It looks good after slashing, doesn't it?

Doesn't this look nice and tidy and manicured now?  Usually we slash the grove twice in spring, but owing to the sensitive condition of the old tractor I think we will just settle for one cut, and hope the weeds don't get to grow again too much during the spring rain... We like to leave a bit of cover on our poor sandy soil to hold it in place during summer, and keep our fingers crossed that the bit of valuable pasture (the clover) will be able to flower and seed between the weeds.

Tractor trouble

As I mentioned earlier, it is time to get slashing.  Tania the energetic has been on the tractor, driving it like a woman possessed, and has made things look much much tidier, but sadly at a cost.  Poor old tractor gave up some whiffs of smoke on Thursday and went into a sulk.  It couldn't be started.  Tania rang to tell me the sad news, and I rang our good neighbour, John the tractor mechanic.  He was able to get it going again, and took it over to his place.  It appears it is something to do with the clutch. He is going to replace some plugs or something and I'll pick it up from his place tomorrow.  I am reluctant to put the slasher back on as I fear it is all too much for the poor old tractor.  We had the clutch replaced at considerable cost 18 months ago. I am hanging on to win Lotto.  How nice it would be to have a 4 WD tractor with a sound proof cab and reliable hydraulics that never broke down.
On the good news front I was able to put a super on the bees yesterday - numbers have finally built up, and it is warmer.  Lots of bees are clustering round the entrance, and most are coming in with pollen from the capeweed.  Fingers crossed we will get some honey before too long.

Flash back to July

In winter we get beautiful misty mornings

Spring storms

We had another storm with strong winds at the beginning of September.  I went to the grove imagining I'd see lots of blown over olive trees which would need cutting back and propping up but we were lucky this time.  I only found a big old jarrah tree which was weak at the base which had gone over and had got hooked up on a neighbouring marri.  It is magnificent firewood, but my bet is mysterious visitors will chain saw it up and we won't get any of it!

Spring is upon us

Suddenly the capeweed is in flower and the lupins are heading skywards.  Over the years we have been slashing the grove, the areas of lupins have reduced.  At one stage we couldn't see the growing trees for the massive lupins, and I did a lot of hand weeding, which worked all right while the lupins were small and tender.  Mature lupins however, are a different matter.  They are hard to pull and very very scratchy.  The capeweed (which we called dandelion when we were kids) is not really a problem.  It is a great source of protein for bees.  It does seem to have a symbiotic relationship with the nasty weed broomrape, but I figure it holds down the soil and contributes to biomass, as it is one of few plants which relish our miserable light sandy soil.

Hovea

Cowslip orchids

Swan River Myrtle

introduced kangaroo paws

During spring I sneak off to the 'bush block', which is 14 acres of remnant bush mixed with some parkland clearing.  If you look at the right time, you can find all sorts of wildflowers. Later in the season I should be able to find enamel orchids, Blue ladies and spider orchids, if I am lucky.  We have no natural kangaroo paws, though we have the related conostylus.  However, two years ago the local council (Mandurah) gave me a grant to fence a 10 metre square area, and a selection of indigenous plants.  A lot didn't survive, but the kangaroo paws have grown enthusiastically.

Still pressing!

I have just come back from the grove - Tania and I picked another 120 or so kilos of Mission.  The fruit is still sound, and I really needed some more robust oil to offer to my customers who like that style.  Everything else I have is mild and delicate - lovely oil, but for those that like bite in their salad dressing or for dipping, it isn't strong enough.  I got over 23 kilos of oil - that isn't a bad yield, considering the amount of rain we've had lately.  (you get less oil out of moist fruit).  Tania persuades me that we can get another press done, as she sees plenty of good fruit still.  My problem is storage. All the drums are full.  We are bottling as fast as we can.  I ran out of bottles and had to buy more, at the expensive rate as I couldn't quite afford to get a pallet load.  And now we have run out of labels!  (Though I could make use of the old ones for a while).  Selling the oil at my daughter's new shop is going well - we've had some lovely feed back.  And now daughter in law down in Denmark is going to see if her school market would be a good outlet - a possible choice for people would be sending down a drum which would allow people to buy as much as they like using their own containers.  I look forward to hearing how it goes today.  I think the first market is today...

a little oasis in a time of uncertainty...

It was good to get down to the grove today for a brief visit.  Even though it was pouring in the morning I was able to open the hive in the afternoon and check on the bees.  They are still not doing much, all crowded over on one side of the brood box, so I won't put another super on top yet.  The grove is looking good, though soon it will be time to get out the slasher and give the lupins a hair cut.  After 10 years of cutting them they are not so vigorous.  I also noted some scale on some of the dryland trees, but it is no use spraying them until we have a few dry days - and after a very dry July, we have had a wet start to August!  Tania has been busy bottling and labelling oil.  We have so much I shall have to come up with some marketing ideas to keep it moving.
I felt at ease and happy down at the grove, by myself and with space and quiet around me.  It hasn't been a good week.  I have started back on chemotherapy, and Mum (nearly 95) died.  It wasn't unexpected, but leaves you shaken and empty.  Being at the grove gives you time for reflection.