Life...

Most nights I think about not having a glass of wine; most nights I end up pouring a glass of claret and often a second. It is one way of slowing the thinking process, slowing the heart beat and ultimately relaxing into a warm, happy place where life moves a little slower, the noises are a little duller and my responses are a little softer.
In my world, I have learnt this is a good way to end the day. I doubt I am alone in my strategies to get through and I suspect many people have more than a drink or two, and I've decided this is ok. Rebuilding a farm, working full-time, studying, managing the affairs of a demented relative and worrying about our very large brood, can fill up a person's day. Lately, I have watched Daryl work himself to exhaustion, gallantly trying complete numerous farm projects and support me as I try to help transform and keep the farm flourishing. I have watched him battling to reign in his own emotions as he tries to reconcile his reality, with the infinite hope we all have as parents. The frustration, the hurt, the disappointment  he feels is worked through with a shovel, shotgun and a lot of sweat. I manage by writing, reading and generally escaping in words. For two people who seem to have such differing coping mechanisms we are well matched. We share common ideals and goals, we share a dream invested in this land, and we hope for a future filled with our ever growing family and friends.

Unbreakable bonds

Farming, for those that have never experienced it, can seem like an endless list of jobs, never ending tasks that need fixing and 24 hour responsibilities for the welfare of animals. They are right, but there is also the satisfaction of achievement, of being close to nature and forming bonds with our stock and pets. There is the sense of space, freedom and a million stars twinkling down at you on a clear night. It never gets tiring. These are the same stars that used to look down on my parents. They ran this farm for more than 30 years, poorly towards the end but stubbornly attempted to hang on to it, regardless. They no longer see the twinkling stars. Next month will be four years since my mother died and my father doesn't remember what day of the week it is, or who I am on any given day. While we did not share a positive parental relationship, I cannot help but feel empathy for him in his current state and some days I think I understand my mum better, these days, than I ever did growing up. I suspect she suffered some serious mental health issues and my brother and I paid the price for it. My father, absent and distant during our formative years, has returned to this state thanks to a stroke impairing his cognitive function and exacerbating the Alzheimers Dementia that had already invaded his brain. He will spend his last days contending with declining physical health and reducing cognitive function. Health care staff will make him as comfortable as possible, keep him fed and cleaned and medicated. I will make the decisions effecting every aspect of his remaining life. My

Quite the team

husband supports me as I do this. We are a good team.
The wine does not dissolve any of the disappointment, solve any of the challenges or wipe away memories, but it does symbolise celebration and enjoyment of life. So here is a toast to all that life offers. May the stars keep twinkling above you and remind you that each day is a gift.

Until next time,

N

Rivergum - a reflection of our dreams and values

Forest - the calf that wouldn't stop running

Amongst a 21st birthday, an interstate holiday, first birthday, camping trip and minor surgery, Rivergum continues to morph and change, developing into a farm that reflects our own dreams and values.

New growth

Numerous native plants now line the driveway and the front of our paddock, and we hope these trees will not only make an appealing entry to the farm but also entice birds and bees to visit our place. Due to the extreme dry we are facing (at least at our place) we are watering two to three times per week to help them establish their roots. It is most satisfying to see new growth on the saplings. Unfortunately, our citrus trees have not made a comeback after the harsh winter frosts and we have now started to replace them.

One of many native plants

Despite this setback we have continued to develop the orchard and have planted a range of fruit trees including peacharine (peach x nectarine), avocado, a variety of apples and a plumcot (plum x apricot). They are all very thirsty and unfortunately the soil is quite devoid of nutrients. The fact they are thriving (so far) is remarkable.

Beginnings of the orchard

Unfortunately the dry season has also impacted on our hay potential and unless we get some amazing rains in the next week, we will not be cutting hay this year. This reality means we will be not only be short of feed for our own stock but will also reduce our income and therefore our yearly turn over will be compromised. Given we cannot change or influence the weather pattern in any way we have decided to purchase some young Angus steers from NSW to fatten up and sell next year. The 13 calves arrived safely and have settled in easily. They are well bred and will thrive if all goes to plan.

New lads on the land

Delight & Romney 

Our own calves, poddies along with those raised by their mothers, are all doing well, despite some challenges. One young fella struggled to get his legs and required a lot of TLC, a visit from the vet, several injections and force feeding before he regained his strength and now runs with the herd as if nothing ever went array. His potential loss weighed heavily on both Daryl and I, as his demise would have been loss number three for the season. Losing a beautiful Limousine bull calf at only two weeks of age, a few days prior, from no obvious cause was devastating. The loss of a steer a few months before also left us feeling grim. But things are looking up, and we even recovered our young escapee despite the odds weighed definitely against him.

Recovered after a rough start

The little rascal, startled by our pup, ran through five farm fences, two boundaries fences including crossing a road, at 36 hours of age. Searching far and wide, venturing into neighbouring paddocks, during day and night we were quite desperate and began to suspect the young tyke had been taken by foxes. His poor mum, waited at the place where he was last sleeping and it was clear she was also in distress. Finally on the morning of the fourth day he was missing, we heard loud bawling from a distance, Daryl jested that maybe the baby calf had finally returned, little did we know he was right. Miraculously the little Murray Grey x Limousine calf was indeed in next door's paddock trying to find his way back. On his own, Daryl had no choice but to jump on him and then carry him to the car. He then travelled in style back to our place and to his mum. No doubt her very full udder was relieved to have him back.

