Te Radar responds
Throughout the series Te Radar has been answering your
questions. We picked the best questions for Te Radar to
answer.
From Te Radar:
"As an enthusiastic amateur gardener
with a little dirt under my nails, and a fairly good ability to
schedule a to-do list chocker block with wonderful ideas , (if not
an ability to fail to get much of it done) I shall be happy to
answer any and all questions to the best of my abilities.
"
May 26
We had a whole host of requests for the pizza oven featured in the
series.
Te Radar responds: We sort of just bodged ours
together really, without too much of a plan. We had built the clay
one last time, and Jane the director had seen a plan in a local
magazine, (which she promptly lost) so we had a vague idea about
it.
We were very lucky to secure the brick base off TradeMe, and I'm
sure there are not too many of them around. There are a few crucial
heights etc to get right, but my suggestion would be to have a look
on the net, and see which one suits you. There are plenty of
YouTube clips and a wide variety of styles and ranges of
difficulty.
Producer Jane Andrews responds: Radar's oven doesn't have its own plans but The Shed had some very good ones in their Feb/March 08 issue. You can sometimes pick these up on Trade Me. Their contact details are:
The Shed Magazine
231A Symonds St
Newton
Auckland
New Zealand
Phone: +64 9 302-3172
Fax: +64 9 302-3174
subscriptions@theshedmag.co.nz
PO Box 99652
Newmarket
Auckland
For prefabricated pizza oven kits, Certec in Avondale, Auckland
are excellent. 745 Rosebank Rd Avondale Auckland 1026,
Telephone: 09-820 2240
Alison asks: In our office we were wondering where
Radar's house is - mention River End but where in the
country?
Te Radar responds: It's Riverhead, northwest of
Auckland.
Brooke asks: I am doing a project at school on
sustainability and I would be delighted for your comments on what
you consider to be the main points I should cover.
Te Radar responds: Hi Brooke
The main points you should cover are the difference between
personal sustainability and wider efforts. This means what can you
do as a person to be more sustainable, and what can councils /
government / business do. You could also look at the reusing waste
and simply not creating it in the first place. I would also have a
look at the concept of Green washing if you really wanted to have a
provocative assignment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash
Glenn and Cooper Davies ask: What's the chance of
scoring a bottle (or two) of YOUR home brew!!! I was out Riverhead
way last night and had this crazy idea that I might just be able to
crab one from the fridge out there but no!!! Or have
you retired from the brewing business?
Te Radar responds: Sorry, it was so delicious we
drank it all. It sustained us while we were being
sustainable.
Glenys asks: Watched the final episode tonight and
wondered if you could tell me the
name of the opera song and who the artist is please. It was in the
background close to the end of the programme. I had this song for
my wedding and have
forgotten what it is.
Te Radar responds: I believe that is O Mio Bambino Caro by
Puccini.
May 18
Several of our viewers asked about the mushroom kit featured
in episode seven.
Te Radar responds: They are available for $39.95 at some Mitre
10's, Palmers, Oderings and Kings or through
www.14u.co.nz
Toni writes: Really enjoying the show! I'd like to
know what type of solar water heater was installed/who supplied
it? Looked interesting.
Te Radar responds: The heater came from
www.whatpowercrisis.co.nz
.
They are in my experience not a bad unit
May 10
Sarah Jane asks: Really enjoying watching your show. I liked
the cheap worm farm you made. Do you mind giving me the
instructions again please.
Te Radar responds: Hi Sarah
Simply take a couple of plastic container with lids that will sit inside neatly on top of each other, drill some holes in the bottom of the top one, and the lid of the bottom one, to allow juice to drip through (its liquid gold) then sit top one on bottom one, fill top one with some torn up paper, scarps and worms (available for sale from trademe or gardening centres) and wait.
Dont forget to feed them.
Also check what worms can and cant eat...
Debbie writes: We absolutely love your show and even though
we are already growing a lot of veges and composting I have not
tried my hand at the worm farms yet. Can you please tell me which
of your designs worked the best. A friend told me that the worms
like the dark and I was wondering how they feared in the container.
Also please can you tell me how you made the tire worm farm as
can't remember the whole process.
Te Radar responds: Hi Debbie.
Worms do like the dark, but with enough vege matter in there and having them in the shade seemed to work out all right.
I think I prefer the bath as a worm farm but it really is a little big for many people.
