Lambs are natural escape artists. They have a tendency to leak through fences. Minty was winding herself around my ankles like a cat so getting her in the shot was impossible. These two were inspecting the trucks. Soon Mama started to make a racket and they darted back through the fence like good little lambs. I fixed the gap.
Kupa you are not going to be able to fit that tail through the creep door when it is Up like that. 
Oh, well that works. Soon we will have to start calling that tail a train. It is getting so long. 
So I was talking to my daughter last night, giving her my grocery list for the Red Cross parcel that someone usually sends me once or twice a year from New Zealand.
“Bad news about the Marmite.” she said.
“What do you mean?” I said, idly dropping dirty dishes in the dishwasher. The first three items on my list were Marmite. I am down to the last few scrapes, I can make a jar last almost a year if I am frugal. A cupboard without Marmite is bare.
“The factory was in the earthquake.”
“The Christchurch earthquakes?” I said.
“Yup.”
” Your Grandfather wrote me yesterday that they closed his church. I guess the tremors are still happenning. The same day, they decided Farmers was not safe anymore and halfway through the morning, with no warning, some shrieker got on the loud speakers and told everyone to get out immediately. Right now! Evacuate! Curtains were yanked open and women were running for the exits trying to pull their clothes on as they ran. Can you just see all the wobbly Farmers shoppers, pushing their arms back through their cardies, holding their pants up, handbags in the crooks of their arms, jamming themselves through the exit doors.” I laughed out loud at the thought. “Once they were all in the street they turned around and gathered to see what was going to happen and nothing did!”
“Mum!”
I smother a laugh. It really is not funny.
“This is serious.” She says.
I try to be good. I put on my mother voice. “What is serious darling?”
“The Marmite Crisis. They are calling it Marmegeddon!”
“There is a crisis?” I watch John take back out the dirty dishes, rinse them and stack them properly in the dishwasher. “What kind of crisis?”
“Are you listening.?” she said.
“Course I am listening darling.”
“I can hear dishes. Stop doing the dishes and pay attention.”
I sigh, she is so strict this daughter of mine. I walk onto the verandah and stand looking at the barn.
“OK, I am all ears.”
“New Zealand is running out of Marmite.”
“Running out of marmite?” I sit slowly on the step. Life without Marmite is unthinkable. “All out. Like gone. (a terrible pause). There was only one factory?”
“Evidently.”
“Quick, go to the supermarket right now and buy the rest for me. Buy them all darling, I will send you some money. I can’t run out. How will I make my gravy. What about my morning toast? It is the taste of New Zealand. I have to have a stock.” I try to control the panic in my voice.
“Mum. There are none left!”
“NONE? Anywhere. No jars of Marmite left? No-one warned us? Are there hoarders, are people hoarding? Is there a black market Marmite thingy somewhere. Wait, I used to know some guys in the Mongrel Mob, I taught their kids. They might be able to get me some.”
“Mum. The Mongrel Mob is not hoarding Marmite.”
“But darling. I cannot be without Marmite. My jar is almost empty. What will we do?”
Calling all you Marmite Hoarders!! I am willing to pay TOP DOLLAR for the Marmite. And don’t try and sell me that British imitation Marmite it is too runny. NO Vegemite either, I can tell the difference! Get a hold of me any way you can. This is serious crisis!
Good morning. I hope you are all well this morning eating your Marmite on toast! I am rationing myself to a smear. I cannot believe an entire country could run out of an essential food like this. They had better have it sorted out by November when I visit!
Yesterday Our John cut a small area down the back for hay. It will be grass hay. So far so good though. It is cut and today is fine, warm and clear. Tonight he will rake it. Which will turn it over to dry the other side. Then the next day it is raked into a hedgerow and then baled by Thursday all being well. John has never done haymaking before so it is an adventure!
I had a lot of help with the chook house compost yesterday, which meant I had to move the tractor very slowly due to hen crowding, so we are still only half way through. 
It takes a wee while because after I have filled the tractor bucket, I drive over to the hose and soak it with water, then off down the back we trundle and dump it on the new compost pile. So we will be doing more today!
Oh and I was asked yesterday how many chooks in the chook house. I tried to count but they move too fast. I would say about twenty five or thirty.
Daisy comes into the milk room for a brush and a special feed each morning and evening as a practice for milking and is being surprisingly docile and good. She is not bothered at all by the pump which is a relief.
