Struan Farm

Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

Most readers of the Struan Farm blog will know we're pretty creative about reusing, repurposing and recycling various things around the property. "It's in our DNA," to quote NZ home improvement chain Mitre 10, although in their case they're referring to DIY projects, something else we're also keen about. We don't engage service providers unless we absolutely have to, and we don't waste very much of anything, except sometimes time. John's dad Maurie was rather well known for his improvised use of recycled materials (as most farmers are), and I've joked with John that he is becoming more and more like his father every day. I must also say it has rubbed off on me.

This week we noticed the road traffic management crew setting up signs and road cones at the southern border of our property, and wondered what they were up to, especially since there wasn't a slip or any fallen trees. It turned out they were getting ready to replace wooden posts supporting the steel guard rails running alongside a bend in the state highway with steel. John's mind immediately jumped to what they were doing with the posts that were being taken out, and if we might be able to get them to reuse on the farm for various projects.

He spoke to the contractor working on the job, and ended up contacting the owner of the company. We've negotiated to buy the posts at a reasonable rate in exchange for letting the company leave their gear on the farm overnight while they are working. The 70 kg. posts, which will eventually number over 100 by the time the job is done, will be dropped at the end of the old road. The company would normally resell the posts for use as garden sleepers, but selling them to us saved them considerable transport and fuel costs and sorted out where they were going to leave their equipment during the job. Yes, a "win, win."

These will be used in due course around Struan Farm. What immediately comes to mind is to help create steps on various tracks down hills, including out past the rusty steel sculpture on the knob looking out from our house, and to finish the track running from the QEII bush reserve below the Cottage down to the river. We're working to make it easier for people who don't know the farm as well as we do to be able to explore and wander around, easily. Or at least more easily than has previously been the case.

On the Road

John's brother sent through an old family photograph a few days ago that had most of the Robertson siblings standing outside the front gate of Struan Farm many years ago now:

It's not the sharpest photograph, but it's interesting to us on a few counts and prompted quite a discussion. First, to compare the front roadside property then and now. The dahlias and gladioli are long gone, but the trees have grown in a major way. Here's roughly the same area today:

Second, the road surface of the state highway and main road south. I learnt that it was actually white originally, something I never knew! While the segment of "Old Road" that goes through the farm is, in fact, white, I'd thought this was because it had been worn down over the years to its base, not because the road itself was white. I was wrong. For readers who aren't as familiar with the history of the farm as well as we are, many years ago now John's dad Maurie did a land swap with the government roading agency when they re-routed the state highway. So a section of the old highway became part of the farm, which we still call "the Old Road." Here's what it looks like today:

Lastly, it looks like John's wearing a tie! Must have been the school uniform, but then he was also known to favour bow ties every so often as an homage to his grandfather Sir Carrick.

Playing with Autumn Colours

An article in the recent issue of NZ Gardener magazine inspired me, with a DIY bouquet of autumn leaves and berries. While we don't have the same materials used in the article here at Struan Farm, I went off to see what I could find in the gardens for seasonal raw materials. It was a good excuse, we've been so busy this past month that I haven't had any time to wander or be out in the gardens. I've been overdue to reconnect with the gardens, myself, and of course check out what might need a bit of love and attention in the process. I also gathered the last of the walnuts, picked some figs, and fed more than a few pet lambs apple treats in the process. Efficiency thy name is Karen. It needs to be!

While I was walking around I remembered the time I went out in the fields around our house and gathered a dried bouquet for my mother, picking things like seed pods, berries, Honesty, etc. Shortly thereafter I came down with a terrible case of poison ivy, the worst our pediatrician/paediatrician had ever seen. I even had it in my mouth. As a result I stopped picking dried bouquets. Sensitive skin, thy name is also Karen.

