Movement at the Station

Power’s on, plants are in the ground. We have siphon irrigation from the dam. Our block no longer looks unloved. 

Our brand new electricity meter

Farmer Geoff has been very busy with the brushcutter (borrowed from our lovely neighbours) slashing the grass and clearing the area for our fledgling olive grove. While Geoff was sweating it out at the block I was driving around sourcing plants and buying tools, mulch, stakes, and irrigation hose. Many an unplanned trip was made down the hill to the local Mitre 10 (or Mitre 9 as it is called by one of the neighbours - not quite a 10).

Once the area was cleared we tried to dig...

                                                                 ...and dig...

                                                                                ...into solid dry ground. 

Oh. God.

This is going to be tough.

Farmer Geoff dropped the shovel and pulled out the mattock and finally broke ground. Once through the tough top layer of grass, it was slightly easier going underneath. Lots of small rocks in the soil though. Geoff chose the toughest spot to start though with the rest of the holes dug quite easily. We have been assured though that the soil is gold once some organic matter is added.

After carting water 70+ metres from the dam (thanks Ma) to the olive grove we decided to see if a siphon would work. We thought we may be a little uphill from the dam. This proved to be the case with the siphon only getting to within 20 metres of the grove. Much better than the trek to the dam though.

Geoff's siphon

The varieties we planted were Manzanillo x 3 and one each of Barouni, Paragon, Mission and Flemings Jumbo. I think I have a good mix of oil/fruit varieties and plenty of cross pollination. 

We finished the olives off with a chicken wire fence each to ward off any critters. I think they look fabulous and by the time we left they had been in for nearly two weeks and were looking good - fingers crossed.

Olive Grove

Olive Grove

While there we also planted a sweet chestnut tree (which had been nibbled by a hungry pademelon before we put the fence around it), a liquidamber and a silver birch grove. I’m not holding out much hope for the silver birches but they were cheap and you never know your luck.

Sweet Chestnut

Liquidamber

Dad helping Geoff with the fence for the Birch Grove

Silver Birch Grove

Mum and Dad camped at the block for nearly two weeks. They set themselves up quite comfortably with the caravan and ensuite (camping loo and shower) and took advantage of the power. We set up the tent and camped a couple of nights and my brother Michael came down from Melbourne for 5 nights after Christmas.

Our campsite

Christmas Lunch!

We had a lovely Christmas lunch at the block of baked salmon with corn and stone fruit salsa, ham, potato speck and lettuce salad, and mint, peas and broadbeans. The fish was from Huon Aquaculture and the ham from the Cygnet Butcher - free range and local. Both were absolutely delicious. We are big fans of Graham at the Cygnet Butcher. He smokes and cures his own meats. His bacon is the best I have ever tasted - no kidding!

Christmas Lunch!

We all went to the Taste Festival in Hobart on opening day which coincides with the arrival of the fastest yachts in the Sydney to Hobart race. We watched third place Lahana arrive from Constitution Dock then watched the next two come in from the Taste festival with a glass of wine and a plate of fabulous food. There were five of us (Me and Geoff, Mum and Dad and Michael) so we got to have a good go at the food. Buying a small plate and sharing meant that we were able to try more things. We had ocean trout gravlax, Bruny Island oysters (the best in the world - without a doubt), sausages and mash, tempura mushrooms, Spring Bay mussels, octopus, calamari, and chip on a stick (see my previous post). I’m sure there was more...

Watching the Sydney to Hobart yachts
arrive from the Taste Festival

While Michael was down we also foraged for mussels and Oysters at Drip Beach. I cooked the mussels in a tomato, white wine and garlic sauce over the camp fire at our block and they were awesome. 

Dad, Michael and Me looking for Oysters at Petcheys Bay

Oysters Kilpatrick

Mussels from Drip Beach

My goodness we’ve had a good trip this time! Only down side is we were waiting for a shed to arrive from the mainland. It didn’t turn up - it’s somewhere between Albury, NSW and Huonville, Tas. It didn’t dampen the spirits though with our lovely neighbours Paul and Ally keeping our stuff (tent, tools etc.) in their shed. Geoff will be back at the end of January for work and will stay on an extra day or two to put it up.

On Christmas day we tried to rescue a sick little pademelon and get it to a carer but the poor thing died on the way. We rang Bonorong Wildlife Park who have a 24 hour emergency line (which I suspect just goes straight to Park Director and all-round good guy Greg’s mobile). They were very helpful even though it was Christmas day. The little cutie died about 10 minutes away from the volunteer carer’s house in Kingston. Fiona and Greg were very supportive of our efforts which was nice. I was surprised at my reaction - I thought a bleeding heart like mine would have been devastated. But I was very calm and philosophical about it. We tried our best and you can’t do more than that. My clothes still smell like eucalyptusy pademelon wee. When I live down there I think it is inevitable that I will be a wildlife carer. 

A couple more positive things before I go - the hay was baled while we were there, I think I ate 50kgs of ripe and sweet cherries from local orchards and we had three neighbours give us things from their gardens; Ken a lovely bag of homegrown garlic bulbs, Paul and Ally a punnet of homegrown raspberries and Ian and Hannah a bag of ultra fresh broadbeans.   

What an exceptionally unforgettable time.

I cannot wait to live there.