Lucky's Duck Farm

Oh Yummo

2009-11-05T18:01:00.004+10:30

Guess what we are having for tea tonight?????

Does a little dance..... oh yeah baby, freshly picked, organic beetroot.

First feed for the season. Whoohoo.......

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: beetroot, root crops, vegetables, organic

She's Apples Mate

2009-11-04T13:03:00.002+10:30

One of the sets of apples on our Fuji/golden delicious apple tree. This is the first year we have apples set and so it's a new learning curb for us.

Both Pat & I are so excited about the thought of home grown apples. Pat's such an apple freak and we are forever buying them to eat.

Cooler weather today, had some shocking weather of late. One day was 38 degrees, far too hot for us.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: apples, weather, environent, fruit trees

Babies Everywhere.

2009-10-26T17:42:00.006+10:30

Spring is in the air out in my vegie patch. Seedlings everywhere.

All 4 varieties of beans have started to germinate, which is good as I harvested the last of the broad beans about 30 minutes ago. These are climbing beans (Blue Lake) my favourite.

Carrots and beetroot are growing great and some of the baby beet leaves are used in salads.

Beets are starting to form beautifully.

I can't get over how well my rhubarb plant is growing. Well over 12 months old and look.... 2 baby crowns have formed.

Using my pointer finger to show you the thickness of some spears growing.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: asparagus, beans, beetroot, broad beans, carrots, organic, rhubarb

Snaps Of This & That

2009-10-19T13:46:00.001+10:30

Some photos of food growing happy in my little vegie patch and a special something at the end.

Sweet Bite tomato variety, little fruits just starting to form. These are great to eat while surfing the net, waltching TV or to stay off those hunger pains.

Some loose leaf lettuces before I harvested the outer leaves.

Broad beans, I think about 1 more attack of harvesting these and then I'll cut them down at ground level.

Asparagus still being picked, but at the same time I am letting some of the spears grow. Soon I'll stop harvesting all together.

Now for something special.

One of 27 happy snaps of my right ankle. Nothing showed up and so I am to take note of what annoys it and work to increase that "what ever" slowly to build up the strength in this area.

So if lots of walking pisses my ankle off........ pull back on the walking and slowly build it up. I can see this being a real pain in the bum as I am always on the go.

Sowed a pile of seeds this morning, weeded the carrot, beetroot area. Yes I did get up to an alarm. Off now to make sausage rolls for tomorrow's quilting day.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: asparagus, broad beans, food, lettuce, photo, tomato

Been A Bean Day.

2009-10-18T20:42:00.006+10:30

Today was such a beautiful spring day, that when I went out to feed the animals, I decided a day in the vegie patch was called for.

First off I picked & shelled a regular bucket size of broad beans. Just under 3/4 kilo of shelled beans in the freezer by 11.30. Seemed to take forever to shell them all but at the same time relaxing, Pat kept me company.

With all the sunshine and being able to keep an eye on them, the girls & Radar were let out of their run. While the chooks dug and had dust baths, the ducks quacked and checked out underneath the chook house.

All weeds from the vegie patch were thrown over the "people fence" for them to turn over.

We had a visitor this morning as well. Maggie's baby was on our roof having a feed. Not the best photo, but the only one I got of him/her. They make the cutest sound when begging for food and even funnier when feeding.

The area I worked on was part of the no-dig garden,weeds were easy to remove in this area. Mostly weeds that seemed to run over the soil top and didn't take long to remove. I then dragged the 3 prong claw over it all.

After we had some friend call in for a couple of hours, it was back into the garden. I planted out beans in the area after the 2 trellises were set up.

Between the cement and the first trellis are Hawkesbury Wonder a green bush bean. First trellis is blue lake beans. In between the 2 trellises I found 3 self sown triple curl parsley plants. Left them there as I will use that area to walk between, when harvesting the beans.

The right trellis has some frost free climbing beans and on the right, butter beans.... Pat's favourite.

After this was all done it was time to harvest any crops that needed doing. Once this was completed I fed the plants a mixture of worm wee and pigeon manure liquid (from our good gardening buddy Pepe).

A big basket with baby spinach, a mixed variety of loose leaf lettuces, asparagus and the last of the duck & hen eggs laid for the day.

