TV: a reintroduction

OK so as I am still unemployed this post is going to be about one of the things I can do for free in the rain here in Melbourne. Watch TV.

So for 6 years I haven't owned a TV, though I feel I have had a decent amount of exposure to North American television through the internet, sports bars, and friends houses. I wasn't always impressed. But Aussie TV has some really interesting things to offer, along with the usual spattering of reality shows and dramas plus more SPORTS shows than I could ever imagine. And man, people take a piss out of things on TV here! Not always 'oh so serious the world is going to end', while still providing an intelligent and thought provoking stream into my lounge room. Here's the ones that interest me:

• Can of Worms asks a panel moral and political questions as well as surveying Australians for their view. Examples? Should you tell your children there is no God? Even though it is legal, is it ok for a 17 year old to have sex with a 40 year old?

• The Gruen Transfer is a panel discussion on marketing. Best segment? Where they get 2 marketing firms to create an advert for an unusual subject suggested by the public. Such as a campaign to convince Australian's to stop swearing. Or convince Australians to move the capital to a new city.
  

• Q and A is a panel discussion on current affairs

• The 7pm project provides commentary on the daily news headlines

• A show about life and spirituality hosted by a female comedian Judith Lucy. Very up close and personal and amazing. Tonight she went on a 10 day silent meditation retreat. Listening to her blab on and on afterward was awesome. I am impressed she pulled that off. I don't think I could.
  

So I like that there is some made in Australia programming here and its been a good way to pass some long, cold (no heater installed yet), broke and quiet evenings while Scott heads off to work at the pub.

I also still follow news in Canada pretty closely online.

Next up on Melbourne observations? Why the grocery stores are different, building my container garden (sans seeds, thanks government quarantine laws), and I am sure more.

the Guelph Center for Urban Organic Farming

I might regret making my first blog post so short, but that's what I see this developing into; a space where information I am currently thinking about is collected and saved for my future reference as well as for others to stumble across.

Modern agriculture depends on many energy additions besides natural soil nutrients, water and sunlight. Fertilizers from natural gas, diesel for tractors and combines and sprayers, chemical pesticides and herbicides. Not to mention the processing, packaging and distribution energy requirements of going from the plants grown and animals raised to the groceries sitting in your pantry. This energy cycle is huge and tracing it takes a long time because for each food item it is unique.

Right now I am designing a water supply and irrigation system for a 1 hectare (ha) market garden site in Guelph Ontario, where I go to university. My classmates and I are exploring rainwater harvesting, stormwater harvesting, conveyance, treatment, storage, and the irrigation distribution. There is a solar powered greenhouse on site for year round food supply, approximately 0.3 ha dedicated to demonstrating permaculture techniques, a composting toilet, and soon a water system that:

is Energy efficient (traditional fossil fuels are a no)
Maximizes crop yield to water use
Cost-effective
Supplies safe water from a source other than municipal water lines or groundwater
Demonstrates techniques for urban water harvesting to others

More details and interesting info I uncovered to come when there is no 40 page report due.
If anyone can tell me about clay pot irrigation in zone 5, eastern canadian climates, that would be really interesting. Or if you have worked in an urban community garden or small farm, what did you choose as your water source?