26th February, 2024

Quite cool this morning, even some condensation on the windows. It's supposed to crank right back up on Wednesday, but this is the tail end of summer by the calendar, we'll see if it is by the climate too.

It seems that part of the take on Annie's milk was indeed Gizmo. Will have to confirm tomorrow, but today both back quarters were relatively plump. I milked about 4 litres, and timed the process door to door (ie leaving the house and entering the house) and it was 45 minutes. That included some cow wrangling because the routine is upset by the new paddock and therefor entry and exit routine.

All the nests that I have been checking for eggs were empty today and I found a new nest in the second dairy manger. I'll put a fake egg in that and see if they keep using it. I wish they'd just use the nest boxes, but I guess the price of top quality free range eggs is the egg hunt.

I put the waterer on the olives today. Being dryland trees I'd left them out of the rotation, but I think they are showing signs of water stress so I will give them a long drink. 

When I was putting the water on for the silver birch I was surprised by a snake in the mostly empty trough by that tap. He (or she) popped their head out to look at me, and then went back to lolling around in the puddle. I can't imaging they were getting cool, as it really was a green puddle in the sun, perhaps it was frog hunting. I don't particularly want it hanging around a stock trough, but water is getting harder to find perhaps. I'll have to think about what to do.

I think it might have been a copperhead, it was about two feet, or two and a half feet long. It's interesting that it didn't see me as a threat in any way, it left it's body hanging out in the trough while it's head was in under the water outlet so it couldn't see me at all. I talked to it the whole time so that it knew where I was, like talking to a horse or cow you are approaching. 

The vet came and did an "old dog checkup" on Poppy today, looking at her stiffness and lack of limb control. We're going to try a medication and see if that helps, reviewing the situation when winter sets in.

@Nioleena

25th February, 2024

Cool and overcast, but zero chance of rain according to the BOM, and that's what we got. Rumours of rain on Wednesday. I think I'll wash the lounge blankets tomorrow while there's plenty of drying time.

One of the cats caught a small rat and ate most of it in the back room. Thanks guys, I love cleaning up guts. But at least it's one less rat.

Annie's back quarters were both half full so I got to milk two handed and did 4 litres in the same time as 2 litres yesterday. I've upped her feed a little as she is dropping condition a bit, and moved her, Joey and Star, and Flora into the barnyard/sheep shelter paddock as they are all getting feed and I can put hay out for them and not have the fatties just get fatter. 

They can all socialise over the fence, as Gizmo wasn't happy about his mum moving paddocks after he'd just gotten back with her. I wonder if he's the one that's been drinking extra ? I ended up dragging out a small bale from a couple of years ago. They really need to be eaten or laid on or spread around one way or another, because they are well on their way to mulch. Scott Auton should be dropping off 30 of this years cut in the next week or so.

Charlie came over and hung the small gate in the loafing shed, which is a long term goal and will make drafting cattle easier and save alot of dragging and tying with baling twine. He's going to try and do the ranch gate between the barnyard and main paddock, and the two gates on the boatshed next weekend. This will free up some more sheep panels and make getting in and out of places simpler.

Pete came over and visited with the cows and sheep and Sarge and has given me an arm chair for the back bedroom. This will be handy for guests as there wasn't really anywhere comfortable just to sit.

24th February, 2024

Some of the locals said today was a scorcher. I personally think it was quite pleasant.

I did a search around and found another nest, those chooks just keep finding new spots.

I hand milked Annie for the second time, she was nice and steady but one handed on small teats is quite hard work. For some reason she wasn't ready to head out afterwards and hung around the dairy for ages poking her nose into stuff. 

Despite the time it takes to hand milk I save time on the clean up and the whole process is about 15 mins shorter. If I was able to use two hands it would be half the time the machine takes. Mind you, when she was giving me 20 litres instead of 2, the machine was the only way to do it.

The guys with the zero turn mower assure me they should be here next week. I'm not holding my breath, but I hope they do turn up and get the driveway area done. I am hoping to borrow a whipper snipper to cut a fire break between the paddocks and the houses and sheds.

