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Around The Farm And Garden | August 2017

It feels like ages since I’ve shared an update from our garden. Probably because it has been largely neglected these last 8 months while we focused on getting the farmhouse renovated. However, now that we are settled into the house, we are turning our attentions once again to the garden. When I say we, I mostly mean C who does all the hard work. I’m good at giving opinions about what I think the garden should look like, but less good at doing the actual garden work. As you can see, the front garden is overgrown, and we really need to get some edging around the beds.

Our winter vegetable garden hasn’t been as abundant as previous years. We’ve had a few cauliflowers (and made this delicious roasted cauliflower salad!) and broccoli stems, a few carrots, and a bit of kale, but nothing like the amount we’ve had before. The onions and garlic have been planted, however, and we have just run out of fresh garlic from last years crop. We’re relying on our preserved garlic until we harvest the new crop in November.

Besides the vegetable patch, the extension has set off a total redesign of the rest of the garden. We’re talking about new paths and garden beds, and pulling out old bits and pieces so that the garden helps the house to settle into the landscape. Grass needs to be resown where the ground has been dug up for the renovation, if only so that less dirt and mud gets trampled into the house. C is in his element drafting out plans and researching plants. I offer suggestions of plants that I like; most of which are met with an eyebrow raise as they are either not suitable for our climate or plants that C does not like particularly. I might try to sneak a daphne or a gardenia in while he is not looking (seriously, who doesn’t like gardenias??). So far a few plants have been purchased, and are awaiting planting, and some big boulders have been manoeuvred in between our two south facing verandas, making some stepping stones between them. Next up are some plans to plant some tall grasses all around them.

In the coming few weeks, Spring will start to emerge, and then (hopefully) we can begin to get the garden in order.

The Spring bulbs are beginning to poke their heads out again. These white jonquils are my favourite. The kids like to pick me a handful every now and then and pop them in a vase on the kitchen table so that their beautiful perfume fills the whole room.

Around the farm, C has been kept busy feeding sheep and doing all those jobs that he tries to get done over the quieter months. After such a wet year in 2016, this year has certainly been dry. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a cool, wet spring, but we’re not holding our breath for it. Over the school holidays (which feel like a life time ago) and on the weekends, I sometimes keep C company as he feeds the sheep – helping with the gates, and then chatting in between. It’s one of the few times I get to go around the farm, as work takes up so much of my time these days.

The days are getting longer, and just today, C planted his tomato seed into the seedling trays. He puts them in the sun on the veranda during the day and brings them inside at night until the frosts have finished. Before we know it, the Spring rush will be upon; time to hustle and get things done.

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Previous Post: « The Farmhouse Renovation Tour – Part One
Next Post: The Farmhouse Renovation Tour – Part Two »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melanie Hiebert says

    September 4, 2017 at 9:01 am

    I enjoyed reading your August life updates!

    Reply
  2. Beck says

    September 1, 2017 at 8:56 pm

    I miss living on a farm. My dream is return to living on the land one day. I need those wide open spaces

    Reply
  3. margarettucker953839188 says

    August 25, 2017 at 6:32 pm

    What a talent you are Jo with photos. You and Laura both.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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It’s been a busy old day around here. Washing be It’s been a busy old day around here. Washing bed linen, getting rid of the cobwebs that spring up so quickly. I even pulled everything out on the bathroom vanity and gave it a purge and deep clean. I have no idea how half the stuff got there 🤷‍♀️. For me January is a time to reset the house, de clutter and get sorted. Something about a new year perhaps? 🤔
Anyhow, here’s a pic of my freshly decobwebbed (totally a word) window  which makes me happy- just don’t look too closely!
I’ve been baking today, in between watching the I’ve been baking today, in between watching the news coming out of the US in disbelief. The mulberry tree has begun to fruit so I whipped up this mulberry yoghurt cake. It’s delicious and easy. The mulberries go all jammy and the cake is soft and not too sweet. Perfect comfort food with a hot drink when it feels like the world has gone mad.
We’re beginning 2021 in the best way; at the bea We’re beginning 2021 in the best way; at the beach with cousins. Despite the occasional rain we are enjoying swimming, playing board games and just hanging out together.
Top 9 2020 Drought and lots of pics around the far Top 9 2020
Drought and lots of pics around the farm (and a bit of green at the end) really does sum up the year.
We’re doing Christmas 2.0 today. I made this cho We’re doing Christmas 2.0 today. I made this chocolate gingerbread tart I saw in a magazine (not sure which mag?) and it is the bomb. Ginger nut crust, salted caramel chocolate filling and fresh cherries and cream on top. I’m sticking it in the recipe book for a repeat.

Edit: It comes from the Woolies mag
It’s been a beautiful lazy Boxing Day. A sleep i It’s been a beautiful lazy Boxing Day. A sleep in, hours to just read and play games, plenty of leftover treats, zoom family chat over 3 continents, and of course a swim on the dam. It doesn’t get much better than this!

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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