Farm update - April 2016

Well, the last few weeks have been a bit strange!  I finished up at my job in Brisbane just before Easter.  The final week coincided with Pete also needing to be in Brisbane for a course, so we stayed in a motel together as I had to pack up and clean my unit anyway. It was like a holiday, but we both had to go out during the day and then catch up with friends each night.  My parents arrived from NZ at the end of that week and we brought them back to the farm for two weeks.  Now Pete is back in Brisbane for the week, at the second part of his course, and its just me and Taz at the farm and I've started my new job!  The new job is at the same place I used to work, so its the least scary first-day-at-a-new-job I've ever had.

We might have got a new puppy also....

We also have a new family member.  Little Gus is a 7 week old Great Dane X Bull Arab (which is also apparently not actually a breed, but a cross between a German Setter, Greyhound and Bull Terrier).  Basically he's a bitza, and probably a big one!  These types of dogs are used around our way for pig hunting, but Gus will be in charge of security on our property.  Taz is a good barker, but just a little bit small and cute to deter anyone and she also doesn't hear the cars coming down the driveway before I do!  I want people to think twice about opening the gate is one of us isn't in the yard with the dog.  We had great success with training Taz to stay safe in her puppy box, and we are doing the same with Gus.  This is leading to confusion, as Taz still responds to the command "in your box" and "on your bed" by getting in the box! Training is going to be very important with this big dog, so that will keep us occupied for a few months.

We've continued to be lucky with the weather, with hots days interrupted by just enough storms and showers to keep the grass green until we get the first frost.

This works together with the principle Integrate, Rather than Segregate.  Valuing diversity means that we see our property differently to other farmers.  Where they see trees as a waste of space, we see shade, firewood, nutrient cycling, and most importantly - honeybee food!  Weeds are the same, as long as they don't poison the cattle, they are all part of the diversity that feeds the soil and the animals.  When we planted our small patch of perennial pasture, we seeded three varieties of grass and one legume, but we will continue to encourage further diversity by adding more seed in future.  In the garden I just mix up all the veges (no straight rows in my garden) and I hope that confuses pests and encourages a diversity of predator insects so that I get a better harvest.  I also end up with volunteer self-seeded plants everywhere!

chickens are crazy enough without adding other animals!

With the animals, I think there is a limit to the amount of diversity we can care for.  We have tried turkeys and guinea fowl, but in the end we decided it was easier to just keep lots of chickens.  I think having chickens with the cattle is good, they spread out the cow manure and clean up any spilled grain from the dairy cows.  We would like to get sheep, goats and pigs eventually, but we will try one at a time and see if they fit in.  I know some people keep a flerd (flock + herd), which is apparently good for keeping predators away from the small animals and they different animals will eat different species in the pasture.  More animals does create more work, with different management required (as in stock yards and loading ramps etc).

Now that I'm home, I finally have time to make all the soap recipes that I've been hoarding.  Previously the only soap-making time was weekends, which was also time for house renovating and looking after the animals.  First I need to restock the soaps and salves for my etsy store, then I'm going to try:

• Activated charcoal soap and charcoal drawing salve - these are both supposed to be good for acne, and other things that need "drawing" like boils and skin infections.  I've got some frankincense essential oil, which should be lovely in this salve.
• Soap with pink salt as an exfoliant, and then soap with salt water to make a harder bar (its called soleseife).
• Honey and oatmeal soap as we still have some honey left and I'd like to see how that turns out.
• For winter, I thought that this vapour rub recipe might be worth a try

When I've tested them, I'll publish my recipes (they will be based on beef tallow) and sell them on Etsy if they are nice enough.

here's the charcoal soap

Here's a few blogs that turned up in my newsfeed this month:

Eat Real, Stay Sane - real food lifestyle without losing your mind or social life, lots of recipes and tips for eating real food.

Tamsininamania - which also has a lovely instagram account and had great success tanning a sheepskin following some of the info in my posts about tanning a steer hide!

How was your March?  Did you get some time off over Easter?  What are your plans for April?