a day in the life of...

4 a.m. Nic starts the day after a strong cup of tea – out to shift one of the few the A-frame sheds with the John Deere.  He is greeted by immense white fluffy Maremmas  that can be easily seen even though it is still dark. The skids pull along the thick rich soil with ease, and he jumps out of the cab to open the hatches. The hens nearly burst out of the doors and hatches – ready to hunt bugs that have unknowingly stepped into their turf overnight. They’re gobbled up with ease and satisfaction – off to find some more and to see what’s under the brush in the shelter break and catch up on the local gossip between Henny Penny and the others.

Change of machinery to a four wheeler and a pair of eager bordercollies to fetch the cows from their overnight paddock. Waking the girls – udders full from their rest in the fresh air and soft grass. They waddle over the track to the simple, old milking shed – 7 a-side. They wait patiently in the yard for the lights and music to come on, stepping into place to be relieved of their pure creamy goodness. Then a leisurely stroll back out to a new fresh paddock to be investigated and ruminated. 

The calves are next on the morning jobs – bawling out for their warm cuppa. They anxiously press their cool noses onto the feeder and nourish themselves with their mother’s milk – quickly getting their fair share between their group – the milk is quickly sucked away. Off for a warm nap in the hay with a satiated belly.

By now Amy and the 3 kids are clattering around the house – getting dressed, organizing their day after warm sleepy cuddles.

12 eggs on the cooktop – daddy is clobbered by sleepy faces and smooches before we all tuck into a hearty breakfast and strong coffee and tall glasses of milk.

Milk bottles to fill straight from the vat- no machinery needed, hand capped and tucked away into an esky or box in anticipation of being opened and coveted by their soon to be owner relishing in their unpasteurized, unhomogenized purity.  

There are around 1000 eggs to be collected from the paddocks, phone-calls, emails and books to be reckoned with, children to be bustled from here to there, neighbours and friends dropping in to share in the generous produce this 250 acres provides, tractor work to be done, deliveries to be made, veggie patch and orchard to be tended, marketing to be handled, orders to be taken, eggs to pack and grade, feed to be brought out to various entities of the animal menagerie that calls this place home.  

–that is just a drop in the bucket of happenings around this place.

The afternoon brings a second milking, and feeding of calves, dogs to be tended to and fed, 2000 chooks to be tucked away into bed after dark, and then of course ourselves. 

Some days are filled with sunshine and easily managed happenings. 

Some days are filled with howling winds, mud up to your guts and overtired people (big and small!)

But all our days are filled with satisfaction, commitment, love, and family.
Everyday –without fail.
Seven days a week.