October 2014

It’s been a lovely October.  The birds are singing and the paddocks are lush - a fresh, youthful green.  We’re starting to think pigs.  The spring winds haven’t been too troublesome yet, and we’ve had a relatively pleasant mix of sunshine and rain.  The trees are all in leaf or blossom, and veges are flourishing.  The main downside is that paid work is also flourishing, though daylight saving does compensate for that to some extent.

We do still have rabbits, though only the buck and 14 youngsters.  All the mothers and the entire first litter of 7 kits (pictured in last month's blog) are gone.  One of these kits outlived the others by a couple of weeks before eventually succumbing.  That was a sad day because I’d let myself believe that it was over the worst.  One of the 14 kits is blind (no eyes) but it seems to get along alright.  They’re all quite stunted and scruffy, but are lively with healthy appetites.  They’re nearly old enough to be vulnerable to calicivirus.   It’s an awful thought that the virus might still be around, though there’s nothing to do but wait and hope.  Keeping them alive in the absence of a mother always was a long shot.

Our broody hen has just been rewarded with a couple of beautiful chicks.  There may be a few more to come yet, though the hen isn’t the most dedicated egg-sitter.  It’s interesting that none of the other hens have gone broody yet.  Bob was dispatched to the freezer, leaving Cornelius as the only rooster for his harem.  Other than the broody hen, they've all been moved back to the original run.  There’s more space for them there, and the baby chicks won’t have competition for food.

Both Galloway cows have now sold and will be heading to pastures new near Christchurch sometime soon.  That means that I won’t be able to hone my Artificial Insemination skills on Aphrodite after all.  Instead I’ll have a try with Hera, though it may be harder because she hasn't yet calved.  We’re just waiting for the pistillet (insertion tool) and for Hera to go on heat, then it’ll be all-go and out with the disposable gauntlets and lube. Can't wait!

The new nut trees in the nuttery are all looking fabulous.  Their buds are bursting into delicate new leaves, so hopefully they’re getting well-rooted.  The apples, pears and cherries are flowering now, and so is the fast-growing Quince tree.  One of Ange and Matt's pear trees is thriving (photo above), the other sadly not. Comfrey is popping up everywhere, and makes a welcome addition to the rabbit food.  The orchard irrigation will have to be extended but that can be put off as long as there’s still enough rain.  It's looking really verdant and abundant - a real pleasure to look at the trees and remind myself that I planted them.  Though I've made many mistakes with planting of all kinds, I'm really glad that I stuck with the plan of getting fruit trees in sooner rather than later. Though it wasn't a well thought-out plan at the time (particularly in terms of irrigation, tree spacing and how to manage the pasture itself), we managed to cobble things together and trouble-shoot the problems that cropped up.  It's a little higgledy-piggledy, but everything's alive and looking healthy.  We should get something that resembles a crop by the end of summer.  Maybe even enough to share with the pigs.

Peter’s tacked together another couple of raised beds in the horse arena.  One of them has been prepared with newspaper mulch and any other organic material we could find.  Old hay and straw, a few buckets of top soil gathered up, some remaining compost, and, very satisfyingly, a huge volume of shredded office paper.  It’s unlikely that any of them will be planted up this year, though I did manage to find some bargain olive trees which will need to be heeled in somewhere. 

The flower garden is beginning its summer show.  There are already lots of flowers which are being visited by all sorts of bees, including bumble bees.  It’s been really satisfying to be adding plants which I've grown from seed.  So far forget-me-nots, sweet pea, echium, poached egg plant, cosmos, arnica, zinnia and poppy, are planted out, and plenty more to come which are still in the tunnel house.  There are also lots of seed-grown tansy and rue which will line outside edge of the chicken run.  They are insect-repellent plants which can be cut and thrown into the run/hen house in the hope that they’ll reduce the mite population. 

Madame Cholet has been a hive of activity – seeds and seedlings in and out, potting on and planting out.  The seedlings are moved onto the shelves in the gin palace for a few days before being hardened-off outside.  I lost a load of seedlings early on when I foolishly planted out seedlings directly from the tunnel house.  Since then there’s only been frost-damage to a tray of marigolds, which happily look like they might recover.  Some plants will stay in the tunnel house – cucumber, tomato, chilli, aubergine and melon.  Mostly they’re not quite big enough to be potted into the straw bale beds, but it won’t be long.  

The keyhole beds are now home to onions, leeks, kale cauliflower, cavalo nero, beetroot, lettuce, purple potatoes, asparagus, Jerusalem and globe artichokes and broad beans.  Lined up to go in next are carrots and beans (runner and bush).  I did do some weed-killing of the veg garden perimeter where the pasture weeds were invading.  Not a good feeling, but hope not to have to repeat it any time soon.  I got a truck load of mulched macrocarpa (for the cost of a few beers) which has now been spread over the internal pathways.  It smells heavenly – a fresh pine scent that fills the air as you step on it.  Another load should complete the rest of the pathways and help reduce the persistent pasture weeds which are finding their way through.  The corner of the veg garden by the pump house has yet to be turned into beds and paths.  I’d planned to have done this by now, but it’s probably going to have to wait until next year before it gets proper attention. 

I'm still waiting for my new queen bee, and all is looking well inside the hive.  Maybe next time I look there'll be some queen cells anyway, and I can split the hive with those. Derryn and me have finished our beekeeping course, without completing the last modules. These were specifically industry-orientated and since we didn't want a qualification, there wasn't any point in going ahead for the sake of it.  Much as the course was enjoyable and very informative, it's a relief to not have to do any more assignments.

On the home front everyone is happy.  Peter’s making progress on several farm projects, and has even managed to get on with some thistle-bashing. Lucas is nearing the end of his course and has already been doing some design work for a company who have offered him work next year.  He’s done lots of work for the Marlborough Bee Club, including the website (www.marlboroughbeekeepers.co.nz).  Sophie is about to start her new job with Air New Zealand, having just finished her course.  Sam is gearing up to year 12 exams and Billy is just pottering along.  I’m keeping everything crossed that job-share plans for next year will materialise, so that I can be more often released to spend time at home. 

The Onamalutu River, just behind our place.

Home sweet home.