Everywhere you look at on the Homestead the moment stuff is growing. Miss a day feeding out (everyone’s allowed a sleep-in) and it’s like the lambs have gained another couple of centimetres on their Mums
and in Goatopia, Leia’s kids are practically independent, only needing the reassurance of Mum when subjected to close attention
although some relish the limelight.
Kiki’s New Years Day babies are infants no more and we spend way to much time playing Chicken or Rooster at their enclosure
while one-of-the-Sylvia’s (all our Light Sussex girls share the same name) and Peter have proven, after a shaky, Darwinian themed start, they are pretty good parents to their brood of three robust survivors.
After a bit of internet research and a book or two, we’ve decided to give gardening by the moon a serious try. It suits our time management to have set tasks for each week, determined by the moon’s phase, and it’s definitely working.
This may be because there’s more structure to our gardening so that weeding and maintenance gets a time-slot in the gardening calendar rather than just happening when you can no longer see the vegetables, either way we’re counting it as a success.
Yep, down on the Homestead right now it’s all about growing; in the paddocks, the gardens, the beehive, on the trees of the shelterbelt…and in our love for this place we’ve washed up.
Union Homestead 
That all sounds absolutely splendid. Interesting gardening by the moon, hope it continues to bear fruit.
Thanks, Susan. I’m not 100% sure its the moon doing the work but whatever it is, it’s to be celebrated😁
There is a lot of enthusiasm for the moon method. I will be interested to see how you find after a longer test. I think that you are right about having a regular routine though so perhaps any method will do if it is applied with care.
I think so too…but there’s something deliciously mystical and Earth Goddessy to think we’re working with the moon 😁
Every henhouse needs its paparazzi its too cute to resist. I have always wondered if the moon gardening works be great to hear your continuing success. There are wonderful benefits to a goat & buggy, friends of ours have done it with their goats in the past & an elderly neighbour friend often comes over with his Shetland pony & buggy he often gets stopped & asked for a photo, he’s been to a few children’s parties & even taken people with disabilities often for a few pennies in his pocket not that he ever asks for it. So many benefits to having such an array of livestock.
Chicks are definitely so cute…and they grow up sooo fast. I’ll try to remember to keep a proper record of the moon gardening results for y’all. You make the goat and buggy semi reasonable …thanks for that!
Such a great update on all the farmy stuff. Laughed about FG’s reprieve for Walt. It will be interesting to see how the cart works out. The idea of using the goat and cart for photo ops has possiblities – you may yet have a goat in the A & P! I’ve heard many people in favour of planting by the moon phases – something to do with moisture content in the soil at certain phases – but not any of the other things that one does in a garden, although I feel like the biodynamic people have a whole system worked around it too don’t they?
It has a lot to do with gravitational pull too…stuff that the resident engineer isnt totally sold on😁 either way, the gardens looking happy! As for Walt, he has FG’s heart firmly in the palm of his hand..ah…hoof 🤣
This sounds so good! The photos are proof that all is very well at the Homestead.
My grandfather (born 1898) grew up in Bermondsey, just south of the R. Thames in London where his family ran a whitening yard. He had a goat cart (when he was about Farm Girl’s age) in which he ‘cut a dash’ and seems to have impressed my grandmother.
I have a very heartwarming mentak picture if your dash-cutting grandfather. Thanks
Great photos 🙂 you guys are really working hard !
Thanks! Hopefully one day we’ll get “there”…wherever that is😊
I’d say it’s a lifelong thing, so just keep at it, enjoy what you’re doing … the journey, not the destination 🙂
Thanks for the share and the very kind words.
They were easy words to write, because they were true. Really like your blog, and I’m a tough impress.
Would still like to post a guest post for you 🙂
Reblogged this on Don Charisma and commented:
This blog bumped into me (in a good way). I really like the blogger and their blog, so thought I’d share. There’s some great photos, and I love how they are documenting what they are doing. Could be one to follow ?
Maybe we’ll get a guest post out of them (I have asked) … watch this space 🙂
(Comments and likes are disabled on my blog out of courtesy, please do those on original author’s blog please)
Its looking good, and I hope you did not get the flooding
No, we managed to dodge the flooding. We’ve got a gentle drizzle here today and the ground is lapping it up
So glad to hear that you missed the flooding. I do hope the next lot of weather that has caused havoc on the mainland with flooding (but put the fires in NSW out) does not either. We are dry here in my part of Tasmania. lots of clouds but little rain from it. I dig into my veggie garden with a finger and its dry about 6cm down.
Crazy weather, all in all. Im wo dering where the “just right” place is…we’re definitely too dry right now, too
I hope you get some rain gentle soaking rain. Not torrential flooding rain.
Hi, congratulations on this time of bounty when all is going well. Embrace it while it lasts.
Thanks, Margaret. We are pretty big on counting our blessings