I picked up another pack of puff pastry sheets. This time it will be parcels, with a slice of cream cheese, a scoop of biscoff and a couple of blueberries. I think it should be a winner.

The silver birch and the fig are growing really well, as is the mulberry. The hops have a heavy crop and one of the passionfruits is climbing its support now. This autumn, when the rains come, I might do another paddock tree. Maybe a full sized mulberry, or a carob. Or another fig, one of the honey figs that drip syrup when they are ripe. Yum.

23rd February, 2024

A fair bit cooler today, but still no rain. Picked a couple of buckets of apples for the sheep and cattle but became windy enough to make that not fun.

The calves complained long and loud about not getting milk today. They will cope. I might put out some hay soon to make sure they can get a good fill. I hand milked 2 litres for the house, which took a while but was doable.

Work was way hard. Too many people. There are two "alternative" festivals in the district and the town is full of barefooted dreadlocks that are busy shoplifting and making themselves painful. I won't miss them, they've been digging stuff out of the dumpster out the back, brushing off maggots for goodness sake. I sanitise my hands after a serve them and my skin is starting to really dry out.

Juliet dropped of two kilos of blueberries. These will be for eating fresh, and maybe a few baked with biscoff cream. Imagine some puff pastry wrapped around blueberries, cream cheese mixed with vanilla, and a good smear of biscoff.

 

Sandra Henderson "A Touch of Gold"

22nd February, 2024

If I thought yesterday was humid, it had nothing on today ! The taps with running hoses attached had condensation all over them. It hit 30 today, which is a major heatwave by Tasmanian standards. With little breeze and high humidity it was an inside/shade only day.

It was also the last day of milk for Joey and Star and the last machine milking for Annie. I might separate her from Gizmo, who is one of her past calves and might just be the one taking all the milk from the back.

I solved a couple of technical issues today, including getting a new hard copy card of my staff discount card. They want to move everyone to digital, so getting a hard copy is made as hard as possible. Just as well I am stubborn.

Michael Courtney, our computer guru, told me that the phone for the drone doesn't actually need a sim card and data. It talks to the drone by wifi and doesn't need the internet. So next time I fly it I will try it without a sim. If he's right that will save me around $120 a year.

21st February, 2024

Overcast and cool for the first part of the day, muggy and patchy sun for the second part. Very little rain.

So, when Leigh came to in the hospital he checked himself out and went home. They should have put him in the scanner while he was out. He was back moving cattle around and banding calves in the crush this arvo. Just shaking my head.

Picked three more buckets of apples for the cattle and worked on emails. There are so many that need action, but they all need research and I will be doing one per day. Today was a sim card for my drone phone so I don't have to keep swapping the sim in and out of my little phone.

I have a job offer for the Tasmanian election at the end of March, but it's in Derby. It's very good pay for a day's work, but the thought of driving home from Derby late at night isn't appealing. Plus there are four different forms to fill out and send back and my motivation is low. I will take a few days to think about it.

Second last day of milk for Joey and Star. I hope I can get the back quarters hand milked, otherwise Annie might just have to rely on Abe.

20th February, 2024

A cloudy day, but showed no sign of the promised 5 - 10 mm of rain until well after dark. I don't know what we ended up getting, until I check the rain gauge tomorrow, but it feels fresher out there.

I only got 3 litres from Annie today. I suspect someone other than Abe is drinking. I might split her off with maybe Flora for a few days to see whether Abe takes the same amount when I know he is on his own with her.

I had a phone appointment with Dr Hadzik today. She is delighted that I am losing weight on the 0.6 dose and recommends staying at that as long as it is working. We worked through ideas about my foot pain and settled on taking a week off work in March and starting compression bandages and anti inflammatory medication to rule that in or out before proceeding to an MRI if there is no change.  

I am hoping for a chance to fly my drone again tomorrow and explore some of the more difficult areas on the farm from the air. I will keep it in line of sight for the time being, until I am more confident of my piloting. The manufacturer has a series of courses available for beginners, perhaps they will be good to do on my week off my feet. Let the drone do the walking !

