The sun shines at last

18.9.2019

We have had lots and lots of rain.  Rain is such a blessing that I feel guilty when I harbour resentful thoughts about it. Much of the country is in terrible drought and today the news tells us that Sydney water supply is in danger of running out! Fires continue to burn in NSW and in the rain forests behind Brisbane that were we went with Josh.  This week we have had sunshine and I can only feel relief.

We have been able to get more work done in the vegetable garden and around the farm. I have started working on a retirement area for the oldest goats.  Erin and Ester are 15 years old.  I never expected them o live so long. They are too old to sell now so I will try retirement quarters.  I usually try to sell our older does whilst they are still a good buy for someone else, but I could not bear to part with these goats at a sensible time.

There is more variety of food in the vegetable garden now. We have eaten most of the bok choi, but we have several sorts of cabbage, multi coloured silver beet, lettuce, mizuna, Kale and swede.  I have planted out some tomatoes in plastic covers and some zucchini that I cover on cold nights.  I am hoping for an early crop.  The first snow peas I put in are starting to climb up their sticks and the raspberries are growing leaves.  I have dug up the strawberries (those that survived an animal attack) and replanted them in refreshed soil. There is still plenty of work to be done.

Goat kid feeding has now got easier as they are all trained to use the feeder.  The older goats are taking enough milk that we have been able to feed them just twice a day and keep them growing well.  I have just advertised the males for sale and am hoping to reduce the numbers we are caring for as soon as possible. Then I can sell some of the larger goats to make way for the goatlings who will be entering the herd this year.

On Sunday it was sustainable house day.  It was a cold wet day and muddy under foot, so I was very glad we had decided not to open our home this year. Instead we. Were able to look at other people’s places. We visited a house in Toolangi that was very high tec.  The owner showed us his water and electric systems He had built special rooms and sheds to house walls of technology, all beautifully laid out. It terrified me!  I would not have the slightest clue how to manage such a complex system.  Luckily the owner was a tradesman with the right skills.

We met Al and Pe in Healesville and went with him to a co-housing project he designed. The houses on view were still being built so all the insulation and stuff could still be seen. Both properties we went to were surrounded by muddy drives and paths and all the visitors were only making things worse. I was most relieved that for once this was someone else’s problem.