30 August 2009

The new hens

Hello Lily and Jasper,

I think that I forgot to show you the extensions to the chook yard.
Last year sometime Grandad and I extended the yard by about three times its size. This was so that if we had to go away then there was plenty of room for the hens to run around when we were not there to let them out each afternoon. We would only leave them for two or three days at the most.



Early this winter I gave away all our hens to people who wanted them as pets because they hadn't laid any eggs for a long time. As it had been raining such alot this would also allow the yard to dry out and we could clean out the hen's shed too.



Last week I decided that it was time for some new hens, so I bought three when I was in Lismore. They are very timid at present and are still getting used to living in our big yard. I'm sure that when they have settled down they will lay us lovely brown eggs. What do you think?

25 August 2009

Our vegetable garden

The garden has been growing really well this year, probably because it hasn't been a very cold winter, there haven't been many frosts in this area.



I planted cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli to start. We have finished the cabbages and have planted a new lot, the broccoli is still producing and we had a couple of good cauliflowers.





Next we planted lettuces, silver beet, beans, peas, onions, zucchini and rocket plus swedes and kohlrabi. We still have a very productive bed of perennial leeks and of course lots of flat leafed and curly parsley.



In the big bed at the back we have planted the zucchinis and lots of potatoes which look really good at present but we'll have to wait and see what they produce.

I also have lots of culinary and medicinal herbs in pots which will be planted out in the next few weeks after the rain starts.

The little orchard down the hill from the house has been booming - the mandarins have now finished, we've had loads of bananas and are now just finishing the last bunch, the oranges have been wonderful and we have a glut of grapefruit. A couple of years ago I planted a tangello and a blood orange near the vegie patch. They have produced huge amounts of fruit, most of which we have now used but the blood orange has to be the champion. The poor little tree which is in the foreground have over 50 oranges.




There is a glass of blood orange juice in the photo. It is a glorious rich pink colour, tastes delicious and is not as tart as a lot of orange juice. There is a good sample of the days harvest in the basket.



I hope that when you come out next year that the garden is looking just as good so Lily, Jasper and I can go vegie harvesting. There is nothing better than picking an orange and then eating it or picking the peas or beans for dinner.