From The Paddock To The Kitchen

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Here we are in April.  How did that happen? Lately our days have been full of farm, school and community commitments.   The school holidays are on the horizon and like so many other people, we are desperate for rain.

in the paddock

Dealing with dry conditions is part of the reality of life on the land and this too shall pass.  Soon hopefully!  I am grateful that I can still see the beauty through my camera, complete with red dust and bare ground.

Under the buzz and rumble of the contract helicopter we have recently mustered and sold feral goats.  Actually, as per usual the menfolk and my mother in law did the mustering while the junior crew and I carted the food, spare fuel, excess motorbike gear and of course, the camera.

goat muster

goat muster

I think I have mentioned in previous posts that these days are hot, dusty and bumpy and require teamwork and communication from all involved.  Watching my husband coordinate his crew calmly and with good humour under pressure makes me feel so proud and sets a high standard for everyone around him to follow.

The four day Easter break arrived just in time for us all to take a breather.  I found some time to experiment with sourdough hot cross buns.  The buns were spicy and squashy and they rose beautifully but my crosses need some refining, next Easter.

sourdough hot cross buns

Some leftover hot cross bun dough went into a round banneton and come out as a mini fruit loaf.  This mini loaf really made me happy in a way that only bakers will understand.  Immediately I imagined being presented with a tiny, warm fruit loaf like this for breakfast at a hipster café.

fruit loaf

Easter also gave us time to get reacquainted with our horse and goat family. These furry creatures are always so happy to see us, or perhaps it’s just the apples, supermarket biscuits and hay that we generously hand out to them.  Either way, they warm my heart and they smell deliciously earthy.

hoof care

goat friends

I always think links are fun, especially on Sunday so here are a few things I have found lately.

If we were planning a city escape I would be booking at this hotel which has recently launched in Sydney.  The whole thing looks contemporary and oh so cool with indoor/outdoor alcoves and drinks served from the reception desk on arrival.

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being Hungry is one of my favourite podcasts and Lee Tran Lam has just written this fascinating article on the hidden costs of running a restaurant.  I am intrigued by these behind the scenes details.

Back to reality, and I spend almost all of my days in long sleeved shirts as protection from the sun.   I am always looking for the perfect shirt.  When I found this website not only did I discover good looking shirts but also gorgeous woollen blankets and other sturdy outdoor gear.  Another internet rabbit hole to fall down.

Lastly some soothing tunes for your ears, this one reminds me of our little family trips on outback roads and this one just makes me tap my toes and smile.

What are you listening to?

Cooking or experimenting with dough?

Reading about new, cool places?

Happy Sunday, friends x

 

10 Comments

  1. Reply

    Kate B

    April 8, 2018

    Ahh internet rabbit holes… I know them well! A little Sunday morning adventure through your links was the perfect start to my day. Thank you Jane xx

    • Reply

      Jane S

      April 10, 2018

      Thanks Kate! x

  2. Reply

    Annie Bart

    April 8, 2018

    “Tiny warm fruit loaf in a hipster café”……I could smell and taste it! Beautiful. x

    • Reply

      Jane S

      April 10, 2018

      Thank you Annie! x

  3. Reply

    Lenore

    April 9, 2018

    Seeing the goats make me feel nostalgic. When we lived on our property in central west NSW we relied on the wild goats we mustered for some of our income (pre 1996). We didn’t get anywhere near the price they sell for today but every little bit helped. Loved your photos, I pray you have rain soon. We are also desperate for rain in North East Victoria. We are currently feeding our small flock of sheep. Xx

    • Reply

      Jane S

      April 10, 2018

      Rain would certainly help us all wouldn’t it? Thank you Lenore.

  4. Reply

    Anne

    April 9, 2018

    That mini fruit loaf looks fab and quite different from the buns, which shows how versatile a piece of dough can be in the right hands.

    I wish we could swap a little weather (how many times have I written that here?). We can’t drill our spring crops because it keeps raining and have missed the optimum sowing date now. Heigh ho. Who’d be in farming and rely so heavily on the weather?

    • Reply

      Jane S

      April 10, 2018

      Thank you Anne, you are right. The small loaf turned out very differently, even though it was the same dough. Yes, I actually worry that weather talk is probably boring and repetitive, but at the moment it is influencing almost every move and decision we make so it is a very big part of the overall picture of life! Heigh ho…who would be farming?

  5. Reply

    Katherine

    April 9, 2018

    Thank you for another excellent musical introduction! I’m still enjoying Eric Church’s Record Year, but this is another great song 🙂 More please!

    • Reply

      Jane S

      April 10, 2018

      Oh that’s lovely to hear Katherine. I will see what else I can dig up!

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