Well, we have been in our house for a year now. As with the rest of life it feels like it has gone quickly, yet at the same time a lot has happened in that year. I remember writing my first blog entry so clearly though. I will find it very useful to look back on those entries to know what is coming up around the place. I still remember how new it all felt back then. Now it feels very comfortable.
It is now two weeks until the summer solstice and I'm not sure summer has even arrived yet. We've had a couple of really good days lately, warm and sunny. But rain is forecast for the remainder of the week.
At least with the fine weather I was able to get out and mow the lawn which really needed it, and spray the weeds which also really needed it. The funny thing is I sprayed the weeds on Friday and they are already starting to turn yellow. Whereas during winter when I sprayed weeds it took a couple of weeks before they started to die. I guess there was a lot of moisture in the ground then or something.
Picked some of the rhubarb from the garden and made a delicious rhubarb crumble. Not much else going on in the vege garden though. This weeks total is:
Potatoes: Heaps
Strawberry: Heaps of plants, a few berries growing, a few berries eaten by something
Tomatoes: 5 (maybe 6, it looks like something is growing where the one that got killed was)
Lettuce: 2
Broccoli: 2 (the leaves on the rest of the plants have been eaten by something, don't know if heads will still grow or not)
Cucumber: 0
Zucchini: 1
Celery: 6
Rhubarb: Enough for a couple more crumbles
Overall it's not looking too good. I tried crushed eggshells around one broccoli plant (didn't have many eggs so could only do it with one plant) and that plant is still intact so it may have worked. Or maybe not, we will have to wait and see.
We still have lots of challenges ahead. For a start we still haven't done much in the way of self sufficiency. Still don't have any stock. Have been talking about getting chickens at the end of the year, it is nearly the end of the year so will have to look into it. The neighbours haven't grazed our fields for a long time and the grass is getting very long again. Waist high in places. Are considering buying some of the neighbour's lambs. Need to do some more planting in the vege garden but with the rate of death for vegetables I'm not too enthusiastic about it.
Given that the first year in the property is over, I will probably only post monthly now for the second year. I've been falling behind a little lately and finding it hard to keep up.
-M
08 December 2009
01 December 2009
Week 51
Haven't done much this week. It's been raining a lot again. After I got back from my holiday it seemed it had been quite dry and things were drying out. But it was just a tease and now the rain is back again.
Last week the grass looked like it could do with a mow again to keep it under control. But it was too wet. Now it definitely needs a mow but is still too wet.
Had some friends come over on Friday night. We had a wander around the vege garden and they pointed out I also have rhubarb growing there, and a gooseberry bush. There are also a lot of weeds growing, but I figure as long as they're not too big or getting in the way of the veges, I'm not going to bother with them much. We also discovered I do still have a couple of lettuces left after all, that were just hiding under the mulch.
So this week's total in the garden is:
Potatoes: Heaps
Strawberry: Heaps of plants, a few berries growing, a few berries eaten by something
Tomatoes: 5
Lettuce: 2
Broccoli: 6
Cucumber: 1 (1 got killed)
Zucchini: 2
Celery: 6
Rhubarb: Heaps
There has also been something eating the leaves of the broccoli and cucumber plants. Not rabbits, must be some kind of bug.
This week I opened the second of the jars of apple jelly I made back in April. We'd finally finished eating the first jar. There were a few spots of mould on top, but once I carefully scraped it off, it was very nice underneath. Yummy.
-M
Last week the grass looked like it could do with a mow again to keep it under control. But it was too wet. Now it definitely needs a mow but is still too wet.
Had some friends come over on Friday night. We had a wander around the vege garden and they pointed out I also have rhubarb growing there, and a gooseberry bush. There are also a lot of weeds growing, but I figure as long as they're not too big or getting in the way of the veges, I'm not going to bother with them much. We also discovered I do still have a couple of lettuces left after all, that were just hiding under the mulch.
So this week's total in the garden is:
Potatoes: Heaps
Strawberry: Heaps of plants, a few berries growing, a few berries eaten by something
Tomatoes: 5
Lettuce: 2
Broccoli: 6
Cucumber: 1 (1 got killed)
Zucchini: 2
Celery: 6
Rhubarb: Heaps
There has also been something eating the leaves of the broccoli and cucumber plants. Not rabbits, must be some kind of bug.
