Sunday, July 29, 2012

A Real Farm Blog


Image via Thyer Farming


For those of you who enjoyed my recent post on farm life I urge you to pop over to my friend Katie's blog Thyer Farming.

Katie was born in Scotland and moved to Australia in 2001. In 2005 she married local Yorke Peninsula farmer Ben who she runs the farm with. She is also mum to two beautiful children.

Katie is an inspiration. A 'real farmers wife' (unlike me who can't even drive a manual car). She has completely embraced farm life and has furthered her education so that her new Agricultural knowledge has enabled her to work on the farm constructively. 

Her wonderful mum comes to Australia every year during harvest and seeding to look after the kids and free Katie up to drive the header (harvester) or tractor full time.

Katie & Ben's kids
Image via Thyer Farming

Katie is one of those rare people who is willing to give anything a go. I have the privilege of playing social netball with her and although she tells me "there's not much netball in Scotland" and had never played before, she throws herself in to every game with enthusiasm and a smile and has even had a crack at Centre on occasion.

Katie also has a degree in Interior Architecture (which I plan to put to use, although she may no know this yet) so keep your eye out for interesting interior and exterior projects around the farm. She has a unique eclectic style.

Should not forget to mention she can also catwalk, sing and dance!


Saturday, July 21, 2012

Raspberry Friands

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Thanks to my dear friend Susannah for introducing me to these gorgeous little treats and for getting me my beautiful Friand tin.

These little beauties are so delicious and are so easy (yes they really are!).

Here is a great recipe above as promised and happy to report my first batch turned out pretty well.

Image via me - sorry taken on the phone!

I shall be making more for some special guests who are coming to stay at the farm next weekend and I may even attempt a lemon curd recipe of these I have just found.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Cushion Giveaway

The lovely Tara over at Shabby in Suburbia is having a giveaway with one of my gorgeous 

For how to enter, pop over and visit her blog. You have until the 21st July to enter.

Good luck!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Toys for the Boys

A good old fashioned rubber- band powered spitfire has kept the boys entertained for hours!


My boys don't have a DS. They don't have a Wii or a PlayStation.

I am not anti them at all. I just don't think they would use them.

They are Lego, Meccano, box creation, insect collecting boys (at least for now they are).

I was so delighted to come across these crafty and inventive toys at my favourite children's shop Boo & Child in the gorgeous town of Stirling. And what great timing for the school holidays!



Ollie had so much fun building this with his Dad and has played with it non stop ever since


Belinda has sourced the most beautiful range of children's clothes, accessories, toys and decor all available in her stunning shop at Stirling. And she can post to you too.


Tommy the train man loves his new toy

My boys have had hours and hours of fun with these already.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Life On The Farm- Part 1


The crop coming up just over the rosemary hedge on the garden's border

Thanks for all of your requests for more about our life on the farm, we are flattered you would like to hear more about it so here goes! I have employed the help of my farmer to do this too, as although I completed part of a Uni degree in Agriculture my knowledge is appalling!

We, well not me, but Paul, his dad and brother finished seeding (sowing the crops) a few weeks ago. All nearly 7000 acres of it. Wheat, barley, lentils and canola is what we are growing this year.

Seeding means long hours and is a stressful process for the farmers needing to time things around the weather and the calendar constantly. The boys really miss their dad at this time of year.

You don't just pop the seed in and hope it grows. Lots of planning and preparation occurs long before any of this can start.

In fact most farmers have an agronomist (crop scientist/adviser) who they employ to advise on what, where and how to plant/ fertilise and spray all year long. 
This is what Paul worked as for 6 years before we moved back on to the farm full time.



So once the crop is in more rain is needed to germinate the crops.

And rain it did!
Looking from The White Shed across to the veggie garden

Looking over to the house from the shed.


So now the process of crop monitoring, spraying, fertilising continues.


The house is surrounded by paddocks of crops so whilst Paul keeps an eye on them, my domain is within the house yard's fence and so for me and many other farmers wives this means gardening!!! It is the prefect time to plant new plants, bare rooted trees and roses. And that is just what I am off to do today with the help of my two apprentices.