Just bleak

The snow that was falling 2 nights ago didn't come to anything, but a little crusting on the lawn which is good.  So the hoggets are still getting their grass, which does them far more good than the hay only diet they get if the ground is well covered in the white stuff.  Amazing how quickly animals learn to dig through it though.  The 3 horses are getting nuts as well as hay, as we can't let them onto more grass because there is Tutu in that paddock.  Usually the Tutu has died down by now, but due to the mild conditions there's still enough to poison animals.

Worldwide Campaign for Wool

June has seen the launch of the Campaign for Wool.  Just to remind people of the unique qualities of wool, and why even though it may be appear to be more expensive to buy, it really isn't in the long run, compared to the cheaper synthetics.  Wool lasts for years if looked after.

Its qualities:

Natural and Renewable - the world's most sustainable fibre as the sheep just grows another fleece each year.   Sheep don't die when  shorn.
Biodegradable too.  "The Boss" lost a work jersey which contained a percentage of nylon  (commercial ones usually do) and when I happened to come across it about 18 months to 2 years later, all that was left was the nylon.

UV protective - does filter some of those UV rays

Less Flammable - tends to smoulder if it does burn, but doesn't melt onto the skin.  When it does burn it releases fewer toxic fumes.  Children's dressing gowns used to be woollen for a good reason around all those open fires and heaters.

Breathable - because it absorbs and releases water vapour it is warm in winter, but cooler in summer (the old shepherds and farmers wore the same old shirt all year round, often just adding an extra woollen singlet underneath and a woollen jersy outerlayer in winter).  Modern spinning techniques have managed to get rid of the scratchiness of the wool now, so you can wear that wool right next to the skin and not be driven mad.

Water repellant - think the original Swanndri Bush Shirts! but when garments do get wet they tend to generate heat due to the fibre structure.

Less allergenic - doesn't promote bacteria growth

Durable and elastic - garments don't stretch as much, but you can machine wash woollen garments if you use the right temperature water and machine cycle.

Because of the fibre structure wool sheds slightly so carpets don't need steam cleaning, regular vacuuming is enough.

Bedding - best fibre to sleep under as it reduces humidity next to the skin, and keeps body temperature even,  natural down/feather does do the same, and is lighter.

Anyway here endeth the sermon, but I just love wool. 

Forgot to tell you

Why we breakfeed stock.  It is for the best "utilisation of the pasture"!!  Meaning that if we put the mob onto one big paddock and left them for a certain length of time, they would eat far more than they needed to start with, leaving all their least favourite pasture species, then not enough in the finish as you tried to get them to eat what they don't like so much.  With the break they eat what they require each day, but do eat off the less desirable species as well.
As you breakfeed you can also back fence, electric as well, so the stock don't keep chewing off the pasture behind them (which is better for it) and reduces the mud.

We've had the dozer (bulldozer) in over the last week too.  The amazing thing is the driver is an 82 year old man.  He worked on this farm developing the paddocks in the 1950's for previous owners.  Does a dawn till dark day, most days of the week - incredible!  The only thing he does slowly is getting up and down off the vehicle. 

Oohh and my fire only took 2 days to properly go out, all that valuable !! timber turned to ash.

"The Boss" was not pleased ...

in fact I could hear him swearing as he rode the bike down the hill!  And it was just because I was having "a little" fire.  Well it was bigger than I expected, but it was on the burning heap, and how was I to know that he intended raiding the heap for large pieces of timber (which had been there 18 months!) for the sides of a culvert.  I thought my garage rubbish would only singe all the timber on the heap, otherwise I wouldn't have lit it at 4.30pm, would've been a morning job.  But what a lovely fire it was.  Just didn't sleep that well, as constantly listening for the predicted wind, which would've possibly caused a few problems with flying embers. 
 I'm sure I actually did him a favour as the timber wasn't ground treated so wouldn't have lasted long in the soil anyway.  HE IS NOT CONVINCED.

June = Bull sales

Bulls are usually sold by auction.  So by the end of May we have a stack of catalogues lieing around the living room, as we go through  each to see which bulls have suitable EBV's (Estimated Breeding Values) for us.   The Boss and I try to buy average birth weight bulls, and that insures the cow herd remains at a good average so we avoid calving problems.  We also want positive rib and rump fats, as we have a cold winter and the cattle need some fat to survive.  We also try to get a reasonable IMF  (Intramuscular Fat) score, as our steers are sold to a feedlot that supplies the Japanese market.  When we arrive at the sale, anything with EBV's we don't like is crossed out, and it reduces the time taken inspecting the bulls that may be suitable.  Then anything that doesn't measure up conformation wise - bad feet, legs, open shoulders, too straight or bent hind legs are out too.  Then we sit down to bid on them, along with everyone else, and of course we've always got the top priced bull picked out, so that means we never get that one.  This year we managed to buy the bull we wanted (an Angus) at the first sale, so that saves having to spend several days away.  Last year it took 3 sales to get one, as prices were so high.  And I had to leave the Boss behind on the last one, as he had work to do here (sloshing around in the mud)

 Hereford Bulls waiting patiently as they are inspected .  They have a lot of handling so they are quiet, but you always have to respect them.

The Auctioneer in action, and yes it is raining and muddy, but we've sat on an open stand in the snow before today - and believe me that is not pleasant.  This sale has nice haybales to sit on in a shed.

Winter mode

May was a lazy month - time in the garden, and going to visit daughters (which unfortunately involve airports).  The weather has been incredibly mild since the snow during preg testing, so although have been in the garden a lot, the weeds have just grown behind me, but that means the grass has kept growing on the paddocks which has been great.
The rams went out to the ewes for tupping on the 10th May.



Bellbird (native to NZ) has the most wonderful belling song.  The native birds have been numerous around the garden this autumn, but unfortunately have not been able to get a photo of the cheeky Fantails that hover around.  I haven't had the camera at the right time. but it is such a joy gardening with these birds.




Mt Egmont/Taranaki, seen across rooves in New Plymouth, North Island

Now it is June we have started feeding out the hay made during the Summer.  The hoggets have started on their break feeding regime.  A little strip of the paddock is fenced off with a portable electric fence, and that is what they get for the day.  They are put on in the morning and taken off at night.  




The hoggets just going on in the morning.  We like to leave a little grass behind each day so we know they are getting enough to eat.  You can see the portable fence on the left.



                                                   Cruise sitting on the bike having just helped put the hoggets on .