Monday, October 16, 2017

What we have been doing on the BushNut Farm in Sept and Oct 2017

WE are spending at least a day a week on the farm now that spring is here. The plants are starting to push new growth. We have done two prunes - one a high prune, taking out the leader if the tree has not branched and it is now above shoulder height. We have done a low prune, decluttering the leaves around the graft and below knee height
Good branching with new growth

This was one of our poor doers, but it is picking up now. The water shoots are generally reddish in colour, but all the same I usually remove the shoot that is coming out by the graft when it is low.

Going really well

Can you see the flower raceme next to the bamboo pole?


We've labelled all of the poles now and I have created a spreadsheet on Xcel so that we can give a bit of tender loving care to those that are struggling. This may be a spade or two of compost ( we bought this), an extra tie or  restaking.


 The next exciting venture was to use our own worm wee and seaweed tea to create a fertilizer. We had stored this in a myriad of empty milk bottles. Thank goodness the painter left us with lots of 10L pails with lids that we will use next year.

 The large white container is where we brewed the seaweed tea from kelp harvested from Kaiti Beach after a storm. It has to be thoroughly rinsed off to reduce the salt. We were three rows short and the bought product smelt awful, and was very expensive.
And today's activity was to close off the old compost pit and prepare a new one. Duncan has done quite a bit of shredding so the consistency looks quite good.
The new pit

The old pit now covered, the bins we use for storing branches etc until Duncan has a chipping session, and the new pit

Our hay stack here is just about gone.

Look, ma, one hand. Making good use of our dolly.
Of course there has also been mowing every seven to ten days.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Trick Art - Monday 9th October 2017

The weather was still a bit dicey and on the recommendation of Nathan, grandson of Kaye and Bruce, we went to Trick Art. The pictures are drawn in 2D but the results are often stunningly 3D
I haven't taken this from quite the correct angle - despite instructions and spots on the floor!

Theo makes a charming baby.

What a wicked thing to do!!

Anything with an animal - a baby dinosaur has hatched.

Duncan feeds the giraffe

A little train - Lyn provided the $1 to make it rock.

One of my favourites

A mermaid in the aquarium makes contact with Jackie...

But the octopus strangles Duncan

The kids find Nemo



Space photos weren't quite so good as the fluro effects

Well I know what this is like for real

"Rescue Mummy from off the tracks!!"


"I'll stop the train"




You blend right in there Theo!



A quiet moment in a French Cafe


Landing in space

Back to the Dinosaurs nest

I love this baby dinosaur

Walking in space

Pterodacdyl Kidnap!


T- Rex and T- Heo
Rescue me sister!!!!



Stuck on the ice shelf

Riding Opo.
"Oh I've got water splashed up my dress!"



Such style!
High in the Andes where the Llamas live...





Again I didn't take this snow globe from quite the correct angle.

Hello Puppy

And Simon Bush scores the try.....
...not to be outdone, so does his Dad!!


Duncan does very well on his first attempt at abseiling 




Lyn Penny takes out the Champion Shearing Award.

SAVE ME!!!!


Would anyone like an Ace???