« June 2015 | Main | August 2015 »
Well, the situation has indeed changed down at the rapids on the Mangaotaki River at Struan Farm.
Remember what things looked like this summer, during the drought? Here, let me remind you:
And here's what's happening right now:
Guess it's a good thing we embrace change here at Struan Farm...
| | | |
|
TA DA! Here's a photo of the inside of the Garden Cottage. The outside will be repainted once the weather improves.
It's a far cry from life as Maurie's Workshop. The Garden Cottage is available as an optional second bedroom for farmstay guests booking the Homestead. Price is $50 per person (for 1-2 people) on top of the Homestead's NZ$250 per night.
| | | |
|
Yes, the old dog has learned yet another new trick at Struan Farm. Clifford always wants to be part of the action, and you can't blame him. The views are spectacular from the limestone rocks overlooking the Mangaotaki River!
Plus he's a show off, really.
| | | |
|
If a tree falls at Struan Farm and no one hears it, does it make a noise? I'm not so sure.
I definitely didn't hear this one, was alerted to the fact that another large poplar tree had fallen over from John, who stumbled into it when walking around. (He reminded me that this is a good thing for me to be doing too. You never know what you're going to find.)
Fortunately it's in an area of the farm where we can leave it to rot rather than deploy the clean up crew, particularly since poplar is not good firewood.
I was escorted to the scene of the crime, where it was mutually agreed this definitely didn't need to be added to the project list.
After that was sorted, I was much more interested in the beautiful shadows another nearby tree was casting:
Okay, now it's on to the next project....
| | | |
|
I must confess that "Farm Girl" isn't always up to the task, particularly when a job at Struan Farm involves machinery and equipment. I have tended to rely on John or nephew Mike for that sort of thing, but may have learned a lesson in that regard a day or so ago.
John and Mike were both away, and the delivery of glass for our glasshouse was made to RD1 in Piopio rather than directly to the house. So I was meant to hook up the trailer and go in and have the lads at RD1 use their forklift to load it for the return trip home.
Only problem was that I really didn't know how to hook up the trailer. Had some idea, just hadn't done it before. I found myself on the ground in good clothes, talking to John on the mobile, unable to hook the safety chain through the round hole. (Turns out there are two semi-circular holes as I reported to him.)
And so I drove out of the gate without the trailer properly hooked up. And as soon as I turned onto the main road, the trailer detached, with speeding cars coming right up behind me!
Luckily for me, the trailer just dropped off and stopped behind the car. So the car, trailer, and I weren't damaged/injured. The guys in the car driving behind me stopped and helped reattach the trailer, properly this time. I was deployed to wave frantically at oncoming traffic to slow them down and stop until they could get around us. (And I recognised at least one driver, so suspect most of the village now knows about what happened....)
After thanking the guys profusely for their help, I drove into Piopio and picked up the glass, driving home VERY CAREFULLY.
I now know how to attach the trailer properly, but am thinking that it really shouldn't have taken a life threatening incident for me to know that. I may need to learn a few more things.
| | | |
|
Sort of, but not really. You will recall that we have quite a few dahlias in the gardens at Struan Farm. I've never really counted them, but there would have to be over 30 plants around the Homestead, plus some up at the new(ish) house now too.
I used to think they were bothersome, frilly french poodles requiring too much attention. But I've come to appreciate them. They flower at a different time to the peak summer blossoms, and are great in arrangements.
In late autumn/early winter they get cut back, and at a certain point it's time to divide them up. At which point I have potentially new dahlia plants coming out of my ears.
Yep, I am at this point currently, inundated. I've planted some more up in the new gardens, and potted some up to sell during the Piopio Play Centre garden tour in November, but there is only so much of that I'm up for doing.
Any takers?
| | | |
|
We've planted two more fruit trees in our orchard at Struan Farm over the past week, hooray.
John requested a sweet eating apple, since to date I've planted either cooking apples or more tart eating apples. So we've planted a dwarf "Initial" apple from Country Trading. These fruit early, are sweet and meant to be very easy to grow, although our other apples (Monty's Surprise and Peasgood Nonsuch) in this part of the property are doing really well. (Apparently dwarf trees are meant to be staked, hence the hardware you see below.)
And we've planted a "Black Doris Plum." We've been eating a lot of canned Black Doris this winter, in porridge and in baked puddings, so I figure this will be a good one for us to grow. Perhaps I'll have someone teach me how to "bottle" (or "can" in US parlance).
