12-tons of help

 The 12-ton at work clearing the fence line

Gravel pit dam is more or less empty

  Indi's bee seem very active by the vineyard dam

March 2 2017

Summer is officially over but the hot dry weather continues.  Today we are waiting for the shearer who hopefully will de-fleece the 6 longhaired sheep.  The two, dorper ewes and their three lambs have helpfully shed their own fleeces.  The lambs have grown well and fast so I think we have found a breed that will suit us and save us from the problems of crutching and fly strike.  Shearing costs have gone up so much that the wool is worth less than it costs to get it.   I have many bags of coloured and white wool saved for hand spinning but too little time to do it.

Ben, his brother, and his friend are now helping us clear a path so that we can put back a fence to keep the stock from out wilderness area.  This area was wrecked by the fires in 2009, and sadly, the big fern trees in the bottom of the gully died. New trees have grown but they are not big enough yet to provide a shady rain forest environment.   What is amazing is how much debris has accumulated on the ground.  It has taken the 12-ton digger to move it aside so that we can get a new fence in!

I was a bit worried about how the boys would go driving such a large machine but they seem to be managing wonderfully and taking great care to do the job safely.  I am totally impressed and I rather think that the guys are enjoying themselves too.   Edd and I have loved having all the young people around but we are running out of water fast.  The gravel pit dam is almost totally empty and the digger has had a go at cleaning out the sludge that has built up at the bottom. How lucky we are to have a neighbour who lets us use his heavy machinery with such freedom. 

Edd keeps up an amazing level of work.  This week he has been out fixing fences during the heat of the day.  The house site is now safe from stock on the hill.  I am quite glad that the freezer gives me an excuse to move into the cool of the house after the mornings work and process food to be stored.  This week a neighbour swapped goat manure compost for a box of apples and I stewed them up with blackberries for winter breakfast fruit.    We are getting more and more tomatoes too.   The school mob planted them very close together but this actually has worked rather well as they are providing their own shade for their roots and the ripe fruit is hidden from birds.