Tomorrow I hope to get seeds sown and the carrot, radish & beet root area weeded. Getting up to an alarm to help get this done as I am back to the doctor about my ankle early afternoon. New doc and new ideas on what could be wrong. Ultra sound scan didn't show a lot, so back for maybe a x-ray, going on what the doctor who looked at my scan said. I'll keep you posted on this, not giving up my garden again.

I took a heap of photos of what is happening in the garden.....post some in the next day or so for you to see how it's growing and feeding us.

Until next time....

technorati tags: asparagus, bantams, beans, chickens, chooks, ducks, eggs, hens, lettuce, no-dig, organic, parsley, poultry, seeds, weeds

A Duck Tale.

2009-10-11T18:05:00.008+10:30

Once upon a time there was a duck called Bundy. He is a handsome duck and was having a pool party.

Bundy was thinking how much fun he was having, so he did what any clever duck would do...he sent out emails, put a comment up on facebook and let his duck friends know on Twitter. "I'm having a pool party come on over."

Well it wasn't long before word got out and Daphne arrive and in the pool she jumped.

"Make room for me", quacked Alice.

"Oh I am so glad I got your email Bundy," said Rhett as she shook water from her eyes. "This is so much fun".

"Come on Daphne, if you can't keep up with us doing our laps, hop out", said Bundy.

Paddles remarks, "We need a pool this much bigger, wonder if Father Christmas will bring us one this year?"

And so it went on for a while longer, Bundy and his pool party friends having a wow of a time. While shy Sunny and Spring watched and hoped the new pool will be bigger and deeper, so they can join in too.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: birds, ducklings, ducks, eggs, poultry, Muscovy

Potato Harvest

2009-10-08T13:12:00.003+10:30

Kipfler spuds freshly dug from out in my garden. This is the second harvest from the area. First harvest was back a few weeks ago and we haven't eaten all of those yet.

Its interesting how these potatoes came about.

They are the left overs we missed last year towards Christmas. We never watered them over the winter months, just let them do their thing. These spuds would have to be the most cheapest potatoes we have ever grown.

Once the spuds had died back, Pat started digging them out on his good days.

Going to use some of the green ones and resow another area of the garden and hopefully we'll do as good. These will be ready with any luck by the end of the year.

Some pretty darn big spuds in there and 1 spud is feeding the 2 of us.

We have stored the crop in a big garden pot with an old tea towel over them in our shed.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: potato, organic, vegetables

Bugs

2009-10-02T13:14:00.005+09:30

Pat was outside taking photos with his macro lens this morning, before the winds came up. Just wanted you to see some of the photos he took.

Beginning of the poppy.

Beginning of the pod.

Who needs to spray for aphids when we can call in the good guys???

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: pests, flowers

Poppies

2009-10-02T09:36:00.005+09:30

Few years back in the friendship garden I threw some poppy seeds around. Each year in early spring we have the odd plant grow and enjoy a small showing of poppies.

This year has been the opposite. The area where Amy parked her car all the time while living at home, isn't used much now, poppy plants are booming all over this area.

In between weeds are dozens of little poppy plants and in the middle is this lovely big plant. The soil conditions must be just spot on for so many seeds to germinate.

This photo was taken yesterday morning on the way into the city. Flowers don't last longer than a day. Percy is giving you as idea of the size of the bush.

Love the delicacy of this flower.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: flowers, friendship garden, organic, photo

Percy Is Home

2009-09-28T17:13:00.002+09:30

Percy arrived back home today and he brought some wonderful souvenirs for us as well. One of the gifts is a "River Cottage" DVD.

Weather has settled down some here too. Not the wind and rain has also backed off.

Picking radishes and broad beans for the kitchen. Also harvesting potatoes that grew over the winter months. Still planning on planting out a spring crop as well.

Decided to call the 2 new ducks, Sunny and Spring.

Until next time ....hoo roo

technorati tags: beans, radish, ducklings, ducks, weather

River Cottage Gift.

2009-09-17T20:47:00.003+09:30

Today in the mail I recieved this beautiful gift from a lovely lady on a garden forum I live on.

Bon007 went over to England and visited River Cottage. She though I would love a tea towel from there. She is so right.

Thank you Bon & Mr. Bon for your beautiful gift. I love it.

Not sure what River Cottage is all about.... check out this website where you can watch the show.

