Yes, readers. Today is The Greening of Gavin blog’s third birthday. This blog was ‘born’ on the 13th of February 2008, which seems like such a long time ago. I remember being very excited about setting up the blog about a week before, doing the layout and adding in the widgets and site counter. I posted my article called “Why I choose to lead a sustainable lifestyle and rushing out to tell all my friends and family about it. I think in the first week there were 10 visits. Heck, I was just excited that anyone was reading my musings.
805 posts later, and over 2500 visits a week, this blog and I personally have grown. Not larger or taller (I have lost 10kg since I started), but a lot wiser about the way the world works I suppose. All it took was a desire to share what I had learnt since September 2006, when I had my green epiphany, and continue to learn every day from here on in.
Now it wouldn’t be a blog without readers and all of your comments have been inspiring for me and spur me on. So to celebrate our achievement, I am going to have a giveaway! More like a lottery, and yes, there is a prize. To make the draw fair, I will use a random number generator and pick a random comment below as the winner.
So, if you would like to win the handy little book titled “The Green Garden – How to live well, be green and make a difference“, by Tanya Ha worth A$9.95, then please leave a comment below letting me know which post out of all 805 of them is your favourite and why. Not only may you get something out of it, but I will receive valuable feedback as well. I will post to any country on the planet Earth at my cost because I want to give something back.
So what are you waiting for, enter away, and thanks again for following the adventures of a neo-hippy, free thinking realist.
Congratulations, Gavin! What an achievement!
Your blog post where you recommended the book ‘The Artisan Cheese’ was a bit of a turning point. I finally found a cheese book that was perfect for me. Then I made more cheeses than I ever thought possible!
Keep up the good work! 🙂
My blog is 3 soon too, in April. It’s exciting, isn’t it, to have kept up the blogging for so long & you’ve reached so many people… is it biased to say my favourite posts are the Be Prepared Challenge ones!!?? I also like the gardening ones, like drip irrigation, as it inspires and informs my own gardening. Plus I like how you create awareness about things like stockpiling and raw milk….
I do like when you do posts like this, because you say what I feel & think, but much more eloquently:
https://www.greeningofgavin.com/2010/12/planning-to-fail.html
Congratulations, and keep on going!
I’m trying to not sound cliche’ but that’s a hard one, I like most of them…but I loved the wicking beds with the YouTube video. We have plenty of water, but on one occasion 20 years ago…our well got pretty low. So because of your blog I will be building a couple wicking beds. Thank you.
mmm yep, ’tis a hard call. I think ‘Be Prepared’ too is my answer. It’s enought to spark all the other thoughts and get action happening no matter what your current circumstance.
Happy Third Blog-day 🙂
Congratulations. Three years is great and you have managed to inspire so many people in that time.
I must say my fav entry is Fathers Day and and Interview as I this is the first time I came across your blog.
Keep doing what you are doing. It is working. ; )
You’ve lost all those kilos purely from blog writing???!?
You must REALLY hammer those keys!
congratulations Gavin!!!
Gosh there are so many wonderful posts, but I would have to say that your posts on your cheesemaking really have encouraged me to go down this road. I am very busy sorting out exactly what I need and reading up any information that I come across on the subject. So thank you for all of your interesting topics on so many different areas of making our lives a little greener.
Happy Blogday!
I can’t tell you exactly which one was my favourite post but I can tell why. That’s when I found out you were a Stargate fan. Followed by Dr Who and Star Trek. Basically the post where I found out you were a Sci Fi geek 😉
So, to be fair, please don’t put me in the draw ’cause I didn’t really answer you question.
I just wanted to say “well done and Congrats.”
Happy blogaversary Gavin! I’ve been reading you since just after you started and it’s been really interesting seeing you (well, your blog) grow so much 🙂 I’d also like to say not to include me in the draw. We’re full time on the road so I don’t have a garden, although we live as green as possible. I really just wanted to congratulate you and say well done. You are always worth visiting, I learn something each time I come here 🙂
Here’s to the next 3 years – Cheers!
Thats wonderful Gavin, I am also reaching the big 3….3 days though….lol. I can’t imagine being where you are today…what an amazing achievement for you! I have just started my blog, and although I know it is early days, it will be an exciting journey.
Well done with all that you do…keep up the great work, and keep on sharing!!!
Loved the soap tutorial, solar power, and all those cheese tutorials – will be revisting wicking beds, podcasts and lots more now that my ADSL is finally playing the game!!! What a great blog and we are spoilt with all your effort and use of different medias!! Thanks Gav!
Penny, Brisbane
Hi Gav,
Now don’t go putting me in the draw, as family doesn’t count… However, I just wanted to say that there are 2 posts that really effected me. First was way back in 2008, 18th Feb with title An Inconvenient Truth. You discussed watching the film with Kim & Kids and their reactions… it was much the same as MY OWN reaction when you played the film for me when I went to stay with you for a month in early 2010. Since that night sharing a glass of Chardonay with you, (which reduced me to silence, I know … me quiet is scary)I have gained the utmost respect for you and what you are doing. I always did Idolise you during childhood, however, it is now more than that. You humble me. You ground me. Me make me open my eyes and see the world through your eyes. You make me aspire to BE more than I am. To BE someone like YOU. That month spent with you and Kim helped me not only overcome my grief, but also overcome myself into believing that I can be sooo much more than I am. Thankyou.
