From the Farm
Mar 7, 2012
7 March 2012
Well what a week. At the start the bee man came and worked on the hives, that night it got cold and the mountain got a little snow and yes we got some calves - Lakenvelders, one black and white heifer and a red brown and white bull calf. We autumn calf all our cows, they are Lakenvelders or Belted Dutch, a very old milking breed. Its where the Belted Galloway's got their belt from.
We then had a visit from Ian Balme who is the owner of Forgotten World Adventures. He has self drive rail carts with bike racks on the back and they are going to run on the rail line that runs thru the farm. We think its a real go-er and will support it in every way we can. You know the back country has a lot to offer.
.
Spent a day doing The GST blooming heck i only did it 10 days ago I just love it - blank cheque butts, missing receipts and always has to be in yesterday.
And then IT came, yes it was a storm, the mountain covered in snow, wind from an angle we never get driving rain. Trees thru fences letting stock out. The worst tree for us to lose is the large oak tree opposite the old Huiroa School. It was about 120 years old and was planted on the church grounds as there was a church on our property once many years ago. All that is left of the church is the door step and this oak tree that is now half over the road. So i have heaps of work to go on with. At least we had power. I went and cut some large poplars off a fence at Ross's and his power was out for three days.
We are fine if we lose power as we have the fire to cook on, gas bottles if needed and a generator. Samuel was at Natalies when the storm hit and as its a cow farm the cows could not be milked and they could go nowhere as the cars were in the garage with electric doors. This tells us something.
We have had two litters of Wessex pigs, a 9 and a 7, and a litter of Euro a 7. The Wessex were outside in the storm but are fine. Beate had the Euro sow in the shed and they are fine and pampered. Both Canterbury Blue sows have now been with the pure boar so we are hoping for some interesting litters.
To top the week off I had to get the lambs into the abattoirs for the Bach restaurant and the pigs in for bacon etc and we had a frost YES a frost and the Farm Ute with the stock crate just would not start, so had to use the trailer in three trips.
Next week i should have heaps to tell you about Ross and his photo essay.
O yes the washing machine is still going.