Until next time....hoo roo

Baby Muscovies

2009-09-11T17:07:00.003+09:30

Today we took Felix and another young white drake to my poultry feed supplier. Having 3 drakes was getting to be a problem and Bundy was run off his feet, keeping his wives safe from the young hormonal crazed drakes.

I did a great trade..... those 2 drakes with a reduced price on these 2 four month old Muscovy ducks.

Pat is thrilled to have a Muscovy back in the flock. I am too for that matter.

Not sure what I will call them.... maybe you might have a name, if you do............please let me know.

This afternoon while "Maggie" flew in and out collecting her food, I planted out a punnet each of cabbages & broccoli. Been a lovely but very windy day today.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: brassica, broccoli, cabbage, ducks, Muscovy, seedlings, poultry

Maggie

2009-09-10T18:51:00.001+09:30

This little female magpie comes in morning and night for a feed of meat from the scrap bucket. I feed her on the lawn to save her trying to get food from the duck's scrap bowl.

Marty The Magpie

2009-09-06T09:39:00.003+09:30

Ever day or so, we have a magpie call in when I feed the chooks & ducks their kitchen scraps. I usually throw him a piece of meat scrap if there is any in the bucket. He flies in grabs the meat and off he goes.

Bread!! Where is my bacon today??

Can't find good help anywhere, guess this slug will have to do.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: birds

What A Rush

2009-09-03T15:19:00.008+09:30

Today Pat, Pa & myself went to Bunnings to buy some tomato plants. Pa has been visiting from Sydney for a week so far and I wanted to spend some time with him in a vegie section. It was Pa who got me interested in growing vegetables, when we both lived in Whyalla.

What a rush it was picking out seedlings and plants. Its been about 12 months since I have bought any vegie seedlings/plants due to my leg. So I am sure you can guess how happy I was to be in the middle of the seedlings picking out plants.

Went with

Grosse Lisse
Sweet Bite
Apollo
Beef Steak

Late next month I'll plant another batch of tomato seedlings out. That way by staggering them, we'll have a longer tomato season.

While Pa & Pat walked around the hardware area, I was being so naughty and collected some other seedling punnets.

Broccoli
Cabbage
Chives
Loose leaf lettuce mixed
Baby spinach
Celery

By this time I wanted out, before I went really naughty.

Chives and celery went in the front left side of the no-dig garden. Still haven't pulled those weeds out, they will be nice and fresh for the poultry when we do though.

In front of the tomatoes went the baby spinach and lettuce.

Pat turned the soil for the broccoli and cabbage, just needs a couple of bags of sheep manure stored in the duck shed and then in they go.

Very excited about the plants going in. Love the idea that I have tomatoes in the garden.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: brassica, broccoli, celery, chives, lettuce, no-dig, organic, tomato, seedlings, spinach

Congratulations Amy & Ben

2009-08-30T16:48:00.004+09:30

Congratulations Amy & Ben on your engagement.

Big party for them last night.

That's me..... just in case you didn't recognize me . I actually felt quite comfortable in my glad rags and not t-shirt and shorts.

My baby girl gets married May next year.

Until next time.....love your children as they grow so fast....hoo roo

Root Crops Are In

2009-08-24T09:59:00.004+09:30

Before the forecast rain comes today (looking very threatening) we sowed carrots, radishes and beetroot.

Bird netting is more for my benefit as well as keeping birds away from the tender shoots as they germinate. I might forget where I sowed to seeds and put my foot on them.

We had some light rain overnight, soil is lovely an moist. Sub soil is looking very wet too. Been a long time here since we have seen that.

Hoping today to start some seeds off in punnets. That may not happen though..... have to get my sewing room ready for Pat's dad who arrives from Sydney tomorrow for Amy & Ben's engagement this weekend. Pa is also staying for a few weeks.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: beetroot, birds, carrots, organic, radish, root crops, seeds, rain, soil, weather

Before & After.

2009-08-23T13:53:00.012+09:30

Lot of photos to look at today, may need a cuppa for this one.

Today was my first real play in the vegie patch this year. In Late November last year my doctor told me to rest my ankle and tone the gardening right back. I have bad legs most of my life, but the ankle was a new problem. As I don't play sports, the garden was blamed for my swollen and very sore ankle.

I was devastated and for a while I wouldn't go on a gardening forum I live at and a couple of other garden forums I loved to stop by and chat with other gardeners. Even my depression flared up as I found it so hard.

