tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53372959696009276742024-03-13T17:08:26.910+11:00Bredbo Valley View FarmValley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.comBlogger363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-27385743212514546602024-01-19T13:12:00.001+11:002024-01-19T13:12:10.497+11:00Blog is closed<p> This blog is closed, we no longer own the farm or live in Bredbo. Thanks. </p>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-36907503313906376452014-01-31T14:46:00.002+11:002014-01-31T14:46:42.694+11:00Let the Harvest begin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7V7J1s8WOjK8MNcYjrSpbRlHaCMIHVtybSeNaJ-zpo6YsUFmuHSXIpDjaR1BT1Plk9WmZI6vgBzNr929Myx7ghvZ5pTr-Tmku_qMOP-N6VnNKrOI-YyPUNIduKI74WpXMAkhJgCya/s1600/zuccs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7V7J1s8WOjK8MNcYjrSpbRlHaCMIHVtybSeNaJ-zpo6YsUFmuHSXIpDjaR1BT1Plk9WmZI6vgBzNr929Myx7ghvZ5pTr-Tmku_qMOP-N6VnNKrOI-YyPUNIduKI74WpXMAkhJgCya/s1600/zuccs.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy!</td></tr>
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The harvest has begun, zuccihin as far as the eye can see. I've planted about 5 differnet heritage varieties, these are last nights harvest with many more to come over the next few weeks. Unfortunatley the camera run out of life before I could get a picture opf the various egg plants we picked also.<br />
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The Cook has decided I should concerntrate on about four differnet veg just to get the whole process right before I branch out into other stuff.<br />
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It's pretty dry at the moment, not much rain to mention, but hopefully February will bring something!Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-4703757412736523722014-01-14T17:45:00.002+11:002014-01-14T17:45:30.985+11:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5-toblGH9uo1RgP661y7as-yMlfF9d7RJ1gk1Mm8wyEjGMRZVLXWxU4uQ0HZZkxMFHoQHBnauwYU5UqF9x1Eut9Mf9tpUhbN5B2YvFWSlePwS3N5pZDNa8iqwg8N02FXTrJ1XmCU/s1600/wheel_off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5-toblGH9uo1RgP661y7as-yMlfF9d7RJ1gk1Mm8wyEjGMRZVLXWxU4uQ0HZZkxMFHoQHBnauwYU5UqF9x1Eut9Mf9tpUhbN5B2YvFWSlePwS3N5pZDNa8iqwg8N02FXTrJ1XmCU/s400/wheel_off.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not what you need on a Monday</td></tr>
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So, I picked up my car from the panel beaters on Friday, the front end all fixed from my short, but deverstating interlude with a wombat. I needed to pickup feed on Monday so I hooked up the trailer and headed off. I got to within cooee of town when the truck began to swerve across the road flicking the trailer about and scarring the hell out of me.<br />
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I did notice one of my wheels passed me as I was trying to control the beast, also thought that this was not going to end well. I finbally managed to pull the vehicle up off the road, 500m from where I hit teh wombat, I don't kow what the truck and dog loaded with 20tons of gravel that was right behind me thought - but he never slowed down. <br />
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I need to go back to the spot and have a look around - maybe I'm being drawn to that spot by some kind of force that wants me to see something????<br />
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I then spent 6.5hrs awaiting a tow truck due to an adminsitrative error with my road side service, it was only 36 degs, nothing to get hot under the collar about. It wasn't wasted - I did help a cuple change teh tyre on their trailer and they lent me thier phone to call the cook :)<br />
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I'm not sure why this came off, cold be something to do withthe wombat strike, somebody took it off and didbn;t put it back on propery during repairs, somebody trying to steal the tyre (brand new) I don;t know. All I do know is that I'm in for another round with the insurance company from hell - QBE.<br />
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-48207659912402201602014-01-10T16:40:00.002+11:002014-01-10T16:41:03.963+11:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tornado descends from storm near Cooma" src="http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/5175658-3x2-940x627.jpg" height="265" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tornado descends from storm near Cooma" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forgot to mention we had a tornado - Valley View is 500m to the North of this - second one this year in our district</td></tr>
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-69448718111367567382014-01-10T09:46:00.005+11:002014-01-10T09:46:55.997+11:00Getting a harvestWe've had a really good start with the garden this year, a great crop of garlic was harvested just before Christmas and we have a pile of onions we harvested at New Years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqqDEOOZAs-bUA1dI50XIUCtKch56MjFHJc8SPk2iJkD6phP2kZGS5R31opyxMKoOux8rFUFPPSnaKZKCV7x-ovkD4xaFJpEaoPfpLnRZnVrECflE829LtAG2B-LGDoI8wEEY9tW0/s1600/garlic2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqqDEOOZAs-bUA1dI50XIUCtKch56MjFHJc8SPk2iJkD6phP2kZGS5R31opyxMKoOux8rFUFPPSnaKZKCV7x-ovkD4xaFJpEaoPfpLnRZnVrECflE829LtAG2B-LGDoI8wEEY9tW0/s1600/garlic2.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">freshly harvested garlic </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB87h0p0116Q0BGHkZxK5mTP6MMs5noJBujPUjuxop7Eo5NgKi487Atm19Ngqp3AcJ12bRm_XaWLJP5gja2-5tRuJBYI-YyKYgmuL3pKaXSSxDiZ51gpJwbYhdIzD_s4CLfg4dab5_/s1600/onions2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB87h0p0116Q0BGHkZxK5mTP6MMs5noJBujPUjuxop7Eo5NgKi487Atm19Ngqp3AcJ12bRm_XaWLJP5gja2-5tRuJBYI-YyKYgmuL3pKaXSSxDiZ51gpJwbYhdIzD_s4CLfg4dab5_/s1600/onions2.jpeg" height="298" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">enough onions to make anybody cry</td></tr>
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We've still heaps in the garden, beans, beets, cabbage, corn and a mix of various tomatoes, chillies, capsicum, kale, squash, pumpkins, eggplants and okra. Probably other stuff but I've forgotten what else is there. I'm putting in greens and lettuces this weekend in the vacant beds.<br />
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The only failure in the veg department has been my potatoes, they've ended up with some fungal disease (blight) that has destroyed the whole crop. <br />
