From the Farm
Jun 27, 2012
27 June 2012
Ya the shortest day, the days get longer from here but the weather wetter, not that we need any wet, the ponds are all full and the mud season is on us real fast. The good thing is the fallow paddocks are now in use and we can cut the amount of hay etc we need to feed out. Its great to conserve all we can now as we count 100 days before we have surplus grass. The main mob of sheep jumped the gun and somehow got onto the fallow early last week, may have been a possum hunter or something opened the gate so it will be 107 days for that lot.
All the trees are near totally bare of leaves so won't be long before we start with live tree fencing cuttings and poles.
A few more Damara lambs, i have been expecting more, I'm glad they are holding on to them with all this rain.
Had a visit from Greg the industrial hemp man and had a good talk. We are pretty well going to grow this fantastic eco friendly crop. Our next job is to get some of our machinery out and fixed so we can get the job done.
Aint Trade Me great............. one of my saved searches is 'Austin' so i can get parts for the Austin Gipsy. With that search a 1965 Austin Cotswold house truck came up
on gas with shower and cooking. As we are increasing our volunteer work force we need more accommodation so after Ruth and Beate going to look and seal a deal
I got onto a tow truck (as the brakes don't work) and Ross to give us a hand and we got her home and over the 100 acres in a nice spot. She's a bit rough but a good week or more we will have her sorted. I really need Robin back to help i really miss him for jobs like this. The truck is old but has always been a camper and is not too hippy as we don't want it to stand out too much. First job is to set up a toilet and get water over to it, jack it up on blocks, patch, clean and paint.
I traveled down to give a talk on Sustainable Farming using heritage breeds and organics to SUSTAINABLE RANGITIKEI, a group based in Marton. The room was packed and my talk went very well, met some new people and moved the rarebreed, organics up a notch or two. After my talk a Peter Farrel gave me some cuttings from a black currant that his family brought to NZ many years ago and settled in Stratford. So these genetics have traveled the world then to Stratford, around NZ, now back to Taranaki. The funny thing was the piece of land in Stratford - we used to graze it - it was one of those small units that once were everywhere. Laura cooked myself and the executive of the sustainable group a great gluten free meal. It was great to have a meal with and do my presentation to a great go ahead lot of people.
It was Ruths turn to get her Mule stuck (Kawasaki Mule). I had to tow her out with my trusty Gipsy. But we can't complain at all about the Mule, it is one of the best farm vehicles we have, very reliable and economical, I don't know how we would do without it. As its an older one it is simple and trouble free.
It was a slow market this week but i still had the Mondays as it takes a bit out of you....... only stall runners understand this, you work all week to trade and if its a bit down it hits you Monday.
Ann Marie called in with a heap of really good old farming books, it was great to see her, she is looking for a farm placement on a sheep station or maybe an off shore island. She is a vet student and i recommend her totally so if you know somewhere in the south island or an island she can do some work in her break from Uni let me know.
Anyway i had some good feedback about my 1920 look i had last week. One very good looking woman saying i was very handsome and looked like Johnny Deep (if that how you spell it) you know Pirates of the Caribbean main actor. Made me day i can tell you.
All the trees are near totally bare of leaves so won't be long before we start with live tree fencing cuttings and poles.
A few more Damara lambs, i have been expecting more, I'm glad they are holding on to them with all this rain.
Had a visit from Greg the industrial hemp man and had a good talk. We are pretty well going to grow this fantastic eco friendly crop. Our next job is to get some of our machinery out and fixed so we can get the job done.
Aint Trade Me great............. one of my saved searches is 'Austin' so i can get parts for the Austin Gipsy. With that search a 1965 Austin Cotswold house truck came up
on gas with shower and cooking. As we are increasing our volunteer work force we need more accommodation so after Ruth and Beate going to look and seal a deal
I got onto a tow truck (as the brakes don't work) and Ross to give us a hand and we got her home and over the 100 acres in a nice spot. She's a bit rough but a good week or more we will have her sorted. I really need Robin back to help i really miss him for jobs like this. The truck is old but has always been a camper and is not too hippy as we don't want it to stand out too much. First job is to set up a toilet and get water over to it, jack it up on blocks, patch, clean and paint.
I traveled down to give a talk on Sustainable Farming using heritage breeds and organics to SUSTAINABLE RANGITIKEI, a group based in Marton. The room was packed and my talk went very well, met some new people and moved the rarebreed, organics up a notch or two. After my talk a Peter Farrel gave me some cuttings from a black currant that his family brought to NZ many years ago and settled in Stratford. So these genetics have traveled the world then to Stratford, around NZ, now back to Taranaki. The funny thing was the piece of land in Stratford - we used to graze it - it was one of those small units that once were everywhere. Laura cooked myself and the executive of the sustainable group a great gluten free meal. It was great to have a meal with and do my presentation to a great go ahead lot of people.
It was Ruths turn to get her Mule stuck (Kawasaki Mule). I had to tow her out with my trusty Gipsy. But we can't complain at all about the Mule, it is one of the best farm vehicles we have, very reliable and economical, I don't know how we would do without it. As its an older one it is simple and trouble free.
It was a slow market this week but i still had the Mondays as it takes a bit out of you....... only stall runners understand this, you work all week to trade and if its a bit down it hits you Monday.
Ann Marie called in with a heap of really good old farming books, it was great to see her, she is looking for a farm placement on a sheep station or maybe an off shore island. She is a vet student and i recommend her totally so if you know somewhere in the south island or an island she can do some work in her break from Uni let me know.
Anyway i had some good feedback about my 1920 look i had last week. One very good looking woman saying i was very handsome and looked like Johnny Deep (if that how you spell it) you know Pirates of the Caribbean main actor. Made me day i can tell you.