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50 Things About Me

  1. I’m the Linda Woodrow who wrote 470 (Melliodora Publishing, 2020).
  2. And The Permaculture Home Garden (Penguin, 1996).
  3. I’m not the Linda Woodrow who was briefly married or engaged or something, to Elton John.
  4. I started this blog over a decade ago now. It spans some changes.
  5. My passion and interest these days is climate change, and how we get it together as a community to respond to it.
  6. 470 came out of wondering and speculating, then researching and imagining how it might play out.
  7. I live in Australia, for 36 years offgrid in rural Northern NSW, and for the last year in suburban Coffs Harbour.
  8. We moved to Coffs partly to grandparent, but also inspired by David Holmgren’s Retrosuburbia, to take on a new challenge.  To play with permaculture in suburbia.
  9. I have had a kitchen garden, or a market garden, for about 45 years now.
  10. Which meant that the first few months here, not eating out of a garden, were very strange.
  11. My climate is sub tropical – warm dry windy spring, hot summers with unreliable thunderstorms, warm wet autumn, cool but not cold winter.  This makes me a very lucky gardener.
  12.  I live with my partner of nearly 40 years, Lewie, who is the smartest, funniest, most creative, honest, and sexiest man I know, and also the laziest.
  13. He likes fishing, but not gardening.
  14. I have two grown up kids, a son and a daughter, who are both people anyone would choose in their “survive the zombocalypse” crew.
  15. I also have a six year old grandson and two year old granddaughter (so far). Having them “help” pick strawberries out of the garden is the best fun thing I know.
  16. I am a Virgo, but I don’t believe in astrology.
  17. But co-incidentally, I’m a pretty good Virgo.
  18. I do believe in science.  I love the scientific method for observing and understanding reality. 470 is based in my Masters research about how to communicate climate science by telling stories rather than recounting facts.
  19. And thus I find it hard to believe that anyone doesn’t believe that climate change requires us all to seriously change our addictive consumerism, now, yesterday.
  20. When they believe in electricity and aeroplanes?
  21. In fact the only way I can make any sense of it is that they mustn’t like life –  their own life, other peoples’ lives, human species life, biodiversity, life in general – and this is shocking.
  22. Because I believe what is sacred is the miracle that this blue green planet circling a small outlying star put together the right conditions for the marvel of evolution to happen. How unlikely is that?
  23. I feel very lucky to be the beneficiary of this miracle because life is good.
  24. And to honour its goodness, I plan to live long and enjoy it, in solidarity with all the other lives – human and other- doing the same thing.
  25. Which makes me a witch.  Or at least a pagan.
  26. And brings me back to the theme of food gardening, and cooking and enjoying fresh healthy food.
  27. Because food is one of the great pleasures of life. (Just one of them, but a good one.)
  28. And maybe now is a good spot to add that I’m not a vegetarian – I have been in the past, and sometimes we go for a long time without eating meat, but philosophically I think predation is a natural part of the cycle of life.
  29. So long as the animals have a good life, preferably wild and free.
  30. It worries me that we feed fish to cats when there aren’t enough fish to feed people in much of the world.
  31. I like cooking. It is a way to relax and be creative and show nurturing care for people.
  32. Possibly a little too much.  I work  pretty well full time lately, often on a computer.  So I have to watch I don’t put on weight,
  33. But the whole idea of “diets” just doesn’t fit in my world.
  34. And fake food made industrially sets me off on a rant.
  35. I like mending and making things and making things last.
  36. I like the challenge and elegance in being frugal.
  37. And I hate waste.
  38. Left to myself, I would have very little stuff, but I live with a bloke who likes old things and the stories they hold.
  39. Until the move to Coffs, we lived in a home built house, and I hammered in a good percentage – in fact probably most –  of the nails in it.
  40. I have lived for nearly 40 years with solar power which makes energy frugality come easy.
  41. Nowadays we have town water to back up our house tank, but the habits of water frugality stick too.
  42. I am a very bad housekeeper.
  43. I think perfect is the enemy of good and being purist is dangerous, which is just as well because otherwise I’d have to totally disown myself.
  44. I love the internet – information and ideas – such treasure.
  45. Though not the conspiracy theories that proliferate on it.
  46. I think if we forget and lose the skills of living as a community, including trusting and relying on each other, we are going to be in big trouble as we negotiate the challenges ahead.
  47. I’m not at all sure that mobile phones are a necessary invention though.
  48. Or any music system since vinyl.
  49. I am basically very shy and don’t like talking about myself, so this is hard.
  50. I started this blog because I had an epiphany that it wasn’t ok to let shyness stop me when we need all hands on deck to create a cultural shift.

