Experimenting:
With quince leather or as they are more commercially known, Roll Ups. These are quite chewy with just enough sweetness to make them an appealing snack. They have stored successfully in a sealed container for several weeks now which is one way of prolonging quince season.
Dispatching:
Killing animals on our property to eat is hardly a novelty. It is as natural as growing vegetables or baking. However, normally my husband is in charge of the actual dispatching. Sometimes I help with preparations, the clean up or stacking the freezer. Recently I decided some elderly chooks needing dealing with and took matters into my own hands. The actual process wasn’t particularly memorable or spectacular but it did give me a deeper appreciation for respectful, efficient home butchering.
Dunking:
These almond and fennel biscuits are somewhere between almond bread and biscotti without the need to make a log, do any slicing or risk a broken tooth, as can sometimes happen with biscotti.
Toasting:
Sourdough focaccia in the open air while the sun begins to set.
Mustering:
Feral goats, thousands of them to be precise.
Appreciating:
Homemade and home grown food gifts, citrus and marmalade from Mum and sauce from an aunty.
Op-shopping:
Old children’s books and a matching Johnson cup, saucer and plate from our local Salvation Army shop.
Reading:
Way too many restaurant reviews on Broadsheet. Reading about the latest restaurants, cafes and food vans always feels like an inspiring escape to the city. This weekend I am also reading Gourmet Traveller magazine. For $9.95 the June issue feels like a wintery slice of fine hotels, exotic destinations and classic cold weather food. There is also a glorious, vibrant feature on my city, Adelaide. If you love Adelaide, you will love this too.
It feels good to be back on this little blog after a fast paced few weeks.
How are you faring out there?
Are you dunking or toasting or reading?
Mustering goats perhaps?
Happy Sunday friends x
Cheryl
Jane your blog should be classified as a National treasure! No other blog I've ever come across captures the true essence of this country in picture and word. You are amazing. Thank you for taking the time to post such wonderful photos.
I knew we had a feral goat problem in this country, but wow…so many…What happens to them, I'm assuming they are killed, but do they have a use? Human food? Pet food?
Jane S
Thank you Cheryl for such a thoughtful comment. The goats are trucked to a processor where they are slaughtered and the meat is exported to America or the Middle East. Although they are a pest it is a strange situation because they also provide us with a good income.
Anonymous
toasting is my fav . picture Jane !! wish I had been there to sample! and the rolls ups look terrific, think some smaller members of the community would have been happy with them! Im busy baking , catering for a funeral tomorrow '.. Ewe Beauty
Jane S
I hope the catering went smoothly Trish. The good, old CWA…where would country communities be without them? x
Kate @ Kate Writes
That quince leather looks interesting Jane! It's been quite quincy here too! I must get my op shop on…
xxx
Jane S
Yes Kate…get to the op shops! I haven't seen anything very note worthy for ages and then I saw all of this treasure together in one little pile at the Salvos…a bargain for $9.00.
Elizabeth Connolly
Everything looks wonderful especially that sourdough focaccia… Yum! I remember as a kid getting up early on my aunties farm (before the flies) to kill the meaty chickens… It was alert of life on the farm and it gave me an incredible appreciation about where my food comes from!
Liz x
Jane S
Thanks Liz…the flies are always an issue with butchering I agree!
aj.bart
Thanks for sharing your lovely photos Jane, they send good memories, tastes and smells!
Jane S
Thanks Annie x
Chantille Fleur
Oh that book on the bottom of the pile – I have one too! It was my Grandfather's. Does yours have a sailor drawing as the cover? I love going through my Pop's old childhood books 🙂
It was butchering day here today too…except unlike when we do the poultry the mobile butcher came today, to do a little steer and our two pigs.
Do you sell the feral goats for meat? It's just I saw a segment on Landline about that recently 🙂
Hope you've had a lovely weekend,
Beautiful photos as always, love the soft afternoon light in the fire one 🙂
Sarah x
Jane S
I always value your thoughtful comments Sarah. Yes, there are sailors on the cover of that old book, it is a beauty!
Yes, the goats are slaughtered by a processor who then exports the meat to either America or the Middle East.
I actually thought of you when I looked back at the fire photo, your kind of light! x
passionfruitgarden.com
Hi Jane, Your quince leather sounds very interesting. Something else to add to my 'to try list' 🙂
Jane S
Thanks Glenda! So nice to see your comments.
passionfruitgarden.com
Hey Jane it worked this time. Did you do anything?
