Calves & Gardens.... both highly addictive

Calving is always busy but very rewarding and this Winter was mild with less rain than we normally have and Spring was colder and fairly wet in comparison. Our calves are given honey in the milk as extra energy and a natural source of antibiotic if they need it when the weather is cold and wet for extended periods. Our Calves have North facing shelters with excellent drainage and are fed over 11litres of fresh milk a day in a large feeder that sits in the paddock and they help themselves to throughout the day. This is to try and mimic what they would naturally get if they were fed on their mothers and they have great quality pasture and fresh water on hand with salt licks hanging in their shelters for extra nutritional suppliment if they need it.

This way their growth rates are phenominal and they are happy and healthy calves that have an excellent start in life and grow to their full genetic potential. Good happy healthy calves look like fat little round teddy bears with bright shiney eyes and run and move around a lot. They are easy to move from paddock to paddock so they have fresh pasture to nibble on and fat healthy calves dont get sick and grow in to big strong healthy cows.

Vegetable gardening is a new interest and the greenhouse and raised beds are incredible in what you can grow from seeds and through winter I even managed to keep a couple of tomatoe plants going that I had grown from seed in the greenhouse. I think digging it just under a meter into the ground helped because the Winter soil temperatures in Norsewood NZ average 10'C daily and 4.1'C unless its a frost then down to 0'C above the ground and below the soil it stays warmer so you never really drop below 7'C.

Raising the garden beds means the soil is warmer, they drain better and certainly nicer on your back. I've also done quite a bit of companion planting to naturally deter pests and also encourge bees for pollination and some plants generally just do better planted next to each other. Giving you more fruit and healthier fruit, like basil and tomatoes. Tomatoes actually taste sweeter planted next to basil.