Morning to you all. The chookes and sheep have been watered and feed, only got the veggie garden to water still. The little twins lambs are doing great, healthy and bouncing around, and mom enjoying her babies. Maybe I should name her something else but Bella's Mum cause Bella is about to have her own lamb, time flies. There are 5 hens sitting on eggs atm, not sure what I going to do with that many chicks. Let's hope for a few roosters to eat. Not to crash hot on the last free ranging rooster taste but I was told to soak any wild meat in ice water, vinegar and lemon juice for a good day. It takes away that gamey taste! So bring on the roosters and ear plugs!



Yesterday I only did a halfday at work and it was delightful to see the Big Boss's face when I said cheers I'm off to take the grandson to horse riding, I am not married to the place like my husband (did not say the second bit to his face ). Anyway it was Cobi's second lesson and he sure enjoyed it. He got to trot by himself learnt about steering the horse(pony in his case) and found out it's not just riding but stable work as well. We will make a Jackeroo of him yet.



It's long weekend this weekend and we off to the farm, so it's packing today, getting supplies for all the little jobs waiting and it's also Nilo and Des's last weekend before they move to Queensland. I am really going to miss them heaps. It's been atleast 11 weeks since we been there last. No wonder I am so cranky lately. With summer here the lawn is growing so fast, we will have to bring the rideon back to Sydney, the Honda is just coping, or lets say the person behind the Honda mower is not coping! There's just one small problem we have to start carting it everytime we go to the farm, meaning less supplies.

The fun of starting a place from scratch!
Until nexttime
Rina

Our long overdue Winner is ...

Time passed so quickly, it's been nearly a month since our Tasmania Holiday, can't believe it. Pina mentioned it to me last week too. And now it really is time I do the draw so without anymore chit chat from me.

And our long overdue Winner is .... (Drum Roll) is Mel from Mels Backyard Congradulations Mel, Your small gift will be on it's way as soon as you pm your address on D2E forum for me. Thanks (Daisysmum)

Thank you to everyone that entered in the give away this time.
Until nexttime
Rina

Seeds means new life and food ...

Broad beans are starting to pod, These I am going to dry to use in soups and other dishes.


Coliander gone to seed, I use a lot of these seeds dried for my beef jerky. Just love the dainty white flowers.


A mix of turnips have gone to seed. It's been a good winter for turnips greens planted mainly for the animals.




Sheep having a good munch on the green salad mix of jap, millet, oats, grass and sunflower. They just loving it! New mum's will have free access to this area plus their regular suppliment feed.







Seeds and eggs are the start of any new life, be it in the garden or animals mating it means new life. And it means food for our families! We have been blessed with the birth of twin lambs this week ( tried to load a video for you but it just does not want to work so we sticking to pics for now)Hopefully two more ewes are going to drop soon. Miss Lashes and Bella are so huge just maybe it could be twins.

Cameraless atm and Father's Day

Father's Day was just not the same without the Blond One, who is still in USA, she gets back on Friday. Cameraless cause she's got the digital so no pics for now. The Lamb roast was just so tender and juicy, potatoes,carrots, garlic and sweet potato baked in the oven, and more veggies yummmy. A quick apple dessert with fresh cream to finish off. It's so easy I never even looked at my book, just went by memory. Got to put it up soon.

Des and Nilo came over and it was lovely to have them here. Nilo was not feeling so wonderful and enjoyed a catnap on the lazyboy, while Des got to play with the rotory hoe and veggiepatch. We started the pumpkin patch and fensed that off so Miss Daisy can keep out of it. The old rotory hoe spat the dummy mainly due to old age and neglect but that's ok, we just fix her up with a good clean and new paint job, look out for a new engine on ebay or see the man at the mower shop for a new engine. Servicing her would have cost the same as a new engine anyway.

That's the best toy I ever bought, it has worked so hard. The paddocks we hoed and planted with seed has sprung up and it green with jap, millet, oats, rye, mung beens and sunflower plants. Just like a big green salad! I checked on the ewes last night and Bella's mum is going to lamb first, her udder is getting big and her fanny is all swollen, so it gonna be soon.

Waste not ...making my own lard

Well today we cut Big Boy ram up, well not me but Charlie's grandson who is a butcher. He deboned the shoulder roast for me and that's what I will be cooking for father's day, with garlic, potatoes and sweet potatoes, caulieflower and broccoli with cheese sauce, and a apples pie for dessert. He dressed the rack of lambs something I never buy cause I simply can't afford it. What beautiful tender meat.

One thing I believe is not to waste any part and that means even the fat which is slow baking in my oven atm, already I have a 500gr tin filled up with clear white fat. My Grandmother used to have a dripping pot to store her fat in. This is the first time I have made some. I cut off every little bit of meat so the lard is clean. Those bits will do nicely in a stirfry. The dogs have their share of left overs and bone. Charlie got the liver, kidneys, 2 roasts and loin chops.

I am very happy to have be shown a new skill.

Saving the best Hobart pics for last ... Botanical Gardens

Enjoy the walk ... did you really think we going to miss the gardens.



































Exhausted yet, well it time to have a cuppa
See ya later
Rina
PS Leave a comment if you haven't done so already for a little Give away.

The first lamb slaughter .... you may by pass if you like.

We did it. The first of the (1 yr old)rams has be slaughtered on Wensday, what a way to start Spring. I so nearly got cold feet about this but thanks to Charlie I did not have to do the deed myself. He did not have a name but he was very tame and rather cute but he was meat, and that's what I have to tell myself. Heavy as to hang on the hooks and both of us where to short to pick him up all the way, so Charlie stood on a milk crate, got the hind legs and I picked him up from behind by his fur. Yeh it pays to be a strong girl. And to prove I was in there helping skin him. Charlie made me do a lot of the work myself and was rather pleased at my go for it attitude. Gail my landlord neighbour took a few pics on her moblie phone. PS I was not dressed for a photo session please excuse ... Still waiting for pics!! Then we headed to Gail's place for a nice strong Italian coffee.
Charlie took the lamb to his place to weigh and hang and Saterday I need too go to his place so his grandson who is a butcher can show me how to cut the lamb up.
Another skill I wanted to learn. Big Boy weighed in at 30kg cleaned
(There is another boy ready to be butchered soon.)