We have been very busy lately on the farm and have three interns helping us recover from the June floods and preparing for a resilient future. Here is a picture of the largest slips on our property.

I have counted 13 dead sheep on the neighbouring farm, including these two.

The above slip was caused in part by water pooling up behind it. With a simple, shallow drain we are able to divert most of that water away from this vulnerable hillside.

The drain is less than 10 metres long and only about 10 cm deep.

The drain is just below this odd piece of geography on our farm. The fence goes up the hillside and then right back down.

We will fence off this hillside and plant it to manuka.

Elsewhere on the farm, we can see the second stage of ecological succession as ponga are growing underneath gorse, which stabilises the slopes and adds nitrogen to the soil. It will be taken over by native bush over time.

Here is a view down the valley.

Up the hill in zones 1-2-3, we have been busy propagating black currants…

… feeding lambs…

… brewing beer…

…sniffing plum blossoms.

Our mate, Simon, has brought this macrocarpa log over to mill into slabs.   

We were given this goat, Buster, on Friday.

Kelly the intern has drawn a zone 1-2-3 map.

Kaitiaki Farm.

 

Peace, Estwing