Last post... for now!

Hello from the middle of Winter in the southern states. We are enjoying the cooler weather, and it is certainly a nice change to be able to wear some of the warmer clothing we have after several years in shorts and t-shirts!

We have had a busy few weeks, and as a result have been lazy when it comes to this blog. This will be a catch-up, before I then disappear for work for a few months. I suggest that this blog will go into hibernation for the winter, and again rear its head into your collective mailboxes towards the end of November.

Since our last post, we have finished the shed (and had council sign it off, which is a VERY good thing!), and have found the time for a dinner party in Canberra. We have started to put the final touches on the house plans, and hope to start work on that when I come back later in the year. Oh, and we made sausages!

Venison and pork sausages... not bad for an afternoon's work!

The shed was great fun, and we couldn’t have done it without help from some very special people. First up, Sam and Simone for letting us stay, and use the power from their shed. Leigh and Clare, for coming to visit for lunch, and then being coerced into staying for the night. Without their visit, I reckon the roller doors would still be sitting on the ground! Mark, also for lending us tools. The plans were definitely not for a DIY finish – I think they are drawn up to really confuse you, so that you then go back to the professionals to get it done. However, in doing it ourselves, we have saved several thousand dollars, and have the satisfaction of being able to look at the shed, and knowing that we put in every wonky screw!

Peter and Phyl were also fantastic help, and it was brilliant to be able to sit up on the roof, and have Peter throw sheets of roofing iron up to me. That alone must have saved us at least half a day! Peter and I went up to finish the shed last weekend, and the weather turned miserable before we had a chance to connect the spouting. Peter politely pointed out it was well past time for lunch in any case, so we set off for the big smoke (Canowindra) for a bite. The rain had eased on our return, so we could finish without getting wet. It was gratifying to see that the water was doing everything it was supposed to, and not pooling in the guttering.

The shed and tank in all their glory!

Over the long weekend, we took the opportunity to take a dinner party to Canberra, and set a table for twelve. We had a lot of fun, and it wasn’t too much of a challenge not to be working with my own tools and kitchen. The menu we served was as follows:

Hors d’oeuvres: Potato Latke, with spiced apple and sour cream/egg rolls with smoked salmon, mascarpone and capers/onion rings, in a sourdough batter

(Note: the onion rings were seriously good, and I am sure that some would have been happy enough to just eat that!)

We sat down to the table, and didn’t serve the bread until the second course. This was done in some way to keep Kate Cox from filling up on the bread too early. I don’t think it helped!

Dinner:    

• Cauliflower veloute, with dried prosciutto
• Pickled beets and carrots with whipped broad bean and feta
• Parsnip and parmesan tart, salsa verde
• Slow braised lamb shoulder. Duck fat roasted potatoes, braised Brussels sprouts and aioli.
•  Jane’s cheese ‘thing’ – Quince paste and smoked cheddar Napoleon, with honey roast walnuts
• Chocolate, ginger and pecan tart, with glace fig ice cream

Peter pulled some lovely wines from the cellar, and we had a great night. We had planned a duck themed degustation for home later in the year, and had gone so far as to curing the duck prosciutto, but that will now have to wait until next year!

One of our recent photographs of MacK - being very grown up! 

We have shelter on the farm!

We have finally seen some positive progress on the farm. Every farm needs a shed, and we finally have ours. We decided to have the shed company only erect the framework for the shed, and that we would do the cladding ourselves. In addition to providing us with the satisfaction of building our own facilities, we managed to save ourselves a bucketload of cash.

We took a three day weekend to start cladding the shed, and got most of it complete. The roller doors posed a bit of a problem, and we had a false start on one of them when it unrolled on us! They say that practice makes perfect. It certainly did in this case, with the first roller door taking almost four hours to put up before it immediately unrolled. By the time we came around to rehanging the first door, it only took us about twenty minutes.

The shed is 6m x 12 m, which has induced a bit of shed envy amongst our friends. Realistically, it might when we finish putting the roof on. I am looking forward to being able to camp in the shed, even if Jane isn't too sure. Maybe if we build a mattress of straw bales she might be a little more excited. Have to see once we get there!

We also took the opportunity to have a geotech survey done, to determine the soil quality and types for building. We might have a problem for some of our plans, as we hit a pretty solid granite shelf at about 50cm. Lucky we were never planning an underground cellar… although it might have given me the excuse to play with dynamite!

We did have a major stroke of luck, with Leigh and Clare being in the area on Saturday. We very gladly used Leigh's help to put up the roller doors, and they stayed overnight on the farm. I hope they had fun, because we can see that there will be elements of our future build that we will need to lean on Leigh for. The man is a magician, and has the practical experience to mean that our roadblocks are pretty easily worked through.

