What’s it like to live on a small family farm in the heart of rural New Zealand?
The normally-tranquil Garston Cemetery was a-buzz early in November.
Residents past and present were gathering along with SDC mayor Gary Tong and councillors John Douglas and Rob Scott, for the opening of the cemetery memorial board and shelter.
The ceremony marked the end of two years planning, fundraising and organising for the Garston Cemetery Trust. Designed by Gordan McMillan and built by Aaron Abernethy and Jordan MacGregor, this lovely little building is one-of-a-kind.
“What on earth is that?” exclaimed the tradie when he spotted the Muscovy duck sauntering past our gate last week.
I laughed. We’re used to reactions like that when visitors first see the oversized birds that live in the paddocks around our farmhouse.
Muscovy ducks aren’t the most common farm birds in Southland, but they’ve become a bit of a hobby for us in the last few years.
So what are Muscovies and how did they get to the farm just as I’d managed to become pet-free? Here’s how it happened.
DID YOU KNOW that you can make a delicious “ice cream” from frozen bananas? It’s not dairy-based. It’s not loaded with fat, sugar, cholesterol and sodium either. No, this “choco-banana ice-cream” is an almost guilt-free treat.
Here’s all you need to know…
NB: If you don’t like (or can’t eat) bananas then sadly, this recipe is not for you.
Continue reading “4 Easy Recipes For Choco-Banana “Ice-Cream””
Rewritten and updated for lambing in 2019
Farming is an eight-days-a week job. It’s our livelihood but it’s also our life. So, when our kids were young they helped out on the farm whenever they could. When the lambs arrived we needed them most of all because, in Spring, farming is a family affair.
Each year, when lambing began the kids fought for the chance to drive around the sheep with Dad. It was great fun spotting the new lambs in each paddock. They slid merrily out of the Toyota truck to get the gates and raced to return straying twins to their mothers.
Continue reading “Lambing Time: A Family Affair”I turned 60 this year.
“Where did the years go?” wonders that younger-self still hiding inside my mind.
Our kids are marvellous at thinking ahead. A year ago they asked, “What do you want to do for your birthday, mum?”
“Surprise me!” I said.
Continue reading “Surprise! It’s Your Birthday.”Mr and Mrs Eck lived in Kingston, on land stretching down the southside of Kent Street. Now it is a subdivision. When it’s covered in houses will anyone remember that this was once a farm?
My family will remember. And, I’ll always regret not taking photos of Mr and Mrs Eck. Because now I’ve only got memories of an extraordinary couple.
Continue reading “Kingston Memories: Mr and Mrs Ek”