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I planted a few trees in late winter early spring as well. So far I've been really happy with my Cider Apple trees, but the Chestnuts have been a disaster. I've now lost half of the trees I planted and I'm not really sure why yet. I know a couple got knocked by the hot winds, but some just didn't go form the outset. I've also planted a hazel nut hedge which thankfully is going well so far having only lost one bush.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMsuKzt71SpAySTiyLsjcVBq_MhP1bv6SUtnbELtWof5Z6FK8CPp8chGZAdw9EAO7I_XLTEpRP0eo9JWCeYHuOOu6CS5sq2eLKygM5r9EeS0TxVsDQVEjjtxcBb23n081952WHwtO/s1600/onionweeds4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMsuKzt71SpAySTiyLsjcVBq_MhP1bv6SUtnbELtWof5Z6FK8CPp8chGZAdw9EAO7I_XLTEpRP0eo9JWCeYHuOOu6CS5sq2eLKygM5r9EeS0TxVsDQVEjjtxcBb23n081952WHwtO/s1600/onionweeds4.jpeg" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks messy but the weeds and clover help keep the soil moist and confuses pests</td></tr>
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We've had a few snake drama's this summer. Although we have a few of those sonic snake repellers we have had a huge brown snake causing problems around the place. Flicka our white labrador was killed the other day and Little Pig as bitten and died just after Christmas. I've since been chasing the snake from hiding spot to hiding spot - his days are numbered. <br />
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we have a new batch of Plymouth Rock Pullets growing up in the yard and soon they'll have a nicely renovated chicken coup to live in. Our Guinea Fowl are somewhere sitting on eggs, this should be interesting, they're a bit loud at 5am in the morning - I cant imagine what the noise will be like with a dozen or more of them. <br />
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Like Queensland we are starting to get a little dry, the river is getting low and there is not much chance of rain in the near future. If you haven't seen it yet BOM have a new heat wave warning map - we are forecast for our first next week.<br />
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-73861120544489805472013-11-15T13:26:00.002+11:002013-11-15T13:26:31.902+11:00They're here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFEDI7B3uVcz1EMMsfBqsFvCOhyStQejB2lnDjZri15ywPGqtOmWkjxL-f72NSprp8E5KX-_c68e5M8NK3X__T85EVrjVWYdfCrx4OVNqhKdDvWkscnHxYCK11Dqd16vM-MbKgnat/s1600/wallace.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFEDI7B3uVcz1EMMsfBqsFvCOhyStQejB2lnDjZri15ywPGqtOmWkjxL-f72NSprp8E5KX-_c68e5M8NK3X__T85EVrjVWYdfCrx4OVNqhKdDvWkscnHxYCK11Dqd16vM-MbKgnat/s640/wallace.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I told you all - Zombies are coming!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
Well okay, that's what I thought when I first saw this on my camera. But, apparently I was wrong and in fact it is Wallace. Probably not the best picture he's ever taken. </div>
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<br />Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-6534922942857452312013-10-03T15:37:00.001+10:002013-10-03T15:37:23.052+10:00Kittens - two left if you want one.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIGh5b5EZJ1ehfkn7Pf1Z-mrx871njlf7tdoPFC8-V_FEvd8DZHCXc24mhOHvFRri6QfJDR-gBC4mEo3VEgPr8ISkKdyhBw9aUptT4TTxq2KnuaaoU2HPdwYnUslRFZlM0Lu1dmHD/s1600/kitten1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIGh5b5EZJ1ehfkn7Pf1Z-mrx871njlf7tdoPFC8-V_FEvd8DZHCXc24mhOHvFRri6QfJDR-gBC4mEo3VEgPr8ISkKdyhBw9aUptT4TTxq2KnuaaoU2HPdwYnUslRFZlM0Lu1dmHD/s320/kitten1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">its a girl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36xW_3fLT04BlIDduE7_KxFFjYfqBHimErNjsaPWptM2IKdriYoh2htFVxo2NHWYM5oBBXF7YdayH-Q1XszpAj_rU0oq8PpqTlrMgY3ZMNk-QV6Rn-G9UlSkvaKdwFAfeUyqghu9o/s1600/kitten3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36xW_3fLT04BlIDduE7_KxFFjYfqBHimErNjsaPWptM2IKdriYoh2htFVxo2NHWYM5oBBXF7YdayH-Q1XszpAj_rU0oq8PpqTlrMgY3ZMNk-QV6Rn-G9UlSkvaKdwFAfeUyqghu9o/s320/kitten3.jpeg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nap time - middle one and bottom ones are girls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVDl1WKLsFblI-zXpfmbPosJV18OmxvJGrLvynUFmdHiZyKMPP2TJWwfW3hI_IySojPr512RfaossAzpRcqd-baY7Wc67Hns6GfGTSLQSw3Kht-MNqwpHMQEJDXsYoa3YYz5VLCuZ/s1600/kitten2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVDl1WKLsFblI-zXpfmbPosJV18OmxvJGrLvynUFmdHiZyKMPP2TJWwfW3hI_IySojPr512RfaossAzpRcqd-baY7Wc67Hns6GfGTSLQSw3Kht-MNqwpHMQEJDXsYoa3YYz5VLCuZ/s320/kitten2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">family</td></tr>
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<br />Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-34754425668583566162013-09-06T14:33:00.002+10:002013-09-06T14:34:40.751+10:00Things at Floriade are getting serious <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgnf0jXNkc40qcJsY1ePtiNNrb-POpzpDQl0M899BDi3JAjumsYzq4TNhWhcPp7vdV3Fjp408bux3rDXOlPBjhGDCcaUg1lL2zDZry074cQptAFW-nK8DqiVBuYJSWz5q71X24dNY/s1600/site-05Sept2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgnf0jXNkc40qcJsY1ePtiNNrb-POpzpDQl0M899BDi3JAjumsYzq4TNhWhcPp7vdV3Fjp408bux3rDXOlPBjhGDCcaUg1lL2zDZry074cQptAFW-nK8DqiVBuYJSWz5q71X24dNY/s320/site-05Sept2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Site</td></tr>
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This is teh third day of construction and assembly. So far so good! Danny O'Brien from The Farm Shop is doing a great job. The building is being supplied by Jigsaw, a compnay specialising in sustainable building. There is a lot of work being done by Josh from Easycare Landscapes are assisting with some really beautiful elements in the design.<br />
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This weekend as well as being at the Enviro Expo at Queanbeyan we are dong a weekend Cob building workshop to get the Flow Form and Rocket Stove into the design - big thanks to Tanya for doing this, inspite of the morning sickness.<br />
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-8860167101735359782013-08-30T10:32:00.000+10:002013-08-30T10:33:27.040+10:00Preparing for the Zombie ApocolypseIt’a unlikely, buit just in case we are planting our Zombie Apocolypse victory garden this weekend. I’ve been working on the garlic and onions for the past few weeks, keeping the weeds at bay. And las weekend went in the first of our beetroot in line with our moon planting calendar. It’s really important if you want only the best fruit and veg to go by the moon planting system. This weekend I’ll be <br />
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digging the holes for the Cider Apple trees I received yesterday. I will now have eight Kingston Black Cider apple trees in my little orchard. I’m also putting in some Walnuts into this particular site and some Hazelnuts. The plan is to then plant out the spaces in between with berries and cane fruits. Under all the apple trees we’ve been busy planting asparagus – you can never have too much asapargus. And of course all this will come in handy once the Zombies Apocolypse starts and the National Food Retail Duopoly is rendered useless and people can’t buy food in teh cities any longer. Of course this will all be bought about by a mysterious gene ‘accidentially’ released into our food chain by you know who. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-37750858337466498982013-08-29T14:44:00.004+10:002013-08-29T14:45:20.232+10:00Floriade is on the horizon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BaXfJhCt39BoWpR3Gp4IGg_j0-TKCoxXIve8LAJPaFlAMqt2GAQDU9AJl0AcxprUsiL90LJEM6zlVIJE_WpcWaT9f-6Hgph6oZS08yQlYEOyzNTIFFPB7E8D2z2VsWcL_cMsmVo7/s1600/guineafowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" osa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BaXfJhCt39BoWpR3Gp4IGg_j0-TKCoxXIve8LAJPaFlAMqt2GAQDU9AJl0AcxprUsiL90LJEM6zlVIJE_WpcWaT9f-6Hgph6oZS08yQlYEOyzNTIFFPB7E8D2z2VsWcL_cMsmVo7/s320/guineafowl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new Guinea Fowl</td></tr>
