Sarah with our Beautiful Brown Horse

Working outside as much as I do, the weather is always a topic of conversation and so after a month of beautiful, mild spring weather, I draw your attention to a new book called, “Sprinter and Sprummer: Australia’s Changing Seasons” by Tim Entwisle and published by CSIRO Publishing. Entwisle, head of Melbourne’s botanical Gardens, is one of our most engaging botanical experts and scientists. His observations led to devising a new five-season approach that takes its cues from our plants and environment. Sprinter covers August and September, sprummer occurs in October and November followed by summer which finishes at the end of March. Autumn is April and May and finally, winter is June and July. Interesting stuff!

Spring is also the time of new growth and new births and so we are waiting for the arrival of a foal from Annie. The only concern is that the eagerly awaited one does not have long ears courtesy of our donkey, Eeor, much better that it’s father is Mick, a beautiful Australian stock horse. I will let you how it goes next time.

From our place to yours,

The Johnson family.

Obi Obi Essentials
September Bulletin 2014

Another Sunday afternoon in early spring down in the Obi, so the pear tree is full of beautiful white blossoms and the other productive trees are promising fruitfulness. There are white pews congregated in the larger lane between the olive trees with an archway at the end. White flags are strung up along the fence on one side and bottles hang from the olive branches on the other waiting for an old combie van to drive through. A group of beautiful young men dressed in dark pants, white shirts with braces and bow ties all with their hair neatly groomed wait at their cars drinking a beer and laughing with self-consciousness and long term camaraderie. Of course, an outdoor wedding ceremony and the skies are threatening. I speak to the groom, what do you say when the one thing you have no control over threatens to spoil THE DAY? Then he says ”It’s okay, that colour sky will make great photos!” Ahhh, this wonderful couple are going to be just fine.

August was filled up with research for Finding Common Ground, (our not-for-profit organisation aimed at promoting local food networks) reading and summarising thirty five documents from the Sunshine Coast Region, from Queensland and Australia about agri-business, then synthesising and categorising for the local and state governments. The new Sunshine Coast Economic Development Strategy classifies agriculture as one of the seven high valued industries. A taskforce is working out an action strategy to assist this sector to grow in strength and vibrancy and this new research document will contribute to that.

Now it is time to get back outside and reconnect to what is happening. The new friends and acquaintances, who for a variety of reasons get in touch with us, allow that transition to happen pretty easily as their questions allow me to get back to my core activities, thank you! The thousand olive trees are a large part of that productive tree bit and so it is always with some concern that I watch September unfold, hoping that the very small bunches of white olive flowers will again miraculously appear by the end of the month.

From our place to yours,

The Johnson family.

Obi Obi Essential’s Olive Grove

“Farmers don’t have holidays!” I was told with large doses of seriousness. Well this one did! Coming back to the farm after a week away, this time, as always, allows me to see it afresh and with renewed energy. I highly recommend sea kayaking around the Whitsundays, camping and spending large amounts of time reading, swimming and snorkelling as a great change of pace. But now I am back and, the grey green of the olive trees looks more intense against the frost burnt grass. The particular burnish tinge on the growing winter vegies is a reassuring sign that the season’s cold weather is finally doing its thing. The sound of the mother cows calling out to their babies sometimes during the day, but usually at night is both annoying and reassuring. The winter bird calls changing through the day are as always a salute to the beauty of these tranquil days.

Richie, my inspiration and hard worker of the market garden has gone to England for two months to do some DJing gigs at a few music events as well as check out a particular permaculture farm in Sweden. He is already missed. However his friend and fellow farming enthusiast has stepped up to the challenge and travelled from Victoria to help maintain the garden during Richie’s absence. So with Aaron’s help, the bandicoot fence continues to be built and maintained, the green house continues to be constructed, seedlings are being planted out and more seeds planted in and the compost is being turned.

Obi Ob Essentials will not be selling product at the Real Food Festival this year as owning a café with my two daughters has changed the focus of this business away from markets. However, I have the privilege of being a presenter both singularly, presenting the topic, ”Food Sovereignty, is there a growing gap between what the consumer expects and what the farmer can deliver? A producer’s perspective.” and with Chris from the restaurant, “Hungry Feel” in Buderim on the Sunday morning. I look forward to seeing you there.

From our place to yours,

The Johnson family.

Autumn this year means partnerships (as usual), beautiful black alpaca wool, native bees and chooks in the market garden I had a wonderful conversation with a restaurant owner in an IGA isle and our discussion moved onto alpacas. It is really hard to get good quality coloured wool as all the good breeding is usually concentrated on the white alpacas because they can command a better price.

A couple of days later, Sarah arrived home with a car load of luxurious black and caramel wool. Helen had dropped it off at our café and I am now enjoying evenings near the fire spinning some beautiful black wool. Thank you Helen!

The plumber visited the farm last week because we had problems with the irrigation for the market garden. After John and Bryn fixed the blockages, conversation turned to native bees. It turns out Bryn’s Dad has a hive in his water metre, so this weekend will see Richie with the help of Ian, transferring the bees into a box and then into the market garden.

Finally, the chook tractor is now at home in the vegie patch and the plastic-electric fencing finally arrived. Initially the chooks snuck out through the holes, but the electricity (solar-powered) has now kicked in and the hens are on the right side of the vegies!

From our place to yours,

The Johnson family.