HAYESY HAY DAY

Today we baled and stacked 300 bales of hay. It was a bit of a family affair, Mum always at the ready with a cuppa and a scone,  Dad,76 with one kidney and some dodgy pipe work happy to get on an ancient Fergy tractor and haul it around the paddock that has some tight corners. We started the job yesterday in 29 degrees - today was  aslightly cooler but sticky 27 degrees uncomfortable.

And then there is the Rock who has a passion for doing things the old way which means using old stuff. Some of it 30 - 50 years old. We had our moments - the Holland Baler busted its boiler a couple of times but the Rock , as he almost always does , fixed it. And the Hay conveyor chewed bales for a while till we worked out a bulging guiding rod was the culprit  it was fixed in a paddock moment with the most intricate of tools  - a sledgehammer. Two bangs and dang if it didn't slide the bales up like butter. 

Son Matthew joined us for the last round of the paddock so there were three generations of Campbells outstanding in their field. It also meant the oldest skited to the youngest by ripping round the paddock  only to be sworn at to slow down. Dad might want to do a lot of things at his age but apparently driving a  62 bedford truck scooping up hay sedately is not one of them. 

The bales were neatly stacked in our shed  - almost all of them - a mate took about 60 straight from the paddock for her stock. 

As I sit here typing this , Im still feeling the scratch of a lonely grass wand on my slightly less ample arse  but  no one stirs. 

Asleep they are  -  dreaming of big bales and noisy machines, dust and a very tidy stack, a cleansing shower  and the smell of Mums fresh scones and my strawberry preserves from the house and a cold beer.   

SCAREDY FLOYD

Poor Floyd didnt take the news that I had gained a few pounds in Christchurch particularly well.....

SNOW FUN LEAVING THIS

Home for the weekend - as you can see Floyd was very pleased to se us and we both enjoyed the view of our place while we were out for a stroll.

GRAMMAR ON THE HIGH ROAD

Floyd and I went for a stroll round the neighbourhood today. the sun was shining and we set off at a good pace. After about an hour it got dam cold so we headed back and it was then that we spied this sign which would indicate that someone has some shortcomings in the spelling department.

We also spied this lovely villa with splendid views across the valley.

Floyd also has a new light saddle which now means he isn't bucking at all - which , when you are 51 is a little disconcerting. The comfy saddle cost us $95 and is a real bargain.

MURDER AND CARNAGE ON THE FARM

It was an ugly sight -even in the dark. We arrived home to dozens of deaths - carcasses strewn over a big patch in the paddock with evil abandon. Our 3 bloody cows got out of their paddock and ate all the beetroot, brussel sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, cauli and then had the temerity to frolick in the strawberry patch.

After they had their fill they went for a wander down the road for about a mile until some kind farmer shoved them in a paddock. After all that - when we found them, the buggers had the nerve to trot up to the fence and bawl to be fed . One wonders if they didnt do it as a protest for the steer on the left n the pic being all cut up in the freezer. In fact his mince was the base for tonights lovely bolognaise.

The upside is we have two new black as pitch lambs and the Mad Rooters blood runs thick in their veins - the down side is they are both rams who will be named - Frenchie and Rack.

Whose fault that the cows got out?? We aren't telling - other than to say I will get a new rotary hoed garden...

Never a dull day in the country..

WARM WINTER WANDER

Today we took Floyd out for a ramble around the countryside. The Rangitumau Valley is typical of the Wairarapa with soft glowing hills framed by the beautiful snow kissed Tararua Mountain Range. We sauntered up James Road and met two elderly people out for a walk. They looked like they had seen a good 80 years each. She was aided by a walking stick and sir was on a sturdy push bike. Sir was a visitor from Wellington who had arrived on the train.

He chuckled as he explained his good fortune at being able to come over on the train for free on his gold card and the fact that his friends had looked after him as it was a terrrible weather on the day of his arrival in the Wairarapa but he only had to bike for 7km before he was picked up!

