Wednesday Winter Suprise

                                        Wow these are early !!  What are nice suprise!!

Not such a good suprise somebody forgot to shut the door.

Found Safe and happy under the Olive tree !

Third suprise Gift from Hubby, Garden Art? Any ideas most Welcome!

More Winter Cheer see http://hazel-dene.blogspot.com/2011/06/winter-wednesday-5.html

Someone's Trash, My Treasure !!!

Where we live we don't have a council rubbish collection service so we recycle everything via worm farm and compost, recyclables into piles hidden along our back fence until its Rubbish Tip time.

In these piles can be containers of motor oil, old fencing wire, tin, plastics, but mostly beer cans(guess who) milk&juice cartons, wine bottles etc so when these piles can fill a ute off we go to the tip!!

Now at our local tip there is a special shopping area all under cover so if its raining you can still have a good fossick for a bargain. Lots and Lots of books but never any Gardening ones!!!

Well this is my best ever find one old rusty looking blade.
Home it came (I got if free)they must of felt sorry for me in my old rusty ute and dirty gardening clothes!
Gave it a clean with a bit of steel wool, a bit of a sharpen and a new long handle and presto!!!

You can see how much its used from this photo!! not going to sharpen it again as it has proven a little
deadly(a few lettuce seedlings) in my hands.

This tool is so handy !!!!! you can use the point of it to dig down and then use the edge of it to slice weeds and then flick them out of the garden bed. With the long handle you don't have to bend down and I can reach over the veggie plots from just one side.
When I'm ready to plant seed I use it to rake open the trench and then I can use the edge to cover the seed.
This method I used when planting out my Garlic.

Photo taken a while ago !

Now I think you would call this tool a hoe but I have a feeling it probably has a different name and I do wonder(while spending hours at present killing weeds) who else found it a joy to use.

I tend to lose items in my veggie garden, (one year new watch from hubby! found 1 year later and not ticking) so I have painted the end of handle bright blue and its the one item I put away in my shed after use!!

I would love to reply to your comments but for some reason in blogger world(or its just me) I can't leave comments. any ideas?
I have posted some more photos titled A walk in the garden.

Cheers!

Winter Moods

Winter morning walks, great photo opportunities!

During the week there wasn't a whole lot to do in the veggie garden, a few jobs were done compost turned,weeding and another couple of rows of broad beans planted, this lot a dwarf variety.

Saturday came around quickly and it was time to head out on the days trek to the Spa towns of Hepburn Springs and Daylesford, Bob keeping me company for the first 6 kms.

Down lovely country roads and up rises we went "I know a short cut through a dairy farm" says Bob , Mmm we hit a very muddy track with electric fences both sides. The Good husband lead the way(i headed close to the "hot fence")and soon his runners were sinking in fresh mud but mostly cow poo!!! I think you can imagine what he exclaimed while I tried hard not to laugh !

Once past the mud etc we walked on another km when Bob then turned to head home in his very soggy runners.

I headed up the next hill and around a bend and what a view!!!

The next 4 hours I spent walking steadily and trying hard to just enjoy the  moment, no daydreaming or list making or worrying about things not done or said, if you know what I mean.

Things I love about walking in the rain in the Country.

People you don't know smiling & waving as they drive past.

The sound of the wind in pine trees.

Watching eagles glide.

Reading names on Gates.

Different styles of letter boxes.

Coffee stop at Swiss Italian Farm "Lavandula"

Getting home and having a hot shower.

Crossing another week off my countdown to Italy  (10weeks)!!!!

Cheers or should I say Ciao!! 

For more Winter Joy view http://hazel-dene.blogspot.com/2011/06/winter-wednesdays-4.html

Winter Joy!!!

The last few days have been perfect Winter Days!  Frosty mornings then clear sunny days and no wind!

Over our long weekend (Queens Birthday) I  thought it was time to step up my walking program, over the last 6 months I have been walking every second day for at least and hour to build up my fitness.
Sunday was such a beautiful day for walking I packed the backpack and headed off , neighbors drove past on their way to buy their newspapers with a cheery wave or was it laughter at what my husband chose to wear! country fellas don't wear leggings!!

