tesla and barely shop anyway and we have to bring our own bags grocery shopping, although I do occasionally get a single use coffee cup, so there's definitely room for improvement. This topic is so hard though, because a lot of what the most ardent climate warriors do seems to be counter-productive. Stopping traffic and yelling at people doesn't necessarily convey the right message. I'm looking forward to discussing Robinson's ideas on geoengineering (in some of these opening chapters, they're already discussing one Pinatubo or two Pinatubos).
Part of my challenge last year was to not buy any products wrapped in single use plastic. I was shocked at how many products I had to give up / avoid during the challenge. 40% of single use plastic comes from food packaging.
Anyhow, it’s tough. There should be a law banning single use plastic in supermarkets.
Are there many climate protesters screaming on the street where you live?
Oh yeah. I've seen them lying on tram tracks and blockading freeways. I'm happy to attend marches and wave a banner, but I'm more into researching solutions and talking to people.
😲 that's hardcore. I'm not sure if we have this king of movement here in Austria. At least, I don't see anyone on the street doing anything except for Fridays for Future protests. Would be good to have some Shopping-free Fridays though. 😅
On climate “ project” let’s try to adopt plant-based diets.
This is a great one! 👏
Terry, I love this: The work is not yours to complete, but neither are you free to desist from taking part in it.
Carbon negative has to be sexy, has to be profitable. Otherwise, nothing will change. Doesn't matter who's president, doesn't matter that I sold my car in 2016, doesn't matter if I buy "so-called" green products, companies will do anything to appear "green" ... greenwashing anyone?
Your title and subtitle remind me of an excerpt from a Jewish tract called Ethics of the Fathers:
The work is not yours to complete, but neither are you free to desist from taking part in it
Regarding the idea of not buying inessentials because they can wait, doesn't that mean potentially MORE shopping trips? We tend to do one massive shop every couple of weeks rather than small shops more frequently than that.
This is brilliant, I might use in the future: The work is not yours to complete, but neither are you free to desist from taking part in it
As the son of one of E's parents' son said, far from letting you offer the hook it says it's your duty to do something and not find excuses.
It‘s a great way to put it! Many people shy away from daily action with the excuse: What good does it do? It won’t change anything! But it will change you. That’s enough.
I meant no fashion shopping! 😜
Oh ok, sorry, I misunderstood 😅
We had to have our neighbor's overhanging willow oak cut back somewhat, but just this Monday we had the solar installers out for a site visit.