39 Comments

  1. Pingback:In Context

  3. Anna Bourke

    Hey Linda,
    I share many, not all of your attitudes and philosophies,but agree particularly about cooking! Sue Ward gave me your blog…….. glad she did!
    Love your work! Anna, non-gardener [yet] but passionate cook!

  5. Rebekka

    “Or any music system since vinyl.”

    But the digital music revolution is brilliant! I can now buy music without creating any *stuff* at all – no discs, no vinyl, no tapes, no waste. My (second-hand) iPod can fit around 40,000 songs on it, without creating a bunch of plastic waste.

  6. Linda Post author

    Ok Rebekka, good point. I just cringe at all the tape decks and walkmans and cd players we’ve gone through getting there. If we stick with ipods now, I’ll agree it’s progress.

  7. umatji

    oh great! I love it – such a wonderful of introducing yourself, being conversational, informative and having a soapbox at the same time. thanks so much!

  10. Dani

    Hi Linda

    Loved the comment about vinyl – and think that Rebekka misunderstood what you were saying … or maybe I do? I, too, love our vinyl records, because it is the music we grew up with – when music was music. Yes, some of it is availbale on CD but the majority is not – so when we want to have an afternoon / evening of our kind of music – it’s out with our records LOL (only problem we have is trying to find a new stylus when the other one wears out 🙂

    Are you able to cook on / in your slow combustion stove?

    Cheers
    Dani

  11. Linda Post author

    I actually had a double meaning – yours and Rebekka’s. I love the quality of sound on analogue music too. But I do take Rebekka’s point. Now we are at the point where technologically it is possible to have good quality digital audio, with only 0’s and 1’s as “stuff”, so long as we don’t keep creating obsolete players, it is progress.

    And yes, all winter we do pretty well all our cooking on the Rayburn: it means I can cook long slow things like beans and casseroles and soups without worrying about energy use. And also use it for warming yoghurt and bread, as well as house warming and water heating. It’s a good example of the permaculture concept of catching all the yields. Every year I plant some trees specifically to replace what we use as firewood.

  12. Jacquie

    Wow, what a wonderful way to launch a blog!
    (For those of you who don’t know me, Linda and I were at State High in Brisbane together in the olden days, but I came back to England in 1973.)

    Linda, here’s a list of some more things we have in common, (amd some we don’t…)

    1. I teach what you call trade teachers – I think what we call Learning and Skills teachers over here (England): some are college lecturers, some community teachers, and some work-based trainers.
    2. I love gardening, and we make all our own wonderful compost.
    3. Our small old (1890s) home and garden is in the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, UK
    http://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/cms/leisure-and-culture/tourism.aspx

    4. My partner Peter is also wonderful, funny, sexy, and only lazy when it comes to picking up after himself ( hang on, that’s true of all men, isn’t it?)
    5 I also rant about fake food, and love to cook for other people. That’s easy as we have 6 grown up sons between us, and now an increasing number of their girlfriends too, who come to eat and stay in our two bed cottage,
    regularly. Right now it’s the end of summer, and we have a wonderful tomato crop still producing, and wild white strawberries hanging in there till the frosts start next month.
    6. I confess to having a laptop at home, PC at work, smartphone which I love as it saves me triple booking everything and coolest of all a Kindle (ebook reader), best toy ever!
    7. I’m not a Virgo, not even a good one, but am an Aries and a signed up Humanist.
    8. We recycle pretty much everything, and buy most of our clothes and many of our books, china, gifts, etc from charity shops in Malvern. We are blessed with being able to walk to eveywhere we need in our small town, including the theatre set up by Edward Elgar and George Bernard Shaw in 1926, and the official best pub in England. (You must come and sup a pint with us if you ever come to UK).
    I refuse to fly anywhere if I can avoid it – we use trains to travel on holiday, and have have taken our motorbike across Europe, including to Spain on ferries. Thank God for the Eurostar and TGV! But I do save my carbon footprint to come to Oz every 5-10 years or so. Next trip hopefully in early 2011, while my son David is a Masters student at University of Sydney. My Dad lives in Tassie.
    9. But the whole green thing goes belly up with my work commute. I have to drive 120 miles to Bristol daily ( I teach at a University there – no train service here to there), and I shamelessly adore my MX5 sportscar.