That is when I took up quilting for a new interest and something to keep me sane.

Well the ankle is still not much better, I have changed doctors and bugger it.... I'm gardening.

My poor garden, over run with winter weeds but with lots of compost, chook waste and bunny bedding being put around the areas while I moped and sewed.

Lets take a look at the before photos I took this morning and the help I rounded up, to play along side of me. Then the end results.

This area was last years tomatoes, capsicums & leeks. Picked the last 3 capsicums for the kitchen the rest of the plants & weeds were either fed to the ducks, chooks or compost bay.

Pat tackled this area as I was busy elsewhere in the garden. Not only that, my ankle doesn't have the strength to use a garden fork to turn such a big area over.

The photos are partly in the shade as it was early in the morning when I took them.

This is the area I worked in. Look at last years asparagus spears. I have never had them in this condition before. I started at the front and as I worked towards the back.... weeds were removed and the old stalks cut off at ground level.

Next to be done was last years silverbeet and Italian parsley. I removed what stakes I could manage and Pat did the rest of them.

By this time the rabbits, ducks & chooks were having a very green weedy breakfast. Thank goodness also for the open compost bay for the dead asparagus spears.

It was a real working bee too. Everyone was pulling their weight, cats were sunning themselves in the windows while they watched and snoozed. Chooks were turning over all their boxes of weeds I had pulled. Plus the wheel barrow loads Pat had pulled out as he turned over the area at the back.

Ducks were on bug, slug and snail patrol. They had so much fun and were quacking non stop.

All seven ducks had a real talk fest going on in the broad beans that our "good gardening buddy" Pepe had sown for us. Found baby bean pods on them today.

Once the asparagus was cleaned up the ducks were checking the area out. This became a problem as their webbed feet where starting to damage the tender spears. So I sacked them and popped them back in their run.

It was very hard having them under foot as Clancy wasn't there to be hand fed curl grubs and no Roz to pull on my pants asking for her share.

Girls were thinking it was Christmas I am sure. So many weeds and greens for them to scratch over. Lovely yummy yellow egg yokes will be made from all their work. I haven't bought eggs for 10 years now.

We had a few breaks as the morning wore on. Coffee, skinny coke and some apple/rhubarb and custard for morning tea. I think the apple & rhubarb tasted even better today.

So now your've seen the messy garden and my lovely helpers.

The unveling of my vegie patch with help from Pat and the feathery ones.

Last summer was the first year this part of the no-dig garden was used. This second season will have tomatoes growing there. Over the months I had added rabbit hutch bedding and chicken litter when the chook run and bedding area was cleaned out.

I raked it over and added 3 large bags of sheep manure that my sister supplies me with. Because I don't pay for it, I was able to add that extra bag.

Look at the asparagus area now, all weeded and cut back. Also spread over their area was sheep manure as well as around the silverbeet. Moved the little bird bath over to this area as I can fill it when I water the plants.

Those weeds at the front left will be removed tomorrow. By about this time both Pat was tired and breathless (wind had come up) and my ankle was hurting.

You can see where Pat weeded as he turned over the soil for me. I kept a close eye on him, that he didn't over do it. He's having a lay down now as he's tired and needs to rest.

The garden looks loved again doesn't it?? Tomorrow I'll cover all that sheep manure with compost. Then here is hoping next pay I'll have the first of our tomatoes in for the 09/10 season.

Still lots to do, but Rome wasn't build in a day...... about a fortnight wasn't it

Until next time.... hoo roo.

technorati tags: animal manure, asparagus, beans, capsicums, chickens, chookscompost, manure, hens, n0-dig, organic, poultry, rabbits, rhubarb, silverbeet, tomato, weeds

The Day Has Arrived

2009-08-22T16:39:00.003+09:30

I was wondering if this day was ever going to arrive. After 10 years of gardening vegies and 11 rhubarb plants later I can announce the following.

Tonight we're have stewed rhubarb & apple with custard.

For the last 10 years I have been trying to grow a rhubarb plant.

I've bought them as crowns (naked) from different local nursery. Also from Bunnings, even a lovely friend sent me plants from her garden. But they all died.

It became a standing joke amongst my gardening buddies how I was a "Cereal Killer" as I killed them so quickly after I bought them.

