April 2012

Hard to believe that I'm doing April's blog on April 7th.  It's a sure sign of acute task-avoidance behaviour.  I really don't know just exactly when I'm going to get round to completing that assignment from my diploma.  I just totally know that doing my blog has to be a priority.

Life on the farm contines to keep us happily busy.  The pigs are still getting bigger, enjoying yet more windfall apples as well as other autumnal excess crops.  Many times I muse over the possible reasons why they have not yet attempted to escape.  Their enclosure has no barbed wire or electric fence - we'd planned to add those as required, and so far there hasn't been a snort of wanderlust.  Is it because they know they're onto a good thing on the food front?  Is it because they can root around, play in the mud and be entertained by the chickens?  Or is it that they're waiting until I get really, really smug, then they're going to make a run for it?  I worry that maybe they are over-fed, then I worry that we'll run out of feed for them.  Clearly I'm not really sure what to be worried about.  Maybe I'll just try to stop worrying.

The turkeys are one (male) down.  Since we had no idea how much they'd weigh, it seemed like a good idea to, er, 'process' one.  When I say 'we', obviously I mean Peter.  He did the deed, then  we had the inaugural momentous occasion of eating meat from an animal we'd raised to eat.  That turkey was 3.5kg and provided 3 meals-worth of meat for us all.  I definitely had mixed feelings about going ahead and eating it.  The men of the family had no such qualms.

The wetland has had some attention and is now a few willows short.  And we have several large piles of firewood so we'll keep toasty over winter.  We've sold the pine trees which border the boundary of the property to a local man who sells firewood.  He plans to come and take them all down in June, and we're going to ask him if he could also chop down the really big willows in the wetland.  Hopefully he'll have a gargantuan chainsaw to do the job.  I've priced up and made a few tentative plans for re-planting in natives, and hope to get on with this fairly soon.  I'll start once the wetland is fenced (staked out and some posts dug in today), optimistically with a few helpers from Renwick School doing a community conservation project.  Nothing wrong with a bit of child-labour in the interests of saving the planet eh? 
The next project in my head is how best to replace the pines - I'm thinking woodlots, fruit and nut trees, trees for birds and bees, trees for cattle and more natives.  Happy thoughts....

This photo of the veg patch was taken from the balcony.  It shows some of the pines in the background which will soon be no more.  We've also staked out the fencing for the veg-extension area to the left of the current patch.  This will double the size of the veg area (meaning we'll be able to grow even more spuds, some maize and grains), and will also provide a small fenced paddock close to the house in which we can accommodate any animal who needs to be separated - sick or giving birth or too randy.   I have desires for ducks in among the veges somewhere - they are seriously, seriously cute, and apparently duck eggs make great cakes. 

Talking of eggs, the hens are not yet laying.  Though they are adorable of course.  Bob is honing his early-morning crowing skills, but has yet to penetrate the teenagers' sub-consciousness on a school morning.  The chooks like to gather round when anyone appears, particularly if they have a bucket-in-hand.  They are especially partial to the sprouted grains that we feed to the pigs.

And still talking of eggs, for Easter this year, we had a go at making our own eggs.  The marshmallow bit worked really well:

But the chocolate coating was a bit hurried, so in the end they looked pretty dodgy but tasted great.  We used this recipe from 'nz girl'.

We're still cropping reasonably well, though it's pretty much only pumpkins, carrots and tomatoes left.  I've blanched and frozen several bags of leeks and beetroot (phenomenal crop which is also feeding the cattle and pigs).  The potatoes are all dug up, and most of the ground is nearly ready for its green manure crop.  There'll be just one bed of brassicas remaining over winter, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that purple sprouting broccoli (my very favourite veg) will actually sprout.  Lots of leaves so far, but no heads yet. 

The spuds include the purple Maori potato which has been delicious.  And since they hold their colour when cooked, we can make purple chips and purple mash.

Beyond the farm, I'm in the process of resurrecting my 'biker-chick' image (Peter has just queried that I actually ever had one - whatever...). I rode to Reefton with a group called 'Babes-on-Bikes'. They meet twice a year, travelling from all over the South Island to a pre-selected location, and like to party. I couldn't measure up to the Harley/Ducati riders - pootling along on my 250cc bike wearing bright yellow PVC trousers, but they took me under their wings nevertheless. Much appreciated, and yes, I think one day I'll be back.



The grape harvest (vintage) is beginning in earnest, though is much later (by about 3 weeks) than previous years as a result of a lousy summer.  Peter will begin his long hours on Monday (12 hours a day, seven days a week) so we won't be seeing much of him.  And probably not much extra will be done on the farm, though I will be able to indulge my planning - always a bit scary.  Sheep have now moved into the research phase - probably Wiltshires or Dorpers as they shed their wool.  Peter won't be home in daylight hours for a few weeks, so perhaps I should re-visit the donkey concept....

Sweet dreams.