From the Farm
Aug 27, 2011
27 August 2011
So now we have two teenagers over 16 - will it get better now i wonder or do we have to wait for 21 Ha. Na its not that bad (only sometimes). Ila's friends organized a party and a meal for her, she got lots of presents - cooking knives, bags, necklaces and a huge bear bigger than she is. She has a really good group of friends. I have been working on the smoke house for the smoking and curing course. It has not been finished for 10 years i had just been using a old sheet of iron for the door, looked a bit rough for the course. The course ran really well. Ross did the butchering (he is a qualified butcher) and Jamie smoked the eels as he has spent his life doing that. I think it was one of the strongest courses we have run.
Samuel has been doing well goat hunting, the woolshed has been full of goats for dog tucker that we cut up and into the dog tucker freezer. Rod gave him some ammo (lots ) and that made Samuel happy. THANKS ROD.
We had a rarebreed meeting that went late but got heaps sorted.
The New Caledonian student that was to stay had to cancel as she had a health issue and we are a way out. So Ila was to share the student at Holly's - talking her to school on the bus - but she fell ill with a twisted gut and had to go to hospital. Its hard country out here you know.
I spent a day on accounts in and out well more out than in so that's normal.
Ruth has had heaps more ducklings hatch and has had to house them as they are so early this year they would just die in this weather.
Elton came and asked if i could phone immigration as his visa had only 2 weeks to go. Two weeks and it takes 6 weeks to change. That's Mexican time. The only way to get it fixed was drive to Wellington in person. So Sina and Elton have moved on and i had to sort sheep for the works with no help.
AND THEN IT snowed 6 inches deep. The power went off, the school closed, we had no workers and the sheep were still lambing. We only lost two lambs but it took heaps of work and hay to get them sorted and happy. The Gotlands were the funny ones no problem to them just scratch the snow away and eat the grass. Must be genetic or something as they originate from Sweden.
The Egyptians were another story. The meat just fell of them the breed is not used to snow.
We could not get any of the sorted sheep to the works so had to turn them out and they lost weight and only got half of them away this week the rest will have to re fatten.
We took on a French girl to replace Sina and Elton. Well she was very light and not suited to farm work so cleaned eggs and made up some feeds and that was about all.
Ross came out for photos and while we were walking in the paddock with the camera to his eye he put his foot down a rabbit hole and went flying super man style past me in mid air im sure i heard his camera clicking as he went. Any way something happened as he got the best shot of the essay.
We had Emily an English vet call and stay for a night, she is very keen on rarebreeds and farms Hebridean sheep in the UK. While here Emily helped feed and feed out and sort rams (tups) out. We talked rarebreeds and sheep. I really enjoyed the visit and her enthusiasm gave us a boost. Next time she can stay for a year (or two ) Ha.
The grass and feed pinch is right on us now hits us every year around the 20th of august and starts to come right about 20th sept and even better by 20th oct.
Two Euro sows furrowed on with 8 the other with 19 yes you are reading right 19 can you believe that 19 pigs on a wild sow shame only 9 were alive but even that is heaps for her.
It has got warmer and the bees are working and the black boy peaches are just busting buds. So bit by bit its on its way.
SEE ya Sunday at the Farmers Market
Don't forget if you want a pony or a donkey talk to us.
Samuel has been doing well goat hunting, the woolshed has been full of goats for dog tucker that we cut up and into the dog tucker freezer. Rod gave him some ammo (lots ) and that made Samuel happy. THANKS ROD.
We had a rarebreed meeting that went late but got heaps sorted.
The New Caledonian student that was to stay had to cancel as she had a health issue and we are a way out. So Ila was to share the student at Holly's - talking her to school on the bus - but she fell ill with a twisted gut and had to go to hospital. Its hard country out here you know.
I spent a day on accounts in and out well more out than in so that's normal.
Ruth has had heaps more ducklings hatch and has had to house them as they are so early this year they would just die in this weather.
Elton came and asked if i could phone immigration as his visa had only 2 weeks to go. Two weeks and it takes 6 weeks to change. That's Mexican time. The only way to get it fixed was drive to Wellington in person. So Sina and Elton have moved on and i had to sort sheep for the works with no help.
AND THEN IT snowed 6 inches deep. The power went off, the school closed, we had no workers and the sheep were still lambing. We only lost two lambs but it took heaps of work and hay to get them sorted and happy. The Gotlands were the funny ones no problem to them just scratch the snow away and eat the grass. Must be genetic or something as they originate from Sweden.
The Egyptians were another story. The meat just fell of them the breed is not used to snow.
We could not get any of the sorted sheep to the works so had to turn them out and they lost weight and only got half of them away this week the rest will have to re fatten.
We took on a French girl to replace Sina and Elton. Well she was very light and not suited to farm work so cleaned eggs and made up some feeds and that was about all.
Ross came out for photos and while we were walking in the paddock with the camera to his eye he put his foot down a rabbit hole and went flying super man style past me in mid air im sure i heard his camera clicking as he went. Any way something happened as he got the best shot of the essay.
We had Emily an English vet call and stay for a night, she is very keen on rarebreeds and farms Hebridean sheep in the UK. While here Emily helped feed and feed out and sort rams (tups) out. We talked rarebreeds and sheep. I really enjoyed the visit and her enthusiasm gave us a boost. Next time she can stay for a year (or two ) Ha.
The grass and feed pinch is right on us now hits us every year around the 20th of august and starts to come right about 20th sept and even better by 20th oct.
Two Euro sows furrowed on with 8 the other with 19 yes you are reading right 19 can you believe that 19 pigs on a wild sow shame only 9 were alive but even that is heaps for her.
It has got warmer and the bees are working and the black boy peaches are just busting buds. So bit by bit its on its way.
SEE ya Sunday at the Farmers Market
Don't forget if you want a pony or a donkey talk to us.