John's now decided we've got room for two more trees. I'll get another plum to assist with cross pollination, have decided you really can't have too much of a good thing on that score.
Not sure about the other just yet. Peaches/nectarines don't do well, they suffer leaf curl even if I spray with copper as recommended. The quinces are still struggling to fruit after four years going on five. I'm not crazy about persimmon. We've tried apricots, which haven't done well, and are testing a cherry tree in the Pet Paddock. I've got black currants in the back yard, along with citrus. The heirloom figs are out and about on other parts of the farm, along with our walnuts and almonds. So you see my dilemma?
| | | |
|
We've found quite a few seedling kowhai trees growing in the Homestead garden at Struan Farm, below a large, established kowhai that's been there for years. Seems we have our own little kowhai nursery.
So it's moving day, they've been dug up and transplanted at the new "Kowhai Grove at Tawa II."
Hopefully they'll be happy up here.
| | | |
|
It seems you can teach an old dog new tricks. At least at Struan Farm, where John has been able to teach Clifford to ride in the farm trailer around the property.
The novelty and excitement wore off pretty quickly, however. Much to John's annoyance, Clifford hopped out after after his third ride and opted to run for it. Suspect it was too bumpy a ride for the old boy!
| | | |
|
John decided to extend the wooden fence from the back of the new(ish) house at Struan Farm, effectively enlarging this QEII Trust bush area to incorporate a second grove of tawas. This protects these trees, along with a particularly majestic rimu tree (or two), from the grazing stock, and allows the undergrowth to regenerate.
Nephew Mike has been on the job this past week, and it's starting to look good. A messy patch of ink week has been removed, we'll now plant kowhais, rimu, totara and other natives to fill in. We're (somewhat jokingly) calling this "the kowhai grove at Tawa II."
| | | |
|
Yes, this is a bug making the rounds currently, it would seem. And I have definitely caught it. Friend Dermot shared a review of Harper Lee's new book on Facebook, and I decided to take the plunge.
I stayed up past midnight reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" from cover to cover. I loved it. The story, the writing, Scout's voice. (I did keep picturing Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, but assume we all do.)
Now I just hope I won't be disappointed by "Go Set a Watchman." Think I will save that for a rainy day/night next week.
| | | |
|
I decided during my recent trip to LA that it's time for me to try to make tortillas here at Struan Farm. Happy to have "Old El Paso" available from the market, but they just aren't the same as hand made, fresh tortillas.
Considered putting a tortilla press into my suitcase for the trip back, but opted not to after finding one on (where else but?!) FISHPOND! I've since sourced masa (corn flour) over the internet at Dante's Fine Foods in Cambridge, La Boca Loca (blue, yellow and white are available), and also saw El Tio Pepe's Masa for sale at Nosh. So lots of options on the right type of flour.
My initial experiment went pretty well, although I think the griddle needs to be really hot. Also thinking that wood fired would be best. So don't call me Mamasita just yet!
| | | |
|
On Sunday I arrived home to Struan Farm after a long weekend away (yes, of course Clifford was in the back seat...). John has drilled into me the need to check various parts of the property upon returning home, since as we know, things do happen.
I drove into our main entrance to check the Homestead area and Garden Cottage, then crossed the cattle stop to drive up our farm track to the new(ish) house. But as I looked down to the Cottage, I saw a plume of water about a metre high near the Wool Shed. Oh Oh.
And so, in town clothes, I went to inspect the situation. I remembered that there's a shut off valve near this tap and water tank, which I turned off, getting myself dowsed in the process. Once the water spray was reduced I was able to see a cracked PVC pipe. Yep, it's been freezing here. But while the water was much reduced, there was still water leaking. And I couldn't tell if it was coming from the little tank beside the shed (which is basically rain/roof water), or from one of our main water tanks up the hill, which is filled by the pump from our spring (more of a major problem).
And so I rang John, who was still up north. He had me turn the tap off at the big tank up the hill, and that did stop the rest of the flow. So at the moment the Homestead and Cottage are without water, at least until the plumber gets out here to repair the cracked pipe.
Karen's Moral of the Story: Good to do a tour of the property after being away, to know how to fix things, and also how the water system works.
John's Moral of the Story: Karen shouldn't be going away!
| | | |
|
Good news, we'll soon have a new green/glasshouse at Struan Farm. In NZ these are called "glasshouses," while in the USA they are called "greenhouses." I keep vacillating being the split personality that I am.