When we went up to the farm, we stayed with our future next door neighbours. They are winemakers (Rosnay Organic) who also grow olives and figs. We took up sourdough bread, duck breast prosciutto (our own) and a range of meals for the weekend. The figs are being processed two ways, both of which are insanely good. I can’t decide which of the end products I enjoy most. They do a dried fig, which ends up like a hard, chewy candy. As good as it is, the glace figs are – wow! We had them sliced with good cheese and duck prosciutto, and I reckon they would be equally good with vanilla ice cream. MacK had a great time playing with Floyd and the girls, and spent part of Saturday dressed as a clown. We think he looks pretty cute!

Just clowning around...

See below a photo essay of our progress this far:

Nothing exciting - just a little geotech...

This was what we found when we rocked up to the farm

The walls start to go up

Bazinga! - Jane the screw guru

MacK showing me how its done

The first end wall goes up

And so does part of the roof. Note the safety equipment on top of the scaffold

This was where we finished up at the end of day one

Clare's help was fantastic

This is what we get to look at every night we are up on the farm. Who needs reality TV, when you can simply have reality?

I was in the shed before dawn each day, and the sunrises were almost as good as the sunset.

Leigh, Mark, Clare and I trying to work out the instructions. Can I say that what they contained was less than underwhelming!

We are two smart men. Surely we can work this out!

This was the state of play when we walked away on Sunday. Hopefully this Saturday will see most of the rest finished.

Taranaki Farm

We recently had the pleasure of travelling to Taranaki Farm, just north of Melbourne. Ben Falloon is a fourth generation farmer, who practices ‘beyond organic’ farming in the mould of Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in America. I urge you to google Polyface Farms, as what Joel has been able to accomplish is nothing short of extraordinary. He is also one of  the stars of the excellent documentary “Food, Inc”. Again, if you have any interest in the food you put in front of your children, I urge you to seek this documentary out.

My Kiwi friends and family will no doubt think I am a nutter for driving 3½ hours (each way) just to take part in a two hour farm tour. However, distance in Australia is a notional concept, and the prospect of the tour was too good to miss. We were part of an 80 strong group who braved a cold and wet day to walk around the farm. The major attraction for us was the opportunity to see a farm operating the way we intend to farm in Canowindra.

On arrival, MacK was excited to see Gypsy (the Maremma dog) and a cat whom he chased across the parking area. Ben started the tour by telling us that he was a fourth generation farmer, with a singular regret being that his grandfather (Jack) had passed away before he came back to the farm. In front of the group, and very loudly, MacK said “Oh no! Jack’s dead”, before following that up with “How did he die, Mummy?”. To his credit, Ben just kept rolling with the commentary.

Ben runs a couple of thousand chickens, Wiltshire horned sheep, Berkshire pigs, and cows. There are also a number of ducks who marauder around the farm in a dodgy manner, although I am sure that their extreme free range diet will make them all the more lovely on the plate!

MacK was in heaven!

We looked at the 1100!! Point of lay pullets, and the three types of homes they will inhabit, dependent on their jobs on the farm (the chickens are used for pasture sanitisation and manuring, and others are fattened for meat). From there we walked through the extremely muddy puddles and pathways to the forest to see the beautiful herd of pigs. Most of the kids (MacK being no exception) ended up on their backs, having a bundle of fun! The pigs were all carrying litters, and have enlarged teats. MacK, being as observant (and loud) as he is felt the need to call out “Mummy, how come they have so many doodles hanging down?”

 Ben demonstrating the benefits of his A Frame chicken house - 5 star hotel chicken living

The egg mobile - brilliant concept

  Don't the ladies look happy?

Ben waxing lyrical about his Berkshire pigs - I think the feeling is mutual.

 Jane getting up close and personal with the Berkshire ladies

We had a brilliant time on the farm, and picked up a lot of really good ideas for our own piece of paradise. From the farm tour, we drove to Trentham, where I got to tick off another ‘bucket list’ item. We lunched at Red Beard Bakery, which is a fantastic sourdough bakery. The bread is baked in a century old wood fired scotch style oven. The oven deck is so large that two VW Beetles could sit side by side, and the bread is just spectacular.

We saw this on a shop in Trentham. Jane thinks this is her justification for putting our pigs in gumboots… Didn't she just see those beautiful pigs at Taranaki Farm?

We overnighted in Bendigo, where we caught up with Tim and Sharon. I worked with Tim several years ago, and we have a very similar philosophy to food. He and Sharon now run a very successful café called Twenty2 in Bendigo. Well worth checking out if you are ever in that part of the world.

MacK was a little excited about the breakfast Tim cooked for him

We did take the opportunity to do a little sightseeing before we left, and visited the Catholic Cathedral. It is a stunning old building, and Mack was very excited. He kept calling out ‘It’s a castle. Where’s Mike and the white knight?!”

