NATURE KNOWS BEST

Maude is a small rural hamlet half an hour northwest of Geelong. There, Anita and Cable Belousoff have worked hard for three years to get their slice of Victoria into shape.

The country is rugged and exposed to heavy winds. Summers are hot and dry and, though the cooler months are stunning with beautiful green pastures and crisp, foggy mornings, water is an issue out here.

The low rainfall means getting lots of organic matter into the soil is paramount — and it’s definitely working. Of the Belousoffs’ three acres, about a third is given over to gardens around the house, including a kitchen plot.

Then there’s a more serious vegie patch, approximately 100m2, plus they’ve just started a really