Fortunately we don't have anything like poison ivy here in NZ, so I think I can dip my toe back into the dried bouquet game. Plus I know what's around the gardens. I am wary of stinging nettles, privet, and cotinus/smoke tree, all of which tend to cause allergic reactions in many people, including me. I'm careful working with the swan plants we grow for Monarch butterflies, which are poisonous to people and stock and have a toxic sap that can blind. I've just been reading about the dangerously poisonous Phoenix palm tree, thankfully we don't have any of those here. Good news: I did find some colourful autumnal bits and pieces to play with in the gardens.

Here's what I managed to come up with:

I'm quite pleased with these, and I haven't gotten any rashes just yet, even better!

 

Kai Safari Piopio

Events of the past long holiday Easter weekend here at Struan Farm may result in another "fifteen minutes of fame" for me, just when I thought I'd done my dash and was fading into the shadows. John is joking that I can now write my memoir, "From Manhattan Beach to Choice TV."

About a week ago I got a call from a producer of the Choice TV show "Kai Safari," saying that they were coming to the Waitomo/Piopio area and wanted to come to film here at Struan Farm. They were interested in our figs and feijoas, and I told them about the kahikatea berries I'd been experimenting with for jam. We agreed they'd appear the morning of Easter Sunday with the hosts and crew. Later in the conversation it became clear that I was meant to cook something. Of course we also had twelve farmstay guests here over the weekend, not much on!

The weather forecast for the day was pouring down rain. Fortunately that didn't happen. John announced he did not want to feature AT ALL so I was put on the spot. A drone was sent up to get some aerial shots of the farm's landscape. Co-host Sonia and I picked figs from one of our heirloom "Huia" fig trees, also kahikatea berries (koroi). No one had known kahikatea berries are edible, so it was good to be able to spread the word about that. Friends Lizzie and Ripeka were driven into Piopio and the Community Fruit & Veg Stand for a brief chat about Piopio before returning so that I could make a fig, apple and feijoa shortcake. It was the first time I'd combined all three fruits in one cake, but producer Pete directed me to do so and he made a good choice as it turned out (he's a chef and clearly knows what he's doing!). The day wrapped with afternoon tea around the dining room table.

The next morning they went off to see Melanie at The Fat Pigeon Cafe and Night Owl restaurant. The cafe was so busy that they moved filming over to the restaurant, a quieter and better spot. Mel was presented with a wild hare shot a few days ago on a nearby Hangatiki property owned by a fellow named "Jazz" and his family. She ended up creating an amazing "Hare and Pear Salad," marinating the meat in a blackberry vinaigrette before searing it and slicing thinly, serving it with freshly foraged watercress, walnuts candied in Piopio Gold honey, and kahikatea berries. Mel hadn't known about kahikatea berries either, so I feel like I've done my bit on behalf of kahikateas. After Mel's segment was finished filming everyone involved gathered around a big table at the Night Owl for a "hakari" or feast to celebrate. My shortcake featured for dessert. Co-host Russell composed and played a song on his guitar to commemorate the occasion.

They'll let us know when the show is scheduled to air. Who knows what bits will make the show or end up on the cutting room floor, but t was a fun experience either way! Piopio: Where It All Happens.

 

Huia Fig #2

This year it's been interesting to see the second heirloom "Huia Fig" tree grown from a cutting at Struan Farm flourish and fruit. Many years ago now John and I got permission from our neighbour to walk down and across the Mangaotaki River to the old Huia homestead site on their property to take cuttings from the old fig tree. While the house is long gone, the fig tree grows and fruits, still. We figured it has acclimated to our immediate climate, and that any trees grown from cuttings should thrive. And guess what? They have.

The larger of the two trees is now on the edge of the Old Orchard and Pet Paddocks, while the second has been moved around a few times but has a final resting place out beyond the two tawa groves near our house, on the point looking south. While this area does get a bit of wind, it also gets good sunlight, and this little tree has settled in for the long haul. In fact this season (to date) I've harvested more ripe figs from it than its more established larger sister down below. Perhaps because it's closer to the river and its mother tree, who knows?