This week I opened the second of the jars of apple jelly I made back in April. We'd finally finished eating the first jar. There were a few spots of mould on top, but once I carefully scraped it off, it was very nice underneath. Yummy.
-M
24 November 2009
Week 50 - Planting
Have been planting heaps in the vege garden this week. Have planted six broccoli, 2 cucumber, 2 zucchini and 6 celery (not that I even like celery but the rest of the family eats it). I planted the broccoli first and within a few hours the dog had dug most of them up. I replanted them and hopefully have managed to save them all. Luckily he hasn't touched any of the others, so hopefully he has learnt his lesson.
There are lots and lots of potatoes growing in the garden. Some have even just opened flowers on them - hopefully they'll be ready for Christmas dinner. I guess these have all grown from the potatoes I failed to harvest last year.
We also still have lots and lots of potatoes left over in the cupboard from last years harvest. Most of these are growing eyes and ears and noses, roots and shoots. I took a couple of dozen and planted them in the garden as well. No idea if they'll actually grow properly but I can't see why they wouldn't. Are these what you call seed potatoes?
So the grand total in the garden now is:
Potatoes: Heaps
Strawberry: Heaps
Tomatoes: 5 (1 got killed)
Lettuce: 0 (all eaten by rabbits)
Broccoli: 6
Cucumber: 2
Zucchini: 2
Celery: 6
Before I could do the planting I had to do a bit of weeding. At least the weeding is nothing near as bad as it was last summer when it had all gotten away on us. There are a lot of buttercups and dandelions and other common weeds I'm not sure of their names. At first I pulled out the weeds by hand. Then I discovered the hoe. It makes life so much easier, and is so much quicker. I can just pull it along and cut out all those weeds in one go. (Or if you want the rude version: "I used to just do the old hand job, until I discovered how good hoeing is, now it just takes one stroke and it's done"!!! LOL).
-M
There are lots and lots of potatoes growing in the garden. Some have even just opened flowers on them - hopefully they'll be ready for Christmas dinner. I guess these have all grown from the potatoes I failed to harvest last year.
We also still have lots and lots of potatoes left over in the cupboard from last years harvest. Most of these are growing eyes and ears and noses, roots and shoots. I took a couple of dozen and planted them in the garden as well. No idea if they'll actually grow properly but I can't see why they wouldn't. Are these what you call seed potatoes?
So the grand total in the garden now is:
Potatoes: Heaps
Strawberry: Heaps
Tomatoes: 5 (1 got killed)
Lettuce: 0 (all eaten by rabbits)
Broccoli: 6
Cucumber: 2
Zucchini: 2
Celery: 6
Before I could do the planting I had to do a bit of weeding. At least the weeding is nothing near as bad as it was last summer when it had all gotten away on us. There are a lot of buttercups and dandelions and other common weeds I'm not sure of their names. At first I pulled out the weeds by hand. Then I discovered the hoe. It makes life so much easier, and is so much quicker. I can just pull it along and cut out all those weeds in one go. (Or if you want the rude version: "I used to just do the old hand job, until I discovered how good hoeing is, now it just takes one stroke and it's done"!!! LOL).
-M
17 November 2009
Week 49 - The Birds
We have birds back again. Lots of chirping coming from the wall/ceiling between the kitchen and living room. Lots of evidence of birds in the guttering above the deck (bird poop, loose grass flying around, etc). Birds waking us every morning between 5 and 7.
I rescued three sparrows from the fireplace in one day last week. Must be a record.
Peter got up into the ceiling cavity and removed at least one nest, and blocked up a couple of entrances.
One of the cats got into the ceiling cavity on another occasion (no, she didn't climb the ladder - there is a small hatch from our bedroom wall into the roof cavity behind it) and had so much fun she didn't want to come back out again. But I don't know if she caught anything.
Speaking of cats, the other one managed to catch a rabbit for himself. And bring it up to the house to show off.
