Chris' Solo Trip: 30th October 2015

Chris headed up to the property by himself today. He managed to rustle up some concrete blocks to store the container on up off the ground.
He took down the ride on mower to clear the shed site but soon found how therapeutic it was and spent the next 4 hours mowing and exploring!

The colour of the landscape has evened out and well into that dry summer pasture that crynches under foot. The crickets are thick and dart in different directions as you walk.

Here are some pics he took. Check out the storm that rolled in!

Above: Storms coming!

Above: Super proud hubby!

Above: Shed site cleared and looking neat!

Above: Bricks for the container base

Above : Looking from the fence line

Above: Driveway mowed!

The Essential Rural Storage: Shipping Container

29th October 2015
Purchased our shipping container from a local guy who is asking minimal dollars for delivery as his rural property is near ours. We got a shipping container for cheaper than any other vendor and its in very good shape. Only down side is that its burger ring orange!! We will be fitting a container lock to it before it goes down there. We can finally start keeping our things down there!
We will be putting a carport off the side to cover the caravan which will be our temporary accomodation.

Compost Toilet System

Check back as we are only in the early stages of planning.

Here's a few links:
Splendor Festival Toilets

saoirsepermaculture.org

Day Trip 25th October 2015

Today we travelled down to organise the layout of our container, cabin and get some plans underway to build.

We met up with our friends at the State Park who had stayed the weekend fishing and then all made our way to the property.

Simon, Sacha and Daniel with Johnny, Simone and Caitlyn were all welcomed to our retreat.

The grass had not grown any longer and had finished seeding. The driveway we wore in was still visible in the pasture but no sightings of the sheep who had been left behind!

We went for a walk fown to the waterfall while Simon and Daniel went to the dam. Simon saw turtles in the dam while we all saw a Kangaroo.
I showed Simon the caves at the Valley then heard rustling across the creek. We went to investigate and we caught a glimpse of a something best desfribed as a ferret-like, red fur, spotted tail. It was not a fox or cat but quite possibly a Quoll. It disappeared into a small cave then never saw a sighting again.

We returned to the cars and indulged in our first beer we've had on the property. I enjoyed this moment right up until something crawled up my jeans and stung my leg! Twice! The burning pain was uncomfortable and started losing the ability to bend my knee as it swelled. I iced it but it hurt for another 5 hours after!

We drew up cabin plans and measured out the space. The enclosed cabin will be 8m x 8m with a deck that will expand the structure to a total of 12m x 10m. I am hoping to use recycled windows and doors to keep the cost low but be able to house 2 or 3 families comfortably.

We locked the gate for the first time as we left with our new chain and padlock. 

Day Trip 17th October 2015

17th October 2015

Today we went down to the farm for our monthly trip down. She is really missing the sheep! The pasture is above ankle height and in seed. 

It was about 32° but a lovely southerly wind blowing.
I had the unfortunate task of spraying herbicide on some of the blackberry bushes growing around the cabin site. Lots of random Bathurst Burr also. I am hoping to bring in a hedge cutter to attack the bigger wild blackberries however I spotted numerous amounts of Golden Orb spiders nestling amongst the branches and I hate spiders!

Chris drove a new driveway into the grass as the last tracks have overgrown!

We still love the property as much as we did on Day 1 and are now thinking of putting our own flock of sheep on it. The fences will need some patching and retensioning but not a full replacement.

The dam level was full and there is so much feed growing in the lower sections. We still have 2 sheep left on the property that must have escaped a final roundup of the previous owner.
I am also waiting to see if the property that has also sold next door is going to be a farm or weekender.

We did a huge walk down to the valley then up the western fenceline. Thought we were going to pass out from the heat! I had a flannelette shirt on with jeans, knee high socks and gum boots to protect me from snakes, sun, and anythi g else wriggling around. Chris settled for shorts and insect repellant.

It was very dry today however the natural spring and the area around it was still very soft and wet underfoot.

Saw 2 large Kangaroos bounce out from under a small grotto in the gully.

We got lots of spiky seeds in our pants legs from walking around, we saw no snakes or much wildlife. Guessing due to the hotter weather.

We finished the day at the Inlands Park getting ice cream, I took some distance photos of our property from Trout Farm Rd then drove home through the Canola fields of Boorowa.

Above: Me and hubby Chris while out weeding. He just wore his driveway in as his previous efforts were now overgrown.

Above: Chris' handiwork. Next week he will bring the ride on and cut it short.

Above: Chris picking burrs out of his socks on a granite boulder next to a giant fig tree.

Above: The spring is still keeping a section green as the water travels to the dam.

Above: Not our property. Ours is nestled between those mountains in the background. A lovely secluded property.

Above: Canola fields are in full force in the Central West.