Leigh is down at Launceston General Hospital. Following an incident in the cattle yards six weeks or so ago where a cow kicked him into the middle of next week and he was knocked out for a while, he has been cowed again. Another kick, directly to the head this time. He has lost some recent and older memories and is disoriented and a brain bleed is suspected. We are all hoping that treatment overnight will be swift and effective.

19th February. 2024

Another hot one, made it to 27. A cold change blew in at the end of the day and dropped the temps dramatically, down to 22 in the first hour and cold enough to consider the heater by 9pm. The forecast is for rain tomorrow and Wednesday, but we'll see.

I put the dry feed blocks out and gave the sheep and cattle apples. Picked up the electric fence charger from down at the soak, that's all the electric off now as the grass gets even dryer. I checked the troughs and opened up the far paddock which has good green grass but is starting to wilt. 

While I was out there I took a milk sample from Belle for preg testing by Tas Herd. That went into the fridge for a couple of hours, then into an insulated bag and express posted off to Hadspen for testing. I picked up cracked maize and barley and calf pellets while I was out.

Annie only gave me 5 litres total this morning, so I took 2 litres for the house and added 6 litres of milk replacer for the calves. I have enough to do this for three more days, then the calves are on pellets only and I am hand milking the 2 litres a day for the house and the machine gets a good clean and maintenance for storage.

I gave the dogs a flea and tick treatment as the weather conditions are good for fleas to move into the outside dog beds. Ants are on the move too, they have infested the back of a couple of power points and shorted them out. And the copperhead that lives around the house yard has been seen twice this summer. Heading in the other direction as fast as possible, but a reminder that he is there.

Blueberry picking

18th February, 2024

The day started cool and grey, mainly due to a heavy sea mist. It didn't start to warm up until the sea mist burned off, but then got to 28.

Annie is dropping production even more and Abe is cleaning out half a back quarter before I even get there. I decided that as the calves are now more than six months old I will use up Robyn's leftover bag of powder shandied with milk until that's gone. 

Then I will just take enough for the house from the untouched quarter each day and move the calves to pellets. Hand milking will take longer, but she will stand while she has feed and the cleaning up afterwards without the machine and the calf feeder will take hardly any time at all.

Today I did my first half shift in online orders. I had 45 minutes training then "I have to go now, push that button and Tyler is here if you need help." Just as well I pick up new systems fast, and Geoff had given me some tips on the weirder parts of the process. I think I did pretty well, and I'd be interested in seeing how my first runs compare time wise with the slower of the more experienced pickers. 

Now it will be a matter of seeing whether I get offered shifts or not. I'd prefer to do online, it's got very little customer facing element and no supervisory role. At least the second half of the shift that was me closing frontend was the easiest close in well over a year. For once we had enough staff and could teach the newbies some new stuff while we were at it.

I have been experimenting with various hose configurations for watering the orchard and cider apples. While setting up and moving the irrigation line is problematical at the moment due to the length of the dried grass, it saves time in the long run over putting a sprinkler at the foot of each tree for two hours.

17th February, 2024

Good grief !  A week ? Have to get back on track.

There was a little rain (6mm) and lots of lightning and apparently 14 fires in the district, including one at West Scottsdale which might have been of concern to us, except it was jumped on very fast. They suspect arson in four of the fires, that better be stopped short.

Beanie and her baby, now named Selkie, are doing fine. Leigh brought his herd across the road and took the cows away, leaving the steers, bulls and calves here. The bull thought he was on a sure thing with Flora, but she is retired so I gave her the nod and opened a gate and she slipped through. 

Then I found the calf group in the hay shed eating my rounds and his hereford cross heifer in with Belle. So, all his cattle except the hereford went back across the road, they will all be going to the sale in a month except Stormy's (his murray grey) heifer who will rejoin her mother once weaned.

So. Jaffa, Sorcha, Freya, Zippy and Jack are across the road with the remnants of Leigh's herd. Belle, Moose, Beanie, Selkie, Annie, Abe, Joey, Star, Flora and now Gizmo and the hereford cross are on this side. And the sheep have the barnyard to themselves again. I did pick up two dry feed blocks for the animals, and will put those next to the green feed ones so they can choose what they want as the feed dries out.