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It’s been really busy here lately, the project we are working on at Floriade is coming along nicely, it’s been such a privilage to work with so many great and talented people from so many differnet and diverse community groups and businesses. As construction of the project gets underway in the next week or so I’ll put pictures up of our sites progress. <br />
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A couple of weeks ago we ran an Introduction to Permaculture course for the Floriade volunteers. Together with Trish McEwan and ten other presenters we spent two days talking about the principals and ethics of Permaculture and demonstrating various methods and techniques for growing food in the urban back yard. <br />
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On the farm we have been struggling a little with a lack of feed at the moment. This year it seems a little different to previous years. We’ve not had as serve a winter as usual, but it’s been a little drier than we expected. Thank goodness all our pastures are starting to come out of their dormant period and tiny green regrowth is sprouting up everywhere. <br />
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On top of this, we have just been notified by the local Buttercup Bakery will no longer be selling their stale bread to farmers. The stale bread made up only a small portion of their daily feed ration, but we aill still have to replace it with grain or something similar.<br />
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On a much happier note we have been going gang busters as far as everything else goes. Our brand new shed with lock up work shop has finally been finished. This will be converted into a classroom over the summer as I have time. It’s so nice to have a couple of weather proof structures now where we can sotre all our valuable tools and equipment. We have started a market garden area above the pigs. I just recieved today another five cider apple trees to go with the five I purchasd earlier. The first lot were planted during a food forest course we ran in August. These trees will be interplanted with walnuts, and some perennial veg, hopefully I’ll get both asparagus and artichokes into this area.<br />
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Next on the list are some olive trees, I have still got a few chestnuts and hazelnuts to plant first – going to be a busy weekend.<br />
<br />Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-19125690186921075482013-07-08T16:32:00.001+10:002013-08-29T14:09:58.602+10:00Pigs in Compost <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3RRhSoUVKs_iF3MFPB7xmziHje1mYE2jT1RJK0X8oocaJSRtsqLyDih5nwMoyD3u9ouFgBJEsmtxhm7uIF8ZZH0V-KLn9IYMReBh9CRqzUYSEWfEY8qHFJrC_2TqvBn1Dgb1i1f/s1600/pigsin+compost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz3RRhSoUVKs_iF3MFPB7xmziHje1mYE2jT1RJK0X8oocaJSRtsqLyDih5nwMoyD3u9ouFgBJEsmtxhm7uIF8ZZH0V-KLn9IYMReBh9CRqzUYSEWfEY8qHFJrC_2TqvBn1Dgb1i1f/s400/pigsin+compost.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pigs sleeping in compost - note the piglet on top the pile</td></tr>
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Turning compost is a chore I love doping, but during this period of short days I need a hand. I've been investigating different ways to make compost over the past months after I was asked to do a workshop for the City Farm on composting.<br />
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I've noticed that the Berekely Method of composting has it's draw backs in a cold climate. Do what you might it is difficult to keep it hot enough in the -8 mornings. I've tried covering in plastic and tarps - even a slab curing blanket, but nothing kept the heat going. I also noticed I was using a lot of water, the constant westerly winds keep drying the compost out, I started to worry about leeching nutrients from the pile because of the amount of water I was putting on.<br />
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So, after a lot of research I decided to give the biodynamic method a go and it's working really well. I have introduced the pigs into the system to turn the compost every other day. They love it, I just move them from one heap to another - it also keeps them warm at night - one of those permaculture win/wins. So no more hour long session turning compost every other night , just move a few pigs from one spot to another at feed time.<br />
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Now I have time to weed between the onions I planted at solstice, lucky me;)<br />
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-1159461176101046272013-07-02T13:16:00.002+10:002013-07-02T13:16:46.954+10:00Posting on the run Lots of stuff going on at the moment, just when I was trying to get back into blogging. Wee are currently running a Permaculture Design Certificate with our great mate Trish McEwan. Trish is a really dedicated lady and puts a lot into the course. As usual we get to meet all sorts of interesting people with lots of different backgrounds on these courses. The information sharing is amazing and the depth of knowledge remarkable – and that’s the students.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67FUm2qsora5s503Qy0jzMOrlEYqSCSIJeJDyid3O6QVBEhSEe_fMidKt5uqZSOeHVwTicgU6scKeEoxqFayld4VY97hnBva_pjUa2jofbgV76RQXU9nmat8byrJjnOHDDfySKUAK/s429/group_med%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67FUm2qsora5s503Qy0jzMOrlEYqSCSIJeJDyid3O6QVBEhSEe_fMidKt5uqZSOeHVwTicgU6scKeEoxqFayld4VY97hnBva_pjUa2jofbgV76RQXU9nmat8byrJjnOHDDfySKUAK/s400/group_med%5B1%5D.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our PDC Students at one of Canberra's Community Gardens</td></tr>
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We have had a fair bit of rain of late, which caused havoc with keeping pigs in for a couple of days. It would have been much easier had it not been for our neighbours cows. I can’t believe the things will get through a five strand wire fence, three strand electric fence to push over a sheep yard – and then just stand there chewing their cud.</div>
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Our new Holistic Management system is going well, but I should have seeded a paddock last week and ran out of time. Never mind, not much on this weekend anyway. </div>
