Dog blog.

The Maremma puppies are now three days old and still haven't opened their eyes. They are just too cute for words and we are spending oh so much time watching them and discussing them. When we left home earlier today for the first time since they were born, I missed them and couldn't wait to get back to them to see what they were up to.

Mostly all they do is feed and sleep, but they have also started to make little squeaky barking noises and sort of drag them selves along the ground if they get too far from their mama.

And today they started to wag their tails too (see above pic). This mostly happens when they are feeding and is too cute for words.

And their Willow mama adores them. She has taken a few quick walks away from them to eat and dust bathe and dig but constantly looks back to them and rushes back the moment she sees one of us touching them or if one of them cries.

She does not like us cuddling them at all and watches us and sometimes cries until we give them back to her.

A few times I have seen her try to pick one up in her jaw to move it but she has quickly put them down. I wonder if she'll bite the skin at the back of their necks to carry them or is that only with cats?

So apart from the farm chores and some berry picking, that's what's been going on here at Daylesford Organics for the past few days. Real work, hopefully ploughing up some vegie beds if its dry enough, resumes tomorrow.

The farm shop which was meant to reopen in January will remain closed until further notice due to the flooding and the delayed planting.

Bye for now.

The Big Wet.

We've had 120ml of rain since Wednesday night.

I think the drought we've been living in for the last ten years has broken.

We've had enough now, thanks!

More than enough!

This is the farm stall where we sell our fruit, veg and eggs.

This is the farm shop car park.

This is the shop garden that Bren ploughed up last week in preparation for the new season's planting.

This is The Short Creek Paddock, again freshly ploughed.

And the tyre swing.

This was the driveway into our place.

This morning all our guests had to leave their cars on this side and wade their way across.

This is Farmer Bren checking to see where his beloved top soil has been washed away to.

This is our new waterfall.

Muskvalley Falls has a nice ring to it.

Certified organic trout?? Rice??

This is where I stood to photograph the flood waters and almost got knocked over by the current.

This is where I left my car at the bottom of our hill, afraid to drive any further.

And this is my Farmer Boy going to check out the damage, trying his hardest to remain optimistic despite the fact that more rain is forecast this week and we probably won't be able to plant a vegie crop this year.

Bring on Summer, I say.

Closed!

Our farm gate stall is now officially closed for the season.

Today seems like such a perfect day to close as we have had more than an inch of rain over night and the temperature now at 11.53am is 3c. The farm is muddy, wet and freezing cold.

We have had the most fantastic season since we opened for the first time in January.

We have loved having you here walking through the rows of vegies, discussing growing techniques, recipes and menus. We have loved meeting those of you who came from far and those who were excited about the small amount of food miles from our place to yours.

We loved passing on our knowledge and doing tours for the old,

and the young.

We met celebrities,

were featured in the media,

and made great use of the scales.

I think my favourite was the guy who handed Bren his shopping bag and asked him to fill it with ingredients for a stir fry for four people.

So a HUGE thank you from us to you.

Thank you for supporting us and helping to make our dream a reality.

Thank you for walking through the rows of vegies to the stall.

Thanks for asking and caring about where your food comes from.

Thanks for appreciating great, in season, local and organic.

Thank you for emailing us when you got home to tell us how much you loved the experience.

Thank you for tuning Indi's guitar.

I could go on and on...

So until January when we reopen the stall, come and see us at Collingwood Children's Farm or The Abbortsford Convent Slow Food Farmers Markets.

And keep checking this blog for updates of what we are doing here on the farm, tour and course dates and anything else we find relevant.

Shortlisted!

We have been shortlisted for the Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards for 2010 and this is a photo of the produce we are sending to Sydney for the final judging next Monday.

Last year we won the From The Earth category for our heirloom vegies and won a gold medal in the From The Paddock section for our eggs.

Its hard to believe that a whole year has passed since we were in the middle of all this last year. Its all a bit exciting.

To taste some of this gorgeous certified organic produce, come and visit us at the farm stall here on Sunday, or come to Collingwood Childrens' Farm farmers' market tomorrow. To listen to Farmer Bren talking about heirloom vegies and eating sustainably, come to Melbourne Exhibition Centre tomorrow night at 5.30.

Hope to see you soon and have a great weekend.

Sunday at the farm stall.

Bren's Mum asked me to do a post showing what produce we have in season at the moment, so I thought I'd take you on a tour of the farm stall today and show you.

We have basil,

rainbow carrots,

Rainbow chard/silver beet top left and rocket just in front of it.

We have pullet eggs, large eggs and extra large eggs.

We have turnips,

garlic,

red onions,

eshallots,

and four more varieties of onions.

Not in the photo but also available are beetroots and radishes.

Coming soon are potatoes, swedes and kale.

I hope you are having a great weekend.

Sunflowers.

Our sunflowers are finally in bloom.

We have rows and rows of them.

If you come by the farm stall in the next few weeks, we'll pick you a bunch.

Just be sure to come in your big car. The first customers to take us up on our offer had to drive home with their sunflowers hanging out the window.

Scenes from the farm stall.

So ace to meet you and the family Emma.

Can you see me crocheting under the blackwood?

A most unwelcome guest. Indi named him Simon.

It was a ridiculously hot day today. The customers were few but so lovely.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

Farm gate stall.

We had such a great first day at the stall.

Thank you so much to everyone who came and supported us.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

(Tim I'll post a map tomorrow).