The tv screen from Officeworks arrived and I set it up on the bench on feet until Geoff can get behind the old one with a screwdriver and swap them. I don't feel quite as blind. I think the new one has a clearer picture, and it connects to the internet so I can watch recipe videos and Ted Talks while I cook now, if I feel inclined.

The vet students came back and we went for a visit to the FreeHearts Sanctuary at Ringarooma. I think my animals are actually friendlier. We did get the ten long beams of wood back across the road, so that's one big job off my list. We also went blueberry picking and one of them made blueberry jam. We picked a kilo of berries for Juliet and a kilo for Robyn and brought 7 kilos home here. Most are in the freezer in 500g lots.

I gave my resume to Michael Courtney to pass on if he finds a suitable recipient. He does the computers for alot of businesses around town. No news on the Jondi Farms job, word is they will take some time to make up their minds. I also gave a copy of my resume to the recruiter at the Defence Facility. Fingers crossed.

The hops are flowering and should give a good harvest this year. I have fixed up a sprinkler system for the silver birch that should eliminate ongoing problems with water pressure and insects getting inside the sprinklers. I am still feeding the cows and sheep buckets of apples. I need a ladder to get to the higher ones.

Weight loss has plateaued, but I think that might be partially due to the temptations of showing visitors around the food and destinations of the northeast. I'll give it a week or so of normal eating to see if things start moving again.

The phone sent by Aimee for the drone arrived and I set the up with the controller. We took it out for a play and I had a good time zooming up and down and learning the controls. Sarge didn't want a bar of it, Finn wanted to eat it. The cows took off when it went over, so I will have to be well high not to spook them. It can look outwards and downwards and take video and photos.

Here is a photo by the drone of Sarge giving it the evil eye

And this is the two students, Yuna and Emmanuelle.

10th February, 2024

Having been overworked at Woolies last night, I called in sick as my back and shoulder were going out on strike. I got alot done slowly today, nursing my body along. Three loads of washing and all but the orchard and cider apples done with the watering. There is rumoured to be a temp of 28 degrees coming on Tuesday followed by 10mm of rain. We'll see. Today was hot when the sun was out and cool when it was cloudy. I think I got a bit sunburned.

I put out the mineral blocks for the cows and sheep. These are green feed blocks because apparently there have been issues in the district of grass tetany, or hypomagnesia. I will now get two dry feed blocks to put beside them so that the animals can choose which they need to lick on, as the grass is drying off very fast.

I did some small chores in the dairy, then collected eggs. It seems I might have three broody hens now, so another job to schedule for the vets. Who arrived back tonight after what seems to have been a week of interesting but very hard work.

The big news for the day was that Beanie calved last night. She has a bright and active heifer at foot who is drinking and curious and able to run. Beanie is an attentive and caring mother who seems to have had no issues with the calving, despite being overweight. The calf is quite small, which will have helped. Excuse the thumb.

Beanie is half jersey, half angus (which makes the calf 3/4 angus 1/4 jersey) so she should have a decent udder coming. At the moment she has a nice small heifer udder, which should increase production as the calf takes more. She is Belle's daughter, but will hopefully produce less than a full dairy cow while still raising a fat calf. I might even try milking her one day when she has settled into motherhood as she is quite people oriented.

9th February, 2024

It's been a busy few days of seemingly achieving not alot, yet being flat out. I am not sure where the time is going.

The place is getting dryer, the weather is hotter, I am watering more. Housework is backing up on me, almost keeping up with the urgent admin but personal stuff is on hold. Need to get mineral blocks out for the cows and sheep and put a broody in the pen, and get Belle preg checked again. 

I turned off the electric on the fences as the dried grass is up on the hotwires and I don't have a whipper snipper to clear it because the one I bought died the on its first use and the hardware shop has to do a warranty on it. Don't want to start a grass fire.