 There were lots of indigenous plants along the way to photo but only this one flowering , a succulent ground cover , common name Pig face. 
Also lots of time to day dream and make up lists to do in the Garden.

We arrived home 4 1/2 hours later and had covered 22kms with no injuries!!

Now its time to confess why I'm enjoying this early start to Winter so much, it is a countdown (11wks) to my walking trip in ITALY....yeeeppeee!!!!  First trip without the husband and 5 kids.....!!!!! and for a whole month.....!!!!!
I have been saving and planning for the last two years and now I just have to get a little more fitter and walk lots of hills.

So each Saturday from now until I leave will be Walk Day, next walk to Daylesford which is a great destination as there are plenty of great cafes to collapse and recover in...  

For more Winter Joy see http://hazel-dene.blogspot.com/2011/06/winter-wednesdays-3.html


Cheers.

Community Garden

The closest little village to our Farm has a population of about 350, just over two years ago the local council helped facilitate a community forum to find out what the residents would like to see happen in their town and how each person, young or old could contribute.

Wow you say a council interested in their residents, yes its true!!

Lots of new projects have gone ahead one being a Community Garden which has just held its first anniversary.

                                           The local Church donated the land for the Garden

Anyone can take part and you don't even have to have your own plot there is a communal one.

 For a small amount you can become a member and you get to share the produce, use of a hot house and free entry to workshops where you can learn everything from propagating, pruning fruit trees to making bio-dynamic formulas. Members are friendly and helpful, sharing tools and advice and of course children are encouraged to join in and learn!

One Sunday a month members share a meal together cooked from the produce.

I found it interesting the different methods of keeping seedlings protected from rabbits,snails and grubs.

This one using chicken mesh I'm going to try.

       A little fund raising and a water tank was installed and fruit trees planted.

The other thing that impressed me was the recycling of plastic containers as plant protectors.

Winter Wednesday

        Winter in Central Victoria is time for beautiful Australian native trees and shrubs to flower.

                        They cheer up a grey day and provide feed for the Native birds .

Brachycome multifida.

Common name Rock Daisy has blue daisy flowers, lacy foliage and is very hardy.

To view more Winter Joy join http://hazel-dene.blogspot.com/2011/06/winter-wednesdays-2-with-some-sonshine.html

PRODUCE EXCHANGE

A local and popular event in a little village close to our Farm is the monthly Produce Exchange. This is held under the veranda of a local shop (very useful if raining or really hot) and anyone is welcome to bring along their excess produce to exchange, at the end of the morning any leftovers are donated to the community garden.

                                                                   My Contribution

Today my contribution  to the table was assorted lettuce seedlings, potted garlic, bunching onions and lemons. Other produce included silver beet, lemon balm, Jerusalem artichoke, butternut pumpkin, strawberry runners, eggs, marmalade, green tomato pickles and small Loquat trees.

Always good to catch up with friends , hear whats growing well for others and pick up any hints ( a recipe using Dutch Medlar) that will have to wait for next post while I try it out!

Well I didn't stay around for too long because I wanted to head off to another little town for their Winter Regional Produce Market.

This little market features locally grown and produced items , Wine, olive oil, vegetables, chutneys, jams, cakes, hand spun &knitted hats and scarves and heaps more!!

My favorite stall has plants, seeds and vegetables and all money raised goes to the Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, today I brought a beautiful big rhubarb crown and seeds,

broad beans, climbing beans , bush beans, lettuce(red oak leaf) Sugar snap peas and Green feast Peas, Holly Hocks and Love in a Mist.

On the way out into my basket slipped a couple of lemon tarts for afternoon tea and I happily headed home to an afternoon of planting!!

                                 Driving home I saw this new sign and stopped to take a look

                                                          This stand gets your attention!

A Winter's Day

First two Days of Winter have been Beautiful and perfect for spending time in the Garden. 
 19 C  and Sunny.

Clever Birds have made their home in the feeder.