It seems only yesterday that I vowed to make time to blog at least once a week if not more. Although I was sure "the time was right" for me it didnt quite work out that way. And in checking my blog I realised I had not updated it  since February.

So what have I been doing well it would be easier to list what I havent been doing. However,  I survived my first efforts at lambing so did seven lambs, although we have subsequently butchered four of them for the freezer. We have currently borrowed a Ram from a neighbour and are expecting new editions in April 07.

The five Kune Kune pigs we purchased earlier in the year are doing well and are now full grown. We have two boars called Captain Pugwash and Badger and three sows called Brenda, Oprah and Crystal they come from two seperate blood lines and we are hoping to start piglet production after christmas.

We had a very productive year in the kitchen garden with a large amount of produce, in the fruit department we grew all our favourites strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, blueberries, gooseberries, plums, damsons, greengages, apples, pears, figs and grapes but we also had a go at our own melons this year, which worked pretty well. I
In the vegetable line we grew in excess of thirty varieties and have become firm converts to eating chard, the small leaves can be used in salads and the the older leaves used as a replacement for spinach. The brightly coloured stems can be chopped, parbolied and baked in a cheese sauce. And if the family leave any the pigs love them straight from the ground.