Bredbo Valley View farm - providing quality education in Permaculture and sustainable living practices.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Old fella's


OK – so we have a market, what other considerations are there? I‘ll talk about those next week; so keep coming back. It’s important you have some idea about what you need to do to get your pork to the table.

I stopped on the way home last night to look at a number of apple trees that grow along the old highway. I pick apples from the trees for the pigs and was wondering how many there were on the ground as it’s getting close to picking time. The trees aren’t that far from where I saw one of the dead pigs beside the road.

I drove down to the trees had a look around, I couldn’t find a lot on the ground – not much on the trees either, well not as much as usual. I walked down to the oldest tree near the old railway line and started picking a couple when I noticed some thing dark and low in the grass moving slowly out of the corner of my eye. You’re all thinking another wombat story – but wait. I jumped about a metre in the air thinking it was another pig – okay maybe not a metre, no fat jokes James.

After my heart went back into my chest, I settled down and had a proper look and discovered it was an old narley black Wallaroo. He was moving around the tree eating the fallen apples. I think he was deaf because he didn’t seem to notice me at first. When he did, he moved away slowly and then froze – still as stone until I left. I decided that he needed the apples more then me and I moved onto another tree. I went back later and he was still there so I took a picture of him. He’s got a lot of grey coming through his coat and his ears show the scares of many fights.

So I took a bag of apples home for the pigs, they were very happy; apples are one of their favourites. The sheep have started to come down for feed in the mornings as well – they’ve discovered the bread. As soon as they see us moving around they come streaming over the hill like wildebeests stampeding on the Serengeti.

The Cook was out helping the DPI get their sheep back today. They found all twelve, one’s staying on the property and adding nutrient to the soil – the rest they’re still trying to muster ;) We never had any problems getting them down to the yards. They are putting them back onto the love grass trials area for a few days to finish their survey.

9 comments:

Jaaam said...

I heard that there was a slight tremor near your place, ha - it's okay we all have jiggly bits when we jump.

Lynettes blogs said...

Apples yum!!!!
Can I have your email address have got a great thing to send you
LYn

Valley View said...

Lyn

m_noakes at hotmail.com


Martyn

Valley View said...

Bugger - outed myself, damn!

The Duck Herder said...

hello Mr M Noakes. I am wondering if we are talking about the same apple trees - because there were HEAPS and heaps on the ground and still on the trees where we went.
what do you think?

We drove down a dirt track that runs parralel to the highway, back down the hill towards M. Looks like some sort of utility access road. SOund familiar?

Valley View said...

yep - it's called Kelly's Road - it be the only one!

The Duck Herder said...

I think we were in a different spot......perhaps - this turn off is a bit closer to M than the southern most entrance to kelly road - but not far from it.....? Kelly Road is more of a crescent yes? This road is a dead end I think.......

but I don't have any local knowledge, just "poacher's" knowledge! I have seen the signposts to kelly's road though.

But now I know there are apples on kelly road as well!

Liz said...

Looks like you've had an interesting time while I've been stuck putting together a newspaper. Great shot of the Wallaroo. I love thos elittle guys. As for the apples where's mine..

Valley View said...

Oh no maybe I've given away another secret - I'll have to check out the other side roads, I didn't think there was any others. I'll get back to you.