We like having this living connection with the family too. "Young Tom" Huia and his family lived in the Cottage when he worked for John's dad Maurie. Not too long ago Tom's wife Beryl and his daughter Glenys returned for a stay at the Cottage. Of course Glenys returned home with a cutting from the fig.

 

 

The Comforts of Old Age

Struan Farm's resident dog Clifford turns 16 this year, which is getting on in dog terms. We've given up on tying him up, and he's decided not to sleep in his house anymore, moving to our front doorstep. As it has started to turn cooler I've put his wool "blankie" down, but he's been moving onto the garden beside the house to curl up in the wood mulch, spraying that all over the concrete drive. He may be comfortable but it's not the best, caverns are forming in the garden.

So I decided it was time for Clifford to get a proper dog bed.

At first he wasn't so sure, but now he's loving it and isn't moving off!

Can I just say that all of us should have someone who looks after us well and loves us still when we're 112 years old? (That's translating dog years into people years...)

 

 

On Duty, Still

Like most of us our dog Clifford isn't getting any younger. He's approaching 16, which is saying something for a dog. He's on doggie aspirin monthly for his leg injury (chasing turkeys, twice) and his hearing isn't what it used to be. We've stopped tying him up at his house at night and let him sleep on the doorstep to our house. He just doesn't wander far any more, choosing to stay close to home and mostly nap.

I've been a bit skeptical about his value as security around the place given his evident decline. But I was wrong.

A few nights ago (it was actually 4:24 a.m.) he woke us up barking loudly and madly. I roused John, who went out to find two men sitting in a car in our drive near the house. The security light had gone on but they were afraid of Clifford so had stayed in the car. Seems they were out of petrol driving from Waitara up to Auckland airport to catch a flight to Brisbane. The petrol stations on the way were closed at that hour, obviously. 

John gave them enough petrol from a tin we keep in the garage to get them to Te Kuiti, where a station is open 24/7.  I'm still scratching my head about anyone showing up at someone's house at 4 a.m. in the morning, for whatever reason. 

But the story here is that Clifford is on duty, still.

Charlie's Grannies

We've harvested the first Granny Smith apples from grandson Charlie's apple tree here at Struan Farm this season, hooray! It's quite a decent amount of apples too. This is the first instalment, more remain on the tree yet to be picked in the Old Orchard area of the farm.

Pet lamb Jelly had a nibble on one and she reports they are really good.

Bluebells: Making a Dent

As reported earlier this year the bluebells at Struan Farm have started to take over in the Homestead gardens. John, who previously was protective of them given that they were one of his mum's favourite flowers, gave me a directive to get them under control. All I will say on this score is "ahem," since I remember warning him about them years ago. Perhaps also "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir?"

And so last spring and summer I dug them out of the main gardens to the extent I was able. Some were saved for sister-in-law Anna, who has visions of a guerilla gardening effort with them somewhere in her area. Many went off to the burn pile. I'm confident they will crop up again in spring despite my best efforts, but in lesser numbers. It's like most invasive or weedy things, a progression. One that requires a consistent campaign over time. And realistic expectations.

Now it is time for me to tackle their numbers in our roadside wooded garden at the main entrance. They have started to strangle out the tulips and daffodils entirely, and we can't have that. I'm finding it's somewhat easier to dig them out in autumn, raking off the leaf mulch in the garden tends to expose them. In numbers! One cluster has 20+ bulbs of various sizes, so you can gauge the extent of the problem (and work involved).

The important thing here is I'm making a dent. That's my mantra and I'm sticking to it. I'm also wondering what Rosemary would think about it. I know what Maurie would say!

