Down Wattle Lane v2 - Introducing Whiskey The Barn Cat

We're not 100% sure if Whiskey is staying or not, as there might be a difference in opinion between the previous owners.

As the story goes, Whiskey just turned up oneday and set up home in the hay. She is very friendly so they believe that she might have been dumped.

Whiskey is a beautiful cat and very vocal.

Whatever the owners decide, Whiskey is more than welcome to stay. 153 Loburn Terrace Road, this will always be her home.

 

Down Wattle Lane v2 - We Have Babies!

Our first Babies of 2020 have arrived today. 

At 8am all was normal, but come 11am, we now have 2 little bundles of joy.

The twins are doing well as is Mum. 

This Mum is experienced and a good Mum, so all should be fine.

The others are a little bit freaked out, standing back and observing from a distance. Perhaps the flock just knows to give Mum and her babies some space.

Life is starting to feel a little bit more normal, apart from the lack of a house and living in a caravan... but small steps.

Down Wattle Lane v2 - RIP Big Mumma

Graphic Farming Warning.

Sadly Big Mumma passed away recently. She was one of our older ewes, on the larger side and had a few issues in the past with prolapse and foot root. I didn't want to breed her again, but let her live out her last years in retirement. However due to the powers of mother nature she became pregnant.

Big Mumma went down, previously she had always given birth to large twins, so with her age, her bad feet, her being over weight, and then pregnant again, she became lame. We called out a vet, and I explained all of this, and my thoughts was to potentially put her down to ease her pain and save the babies. The vet thought she was just weak and required some additional nutrition to get her up. So I thought great, lets save mum and babies.

Within 10 or so hours later after the sun had set, I found her dead. I felt her belly and she was still warm so I thought perhaps we can save the babies. I quickly googled how to perform a cesarean on a sheep. With courage and the sharpest knife, (a craft knife) I could find, I went in. I had no gloves so went in bare handed, and found the first baby... and shortly after the second. I pulled them out and looked for a heart beat or some form of life, but both were dead.

Deflated I sat on the ground next to them in the dark... my heart broken for Big Mumma and her babies.

I'm not sure if what I did was right, but I had to try.

Big Mumma was a great mum to her babies, she loved her sheep nuts, loved a face rub. She was very good when I used to have to treat her feet, she would stand patiently and understood the routine. Big Mumma will be much missed. RIP

I gathered myself, and started to dig a hole, a very large hole, and I placed Big Mumma together with her babies, side by side and buried them.

To lose all three was difficult and to say the very least I'm angry with the vet. Sometimes I feel people lose focus of their real purpose, and rather focus on selling you product you don't need. 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure Big Mumma would have wanted us to save her babies earlier if we could have. 

Down Wattle Lane v2 - Mow Mow Mow

There's no time like mow time!

The paddocks... I should say paddock, singular, haven't been grazed for some time and are knee deep in dead grass, quiet a mess, not really suitable for the sheep to eat.

So one of the first jobs was to top the paddocks and to discover what lay beneath. 

Being the master of "give anything a go" I hired a tractor from Loburn Hire, and got stuck in. Well I had some help, my sister and her partner were both keen to give it a go too.

I can highly recommend Loburn Hire, they deliver the tractor to site, excellent customer service, excellent modern equipment, and best of all great rates.

I think we did a good job in the end, although the same can't be said about my photography skills below:

Down Wattle Lane V2 - The Plan

Buy land, put a house on it, live happily ever after!

That is normally how I start with an idea, naively, I start in the simplest, most basic form of a plan and I tend to run with that. However, in reality as I always discover there is a multitude of steps and layers before the happily ever after is ever reached.

There are two parts to our plan.

Part 1 - New Home & New Lifestyle Block

Part 2 - Create Self Employment

Part 1 - New Home & New Lifestyle Block

Now we started with big grand designs, self building etc. However the reality has set in, we've spent $50K more than we intended on the land, and to achieve and be successful in Part 2 Self Employment we cannot get into debt. So our 150sqm self build dream has now ended up at 108sqm brand new relocatable dwelling.

