"Why did you call it the Rabbithole"?

So this is going to be one of these completely self-serving blog posts which I write to make only my own life easier... Thing is, a perceived 20 times a day (realistically, maybe once every 10 days) I get asked "So why did you call this place the Rabbithole??" Often, this is accompanied by a somewhat curious expression on peoples face - but sometimes there's a hint of a dubious touch to it. 

Admittedly, if you're going to be growing vegetables, the last thing you want is rabbits, right? 

Maybe. Not. 

But first for the story: if you have ever wandered the yards of the beautiful Rabbithole, you'll have noticed that our garden situation is a little peculiar. (Ok, less so since last summer, but still...). Against all permaculture principles (Zone 1, vege garden, most often visited, closest to the house) our main garden and orchard are a level below the house, accessible only via a somewhat treacherous bush track (which I love). 

Which essentially means, when you arrive, you dive down through the shady dark forest until you reach the sunny meadow below. It's just like falling down a Rabbithole - and ending up in vege wonderland. Or something like that. 

(Last summer we surrendered to permaculture wisdom and added a kitchen garden next to the house as well - but wonderland garden is still going strong and now - with more mature fruit trees flowering - more wonderland-ish than ever)

That's one version of the story. 

The other version of the story is to do with Morpheus. 

Because the simple yet complex life at the Rabbithole is very much intentionally a counter-reaction to popular culture. Here, we believe that salvation does not lie in purchasing the next shiny object. We acknowledge that our current lifestyles are unsustainable, and have to change. We live with this consciousness every day - even on the days when we are not making the best sustainable choices. It's a learning process. And one of discovery. We see through the wool that popular culture pulls over your eyes - we like to name things for what they are. In essence, our regular ways are killing the planet faster than we can comprehend, climate change is already here and the economic growth paradigm is - finally - entering hospice. To see these things for what they really are takes a bit of learning - and a fair bit of courage. So, what would  you like? The red pill or the blue pill - and how deep do you want to go? 

For those of you who find this a little bit heavy - don't worry too much. Just