Categories: From the Farm This Week
      Date: Feb 22, 2012
     Title: 22 February 2012
It is truly an unbelievable summer. Our hay is still standing and its near the end of February, never more than 2 days fine and back to rain, we must get some good weeks soon. The hardest part is the plums - we can't pick them wet as they just go off and when we leave them on the trees with the hot and humid weather they get ripe so fast.
Ruth, Beate and Ila have been picking when they can. I have been doing a few plum deliveries for the Hoi Polloi, others and the Bach restaurant - Barbara will do some great stuff with them.

I have been carting lambs and pigs to the abattoirs for both the market and the Bach. Have had to keep the lambs dagged and clean as we don't want fly strike and the rain brings that fresh grass thats all water and the flies love the heat you get with the thunder type storms we are getting. I still ended up with a good ewe blown but was good as i could show the course we ran on Saturday how to deal with it.

The course was Smallholders Guide to Livestock. It ran very well but we had some cancellations and some no shows. Its hard for us as we depend on this income and with all the time involved getting ready, etc a half full course costs us.  But you know its swings and roundabouts. The Farmers Market was busy, not sure if it was the weather, the moon or Ross helping attracting the buyers but it was our best take since Christmas. And we needed it to keep the bank happy.Talking of Ross most of you locals met him on the stall Sunday. This is Ross doing the photo essay on Avonstour. You may have recognized him from his twin that used to stand at the back of the stall. He is heaps bigger than Ross and not so good tempered. We have not seen him for a while I have to ask Ross if he has gone away or something.

We all went to hear Shenanigans the Irish band playing at the Stratford Park. They were great, got us all up dancing, got the stress levels down.

Brian and Sue who own Te Kahuri nurseries at Kaponga (well just before) came out to tea. We have known them for many years and they still market trees taken from our heritage orchard out here. It was good to have them out and catch up as time just goes and it must have been 12 ...15 years ago Brian got the first cuttings.

Came home last week and there was a heap of firewood for the fire. Ila had got the chain harness onto the pony and dragged big barberry logs home she had cut down with an axe. Yep its true girls can do anything.

Samuel went to his girlfriends last evening and looked out and saw the next door house was on fire. He got the car out of the garage and managed to get the fire contained with the garden hose before the fire engine came. It seems he saved a lot as the owner was in a wheelchair (Yep im happy with him).

So See YA Saturday or Sunday .....
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This Saturday 25th Feb is our OPEN DAY at the farm
From 10.30am to 4pm
Please email if you are coming out so we can plan.
See a Rarebreed working farm.  See the Rarebreed livestock.
All for a donation.
So many have asked to come and look and as we are so busy we put them/you off.
So here is your chance .......