Jane S
No, it was the work of the mysterious internet Gods!?
e / dig in hobart
no mustering goats down here in Hobart 🙂 as they are feral, do you 'despatch' them as well? in that number, I can only imagine what a pest they must be to the environment.
I love the cold winter light in your jam and citrus pic. looks quite chilly – but at least you have sun! not much here at the moment. enjoy your week.
Jane S
Thanks e. The goats are trucked to a processor where they are slaughtered and the meat is exported to America or the Middle East. Although they are a pest it is a strange situation because they also provide us with a good income.
Stay warm! x
Liz (Good Things)
A lovely post, as always Jane… and appreciated the candour of home butchering too. Lordy about the goats… what do you do with them?
Jane S
Thanks Lizzy. The goats are trucked to a processor where they are slaughtered and the meat is exported to America or the Middle East. Although they are a pest it is a strange situation because they also provide us with a good income.
I hope you are staying warm in chilly Canberra!
Anne
Can't say I've ever had to muster feral goats. We saw a few feral goats while walking in Scotland, but thankfully only a handful and not thousands. Always love to see your campfire photos – after your fast paced weeks I hope you'll have time to sit and toast focaccia.
Jane S
Thanks so much Anne. I have a beautiful picture in my mind of your walks in Scotland!
Jen
And I think our four goats are a handful! (And they're Nigerian Dwarfs, too!) Beautiful photos and commentary on (farm) life, as usual, Jane. Jen.
Jane S
Thank you Jen, I appreciate you calling in.
almostitalian
Great slice of country life Jane. Love the pic of the soudough in the open air, and of course, the retro finds. What happens to all those mustered feral goats? I noticed them when last up that way. Francesca
Jane S
Thanks Francesca. The goats are trucked to a processor where they are slaughtered and the meat is exported to America or the Middle East. Although they are a pest it is a strange situation because they also provide us with a good income.
I love that you spot my retro finds.
celia
I'm almost scared to ask what you do with feral goats (Pete's in the background saying "pet food, if you're lucky"). I love your blog posts. They're honest and beautiful and calming. xxx
Jane S
Hello Celia. The goats are trucked to a processor where they are slaughtered and the meat is exported to America or the Middle East for mostly human consumption, I believe. Although they are a pest it is a strange situation because they also provide us with a good income.
You are a kind blogging friend and I appreciated you asking about me when things went a bit quiet. x
Kate
Hello lovely Jane, so gorgeous to catch up on the goings on over at yours. I hope you are having a lovely week. Things here are a bit insane as we are counting down the days until our big trip away and trying to get this farm in order to leave. xx
Jane S
I always love hearing from you Kate. Oh a trip…how exciting. Good luck with the leaving arrangements, it is always such a big job isn't it? x
cityhippyfarmgirl
Mustering goats. I think that's just been put on my bucket list, surely I need to muster goats at some point in my life!
There are so many Jane!! When we were in Hill End we saw some, and living in the Whitsundays I certainly saw some but other than that, there hasn't been too many feral goats in my sightings. Do you ever eat them at all?
Jane S
Thanks Brydie, we don't eat them often. Whenever we are mustering them it is always really hectic and it sounds silly but we almost forget about eating them! I am certainly planning to cook some goat meat in the wood oven at some point.
cityhippyfarmgirl
Slow cooked goat curry in the wood oven would be lovely. I'm not a fan of lamb but goat is definitely ok. Where do they go once mustered?
Emma Grabham
Hi Jane! So excited to have found your blog! Loving your photos and content. Your life seems similar to mine but in a very different climate. Though you sound much braver than me with those chooks! We've currently got goats mocking us on our hills!!! One day soon they'll venture too close and we'll run them in 😉 Makes it sound simple hey? Just run them in…. Looking forward to reading your posts and remembering when we lived further west than we do now. Emm.
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Emma, I appreciate your comments. Yes indeed…just run them in! We actually hired a helicopter on this particular muster to help get the goats out of the hills and rocks. It was very successful. I look forward to you calling in again.
letmebefreeblog
We are getting ready for a weekend of camping and that sourdough looks so good!
Jane S
Thank you, I hope the camping was fun!