Down on the farm (Astrolabe Farm that is)

Blossom and olives by Nicola McLernon

Now, Meg normally writes these blogs but in attempt to let her focus on her Masters I have been given Monday mornings to fill you in on what is happening here on Astrolabe Farm. Astrolabe Farm is our home, vineyard, olive grove and gardens. It is the home to Astrolabe and Durvillea as well. Most of all it is where we live and it my responsibility to look after the property.

I don’t do this alone. Nick Taylor looks after the vineyard and olive grove and helps me with the big work in the garden. I love working on this property and the plan is that I should spend about half my week here. However this in not a 9-5 lifestyle. Work is dictated by the season. Right now Nick has finished pruning and there is vineyard maintenance to do and then olive pruning. The vineyard is about 4ha and we have three varieties: riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir. You can try them in Astrolabe’s Grovetown Riesling and Noble Riesling , Chardonnay and a small portion of the Pinot Noir.

Spring has come to the garden. The rhododendrons, camellias and daffodils are out. The plums are in full blossom and apricots just about out.I have bought the seed potatoes and laid them for sprouting. I need about a week in the garden to prevent the weeds getting away and seeds in. No luck this weekend as it is wet. However, this also has to happen around sales trips at this time of year, and the everyday office work.

Pruned Olive trees - photo Nicola McLernon

This morning I was packing to go to Auckland and I heard a an unusual bird call outside. The tui are back as the kowhai is flowering. Marlborough has few native birds in the valley and it is encouraging to have this pair living here. We have a pond on the farm which has been re-established with native plantings. Together with the large number of trees in the gardens and around the house this means that we are hopeful that tui will remain resident. Over winter we have had a white heron which often could often be seen on the pond.

In fact birds feature quite strongly here. Last autumn a pair of ornamental pheasants turned up. The male was ridiculously showy and has not been seen for some time. I suspect he had his comeuppance for being so flambouyant as I found tail feathers on the driveway. However Widow Pheasant is still to be seen pottering about in her suitably subdued colours. The hawks patrol the vineyard and olive grove daily and of there is a resident colony of Californian Quail in the hedgerows.

Planting garlic

However, most dear to my heart are my chickens but they are really a story in themselves. So welcome to Astrolabe Farm and next week it’s time for my Chicken Tales (a saga of feathers and fertility) ……..

- Jane