It was a lovely weekend away, and something we should do more often. We have had the opportunity to get to Beechworth a couple of times this year. They have a fantastic brewery with an in-house pizza kitchen. It is a wonderful places for a quick and very good meal. The picture below is a mid meal selfie- 

We can't always get away as often as we would like, but it is lovely that MacK likes to spend time in the kitchen with us. He doesn't quite get why bread has to be kneaded for as long as it does, but he does attack the task with a great deal of energy!

Ladies who lunch...

For Christmas last year I gave Jane a voucher for a high tea for herself and five friends. Last Saturday she decided it was time to collect, and invited Clare, Melissa and Sam from Canberra, and Kylie and Elle from Wodonga. Clare took the days between Easter and Anzac Day as leave, and came down early. Anzac Day was a typically early start, and as dawn broke it got really cold. Both Jane and Clare had to have hot showers to try and defrost later in the morning!

I marched in Wodonga, and we stayed for the service. It was a nice quiet service, with the only downer being the selection of the performer to sing the national anthem and Amazing Grace. She was just horrific, and should stick to singing in the shower. Needless to say, I was surprised that they let her have a crack at the second verse of the national anthem after butchering the first verse!

Me and my boy on Anzac Day before the march

Sam and Melissa arrived during the afternoon, and we had Nana Chris' Chicken mayonnaise casserole for dinner, with sourdough bread. I had a busy day cooking in preparation, and left the girls to their gossip that night. 

The girls slept in on Saturday, and breakfasted on a loaf of 'Easter bread' - Chocolate, prune and espresso sourdough! They all though it was rather decadent. Mid morning they all disappeared to frock up and get ready for a day of food, bubbles and gossip. The invitation read 10:30 for 11:00, but no-one was really surprised when they weren't ready until 11:30! Festivities started with a glass of Jansz fizz for all of the girls. 

Clare having a minor face painting emergency… Lucky for Kylie!

The first team photo

The girls at the table

I had to photo bomb one of the photos!

And a little more formal!

I set the table with the tea setting we picked up in Canberra a couple of years ago, and it was our first opportunity to use the linen tablecloth, crystal bowl (thanks Hayeks), and crystal decanter (thanks Papps) we got as wedding gifts. We served a total of eighteen dishes during the day, with some on the table to start the ball rolling. The other dishes came out either as individual plated dishes, or as platters to share. The menu was as follows:

• Curried free range eggs
• Cauliflower veloute 'espresso', with prosciutto 'biscotti'
• Smoked salmon with scrambled eggs
• Goat cheese and tomato tart, with rocket and balsamic
• Pork and caraway sausage rolls with spicy tomato sauce
• Ham and cheese croissants
• Mini yorkshire puddings with roast beef, beetroot relish and caramelised onion
• Lime and chilli flash fried prawns, with aioli
• Smoked cheddar and cabernet paste Napoleon, with leatherwood honey roasted walnuts
• Broken glass red velvet cupcakes
• Chocolate croissants
• Rocher meringues, with cranberry, hazelnut and chocolate
• Blueberry and cinnamon rugelach
• Scones, with strawberry jam and cream
• Hazelnut macarons, with lemon cream cheese icing
• Poached pear and custard tarts
• Peanut butter and chocolate soufflé
• Salted caramel fudge ice cream, rolled with popcorn and dipped in dark chocolate

Rocher Meringues, in the crystal bowl

The cauliflower veloute espresso, with prosciutto biscotti

The girls ate through until about 5:00, and lubricated themselves with a jug or two (??) of Flora Dora. This is a fabulous, old fashioned cocktail built from Gin with raspberry and lime cordials and ginger ale. It got to the point where it was just easier to give Clare a stein and dispense with the champagne saucers.

A very happy girl!

The girls had a fabulous time, and loved the opportunity to get dressed up and have a fun day in. A couple of the girls commented that it was one of the most relaxing days they had enjoyed for ages, and an experience that should be repeated as often as possible. Jane said a few very lovely words, and suggested that this should be her Christmas present every year!

This was Jane's major sentiment for the day, although she did make the distinction that Clare was the sister she chose to be a girlfriend 

I know its good Kylie, but licking the plate???

All of the dishes worked really well, with one of the girls suggesting that her death row meal would be a plate of the pear and custard tarts, and me having to do up another batch of the cauliflower veloute for dinner on Saturday evening (because they needed more food…!).

Jane and her bestie!

I had a lot of fun, although I definitely noticed the lack of bench space for preparation, and almost wished I was back in a commercial kitchen. MacK was just a treat during the day. He was so well behaved, and just played quietly whilst sampling the odd plate of treats.

After the girls 'defrocked', and had their second round of cauliflower veloute, MacK took charge. He had the girls running through the house looking for monsters and mountain climbing. It was great fun to watch the little master organising everyone!

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