In Support of Sedum, However You Pronounce It

John's mum grew sedum near the Homestead rose trellis for years and years here at Struan Farm, along with nepita. While I've always loved the combination of the purple nepita below deep red Dublin Bay roses, I never particularly appreciated sedum's subtle appeal until now. It's a hardy succulent, easy care and drought tolerate. But far more important is that honey bees, bumblebees, and butterflies absolutely love it!

I was down working in the Homestead gardens this week and couldn't believe the number of bees and butterflies feeding on the flowering plants, sharing the pollen/nectar. There are over 400 varieties of sedum and it's definitely worth having in your gardens. When it is mature it can be easily split to create new plants too.

I would pronounce the name of this plant "sed-um," however kiwis pronounce it "see-dum." You decide what's right for you.

In Memory of "Bessie the Bomb"

We've been seeing vintage American cars travelling south over the past week here at Struan Farm, heading down to New Plymouth's annual "Americana" car festival. And over the weekend they all travelled back, many stopping in Piopio at the Fat Pigeon Cafe for coffee and/or a meal.

It was lovely to see the beautifully maintained cars and trucks parked around town! Almost makes me want a vintage Ford or Chevy pick-up truck...it would make quite the statement running into town each day to check the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand, wouldn't it?

Growing up my mother drove a robin's egg light blue Chevy convertible we christened "Bessie the Bomb." Bessie would have been circa mid-late 1950's, so would have been related to some of these cars passing through Piopio. She didn't have long tail "fins," she was a bit more elegant and rounded, with a canvas roof. The sort of car one would drive wearing a head scarf and big sunglasses a la Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn. Her floor in the back rusted out toward the end of her life with us--things were a little hand to mouth at times growing up and my parents would have purchased her used. Eventually Bessie was replaced with a new VW bug that wasn't given a name. That was the car I learned to drive on, with the engine in the back and a stick shift of course.

The Albatross that is Ironing

The image of an albatross weighing around one's neck comes from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." For some reason the phrase has stuck in my head since grade school, but not the fact that the Mariner was punished for shooting a friendly albatross by having to wear its weight around his neck for life.

Suffice it to say that ironing is also for life pretty much. And ironing has a bit of emotional baggage for me. It probably doesn't weigh me down quite as much as the albatross did the Mariner, but at this time of the year the pile can mount up here at Struan Farm during "peak farmstay." Along with the cleaning and laundry. We do have duplicate sets of bed linens and carefully crafted "efficiency systems," but at a certain point the rubber meets the road, Karen has to confront her dread and tackle the ironing. When I'd much rather be outside, weeding even. John threatens to help, at which point I'm prompted into action, sufficiently humiliated that I'm obviously not coping with my responsibilities. I can't have that.

I know well from where this emotional baggage comes. My mother spent hours holed up in our basement (it was called the "cellar") when I was growing up, surrounded by mountains of laundry and ironing. She'd stand at the ironing board, smoking and watching her shows on a small black and white portable TV, late into the night. For me it was an image of servitude, also of being trapped or perhaps overwhelmed. The house had a laundry chute from the top floor, so everything just went shooting down the hole for my mother to deal with below.

I never really talked about what I saw as this dreadful situation with my mother. For all I know it was her secret hiding place, an oasis of quiet far from the madding crowd. But for me it was claustrophobic, something to be escaped at all costs. At a certain point she tried to get my sister and me to do our respective laundry and ironing (but of course not our brother). My main problem with this directive was that I worked in a department store part-time after school, and my sister tended to steal borrow and wear my nicer clothes. Which she then didn't launder or iron. So I was forced to look after both hers (really mine) along with mine. 

Here at Struan Farm the ironing does get done, eventually. It did today. There is no cellar where it can be left to accumulate, I have nowhere to hide (okay, there is the garden!). Plus the guests need their freshly ironed bed linens and table cloths, we do have standards to maintain.