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I had the opportunity to be interviewed by the local ABC radio station, on my way into the study I even passed our new Prime minister taking his early morning walk around the lake, the other day about our Urban Farm at Floriade project. It was a great experience and the interview went pretty well – the Cook even heard it and sent me a nice well done text message – aaahhhhh!</div>
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We managed to plant forty Chestnut Trees last Sunday into our pig area. I just have to sit back for the next 15 years to see how they go. It was a miserable afternoon when we put them in, luckily with all hands on deck and the soil being really soft the Job wasn't too onerous. I will be muching them this weekend, it ended up being too boggy to get in along the swales until then. </div>
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So, one of the things I set out to do this year was to make a large barrel of Apple Cider, from locally sourced apples, for the end of year Christmas Party. We have a recipe we’ve used previously, and it worked well. But, alas, I seem not to have followed it to well and now I have 33 bottles of really good Apple Cider Vinegar. It won’t go to waste, if nothing else the pigs will drink it.</div>
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The boy’s were a little upset, they had tried the Cider before it turned and thought it was going really well, and is probably why I only managed 33 litres from the original 44 litres I put up.</div>
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Ben received the shield for academic achievement, for his year, at Monaro High again. His name is now on each shield from year 7 -9, he’s got his sites set on the end trophy now.</div>
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-44511464854390261772013-06-20T17:15:00.004+10:002013-06-20T17:15:36.842+10:00The word is spreading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBrjVuCqlQUf4uqpn8X6wrAQIhH6EhvlDXo7odWhJ-1Pk2Pffqje7gUePfpzJSarS6R_BdUqWBUtnwi6SvDdpnkQgZBD7mhRZkSPkABw_36S69vKblDkqgibgGXLJXOg-FDWPk4sM/s1600/DSC00682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBrjVuCqlQUf4uqpn8X6wrAQIhH6EhvlDXo7odWhJ-1Pk2Pffqje7gUePfpzJSarS6R_BdUqWBUtnwi6SvDdpnkQgZBD7mhRZkSPkABw_36S69vKblDkqgibgGXLJXOg-FDWPk4sM/s320/DSC00682.JPG" width="320" wya="true" /></a></div>
We had a few farewells to do yesterday, so it was decided that we'd run our own soup kitchen in honor of those taking their redundancies. It was a great event, I made a Pea and Ham, with Valley View smoked bacon bones. In adition we had two venison stews, a pumkin and a wonderful potato and leek soup. All provided by friends for friends. Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-16616466648146347832013-06-17T09:16:00.000+10:002013-08-29T14:11:14.175+10:00Our River Cottage Journey<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="River Cottage Australia's Paul West with Tilba pig farmer Martyn Noakes." height="225" rel="v:photo" src="http://images-2.drive.com.au/2013/06/12/4484035/kl-artwide-hugh-20130612152244873791-620x0.jpg" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px auto; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul West, myself and pigs at River Cottage Australia</td></tr>
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Well, it all started about ten years ago when we first moved to Murrumbateman, I convinced The Cook that we could afford satellite TV. One of, the first show we got hooked on was an English sustainability show called River Cottage. After watching a few episodes we soon began talking about how good it would be to actually grow all our own food. A little later the kids went on a scout camp that included a trip to a free range pig farm in the Southern Highlands.<br />
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The Cook came home and full of enthusiasm it was decided that we'd find a property and raise some pigs - we'd be just like Hugh. Ten years along and, we have our pigs, the farm is moving along and we actually pretty much ffed ourselves. Then one day recently, at work, somebody told me that there was going to be a River Cottage Australia, they were having auditions - that I should apply. So I did, but nothing came of it and we carried on with our lives.<br />
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Then one day I had a phone call at work. Some how, through a friend of a friend, they found out about our pigs and we were asked to provide the pigs for the show. It was being produced just down on the coast not far from home in a small town called Tilba.<br />
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Now, like that wasn't enough, being asked to supply pigs to River Cottage Australia was one thing, but to actually play a small part in one of the episodes was fantastic. We were invited down to Tilba to have a look at the site for the pigs and meet Paul West the Australian Hugh. The Cook took down one of her now famous Rhubarb Cakes and sat on the back porch and talked pigs for the afternoon. Paul is a great guy and very passionate about what he's doing and very conscious about doing everything as well as possible. <br />
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We had no idea that we were going to be involved at this stage, but after a phone call from the production people it was pretty obvious. Bredbo put on the perfect day, the pigs all behaved and everybody was really happy. <br />
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But, to top it all off I actually got to meet Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - in person, as Hugh said, we'd come full circle, me, Hugh and our pigs all at River Cottage. <br />
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Don't miss an episode - River Cottage Australia starts on June the 27th 8:30pm on the LIfestyle channel, I think we are in episode 2 or 3, can't wait.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/food-news/its-hugh-take-two-20130610-2nzqe.html">Canberra Times River Cottage Article</a>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-28791319902916734262013-06-14T13:59:00.002+10:002013-06-14T13:59:24.793+10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've been doing some work on the pig paddocks. Our local farm contractor has been deep ripping parts of the property with a Yoemans plough. This has made a huge difference on the penertration of recent rain into the soil. We'll be seeding and adding probiotics to the soil again soon which should prepare the paddocks well for spring.<br />