I came across homes being built by the Southern Institute of Technology here in Christchurch. There is only 1 design/floorplan/option, and I believe this is so not to upset building companies who will in turn employee the students. SIT offers free courses to students who get hands on learning building homes right on campus under the guidance of experts within the industry. The school essentially sells the homes at cost, as a shell. So the purchaser has to arrange relocation, foundations, connection to services, gib stopping, painting, installing kitchen, bathroom, appliances, flooring and etc, etc. I love the concept of helping the students, also the house is bigger than what we had, we still get to add our own touches, they are a quality house and at a great price. I think they look good too. We're sold, so a buying one! At a rough calculation we expect the complete build to come in under $200K. Time will tell.

Part 2 - Create Self Employment

Gary is an excellent Satay Chef. He has his very own secret recipe that he won't even share with me. Once the house is built we plan to invest in a food caravan to attend evening food markets selling authentic Malaysia Satay Sticks, & Satay Burgers. We've compared with a variety of restaurant style satay sticks, and Gary's still beats them by a country mile!

As for myself, it's all about the Arapawa Sheep. The sheep have always sold well as livestock, but we need to turn a $100 live sheep into a $400 processed sheep. So my goal is to sell Arapawa Sheep products at farmers markets. Selling a variety of Arapawa wool products along with fresh meat products. In Canterbury there are boutique abattoirs and butchers that we can access to process the meat for sale... legally. So I really want to expand on what I have already been doing as a hobby to create a profitable business.

So in a nutshell, that is our plan.  I will post on the progress, and fingers crossed all goes to plan and before the end of 2020 we are living that happily ever after dream!

Down Wattle Lane V2 - Loburn Canterbury August 2020

Welcome Back To Down Wattle Lane V2! 

Where do I start, on my farewell post there was a lot of uncertainty with what we were doing in life, where we were going... well boy have things changed in 12 months.

I'm glad to report that my Mum is doing great since she has moved in with my sister, partner and her kids in Christchurch. Mum's health has improved so much she is able to chase after the grand kids. They all get on extremely well, and it is truly wonderful seeing Mum and the grand kids interacting with each other. It's truly something special, and a big thank you to my sister in taking such excellent care of Mum.

For Gary & myself, it's been a challenging few months.  I was recently diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's. I had known something wasn't right over the last year, with issues from writing, problem solving, thinking, shaking down my right side, balance issues along with other symptoms. All of this on top of my high blood pressure, constant choking due to my eosinophilic oesophagitis issues, and the never forgetting cancer reminder from the past, the Parkinson's diagnoses was straw that broke the camel back. It was truly deflating. I do try to stay positive in life, but this time it's been a challenge.

Then covid happened, and I lost my job, which wasn't a bad thing as I was planning to resign once the house sold, so redundancy did give me some free time to prepare for the Christchurch move.

It took some time, but our Kaiwaka property finally sold, and settlement was on the 7th August.  We had never wanted to sell our Kaiwaka property, we have created so many wonderful memories with our friends. However with all that was going on with family, my health, and then the change in the world due to covid, the urge to be near to family, the decision to move was the right one.

No matter how much you plan, moving is stressful. We took 2 trailer loads of rubbish to the dump, about 4 car boot loads of donate-able goods to the St John charity shop, we had a big garage sale, and then we had to downsize our flock from 60 sheep to 20, sell a car and trailer, then buy a bigger car and a bigger trailer... all within 3 weeks, all the while buying a new property in Canterbury.  

As you can imagine, the stress levels were high, and my shakes were full on!

