Posted in The Homestead

We all spent about 6 hours yesterday out at our land. The house is almost completed - the painters are starting this week. Hopefully in two weeks time, we can move in.

Because it's Spring here in Down-Under land we've been able to focus on the outdoors area and the garden in particular. It was Labour Day yesterday so we had a day off school and could spend the good part of the day in the garden.

It had rained quite a bit in the last week or so, and the soil had compacted down, and developed a hard crust on the top after a few days of hot sun and dry wind. At first I started to rake and pick away at the soil with the adze - that's how I got a sore back - but thought it would be much easier just to do the part where I was planning to plant than try and do the entire plot! That horrible cooch grass is starting to come through even after twice rotary-hoeing and dedicated raking every couple of days. One of the tradesmen that came to the house last week said he gave up on his vege garden because of the cooch - but I'm determined that I'm going to beat it!

I planted two sets of climbing beans yesterday in circles as I plan to use the old-fashioned method of bamboo sticks tied at the top (like a teepee) for them to climb up. That way I can move them into the next 'break' in my 5 year cycle much easier. I had a hard time keeping the dog and my 2 year old from stepping all over it, but I got it done. After that I started on my rows for the peas. The ground was quite hard and compacted, but the adze soon loosened it up and I got three rows of peas planted. I think I'm going to have to order more seeds though, as I'd like to have a lot more than three rows.

While I was planting my 7 year old son, Hugh had wandered out into the paddock. We have had a local farmer plant some barley on our land this year as we had no immediate plans for it ourselves and it helps keep it tidy over the summer. I had noticed a couple of birds out there earlier - in the distance it looked like one of the neighbours hens - as it turned out though, it was a couple of nesting plovers.

I heard Hugh yelling and looked up to see these two nasty plovers attacking him - they were swooping down on him and scaring the poor boy. His arms were flying all over the place in an attempt to keep them off. I think his yells must have helped. I yelled at him to run back to us in the garden, which he did. My dog (a big black labrador) was tied up and I was about to go and let him off (he loves chasing birds and is very protective of us - especially the children), but there was no need as Hugh got back ok. I tried to explain to him about the nest and he understood that, but I could see he kept an eye on them for the rest of the afternoon.

We planted another apple tree yesterday too - I wanted to get the Quince tree planted as well, but I'm still not sure of the best place for it, so I left it. I'm glad I didn't plant in now, as we have high winds today. It's a 'nor-wester which is a hot wind. It plays havoc with the plants. I think it's killed my olive tree which I feel terrible about. My parents gave it to my husband about 7 years ago. We've neglected it and carted it with us for every move, and it has thrived. We finally get it to its resting place and it goes and dies on us. Well, I think it's dying. I'm not sure what to do about it - if anyone has any idea about what is wrong with it, and what I can do to help it, I'd be grateful. The leaves have all curled up and are turning brown. I think it's in too windy a spot (we have no shelter yet), or I might have paid too much attention to it by watering it too much.

Some good news - we won an auction on our local auction site: www.trademe.co.nz for 20 bales of peastraw to use as shelter around the garden. It was selling at such a great price. Can't wait to get that, although I'm so amazed that I'm so thrlled about buying peastraw!! What has happened to my sensibilities - gardening is becoming as much fun as clothes and shoes shopping!