The tyre farm can be built by sitting the tyres on some tin, so that any juice that leaks out can be caught in a bucket or tin, as its great for the garden (diluted to the colour of weak tea).
Simply stuff the tyres with newspaper and then fill with some dirt, your worms, and scraps
Tania writes: Hi Radar, A few weeks ago you included in
your programme a section at a place where you could stay in a
yurt. My grandmother has always wanted to know about
yurts. Where can we get more information on this place, and
where is it?
Te Radar responds: Hi Tanya. Yes, Yurts are
yurt-tastic! We stayed here:
The hosts are the great Janie and Jim, and the yurts are only for the summer season I think
Its well worth a stay
Shane writes: Hi there, On tonight's show when you
revisited your family home, your childhood room was covered in
truck wall paper. I am moving house and would like a feature wall
in my new bedroom, I have been searching for wall paper like
what you had not necessarily trucks but anything equally as cool
and authentic eg Robots, trains.. Would you happen to know anywhere
that sold this style old wall paper?
Te Radar responds: Ah, yes, the truck wall-paper. There seems to be plenty of people who had it. Alas no idea where to get it now, but specialist wall paper shops (if they still exist) might know?
M writes: Hi Te Radar - who's sings the Radar's Patch
theme song? Sounds like Taj Mahal?
Te Radar responds: It is a talented duo with
Rivergead connections - Derek Metivier and Marcus Lawson who also
play with band Lucid 3
.
April 29
Stephanie Carman writes: Was just wanting to know how you cut
the sides of the tyres? What tools did you use, because we have
grabbed a heap of old tyres and are wanting use them in our
garden.
Te Radar responds: Hi there. All you need is a good
sharp strong blade, either a Stanley knife or a good vegetable
knife.
It's pretty simple and not all that dangerous. Good
luck
Sarah Giles writes: Just loving Te Radar's show. I watched
it tonight and just loved the bamboo gardens! Very fancy Te Radar.
I was just wondering if you could post it on the TVNZ website how
you made them.
Te Radar responds: Actually it is pretty straight
forward, design a circle about the right size, stick into the
ground the uprights, from memory an odd number, then weave the
spilt bamboo alternately around them.
It pays to have good long lengths, split into about 8th's. It can be split very easily by running a machete or strong blade down the lengths, sometimes assisted by the application of a tap with a hammer.
It also helps if the size of the circle is slightly less than the length of the bamboo.
It really is that easy. Have a crack, and if you don't get it right, start again.
Oh, and it may pay to line it with old carpet etc to help
keep the dirt in.
Jess writes: I am just wondering if you could let us
know where the source of bamboo is and if it is free?
Te Radar responds: Hi Jess
The bamboo was sourced from a large nursery in West Auckland. I'm not sure that they are still allowing any to be harvested, as we accessed it through the bamboo society. They may know of places to get some.
Their website with contact details is here: http://bamboo.org.nz/page_03_society.htm
Happy sourcing
Nevin writes: Could someone kindly send some
information on how to turn a lawnmower into a mulcher as featured
on 4 April ep?.
Te Radar responds: Hi Nevin,
There are a few instructions on the various sites on the wider internet, but we made it up as we went along.
So, I can't really provide any as it was all in our heads
Rosie writes: Thoroughly enjoying your show as
always. Could you please tell us where in Christchurch the
paint recycling store is.
Te Radar responds: It is The Charity Barn, 526 Blenheim Rd,
Chch.
Please ensure you say hi to Barry from ME!
April 20
Sarah Gill writes: We are in Hamilton and I was wondering if you
knew that you can put in quite a few veggies for the winter.
Brassicas, carrots, spuds, beetroot, brussle sprouts & broad
beans, just to name a few.
I have carrots, bok chou, a new plant that's like sprouting
broccoli that apparently tastes like broccoli and asparagus
together which sounds yummy, spuds in buckets and N.Z
spinach.
We are trying hard to lower our carbon foot print, lower our food
miles by buying local or N.Z produce, growing some food, and
composting, worming, and getting chookies. We only eat free range/
cage free chicken and pork and free range eggs. I do all this on
the invalids benefit due to my cerebral palsey. Its not easy... but
you do what you can to save the planet.
Keep up the ECO shows Te Radar, we are inspiring me.
Can you do one in the Waikato soon so the resources are more local
for us?