I'm sure saw the little plants quivering on their little shelf displays if I was anywhere near them. Cowering and hiding behind each other, hoping not to be bought by me.

October last year I bought numbers 10 & 11. Ran a voting poll on where my readers though they would grow or not.

Well number 10 made it to grow into the most beautiful plant and today I harvested a few of his leaves and they are now stewed along with some apples.

For some reason I think a backyard garden doesn't look complete with out the odd rhubarb plant growing somewhere.

So if you can't grow something, keep on trying...... you may just achieve it in the end.

Oh and check out Percy, he's been to "River Cottage" over in England and was nearly cook by the chef.

Until next time....hoo roo

Saturday Happenings

2009-08-15T10:41:00.003+09:30

While Rebel was doing his usual daily "thing" on the lounge cat pillows, life was passing him by.

Rebel sleeps his days & nights away to the stage when he's awake, we say he's on his lunch break or tea break.

Rebel has missed the following on this beautiful if early spring day here in Luckyland.

This caterpillar was making fast work on the diet buds. I'm not a big fan of caterpillars and used to have nightmares when we visited grandma's place as a child. They used to drop off the grape vines as we walked under them to get into her house.

My favourite fruit is the white flesh nectarine. I have now my very own tree and this will be the second season in the garden.

Love gazania flowers and this plant isn't watered much and so its not taking over the garden. Years old and just such a bright sunny flower.

All photos were taken by Pat with is Olympus E-300 camera, except the lad sleeping a beautiful Saturday away.

P.S.

Don't forget to check out Percy's Postcards blog. He's been to Holland & Germany now.

Until next time....hoo.

technorati tags: cats, flowers, links, fruit trees

Fox Raid

2009-08-13T20:18:00.002+09:30

Last Friday night a fox paid a visit and we lost Clancy & Roz (last 2 original ducks) and Bonnie & Clyde the 2 silky hens.

The only body not recovered was Clyde. Clancy, Roz & Bonnie were buried in the old raspberry area. This spring we are planning on planting a passion fruit vine there.

Saturday was not a good day here. I hadn't locked them away that night. You'll never know how much I regret this.

Bird & The Bees.

2009-08-02T16:13:00.001+09:30

As promised, photos of some bees busy collecting pollen from almond blossoms.

Pat took these with his Olympus E300 on macro.

Close enough to see his pollen sacks full.

Too busy to worry about us taking photos.

Really puts my camera to shame.

This little fella was happy feeding on our lawn this morning.

Love the fact we are in the city and we get parrots come in and wander around our yard.

Love how the sun shines on his feathers.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: bees, birds

2009-07-28T12:09:00.002+09:30

Hello everyone. I'm off to Melbourne and then overseas for a month.

If you want to follow my journey and see where I go.... check me out on my very own blog.

Hoping to be able to post about my travels while away.

Almond Blossoms

2009-07-26T12:24:00.005+09:30

This morning Pat & I went walking and we actually remembered to take our cameras. This almond tree isn't all that far from our place.

Smells beautiful as we walk past and bees are filling their full from the blossoms.

Pat was saying he thinks the blossoms are out early this year. I can never remember from year to year, when the trees start to flower.

Something about the almond blossom with the light pink blush on their petals. Makes for some stunning photos.

I don't think the tree is harvested by anybody. Just the local birds. There was a lot of last year mummified almonds on the trees still.

Pat took some beautiful macro photos of bees. I'll post the in the next day or so to show you all.

Until next time....hoo roo

Introducing Percy

2009-07-10T18:56:00.003+09:30

I have always wanted a pet pig...just a little pig for the backyard. Living in the city, this won't be happening.

So instead I made a little pig for myself.

His name is Percy and he's not going to be sitting around Lucky's Duck Farm looking cute. No sir.... not this little pig.

He's off to see Australia & the world. He's got his own blog and he's also on Face Book. There is even a trip to Europe planned for next month. Little porker isn't taking us though.

If you want to follow Percy and his "Pursuits & Pastimes" you can click on the follow button.

Otherwise we have had some wonderful rain that has been falling steady all day.

Tomorrow I am spending the day with Amy, her future MIL & her maid of honour. I haven't said anything yet but Ben & Amy are getting married on the 1st May next year. Tomorrow is a wedding day prep for us 4 girls, starting with a champagne breakfast.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: weather, rain, websites, links