Buzzy bees!

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The blossom in our orchards is out, but the forecast for the next week's weather isn't great. It looks like today will be THE POLLINATION DAY.

Bees like still, warm weather.

Look at what a wonderful job that bee is doing. It is amazing that he be able to fly with all that pollen on his legs?

Go bees go! Pollinate the orchard, make lots of fruit for this season.

And thank you for the wondrous, important work that you do.

To market - to market.

So it seems spring had finally sprung and our chookies are laying like crazy and we have lots and lots of the most wonderful and delicious free range, certified organic eggs.

Why don't you come and visit us at The Slow Food Farmers' market at The Abbotsford Convent tomorrow and get yourself a dozen or two.

The market is on from 8am until 1pm and is at The Abbotsford Convent, St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Melways ref 44 G5.

See you there.

Yellow!

Its that time of the year when everywhere you look there's something yellow.

Wattle.

Daffodil.

Kale.

A different wattle.

Yet another variety of wattle (yes, that's its Latin name.)

Is this a daisy, a cape weed or a dandelion?

Unfortunately we know too well that this is the dreaded gorse flower.

Swede.

I hope your Sunday is a funday.

The last few weeks.

Its been a crazy few weeks here at Daylesford Organics.

We said goodbye to our best friend for the past 12 years, Pixie. Pixie was the most loyal farm dog and we miss her immensely.

Last week Bren picked up 300 one day old baby chicks.

Its been a year since our last batch and I forgot how cute those little balls of fluff are.

And we picked up a new egg seller, Garden Organics, who are located in the Victoria Markets.

Thanks for the pics F.D.

So here we are in the middle of spring, the paddocks are finally drying out, the dams are full, the blossom is just beginning and we are starting to enjoy the fist vegies of the season.

Mmmm there's nothing quite like a frittata with new season's asparagus and garlic for lunch.

I hope this finds you happy and healthy whereever you are.

Ducks.

Last September we brought home 26 Khaki Campbel ducklings.

They were so cute and fluffy and we looked forward to watching them grow and learning all about them.

So its been a year now since they've been living at Daylesford Organics and we're learning more about them everyday.

We do know that they are hardier than chickens, their poo is disgusting and sloppy, they love to swim, they make everything dirty especially their drinking water, their eggs appear to drop out of them wherever they are, they are extremely shy and wont come anywhere near us and we know that we can herd them from one area to another.

We still don't know how to get them to lay in any sort of nest. We have seen them swimming on the dam late at night and have no idea if they sleep there or if in fact they sleep at all.

This is the shed the boys built for them a while back. They take the wheels off it whenever they move it to ensure the ducks don't lay underneath. They don't sleep in it and they don't use the cozy, straw filled laying nest on the right side either.

We do know that we love hanging out with them and their bossy, quacky sisters.

And we do know that there are some women that buy duck eggs off us at market and adore them. They get so cross with us if we forget to bring them their fortnightly supply. And we do know that Chef Hat winning chef Andrew Dennis of A Perfect Drop in Daylesford, loves our duck eggs too. He uses them to make the most divine pastries.

Happy first birthday duckies!

Flooded farm.

Happy spring!

Its been raining and pouring here.

We've had 40mm of rain since midnight last night.

A dam up the road has broken its banks and the bottom of our property is under water.

This photo shows one of the reasons why we close the farm gate stall over winter. You'd have to get your bathers on to get to that little shed stall today.

The last time we can remember it raining like this was in 2003 when we'd just spent a small fortune redoing our driveway only for it to be washed up stream.

So today we are thinking about organic trout or organic rice.

And we are optimistic about the coming fruit and vegetable season.

Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

Oh, and thanks so much Mitch for the great pics. X

Roosters?

I've been thinking a bit about keeping roosters lately. To keep or not to keep, that is the question.

We have two flocks of chooks at the moment; the flock of chooks that came to us at one day old and had a couple of roosters in amongst all the hens, and a flock that we bought at point of lay with no roosters at all.

The reason I've been thinking about them is because after a few rooster attacks on me and the girls while gathering eggs, we are all a bit afraid of visiting that flock. I'm sure they are only protecting their girls but gosh it hurts and I have some scars to prove it.

But one of the most important things to us at Daylesford Organics is biodiversity and we don't believe you can be bio diverse if you have 1000 female of a species and no males.

Also, we feel that it is our responsibility to provide a good life for our hens. A life that is as close to their natural life as we can facilitate whilst protecting them from predators and the elements. This means keeping roosters.

The flock with the roosters appear calmer than the one without and if you watch them carefully, you'll see the roosters calling to the hens to alert them to something to eat or to a threat.

And I guess what's a farm without the early morning crow of the rooster?

Even if it means always maintaining a supply of ear plugs when they are up near the house over winter.

Its a hard one, but we are lucky enough that none of the boys seem to mind visiting the rooster flock to feed them, move them along or to collect the eggs, so we don't have to make any difficult decisions at the moment.

But I do believe that keeping roosters is probably the difference between a free range organic egg farm where the chooks have a lifestyle and an egg factory.

But its interesting to think and talk about. To consider from all angles and to make our minds up and then change them again. After five years in the egg business, we are still learning every day.