Thread: Arguments
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Old 16-02-2010, 01:30 AM posted to aus.gardens
Trish Brown Trish Brown is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Nov 2007
Posts: 167
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David Hare-Scott wrote:

For some reason I cannot see posts from Trish (no you are not sinbinned)
so I will have to tag on here.


Ooo, I hope not! I do try to be good, y'know.


The season has been kind to us with good rain and despite continued high
humidity not much in the way of fungus and mould.

The pasture is looking great, we could run twice as many horses at the
moment as they are all fat and cannot keep up with it. All except one
old dear who is wasting away from a mystery illness. She has been on
supplementary feeding for three months and eats grass with the rest all
day. She ought to be spherical with what she is eating but instead just
skin and bones. I am checking out sites for a big hole. She has taken
a liking to mulberry leaves so I replaced the net to keep her out.
Running late to go out the other day I glanced at the orchard to find
her inside the net. It was like one of those weird performance artists
who wrap up common objects or paint large animals in living rooms. Just
standing there patiently, no fuss, waiting for me to get her out. I
have no idea how she got in there. The mulberrys will recover.


I'm assuming you've wormed everyone in your paddock? If this mare's
carrying a heavy worm-load, it would explain her doing so poorly on good
feed. A vet would find out for sure (although you'll pay for it... try
offering him some tomatoes instead!)

Three quarters fill a bucket with rolled oats (NOT seed oats, mind, but
rolled ones: you can get 'em from most feed merchants). Top up with
boiling water, stir and let it stand until it's mostly cooled. You can
add a number of taste-tempters, from a handful of salt to a dipper of
bran (only if the horse is used to it, though) to a splodge of treacle
or molasses. Most horses will knock you down for treacle/molasses, so
I'd recommend it for this poor old mare.

The reasoning behind the rolled oats is that the husks can irritate an
inflamed gut, as can bran or pollard. Nice, mushy rolled oats seems to
work quite well. It's good for skinny dogs too.

Mootilda the cow is settling in well. She and the horses have reached a
negotiated settlement. I can now get up to her and touch her without
any problem, I know it is just cupboard love because as soon as it is
clear that I have no food for her she wanders off but it is s good sign
that she is not totally afaid of getting near people. I now have to
build some yards and bails so that she can have a visit from the lady
with the syringe.


Killjoy! Poor Mootilda!

The vege garden is looking like a picture book. Herbs and cutting
greens have self-seeded all over the place and the cucurbits are
plotting world domination. The asparagus is way over my head and next
spring looks like being a good cut. The stone fruit did very well and
the pear trees are loaded to breaking point , now if I can just remember
when to pull them ....

I have found a new cultivar of beans which is very impressive in my
environment. Not from any of the recognised sources nor from a crazy
old aunt. So many of those, including Diggers so-called lazy houswife
(stringless my foot) have drawbacks. This one is a bush bean that is
robust and produces loads of genuinely stringless pods. Found
everywhere and disparaged by some - Mrs Fothergills. Also I grew yellow
pear tomatoes for the first time. They are very good; a small sweet
salad tom that looks like a yellow pear about 4cm long.

We took kilos of tomatoes and cucmbers to the new Gloucester farmers
market last Saturday, I am still waiting to see how much sold but it was
looking good. If anybody is interested as either buyer or seller I will
post details.


Ever made tomato jam? It's *delicious*!

There have been a few disappointments. The second round of corn didn't
get fertilised correcly and the ears are very underweight. I cannot get
in front of the snails. I slay them in their hundreds, clean up all
their hiding places etc etc but still they come. But sun is shining and
all is right with world.

David

Yeah, my corn was a disappointment too: little shrivelly ears with gaps
in the cobs.

My Great Hope for the future is a wall-full of sweet peas. Wish me luck!!!

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia