We’ve had all seasons in one day today…. I watched a beautiful sunrise this morning – at 6.30 the sky had a delicious lemon tinge in the east, then about half an hour or so later the last few clouds were blown away leaving a clear sky just waiting for the sun to rise and paint it blue. The morning was delightfully warm and I had the windows open for the birdsong over breakfast.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of baking – I made a kibbled grain loaf, chocolate chip biscuits and cheese and herb muffins. There’s nothing like home cooked goodies in the tins.
By the time I’d finished that, the day had changed, wintery showers skittered across the landscape bringing icy blasts of westerly wind to remind me which season it really is. I wrapped up well and went and mowed the Olive Grove. This is where I often catch sight of the odd cock pheasant or tiny tomtit, but none today. The dairy cows over the back fence are producing calves on a daily basis, and there are 6 little lambs at last count…. I love the sound of the sheep, and to see the lambs bouncing across the green fields never fails to bring a smile to my lips.
Job done, I headed back to the farmhouse, stopping to gather some dead woody weeds, twigs and she-oak needles with which to light the fire later. The land provides for many of my needs, something I have been grateful for when times where tough a few years ago when I was widowed. Luxuries like firelighters where out of the question, but when you know where to collect strips of stringybark, rich in eucalyptus oil and lovely fragrant pinecones it really doesn’t matter! I forage for puffballs and other edible funghi, collect blackberries, and have a never-ending supply of mulch courtesy of the She-Oaks fallen needles.
The farm supplies me with firewood, wild watercress, and the river provides irrigation water. Even trapping the all-destructive possum means my neighbour’s cat gets a tasty dinner or three. Nature regularly fills our water tanks with the purest of rainwater, far sweeter than any bottled water you may buy. The house was designed to allow the winter sun in all day; many visitors assume I have underfloor heating. In summer it’s so easy to throw the bifolding windows and doors wide open to the terrace and relax in the shade of the grapevines. The first meal I ever shared with my lovely husband, David, was eaten alfresco thus! And I’m sure the romance of that setting and the pure luxury of having him cook for me where elemental in our falling in love!
Now it feels like spring – I can see the Early Cheer waving their waxy heads under the fruit trees, hear the baa-ing of sheep on the wind, the sun is back out, sky is blue and the sun is streaming through my bedroom windows – Ally is stretched out on my bed basking like a lizard. David is due here on Friday, accompanied by his parents this time, Dad will come over and we will eat roast chicken by the fire. Life's good.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
New Perspectives
During winter our guest numbers are definitely down. Just as well, really. It’s actually one of the busiest times on the farm with stock ready to go away and new stock to replace them, to view, bid for or buy, organise trucking and drenching of the newbies, and overseeing their arrival and orientation. It’s a time to tidy up pasture and lay the bones for the season ahead, prune roses and trees, and perform maintenance on the buildings like clearing out gutters and so on. Today I have spent most the day on the quad spraying carrot weed.
It also means I can have some time “off farm”.
Having married my gorgeous Queen Street IT professional, I now am in the somewhat blessed situation of having the best of both worlds… we have two homes between us, mine in the countryside and Dave’s in the city. And not just any city either. Auckland is our largest city and boasts much to give one a cultural, shopping or culinary fix. So last weekend saw me nip down the motorway for a weekend that included an early morning foray to the Oratia Famers Market where we snaffled some Buffalo Mozzarella, walnut bread, cloudy apple juice, huge red onions and crunchy munchy capsicums at giveaway prices, THE best peanut butter in the world - Pics – check their website out if want to have a good laugh – smoked garlic, and two divine spicy pumpkin and cream cheese muffins …..mmmmmm. This great little market sits on the outskirts of town behind Glen Eden, nestled amongst apple orchards not far from where my Uncle Jack used to live – I remember piling into his Escort to go for Sunday drives, shopping from “honesty” box fruit stalls along the roadsides.
Later in the day we took in a movie at a very grown up cinema, The Rialto at Newmarket, where we sipped pinot noir from the comfort of huge squashy comfy seats, with no-one kicking your chair back or rustling crisp packets, talking or texting… bliss! The film was Cemetery Junction and I recommend it. Then it was off to dinner at an inner city Italian job – pancetta & field mushroom risotto for me, and spicy lamb for Dave.
We slept late on Sunday, watched the All Blacks trounce the South Africans on Sky Sports, walked 5km on comfortably non-ankle threatening pavements, and cooked together in the evening, glass in hand, in his uber modern designer kitchen before curling up together on his fabby reclining leather sofa that is guaranteed to put one to sleep faster than a political broadcast…..