 

A Day Off

It seems we need to go away from Struan Farm in order to "allow" ourselves to rest and relax. At least this is the case for John, who is relatively new to being at the farm on a full time basis. I learned to pace myself about two years ago, not that I'm wanting to sound superior in this regard. I collapsed from exhaustion one two many times, so learned the hard way that one can't work full tilt every day or one pays the consequences in one way or another. The challenge is that there's an endless amount of work to do around this place that keeps calling out to us. Much of which we created. It's our fault and we know this.

So John declared a "holiday" this past Saturday before we both fell over. Also before the scheduled tsunami of farmstay guests lands at the front gate. I'd just rather call it "A Day Off," since "holidays" mean something far more extended to me. This didn't even qualify as a "long weekend."

We travelled over to Kinloch to see John's sister Anna and two of her daughters and their families for lunch. Her place is a short walk to the shores of Lake Taupo, and in summer when the place is busy with holiday makers it has the feeling of the lakeside resort it is. We tried to bring the leftover ham from Boxing Day as a hostess gift, but when that was graciously declined went bearing Piopio strawberries and blueberries instead.

It was good to get away. On the drive over we encountered this rather amusing "road hog." He or she was being watched by a motley mob of sheep and goats, who weren't too sure what he/she was up to.

It was also good to get home to Struan Farm, feed Clifford and water the veggie gardens. Bring on the tsunami!

Post-Christmas & Boxing Day Post

Our holiday marathon started with the Piopio Christmas parade on Christmas Eve. And believe it or not, Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand's float in the parade won a first prize in the "Family, Friends & Whanau" category, woo hoo!

We had three lovely little bunnies munching away on artificial carrots and real lettuce, while the scarecrow they christened "Zack" napped above them. Walking alongside with me were mums Lulu and Jo, dressed as a carrot and a watermelon. I was attired in denim overalls and a big hat, carrying a garden trug full of flowers and veggies. (Can I just interject to say that I hadn't worn overalls since high school? They are very comfortable but seriously unflattering, John has made me put them away.) The float was driven by John on our vintage David Brown tractor. And while it did shower on and off before the parade started, we didn't get rained on during the parade. 

After the parade the planters full of homegrown, beautiful lettuce went to our local Fat Pigeon Cafe, while scarecrow Zack has found a home overlooking one of my tomato beds here at Struan Farm.

Christmas Day here is almost entirely about getting ready for Boxing Day--I cook while John mows and sets things up at the Homestead. Although we did find time for a reasonable Christmas dinner. Acceptances for Boxing Day totalled 45 this year, with the possibility of farmstay guests joining us, so I wanted to make sure we didn't run out of food, dishes, or cutlery. John's brother Carrick kindly made his mum's delicious dinner rolls. The actual number of people who came ended up lower by 11 due to illness (3) and no-shows (8), so we seriously over-catered, and have been working through the leftover ham, salmon, salads and baking ever since. 

The kid's archery competition ended up being quite the contest, with the leader choking and a come from behind victory in the over 9 age group. The Axten brothers triumphed on the croquet lawn. We also had a reunion of sorts amongst John's Robertson cousins, and the launching of the HMS Maurie down at the pond.

It was a good day. Along with the leftover food the leftover flowers were enjoyed too.

We've now cleaned everything up and recovered, mostly. John has been out rolling grass seed with the tractor and spraying, while I've had a session in the glasshouse potting up 200+ basil seedlings. The sort of things one does to relax and ground oneself here at Struan Farm!

Perfectly Legal

Our vintage David Brown tractor is now perfectly legal, wow. With the tractor scheduled to pull the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand's float in the Piopio Christmas parade, much discussion happened about how the tractor was going to get into Piopio and back home without a major accident and without getting into issues with the police.

We looked at borrowing or hiring a trailer, however the tractor's double wheels made that hard. John announced he was just going to get up early one morning and drive it into town, something I wasn't terribly keen on. But then he started doing research. The tractor had been legally registered previously, there were two very old license plates on it, one on the front (589HQ) and one on the back (588HQ):

He went online and made some calls. Turns out he was able to update the registration and get new plates, then drive legally into town at 25 or 30k per hour.

