Categories: From the Farm This Week
Date: Apr 7, 2011
Title: 7 April 2011
Rain fantastic rain the farm is flushing up with grass have had the odd mushroom but not heaps as yet.
Got my report for the Rarebreeds mag done and sent. Had a Rarebreeds phone meeting to sort AGM etc.
Janine gave us a kahawhai she and Rod had caught. We baked it in the oven in milk it was fantastic. We really miss sea fish.
I have made up and bottled a batch of rosehip syrup. I mostly do the bottling at night after everyone has gone to bed. I use the pyro classic wood fire to save power. I had a bright idea - why bother to heat the jars in the oven, just put them on top of the fire with the pot. Well the first jar i filled cracked around the base and the syrup flowed out over the cook top, the house filled with steam and then smoke, thank goodness the bedroom doors were shut and the smoke alarms stayed off. Ruth was not happy with the smell of burnt toffee in the morning.
Ross has been out twice to take photos for his photo essay (he would have got some good ones of me in the smoke and steam)
We towed the old Toyota down to the road, Kim from Reid Recovery came out and bought it for $75. It was Ruth's farm transport before the mule, was really good until Samuel hit a strainer while doing some fencing, oh well he had to learn somewere at least he was working not hooning.
I spent too much money on trade me this week i brought a large stainless gas oven for the farm kitchen. Ila is really pleased and has already cooked a large duck with herbed wedges with pink fir spuds, carrots from the garden and a range of sauces made from the self seeded tomatoes. The problem is the kitchen as yet is just a concrete slab in the shed. Im now going to have to get building.
We have cleaned out the woolshed, carted the wool down to Marks for pressing, gave it its yearly waterblast inside two days work for a year not bad.
Jamie brought Brett Alluvia and Riana out for the day and while the others looked at the farm Jamie and i fixed some pipe gates in the cowshed.
Got the accounts out and paid some, gets a bit tight from now on but still ticking away.
Beate is getting the sheds clean, on to water blasting now. The pigs are very happy.
Been on the road with lambs as usual for both the Bach Restaurant and market orders etc.
Yesterday i dressed 3 goats for our freezer and the new workers (woofers) that start next week.
Samuel went deer stalking got nothing. His cider brew is coming along, the sugar went in last night (he is looking for old beer bottles now if you have any)
See ya Sunday