Vermin prevention

Max inspecting the Clipex fence

In addition to a range of new calves, we have added Romney and Delight to our menagerie. We have recruited the two alpacas to keep the foxes away from our feathered friends. Not only are they cute but they are very effective. Our neighbour's dog has been wandering around our place and decided she wanted the chook scraps. In a rash decision she squeezed under the gate and got into the chook pen, within seconds the alpacas let out a piercing warning and it was fortunate that Daryl was nearby and managed to get the dog out or she may have been a victim of herd protectors who trample anything considered a threat. At least we know the alpacas are doing their job.
If they fail, Daryl bought himself a new rifle (Lithgow .223) to keep vermin at bay. It works well.

No longer an issue

It is hoped one of the alpacas is pregnant and the potential for a baby cria is very exciting. Their fleece has already been claimed and we hope to see some fine products produced from their wool.

Our new carport

The hens are slowly coming into lay but we are only getting a measly dozen or so eggs a day. Despite having 50 odd birds. No doubt this will increase within a few weeks. We have sent off a new design for our egg carton labels and I am excited by the prospect of being able to label them with our own design. Anyone interested in purchasing fresh eggs, produced by pasture raised hens,  is welcome to get in touch.

Facelift

It's not only animals that are being added to Rivergum but also some infrastructure with new fences and sheds continuing to be built. Daryl has trialled a new style fencing with a product called Clipex and this has proven to be a success. I suspect we will be purchasing some more and may even finish fencing within the next few years!! A new carport is also taking shape and this has forced the placement of new plumbing and painting of the house exterior. This weekend the aim is to complete painting the front of the house with cream trimmings. The improvement, with only undercoat, is simply awesome. I'm nearly inspired to paint for two days straight, and the reality is regardless of inspiration or not, the paint brushes will get a good workout and by Monday I'll be exhausted, just in time to return to work.

Cleaning up -old irrigation pipes

The muscle driving the dream

Sadly, Daryl's holidays (if you could call them that), will also come to an end next week and he will return to being a shift worker. On the one hand he will get a rest, but on the other, Rivergum's progress will slow down again. It's such a shame we have to earn a dollar in order to keep our farming venture alive. Daryl has done such an extraordinary amount of work, I just hope he still gets a kick out of his achievements. While we are building the dream together he is, without doubt, the muscle behind the progress.

Until next time,

N

Learning to be at ease with nature, ourselves and each other.

Bliss in the bushland

Months in the planning, we finally made it to Wingan Inlet. A last minute reprieve found us some suitable farm-sitters, and we were both relieved to be packing our bags, heading for the hills. Joined by a small group of friends and relatives there ended up being eleven of us across five campsites. We were, without any doubt, the loudest group. Set in beautiful surrounds we were protected by green shrubbery and majestically tall, native trees. The wind swirled fiercely around us and the tree tops bowed in submission, however we were saved from the brunt of it. Gathering around a traditional camp fire, we kept it burning hard, especially once the lads returned with copious amounts of firewood.Anyone

Learning to relax

Perfect paddle

who knows anything about dry timber would have had wood envy. Providing warmth and cooking facilities, the billy boiled most of the day and into the night. The camp chef's were in their element and the aroma of fried bacon and lamb roast, amongst the many menu items, permeated the air. We did not go hungry, sugar highs were aplenty and the treats flowed fast. Sometime each afternoon the adults moved onto relaxation methods and the cracking of cans could be heard in unison. Red wine and 70 proof Kahlua where my choice of poison and I was pleased not to suffer the consequences of indulgence the next day. We were joined by the local wildlife during the day and night, kookaburras pinched bacon, goannas roamed for opportunity, possums raided our stores when they thought the coast was clear and birds foraged. A baby brown snake coiled in the sun and we were relieved to not find its mother.

Goanna on the hunt

As large groups tend to do, we created a celebratory atmosphere which is magnetic to others. We made new friends, from far and wide and we shared our fire and stories together. The circle of friendship formed by an array of camping chairs, expanded as required, to ensure everyone was included. At times, if an outsider looked on, they would never know some of us were strangers.
While the adults waffled, prattled, poked fires, crocheted, created stories, sketched pictures or read about far off fantasies, the kids rode bikes and explored. As the weather cleared we trekked the tracks to the beach and gave our shoulders a work out with the kayaks in the sea breeze.The kids joined in with us, they played, listened and watched what the grown ups were doing. We hope they will learn the art of relaxing in the wilderness. They are learning to be free, without time constraints. They too are learning a new way of being. We had no technology, no white backlit screens. It was blissful.

Shared experiences

We are a group that is well known to each other, familiarity that develops over years of experiences. We morph and evolve as time goes on and our lives intertwine like jasmine on the vine. Despite our unspoken rules we push each other, cajole, joke, taunt and tease - political correctness has no place amongst us. We are not afraid to delve into taboo topics - politics, religion, sex, nothing is off limits. We respect our differences, acknowledge our boundaries and give space when needed; encouragement and acknowledgement of jobs well done flow freely. But beware, because if you screw up,

Cheers

the cheer squad will roar. We know, even subconsciously, that the small people are watching, listening to our every word - language is censored, at least most of the time, and crudity when it arises, is saved for darkness when the young minds are tucked up in bed, worn out after their day's adventuring.  We too enjoy the deep sleep of the exhausted and relaxed. Minutes and hours pass mesmerised by the dancing flames. We are learning to be at ease with nature, ourselves and each other.

Father and son

We look forward to returning again, next time let's hope our tranquility is not broken by the strands of the Tiger's Football Club theme song - we're from Tigerland, the fighting fury, were from Tigerland ...over and over again.

Til next time,
N