His piece of real estate comes with a back drop of native bush complete with resident tuis and wood pigeons, fantails, spotted doves and wax eyes plus all normal feathery friends; sparrows, thrushes, blackbirds and starlings. A mere 2 minute walk takes you to the Manukau harbour where wading birds and gulls call to each other, and a coastal walk that has a set of steps way better than any StairMaster! About thirty ducks hang about the street warming their bottoms on the asphalt when they aren’t fossicking in the stream in the reserve, the road comes with Ducks Crossing warning signs.
On the subject of signs – two that make me laugh every time I head south:
One on the fence of a rural property reads “I WANT KUMARA” along with a cell ph number to call if you have a surfeit, presumably…. Bet he gets a few prank calls too. And on the outskirts of Warkworth there is a cheese place that has a sign up declaring “Last Cheese Before the Airport” – I think one is meant to assume they mean Auckland International but in fact it eludes to the Warkworth Airstrip a few kms down the road. Full marks for enthusiasm!
My next trip south will be in a Beech 1900 plane thanks to last minute tickets at super bargain bin prices – and I will have yet another perspective over our beautiful countryside!
It also means I can have some time “off farm”.
Having married my gorgeous Queen Street IT professional, I now am in the somewhat blessed situation of having the best of both worlds… we have two homes between us, mine in the countryside and Dave’s in the city. And not just any city either. Auckland is our largest city and boasts much to give one a cultural, shopping or culinary fix. So last weekend saw me nip down the motorway for a weekend that included an early morning foray to the Oratia Famers Market where we snaffled some Buffalo Mozzarella, walnut bread, cloudy apple juice, huge red onions and crunchy munchy capsicums at giveaway prices, THE best peanut butter in the world - Pics – check their website out if want to have a good laugh – smoked garlic, and two divine spicy pumpkin and cream cheese muffins …..mmmmmm. This great little market sits on the outskirts of town behind Glen Eden, nestled amongst apple orchards not far from where my Uncle Jack used to live – I remember piling into his Escort to go for Sunday drives, shopping from “honesty” box fruit stalls along the roadsides.
Later in the day we took in a movie at a very grown up cinema, The Rialto at Newmarket, where we sipped pinot noir from the comfort of huge squashy comfy seats, with no-one kicking your chair back or rustling crisp packets, talking or texting… bliss! The film was Cemetery Junction and I recommend it. Then it was off to dinner at an inner city Italian job – pancetta & field mushroom risotto for me, and spicy lamb for Dave.
We slept late on Sunday, watched the All Blacks trounce the South Africans on Sky Sports, walked 5km on comfortably non-ankle threatening pavements, and cooked together in the evening, glass in hand, in his uber modern designer kitchen before curling up together on his fabby reclining leather sofa that is guaranteed to put one to sleep faster than a political broadcast…..
His piece of real estate comes with a back drop of native bush complete with resident tuis and wood pigeons, fantails, spotted doves and wax eyes plus all normal feathery friends; sparrows, thrushes, blackbirds and starlings. A mere 2 minute walk takes you to the Manukau harbour where wading birds and gulls call to each other, and a coastal walk that has a set of steps way better than any StairMaster! About thirty ducks hang about the street warming their bottoms on the asphalt when they aren’t fossicking in the stream in the reserve, the road comes with Ducks Crossing warning signs.
On the subject of signs – two that make me laugh every time I head south:
One on the fence of a rural property reads “I WANT KUMARA” along with a cell ph number to call if you have a surfeit, presumably…. Bet he gets a few prank calls too. And on the outskirts of Warkworth there is a cheese place that has a sign up declaring “Last Cheese Before the Airport” – I think one is meant to assume they mean Auckland International but in fact it eludes to the Warkworth Airstrip a few kms down the road. Full marks for enthusiasm!
My next trip south will be in a Beech 1900 plane thanks to last minute tickets at super bargain bin prices – and I will have yet another perspective over our beautiful countryside!
Monday, 12 July 2010
Winter Sun
The weather continues to be gracious here in the North, and whilst it has been chilly - four frosts to date this winter - the days have been mostly sunny and bright. With the help of my friend Brian, we were able to get two tonnes of gravel down on the driveway which hadn't seen much maintenance in the past three years what with one thing and another. Brian drove, Dave and I shovelled as he went, great upper body workout! Come lunchtime I cooked up some fabulous Pokeno pure pork sausages with onions and we ate them greedily, wrapped in slices of wholemeal bread and oozing tomato sauce.... heavenly. The simple things are so often the best!
