Struan Farm

The World Through Rosie Coloured Glasses

A few days ago I decided to try an experiment. I've had Rosie, Struan Farm's new pet lamb, out of her pen to roam around the back yard, also the front lawn. She's been great, running and jumping around but barreling back to "mum" when called.

And so I took her out in the paddock with the ewes and the lambs. We walked through the back gate quietly. The ewes gave me the eyeball, but no one ran, or baa-ed, they kept munching grass. We walked down toward a group of lambs lying under the tawas. Two decided to head for mum for a drink, but one came straight up to me, sniffed, and then started to play with Rosie! They took off, running and jumping around the paddock.

Seems like the ewes and lambs have decided I am one of them, because of Rosie. And much as I love running around the yard with her, it was also good to see her playing with other lambs.

Magic, really.

Introducing Ruby

Hoping I'm not being premature introducing you to Ruby, our newest pet lamb at Struan Farm. I got a call from the neighbouring farm today, they had a ewe lamb needing a home. John and I ran over and brought her home.

She needed a feed, she's now had two. Hoping she will survive. She will if Rosie has anything to say about it, she's been hopping around the Pet Pen showing off and being friendly, except when it comes to bottles.

 

More to follow.

Ready to Pop

Still a few lambs yet to drop at Struan Farm, but the remaining ewes are seriously close to lambing:

(Not sure how many more of those you really need to see, sheep rears are not the most picturesque...)

But on the picturesque front, the beautiful old magnolia tree at our front entrance gate near the Homestead is ready to pop too:

 

Spring, almost!

Wood Pigeons in the Poplars

John came back from an early morning lambing beat in the paddocks at Struan Farm to report that he'd seen TWENTY-ONE native wood pigeons feasting away in several poplar trees near our border fence with the neighbour. It's the time of year when they start to nibble emerging leaf buds in the trees, but quite unusual to see that many at one time in one place.

So of course, off we went!

 

The most we counted when we went back was twelve, but that's still quite a few. They are calm birds, they just hang out and feast away. 

Official Opening

My new greenhouse at Struan Farm is officially open! Mike did a great job on the paving stone floor, the racks are in too.

John and I found a great deal on seed raising mix at the local Te Kuiti Warehouse store ($5 vs. $8-9 elsewhere), so we've stocked up. Next I will fill the trays and start with the tomatoes, some lettuce in a planter, and flowers, hooray!

Latest from the Lambing Beat

Sometimes I participate in the lambing beat at Struan Farm. Usually it's in the late afternoon light, with camera in hand. Here's the latest...

Designed by Nature

Discovered these beautiful spider webs on our Weeping Copper Beach tree that's awaiting planting!

 

 

Lambs at Rest, Lambs at Play

This is what's happening right now in the paddocks at Struan Farm: 

 

Extensions & Reversals

No, not hair or phone extensions, but rather gardens. What else could it be at Struan Farm, really?

A few weekends ago John got into a feature tree planting frenzy around the place, and decided that we didn't have enough gardens at the new(ish) house. He wanted ring gardens created around his new feature trees (Gleditsia 'Sunburst' aka Golden Honey Locust, Betula Pendula Youngii aka Weeping Silver Birch, Cornus 'Eddies White Wonder,' and a Cercis Forest Pansy). Also an extension of the first bed he "allowed" Anna and me to plant last year. On top of all that, he agreed I could create a new garden area near the gate that goes out into the paddock beside the retaining wall. It's been a ratty area, one that is hard to mow. 

(Pssst, I'll tell you that this is all a complete reversal from his position on this last year, but that's just between us, okay?) 

And so I've hopped to it, planting being my thing. There are now circles of bedding plants around most of the trees, I've got one to go.  I've purchased some conifers, flowering shrubs and a carpet rose or two for the extension. Need to fill some gaps in the other new bed this next week, but the bones are in place.

A man's prerogative is to change his mind, right? And in this case while I won't claim to have had any influence, I'm really glad he came around to my way of thinking, and he knows it!

Naming Rights

You will recall that Robertsons name pretty much everything at Struan Farm: paddocks, huts, gnomes. Last year when I named our pet lamb Spud "Spud" it engendered some controversy. Some people loved the name, others didn't. (Friend Katherine kept wanting us to rename him "Fred," which didn't happen!) Pet lamb names are UP TO ME. No contests with jelly beans, voting, democratic process involved whatsoever. Those pet lamb names are ALL MINE, I own the naming rights.

However, lucky for me, it seems that naming our new lamb "Rosie" has been a popular decision. Yesterday I received two thumbs up from granddaughter Emma, who is quite the discerning little girl.

Before lambing season I drew up a list of ewe lamb names (Rosie, Coco, Lulu, Pip) and ram names (Buster, Spanky, Alfalfa, Marley). So I'm ready if any more should land on our doorstep. And in the meantime, Rosie is happy and drinking away.

 p.s. I've also got lists of names for a new border collie puppy that will arrive at some point (leading contenders are "Radar" and "Rogue") as well as chickens/chooks (Scrambled, Poached, Fried, Benedict--you get the theme). The yet-to-be-built chicken coop will be christened either "Chateau des Chooks" or "Cluckingham Palace." 

