Lush pasture and happy sheepies

Thinking like a gardener

We have now been here on the farm for three years. Three years! It's flown by. We've been flat out getting the soil right (still a way to go, but seeing amazing results already) and getting the gardens around the house established. Because we are essentially gardeners who have sheep, not farmers, we see things slightly differently and tackle problems from a different view point. We're not hampered, I think, by generational methodology; doing things the way 'they've always been done.'

There are current farming practices that, honestly, make me shiver. Living in a farming area, particularly cropping, I see it all the time. To what am I referring? The practice of killing off the remnants of the harvested crop with Round Up. Everywhere I drive I see brown, dead paddocks. It's quite horrific. To think what has been done to the soil makes me very sad. And what is in our food, the residual Round UP and long term, cumulative effects of ingesting it... well I won't even go there.

That is why it's so important for us to understand how soil ecology works and why the balance of nutrients benefits whatever we do on the land, whether it's a crop or livestock. Back to nature! That's our goal. Giving the land a chance to recover and renew itself benefits us all.

Happy sheepies

We have divided up our flock into groups now, those we are keeping for breeding and those who will go off to market. I freely admit, I don't cope with the going off to market bit. We love all our sheep. I even  name every single one of them, (I know. I've been told not to name my food) and we closely monitor their health and those of their offspring. This informs decisions we make about what to plant and which paddocks to put them at certain times. It's an ongoing care plan and it's very important to us that our sheep are happy and healthy and enjoy their life here. We also believe it affects the quality of the meat we produce. Good nutrition, low stress means healthy nutrient-rich food for us humans. 

My garden

I have been quite obsessed with getting a garden established here, as even though the house is 101 years old, there was no 101 year old garden, unfortunately! The wind is an issue, up here on the hill, so windbreaks are essential to protect the house, the vegie patch, my studio and to provide corridors for birds. I have lost count of the trees we have planted on this farm and the new fences and hedges we've put in, but it's all starting to make a difference. My vegie patch and orchard is providing food for us, some of which I am learning to preserve, which has been fun! But, more importantly, these sheltered areas provide a sanctuary for us, places to enjoy being outside and to marvel at the beautiful views we are blessed with here. As with the rest of the farm, my focus is using no sprays where possible.

Here's a short film of my summer garden. Enjoy! my summer garden

Dung beetles!

Hubby proudly showed me a handful dung beetles, of varying species, he found in in the paddock the other day, and rescued quite a few from the water trough! Dung beetle populations are a sign of soil health. We are reticent to use chemical worming preparations now as it kills the dung beetles and earth worms. There are plants such as chicory and the leaves of Blackwood trees which have a natural worming effect when consumed by animals. 

Dung beetles perform a vital function, by aerating the soil and by pulling nutrients and carbon back down into the soil. Why wouldn't you want that? Improving our carbon footprint by encouraging dung beetles is a simple method of helping the planet.

And that's something we all want, isn't it?