The night before the move, we started to pack the car, and at about 7pm I came to the realization that we still had too much stuff, it all wasn't going to fit, and that was when my brain, body and everything just gave up... I just couldn't do it anymore. Gary was the hero that night, we stored some gear at a neighbours, and then Gary started shoving, forcing stuff into every nook and cranny of that car. We went to bed about 10pm that night and we were waking the following morning at 5am. We had 20 sheep to load on the trailer, then above their cage, load more stuff. The car and trailer were both overloaded. There was about 15cm clearance from the ground and the bottom of the towbar. Come 9.30am we departed Kaiwaka, about an hour late, so from the start we were chasing the clock. We had to be in Wellington at 7.45pm to catch the ferry. Half way down the middle of the north island, the towbar had scrapped the road. We were losing air in both the rear tyres, so we stopped and tried to re-balance the load. A friendly farmer saw our predicament, and helped us. We gently drove to the next petrol station in Turangi to refuel and to pump up the tyres. It was at this point I noticed the trailer tyre rubbing up against the mud guard. I didn't mention anything to Gary as stress levels were already at breaking point. I thought if it turns to custard, we still have a spare tyre. But we had no time to spare, we had to race to make it to Wellington. By this time the GPS was telling us we would arrive at 8.10pm. So we had no room for anymore stops, we had to make it on the 1 tank of fuel, and no more dramas. At 7.45pm we where still 20 minutes away from the Bluebridge Ferry terminal, the fuel light was on, and I was doing 110km down the Wellington motorway. Gary called the ferry to say we are coming with sheep, and we will be there in 10 minutes. If we missed that ferry we would have to overnight in Wellington with 20 sheep and 1 cat... so we were not going to miss that ferry. At 8.10pm we were met by the very welcoming Bluebridge staff. We made it! After a dinner onboard we retired to our cabin for a short sleep before our midnight arrival into Picton. There was some concern as to whether the car would restart in Picton and be able to drive off the ferry due to no fuel. Our first stop was for petrol and more air in the tyres. By this time Gary noticed the trailer tyre. We retied some straps, checked the sheep and drove at a leisurely 80kms to 153 Loburn Terrace Road, arriving at about 5.30am Saturday morning. We unloaded the sheep, and then went to my sisters for a quick shower before we had to collect the caravan and tow to site. We spent the day unpacking the car into the caravan, and then we finally crashed and went to bed at 6pm Saturday night. We were both shattered!

This is now the start of Down Wattle Lane V2. The next post will detail our big plans.

BIG THANK YOU TO:

Simon & Howard for helping out at our Garage Sale.

Geoff for all the amazing help at Down Wattle Lane.

Kim for holding some of our stuff.

BIGGEST THANK YOU TO:

Gary for being there for 16+ years, and still being there for me!

The Ending

It's with a sad heart, that we have decided to sell Down Wattle Lane and to move back to the South Island to be closer to family. This has been a very difficult decision as Wattle Lane was meant to be the place I stay until I die.

Recently Mum hasn't been well and Dr's say she might only have a year or so to live. This has ignited something within me, wanting to be closer to family. We're not the closest of families, but I do want to improve that, be a better son, be a better brother, be a better uncle and most importantly to be a better husband.

Also with my own ongoing poor health, increasing stresses at work, frustrations with the commute and not being able to find work close to home, and having a part time partner living only 2 nights at home, it is time to fix some wrongs in my life.

This won't be the end... I still want to recreate my lifestyle dream, build a new home, grow our Arapawa sheep flock, and still be a bee keeper, but it will all just be a bit closer to family.

The Never Ending Commute

Another car... another 200,000km.

Choosing to live the lifestyle dream in the country, often means that you will still be holding down a full time job in the city to pay for the lifestyle dream. Work opportunities in the country are very limited, and skill sets sought after in the city are not those required in the country. So you suck it up, and do the commute.

It's a big commitment, both on your time, finances, car and your sanity.

My commute is a 130km return trip, 4 days a week, plus the odd Saturday, and generally takes 1 hour in each direction, and costs me $110 on average a week in fuel. That's not including any weekend travel or trips to the shops etc.

Tip: Be strict on yourself & your employer to ensure you are not doing overtime and you leave the office on time. 

Tip: Plan your annual leave so you are not commuting during holiday traffic.

With the km's you are doing, servicing comes around much quicker. Oil & filter every 3 months, tyres, general repairs such as cambelt, brakes, clutch, suspension etc they all just come at you much quicker. 

Tip: Purchase good quality tyres, it's worth it as they really do last much longer and can result in better fuel economy.

Tip: Better oil quality can result in better fuel economy. Do your own oil change, it is easy.

On average I estimate I would spend $10K to $12K a year on fuel & car related expenses, not including depreciation.

