Gravenstein apples are GO!!

The first apples to be picked in the season are the Gravenstein. 

According to the Diggers Club website;

Malus domestica 'Gravenstein'

Sweet, tasty and delicious, this apple was first described in 1797. Eat them straight off the tree from February to March, or bottle for use in Winter and Spring. Fruiting Feb-Mar. Pollinated by Jonathan or Snow. (NB, Gravenstein is a triploid flower, so it will not provide viable pollen for other varieties).

Our 10 Gravenstein trees are part of our South orchard. We planted this orchard about seven years ago but because of droughts and floods and birds, this is the first year we've picked fruit from it.

To say we are excited is an mega understatement.

Apple farming was the first feather in our organic farming caps when we moved here 12 years ago. Since then we've added vegies and berries and eggs. But I like the apples the best. Apples are awesome, don't you think?

So after a few hours testing for ripeness, filling our crates, balancing them on our heads and juggling them, I reckon we're going to spend a fair share of this weekend eating them. As is, as pie, as crumble, cut up and twirly-whirlied. The Gravensteins don't have a great shelf life so I think we'll probably sell some and preserve some too.

Wohooooo we've got apples!!

Have an ace weekend folks wont you.
Are you up to anything special?

Big love xx

The book blanket - The last few squares

Somehow we've found ourselves in the middle of February and all those book deadlines that I've tried to put out of my mind for so long are upon us. 

Last Tuesday my publisher and designer came here for a visit. 

I'd been so nervous about their visit since we made the arrangement all those months ago. I was scared they'd expect me to be a photographer instead of the photo taker I am. I was nervous I wouldn't be able to shoot on demand and I guess I feel so inexperienced in this book making thing that I was terrified they'd see it for themselves and wonder. 

But after scrubbing the kitchen from top to bottom, vacuuming, a tantrum and a sleepless night, they arrived and we spent a really lovely day together. We talked nitty-gritty book stuff and made plans for my last month on the job. We set up and took photos, we made plans for more photos, we looked at things from different angles and we talked about shops and launches and promotions. And in between we spoke about Girls, and travel, and food and life and children and pets. 

For a week before they came I'd been wishing for it to be Tuesday night 6pm and for that day to be over already. But once it was over I realised that I'd actually had a really gorgeous day and that if they had thought me inexperienced, they hadn't shown it. And truth be told, I really hope they come back and visit me again sometime before this whole thing is done and dusted.

Isn't it funny how we work ourselves up into unnecessary frenzy sometimes. Well I do anyway.

So now I have a list of photos to take and bits of design to look at as they are sent through. 

We're nearing the end, I can feel it. I saw a first mock up of the front cover this morning with my name on it and everything. Oh my goodness!!

And the book blanket too is coming to an end I think. The last couple of squares to hook up, lots of ends to sew in and then a border to consider.

What a crazy, exciting, terrifying, humbling, nerve-wracking, awesome adventure. Sometimes I still can't quite believe it's really happening. A book!!

So what have you been up to?

Is it hot and dry where you are, or snowy and freezing?

Are you making anything crafty or foodie?

Are you reading a good book?

Big love you guys. 

xx

at the root of everything

Late yesterday afternoon, after such a hot and dusty day, I suggested to the family that we go and pick some beetroot to bring home and preserve. Late yesterday afternoon everyone was hot and tired and bothered and not for one second did I expect anyone to agree. But they did. And four out of the five of us headed down the hill to the short creek paddock. One in the ute, one on the back of the ute, and two walking.

And straight away, as if by magic, everything felt lighter and easier. A little bit of family farming at the end of the day fixes everything, or at least puts things in perspective.

This afternoon Indi left all her new high school issues up at the house. She didn't think too much about homework or on-demand testing or swimming trials. Pepper stopped being the new school girl and went back to being our odd boot wearing farmer girl. And me and my farmer boy were just present with them. Laughing and joking and feeling right in the moment. All the business stuff we had been talking about all day was left back up at the house.

We picked beetroot, we taste tested fennel, we told stories, took photos and we laughed.

