The Farm -Autumn 2012 update

For those that are following our journey (and are as fascinated as we are by it…) things move at a slow pace as ever. The really good news from this week is that the farm (all of it) stayed above the water line during the recent floods. Rosnay managed to harvest their white wine grapes before the rain started, and from all indications, the jury will be out on the red.

If you have seen the previous house concept plan, and worked out how far your bed might be from the wine cellar when you come to visit, put those thoughts on hold. Having put the plans out to all and sundry for comment, we have had a couple of revisions. Essentially it looks as though we might be able to reduce our overall floor space yet achieve a better flow. We will also be able to manage our construction process a little better.

We are also starting to build up our collection for the farm. We have our first animals… After Jane’s pig for Christmas (her Caregift to an impoverished woman in a developing nation), we now also have a horse and a goat. See Beluga, and Giavatto (and ten points for anybody who can correctly guess both references!)

In addition to the old hospital doors from RMC Duntroon, we now have some recycled glass. The panels we have got are triple glazed, and big enough that we will probably design the north side of the house around them. We are planning on ferreting away all sorts of bits and pieces as we find them so that the building shock is minimised when we finally get there.

Hopefully that might be a little sooner after my career interview… We are (as ever) hopeful of a posting to Canberra next year that will free us up for regular visits to the farm, and a start on the development. We look forward to turning the first sod, and sharing the journey with you. If I think about it hard enough, I can almost taste the first slice of a properly air cured farm (ours) raised Berkshire pig prosciutto… and my mouth waters!