Nine weeks on and the garden is starting to look how we imagined it would. We now have five garden beds all planted and are starting to harvest a few things here and there. Dwarf beans, lettuce, beetroot and a few tomatos are ready. We also have some nice spinach and chinese greens to add to the lettuce and beetroot tops for a crisp salad. Broccoli seedlings are well underway and we're already looking for space for a few more beds!
The Chinese greens are growing in the (very smelly) soil we extracted from the dam bottom when it was dry. They're thriving in this rich soil. Some of the other beds have our own composted soil. We've had to put some shade cloth over some of the greens as the heat has been just a bit too much for them in the middle of the day.
Our pizza oven base is coming along. Although, post Christmas our business has become busy again and the recent hot weather has made it difficult to work on.
We've also just sent two lambs off to the butcher to pop in the freezer. This will give us meat, stock, lard and some bones for the dogs. We're aware that some people choose not to eat meat, and others can't understand how we can eat an animal we've raised. The answer is simple, we're honest carnivores. We're very happy eating our own animals as we know they've had a good life (and just one bad day). They are grass fed, not rounded up by dogs and have a low stress existance. In short - we know where our food comes from.
We have also purchased an egg incubator to start a new flock of chickens for meat production. It's been too hot recently to start this project but it will be underway soon. We also realise that we need a new rooster. Our big fellow (Kevin) is getting on in age and doesn't seem to be fertilsing eggs anymore. Practicality says we should bump him off, but he's a gorgeous bird and has been with us for a while now. I think we'll retire him gracefully somewhere and just enjoy his wonderful plumage!
