Jamies Fowl Dinners creates a stir

The Jamie Oliver TV show - Jamies Fowl Dinners - was recently broadcast in Melbourne and it created quite a stir.
We had our first enquiry for eggs at 11.20pm after the show. An email came through from a restaurant.
Since then we have received at least three enquiries a day (one wanting to source 5000 eggs).
As a very small egg producer (around 450 dozen each week) there is no way we can take on orders of that size.
Anyway, most of the enquiries were from Melbourne which is outside our delivery run. We have a farm rule which limits us to only delivering within an hour of the farm. The problem of food miles is something we have been very concerned about for years - and we have no intention of adding to the problem.

Chicca's happy

It was a bit traumatic for poor Chicca. After hauling her off to the vet and letting him stick needles and things in her, she's now spent a day or so confined to a shed!
She's used to running wild with the hens. I've spent around six hours with her today and she's whingeing and wailing. Hard to know if it's pain or just wanting to go outdoors.
She's great at taking her medication (as long as it's with meat) and I think we will put her back with her hens tomorrow.

Chicca's back home

Chicca's back home now after her operation. She'll be a bit groggy and sore for a few days so we're keeping her inside.
The other dogs will be a bit lively and the hens will jump all over her if we let her out now.
We shuffled some of Maremma's around so that Chicca's flock is protected from foxes and we don't expect any problems.

Operation on one of our chook protectors

Chicca, our Breton Pyrenean Mastiff, who protects one of our flocks of laying hens is at the vets now having an operation to remove a cyst on her neck.
There has been a bit of a swelling there for a while, but we were advised that it was unlikely to be a problem. It burst through the skin yesterday and needs to be removed.
Hopefully everything will be fine this afternoon and she will be back with her hens.

Run Your Car on Water

At the farm we are preparing to reduce our carbon emissions (and running costs) by converting our vehicles to run on hydrogen - effectively running them on water. It is expected to make a significant impact on our delivery and farm running costs. If anyone wants to talk about how this is done come and see me at one of the Farmers' Markets - Churchill Island, Inverloch, Cardinia Ranges or Korumburra - or come to the farm in Grantville. We can provide a manual which details the conversion process for $25.

Protecting native forest

A community forum will be held at Boolarra on Sunday July 27 to provide an opportunity for people to discuss the Victorian Government's $5.5 million 'deal' with logging company, Hancock Victorian Plantations.
A flier for this event can be downloaded from: http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/stomp.pdf

A short video about the problems can be seen on You Tube at http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ICycJXAS-J8

At this stage the community has no idea what the Government is getting for $5.5 million of taxpayers' money because details have not been released. Even maps have been withheld showing where the loggers will be allowed to go and what areas will be 'protected'.