I'm studying (obstetrics and gynaecology) which is fascinating and challenging, but boy has it been stressful! I've been very proud of myself having broken away from a life time habit of procrastination, but homeschooling and life in general doesn't leave me with a lot of energy to spend the evenings studying and writing assignments. Anyhow this is the season we are in...
On the home front, we have exciting times ahead - well they excite me - so that's the main thing!
Our new paddock fencing is being done as we speak, in preparation to let Pepper roam free and also for our new arrivals (you'll have to check back in a few weeks to find out who!) I am busily foraging and scrounging to build things like hay racks and will also be converting part of our shed into a stall.
After a dismal chicken hatching episode we'll also be getting a few new recruits bought in to boost the numbers and hopefully egg production.
With all the various live stock related expenses, our budget for any thing else is basically $0 -and when I say budget, there was never a livestock budget. I've basically financed it all through Trademe sales (so I'm quietly very pleased with myself!) Unfortunately, I'm still wanting to do planting around the house and will also need some trees for the edge of a drain which will be re-fenced.
So this morning, whilst lamenting our lack of funds I began to cogitate on DIY rooting hormone - thus, I dragged my brood of children across the farm to harvest willow branches. Wizzing up the leaves and soft branch tips into a salsa verde looking concoction, I'm going to take some Buxus cuttings and try and propogate them myself.
The boys harvesting willow leaves.
Also on the grow (hopefully) are a number of different flax varieties that I stole/foraged a few months ago - they need to stratify in the fridge for a couple of months before planting, so hopefully they will take and I'll have some flaxes in a few months.
And last but not least were the trees I need for the drain edge. Whilst our fences have been down, I took the opportunity to harvest some of the Pittosporum seedings that have been growing along the fence line. They are now snuggly occupying one of the vege gardens, all ready to transplant to their new home one the fence is in place. So all in all, it has been a very productive day - hopefully I will see the fruits of my labour over the coming months.
Until next time x