Have had some fine weather lately. Even the ground in the lower paddocks is starting to dry out. Have mowed the lawn and attempted some weedeating. It's still growing too quickly and feels futile.
Have eaten the first 8 strawberries from our garden. They were in ok condition but the birds had put some holes into a couple of them. The chicken wire over top of the strawberry patch continues to be flattened. I think it must be the wind rather than any animals. Shouldn't be too hard to find something to prop it up. Just gotta get around to it.
-M
I rescued three sparrows from the fireplace in one day last week. Must be a record.
Peter got up into the ceiling cavity and removed at least one nest, and blocked up a couple of entrances.
One of the cats got into the ceiling cavity on another occasion (no, she didn't climb the ladder - there is a small hatch from our bedroom wall into the roof cavity behind it) and had so much fun she didn't want to come back out again. But I don't know if she caught anything.
Speaking of cats, the other one managed to catch a rabbit for himself. And bring it up to the house to show off.
Have had some fine weather lately. Even the ground in the lower paddocks is starting to dry out. Have mowed the lawn and attempted some weedeating. It's still growing too quickly and feels futile.
Have eaten the first 8 strawberries from our garden. They were in ok condition but the birds had put some holes into a couple of them. The chicken wire over top of the strawberry patch continues to be flattened. I think it must be the wind rather than any animals. Shouldn't be too hard to find something to prop it up. Just gotta get around to it.
-M
10 November 2009
Week 48
Last week I went away on holiday to Norfolk Island. Had an absolutely marvellous time. Therefore didn't get much done around the place.
Came home to find only two of the six lettuces I planted still there. I suspect the bunnies got them. Pleased to see that we still have five of the six tomatoes. The strawberries are growing too. The chicken wire that sat over top of them had been flattened. Don't know if it was the dog or what, but there are still several strawberries growing and ripening so don't think the birds got any of them.
I think we have birds nesting in the guttering above the deck again.
-M
Came home to find only two of the six lettuces I planted still there. I suspect the bunnies got them. Pleased to see that we still have five of the six tomatoes. The strawberries are growing too. The chicken wire that sat over top of them had been flattened. Don't know if it was the dog or what, but there are still several strawberries growing and ripening so don't think the birds got any of them.
I think we have birds nesting in the guttering above the deck again.
-M
Week 47
Labour Weekend is traditionally the time for planting tomatoes. I was too busy making the most of the good weather by cutting grass and going to the beach.
So later in the week I went to the garden centre and bought six lettuces and six tomatoes (two ordinary, two Roma and two cherry). I planted them in the vege garden - the first plants I've planted in there (but it is already full of potatoes).
The following day one tomato was already destroyed. Not sure if it was the dog or the bunnies. In fact I don't fancy the chances of the lettuces surviving at all, due to the two or three bunnies living in the bushes nearby.
-M
So later in the week I went to the garden centre and bought six lettuces and six tomatoes (two ordinary, two Roma and two cherry). I planted them in the vege garden - the first plants I've planted in there (but it is already full of potatoes).
The following day one tomato was already destroyed. Not sure if it was the dog or the bunnies. In fact I don't fancy the chances of the lettuces surviving at all, due to the two or three bunnies living in the bushes nearby.
-M
Week 46
The weekend just gone was Labour Weekend here. We actually had fine weather all weekend which was really great. I managed to get out of the house and get some things done. Sprayed the weeds up and down the driveway.
Mowed the grass in the lavender field. It was so long that in places it was as tall as the lavender. It was so long that at times I couldn't even see the lavender. The lavender has started growing again but doesn't have any flowers yet so is just green and blends into the grass very well. Just to make sure I got all the grass, I went over it all twice.
Monday the weather was still fine so we ventured out to Foxton Beach for a picnic. What a nice spot.
-M
Mowed the grass in the lavender field. It was so long that in places it was as tall as the lavender. It was so long that at times I couldn't even see the lavender. The lavender has started growing again but doesn't have any flowers yet so is just green and blends into the grass very well. Just to make sure I got all the grass, I went over it all twice.
Monday the weather was still fine so we ventured out to Foxton Beach for a picnic. What a nice spot.
-M
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