After some time to renew and refresh the website…..we are back!
It has been a busy few months, with lots growing and happening, and is best said in pictures to get us back on track!
Ducklings December 2020
We were honoured to have a pair of butcher birds raise a family in front of the house!
We had great rain in May, though so far in June it has been warm and sunny…not really what is needed in winter!
The ‘complex’ complex has had a bit of a revamp which includes a fence around it. Traditionally what we have done is bury the left overs once we have prepared rabbits, chickens etc for the freezer, plus use animal manures freely. We haven’t been able to do this in this new raised bed garden as the dogs are big and agile enough to jump in and dig it all up again! The gardens were suffering from a lack of nutrients, so fencing was the easy answer. Once the fence was in, we were able to really nourish the soil in the raised beds and replant area, and it is really starting to take off now, especially with the rain we experienced in May.
Secure from the dogs!
One of those days …….
We have had quite a busy time lately….with the robodog, now aptly named ‘Finndini’ after successfully escaping from a variety of cages, and so needing a high level of care…..and time!
Even so, we have managed to undertake a few projects, such as making mead, ginger beer, completing the establishment of new garden beds, and several preserving jobs, all in addition to the winter maintenance jobs like collecting wood, tidying paddocks and burning off.
Preparing new garden beds and a pallet garden
Sowing the back paddock
First attempt at making mead
Preserved lemons, herbs in oil, and the first batch of ginger beer!
New pool fence around the pool and aqua phonics system
Ginger cordial made from home grown ginger
Our lovely Wiltipoll ram ‘220’ or ‘toots’ for short, died today. We don’t know how or why, but it is likely he disturbed a tiger snake from its slumber when the sheep were let into a new paddock. He was a great ram, and fathered great lambs. Finn the dog will miss a good mate too, when he is able to run around once more.
Finn whispering sweet nothings into toots’ ear!
Well, what a surprise to get home one day to see Finn, one of our three dogs, on the the wrong side of the gate. That turned to dismay when it was obvious he was injured. A trip to the emergency vet confirmed a badly broken leg requiring surgery to insert a pin through the thigh bone (which was in three pieces), a plate and 11 screws holding it all together. Now he needs to be confined to a cage for 12 weeks to allow it to heal- and that is no fun for a big, active farm dog! We have a 1.2 x70 cage in the bathroom for while we are at work and overnight, and this smaller one in the lounge so he can be with us and the other dogs in the evenings.
Finn, looking sorry for himself!
We don’t know how he got out- he could have jumped the fence or gate, but however he did it meant he got out onto the road and was hit by a car.