Daily Archives: 2009-04-23

Netta called – her Maori lady who knows about flax has now agreed to come and see us, probably sometime next week. Netta wanted to be sure we wouldn’t buy our flax plants before hearing from her friend.

Colin and Maggie Nagel called round for morning tea; Colin chatted about his farming days growing potatoes and more recently his work with a colleague helping him rebuild a Lewis motorcycle – lots of searching for spare parts and making special bits of metal with the unique threads and bends. Colin also talked about the need for organic matter to be put on poor pasture – not chemical cocktails but plain old organic matter – blood and bone or dug-in green crops. Colin is remarkable hale for an 80 year old.

Ewe lamb #812 still staggering; Karola continues to medicate it. Karola also doing a lot of leaf sweeping and some more tree releasing from the long grass. I mowed the goos enclosure and the wilder part of the Middle paddock. It checks the Iris and breaks up the larger leaves, which gives hope that some grass will peek through.

Hawkes Bay Weather: 5°C—16°C; 0.2 mm rain [82.3]