Day 6 & 7 of 365 – the days of the week conglomerating

It is only now that I am full time farming, that I appreciate the fact that I was working two jobs before. A workday week in which corporate conduct ruled my day, and a working weekend where physical labour was the preferred relaxation and stress relief exercise, with a productive outcome.

So now, because I must use a fruitful opportunity when it presents itself, I started with a typical weekend activity: trying to rescue my sourdough starter, and I ended my leisurely Sunday converting a CEO’s strategic vision, into a graphical one-page summary, leading to practical implementation. Typical consulting work specifically tailored.

(In case that subtlest of hints did not work, I will avail myself for the occasional piece of consulting work).

The sourdough position ended on Sunday with a decision to not so much abandon attempt one after exactly one week, but rather start a second attempt, while experiment 1 continues with what will not work to revive a sour dough starter. It is here where I will accept any suggestions, seeing as “we” have nothing to lose. What I had tried so far:

  • Reducing the daily feeding ratio of water to flour
  • Mixing types of flour
  • Adding yoghurt to the feed

For the avoidance of doubt, these did not work.

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And for my regular customers, not to worry, your fresh produce is on its way to town. You will have your crispy curly leaf, or red lead salad, cucumber and Labneh or Chevre before Monday is out.

Ending with Sunday evening movies: 1923 final episode, followed by start of Yellow Stone. Good night.

Day 4&5 of 365 – Livestock management

Day 4 & 5 of 365 – Now we are talking the business of farming.

Yes, I did skip my daily blog yesterday, on this public holiday that remembers the victims of the Cassinga Massacre. Approximately six hundred people were killed in 1978 when the South African Defence Force attacked South West Africa’s People Organization (SWAPO) camp that was located at Cassinga in Angola.

That is not to say we do not work, but the work was more like visiting old friends. We have a new bull, who has already made lady acquaintances, and there does not seem to be any animosity between Borris and Ganamede, our existing bull.

An introduction to our herd

Mable of course, in all her maternity glory, was seemingly shy to nibble on the Salt Bush treat I brought her, opting to approach the nibble from behind. I’ve extolled the virtues of Salt Bush before (Kapps Farm Spring Plant Sale 2-3 October ), and happy to share that if you are in the area, you can pick up a few plants at the Luv Earth kiosk at Finkenstein, as well as some of my farm fresh health conscious produce.

After bragging about a lively Sourdough starter on day 3, it has gone a bit flat, so I have juiced up today’s feeding with half cake flour and half brown bread flour. Let us see if that does the trick.

Today was a full-on farm production day, working the sheep. I am going to cut the verbiage short and leave it to the video clips to explain. Let us just say, the day ended with animal medicine having to be applied to my heel – Subpoena is merciless on ticks!

Hope your weekend ahead is tick-less. Ciao for now.

Day 3 of 365: I love it when a plan comes together

Day 3 of 365 is again such a satisfying day. After 2 welcome days of cloudy cool respite, it is nice to see the sun again. But more importantly, considering we are truly off grid, rather an anxious time to recharge the solar power batteries.

Thanks Clinton from https://ellies.co.za/, your technical advice perfectly balanced the need for power, with the cost of additional batteries.

Gratitude number 3: (1 being the beautiful morning; and 2 being we still have power): My sourdough is catching fire!

This sourdough is eager!

I may not even need to wait 2 weeks to start using “it”. And there we arrive at the first point where I ask for your friendly suggestions. I recently joined a sourdough social media group, and I hear you are meant to give your starter a name… any ideas?

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So far, all fun and games, but lest we forget that the farm must pay for itself, I spent some time in the office, creating our very own QR code business cards. Going paperless for the networking required.

Gratitude number 4 – QR codes left, right and centre. Although irrelevant seeing as you are already on my blog, but here is one you can forward to your friends and contacts to direct them here too.

And that, as they say in the movies, is a wrap. Till tomorrow.

Day 2 of 365 – Much ado about nothing

Not much to report on this second day of my sustainable living adventure. It was more about establishing a home office for those Teams meetings. Luckily the connectivity held out for the afternoon meeting.

But, my timesheet cannot go one day without producing some output, so celery salt is in the making. See you again tomorrow.

Day 1 of 365 – a new start”er”

I cannot pretend that today is a completely new start to a new life. We have been chipping away at this dream for five years already. I can pretend it has been a tough weekend farmer existence, but that would be a lie. It has been a cherished existence, sacrificing a few creature comforts and big city lights entertainment, for the sake of living off the land.

Today being 1 May 2023, you can work out that the start of this journey pre-dates COVID. It has been in the works for long. COVID simply advanced our game plan, leading to my new full time living off the land occupation.

https://youtube.com/shorts/SUhHJhnC4J8

You may or may not have raised similar existential questions during COVID. If you did, were you able to make much progress?

Enough of the philosophical musings already. Let us get practical – day one starts with a starter.

How to make a sourdough starter if the friendly baker who used to share his starter with you, is a 2-hour drive away:

Start with a complicated list of ingredients.

And then follows a complicated assembly (not…)

Hopefully I see you with a freshly baked sourdough loaf in two weeks’ time.

Tomorrow will bring a different experience, prior to locking myself behind a Teams meeting screen.