Today there was not a cloud in the sky and Floyd set out with a no nonsense spring in his step and his eye bright and ears pricked up for interesting things on our journey.It was a lovely ride. The top picture is of our place tucked under the ridge between Kopuaranga and Rangitumau. The big silver shed.The bottom pic is of the fine view of James Road from on top of Floyd.

THE FLOYD CHRONICLES

For the last year or so, I have been hankering for a horse. We used to ride when we were young, show jumping, A and P shows, hunts and Mounted Rifle games (Agility tests designed by the cavalry.)

We had trick ponies that would kneel down on command and rear up just like the lone ranger, hunters, other peoples naughty ponies and stock horses. At any one time there were up to 14 horses on our property. Over the years we have ridden off and on as the opportunities came up. About ten years ago I started to ride with a good woman called Val - who had a superb ex race horse called Lovelock who had been very successful in his day. We rode on a place called Terawhiti station which takes up all the land from the south west corner of the north Island to just south of Makara. It was about  12,000 acres of  horse riding paradise. 

I was lucky enough to get on pretty well with the bloke, who ran the place at the time -Allan Hobbs. Hobbsy is a horseman's horseman. He is a ex rodeo rider and he breeds and breaks in damn good horses. 

I rode all sorts of horses that had been trained by Allan during the Terawhiti years. Val and I had many many great adventures riding the length and breadth of the station. 

So when decided it was time to get a horse I turned to Hobbsy who now lives up the Kapiti Coast. And he has found me a wee beauty. 

His name is Floyd. A splendid 12 year old gelding of about 14 hands - that makes him officially a pony. However while he is short in the leg he is big in the body. He has a bit of welsh and clydesdale in his history and he hails from up Gisborne way. 

He has even done a stint as a Riding for the disabled steed. 

He is not a slug , but is happy to wander along on a long rein - taking in the scenery. 

He likes - carrots apples and food in general. - He is a equine gourmand. 

He is a "good - doer" he will live on the smell of a lettuce leaf.

He comes when he is called and whinnies to let you know he is on his way. 

He is a gate master - knowing just where to stand so you can open them. 

He lifts his feet so you can check them.

And he is not fazed by barking dogs, mooing cows and silly sheep and alpacas. 

He is alert but far from panicked when crossing bridges.

But he has been shocked on an electric fence and wont go within cooee of them.

He is a good wee man and I think we are going to have some fine adventures.

THE VERY DARK BLONDE

Kent Baddeley sent Busted a recipe for all the mushrooms she has on her block. Should keep her entertained!

NIGEL-RAM BAM THANK YOU LAMB

The mad rooter is gone. And no doubt much to the chagrin of a few bidders he was taken away by a bloke called Mohammed. Mohommed said he wasn't for the pot straight away but in the back of the ute was a bucket with a steel and knife. So it looks like there will a fair bit of mutton curry around Masterton soon. Perhaps even the Goan Mutton Curry below - which looks pretty bloody good to us.

Anyway Nigel our stud muffin Wiltshire ram on the left is now in charge of three ewes. To say he is happy is an understatement.

All proceeds will be heading to the Christchurch Earthquake appeal. Thanks to all those who took an interest in the auction. The mad rooter auction attracted nearly 10,000 views.

And here is a selection of some of the best comments...

Hi, will this ram be compatible with my DELL 1640 laptop? I already have 4gb. Thanks. dextermanas (39 ) 11:50 pm, Tue 15 Mar

Well he has got two mega bits so his download speeds are astounding.. 6:39 am, Wed 16 Mar

I'm from christchurch and NO THANKS for your money, we'd rather not. You hillbilly retarded hick !!!! You really are a stero typed backward farmer aren't you ????? nixgar (0 ) 11:07 am, Wed 16 Mar

Hell no - I come from Invercargill - not Tuatapere. 11:18 am, Wed 16 Mar

Just a pity you can't keep any teeth in your head, the family probably only have six among the lot of you ! Yeaha !! nixgar (0 ) 11:26 am, Wed 16 Mar

well actually we all have our own teeth and our intelligence. and own homes and baches.