Gotta beat these Robertsons at their own game....

Rosie Meets Her First Visitors

Two friends and former colleagues of mine made a flying overnight visit to Struan Farm this week. They arrived from Auckland in time to have a good walk around the property before it got dark, then fed Rosie before dinner and settled into the Cottage for the night. Fortunately we had enough time to head down to the river too!

And yep, I managed to sort out a decent dessert for dinner, even if it was a week night. Annabel Langbein's "Upside Down Sticky Date Pudding" from the first Free Range Cook:

Served with salted caramel sauce, softly whipped cream and a good pinot noir, think it went over (or shall I say down?) well!

Weekend Cuisine

After making two loaves of wholemeal bread and a batch of chocolate chip cookies for our weekend farmstay guests, I managed to find time to test out "Middle Eastern Broccoli Soup" from the MindFood magazine website.

It was quick and easy to make (definitely doable from scratch in time for lunch),  and quite good, if a little thicker than conventional soup. The accompaniments aka "bits and pieces" served along side (tahini cream, toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, sumac and toasted pitas) really make the dish. Fresh, healthy and nutritious, what's more to ask?
 

Introducing Rosie

This was one of those touch and go situations at Struan Farm where we weren't sure if there would be a happy ending. Farmer John arrived to deal with a ewe having a problem, and on the front seat of his ute there was a pet lamb for me. She'd been abandoned by her mum (usually a sign that something is wrong with the lamb, particularly when it's a ewe lamb--the boys typically get dumped first when there's a choice to be made).

Hubby John and I jumped into action, not knowing if she'd had any colostrum from mum. The only problem was that she wouldn't eat, wouldn't take the bottle. We both kept trying. In the evening, I stuck my finger into her mouth, down her throat. She started sucking on that, so I got sneaky and replaced my finger with the teat of the bottle. This started to work.

At first she needed me to sit and coax her to drink, but she is drinking through the fence now, and in amounts she should be. 

Since she's out of the woods we can give her a name. Here's Rosie:

 

Stories to follow, I'm sure!

Glassy Eyed

We've had a few sunny days recently, and the team from Eden arrived at Struan Farm to finish putting the glass in our new "glasshouse." Now Mike is working away at the challenging task of finishing the floor, which starts with metal/gravel then paving stones. The trick will be to get everything level, no pressure Mike!

After that we can pop the metal racks and potting table inside, they are already assembled and standing by.

Almost there!

Giving Thanks for Life

I was just having lunch at the house when I looked down the paddock "bowl" out the front. One of the ewes down below wasn't moving much. I then saw a flash of white, which became a lamb. The first lamb! And then one became two.

 

I'm a happy person most days, but today I'm joyous, and thankful to be able to witness things like this at Struan Farm.

Unannounced Guests

Guess who I found camping out in our guest room bed at the new(ish) house at Struan Farm?

 

Two little gnomes. They've told me they're here for the new baby due in November (aka "Little Leroy"). They will stay in the guest room until he arrives and a contest for naming them is organised.  They will then move out to the tawa grove gnome sanctuary with the others.

Great, huh? Not like we have too many gnomes running around the place already..

First Signs of Spring

We seem to have turned the corner. The early daffodils popped up over the past few days at Struan Farm, passing on the word that spring is on the way.

Hope those ewes starting listening, and they start birthing some lambs!

The Glasshouse Takes Shape

The team landed to assemble our new Eden glasshouse in the backyard at Struan Farm.

Hooray, hooray, hooray is all I have to say! (That plus it was a bit more complicated than Lego.) Can't wait to get started with my veggie and flower seedlings.

They are returning shortly to put the glass in, need a sunny day to do this safely, and the forecasts haven't been promising.
 

Baking in the Rain

It was one of those weekends. It rained, hailed, was sunny, was sunny while it poured rain, etc. And while John and I did venture out to walk around the farm on lambing beats (no news yet!), it was pretty much an inside weekend here at Struan Farm.

Once the house is clean, laundry and ironing done, what's to do? Well, for me it was time to bake. I managed to make ciabatta for the first time, as well as a "Sage, Blue Cheese and Garlic Twist", the latter from the current issue of Donna Hay Magazine.

Both turned out really well. The Twist is made with buttermilk and self-raising flour, and is quite quick and easy to make. It is also quite rich! One slice with a cup of soup or salad for lunch is adequate (most of this went into the freezer). The ciabatta on the other hand takes time and is somewhat fiddly, but turned out light and delicious. 

The next rainy day I tackled "Caramel and Hazelnut Tarts" from the same magazine.

These were also delicious, reminiscent of pecan pie. I will make them again, but use smaller tart pans. 

So you can see why John and I headed out on lambing beats twice a day despite the rain, hail, etc.!

Distracted by Afternoon Abstractions

Love it when the late afternoon light is golden at Struan Farm.

When/if I have the time, I grab my camera and wander, getting lost looking at things like tree roots and bark, moss, lichen, patterns, and textures.  In the bush the light gets filtered through the trees, ferns, and leaves-- it's magic really.

I was lucky enough to have one of those afternoons a few days ago.