Te Radar responds: Hi there Sarah. Yes, I was
aware of the large number of veges that can be planted in
winter.
It's a amazing what will continue to flourish, even in the chilly
Waikato. ( I grew up there so am familiar with it's fog)
You are right, people do what they can, and it sounds like you are
doing a great deal. Im not sure that we will down to the
Waikato to film, in fact Im not sure there will be another
series.
Keep up the good work
Gavin writes: Hi Te Radar; Long time watcher first
time writer! I am a Riverhead local and am also trying my hand at
the backyard garden & chickens lifestyle change. I have a
quick question --- The Te Whenua Brewer is there any
possibility of purchasing any of his wonderful looking brews and if
so where?
It would be awesome if you replied.
Te Radar responds: Ah, you mean Albrecht. Sadly it's not
possible to buy any of his beer as that would contravene the home
brewing laws.
These are real laws, issued by the government, not some odd laws
that home brewers make up.
Sorry about that, as his beer is excellent.
If you see him around you could always ask....He's a great
guy,
April 14
A whole host of emails came in asking for the recipe to the
muesli from episode two, as well as 'Margaret's Elixir of
Youth'.
The recipes can be found here.
Paul Guthrie writes: Did the smartdrive motor produce
enough power to light up a bulb? I f it did how about a wiring
plan?
Te Radar responds: Hi there,
Yes it did, especially any LED type bulbs.
We just had a simple version that wasnt overly effective.
Stay tuned as in a future episode (Maybe next week or the week after) we travel to Taranaki to see someone who is utilising them with both windmills and Pelton wheels.
Im not sure of the wiring plan, as electrics aren't really
my forte, (I was tempted to have a go but I quite like being alive)
and we had one of the guys from what power crisis kindly wire it up
for us.
Emma Hunt writes: Noticed you cut the walls off your tyres
for the potato stacks.
What kind of knife did you use to do that? something especially
grunty and sharp?
Te Radar responds: Actually its really simple, and I
just used an ordinary Stanley knife initially, then I think I
simply used a sharp short bladed kitchen knife.
If you cut next to the base of the tire, you know, the drive on the groundy bit, there shouldnt be any steel lining or such like.
I was amazed at how quick and simply it is.
Alternately, most tire shops will cut the walls out before
they bin the tyre, so you could ask them if they have any.
April 5
Margee writes: Hi there,
My partner and I were having a discussion about "Radar's Patch", and he was saying that it's not filmed in New Zealand and that "Radar" is not a kiwi bloke and I say that it is filmed in NZ and that he is Kiwi.
Please could you enlighten us both and answer these two questions.
Te Radar responds: Hello Margee.
Radar's Patch is most certainly filmed in New Zealand, at a little
town called Riverhead on the outskirts of West Auckland. And while
I am a kiwi, I am not sure I would classify myself as a typical
"Kiwi bloke".
Radar
Winter in Wellywood writes: Hi Radar,
I just recently started to be interested in gardening.. I've started by weeding. I live in inner city Wellington and I hope to have a fully functioning eadible garden. Through Google I've just learnt what season we are in and that Winter is upon us soon, therefore nothing can be planted until Winter is over soooo I thought I'd have a crack at a worm garden (although still not completely sure the difference between a worm garden and composting) anyways.. I have an old bath that is full of dirt and now no other plants, I have old food scraps at the ready, so what next?.. Worms?? and then what? Is it really as easy as Google says?
Look forward to hearing from you,
Te Radar responds: Hi Winter in Wellywood.
How about having a look at some crops that nourish the soil, cover crops such as lupins or mustard, oats, or peas.
You can still plant citrus trees, and there are some great dwarf varieties out there now. Also have a look at winter veges like broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage, leeks, some potatoes, and oninons apparently.
Or perhaps a little winter colour in the form of sweet peas?
As for the worms, they are pretty simple. You can order the right ones (Tiger worms) over the internet from various sources or Trade Me. There's also plenty of instructions there too. Just be careful to bone up on what they don't like, and the best ways to avoid rodents.
Radar
Mir asks: Is the Land Rover for sale? Will it be on sale
after the show finishes? Maybe the new show will start with a new
landie and the old one can be sold.
Te Radar responds: The landrover has a little sentimental
attachment attached to it so, no, it is a not for sale at this
stage.
