Sunday, 3 August 2014

Truly enough rain!

Spring is on the way though we'd really rather it wasn't.  So many things are thinking that winter is over that if we get a frost there is going to be some serious damage done to trees and plants and animals.

Still, planting for the next season has begun in earnest.  I've planted hundreds of seeds each in little pots in our new greenhouse.  Our place is subjected to horrendous winds at times so the only place that we can have the greenhouse is on the front verandah - not so smart looking but it is sheltered.  Yesterday we had such fierce winds that some of our 10 metre high firewood trees were snapping off like matchwood.  We were taking a family on a tour of the farm and were just going through the gate into the orchard when I heard a terrible cracking noise.  The biggest tree that came down snapped off about 4 m above the ground just inside the gate.  The goats were briefly happy.  We lobbed the trunks over the fence into their paddock  -  they had a good chomp but then they disappeared back into their respective houses.  Poor things - they must think they are made of spun sugar!


Ready to go in the greenhouse

A cabbage seedling after 1 week


Last year we started saving seeds in earnest.  This is a good idea for many reasons.  The seeds will be from plants that have grown in our area and so will be ok with our conditions.  It is much cheaper to plant seeds and if we don't have to buy them then it is cheaper still.  Planting our own seed means that we know it hasn't been modified in any way other than natural mutation.  This year we have swapped some seeds with a friend and will do more of this as the season unfolds.

Tonight we planted several more types of chillis (our own seed) and some Brandywine Cherry tomato seeds, as well as several punnets of cauliflower.

The water is everywhere and then some!  Today Martinborough has been almost closed to the outside world by flooding.  Our stupid sheep have decided that it is time to start lambing.  Lillispot lost twins but Zelda gave birth to a beautiful black Arapawa cross (with a white tail) last Sunday.  We have named her Zoe.  We will keep her as her wool looks as if it will be worth spinnng.  She is very large and very lively but poor thing - there is so much water in every paddock that it can't be pleasant for them.
Zoe at three hours old
Our front lawn is now a small lake, with an outlet river that runs across the paddocks where the sheep are.

Lake Front Lawn
Despite the weather it is still gratifying and satisfying to be able to slosh out to the garden and harvest vegetables for dinner - swedes, carrots, fresh herbs, potatoes,  caulifower, beans from the freezer and schnitzel from the farm.  To most people swedes are vegetables to be avoided but mashed with lots of butter and freshly picked chopped parsley are delicious.



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