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This morning I heard noises outside from about 4am. I shuold have got up to check, but it was wet and dark. By the time I did get up, about 5:30am we had about 100 lose pigs running about the place. I'd forgotten we had not had sun for about four days and the solar powered fence energiser had run down. Luckily I had the spare charging and by the end of feed time, with a lot of help from the boys and the Cook (she was wearing heels and a skirt chasing pigs through the mud - I love her) we ggot them all back.Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-60120539301167606882013-06-13T16:48:00.006+10:002013-06-13T16:48:54.427+10:00Starting small and slowOur new Hiolistically managed pig system is worknig well, and with this rain our recent seeding should be cming out of the ground after the first bit of sun shine.<br />
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Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-19576554395831259602013-06-11T08:37:00.002+10:002013-06-11T08:37:51.234+10:00Back from the blogging wildernessWell after more then a years break it's time to get back into blogging. A lot has happened over the past year and there is so much coming up. We've had our ups and downs, none quite as momentous as Sunday when our "Boar King" Tiberius passed away in his sleep. He's been with us from the start and his passing has left a large emptiness in the paddock.<br />
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I'll try and update the blog on what has happened over the past twelve months as I go along. We start our first first Permaculture Design Certificate course on Saturday, this is really exciting, we have a bunch of keen and enthusiastic people just itching to get into the lessons.<br />
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The Cook has a new off farm job which she is really enjoying, nine to five as well - no more shift work for her ;) Harry turned 18 and is in his final year of school, how time flies! <br />
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Anyway there will be more, I just have to pace myself for the moment. Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-47695367206800601502012-04-20T16:13:00.001+10:002012-04-20T16:13:57.959+10:00Yesterday was the first of our Holistic Farm Management Course Support Group Meetings, held out at Gunning. We visited John Weatherstone’s place near Gunning. I’ve been there before, but each visit is more educational. Johns work planting trees and building soil is both an example and inspiration. This time I was able to have a good look at his Palonia Tree plantation, which is something that the Cook introduced us to a while back, and pick up a few white walnuts for planting this weekend.<br />
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Anybody interested in looking at Johns work can look <a href="http://lwa.gov.au/files/products/land-and-water-australia/pk030494/pk030494.pdf">here</a>. <br />
We had lunch following the visit and sat around talking about the various issues we were facing in regards to Holistic Management and looking towards the future. <br />
On Wednesday I was lucky enough to get a seat at a lecture on Food Security at ANU. The lecture was titled - Real food security - and what’s wrong with current development. It was focused on how our foreign aid dollars for food security should spent on supporting small farmers not the commercialisation of farms in third world countries. The details are spelt out here –<br />
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Basic food security is an important step towards good governance and socio-economic development. Globally, food security is said to exist for some 4.7 billion persons with another two billion being food insecure. If global population stabilizes at 9 billion around 2050, food demand will probably rise to an equivalent of 12 billion of today’s persons due to such factors as affluence-induced food preferences and food wastage in urban supply chains. Unless food security is realistically defined as basic food for survival, it is not achievable without major changes in our worldviews.<br />
By examining three philosophical perspectives - food as a commodity; food as a product of nature to be balanced with other products; and food as a human right, this paper explores the disconnect between the current worldview of ‘donors’ who allocate solutions to food insecurity to aid agencies, and the small third-world farmers who produce the food from farms of less than two hectares.<br />
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Professor Lindsay Falvey, a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Science and of Clare Hall University of Cambridge, was foundation Dean of Land and Food and Chair of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. He has written 12 books, the most recent being, Small Farmers Secure Food: Survival Food Security, the World’s Kitchen & the Critical Role of Small Farmers.<br />
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I was late getting home from Gunning last night and on the way home I was listening to the ABC Radio National. I think the program was big ideas and about what a panel thought Australia would be like in the year 2030. One of panellist’s spoke about how we now live in an economy, no longer do we live in a society or a community. This is a really sad statement – but when you look at what fills the news and the papers – it’s a true statement. <br />
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One thing that permaculture teaches you is that community is the key to survival, from community you get security, growth, education and social stimulus. The sooner we don’t have an economy the better off we’ll all be, the sooner we take responsibility for ourselves and stop relying on government the happier we’ll be. <br />
<br />Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-17007319306356481442012-04-17T16:56:00.005+10:002012-04-17T17:04:31.529+10:00Oh, you mean a Scythe<div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732260821765407602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhrEIIn-6u108ifcMI-37hyphenhyphenbB9DkExx9h_1litIwZY6dDF-bYnzF44gZZKE8mDrbrweuEU96u9185uQqMiyLGIXDFeryKgRE2WGLgGn9WivWFK5M5f056od5KDMu00kns7rgZW_to/s400/scythes.jpg" />I was off travelling over the weekend to the April Scythe workshop in the Totnes Valley northwest of Mudgee. I have been to the workshop on one previous occasion and enjoyed myself and I thought it would be nice to go back and see what had change and how the event had grown.<br /><br /></div><br /><div>I travelled up on the Friday, I really enjoy the change in scenery from home. I arrived just in time to help set things up and get dinner – a beautiful Pumpkin soup, which if I remember correctly was what we had the last time I was there. Friday night was spent meeting new people and sharing our stories around the camp fire.<br />Differently to last time I was there, they had traders, only a couple but selling interesting wares. One guy was selling old tools, axes, adzes and hatchets. I would have loved to have bought some home but I’m saving for cows at the moment and I really needed a peening hammer anyway.