The cows have learnt a new and naughty trick - how to cross the stream. This means they pop up in the house paddock when they ought to be on the river flats at the front of the farm.... and vice versa. We have the Mangere River running down the southern boundary of the property, and a stream (the one they are now dicing with) flows through our farm and joins up with the bigger river. We also have a small creek that runs dry in summer, but at other times flows into the aforementioned stream. All these waterways make for an attractive property and certainly boost our stocks of wildlife BUT they can be tricky too - fencing is possible but costly. We have fenced several stretches off where it's practical to do so but some other areas are either too remote (from the electric) or would cost an arm and a leg due to the distance involved. However I suspect I may have to bite the bullet to put an end to this latest play. Arrrgh!
The Greenfinches have become a daily fixture in the garden and now are numbering about half a dozen. I removed one from the Jaws of Death (Ally's) last week and after a bit of nurturing it did fly off - thankfully. Ally is now sporting beautiful lime green neckware in the form of a collar with not one but TWO bells.... she is not happy and has managed to take it off once already (but I found it! heh!). The rosy chested, smaller chaffinches sometimes join in but are generally chased away. I guess big IS sometimes better! I think they are competing for the grape pips that would be left over from the summer, where they would have ended up after waterblasting the terrace. In the past few weeks the Shining Cuckoo has been piping his call frequently too - hard to spot, but I was treated to a full ten minutes of viewing when one perched in my now nude rose bushes in the kitchen garden a while back.
We managed to get a day at Ocean Beach on Saturday - the sun was shining, water sparkling with a fresh easterly wind whipping up white horses. We set off to the north and walked for about 7kms, and then of course had to walk the same amount back. It was great to be by the sea - so calming and refreshing. What a blow out. Recommended to all who need to clear their heads or just relax. Whangarei Heads is a splendid area with many great beaches - the drive out alongside the harbour is as picturesque as it gets. There are a couple of good eateries along the way - Parua Bay Tavern and The Deck as you climb over the hill from McLeod's Bay toward Reotahi. We got takeaways (fish and chips) from the latter and ate alfresco by the water. Magic!
So come on - the water might not be warm, but it makes a great backdrop for a winter's walk.
Greenfinch in my Garden
The cows have learnt a new and naughty trick - how to cross the stream. This means they pop up in the house paddock when they ought to be on the river flats at the front of the farm.... and vice versa. We have the Mangere River running down the southern boundary of the property, and a stream (the one they are now dicing with) flows through our farm and joins up with the bigger river. We also have a small creek that runs dry in summer, but at other times flows into the aforementioned stream. All these waterways make for an attractive property and certainly boost our stocks of wildlife BUT they can be tricky too - fencing is possible but costly. We have fenced several stretches off where it's practical to do so but some other areas are either too remote (from the electric) or would cost an arm and a leg due to the distance involved. However I suspect I may have to bite the bullet to put an end to this latest play. Arrrgh!
The Greenfinches have become a daily fixture in the garden and now are numbering about half a dozen. I removed one from the Jaws of Death (Ally's) last week and after a bit of nurturing it did fly off - thankfully. Ally is now sporting beautiful lime green neckware in the form of a collar with not one but TWO bells.... she is not happy and has managed to take it off once already (but I found it! heh!). The rosy chested, smaller chaffinches sometimes join in but are generally chased away. I guess big IS sometimes better! I think they are competing for the grape pips that would be left over from the summer, where they would have ended up after waterblasting the terrace. In the past few weeks the Shining Cuckoo has been piping his call frequently too - hard to spot, but I was treated to a full ten minutes of viewing when one perched in my now nude rose bushes in the kitchen garden a while back.
We managed to get a day at Ocean Beach on Saturday - the sun was shining, water sparkling with a fresh easterly wind whipping up white horses. We set off to the north and walked for about 7kms, and then of course had to walk the same amount back. It was great to be by the sea - so calming and refreshing. What a blow out. Recommended to all who need to clear their heads or just relax. Whangarei Heads is a splendid area with many great beaches - the drive out alongside the harbour is as picturesque as it gets. There are a couple of good eateries along the way - Parua Bay Tavern and The Deck as you climb over the hill from McLeod's Bay toward Reotahi. We got takeaways (fish and chips) from the latter and ate alfresco by the water. Magic!
So come on - the water might not be warm, but it makes a great backdrop for a winter's walk.
Greenfinch in my Garden
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Blue Skies and Bursting Baskets.....
