Camps cancelled

14 March 2020

So, Corona virus is dictating a change in how we all live.  In Australia we begin social distancing as of Monday.  Many events are already cancelled, and when I tried to do the months shopping, I found supermarket shelves stripped bare and all sorts of products unavailable.  Toilet paper was the first product o disappear, but now rice, pasta, cleaning stuff and many other things are just gone.  The shop keepers tell me you have to be lined up ready for the fight when the stores open at 6pm if you want any of these goods. 

We have camps for the next two weeks and then the Easter holidays. There is a suggestion that schools will not reopen after the break and some are already preparing on-line home- schooling material.  I know this as Bo’s youngest child is involved.  I am lucky in that I have a large well stocked pantry and fresh milk, eggs, vegetables and fruit all growing here.  I have spent the month freezing pack after pack of round beans and now I am working on the runner beans.  I will probably have to freeze the nashi pears too because we are not eating them fast enough. 

The tomatoes are now ripening but not in the usual quantities.  Last year we got so many we were preserving them by the bucket full. The sweet corn crop was disappointing too after the rat attack. Finally, the lettuce is ready. and we have silver beet and kale, it is about time to start winter seedings, but I need space in the garden, and means to stop the cabbage white butterflies from getting at them.  The pumpkins have spread across a huge area of bank after they climbed out of the new bed we built, but the egg plants are better behaved and are propped up by a massive growth of basil.  We are eating very well at present

16.3.2020.

Victoria is now in emergency mode with heavy fines if people break quarantine rules. Already we notice a drop in air traffic over head similar to what occurred after 19.11.  yesterday the school phoned and cancelled the camps.  I was really relieved, but it was strange to wake up this morning and not have a day’s work already planned.  It is a beautiful, fresh, sunny. autumn day and at least farm work precedes as normal.  

Yesterday, we sold 5 goats to a neighbour. I hate parting with them. but we must reduce stock numbers for winter.  Ay least they are all going together so will be with friends. and our neighbour already owns two of our goats so it will be great for them.  Mating season is now in full swing and our new buck is busy earning his keep.  Our plan is to move the ram off the drive this week and get new point of lay chooks to supply winter eggs.

I just hope there are sill chooks for sale.  With so much panic buying going on getting even unusual things is growing hard.  Supermarkets are degrading into battle scenes!  Let us hope there is not a rush on chooks.  Edd and I had paid for tickets to see a dance show in Melbourne for my birthday.  We have not been to any show for years, so it was to be a rare treat.  Guess what, Its cancelled.  Just my luck!