Using the power of compost to save water and the soil
Nature provides everything needed to sustain a fruitful life and all one needs to do is meet it halfway.
To the average city slicker, the idea of rummaging through manure that is teeming with worms is the thing of apocalyptic nightmares. However, as soon as one can throw off the shackles of misconception, a world of possibility can be found in the natural process of entropy and decomposition.
Nature provides everything needed to sustain a fruitful life and all one needs to do is meet it halfway. The ultimate green-fingered enthusiast is 73-year-old Florida resident, Hennie Dreyer who through composting and creepy crawlies is hoping to educate people on the benefits of urban cultivation.
“Around 40 per cent of household waste is compostable. It helps save water and you can produce healthy food right in your backyard,” said Hennie, who believes strongly in the gifts of the Earth.
Basing the process around vermicomposting, which is the use of worms to break down natural waste, Hennie turns leaves that he collects from around the neighbourhood into nutrient-rich fertiliser through patience and hard work.
“It takes about nine months for the leaves to break down fully,” he said.
The complexities are vast and Hennie even offers advice on what manure can best be used to amplify the potency. “Cow manure is great, but sheep manure is very bad as it is too acidic,” he claimed.
He dreams of a ‘vegetable gardeners forum’ that comes together to promote this environmentally friendly practice. “Its objectives would be to contribute to the common good, to share information and experience, and to heal our soil,” said Hennie. He also envisages a time when the shared resources of the community can be pooled together for the good of all.
“If people can work together without pushing their own interests it can do great things,” he continued. The coronavirus pandemic has created a perfect opportunity to shift habits away from a reliance on the supermarket to embracing the benefits of something homegrown.
A well of knowledge, Hennie is looking to spread the word or spark an interest in someone who shares his vision.
To learn more from Hennie, send an email to ltblight8@gmail.com and unlock the treasures of environmental gardening.
