Eggy surprise

Eeek! Just to emphasise the fact that my 5 year old grandson has a better grasp of social media than I have, I managed to give the wrong link to this blog to "Get Growing" who generously published my blog address. Well, with their 22,000 readers each week, I was pretty sure that I would get at least one follower, so I was alerted by that little sentence that says "no followers yet" (sigh)

So I have asked them if they would consider re-publishing it, but I think I'm pushing it to tell you the truth!

And no I haven't come up with a new eggy recipe for you, though I'm sure I could if the garden would just stop calling me. Instead I'm sharing this morning's surprise with you: my one-big-brown-egg-a-day-each chooks suddenly went off the lay and actually I was pleased in a way because I have been telling them to slow down a bit. They aren't looking too flash at the moment and I think a couple of them are laying themselves to death. As if one egg a day is not enough, we get double yolkers. The smaller egg in the photo is actually quite a big one - the bigger one is just plain scary.

Today I followed one of the chickens into the bush because they seldom go off on their own and I was a bit suspicious - sure enough, there was the cutest little nest tucked into the fern with 10 eggs in it. Too dark to photograph them in there - that would have been a great photo. I left 2 eggs in the nest so they don't go off and find a new spot to lay tomorrow, and brought the rest home. Today I've left them locked up until they have laid just to remind them to use the lovely little nesting box with fresh hay that is in their pen.

Omelet for lunch.

Bob's your aunty

Someone has kindly donated a rooster called Robbie to the clan. The girls have been giving him a hard time but I've see the odd one cosying up to him over the last few days so today I took a chance and let him out to free range with his girls - I don't think he will go far from them, and they all seem to be clucking away together happily in the edges of the bush.

Yet another kind soul has offered us 10 more chooks, younger ones that will eventually be called 'the girls' and the old ones will graduate to being 'the aunties'. There may be a few feathers flying for a while as they get used to each other but they do have 17 acres or so to lose each other in. By bedtime they are so tired and full they will hardly notice eachother, ha! Fingers crossed.

Never a dull moment

The last month is a bit of a blur. We have taken over the care of a neighbouring property - yes another good cause! This one is an outdoor education camp for children that is used by schools and also hired for private groups in the weekends.Lonsdale Park is a bit rundown due to lack of finance and they need a couple of people who love restoring things and love a challenge - the first two lines in our CVs!

Some would say we are mad...Each property is still at the stage of restoration, and the plan is to have them both to the point where we just need to maintain them over summer when we will be at our busiest with visitors. That's the theory anyway. I'll keep you posted on that one, so to speak.

We have had the pleasure of working with a couple more Wwoofers, Michael from Germany and Mike from England. Amongst other things, they helped us build another chook run, and have also put in another couple of raised beds of veges and herbs. We are still eating well out of the covered garden with bumper broccoli, plenty of silverbeet, beetroot, red onions, leeks and salady things but in these recent winter months that garden doesn't get much sun. The new beds have lots of sun, so in go the strawberry plants, herbs and more salad stuff.

And I have been trying to make use of every resource I possibly can. This has become an exercise in living off the land, (much like we did in the 70's but with older bones!) Some lovely friends have given me lots of fleeces and I have been spinning heaps and knitting a jersey for Chris plus some small things for grandchildren. We don't have TV, so the evenings - that's the bit between dinner and collapsing into bed by 9pm - are perfect for crafty things by the fire.

I've been curing sheepskins too - they may become slippers, or mats, not sure yet.

We did an unofficial kiwi count at the Water Gardens and it looks like we have at least a breeding pair and two single males who are both calling for mates. So exciting. Unfortunately we also have a growing population of pukeko who delight in pulling out all the new plants we have painstakingly put around the ponds. It's very frustrating. We are still getting possums in the traps and now of course we have to start afresh at Lonsdale with a pest programme.

I have recently made contact with the local seed saving group and am looking forward to swapping some of the seeds I brought with me in the bus (I knew there was a good reason!) for some local goodies.

Roll on summer!