In the end we stayed too long in the market garden picking beetroot and enjoying one another. By the time we came back up to the house it was almost dark and we were hungry. I whipped up a batch of french toast as my girls sat up at the bench with me and chatted. It was a cheaty quick dinner, but it was also a bit of a reward because I was so happy that they had come.

And I watched them and thought about how different they seemed after our beetroot adventure. How much nicer and happier and more patient they were with one another. And I realised that farming is what's going to get us through this school year and this pre-teen time. It's unrealistic to think that they'll come with me everyday, but I'd be happy with a few times a week. We'll all be happier I think.

We've been talking a lot lately about our farm, where we've been and where to go from here. Farming is hard work and often not very well paid. Yesterday evening though, I felt very well paid. I felt rich. I felt like the luckiest.

Happy Friday peeps!
May yours be filled with love and good food and adventure.

xx

On my mind between 9.22pm & 9.56pm

Apples

I'm scared to say it for fear of jinxing it, but the apples are looking good this year so far. 1,000 trees, 40 heritage varieties and 260 black crates and a cool room ready to be filled. In the meantime we have baskets and bowls of tiny, not quite ripe apples on the kitchen table. Thinnings and wind falls. What to do with them, what to do with them?

Blackberries

Ours are just starting to ripen and for the first season ever I'm not sure what to do about it. It seems like a waste to leave certified organic fruit on the bushes but seriously, I have frozen berries in the freezer from last year and shelves full of jam from the years before that. I'm thinking a few bottles of this cordial and this cake but after that I'm stuck. Any ideas?

Cleanse/juice fast

My farmer boy and I have been talking about a cleanse. Our first ever. Neither of us feels like we are running on full potential and a bit more energy would and could be grand.

But which fast/cleanse is a good fast/cleanse? And would I really have to give up coffee? And could I cope with being hungry? And would the sweetness of the vegetable juices make me gag? And could I cook food for my girlies if I wasn't actually eating food myself? And how long would all this cleansing have to go on for to really make a difference? Could I do it? Should I do it?

My three school girls and my farmer boy
Always, always, always, always.

A bio for my book
100 words about me that will help potential buyers of my book get to know me quickly. Oh my goodness, this self promotion bit feels almost harder than writing the book itself. What do I say other than mother of three, wifey to one, maker of stuff, grower of food...? Help!

My book blanket
So much to crochet - so little summer time.

Knitting project
In about a month and a half we are going overseas on an excellent adventure and all I can think about is what I'll knit while we're away. The very thought of being projectless stresses me, even now, but so does the thought of carrying too much craft stuff around. So I think I've narrowed it down to a cardigan for one of the girls. Now to hit Ravelry and work out which one.

Dead fox
Miss Pepper found a dead fox. Miss Pepper wanted to keep the dead fox as a pet. Miss Pepper did not understand that we would not let her keep the dead fox as a pet. There were tears. Lots of them. Farm kids eh?!?

Winter planting
We're behind already. We need to order seeds and plants seeds. It feels strange to be sorting out winter before the tomatoes have really ripened but broccoli is the reason for the winter season.

Year off
A very wise friend of mine told me that after her youngest child started school she took the year off. She read books and took walks and made stuff and watched stuff on TV. She did not rush to find things to do to fill in her days. She took time. I think that sounds wonderful, don't you.

And that's about it from me for now.

I hope you are having the most marvellous week so far.
And thank you! For reading my random ramblings, for leaving me gorgeous comments and messages and for travelling along beside me. I hope your world is a happy one right now.

xx

Beetroot and quiet

I am officially in weird-land.

Today is the first day I have had all three of my girlies at school and no place to go, no urgent things to do.

Today I feel like I am feeling the enormity of having no kids at home for the very first time.

You know that thing that happens in families and communities when there is drama and everyone crowds around and calls and asks. Sometimes there is so much chaos in the drama that it is impossible to really feel anything. Even if the drama is bad. And then after a while, after days or weeks, the space clears and the drama is there alone, in bright day light. Big and obvious.

That's how I'm feeling today. The drama of my biggest starting high school and my smallest starting school is almost a week old and I am feeling it big time.