But the story unfolds as such. While I was away in LA recently John attended NZ's National Fielddays, a big rural event held not far from Piopio. In addition to ordering some concrete bits and bobs needed for his various infrastructure projects at the farm, John also ordered an Eden green/glasshouse for the backyard, to be installed adjacent to our raised veggie beds.
Think he must have missed me, since we'd discussed this but I'd been put off until next year given everything else we've had on. At a certain point it's time to pause, and I'd thought that's where we were. So this was a surprise and a pleasant one at that! John may have been swayed by meeting the company owner, seeing the quality of the product, and finding out these green/glasshouses are NZ designed and manufactured.
The materials are meant to be delivered in the next day or so. A team will then arrive at Struan Farm to construct the green/glasshouse over several days, after which we finish the floor (plastic sheeting, sand/metal and then paving stones) and set up the kitset potting table and racks.
But before the team arrives we've had to grade the site and dig down a specified distance into the ground. (I'm saying "we" but let's be honest, nephew Mike has done the hard yards on this.)
Here's where "we" are currently:
Watch this space!
| | | |
|
I've been away from Struan Farm for a long weekend with John, up in Auckland for a few gatherings with extended family and a social event or two. As a result, blog posts this week may be a bit thin on the ground, apologies, particularly with internet and Typepad problems on top of that to explain my tardiness today.
The good news is that we had a long overdue catch up with John's cousin Sally. She saw a recent photo of my shelves of white pottery in the kitchen, and decided that I should have a white porcelain piece that once belonged to Mae Mae, her grandmother (John's also).
And so now the three cherubs are happy (if a wee bit chilly) on the shelves at Struan Farm. They may need names at some point.
We recently saw a copy of a letter that Mae Mae wrote to one of her other granddaughters, Susie, during a visit to the farm many years ago. It seems that Piopio was a world away from life in Auckland. Also that even Mae Mae wasn't excused from being instructed around by John's dad Maurie, her son-in-law, whom she <affectionately we're sure> christened "The Boss."
| | | |
|
Apologies, I can't seem to get a full blog post written with photos uploaded right now. Our internet is too cold, or something....I'll be back when I can.
| | | |
|
My sign is done, the carpet and bed are in, and the drapes are scheduled. We're almost there on the Garden Cottage at Struan Farm!
Here are two teasers. First my sign:
This will be affixed outside once the exterior is washed and repainted.
Second, here's a rather interesting reproduction of a vintage NZ travel poster of Mt. Egmont (which is now called Mt. Taranaki):
This hangs above the new bed (apologies, it is hanging straight but the photo is a wee bit crooked...). The colours work really well with the rest of the room, you'll see in due course! I purchased it at Kina Gallery in New Plymouth, a great spot for NZ art and crafts.
| | | |
|
Some random shots from down at the river at Struan Farm. I get captured by the textures in the landscape this time of year:
| | | |
|
It's almost done. The Ablution Block down at the river for Jim's Hut at Struan Farm (yes, we'll come up with a better name than "Ablution Block in due course, but this does describe its function).
You can almost see the array of solar panels in the back that provide hot water for the shower and energy for a few lights. Now to get the kitchen bench installed, ply walls sealed, and composting toilet installed (we've finally made a decision on a system for that). There's also a railing coming for that front deck.
The electricians have suggested running a wire over to Jim's Hut to allow for one small solar light inside, which should be useful for visitors. So it won't be just torches and lanterns at the Hut, hope you aren't too disappointed!
And oh yes, we've decided that the outside shower at the back probably does need a curtain of some sort, since you can see it from the track above. While some guests might not care about this either way, and might be keen to look out to the river, some might want a bit more privacy. It will be up to them whether they pull the curtain, or not.
So just reporting, we're making progress on a few fronts this winter at Struan Farm.
| | | |
|
Happy, happy, happy. The hellebores just seem to know when I am on the brink of despair about nothing flowering in the gardens at Struan Farm. Each year, they sense when it's time to come to my rescue:
They're quite shy, dipping their heads down, they make me find them in the wooded roadside garden down at the Homestead. I was down starting the annual cutback of hydrangea and dahlias, soon to be followed by the roses. I was a woman on a mission. Fortunately I took the time to look around before finishing for the day, and saw that they have just started to bloom!
Just read the hellebores are native to the mountainous regions of Europe, mainly Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, but also China.
| | | |
|
Recent Comments