Holy Goat.

Last Wednesday we went to visit Anne Marie at the Holy Goat organic farm and dairy outside Castlemaine.

First we played with the three week old kids. They sucked our fingers, ate our hair and clothes and played rough with us.

Then we met and went for a long walk with the one year olds. Each of these goats has it's name written on a tag around it's neck making it feel like they really are part of The Holy goat family.

Jazzy would only walk with Silver; and Indi and Pan bonded immediately.

It was a gorgeous day and we stopped along the way to pick daisies and make daisy chains.

Each day the Mother goats take their newborn kids on a long trek from the barn where they sleep, up to a higher paddock. We were lucky enough to have the job of carrying the kids back to the barn for the night.

There were lots of blowflies around so we checked out the cheese factory from the outside.

Lucky for us we were sent home with these gorgeous cheeses which we enjoyed on crackers for dinner.

We had a great day playing with the Holy Goats. Another highlight for me was this fantastic wallpaper I found in the toilet.

I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

Ducklings and Thanks.

When I went to check on the chicks today I thought I heard a few of them begging for an excursion to our backyard.

Who was I to resist?

At 2 weeks old they are so different to the chicks of the same age. They are growing so much faster, they seem more independent and confident and they are soooooooo fluffy and cute.

We brought five of them out, made them a small fence and enjoyed them for the afternoon in the spring sunshine.

And look what came in the mail today.

A week ago I won my first blog giveaway: Cathie from Melbourne Epicure had a competition to celebrate her 100th post and I was one of the winners.

Cathie's blog is definitely worth a visit. It is full of delicious recipes, step by step instructions with gorgeous photos, clever cooking tricks and gimmicks and best of all they are really doable for the normal home cook like me. In dispersed amongst all of this are lovely tales of her family life.

Cathie very generously sent three times more than she originally offered on the giveaway so there wont be any fights over rolling pins or cookie cutters.

And as for those chocolate love heart cookies, all I can say is go right now and get the recipe off Cathie's blog and make them. They did not hang around here long enough to be photographed.

Thanks heaps Cathie, here's to 100 more.

When it got cold and I poppped the ducklings back into the brooder for the night, I must admit I watched them for a while, trying to see if I could detect them telling any of the others about their day out in the big wide world.

Fluffy Ducks.

Bren will be at The Slow Food Farmers' Market at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne tomorrow (Sat 26th) from 8am - 1pm. Mention this blog and he'll give you a free certified organic, free range dozen pullet* eggs.

The Abbotsford Convent is in St Heliers Street Abbotsford, Melways ref 44G5

Have a great weekend, keep warm and Go Saints!

*Pullets are chickens that are less than a year old. Pullet eggs are small and packed full of the good stuff. People often tell us these are their favourite eggs.

Ducklings & Chicks

Last Wednesday Bren brought home 300 day-old chicks and 25 day-old ducklings.

The chicks are made up of three different varieties. The whites are Leghorn cross New Hampshires, the blacks are Australorp cross New Hampshires, and the browns are Gingerhams. The ducklings are Khaki Campbells.

We have had never had ducklings before and are all absolutely taken with them.

When we brought home our last batch of chicks in July they were very sleepy for a few days and stayed huddled together, some barely opening their eyes. This time the weather was a bit warmer and they were quick to jump out of their boxes and explore their new surroundings.

Some even jumped off the side of the brooder, ready to take on the big wide world.

Did you see the Discover Daylesford exerpt in yesterday's The Age newspaper?

On page 12 there is an article about local producers.

And page 13 has a big picture of our betroot.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Quack quack.