It has been a busy week on station as we continue with various training sessions. This week’s station based training involved first responder training, first aid kits and stretcher training. There is always a bit of fun to be had when strapping fellow expeditioners onto stretchers, even if it is telling them to ease off the homemade biscuits!
One of the best places to hang out on station is the hydroponics building. It’s warm, bright and currently turning into a jungle of edible goodness. It’s amazing what a difference 3 weeks make. In the first week of May we had a bunch of tiny seedlings and tomato plants that were 100mm high. By the end of May we were eating lettuce every second day, stir-frying pak choy and other Asian greens and have fresh herbs to cook with. It’s amazing what a bowl of fresh greens does to brighten everyone’s spirits! Also, nothing like a fresh sprig of coriander to start a debate and separate a room into the lovers and haters.
The news of the first tomatoes on the bush and cucumber flowers travels fast and we are all waiting to see the first glimmer of red and bite into a crunchy cucumber. Hopefully they will be ready in time for the midwinter feast on 21 June.
Until then we lose more daylight but with some amazing sunrises and sunsets, even if they are only three hours apart!