Have a great day today. Good morning.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
104 responses to “Calling all Marmite Hoarders!”
I’m on the hunt! I have a talent for finding exceptionally hard-to-find things, miss c! Will let you know the outcome.
That is a very useful talent! i am sure there is some out there, surely the shortage has not reached the US yet! c
I’ve never heard of Marmite, but wish you luck in finding some, C. Kupa is beginning to look more and more regal all the time.
I’ll look, too, Celi. Berkeley is a foodie town and you can find lots of things here.
How great to live in a foodie town! Thank you Sharyn.. c
You can gladly have my share of Marmite Celi. My mom is like you about the stuff! Ours is packaged a bit differently but the same product and is readily available here. I will gladly post some off to you – just email me your address and I will have you stocked up ASAP.
🙂 Mandy
Mandy that is so kind, you don’t like marmite!? isn’t it amazing how much is similar in SA to NZ.
Nope, can’t seem to get marmite passed my lips – seems to burn my tongue. I am sure Mom would make me clarify that she eats marmite on fresh soft brown bread and bovril on toast. 😉
Oh Dear! This would be me with out Greek yogurt! I do hope you come across the mother load holed up in some dark corner of the market. In some far off land, or deep in the back of a relatives pantry…or…well, I should stop.
As Minty grows, you are going to have to brace your feet so as not to be toppled!
One last thing..your telephone conversation sounds familiar…”Mom, really , are you even listening to me”!
Jess
aren’t daughters brilliant when they start using your own words straight back to you!! c
Don’t panic, Celi. There is a knock off that you can get here in America that tastes just like Marmite. It’s called, Marmoset. The butcher will have to get it for you. Just go to your butcher and ask him to grind some Marmoset for you. He’ll be happy to do it. Don’t monkey around. Go right now while there is still some available. HF
Horrible! HF (laughter!) c
So nice to see The Murphy…he looks so big! (I think that’s him, yes?) Next time I’m in the market I will check to see if their Marmite, which they do have on shelf all the time, is NZ or Brit and let you know if it’s the real deal. I have not tasted either, but understand these addictions! 😉
Yes that is The Murphy. He and meadow are growing like weeds on that good mothers milk! c
I agree with you about the British marmite – very runny. Vegemite is appalling stuff though my son in Russia needed some when I visited. Promite is the way to go for me. I think the closest I can come to properly understanding how you feel is to imagine chocolate running out. Or champagne. Good luck with the hunt.
I have honestly never had runny British marmite, but maybe they’ve made it runny for the plastic squeezy bottles. I always buy the glass ones.
Growing up in Canada with European parents I have to say that I was never a Marmite fan (I understand if you have to delete this comment). I know people who eat Marmite and it is available in our grocery stores, it’s just not something we ate; and now it’s too late. The smell does not agree with me and I couldn’t imagine eating it. You may have my rations if it ever comes to it.
I love how your animals have personalities. I do hope you don’t actually eat them. Not sure how I could manage that.
morning eva, i never eat anything I have named! that would be weird! c
What I want to know is has the crisis been averted. I mean NZ marmite or otherwise it’s a crisis and now has international importance and effect?
In all seriousness, is there still a NZ shop in London – there used to be one just off Covent Garden? I’m in town next week….. mind you could I stoop to buying NZ marmite?
It IS an acquired taste. They might look at you funny! c
even funnier with my Birtish accent. Cx
http://www.sanza.co.uk/search.asp maybe your answer – but quick while stocks last!
awesome! c
being so close to those Brits, we only hoard BritMite. Aussie Nana brings out the yeasty ‘V.’ I’ve not tried the NZ stuff. America can’t handle that flavor. My commiserations to you and your naked toast.
My poor naked toast is grateful for your commiserations! c
[…] wonder if it would be acceptable to Celi? 51.761206 -1.246467 Rate this: Share this:ShareStumbleUponLike this:LikeBe the first to like […]
How would this suit, Celi?
http://pseu1.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/marmite-anyone/
you are brilliant.. and actually that looks pretty close!! c
Good one, celi.
I’m very sorry for the marmite crisis my friend – ration well and hopefully for you, your lovely yeast spread will be back in store soon!
You must miss it even more because of your links to home – soon my friend! Amazon maybe? eBay? Ok maybe not eBay 😉
I’ll keep an eye out!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru