rusty

This is Rusty...




He came to live with us in the yard a little over a month ago. He was abandoned by his mum... when this happens FP rounds up the herd - puts them in the yards (with the calf in separate section) and waits for one of the cows to claim him... usually after a short time, with the young calf calling out, a mother steps forward.... not this time - so after 3 days of waiting it was obvious this one's mum was not coming back

soooo FP is his mummy now


Rusty is bucket fed once a day on powdered milk - and as calves were designed for teat feeding from cows - this can be an 'interesting' arrangement...



Some calves never really get the hang of drinking from a bucket - for those times FP concocts a makeshift bottle from a teat and a used soft drink bottle - fortunately Rusty took to bucket feeding with relish!




It CAN get a little bit messy! oops milk up the nose again!


As I write this I can hear Rusty calling out to his 'mummy' - 'feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me'

pruning

I'm pleased to report that the pruning is now all done (whew just in time! spring seems to be rushing in)



I have a simple - 'one method fits all' style of pruning... everything gets the old 'vase' shape hair cut.... (yes I know some deciduous fruit trees would rather a different shape - but this is all I can do!)

I start by taking out with the long arm loppers ( that I affectionately refer to as 'the bolt cutters') and cut out any growth in the middle of the tree - next I go around the outside of the tree and remove long branches to keep the tree nice and compact (I've got a lot of trees in a tight area - keeping them neat and trim is a must - it also assists with superior fruiting). Then I reach way up high and take out the top. Time to stand back and take in the emerging results... anything that catches my eye as standing out from the crowd gets a bit of a trim.

Now it's on to the smaller secateurs... all the little weedy little growth gets the chop - so too all the damaged or diseased stems... chop chop chop.

Around and around the tree I go (singing 'here we go round the mulberry bush' of course!)


and voila!

Abas apple
whilst I love my pruning results here it's not a very productive tree...

it's all done.... next victim....

spring?

Its not spring until next week - but tell that to the trees...




the apricot began its blossom run a few weeks ago (and with it - so began the aphid invasion.... grrrrrrrrrr)



The white (or 'king shahtoot') mulberry (Morus macroura) is not far behind - the leaf bud is about to unfurl and with it will come the fruit.

But before I can gobble into their super sweet long fruits its neighbour the Black mulberry ( M. nigra) will be ready - look its already got fruit on the go...




YUM!

all this reminds me - I haven't pruned the trees yet - eeeeek! this happens every year...

note to self - DO THE PRUNING IN JULY...

mulchy gifts

what's one of the best gifts you can give a rabid gardener? - why something for the garden of course!

Here's my birthday present being unloaded - its 18.5 tonne of eucalyptus mulch....



ahhh true love! (now I just need to find someone to move and spread it all for me...)

winter vegies...

Ooops has it been that long since I added a note or two here?.... goodness - it would seem that nothing much of note happens around here - and that's sooooo far from the truth it doesn't warrant talking about.

well - just to bring you a little up to date - I've dropped in a pic of the vege raised beds in their winter glory... (click the pic for the full view...)



we are still eating full time from the garden - with an abundance of bok choy, broccoli, tuscan kale (YUM!), silverbeet, snow peas, late parsnips (YUM YUM YUM - these are great this time of year.... leave them in the ground and harvest as you eat)... the large red leafy plants in the right hand bed are mizuna - delicious lightly cooked or crunchy fresh from the garden... still to mature are some leeks, cauli, cabbage, more broccoli and asian greens and the broad beans have only just emerged from the ground (they were planted a little late - and its been a mild winter so far)


so even though I may not be posting pics and stories - I've still been working away in the garden!

wombat problems

Whilst we were out walking/working this afternoon Sass and I stumbled over this little one...




the poor dear wombat has a dreadful case of mange - which I must say is rampant amongst wombats and foxes in the region (I don't have near as much sympathy for the affected foxes - an introduced pest - as I do for the poor native animals, like wombats, that are struck by the disease) It's unlikely this creature will overcome the terrible skin condition - many wombats in the area die from mange infestation.... and I fear this one will add to the toll.

It's sad to see and imagine any creature suffering. Some farmers are getting permits to euthanise infected animals... And I agree that a quick death is better than the slow and painful death that awaits this one... and the inevitable passing of the disease to an untold number of other animals it encounters...

Poor little one.

for mothers day

For Mothers Day I thought I'd post a couple of pics from the garden...

these are a few from my collection of delightful 'antique shades' pansies...

these are in the garden bed to the front of the house -

and I've got to say...

I love each and every one of them!

For you my dearest mum -

Happy Mothers Day!


(and Happy Mothers Day to all mums out there - hope you have a lovely day)