I Have a Friend

Each morning when I head to my chook pens this fellow is waiting at his gate to get out. He always talks to me as I undo the wire, then follows me as I go up and down the pens feeding everyone else. He comments as he goes, watching what I do, telling me if I'm doing a good job. He'll stop and sample a bit of grain that I drop or try to impress some of the ladies in their pens. I picked him up today for a cuddle and stroked his neck feathers.

I'm actually going to get a taste of the broccoli I planted months ago! The plants were attacked by grubs but instead of pulling them out I left them and they've produced two small heads, enough for a taste for us.

Even after frosts there's still tomatoes.

The free beetroot plants (that were half dead) didn't do so well but I've left them in. They'll become worm food.

The lettuces are fat and full and slightly frosted. The chooks are loving them.

The spinach plants have giant glossy leaves that go 'crack' when I tear them; the chooks love a couple of these thrown into their pens in the mornings.

My favourite tomato, the Roma. This plant lives partly sheltered behind the chook pen in the permaculture garden. There's still lots of tommies waiting to be picked; I ripen them inside in the pantry - otherwise a measly little grub ruins them. This is the plant that was half destroyed when a fox tried to dig it's way into the perky chooks. He didn't succeed though

Here's Peppie; she came to visit then just plonked herself down at the concrete tubs and waited for me to finish my jobs.

My old favourite, the curry plant, has grown huge.

Here she is, sunning herself and having a Zen moment, waiting for her Momma to finish her chores.