Merewether in Spring 2013

Spring is here with warm weather in the high 20's and not a drop of rain.  After the dry winds of August we needed watering about five times over the month to keep the ground from drying out completely.  With the 12 chickens roaming as a flock they have started to lay with the warmer weather and we are getting 9+ eggs each day.

In the Garden everything is showing signs of movement, especially the red cedar which is covered with new growth. 

I went and bought another dozen rough tree ferns (Cyathea australis) which I have found grow best in these conditions or perhaps are best suited to my garden management style.  Cyathea australis was first described in 1810 from a specimen collected in the Bass Strait.  It is hardy and will tolerate full sun so long as moisture is consistently available.  I prefer to establish them in the understory and let them find their own full sun as they emerge through the undergrowth.

I planted them throughout the garden in spots that I have previously overlooked, in 45cm square holes with 25 to 40 litres of well rotted cow manure as a growing medium. 

Then on top I built a well or contour bank to collect water and then covered this with sticks and leaf litter, then bricks or rocks as available.  I have to take such protective measures mainly to deter the chickens from scratching too vigorously around the new plantings, but also to act as a water retaining and mulch base to keep the moisture in.

15 months back I planted four Cyathea cooperi and they have grown well - the two getting the morning sun have done much better than the two getting the afternoon sun, all things being equal.  Nut the different growth rates will give some interest with different heights.

 The birdsnest fern is growing well, attaching itself to the tree after a good 18 months of growing.  It gets direct morning sun and filtered afternoon.  You can see where it has started to cover the mesh I used position it.  All I have put behind it is scrunched up leaves from the mulch - and these appear to be effective in giving some moisture base for the plant to grow from.

Finally, here are some of the flock scratching about in their natural habitat.  I can see four from left to right a New Hampshire, two silver wyandottes and a white leghorn.  Bring on the eggs I say!

Newcastle Live Sites

Every year we go to the Winter Heat Festival in Newcastle and every year we bump into Ben and his kids, and Clare and Ross. 

Goes to show there are a loyal band of followers of this mid winter event and that the energy of flames always draws people in.

This year, the event was alongside the Honeysuckle precinct and there was a definite gourmet edge to the stalls - we missed the little pancakes on a skewer - and trying to get a cool non-alcoholic drink was simply not possible. 

That said there was a stunning parade of bamboo and tissue paper marine creatures - held aloft by a dozens of primary school children.

Is worth visiting every year and we were very grateful for the lady handing out free glowsticks. 

Also, on asking a man where he bought the flashing halo head piece, he said there weren't any left, and then gave us his! 

So we were once again impressed with the good nature of the people of Newcastle.

Keeping New Chickens in the Backyard

 Here are the new chickens - some fourteen week old pullets I bought off a lovely lady at the Maitland Wyandotte Show last weekend.  They are settling in nicely with the established flock and will soon be free ranging with the rest.  Oh, and you pronounce it Why-an-dot.

The Wyandotte Show was my first real chicken show and it was crowded with chicken fanatics from across the state.  We saw some impressive roosters (the noise was unbelievable!) and many lovely variations on the typical Wyandotte form.

I learned that the fluff of feathers at the bottom of the Wyandotte is called the cushion - and it is particularly pronounced in this type as well.

Here is an update on the growth of the backyard - the tree ferns are thriving and the red cedars are getting established too.  I have not watered for months but will start now in preparation for the spring as the drying winds of August make for slow growing weather.

Here is another image of just how thick the tree ferns are getting with regular cow manure, chemical all-purpose fertilizer and deep watering.  Oh, and the little garden fairy is growing well too on a diet of freshly laid warm eggs and plenty of cuddles!

Good Morning Chickens

Her name is Goldie, Rosie or Ruby, depending on who you ask

Here is one of our layers coming into her second year just after moulting.  She is still producing as well as ever and has learned the lay of the land at our place, so she knows where all the free range food is.