    So that’s enough confessing for now!

    Jacquie

  13. Lauren

    Hi Linda,
    We have been searching for talented bloggers who write about sustainability, green products and services, as well as art, craft, cooking, shopping, to help spread the word about an upcoming event called Green Savvy Sunday at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra. I recently came across your blog, the Witches Kitchen, it looks great and we are really keen to work with you. Please let me know if you would like more information about Green Savvy Sunday. I can be contacted via lauren dot griffiths at threesides dot com dot au.

    Thanks,
    Lauren

  14. Charlotte

    Hi Linda!
    This feels weird, actually sending you an email! From a city born girl, my husband (complete non-gardener) and I bought a smallholding in the bush 2 yrs ago. A friend gave me your book, and I have followed it almost religiously! (obviously having to make quite a few mistakes and cursing) Anyway, I now have a veg garden with 2 mandalas and many chickens in various sized domes and had so many vegetables i didn’t know what to do with them! I have mental arguments with you every day, and then have to go back to the book! Thanx for being my (unknowing) mentor, motivater and friend for the past 2 years! You are truly inspirational, and I feel a bit inadequate every time I DON’T scrape roadkill into the back of my car!!!!

    Lots of love,
    Charlotte

  15. Linda Post author

    Hi Charlotte, I have arguments with me every day too! In fact I change and adapt my gardening all the time, and following me religiously will only get you into trouble. I’m glad the book is working for you, and I’m blushing right now:)

  18. Kaye

    Hi Linda,

    I’m thrilled I’ve found this blog, I’ve marked it as a favourite. I have your book and have read it from cover to cover several times.
    I live in a rented house inner city (Melbourne) with a small garden I’m not allowed to use – the landlord pays for a regular gardener. I have polystyrene boxes and plastic milk bottles all over the backyard!
    I’m attempting to raise seeds for the first time in my life, not very successfully I might add, but it’s fun learning.
    Thank you for being such a huge inspiration for me. I’m hoping that by the time I can buy some land in the country I’ll have had lots of practice and can attempt one of your mandalas.
    Cheers
    Kaye

  20. Maud

    Hello Linda. Thank you so much for your wonderful book. I finished it and started again straight away. I have never learned so much from a book! All the things that I was wondering about got answered. Your explanation about strawberries, yes of course that’s how it works. Really understanding what is happening in the garden, now who wouldn’t want that? Kind Regards from New Zealand

  21. Linda Post author

    Hi Maud, I’m glad you like it. My climate will be a fair bit more sub-tropical than yours though, I suspect. I’d love to hear your tips for adapting it to colder conditions.

  22. Carole

    Hi Linda,
    How I have enjoyed your book, over and over, and now your blog too. thank you. I would also like to ask you about teaching your skills to a dedicated bunch of ‘gourmet backyard gardeners’ see- http://www.gourmetbackyard.com/forum/index.php
    I have a large space available and the plan was to have a workshop demonstrating how to set up the manadala veggie garden in practice- but i see from above, you say its no longer part of your own approach. Where to now? (I have been struggling with the security issue of domes myself-goannas and foxes in particular-my chooks have been wiped out over and over, its heartbreaking- and think that at my place Maremma dogs are the only solution for those predators-)
    Anyhow, i wondered if you would be open to coming down- perhaps as we are very close to Canberra (yes a frosty challenging growing environment) if you were attending the Bus Depot Markets thingo(above) maybe we could combine.
    please?
    cheers, and thanks for the inspiration
    I apologise for asking this on a ‘public forum’- couldn’t find an email address.
    Carole.

