Thursday, September 16, 2010

duck island

Duck Island had an uneventful launching this morning.

God Bless her and all who hatch on her!

From Protea Farm 1

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

veterinary work protea farm style

We had an enforced veterinary day this weekend, with 4 boys to castrate and a ewe with diarrhoea to drench. If that was not enough there was also a friend's sick lamb to treat and then Peggy decided to attempt to give birth to a monster goat-like creature. This was way too large to enter the world unassisted, so was manually delivered by torch-light.

From Protea Farm 1

Monster goat like thing pictured above at 3 days old. She is much larger than the 12 day old Bellamy twins and Grundy boys.

All the ewes are spending the days outdoors now, but due to torrential rain and the fox threat they are housed in the barn at night much to the amusement of the locals who find the molly-coddling of sheep most unnecessary.

From Protea Farm 1

Ness has started 'Operation Wood Duck'. Each year the wood ducks that live on the dam hatch out their ducklings and proudly show them off. Within 24 hours there are no ducklings and 2 distressed parents, so we assume that the fox has a poultry dinner. The plan now that the dam is a large lake is to construct a floating island out of recycled plastic items to provide a fox-proof refuge for the duck family, complete with plant life and a 5 star ducky environment. Hopefully the island will be successfully launched later this week.

From Protea Farm 1

'Lake Protea'

From Protea Farm 1


Duck Hilton under construction.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

it is julia by a short head

After an interminable debate , Tony and Rob have given Julia Gillard the thumbs up to remain as PM. Queensland Bob obviously was not impressed with her checks and balances regarding the flying fox threat and backed the coalition.

Back at the ranch we have 2 sets of twins ( The Bellamys and The Grundys ). Clarrie is not doing too well and I have had to go back to the text books to remind myself how to deal with explosive diarrhoea of an ovine nature. Not pretty.

Speaking of diarrhoea we purchased a second car today whose colour could well be described as 'sheep scour' yellow.

From Protea Farm 1

The supply of second hand vehicles which are not utes is somewhat limited in Mudgee, but I am quite excited about my 'hot hatch' with 17 inch alloys and boy racer speeds. It is also fitted with a sound system that any teenage boy would be proud of, with volume controls on the steering wheel for easy access! .........an ideal old lady shopping car.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

new arrivals

Having had doubts about the sexuality of Brian the ram when he first arrived, the girls have started to fill out and look pregnant, and yesterday morning Lilian gave birth to twin lambs. The dorper/wiltshire horn cross lambs look extremely goat-like, but we are happy to report that the 'Bellamy boys' are doing well.

From Protea Farm 1


From Protea Farm 1

We were somewhat taken by surprise by the birth, my calculations had the due dates a few more weeks away, so Lilian dropped them in the paddock and we had to hurriedly erect maternity units in the shed because there is more bad weather forecast over the next week.

Despite the forecasts of more rain we have just had a couple of lovely warm days, and the first week of spring was heralded not only by lambs but also the return of the first tree frog on the verandah sending Ness scurrying back indoors!