I pity this poor little sheep. It's bad enough he no doubt will be killed for his meat but to put it on Trademe to mock him, not cool. christinamd (106 ) 11:16 am, Wed 16 Mar

So would you just like the mint sauce then? 11:19 am, Wed 16 Mar

Ingredients:

• 750 g Mutton • ¼ cup Yogurt • 2 tsp Vinegar • ½ tsp Pepper Powder • 1 tsp Coriander Powder • ½ tsp Clove Powder • 3 tbsp Oil • 2 tbsp Coconut, desiccated • 2 Onions, big size • 1½ inch Ginger • 1 tsp red Chili Powder • 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder • 6 cloves Garlic • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder • 2 cup Warm Water • Salt, to taste

How to make Goan Mutton Curry:

• Start with cleaning and wash the mutton thoroughly to remove unwanted particles from it. • Remove the excess water from it and then cut it into 1 inch cubes. • Take a small bowl and mix turmeric powder in the yogurt to make a cream. Mix mutton cubes in it and keep it for 3 to 4 hours. • Chop the onions in a small bowl and crush the ginger and garlic in the other. • Now, take a heavy bottomed pan and on medium heat, heat up half the oil and fry half chopped onion until it is brown and soft. • Remove it using holed spoon and keep it aside. • Take a pan, add remaining oil in it and then other chopped onions along with crushed ginger and garlic. Stir it fry for one minute. • Now, add coriander powder, cinnamon powder, clove powder, pepper powder, red chili powder and mix well for a minute. • Add 2 tbsp water to the mixture and fry it until the water evaporates. • Put desiccated coconut in it and again mix it well for 2 minutes. • Add mutton to the above mixture and increase the heat. Fry it till it starts changing color. • Add water in it, cover and then bring it to boil slowly at low temperature for 30 minutes. Mix fried onions and salt. • On simmer flame, bring it to boil for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add vinegar to it, remove from the flame and serve hot.

PROMISCUOUS CHOOKS AND HOWDY DOODY

Well for some reason sex seems to be the topic of the month, with the Darren Hughes affair, and the mad rooter and Charlie Sheen all dominating the headlines.

Well now we have a promiscuous chook. We bought a chook with ten little chickie babes on Trademe. But it appears we have purchased a hen hussy. It is obvious there are many fathers involved. Now it appears that she is a good mother, but we are wondering that when we finally purchase a rooster - will he keep her satisfied or will she go walk about in search of more cocks to to satisfy her laying lust.

The good thing is the Department of Rangitumau Hen Housing CEO - The Rock, has built our chooks a Hen Hilton.

Fancy as - it is. Boards, perches, dust, light, air, boxes and an acre to run around in.

We are hoping that our chooks do not end up feeling dependant on our wheaty welfare handouts and accomodation suppliments.

We would prefer that they find the main bulk of food themselves with us giving them a top up.

However we will provide free room and board during egg laying and egg hatching.

And then we might forgive them their hen hussiness.

We dont want socialist chooks who have a sense of entitlement but instead we want hens who are self sufficient.

And if they are really good we will get our chookies a decent cock. A big self important rampant Red rooster Cock called Howdy Doody.

We just hope that for the sake of our chicken breeding programme he doesn't turn out to be gay.

TRADEME , CHRISTCHURCH AND THE MAD ROOTER

We have been a bit like a ram in a paddock of ewes in the past few days - rogering Trademe with undisguised gusto because we reckon that Trade Me was taking advantage of little traders and sucking them dry.

It had to do with listing a mad rooter ram we needed to get rid of - a ram we thought would only fetch about $60 - but it was going to cost us $30 bucks if we sold him. We need to get rid of him because we have replaced him with a Wiltshire studdly muffin called Nigel.