This morning I noticed all the mum's holding little kid hands down the street and felt alone. I realised that there would not be any Tuesday bush kinder for us and I felt sad. I saw how quickly I was getting things done without my helper and I missed her. I thought about all the millions of things I could do between nine and three-twenty and I felt overwhelmed.

And my house is so quiet. So quiet that I can hear the sound of the water coming up from the bore and down into the house dam. I hardly ever hear that sound during the day, only usually at night when every one's gone to bed.

So what do I do now?

Should I take a load of recycling to the tip? Sew Miss Pepper a new dress to wear on her day off tomorrow? Do the breakfast dishes? Bake something? Hang out another load of laundry? Plant some cabbage seeds? Tidy? Reply to some emails? Crochet a square? Work on my book? Write a post on my other blog about beetroots and how gorgeous they are this year and how we will have four heirloom varieties this Saturday at the Collingwood Children's Farm farmer's market from eight til one? Maybe.

I don't know what to do with myself.

I'm sure I'll get there in time. 

I'm sure this space will soon fill to overflowing.

But for now it's so quiet and I've written this entire post without an interruption and I think I'll go and see what my farmer boy is up to.

What are you up to?

Is it quiet where you are or is it bizzy buzzy?

Do you ever get a chance to just wonder and wander?

What are you having for dinner?
Any favourite beetroot recipe suggestions?

Later lovelies xx

Our beachy selves

On Friday afternoon we hitched up the caravan and we drove to the beach.

And we found the selves we had been looking for. Our beachy, slow, relaxed, funny, adventurous selves.

And we found time. Time to hang out, to crochet, to colour in, to eat out, to op-shop, to do magazine quizzes, to spend one-on-one time, to drink lots of coffee, to wander, to explore, to shoot photos for my book and to swim.

And we talked a lot about us. And we imagined a whole new life for our family in this small, beachy village. For six months or maybe a year. We couldn't stop talking about it. Adding bits and details to the story as the weekend went on.

We would live in a small cottage with a sun room facing the beach. Every morning we would wake up early and go surfing or swimming. Our girls would home school and go to nippers, their hair would beach blonde from the salt and sun. Indi might even have a beachy romance. And me and my farmer boy would have a break from organic farming for a bit. One of us would make coffees in the local cute cafe and the other would plant a flower and vegetable garden. I would leave the dresses and clogs behind and wear jeans and pastel coloured tees and sandals. And we would have time to read books, and sit in a hammock and walk for miles and miles and miles.

I don't think I want to be a school mama for the next 13 years.
I think it's time for us to plan our next adventure.

How are you doing?
Did you have a wonderful weekend?
Are you dreaming about a whole new you? A different way? Another place?

I hope your new week is such a happy one.

Bye! xx

Two days

Hooray for the weekend!!

I'm so excited. It's no secret that I had a bit of a crappy few days at the end of last week. I really did. Overemotional, sad, lost, empty...

This weekend feels a bit like a reward for getting through it. My light at the end of the back-to-school tunnel.

And I have big plans for this weekend.

I plan to clock up some hours on the crochet hook. My book deadline is in sight and that means so is the end of the book blanket. I bought a knitting magazine today, I think I'm getting ready to sew in the ends and move on.

I plan to watch these guys and their millions of green buddies and hope that the past few freeeeeeezing cold days have panicked them into thinking it's almost autumn and that they had better ripen their seeds quickly.

I plan to do a spot of treasure hunting. My farmer boy is threatening to send me to garage sale rehab, but  I think that a little bit of thrifting here and there keeps me sane.

 I plan to make pesto. And eat pesto. On everything. Mmmmmm summer.

I plan to enjoy the fruits of my past few days of baking frenzy. Farmer Bren called it nesting the other day, but the sad thing is that it was really empty nesting. They went to school and I baked. Sob!

I plan to admire these gorgeous avos we got in the mail from here. They're so fresh that they're not even ripe yet, but they sure are gorgeous.

And lastly, but firstly, I plan to spend so much time with my girlies. We've got two whole days with them and I don't plan to let them out of my sight.

There you go, that's my weekend all planned out.
I hope it goes oh so slowly.
I really need it to.

So how are you?
What have you got planned for your end of week days?
Are you making or baking or growing or sewing?

Later lovelies.
Lotsa love.
xx