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Backyard Clay Oven Update

June 22, 2016 @ 21:12 By Gavin Webber 4 Comments

One of the proudest achievements on my sustainable living journey has been my Backyard Clay Oven!  I love looking at it.  I love tending the fire.  I love cooking in it.  I love eating the food I make using it.

The REAL Joy

It’s just a joy to know that over 70% of the materials used to make it were reclaimed bricks or clay dug out of my very own backyard.  Can’t get much more sustainable than that except maybe grow the straw!

It was a real labour of love and so many people were willing to pitch in and helped with the initial first and subsequent layers.  Without their help, it would have taken another two months of work.  It was a real community builder and friendship maker.

Another thing that I am chuffed about is that I’ve received so many photos from people all over the world who have used the detailed instructions in my eBook and built their own.  It’s quite amazing and heart warming.

New Backyard Clay Oven Video

Anyway, I thought that it was high time to improve on my original clay oven video.  I wanted to add some narration and provide additional insight into how I made it.  So I made an update version, with a “Where is it now?” section to complete the original “How To” video.

So dear reader, here it is.  The new Build Your Own Backyard Clay Oven update video.

It was fun to make and now features on my new YouTube Channel for The Greening of Gavin.  If you want to be the first to see any new videos please subscribe to the channel, as I don’t always get around to embedding them into a blog post until much later in the week.

Enjoy the narration and feel free to share it far and wide.  I won’t mind at all! 😉

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Filed Under: Cob Oven, Sustainable Living

Fixing the Vegie Patch

June 13, 2016 @ 19:40 By Gavin Webber 3 Comments

What happens when you neglect your vegie patch?  Well, it gets taken over by weeds of course.  Thankfully I managed to schedule a good couple of hours in the garden today; weeding, harvesting, and fixing the vegie patch.

There were so many weeds for the chooks to devour and even a few radishes that I found lurking in the beds.

I decided to document it with a regular video update on my new YouTube channel, so here is 9 minutes of my sunny afternoon in the vegie patch!

On Wednesday, I will be planting my garlic, broad beans, and snow peas.  I will record that gardening session so you can see what’s going on.

I plan on doing one each weekend so that you can see the patch develop over time.  It should be a fun project and keep me and anyone watching motivated to spend some time growing food in the garden.

Let me know if you liked this format.  It was easy to put together and as they say, a picture, or in this case a video, is worth a thousand words.

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Filed Under: Gardening, Gardening Videos, Organic, Sustainable Living, vegetables

Liebster Award

May 23, 2016 @ 17:11 By Gavin Webber 1 Comment

Fiona over at Life at Arbordale Farm recently awarded this blog a Liebster Award.  It’s an award that only exists in the blogosphere, and is given to bloggers from bloggers as a sign of appreciation.  It also helps bloggers connect and pay it forward.

liebster-award-button-image

The rules are pretty simple;

  • Post a short Q&A about themselves
  • Answer the questions the tagger has asked
  • Create a new list of 10 questions for their own nominees
  • Choose a list of their own 5 nominees and notify them

So as it is my birthday today, I thought what the heck, let’s have a bit of fun.

here are the answers to Fiona’s questions;

1. If you had to choose 3 charities to give $100,000 to which charities would they be and why?
  1. MS Society to help research for a cure for this disease that inflicts my beautiful wife Kim.
  2. Australian Conservation Foundation to help promote preservation for our amazing flora and fauna.
  3. The Climate Reality Project to promote awareness for action on Climate Change.
 2. What is the worst job (at home or work) you have had to do?
Prone to vertigo at height, the worst job I had to perform was to sand and paint the top of the mast of an Oliver-Hazard Perry FFG whilst serving in the Royal Australian Navy.  It was frightening, but had to be done.  I had to have a long lay down afterwards!
 
3. What strange food combination do you love?
A fried egg on Vegemite toast.  Delicious, but it does play havoc with my heartburn!
 
4. What is the one skill you don’t have but would love to master?
To play the guitar.  I have tried, but being left-handed and not of the right mindset, my brain just cannot figure it out.
 
5. If you could create a new law what would it be?
Bring back a price on carbon emissions here in Australia to lower our rising carbon emissions.  It worked once, it will work again.  Direct Action is a farce and is just a taxpayer handout to big polluters.
 
6. If you could change the perspective for every person on the planet about one issue what would it be?
 The benefits of living a more sustainable lifestyle.  If everyone lived this way, climate change and environmental destruction would be a thing of the past.
 
7.  If the shops closed tomorrow how long could you feed your family for?
 About 3 months if we carefully plan all our meals.  We have quite the pantry.  I would also plant as many vegetables as I could at the same time, so that we would at least have some veg every day.  I’d even plant out the verge, which is currently being wasted.
 
8. What do you think the 3 biggest environmental issues are?
  • Climate change.  Kind of goes without saying.
  • Hydraulic Fracturing and Coal seam gas mining.  It’s polluting our groundwater and increasing fugitive methane emissions.
  • The Sixth Mass Extinction.  By removing habitat, we are making species extinct every single day.

9. Which famous people would you have over for dinner and why?

  • Al Gore; he is an amazing communicator.  I’ve met him once, but not for very long at the Climate Reality Leadership training and would like to have a chat away from the limelight.
  • The Dalai Lama; I think he would have a pretty cool point of view about what the human race is doing to each other and the planet.
  • Vandana Shiva; one tenacious and clever lady who would be great to talk to about food sovereignty and the threat of GMO to our food supply.

10.  What is your guilty food pleasure?

Cheese, what else?  I can’t stop making it, or eating my own home made cheese.  At least I savour each mouthful!

Certified Curd Nerd

My five nominations are:

Jessie from Rabid Little Hippy.

Lynda from Living in the Land of OZ

Emma from Emma’s Garden Grows

Erin from The Rouge Ginger

Jane from Frugal Queen

My 10 questions for these amazing bloggers are:

  1. Why did you start your blog?
  2. What makes you smile every day?
  3. What is one of your talents?
  4. Who is a hero in your life?
  5. What is your favourite memory from your past?
  6. If the sky’s the limit, what would you like to do next with your life?
  7. What is your favorite season of the year and why?
  8. What’s your favourite inspirational quote?
  9. If you have some spare time, what do you do?
  10. Do you prefer a home-cooked meal, or to go out to a restaurant?

Over to you now!

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Filed Under: Awards, Sustainable Living

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

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