New Blood

 

At Opportunity Farm we keep goats. They are an eclectic mix of dairy and meat breeds. A smattering of Saanen, a dash of Toggenburg, some Australian Brown and decent dose of Boer. The chief buck was, until this winter, a diminutive but easy going Boer called Cedric. He happily wooed his girls with the usual goat etiquette of curled back lips and peeing on himself. He fathered several generations on our farm and even attracted other people to drop off their does for his servicing.

This winter Cedric failed to do the deed with one such doe. We started to worry and soon enough Cedric was staying in the shed longer and sitting down more regularly. By the time the vet was called he was in the final stages of cancer and succumbed despite the best efforts of the local James Herriott.

 

So that only left Curly, our mongrel dairy buck. He is closely related to many of our does so is less 'useful' as a prospective parent. So we needed some new blood. A conversation with a new friend revealed they had a paddock full of little Boers and hadn't yet used the emasculator to render them infertile.

Can they keep one for us? Of course. For a very small fee we have a new Boer buck. We think of Dutch names such as Johann, Pieter and Meindert. Hans seems more appropriate and can even be elongated to Hans-some.

So if he can survive Curly and pack on some pounds then next year he might start fathering some more meat goats.

 

The Tools for the Forge

Christmas is over and the present wrappings are in the bin. My special present didn't come down the chimney or on a magic sleigh. It arrived on the back of a trailer.

One very old and exceedingly heavy anvil and a homemade forge - the best sort of second-hand goods. Having spent a weekend at Mother Mountain Forge at Dignam's Creek I am keen to have a go myself.

Stage One - gather the tools.

Stage Two - construct a lean-to as a forging place.

Stage Three - collect or make charcoal.

Stage Four - Fire her up and see what happens.

 

So the first step to making metal bend is completed and plans are afoot for the second one.

 

 

Late Frost - A Tale of Two Gardens

 November 28th - Two days until summer. Rising to milk the cow a little after six am I am greeted by a white tinge on the grass. I check the garden and all the plants are coated in a thick layer of frost. As the sun is reaching over the mountain I am pouring water on the tomatoes, basils, pumpkins and zucchinis. The convenient hose is no use as the water inside has frozen so it is lots of trips to the tap with the watering can. Too little too late. Within hours the leaves were withering and turning black.
The potatoes didn't look too happy but enough lower leaves survived. The grapes were hit and even the lavender was knocked back.
November 30th - 34 degrees!
December 2 - Woke to a snowstorm that lasted for an hour!

 

Frosted Potatoes

 

 

A very sorry looking zucchini

 

 

So the summer garden at Opportunity Farm is almost back to square one. Start again with more plants and even less chance of a decent harvest before we hit the next frost.

 

 

Luckily we have a back up. Our other garden is 600m lower in altitude. We have enthusiastic garden tenants to water and weed the plants and it is bursting with growth. The first tomatoes are close to reddening and we have already too many zucchinis.  

 

 

A raised bed with tomatoes, egg plant and capsicum.

 

Zucchinis galore just waiting for our piglets