Categories: From the Farm This Week
      Date: Sep 29, 2011
     Title: 29 September 2011
The Apples are busting buds, the kowhai with its yellow flowers is out. The black boy peach trees have a beautiful shade of dark pink flowers, the native pigeons are in the trees feeding, the tuis are around, we even have a bell bird or two calling.  The whole place has that garden of Eden feel.  Every morning has been a light frost and the days sunny.  Ruth has muscovy ducks sitting everywhere under the trees, in the sheds whereever they want.  The starlings are continuing to make nests in the vehicles and today Samuel started his car and it sounded like a wood planer, the motor clogged with straw. He was not too happy - the only thing he likes better than his car is maybe (just maybe) is his girlfriend who came to tea last night.  Everything had to be perfect, he even tidied the house, vacuumed, cleaned the windows and had a shower.
We ran the cheesemaking course, spent some time setting up for it and Ruth did the cooking, Claudia did a great tutor job.  Everyone was happy.  The French people that were to Wwoof this week emailed, they had car problems. So all the setting up for them was a waste of time.  Its unfortunate as we plan and count on these volunteers, get in food, kill meat. O well this week we have a Dutch girl starting Sara for 3 weeks.
Have been dealing with people buying weaner pigs. The hay is running out but it won't be long before we won't need to feed.  We are waiting for the Barberry to bust buds, can't be long.  The rotary hoe is proving hard to fix, the clutch has to be hand made but should be ready today.
I have been on the computer heaps completing articles for the Rarebreed Mag, Organic mag, etc on the courses so we can keep going.
Had a phone meeting of the rarebreeds, we have lots to do with that, many breeds are falling back to make way for the mighty cow.
The Dorset Horn hoggets are lambing, they are just fantastic mums less than a year old themselves, these make the very best ewes.
Well have to go as i am going to town to meet with the District Council food safety lady Wendy, I'm behind with my book work and she is going to help me !!
So see ya Sunday