What really challenges me, not that I spend a quarter of my salary to get to work, not the 2 hours I'm sitting in the car each day, but rather from about May through to end August, I leave home in the dark, and return home in the dark. This is the greatest challenge to your sanity.

Sometimes it's a huge commitment living the lifestyle dream, but it is all worth it and you just keep looking forward to Spring.

More Fencing

Finally this weekend we have made the last paddock sheep proof! In that they can't escape! 

There was one part of the boundary fence that needed repairs, but the fence crossed a small swampy area, so the job had been on the infamous "to do list" for a very long time.  I really didn't fancy fencing in knee deep mud.

Fortunately this summer has been wonderfully dry, and the ground had dried up enough to repair the fence. So this weekend with Geoff's help, we got to work, taking down the old fence, and putting in the new fence. This job essentially didn't cost a cent, as we had so much left over fencing supplies from previous jobs, so a real bonus!

I really love the above view in the above picture. The photo shows the way of the land from the bottom paddock up to the house. It also shows how step the land is, and how far we had to carry the fencing gear from the car. I think I walked up & down that hill at least half a dozen return trips today. I should have buns of steel after today!

All Done!

Another Fantastic Job!

Scouring Raw Wool With Unicorn Power Scour

Due to the lack of rain for the past 2 months, we've been rationing water, so I haven't been able to wash my fleeces until now. Fortunately we've had a weekend of good steady rain, and the water tanks are now full. So I can finally wash some fleeces, as I have had nothing to card, spin or knit.

Below are the steps used to scour raw wool with Unicorn Power Scour. 

I'm scouring Arapawa fleeces, which are rather dirty and greasy, and the staple is very short.

Step 1: Source Fleece

Step 2: Skirt Fleece

Remove as much of the nasties as you can. Poo, Dirt, Grass, Etc.

Step 3: Get Everything Ready

Measuring jug, Unicorn Power Scour, scales, wooden spoon or similar, thermometer, bucket & laundry bags (see advice below).

Step 4: Weigh Fleece

On this occasion I was scouring 1KG at a time, but keep in mind wet wool is heavy. So don't be to enthusiastic, as it gets heavy. Also I have a very small working space.

Step 5: Prepare Your Hot Water

I'm using an old kitchen thermometer, and 60 degrees is the target. In my situation the hot tap water was just under, so by adding 1 kettle of boiled water put me over 60 degrees.

Step 6: Measure Unicorn Power Scour

Use very little product as Unicorn Power Scour is a concentrate.

15ml per 0.45kg wool

Step 7: Add Unicorn Power Scour To Hot Water

Gently mix in, you do not want to create bubbles.

Step 8: Add Fleece

Submerge your fleece, but do not stir!

Step 9: Set Timer For 15-20 minutes.

You don't want the water to cool too much, or the nasties re-attach to your fibre. So just watch this, I found come 15 minutes the water temperature had already dropped to 55 degrees.

Step 10: Keep Wool Submerged 

Step 11: Drain Dirty Water

This is where I find the flexible bucket very handy in keeping the wool in, and getting the dirty water out. Heavy dirt sits at the bottom of the bucket.

 

Step 12: Rinse and/or Repeat

If you wool is rather dirty, repeat the wash again, but only using half the amount of Unicorn Power Scour. On this occasion I scoured twice, and then did two rinses, or until the rinse water runs clear. TIP: on your final rinse add Unicorn Fibre Rinse to help with the manageability of the fibre, but if you intend to dye your fibre, then hold off until you have finished the dyeing process. Unicorn Fibre Rinse will also help to lock in the colour.

Step 13: Dry & You're Done!

How you dry your wet fleece will differ from person to person, and I guess the fleece type that you are working with. However, with my Arapawa Fleece, I split the fleece into 5 laundry bags, and put into the washing machine, and start the machine with a delicate spin only. I did try this with a long Romney Fleece that I had and made a real mess of it. So you have to be careful not to matt the fibre. Otherwise, press out as much water as you can, then put the fibre out on a rack to finish drying.

Step 14 and Beyond:

Once dried, you can card your fleece, then spin it, and then start your creation!

What I really love, is process of taking raw wool from my sheep out in the paddock and creating something with that for my home. It's an awesome feeling of satisfaction!