Off we go for our walkabout on The Kitchen’s Garden Farmy

Walkabouts are my favourite posts. Today we will wander through the cast of the Kitchens Garden Farm. I could not fit everyone on the one page but you will get the idea.

This is The Duke of Kupa.  He has two wives  and spends an enormous amount of time trying to attract their attention.  But only dogs and chickens seem to notice.  He has been on the farmy for almost two months now and is well on the way to ruling the roost. 

Here is Queenie Wineti. She plays a supporting role really.  She is a Hereford and almost a year old. She has the longest eyelashes of any cow I have ever known. We hope she will get pregnant next year. 

Mama is the mother of the three lambs. She also has a lead role. Sometimes we call her The Policeman as she has a stern uncompromising look. Her eldest lamb is Mia. Minty and Meadow are her spring ewe lambs.  All male lambs are called The Murphys.  She had two Murphys but one died at birth. You can see TonTon in the background, he is always somewhere about.  

This is Hairy MacLairy. The sweetest ram ever. He is in the field with Queenie Wineti. He will not be working again until the fall so he spends most of the year loafing about with Queenie. One would imagine, by the look of him, that he is the most depressed sheep in the western world but really I think he is just pretending because he likes his ears to be scratched.

We have two active bee hives. My father (in NZ) reminded me, the other day, that I need to look in the hives for insurgent Queen cells.  If they make another Queen they will swarm.  Extra room is not enough. So today if it stays calm I need to take them apart and look under the supers for these pointy little cells.  

This is the Son of Neanderthol Man. He is the Master of the barn chickens.  He is a tough old bird this one. 

And Daisy.  Daisy is moving into the Starring role. The Female Lead. She is due to have her calf in the next few weeks, then I will be milking, (God help us)  and we will swing into cheese making and all those other divine dairy delights!  The kitchen will seriously get into gear once I start the milking.  Last night Daisy was laid down in the field and I leaned on her feeling the calf move inside. Not kicking just sliding about in there like a huge fish just under the water. Her belly would slowly move out one side then just as softly move back in. Whatever is in there is BIG!

She soon got tired of me lying all over her and stood up with such a big groan. I told her that you only look old when you start making old people’s noises when you stand up. Sophia Loren said that. So she better quit all the moaning and groaning like an old person.  She just stretched and flicked her tail.

Did I miss anyone out? I think everyone got a mention.

Good Morning. Plenty to do today. Daisy was visited by a Dairy farmer yesterday and was given an A+. She is in very good health he said and her udder is developing nicely. So far so good. He was a little surprised at how tall she is. To brush her back I stand on a bucket. But she is very gentle with me and after watching us work together he said he did not think she would kick me.  Well that is heartening!

I called the swine herd and he is going away and will call me back on Tuesday.  He apologised for giving me the run around.  So we have to wait another week. Sigh. I know it is polite to apologise, but sometimes I think apologies are just  a little Too Late. He knew I was going to call. I don’t want an apology I want my baby Hereford piggie.

The big pigs had a delivery of three boxes of old tomatoes and six pounds of past their used by date black beans from the food pantry, so they will be eating well for a few days.

I gave in and made a tiny batch of strawberry jam. Then discovered that I have run out  of preserving lids.  So this strawberry jam will go into the fridge.

Now off to work! Watering day today! This is my muscle building day as I only have one tap (faucet) on the whole property.  Seven acres. We have well water. So I drag hoses around all the gardens and all the fields all day long to get every bucket and barrel cleaned and refilled and every  garden watered. Maybe tomorrow we will do a tour of the vegetable gardens. They are all shapes and sizes and one will suit you for sure!

Good Morning. Have a great day!

celi