Bee Hive Maintenance

Today is an exciting day ... Hive maintenance! 

The end of winter marks the time to check hives and prepare them for spring and mass honey production. 

Thanks for your help today Vince!  The Hive Hilton appreciates your expertise. 

Ellendale's first piglets

We are proud to announce the arrival of our first piglet's. Overnight Abby successfully delivered six beautiful Wessex Saddleback piglets. Only the size of a 600ml drink bottle, they are very active and mum is very tired. Looks like we won't be getting many farm jobs done today! 

Pigs may not fly, but they build nests!

Carl (my husband), and I regularly refer to everyday on the farm as a school day. We are continually learning, not only about farming, animal husbandry and cooking, but about ourselves too.

The last 24 hours has actually been a huge learning curve and revelation. When we decided to ethically farm and produce our own meat and veg, we did this for many reasons, one of them being the more questions you ask, the more you find out ... and knowledge thrusts you into a world of decisions. You can no longer plead ignorance and just role with convention. 

Last weekend there was a peaceful demonstration on the steps of H and M in Melbourne about the cruelty of factory farmed pigs. This is something we abhore, which is one reason why we grow our own meat, however this is the first time our pigs have been large enough to breed, and this year we will welcome our first farm born piglets. 

So why am I rabbiting on about factory farming ... Because today I learnt something else - pigs make nests. Yes, I am serious. I came home from my daughters basketball game to see Abby (our pregnant sow) making a nest. She was gathering straw, sticks, leaves and numerous other items from her paddock to make a huge nest. We then gave her extra items and were enthralled, watching her prepare for the birth of her piglets. It was so beautiful, and natural to see her prepare, not unlike any expectant parent. 

Apparently this means that we can expect piglets within 24 hours, which is so overwhelmingly exciting. My point, aside from this amazing piece of news, was how distressing it must be to be a factory pig having piglets, not able to do what is natural. I know many people would frown upon us eating meat altogether, however I know that we are doing the best we can for our family, our animals and our role on the planet. 

Pigs really are amazing characters, and watching her today was truley a special moment. 

Three Eggs

It amazes me that something so small can be turned into so much. In only half an hour of prep time, I took three small free range chicken eggs (these are from first time layers so still very small) and turned them into a jar of mayonnaise and a pavlova. 

The egg yolks went into the mayo, and the whites went into the pav. When I am completely happy with the mayonnaise recipe I will post it along with the pav recipe. 

Simple pleasures ...

Happiness is a great Breakfast

Happiness is a great breakfast ... And I highly recommend Top Paddock (658 Church St, Richmond). 

Not only do they embrace the importance of provenance and seasonality, they clearly care about flavour and food.

My Eggs Benedict with ham hock was amazing. 

Still smiling ... Thanks Top Paddock for a great start to the day! 

Butter and Buttermilk

What do you do when you have extra cream? I did think about making creme brûlée ... But opted for butter instead. So easy and so yummy. And with the buttermilk ... Martha Stewarts buttermilk pancakes. They were light, fluffy and completely delicious. 

You don't need raw milk or cream for this. I used store bought cream and the results were amazing. Try it .. my kids loved being involved, learning where their food comes from and we will be using unadulterated butter instead of some  processed store bought alternative. Even blocks of butter contain cream, water and salt. My butter, is just cream and pink lake salt. Yum!!

Mozzarella - you have to make your own!

I had some raw milk left, because deliveries were very close together over the holiday period, so I made a round of Romano cheese, a batch of natural Yoghurt and then looked for something else ... something more delicious than just a smoothie for the kids .... I made Mozzarella and it is fabulous!

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's mozzarella, beetroot and balsamic

So simple, so delicious and so heavenly, I must thank Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for his amazing recipes and for sharing his expertise.

I want to encourage everyone to try to make something yourself ... anything! Yoghurt is easily made from UHT milk if that is what you prefer. You don;t have to be a complete self-sufficient nut - I like to think that if you like good food, then this is the road to take.