We had a big day in Melbourne this week, but the highlight was definitely picking up my Mum. She arrived in the morning, which gave me a good reason to line up a few warehouse pick-ups while we were there. By the time we headed home, we had a van load of jars and glass bottles, flour, gluten-free flour and a new toy for the kitchen. I can assure you, we saw quite a bit of Melbourne from north to south! Thankfully, our son Timothy did some of the driving to get a few more hour

Last Saturday, a few ladies joined us for our wreath-making workshop, which was really lovely. It was so nice seeing everyone create something beautiful together. The workshop was led by Rachael from Handpicked Flower Farm, and we already have another one coming up in November. We also had our annual kitchen inspection at the beginning of the week. Once a year, the Shire comes along to check that everything is in order, so it was nice to get that over and done with as we head

Last week was rounded up with our Patch to Plate Dinner, which was a really lovely community night. From there, we’ve had a much better week, getting back into more of our normal pace. We managed to get most of the homeschooling done in the earlier part of the mornings, which meant we could spend much of the rest of the days outside. And honestly, that’s where we like to be! We’re just about finished mulching around the berries and bushes before we move into the vegetable pa

This week was full. Really full. Sometimes I wonder how we actually get it all done! Tuesday brought us a pretty big meeting with our farm consultant. There was a lot to cover, and having someone from the outside sit down with us is always helpful. We were able to nut out some of the bigger, longer-term things, as well as the decisions that matter right now and sometimes need to be made almost instantly. Some of it is exciting, some of it is hard, and some of it is simply bus

I knew I had another week of negotiating with the weather in front of me, and I wasn’t wrong! But we made it through, and somehow it’s Friday night again. Did I say I had finished pruning the orchards? Well… a few more fruit trees decided otherwise. They needed some attention, so I sharpened the pruners once more and got the job done. I’m definitely calling it finished this time! A while back, I ordered some rootstock and have been keeping a few scions along the way. With tho

Last Sunday we welcomed another wonderful group to the barn for our sourdough bread making class. It was an afternoon spent talking all things flour, dough and bread, with plenty of questions, hands-on learning and, of course, the smell of fresh sourdough filling the room. Monday brought our usual trip into Warrnambool, delivering a few orders before the girls headed off to their music lessons. In the evening we held our final winter workshop at the Warrnambool Community Gard

Last Saturday we welcomed more than 50 guests to the barn for our very first Patch to Plate roast dinner. It was a wonderful evening, with plates piled high with roast meat, seasonal vegetables and a whopping 12 kilograms of potatoes. To finish, we served a traditional Swiss Bee Sting cake—a little taste of my homeland that was the perfect ending to a winter meal. A full barn is something we never take for granted. We see it as a real blessing, and we’re incredibly grateful t

This week began with a job that seems to grow a little bigger every year—pruning the roses. When I first planted them a few years ago, it didn’t feel like there were that many. Now, as each bush has matured, winter pruning has become quite the task. It’s satisfying work though, knowing the effort now will be rewarded with plenty of blooms in the months ahead. Alongside life on the farm, we’ve also been busy working on another project. A nearby farmhouse is slowly being transf

A new financial year, a new milk processor, and the shortest day now behind us — it feels like we’re stepping into a fresh season with plenty to look forward to. One of those things is a little holiday in August. More details on that another time! The week began with finalising the financials, followed by something we don’t do nearly often enough — taking a day off. I managed to coax my husband into Warrnambool while one of our vehicles was being serviced, and we spent a coup