And so we made the 10k drive into Piopio very early Christmas Eve morning, with me driving behind the tractor with emergency flashers going the entire way. John waved at the cows along the way, thought it was a great adventure. As you might imagine, I was just relieved we all got there in one piece! 

Boxing Day Baking, Rounds 2 & 3

I'm getting there with the baking for our annual Struan Farm Boxing Day event. RSVP's now total 47. And yes, I do have enough cutlery and dishes, thanks to a good sale at Briscoes! I've been able to get another batch of cream cheese Christmas cookies done, and second batches of brownies and cupcakes. Also the mince tarts baked and two batches of lemon verbena shortbread. (And pssst: John's Christmas cake iced with Royal Icing, just not decorated yet.)

I still have to thaw and bake the "pain d'amande" dough. At some point the cupcakes will get iced and decorated. I'm pondering a lemon thyme syrup cake, we'll see if that gets done. But what I do need to tackle this week is the icing of John's Christmas cake. It's been fed weekly with a healthy dose of whiskey. I've never made royal icing before, let alone with a layer of marzipan and apricot jam underneath. Stay tuned!

Let the Boxing Day Baking Begin

Several rainy days this week got me started baking for this year's Struan Farm Boxing Day family gathering. You will remember this is a much anticipated annual event, a gathering of the extended tribe. Current RSVP's approach 40, so I am being organised. Out of character, I know. The ham has been ordered for weeks, and I've just ordered several salmon fillets.

On rainy day #1 I made (and froze) "Margaret's Easy Mincemeat," from Simon and Alison Holst (they quibble over using store bought pastry, which I will use as does Simon), batch #1 of my classic "Chewy Fudge Brownies" (the recipe for which I managed to find online here), the dough for David Lebovitz' "Pain d'amande," (one granddaughter calls these "crispy almond cookies," which they are), and batch #1 of mini cupcakes (to be iced and decorated festively the day before). 

I appreciate none of the above look terribly appetising in their pre-freezer state in bad light on a rainy day, but they will when cut and/or baked and/or decorated on the day!

On rainy day #2 I made our "signature" chocolate chip cookies and the first batch of Cream Cheese Christmas cookies.

The Cream Cheese Christmas cookies have meaning to me, they are/were a Barrett family Christmas tradition, one of the few that lasted over the years (along with homemade apple, mince and pumpkin pies). My mother made them every year and the three kids would decorate them with sprinkles, candied cherries and/or chocolate chips. She used a recipe from a book that came with her cookie press, but I managed to find one online that is similar (predictably I can't manage to find it right now to provide a link). Ingredients are butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour, so quite simple in that respect. But they are fiddly to make, the planets must align and temperatures cooperate. I've recently learned that it helps to chill both the press and the cookie sheet in addition to the soft dough in NZ's summer climate. 

Next I'll probably make a lemon verbena shortbread. With these done, and after I get the second batches of cupcakes and brownies made, I can take a breath. I'll have the basic offering covered and will be free to experiment if time permits, or bake things that can't be made ahead and frozen. I always put out a big crystal bowl of Piopio Berry Orchard strawberries and blueberries. Also a bowl of Cadbury "Roses" chocolates, which the kids sneak, wanting more than parents might otherwise allow. Let's let kids be kids, at least for one day, eh?

My motto for Boxing Day: have something for everyone so it's a fun and special day, and look forward to that cold glass of white wine when it's all over!

Christmas Cake, Feeding Required

I'm about to start baking for our annual family Boxing Day gathering here at Struan Farm. Over 40 coming this year, hooray! I've ordered a huge ham on the bone and put in a special request to brother-in-law Carrick to make his special bread rolls (Mil's recipe, world famous in Piopio). I'll order a few salmon fillets and come up with side salads shortly. The dessert table is where I tend to spread my wings, both in terms of offering and presentation. And I'll get on to that shortly.

