Meet Spud

Ben suggested we needed a scarecrow……what a great idea!  So here he is – Spud the newest family member on the Lattimore Acre.  He is spectacular – not only because of his incredibly handsome appearance  but he has managed to keep those pecking birds away, even the scrub turkey.   He also stayed standing this week through a crazy storm!  Thanks Spud!!

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I am going to link up with ‘Life Made Lovely Monday’, we think Spud is lovely and I do plan on blogging how we made him.

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Best for Breakfast!! “2010 update”

We couldn’t be more impressed with our Isa Brown hens.  Penny Penny and Honda are fabulous additions to our family.  They are friendly and even enjoy to be picked up and snuggled.  They do have a bad reputation as being a bossy bird towards other breeds.  But our Silkies and Isa Browns live together very happily.  The produce eggs nearly everyday.  And good sized eggs….. the best for breakfast!!  Their is always discussion in our house over who got the biggest egg for breakfast.  On occasion the girls lay enormous eggs – normally a double yolker.  This makes an extra special breakfast!! Thanks girls xo.

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That is my hand, not Bens!!  I am continually surprised how I fuss over the chickens……who would have thought!!

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What to do with Broody Chickens??

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What do you do with Broody Chickens?  We don’t have a rooster and our two Silkies – Woof and Buzz spend their days sitting on the other chickens eggs or sitting on no eggs at all.   I feel a little sorry for the girls as the eggs  are never going to hatch!  I lift the girls out a couple of times a day making sure they drink and eat (I take them down their favorites).  I   read that they will stop being broody if you get them out and put them in the sun.  This doesn’t seem to be working.  Does anyone have any tips or will they just stop being broody some day soon?

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Project Veggie Patch

Ok…. let me begin by saying we know very little about growing vegetables except that you plants seed/seedlings, water them and harvest home grown goodies.  It doesn’t sound complicated……. what can happen???  Andrew, Dad and Ben built our veggie patch.  We went with old railway sleepers to keep with the style of our house.

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We filled the garden with premium garden mix (dirt with cow excrement!).

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Then there was a big decision to make….. what do we plant.  I headed to local hardware/nursery and read nearly every seed packet looking for what is in season.  I also bought some seedlings.  This is what we decided on – tomatoes, carrots, corn, beans, radishes, zucchini, spring onions, watermelon and pumpkin.  We also were given some passion fruit plants.   Ben was also given some magic seeds from his cousin Maggie so we planted those as well.  They will be a total surprise!!  On advise from friends we planted the pumpkin and water melon in the ground not in the veggie patch and put the passion fruit next to the fence.

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So we said a  little prayer and kept our fingers crossed.  And Voila…… a week later they sprouted…..YAY!!!! (Yes Ben has the same shirt on!)

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This week we have been chasing away the Magpies that keep pecking at the seedlings.  Ben suggested we needed a scarecrow……what a great idea!

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Our Lovely Ladies “2010 update”

Our lovely ladies Honda, Penny Penny, Woof and Buzz are all laying!  We have had so many eggs we have been giving them away.

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I never knew that I would love our girls so much.  But they have really become family pets.  They all have their own little personalities.  Ben and I visit them  for cuddles.  Don’t worry I am well aware of  how ridiculous I sound!!

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