<br />Activities started Saturday morning, and as traditionally happens a short yoga class before breakfast. I’m no yogi enthusiast so I stood back and willed the others on with positive thoughts – like ‘I’m positive I could never do that with my dickie knee’ or ‘I would positively look fat doing that’. Any way once that and breakfast were over it was into Scything, on really nice grass. I was asked to look after some beginners and in 10mins they were off happily scything their hearts away in the long grass. After things warmed up we had a demonstration on peening or sharpening the scythes. This was interesting in itself as I’ve never seen a field peening anvil used before; I also got to see one of the new anvil tables in action.<br /><br /></div><br /><div>After lunch it was into Bio fertilizer making. I’m really interested in this and seeing we have so many issues with mineral deficiencies in our soil I was intent on learning more about using natural processes to get them back into the soil, or made available in the soil whichever the case may be.<br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>Later in the afternoon I was able to try something I’d wanted to do for years, ever since the Cook and I did our ‘Cooks tour of American Civil War Battlefields’ (that’s a long story in itself) where we stopped and spent an afternoon watching Amish people mow hay with a team of mules near Intercourse in Pennsylvania. Anyway, one of the Mudgee locals, Danny , bought up his Clydesdale and hitched it to a plough. They guys from Scythes Australia want to start a market garden and needed a piece of land ploughed and Danny was giving everybody a go – so I was in.<br />It’s way harder than it looks, but way more fun as well, I think I had a grin on my face for hours after would. We had the opportunity to both handle the plough and drive the horse, I couldn’t wait to get home and tell the cook all about it.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir70g8aKUAOckrT31ge7T3W14ScNtY8SfJyJ9hKORfpIWbPG3aUNAKZQ5CWLf0lr15Q_nQ4iq0-0jjdf01aLmUFhsEF5nnuDBo_eRMdPoBXHG-Zq58SJ6akhqUvmOY3KH8O4Xq058v/s1600/scythe_plough.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732261638448098770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir70g8aKUAOckrT31ge7T3W14ScNtY8SfJyJ9hKORfpIWbPG3aUNAKZQ5CWLf0lr15Q_nQ4iq0-0jjdf01aLmUFhsEF5nnuDBo_eRMdPoBXHG-Zq58SJ6akhqUvmOY3KH8O4Xq058v/s400/scythe_plough.jpg" /></a>Next on the agenda was Bio Char making, which I’d seen shows about and read about on the internet. The guys doing it made a small and simple error and allowed too much air into the burn compartment and buy morning there was nothing left but ash. There’s always next time.<br />I was lucky enough to be on a table of very interesting people for the dinner on Saturday night. We had a Biodynamic farmer from the Atherton Tablelands, the owner of Milkwood Permaculture, a Mine Worker, an Anarchist, a beginning farmer and myself. The conversation switch from topics like biodynamics and preparations to soil biology, home building and growing communities. I really enjoyed the evening and went off to bed with my head full of questions, ideas and plans.<br /></div><br /><div>Sunday morning I woke about 4:30am with the roosters crowing, this was drowned out by the snoring. I’ve never heard snoring like it before, it was worse than the pigs and Shadow. I couldn’t get back to sleep so I stoked the fire, made a cup of tea and enjoyed the stillness. After some more talking I was off back to Bredbo, picked teh Cook up some more Plymouth rock Chics and arrived home about 8pm – still trying to digest the information that had filled my head over the weekend. </div></div>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-75926352610027132042012-04-11T15:06:00.003+10:002012-04-11T15:10:18.402+10:00Our changing landscape<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGgLrwvO5-abldCsASvj3O6k0psmPrgIybqS6mjdA9ow6tgaHemY7xqG_Q_BpC_-09dm5ZLGxp0TIn2zbFPGKuytu57N-HfoL4y4tb07O1j49aKcxdHTXC24w2qGDR-_vorfyyC9b/s1600/erosion_valleyview2a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730005871433753506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGgLrwvO5-abldCsASvj3O6k0psmPrgIybqS6mjdA9ow6tgaHemY7xqG_Q_BpC_-09dm5ZLGxp0TIn2zbFPGKuytu57N-HfoL4y4tb07O1j49aKcxdHTXC24w2qGDR-_vorfyyC9b/s400/erosion_valleyview2a.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The recent summer rains have left parts of the farm in disrepair. We have issues with fencing being destroyed, new erosion gullies forming and the possibility of losing our large dam in the gully up the back (now christened Carabineers Creek). </div><br /><br /><br /><div><br />As we don’t have stock in that part of the property the loss of the dam won’t really affect us, but it will affect the wildlife that live in it and on its banks. Every year families of water birds use the dam and backed up gully for breeding, this year we had our first waders, as well as the Grebes, Coots, shags and ibis. What we would really love to do is to turn the dam and the area between the dam and the river back into a wetland habitat. Something that was common on the Monaro 200 years ago but sadly missing today – so if anybody knows of any grants going that we would be able to apply for let me know.</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730005598553177106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy5rB1xl90FKgRllvQARpUxYHr8cDJ5ZaTSsQZSp7srbEcolkpclM6HYVJnRdOiAjG4gpG0RcIi_ImU3NwfqJid__LiVZIKAdRWTtlD6RbTH6vdIh5hCO-LlYKh9L7Pa_VMVmLh0n/s400/erosion_valleyview1a.jpg" /><br /><br /><div><br />So, with all this hydrological damage about I spent a few days out at Milkwood near Mudgee doing a Watershed Rehabilitation Workshop. This was run by a guy called Craig Sponholtz from the US and was based on solutions outlined in the book “Let the Water do the Work” by Bill Zeedyk and Van Clothier. You can find a review of the book here -<br /><a href="http://permaculture.org.au/2011/07/14/let-the-water-do-the-work-induced-meandering-an-evolving-method-for-restoring-incised-channels/">http://permaculture.org.au/2011/07/14/let-the-water-do-the-work-induced-meandering-an-evolving-method-for-restoring-incised-channels/</a> </div><br /><br /><br /><div><br />The course was three days of mostly theory and a day of practical. Most importantly to my mind was the course covered in detail the effects that putting any structure into a stream will have, and the importance of putting the right structure in the right place. We covered stream and gully profiles, types and anatomy as well as formation and development. </div><br /><br /><br /><div><br />The last day involved repairing an eroded gully using the techniques we had learnt. Which is another way of saying ‘hauling rocks’. </div><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Overall I would recommend anybody who has a stream, gully, creek or run on their property to do this course. It's a pity the NSF doesn't have a course like this.