The cats are bringing in rats, big ones. Thankfully dead. Someone (Shadow ??) brought in a dead bird and hid it under the washing machine. Now I will have to move the washing machine to clean that up. Hmmm.

The vet students will be back tomorrow night for a few days. I think we will bring the long wood beams back over from the 75 acres. Too heavy for one person to drag, too long for two people to carry. Three of us should do it ok, and there are only 7 to get. Better figure out where I am going to store them ! Maybe on the high side of the feed bunks ? At least they will be out of the mud and dry out.

Poppy is choosing to come inside most days and often at night. She has her own bed that has to be more comfortable than the loungeroom floor, so I am not sure why. I suspect her eyesight is going, perhaps she feels safer inside. The old girl is slowing down, need to have a chat with a vet about aging.

No word on the job application, so I sent my resume off to Sheep Connect Tas and NRM North. I know the Defence facility was hiring and didn't get any applicants, so I'll explore what jobs are available there. I don't really want to do a full time day job, but I don't know how much longer I can sustain the load at Woollies as we are so understaffed and the shop is getting busier exponentially. 

The hard workers are getting burned out and the ones that were always just showing up are doing the same thing they always have and are fine. I don't fancy being the last one standing as all the good workers are looking for other jobs.

The tv that is the camera display screen died this week. I have a new one coming from Office Works, but at the moment I feel a bit blind. I have gotten used to being able to check the gate with a glance when the dogs bark. Without the camera I have to walk half way down the hill to see if there is someone at the gate.

Anyway, off to bed. I hope to have a good nap tomorrow and get some farm stuff done in the cool. Maybe I should adopt a Mediterranean style life and get up early, work in the cool, come back and sleep in the heat, and go back out again in the cool of the evening. Siestas !

5th February, 2024

Yesterday was hot enough to warrant using the air conditioner, today was a little more moderate.

While I was milking I saw a huge gathering of crows in the pine tree in the piggery paddock. They were wheeling and cawing and seemed to be having a big discussion about something. Since a gathering of crows is called a "murder" perhaps I should be glad to have escaped with my life.

The two vet students headed off to the Devils @ Cradle Wildlife Park for the week, coming back here on Friday for a few more days.

There was a bit of a storm last night, 1mm in rain gauge, 1.2mm according to BOM. Poppy alerted us to the approaching thunder and lightning and spent the night inside.

There were two local fires yesterday, one at Golconda and one at Jetsonville, both now on patrol status. While the area is still relatively green, the heat and wind was well able to sustain a fire.

Young Abe had emptied both front quarters and started on one of the backs this morning. Up until now he has only worked the back quarters if one of the fronts has been covered in poop. This signals another growth spurt for him and another reduction in the general milk supply. So in response I will increase the pellets for the calves and the dogs will only get milk on the days I don't need to take any for the house. The calves are now about six months old and could probably be weaned onto pellets but I will give them milk for as long as possible.

3rd February, 2024

Hot and windy, bit of a pattern lately. It's stripping all the moisture out of the pastures and gardens, and I have to watch for plants starting to show moisture stress.

For some reason I had a 9am to 12.30pm shift today, meaning I had to milk Annie when I got home from work. She was fairly opinionated about the whole thing, but everybody got the food and milk they needed and it will be back to normal tomorrow.

The vet students, Emmanuelle and Yuna, went to Bridport today while I was at work, and then hit the op shop on the way back. I think they had a good time at the Bridport markets.

I tried a new low carb bread from Helga's tonight. It wasn't hugely effective in the toastie maker, being fairly susceptible to the steam created by cooking the filling. It has an almost cake like texture, I'll try it in the toaster and see if it toasts up ok. 

Here is Suzie/Shredder riding out the terrible 25 degree heat wave in true cat fashion.

2nd February, 2024

The wind has been annoying, it was hot today. Did some more watering.

Busy couple of days with the vet students. Cow and sheep cuddling, visiting Siobhan and her wallabies in care, lunch at the art gallery, milking, learning how to ride a quad, visited the Amish, had drinks at the Little Rivers Brewery, dinner at Loud Iron.

Ate another fig. Had some fresh picked plums.