And they said it couldn’t be done…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWEfcLMdZn0

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The 'Gang' in their new Paddock

In an earlier video post I talked about the paddock clearing operation in order to create a new 0.5 acre paddock at TSH. Well the job has been done, due in no small part to a wonderful WWOOFer Laetitia and the help of a particularly tenacious neighbour.

As you can see from the photo on the right, the cattle have taken to their new homes like ducks to water, though it is obvious that I need to have a few more ‘lessons’ with the tape measure… those posts were supposed to fit a 14′ gate between them!

Anyhow, the paddock really is quite wonderful and will, I’m sure, be a grand new home for our small herd. Must be like a holiday for them…

The next step is to prepare the adjoining 0.5 acre paddock, followed by the lane way to the diary shed (also to be built). We then have two additional areas to clear to set this ‘complex’ up. Anyone have any excess energy?

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A couple of months ago I decided to revegetate a sacrificial paddock. A sacrificial paddock is one in which the animals are maintained for longer than would normally be prudent.  This would normally be a landcare nightmare but in this case a small area was chosen, which was already significantly degraded, which could be intensively revegetated following the animals.

I chose to build 2 sacrificial paddocks near the front gate for this purpose as the soil in that location was already bare hardpan, and their location would be ideal for quarantine/holding/calving paddocks moving forward. They are approx. 0.2 acres in size each.

A pair of the mischevious maruaders...

The plan to revegetate was to cover the soil with straw to a depth of about 1-2cm, and then broadcast sow a mixture of forage brassica, plantain and clover into that mix. The hope was that the straw would help retain moisture and provide some protection for the seed, and it would grow through. Unfortunately I didn’t consider the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos…

The practical upshot was that the Cockatoos had a GRAND time eating my carefully sown seed, and tearing up a few nearby plants to boot. Now that some of the remaining seed has germinated, I can see the patchy growth pattern that is the result of their stirling efforts. Bless them!

However it isn’t all bad, and I have recently discovered a ‘blessing’ in their arrival…

Recently I have noticed that the ‘paddies’ of cow manure haven’t had their usual shape, and were in fact being broken up and spread. At first I thought it might be the action of dung beetles, as spring is almost upon us, but that didn’t really ring true as it seems to be a little too cold still for dung beetles. But the other day I noticed the Cockatoos in the paddock tearing apart the dung. Why?

Well it would appear that they are looking for undigested grain. I have recently changed the diet of my cattle to include a small amount of barley grain. Most of the grain is digested by the cattle, but some ‘goes through’ undigested. The Cockatoos have learnt that the grain is ripe for the picking (in more ways than one) and are therefore spreading the manure for me. They are doing a great job.

So the next step will be to find a bird scarer that I can erect over the paddocks for short periods of time (to allow germination and initial growth) which will work amongst the trees. The first attempt was an artificial hawk, but so far this has proven not to be terribly effective (mostly due to tree cover). However this apparatus will be relocated and its effectiveness reassessed. Otherwise some other steps will need to be taken.

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Fryderyk was born a little after 9.30pm on the 23rd August to Dalila (Dam) and Eminance T Baxter (Sire). Baxter is a bull owned by Eminance Dexter’s, and Dalila was ‘covered’ prior to joining me at TSH. Little Freddy, he is still in ‘short trousers’, is a beautiful black calf who seems to be quite happy to be out and about, exploring a new world.

In fact, he might be a little too adventurous, managing to squeeze out of the original paddock in the dead of the night leaving a very frantic Mum behind. I was awoken, about 12.30ish, to a bellowing that could only foretell doom. When I arrived at the paddock Dalila was beside herself, and there was no sign of Freddy at all. I later found him in another paddock quite scared and confused. As a result he spent the evening inside where I could keep an eye on him.

However this morning I lined a paddock with some 40mm chicken wire, about 100m worth, and popped both Fryderyk and Dalila in there. When I left for work Fryderyk was ‘dead to the world’ after filling his belly with milk, and Dalila was contentedly chewing the cud.

I think he’ll be a fantastic addition to the household.

Fryderyk - at approx 2 weeks old.

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The first thing one notices about the cheeses is the fact that they have slumped a bit, indicating that there was a little too much moisture in the curds. I think it was a case of not cutting the curds small enough. The next batch, which will probably be made tomorrow, will have the curds cut a little finer.

But apart from the aesthetics, what’s it like???????

Well upon cutting the cheese one is definitely met with the correct consistency, colour and odour. The interior of the cheese has that lovely gooey, off-white that is so familiar with Camembert. The flavour is mild, though I expect that’ll change with a little more aging, but delicious!

In short, I think the very first attempt at cheese making has produced an edible product… Who’d have thunk it!

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However those against pasteurisation claim that the pasteurisation process kills the natural flavours of cheese and the health benefits of eating/drinking a ‘living food’.

What is Pasteurisation?

According to Wikipedia, pasteurisation is;

“Pasteurization is a process which slows microbial growth in food. The process was named after its creator, French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur. The first pasteurization test was completed by Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard on April 20, 1864. The process was originally conceived as a way of preventing wine and beer from souring. Pasteurization is not intended to destroy all pathogenic micro-organisms in the food or liquid. Instead, pasteurization aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming pasteurization product is stored as indicated and consumed before its expiration date).”

There are a large number of foods that can be subjected to pasteurisation such as milk (obviously), wine, water, eggs and almonds.

What’s the BIG Deal?

Well this is also a valid question… after all, germ theory (on which pastuerisation is based) has done us a lot of good. Let us not forget that throughout humanity’s history countless people have died due to bacterial/fungal infections.

Well for me the issue is one of choice. I think that individuals should have the choice on whether they eat unpasteurised cheeses and not be dictated to. I know that some would argue that the laws are there to protect people from themselves, but honestly who wants to live with the nanny state… if you’ll excuse the pun.

I would therefore invite each of you to learn what you can about raw milk, and make up your own mind. The raw milk petition on Slow Food Australia has some great information and links to other informative sites including Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. If you, after making your choice, feel the same way as me then please sign the online petition.

The choice is yours…

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This got me to thinking about Dalila, who is due to calve in August, and the possibility of doing the same at TSH. In order to test my ability to use the diary output that Dalila will produce (approx 5-8L per day if sharing with a calf) I spent this afternoon evening making cheese. Camembert to be precise… though I did consider a Wensleydale.

It really is a delightful process and, like making bread, incredibly satisfying. From the 4L of unhomogenised organic milk I used I managed to produce 3 small camembert rounds (about 330g each), and an indeterminate quantity of fresh ricotta, from the whey left over from the cheese. The ricotta quantity is still indeterminate as it is hanging over the sink as we speak though I am sure that it’ll be GREAT with museli ‘n honey in the morning.

I’ll post an update in 4-6 weeks when the cheese gets it’s taste test and let you know if I’ll be milking Dalila. In the meantime, if you are interested in making cheese yourself then check out Cheeselinks, and the book Home Cheese Making, for advice and supplies.

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Congo and Dalila joined TSH approx 8 weeks ago and are settling in fine. Dexter Cattle were chosen, as a breed, as they are a miniature breed of cattle which are dual purpose, ie good for both meat and milk. Being a smaller breed they are ideal for a small block with more individuals per tonne of animal. They also have a beautiful temperament.

Both are pure-bred animals registered with the Dexter Cattle Association Incorporated. Congo is a ‘short’ bull, and Dalila is a ‘long’ heifer… she is also in-calf. Keep an eye out for more on these beautiful creatures and on our arrival… he/she is due in August.

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