Sometimes you see extraordinary fleeting things, and thanks to technology we can now share what was previously impossible to describe. This fly was sitting beautifully on a zucchini leaf in the mid-levels. I don’t remember seeing one like it before, and may not see one again, just one of those moments.
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The solar pump – technology to the rescue.
The solar pump at the dam has a story. When we first moved in and had a chat with the previous owner, they said to be careful with machinery down by the dam, as there are solar panels and a pump down there. So we pushed through the shoulder-high grass and eventually found a change of level underfoot. Beneath a thick layer of grass that had fallen over everything we eventually located panels, then the electrical control box, and to our surprise, when the grass was off the panels the…
Read MoreGrowing okra: another drought star.
I’m an okra growing novice. I have always liked it, and bought it when it looked good in the greengrocer, but I have never seen it growing and could possibly be the first in my family to try it. But so far I’m impressed with growing okra, as it’s stayed unwiltingly defiant through our dry spring.
Read MoreSeed saving – the spring crop.
Seed saving. It seems like everyone’s doing it, and it’s a good job for a warm and breezy Sunday afternoon. Today I got my saved seeds into ziplock bags, and it gave me new enthusiasm to get out sowing. While I think of seed saving as putting away seeds for next year, some crops like lettuce can be sowed back straight away.
Read MoreMarans chicks at 6 weeks.
Our Marans chicks are six weeks old, and have turned from fluff balls to proper little chickens.
Read MoreRed browed finches.
The birdlife here is phenomenal. Mostly we just hear them, a huge repertoire of calls through the day coming from the forest trees, but some are more visible. These sweet birds look like they will be our main garden residents. They have been around since we moved in, feeding on grass seeds in the paddock, and just this week they have started taking seed from the hanging feeder we put up for the pet doves we inherited. Red browed finches are very pretty to have flitting around; I can’t wait till…
Read MoreLocal fruit: Black apple, Planchonella australis
These were a complete surprise to me, but it was nice to discover a native fruit tree, the black apple, in the forest here. I discovered them by chance after following the dog when she took off into the forest.
Read MoreBreaking broody hens
I can see why broodiness has been bred out of many poultry breeds. With my hens the build up to broodiness seemed all advantageous, but that didn’t last.
Read MoreDogs and chickens
When we moved here we inherited chickens and wanted a dog. I grew up with farmers in the family and there never seemed to be a problem with dogs and chickens, although often both dog and chickens were confined to their own yards, so I didn’t think there was a big deal there, but ending up with a dog that likes to kill chickens would be problematic. We had contacted the pound to see whether they had a suitable dog, but they basically said that a mature dog can’t be…
Read MoreDig up, hoe back, rake over. Making a new garden bed
I’ve settled on a process for making new beds. I’ve tried a few ways, from no-dig, through hoeing, to digging, and for the new plots on the Mid-levels where the soil is deep, digging is definitely the way to go.
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