Second post I have to mention is Feb 25th 2008 with Title Reducing Food Miles Part 1. Go back and look at the photo’s in that post and then go out onto your front veranda with a lovely drop of wine and see what it looks like now. Gavin …. seriously what you have achieved in your own back/front yard in just 3 years is beyond what any normal would be greenie would kill to achieve. Your not wealthy, you have childhood gardening experience growing up on a Dairy Farm and look at it! It is AMAZING! The blood, sweat and tears you and Kim & the kids have poured into it is beyond any words and compliments I could ever write. If I were placed in your shoes, no amount of media coverage, awards or anything else would make me as proud as just simply walking out on that front veranda with a glass of chardy and looking at what I have done. Pats on the back aside …. WELL BLOODY DONE GAVIE. You are the Epiphany, not what you have written or this blog, its YOU who made a difference to the Environment and each and every reader that glances in here. Love you Big Bro. Big Hug
Sis
xoxoxoxoxo
word verification … logic. Go figure!
This is so easy for me *smile*: I loved ALL your posts but the series on wicking beds stands out the most. Before that post I was having so much trouble keeping things watered. I’ve lost many plants to our dry, hot climate here (Florida). As soon as I read that post, I had my husband build one for me to experiment with. It did wonderfully. It did so well, in fact, that hubby is fencing in more of our back yard (to keep deer out). The new area will be dedicated to garden space…mainly wicking beds! He has promised two new wicking beds finished by this spring! I am so thankful to have found that post! Congratulations on your 3rd anniversary!!!
Karen N.
I don’t think I could narrow it down to just one blog post. I’ve learned a lot from you over the years and really enjoy all of your gardening and cheese making posts. Love your cheese making tutorials!
Yes! Congratulations! I’ve enjoyed your soap making tutorials as I am currently delving into the art. They’ve been extremely helpful as Iam a visual learner. Thanks and to many more years!
Hard to narrow it down but I enjoyed the cheese and soap making posts (both of which I now do) and also the wicking beds – which I’m going to do.
Thanks for the Blog – very inspirational.
Happy Birthday!!
My Fave would have to be the soap tutorial! x Keep up the great blog! x
Like others have said, I’ve really enjoyed almost all of your posts and look forward to seeing you pop up in me RSS feed every few days.
For me, the two topics that really stand out are your low-pressure watering systems, and your wicking beds. Both are very informative, and extremely helpful to others thinking of setting up similar systems.
Keep up the great work!
Happy Blog Birthday Gav, here is to the next three years being even better than the last. Wishing you and your family all the very best.
Congrats on your 3rd year! What an accomplishment.
I’ve only recently found your blog (thanks from Wendy of Surviving the Suburbs). But, in even the month or so that I’ve been following you, you’ve been inspiring, and real.
Just in what I’ve looked back at, I enjoyed your Goals for 2011 post. It’s always fun and helpful to see what others are aspiring to!
Here’s to more that 3 more years!
Happy blogaversary! I think my favourite post has to be “lather up folks” about making soap. I have been mulling over soap making for as long as I can remember. Your instructions are so clear and so concise I have almost gathered up the courage to start. I am even growing the loofas to incorporate into the mix. In little slices, I can see it… just havnt done it yet. Heavens – even you put the scary bits in capital letters! I will one day make soap, just still gathering up a bit more courage. Oh and I would love to be entered into the draw.
Congrats Gavin! You are rounding out 3 years, and I have just completed 3 months! I found your blog just a while ago, and find it inspirational. I love how you speak from the heart. I was flattered that you did a post about a question I asked on wicking beds.
Many happy returns 🙂 I’ve always found your dedication inspirational, but the post that sticks out in my mind is one called My Changing Reality. You summed up the complicated process I’ve been going through myself, and it’s great to know that I’m not alone.
That and the homebrew posts as well 🙂
Happy Blogoversary!
I found you in my search for cheese making recipes and then proceeded to read your whole blog. You are the one that drew my attention to peak oil and when you showed us ” the story of stuff” I was hooked so its really hard to tell which post is my all time favorite. I’m just going to say – camembert 🙂
Well done Gav
You are the inspiration that has made such a big difference to this crazy world. Don’t put me in the draw as family doesn’t count but had to let you know how very proud of you and your family that I am Keep up the good work and stay well Love Mum
congratulations gavin
happy blog birthday
baccorobby from italy
Congratulations, Gavin.
I gaze in awe at your garden and can’t help but covet it as I look at my microgreens and herbs on the windowsill of my 9th floor apartment. But your cheesemaking adventures I can and do share, and my favourite blog is ‘Gromit, I found the cheese!’, for it’s exuberance, excitement and uncontainable enthusiam! Please keep sharing with and inspiring us!
Just one favourite post? I’ve really enjoyed reading about your soapmaking projects, installing solar panels, making pasta, and building your garden. It really helps keep my motivated and inspired to keep working on my own projects 🙂
Thanks everyone for playing. Check out my latest post for the winner!
Gav