So we blogged, tweeted and facebooked our outrage.

Today we got an answer and hopefully a solution - a category for pets and single farm animals.

We think thats a good option and we hope that Trademe follows it up.

Hi Busted,

I couldn’t squeeze this into 140 characters so had to resort to old-fashioned email. Rest assured, we’ve still got our mojo and our soul here at Trade Me. More than 750,000 Kiwis visit Trade Me each day and more than 250,000 items sold last week – both of these numbers are up on a year ago and up heaps on a few years ago. We’ve also been putting our recent mojo towards building a free site for people affected by the Chch earthquake, iPhone whizz-bang stuff, and a just launched today group-buying site.

You’re right we did increase our success fees a while back. They went up from 6.9% to 7.5% so that meant that on the sale of something for 50 bucks there was a 30-cent increase (to $3.75). That was the first time we’d increased the success fee since September 2008 and we reckon we still offer great value for money to put your items, be they buttons or sheepskin rugs, in front of a massive Kiwi audience.

In terms of livestock (of which your mad rooter is a supreme example), there was no recent fee increase on that front. To list a sheep it’s 29 bucks to list it until it sells – that might take an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year. There is no success fee. The livestock fees haven’t moved since November 2008 (way back when John Key got the top job, and the mad rooter was only a lamb, maybe...)

The livestock category is mostly used by people selling a flock of woolly beasts rather than just one ram. On that front, if you were selling a flock of sheep then $29 to list all your stock is pretty cheap. There’s overs and unders and we acknowledge the model is not perfect so we’re sorry about that. Perhaps we need a “pet lambs and mad rooters” category?

Anyway, we reckon you should relist the Mad Rooter – he might go for heaps more than 60 bucks – remember somebody paid $60,000 for a boulder last week. If you do, make sure you nominate the fecund fellow for a Chch charity auction slot on the homepage – we reckon he’d probably make the cut.

Cheers

Paul

So we have listed the Mad Rooter and a ticket - to BustedBlondes Veuve Clicquot party on Trademe and the lions share of the proceeds will go to the Christchurch earthquake fund. Yes the mad bitch Busted is back.

Party - on. Details soon.

And yes the proceeds of the party will go to Christchurch as well. We grew up in Southland and to all Southlanders of our vintage, Christchurch was the glamorous and sophisticated metropolitan centre of the South Island. And so it will be again.

I TALK TO MY BANTYS

Yip I have to fess, everynight I go home - kick off my Prada sandals, don my slouchies, grab the kitchen scraps and head to the chook barn.

Its an open ended affair that looks out on the 10 acres that my three wee silkie banty feather duster chooks call home.

They were all pretty good at laying bumnuts to begin with but if 2 were human - they would now be on the DPB.

All they really wanna do is be mums. However, we didnt have a rooster to start so we bought in 42 fertilised eggs in various batches to test their maternal instincts.

We got one chicken, Chickadee from Fluff-

Sadly Chickadee was taken in his prime by a hawk and Fluff never really got over it.

Speckle did hatch three chicks but Snowy got chick envy and she pecked the poor little buggers to death. So Snowy is a chick killer and Speckle is a useless mum.

The hatch rate wasn't helped much by the fact that all three kept stealing eggs off each other.

But we have not given up - we have another set of eggs shared between the two broody bantys.

And we bought another wee brown banty ( she did look huge in the pic) off Trademe with 4 little chicks- Mother and babies are doing well.

But its little Fluff who has stolen our heart. Everynight she runs a small marathon to get to me when I call out and then follows me back to the barn. Most nights I pick her up and she nestles in my bosum and I tell her what its like to be in the battery farm that is the Wellington bureaucracy. She never interrupts as I cackle on about the days events and all the silly big swinging dick roosters and silly peacocks I have to deal with. She watches me the whole time and listens intently, and clucks her sympathies and only ever gets distracted when we get to the feed bin.