</div></div>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-61088506032268888232012-03-30T16:17:00.004+11:002012-03-30T16:32:45.678+11:00we're still alive<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31OjnwPnH8kAGNjkdA2TSN-eQZZ5Vxnj_-x8p0Mxqyb9wo-M6-fwe9iEzXw0XZyp8sfpaydpF4__A0NhWFfjoFNb2ir_BZRczQwAcIzaUpioAZglzw7GAEwQD4yzCSeZexCSzBjUM/s1600/paintball.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725555767723995410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31OjnwPnH8kAGNjkdA2TSN-eQZZ5Vxnj_-x8p0Mxqyb9wo-M6-fwe9iEzXw0XZyp8sfpaydpF4__A0NhWFfjoFNb2ir_BZRczQwAcIzaUpioAZglzw7GAEwQD4yzCSeZexCSzBjUM/s400/paintball.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>It's been rather busy, between our Holistic Farm Management Course, a Straw Bale House building Course, the CMC Rocks the Hunter to see Wynonna, Faith and Tim, a trip to Sydney to visit our pork Provodore 'Melinda' and of course the Water Shed Rehabilitation Workshop - I've had trouble fitting everything in. Of course it's been a while so there has been Christmas, me doing the Vegitarian thing for a few months, the garden, our new cattle, the Cooks been kicking my arse, we sold our first $50 Chickens and a minor car accident (not my fault - nobody hurt).</div><br /><br /><div>Of course there was the floods and the rain and work and the farm stuff to do as well. We did have five minutes of idol fun when Harry and I went off for a game of Paint Ball in support of 'Tim and Stu' and their entrant in the Cancer Council Shit Box Rally.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Harry had never experienced Paint Ball before and was keen to give it a go. I had him outfitted in the latest cam uniform and paint ball mask, to protect his pretty face. He had a ball, unfortunately for him his Dad was on the opposing force and Harry being big and tall filled my sights on many occasions. He now has a lot more respect for me, and I for him - he handled himself quite admirably and I'd have him back me up when teh Zombie Appocalypse starts - more on that later as well - I've stop eating anything processed as well, only whole foods and I feel a whole lot better. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><ore></div>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-84295463092735614802011-12-14T19:23:00.002+11:002011-12-14T19:26:58.869+11:00Top of his Year<span xmlns=""></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PWyTa1xHiP1jSSjYQ1jn_G_yctolAa7KaArKmZRgZqCBgkO1oQHlKflWehaEUDW43eAcsX5GIm-uQkZWzvJWyw3asAGvo2_Lj-DO3Cy4ER2qBP4wfQ5l5ozEqY1eYtjuf6Tc-K1w/s1600/ben.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PWyTa1xHiP1jSSjYQ1jn_G_yctolAa7KaArKmZRgZqCBgkO1oQHlKflWehaEUDW43eAcsX5GIm-uQkZWzvJWyw3asAGvo2_Lj-DO3Cy4ER2qBP4wfQ5l5ozEqY1eYtjuf6Tc-K1w/s320/ben.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Young Ben is the proudest kid in Bredbo this morning – and rightly so. Last night, unbeknown to him, he was awarded the top of his year at Monaro High School. He was also awarded the top in two subjects and received an award in recognition of his achievements in Maths outside the School. Both Mum and Dad had a tear in their eye when he walked up to receive his award – we are so proud. He's the one on the right – check out those curls!Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-91292977831281990172011-11-23T14:16:00.001+11:002011-11-23T14:17:22.206+11:00we've got mail<br />
This is an enmail I recieved last night from a pig I sold a couple of weeks ago (I didn't know it could type or I wouldn't have sold her).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear Martyn,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I did not realize at first what was happening but I am deeply disappointed that you abonded me in such a way without even saying good bye. I arrived at this strange place where I had to stay over night in this awful trailer next to a strange pig lady with some funny spots on her coat, she was not nice to me at all, next morning we were unloaded into a paddock and I felt so lonely. Then there was this man with this foreign accent who tried to touch me all the time.<br />
<br />
But finally I have settled in , the other pig lady is quiet nice to me now - her name is Lotti and we eat from the same plate, and I enjoy by now the different diet - no boring Wonder White anymore but some green grass and would you believe it some organic ( don't know what that<br />
<br />
means) Coconut flour in the morning for breakfast and some potatoes for dinner!! The only problem is that there is a constant garlic smell in the air! Very annoying indeed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
All in all I feel very happy and at home now and I do not miss you at all anymore!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Warm Regards<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Olga (they call me Olga now - not very funny)<br />
<br />Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-91750168143044557652011-11-17T12:21:00.001+11:002011-11-17T12:34:05.911+11:00The Cooks ChooksThe Cook has decided to start a Chook breeding program for Plymouth Rocks. We already had a Rooster and after some hunting around she managed to get a couple of hens. However the Plymouth Rock is one of those chickens that is a good layer and great eating bird - but a lousy mother. <br />
<br />
So I managed to borrow a couple or three hens from friends and was given some fertile eggs from another friend who had recently bought a couple of hens that were running with a rooster, but had wormed them and didn't want to eat the eggs - sigh!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzd50KLpPAh2ZbDyoZpUwiqtamlXnFTOk2SzpYFurwQvnVxJ9-biah0eAJGALeKbnoddp9oVAVRcF4X8h9onExZqmrKDOzdvRAp8Xv0P2rpfTxm4Hl5peNP1FUK6ZO8zzhZKqDEKqJ/s1600/chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzd50KLpPAh2ZbDyoZpUwiqtamlXnFTOk2SzpYFurwQvnVxJ9-biah0eAJGALeKbnoddp9oVAVRcF4X8h9onExZqmrKDOzdvRAp8Xv0P2rpfTxm4Hl5peNP1FUK6ZO8zzhZKqDEKqJ/s400/chicks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Black ones are Plymouth Rocks</td></tr>
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Anyway, The Cook had troubles with the incubator and had thought that the eggs wouldn't hatch , but come Sunday evening chirping sounds emanated from the incubator and we now have 9 Plymouth rock chicks - maybe more when we get home. She put a dozen eggs in and getting nine to hatch is pretty good for us.<br />
<br />
In response to our current snake problem Old Nev sent us one of those Snake Repellers, they work on sonic waves and deter the snake from coming to close - Thanks Dad, we'll let you know how well it works. We'll put it in the garden first as that's the place we see the most, and The Cook spends most her time.<br />
<br />
Yesterday we received a package from the Diggers Club, The Cook had put in a combined order with another friend, thanks Annette, for some seeds and plants. So we spent an hour in the pouring rain last night planting things.<br />
<br />
