So where to from here????

Now we have our piece of paradise, what to do??? Well, there was only one thing we could do…go self sufficient, after all, we have the ideal conditions.

The question was HOW??

After a lot of reading and investing in books of all kinds, we have decided on a complete permaculture idea by Linda Woodrow, it not only suits our southern hemisphere climate but utilises our natural environment to the best advantage. It showed us how the things around us, from garden cuttings to chicken manure can be used to grow and nurture our garden naturally. It detailed how we can utilies our chickens to dig the garden while producing eggs. A whole new world in our back garden, after all, we now have to live in a totally different way..we have no rubbish collection and no mains water so you can see how being able to use things around us appealed.

Our first priority was our view, the previous occupants had a random planting method, which was bizarre to say the least, mainly right next to the house or when walking around the garden by the house, you walked into the biggest bush leaving you wondering just why it was there, but, most of all they had planted trees right in front of the best view in the world

We had to reinforce the fence to keep our dogs from playing with the sheep..something frowned upon in the country, not a way to make friends and influence people, let me tell you. Armed with hand saws we did most of the trimming, just when we could do no more back breaking effort our neighbour took pity on us and came with his chainsaw and whoosh our view returned. As I have said nothing is wasted, so we have spent hours upon hours cutting up branches, even the smallest ones can be used for kindling, then the ashes are returned to the earth. The leaves and minute twigs can be mulched and used on pathways.

We have raised eight healthy ducklings, once again by trial and error, but I have to say there was little error, we got them in two lots, three then eight, all at two weeks old installed them in the rabbit hutch ( the rabbit has new accommodation…just incase you were wondering..) but the only ‘safe’ place for this was on our bedroom floor so we had a few weeks of over night visitors, my partner had a brainwave and got two square plant pot holders, one bigger than the other, filled the smaller one with water and pebbles..they loved it , we named the first lot of ducklings ‘the puddle ducks’ they loved to play in the water, they took themselves to bed at eight o’clock every night..perfect children unlike the other eight who we named ‘the poop ducks’. The mess they created was phenomenal, it was every where..up the walls, on the floor definitely the brat pack, hehe. When they got too big we moved them outside into an old hen house. It has been amazing to see them grow literally before our eyes, it’s been like time lapse photography, every day they got bigger, got adult feathers, now they are spreading their wings attempting to fly, sometimes they do for a short distance. Sadly, the little error resulted in us losing three ducklings in a bizarre accident involving a hawk and the dogs. They are laid to rest under the fig tree. A painful reminder to us of life in the country…

We got eight more chickens, company for Doris Day, they are a funny bunch. When we went to pick the first five up, we nearly died, Solo mon, the rooster was HUGE, a magnificent specimen of Brown Shaver variety, with enormous spurs protruding out of his legs like giant thorns…the hens were in beautiful condition as well but they didn’t stop us in our tracks like Solomon did. Now I’m not good with moving birds, luckily my partner was brave..wow was she brave, we rounded them up in about an hour. Transported them home to an old pig pen. They have done a fantastic job of clearing that area and they keep us on our toes..egg hunting has our neighbour’s children amused every day after school when they bring their food scraps down for the chickens. When we do find the nest we have an interesting range of shapes and sizes…ouch to some of them!!!

Visiting a life style expo, saw the addition of two baby goats. They have made their home in the old woolshed. They are sisters and spend their day cavorting around the place bossing all the other animals around…and me! I have great difficulty in getting my car through the gate now..all the ducks, hens cats and goats come to greet me…what a great start to a new life…

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