Watching the weather on telly, I realise we really don’t know what winter IS here in Northland! When we were down in Queenstown earlier this month there was snow… and perma-frost in the shadowed areas (note to self: don’t buy a house down there without checking it out in winter!! ) Huge chunks of the township get no sun at all during winter and this whiteout frost never thaws. Neither do we have the ghastly Inversion Layer – a thick blanket of fog that hung over Wanaka and environs for at least a couple of weeks. The past few weeks I have been nipping round mowing the lawns in a tee shirt – perfect sunny blue skies and a very mild set of temperatures around 17 or 18 C falling to around 7 C at night.
Kokopu has it’s own microclimate too. We are much, much drier than Whangarei, which is nestled at sea level in a cleft in the hills. We sit at 300 metres and get significantly less rainfall – in fact I can draw a line along Kokopu Block Rd delineating wet from dry!
Last weekend saw a host of outdoor chores ticked off – gutters checked and cleaned out, Dave waterblasted the terrace to perfection again, and we replaced the bungy cord on six of our gates that were looking a bit saggy and sad (familiar feeling, anyone?)
The alarm went off at 5.45am on Saturday morning, we reluctantly exited the goosedown, and threw some clothes on to head into Whangarei for our excellent weekly Farmers Market. You have to be there early or you miss the best treats! It wasn’t even properly light but we managed to pile jewel-coloured tamarillos, mandarins, juicy vine ripened tomatoes, crunchy watercress, honey, free range eggs, smoked & dried oyster mushrooms, carrot & zucchini bread and two bunches of heavenly scented narcissi into the fab basket we bought at Queenstown’s Mediterranean Market before heading off to Caffeine and a yummy breakfast.
Today, once more, the sun is shining, birds singing and I’m warm as I sit at my laptop. New visitors to the garden this week have been a trio of Greenfinches. Goldfinches are common, with Chauffinches occasional drop-ins but its the first time I've noticed these little greenies! Views of the stream, olive grove and bare branched poplars, with rolling hills beyond keep snaring my attention. A fat pheasant strolls amongst the olive trees, pecking at fallen fruit. Weekend guests in our self-catering apartment, The Cabbage Tree, report that there is a good amount of water flowing over the Mangere Falls at the moment – wonderful waterfalls – the second most significant in the Whangarei district – and on our doorstep!
The winter specials are proving really popular so grab the chance at a break away from the city and head to sunny Riverdale – remember they finish at the end of August so don’t miss out! Two nights for a tiny $125! See the website for full details.
Stay warm!
Sammi & Dave
Riverdale Farm B&B
www.riverdalefarm.co.nz
Kokopu has it’s own microclimate too. We are much, much drier than Whangarei, which is nestled at sea level in a cleft in the hills. We sit at 300 metres and get significantly less rainfall – in fact I can draw a line along Kokopu Block Rd delineating wet from dry!
Last weekend saw a host of outdoor chores ticked off – gutters checked and cleaned out, Dave waterblasted the terrace to perfection again, and we replaced the bungy cord on six of our gates that were looking a bit saggy and sad (familiar feeling, anyone?)
The alarm went off at 5.45am on Saturday morning, we reluctantly exited the goosedown, and threw some clothes on to head into Whangarei for our excellent weekly Farmers Market. You have to be there early or you miss the best treats! It wasn’t even properly light but we managed to pile jewel-coloured tamarillos, mandarins, juicy vine ripened tomatoes, crunchy watercress, honey, free range eggs, smoked & dried oyster mushrooms, carrot & zucchini bread and two bunches of heavenly scented narcissi into the fab basket we bought at Queenstown’s Mediterranean Market before heading off to Caffeine and a yummy breakfast.
Today, once more, the sun is shining, birds singing and I’m warm as I sit at my laptop. New visitors to the garden this week have been a trio of Greenfinches. Goldfinches are common, with Chauffinches occasional drop-ins but its the first time I've noticed these little greenies! Views of the stream, olive grove and bare branched poplars, with rolling hills beyond keep snaring my attention. A fat pheasant strolls amongst the olive trees, pecking at fallen fruit. Weekend guests in our self-catering apartment, The Cabbage Tree, report that there is a good amount of water flowing over the Mangere Falls at the moment – wonderful waterfalls – the second most significant in the Whangarei district – and on our doorstep!
The winter specials are proving really popular so grab the chance at a break away from the city and head to sunny Riverdale – remember they finish at the end of August so don’t miss out! Two nights for a tiny $125! See the website for full details.
Stay warm!
Sammi & Dave
Riverdale Farm B&B
www.riverdalefarm.co.nz
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