Speaking of rain we've been getting some, Spring rain is great! However alot of farmers are concerned that we didn't get any winter rain and that will affect the pasture growth later on in the year - we'll see how it goes.Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337295969600927674.post-29569886494427873382011-11-14T11:40:00.000+11:002011-11-14T11:40:07.721+11:00In the Garden <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Gardening has been the major activity around here for the past few weeks. Growing enough for a year is a real challenge, and puts a lot of emphasis on getting things right first time. The Cook is the head gardener ad I am just the muscle, however this year I do have my own gardens – one of Red Indian Maize and another of two different varieties of beans. I'm planning on doing another this weekend for pickluing cucumbers </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIdmwBvu_QyBOVWEMCReS2NqQJMdL1xmjjS575axZHojZnEaLUAamyLdkYDQRmGMptW0Aae2P3cTVLojYUtIdZuxKOliXxC_mF-pvZGxxFf2UUx791DDM3fEI7eUc7d8ocQt2BmqL/s1600/garden_spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIdmwBvu_QyBOVWEMCReS2NqQJMdL1xmjjS575axZHojZnEaLUAamyLdkYDQRmGMptW0Aae2P3cTVLojYUtIdZuxKOliXxC_mF-pvZGxxFf2UUx791DDM3fEI7eUc7d8ocQt2BmqL/s400/garden_spring.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Garden 13 Nov 2011</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I’ve also built two trial Hugelkultur beds, unfortunately for me the Cook has planted Zucchini on them - not my favourite. Hugelkultur is a system where you mound earth and sod over a pile of logs, the logs are supposed to do two things; firstly they contain a lot of the nutrients from the soil and when they decay those nutrients are released into the soil and are made available to the pants, secondly the wood absorbs a lot moisture and stores that in the ground. A third positive is the growth of soil biota is increased and helps transport the moisture and nutrients to the plants.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Although most people recommend using a Cedar type log for your Hugelkultur mound mine are Poplar because that’s what we have here. In the long run it will mean that our mounds don’t last as long as they could, but we have a fairly good supply of Poplar so I’ll just have to rebuild them every other year if they work out.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same Garden 13 August 2011</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We have a huge potato crop, it’s about 400 m2 and it’ll be interesting to see how many potatoes we get and how long they last us. For the first year the Cook is trying Sweet Potato, it’s only a couple of plants to start as a test.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ben had a birthday recently, his favourite present is a rocket set. We’ve had two successful launches to date. These things are pretty amazing and for a pyromaniac like myself a lot of fun, so far we have launched the rockets 180m into the air, Ben has ordered larger rocket engines to see if we can get higher. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We’ve also been experimenting with grain. We are planting wheat whenever we move a pig pen, so far the results have been good, apart from the bit where the goats stuck their heads in and ate around the edges of the plot. We’ve been using old water tank halves to grow the wheat in to keep the pigs away. Unexpectantly we’ve had oats come up as well, I’ll have to talk to my feed man about that.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We’ve continued on with our Holistic Farm Management course, we’re finding it enlightening. We’d really not had a plan or a method for analysing our decisions against our goals. The course has covered a lot of ground, last session where on grazing management and how properly managed grazing can increase the triple bottom line.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We’ve sold a lot of pigs lately, by the post Christmas sales we’ll only have a small number of growers, about 8 and our breeders left – I may be able to take a holiday with the family. It’ll cut our costs for the rest of the year, most of the breeder sows should farrow some time in February which will give us pigs in time for next Christmas. </div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbt3ozssP8souBwDHhApKk5GP0h4FZR5Q0GDLDFmQzsySwTCNhVEMXbuAoCI-DBNq__qFnnFTgTNbJQFsY5MRbM7P7EXS5FEYtS0Ad8Cy77uNEBENe_SEzIc533jqqj6QoSjjkY8w/s1600/growers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbt3ozssP8souBwDHhApKk5GP0h4FZR5Q0GDLDFmQzsySwTCNhVEMXbuAoCI-DBNq__qFnnFTgTNbJQFsY5MRbM7P7EXS5FEYtS0Ad8Cy77uNEBENe_SEzIc533jqqj6QoSjjkY8w/s320/growers.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next lot of Growers </td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The little black and white pigs are growing in front of our eye’s. We’ve never had piglets grow as quickly as this. They are a real scream to watch run around the paddock, they travel as a pack everywhere they go, sleep together and eat together. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Weeds are still and issue and all those Serrated Tussock plants I didn’t get are happily seeding at the moment, I think in the balance of things I am getting the upper hand and should have that problem well and truly under control in a couple more seasons.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Our bees are happily going about their business, filling their boxes with the nectar of the gods. I’m hoping this year I’ll be able to harvest my fair share. The garden hasn’t started to bloom yet, so once that flow starts we should be right. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We’ve been getting so many eggs from our chickens it’s hard to know what to do with them all. I think we live on quiche, we’ve been having it three times a week. I’m still not exactly sure how many chickens we have – yes I know count the legs and divide by two, for a few days we were getting 22 eggs. It’s slowed down now, some of the hens have decided to start sitting, and we had our first brood hatch the other day in the bottom of the spit roaster. With another forty or so eggs to go it doesn’t look like chickens are going to be a problem for us this year. I’m hoping to have our Strawbale Chicken Coup planned and teh foundation s down over Christmas. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A friend of mine from my army days took our goats away the other day. They’ve gone down the coast for a job getting rid of Blackberries and Fireweed. My friend, let’s call him Phil, kept the goats locked up and fed for the first few days, then let them out to graze. Unfortunately he had a massive storm that afternoon, and the goats used to living in our shearing shed during storms decided to find some shelter – and haven’t been seen since. So if you’re driving between Bombala and Bredbo and see four goats, two white one Boar and a ginger one with dread locks let me know.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Valley Viewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104132926464859347noreply@blogger.com1