And she has been so traumatised by losing Chickadee that she hasn't gone all bloody silly and broody.

So we are not surprised that scientists reckon chickens show empathy.

They do. Fluff is my wee mate.

And every day she lays a perfect white egg just for me. She sees the value in our relationship and knows what her strengths are.

As for Snowy and Speckle, - they are just would be solo mums who are happy to lounge about looking mothery on eggs some other poor chook laid not giving a stuff who the father is, showing no appreciation for our care and consideration.

If they dont act like responsible mothers and look after their little whangai chickies when they hatch this time, then they will make bloody great chicken stock.

We believe in reciprocal obligations.

This weekend we are killing a lamb. Last time we needed to top up the freezer we got a nice butcher fella to do it. This time we are doing it ourselves. Not sure if we can manage a french rack but we will manage chops and roasts and will save $50 in the process.

Life on the farm is good.

Update - the Rock bought me a really girly present - a band saw with a mincer and sausage maker attached to deal to the lamb - now how romantic is that? 

HEY ITS GOOD

Love being home... Thats all..

FARRRRK THE PHEASANT

We have blogged on the Pheasant before

He has been hanging around our place for a couple of months and is as tame as. He has been nicknamed FARRK because everytime someone sees him for the first time they say " FARRK is that a pheasant?"

Just after this pic was taken he also started drinking bubbles. He was last seen wobbling off into the dark night...

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

----Ebony

We have had a pretty good run in the birthing stakes over on the block. 6 lambs from three sheep, 1 chicken from 6 eggs - chickadee, a turkey on eggs and a visiting pheasant and the calves, all four of them growing shiny and fat by the day.

However, this week death came calling. First the turkey - sitting quietly on the nest under the gum tree looking for all the world like she was born to be a mum. Sadly, she died on the nest. She wasnt thin. So one of those mysteries.

Then it was the turn of the only black ewe lamb of the six lambs, ebony, sister to the bigger Ivory. Born three weeks ago and healthy and hearty, it took a scary two hours from the time we realised that there was something wrong till she was dead. First she couldn't see. For a while her mother called her then she gave up - the rest of the flock then ignored her as she started to struggle to stand. It was obviously something affecting her brain.

We put her out of her misery after she failed to get up and she was in distress and barely breathing. I can't stand to see animals suffer.

Then it was the turn of the chickens. They are fully free range. And they roam free with the haybarn their nesting place. Four silky chooks with ten acres to call home.

Two new chickens hatched from a clutch of eggs. One was obviously deformed and died shortly after birth. The second was a reminder that hens are incredibly vicious creatures. one of the other hens literally pecked the second chicken to death.

When we got to the chicken she was barely breathing and full of holes - hen pecked.

So again we decided that it would not live and we had to kill it. It was made worse that we had visitors at the time. I did the deed out of view of two teenage boys.

Its harder than you think - chicks are such fragile creatures, and we have killed thousands of birds over our lifetime. but it never gets easier.

But the one thing that it does do is make you respect life all the more.

DAFFY DUCKY

We have a duck nesting in some toitois about 20 feet from the front door. That would be odd enough considering that the river is about 200m away. Its that she has chosen to nest about 4 feet off the ground.. Will be interesting to see how she is going to get the ducklings down.

LIVESTOCK

The last two lambies and now Chickadee has feathers...

However, the lambies are rammies so they will be roasties and choppies..

They are called Mint and Sauce

and if chickadee turns out out to be a rooster he will be renamed KFC.

FEATHERED FRIENDS

We thought we had lost our turkey hen, but it appears she is with egg and today the lonely ring necked pheasant bloke wandered around. He is a glorious fellow. But think he need s mate

storm clouds over rangitumau

this was just the start - its still hard out here - the house is getting battered and the dog is very scared.

So far no trees down

LADYBIRD

Ladybird, ladybird fly away home,

Your house is on fire and your children are gone,

All except one,

And her name is Ann,

And she hid under the baking pan.