Summer and the Season

Summer and the season

Cutting & Planting

The plants are ready and rearing to go, we have the wonderful task of opening 50+ beds before all the workers arrive next week.

Job done.

So, Sunday morning everyone finds out the task at hand, and how it should be done. Bizarrely the plants are cut in bunches, with no roots attached, placed in small crates before being planted (the next day) and somehow they will grow into kumara!

Whilst that’s being taken care of, I have to pull all the irrigation (water hose) out from the beds, not easy when there are 3 in each bed 100m long and the plants are twisted around them. Mikko is a tractor man, and gets to turn the ground and water the plants.

Day 2. Planters start work. So my main task is transporting the plants from the cutters, to the shed, then to the planters. I get to do this via two trailers on the quad bike! : ) Along with this, I also need to pull irrigation out from the beds, turn water on for the beds (5 at a time) re-fuel the water pump every 3 hours, placing the irrigation down again once it’s been cut, and cover with plastic (as it has to grow again) and make sure there’s no holes in the irrigation. (usually I find several) Busy busy busy.

Rugby World Cup Final

Rugby World Cup Final..

It was Sunday October 23^rd, The Rugby World Cup Final! Which means... big party! Not only that, but the ‘All Blacks’ (the New Zealand team) were in the final and faced France! So Auckland City here we come.

Now I’m not a rugby fan to say the least but there aren’t many parties that go off in New Zealand so I didn’t want to miss this one!

We arrived in the city at midday, and took to the streets, where people were chearing, chanting, singing and busking all day long. But the most popular attraction was…wait for it… Jedi yes our puppy! He was centre of attention as people of all ages wanted to pet him for his cute little looks and the colour of his fur! He was the ‘All Blacks’ puppy!

The game didn’t start til 9pm so we enjoyed the day before heading for the lovely big queues to get into the venue!

The Bluff

Fishing for Mussels

We heard of a great spot to find fresh mussels but we needed a 4x4 to get there. Luckily the work truck was just what we needed to access the beach. After an hour or so we reached ‘The Bluff’ the tide was out, which was perfect timing to access the rocks and find those big juicy mussels!

It was also Jedi’s first experience of sand…sea and fishy things.

Promotion

Promotion!

Well, we are delighted to announce… John (the farm owner) has offered Mikko the position of Farm Manager!! Amazing! We were suprised and thrilled with the news, so it called for a little celebration with our new Argentinian neighbours.

Birthday Present

The Jedi Master!

I returned home next weekend and Mikko was waiting for me on the porch with a big smile and a huge hug! Inside was my surprise birthday present…hmmmm I thought one of the sheep had a lamb or it was an old friend. But it was even better…I opened the door and a little puppy came running towards me! I was so happy I was in tears; he was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I’ve always wanted a puppy, and here he was a cute 2 month old Black Labrador x Whippet. We had already thought about doggy names months ago, it was wither Milo or Jedi, and as he was black we both thought Jedi suited him perfectly.

Our baby boy….

Girly Time

Girly time in Auckland

Off I popped, south to Auckland, Half moon bay to be precise, to visit my good friend Danalle. It was time for some girly laugh’s, Jesters Pies and time in the sun. She has two lovely kids, Chloe age 4, and Liam age 11. So I spent a week being a kid again, as I entertained Chloe, the loveliest little girl I’ve ever met!

Chloe, Ashleigh, Khloe, Nell & Me!

Kumara!

Seeding!

The Kumara season has started, and now it’s time to begin preparing the beds. So Hayden pops in his tractor after some deliberation, and turns the ground, next the tractor makes ‘beds’ in the soil and us lucky, lucky people get to place the kumara in the beds, with precise precision!

Joy oh joy

Then Haden and his tractor cover the beds with soil, before we can start making the tunnels. The plastic is generally most fun, it’s like a tug of war except your tugging against the plastic not people.