  23. Linda Post author

    Hi Carole, I’m open to the idea, but finding a time is going to be all but impossible! I’ll email you.

  24. Lara

    Hi Linda,

    I read your book a lot of years ago, and set up a permaculture home garden. I loved it, it loved me, life was grand.

    Since then there has been a back injury, a move to a concrete wilderness, a child, two more babies, then the loss of those babies, university study, and now a project about environmental peace and the personal commitment I have made to the path of peace and environmental sustainability.

    And I thought of you.

    Just wanted to let you know that you continue to inspire me, and my latest challenge is to transform my concrete and barren block into a permaculture paradise. Or as close as I can!

    Lara

  27. Anonymous

    I just discovered your blog and your 50 things.What simple inspiration.
    Consumerism is disgustingly addictive.However humanity through simplicity shall prevail.Community is the key
    Good luck!!!

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  29. Wendy

    I just found your blog as well – through Simple, Green, Frugile Co OP blog. I am glad I did. I just read this 50 things…. and loved it. I may get game to write something like this about myself. it was refreshing and did help me get to know you a little. Cheers, Wendy

  30. Serena

    Hi Linda
    I just discovered your blog through Simple Green & Frugal. I love your 509 things its inspirational and sooooo honest. I am of the opinion that permaculture can save the world. If only more folk, and farmers made use of it.
    Will keep reading with interest .

    Cheers for now
    Serena.

  31. Lesh @ TheMindfulFoodie

    Hello Linda, what a lovely way to introduce yourself! I only found you coz you found me me, so thanks for leading me to you wonderful site. Lots of great information for me to check out. We have much in common (although, I’m I terrible gardener!).

    Lesh

  32. Anonymous

    Hello Linda,
    I can’t remember which site led me to your blog but I’m so very grateful. I only found you yesterday and have already created one of your wonderful recipes and I am looking forward to creating many more. Thank-you for sharing your wonderful view of the world and all those tasty recipes and garden tidbits.
    Namaste,
    Jade

  33. Fiona

    Hello Linda
    I just found your site (via your wonderful soap making article on Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op… your ideas really resonated with me). I’m so glad to have found you on the net. I bought your Permaculture Home Garden book years ago and refer to it often, and have wondered what you are up to these days, so it’s great to be able to drop in now and see! Thanks for the broad bean recipe in your most recent post. Mine are not quite ready yet (I live central west NSW, at 1100m elevation, so our season is quite a bit behind yours) but there are lots of pods, so I’m hoping I’ll get to the stage of wondering what to do with them all! Love your ’50 things’! Thanks so much for sharing it all.
    Love and peace, fiona

  35. Jenny

    Hi, I’m pretty sure I’m happy to meet you. If I had a pencil handy I could reference your 50 points and how much we are alike (a few thousand miles excepted). Except for “wallabies, paddymelons, bush turkeys, bower birds, cockatoos, flying foxes, goannas, carpet snakes, quolls, and other assorted wildlife”: they don’t give ME any trouble at all, must have the magic touch.
    Ta ta for now.
    Jenny

  37. Pam

    Lovely to find your blog. I loose track of which blog leads me to which blog, but maybe I found you through cityhippyfarmgirl, or little eco footprints – I can’t remember!
    I like your 50 things about me. Especially #50, I’m not one to talk much about myself either but I know you are right – all hand on deck are required.
    Inspired by your post, I think its fair to say a few things about me…
    1. I’m 33, single, no kids (but adore my niece and nephews)
    2. I bought a wee house a few years ago just north of Brisbane and live here with my 3 chooks
    3. I’m a high school special education teacher
    4. I have a bit of vegie garden, but would love much more, I’m hoping to do a permablitz at my place some time to really get things rolling
    5. Am hoping to try your zucchini ginger muffins recipe sometime very soon!

    kind wishes
    Pam

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