But this past week I found a Christmas cake recipe in the current issue of Dish magazine that I decided to make for Christmas Day. John and I usually have a very low key Christmas dinner given the family extravaganza the following day. We're preoccupied with lawns, gardens, archery equipment, food, tables, etc. etc.  Christmas for us is a major work day! But John loves Christmas cake and Christmas puddings, so I'm attempting to make the former this year for our Christmas dinner dessert. John's eyebrows raised a wee bit when I explained that it's not exactly a traditional recipe, rather a more modern take on the classic, but we'll get past that I'm sure.

"Rich Whiskey and Spiced Fruit Christmas Cake" is made with a bit of cocoa and lots of fragrant spices. The cooked fruit (figs, dates, apricots, prunes, apple) is processed to give the cake a non-traditional finish. It is whiskey infused, and gets fed every seven-ten days with a bit more whiskey to season it further. (When the cake is still hot from the oven it is pricked with a skewer or toothpick and infused, rather like the technique for making syrup cakes.)

So far, so good. The cake is now wrapped in fresh baking paper and a tea towel, stored in an air tight container. Next weekend it gets another feed of whisky and so on until Christmas. Before serving it will get iced and decorated with a ribbon around the side and festive toppings of some sort. The recipe calls for chocolate ganache, which I won't do given John isn't exactly a chocoholic. In fact, chocolate often makes him sneeze. He's already concerned it looks a bit chocolate-y due to the cocoa and dark spices, so I'm working to minimise those concerns. I'll come up with an alternative on the icing for the top. But I have edible gold stars and will get other bits and pieces (chocolate and non) to make it sufficiently festive and over the top.

My next holiday challenge with be Christmas pudding, subject to acquiring one of those special pots to cook it (steam it?). Next year, perhaps. There's the Boxing Day baking to do.

A Wealth of Things To Do

John sometimes accuses me of being a "glass half empty" kinda girl. I don't really see myself that way, think I'm a relatively upbeat, positive person. But compared to John that might be a fair comparison. He does always look on the bright side of things as a dreamer, while I can be the resident skeptic/realist bringing everything back down to Planet Earth. 

So we were both surprised when I came in from working outside for lunch the other day to proclaim that golly gee, there's an absolute WEALTH of jobs to do here at Struan Farm at the moment. We're spoiled for choice there's just so much to do! This was after we'd been outside washing and re-staining decks and baseboards around the house, cleaning out rain gutters, and weeding. 

I'm smiling as I write this, because what John doesn't know if that I often am quite overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that confronts us in the gardens and around the property. I keep seeing things that need doing and hyperventilate. I trim edges and weed and then find the same job needs re-doing a week later. I feel like I'm barely treading water at this time of the year. Much of this is self-inflicted, we know that. And most relates to maintenance and upkeep, without any of the grand infrastructure projects John may decide to get himself into with heavy equipment and contractors, like those macrocarpa trees. Right now we're also working on the design of a Christmas parade float for the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand, wait 'til you see that.

One simply has to do the jobs that need doing the most first, or the jobs one wants to do most, and then move along. It's called doing your best and trying to have fun at the same time.

 

"During," continued

Yep, it's all been happening with the macrocarpa trees here at Struan Farm. I was chastised for groaning about the sound of chainsaws at 6:45 a.m. one morning, told I was sounding like a townie! 

We're liking the expansive view that's been exposed so far. Our house remains protected from the prevailing southern winds by a solid stand of native bush reserve. Suffice it to say there are months of clean up and re-landscaping efforts to happen before we get to "after."

Here's the view at the moment in late afternoon. We're thinking this is going to be pretty amazing, eventually.

The mobile mill has been operating as well, sawing two different size boards for us to use for the new tractor shed. Feedback is that the quality of the wood is quite good, phew.

More to come.