Tara Mill Cottages

04/10/2026

Welcome Percy and Paisley, boy and girl.
Misty had two babies.
The first birth was recorded but I’ll refrain from posting. Fences are being repaired and sorted using the seconds poles from permapole and materials I had on hand already. The sheep can be managed in specific hopefully rotational paddocks. The flock needs to be reduced somewhat for the property to sustain the sheep without supplement feeding.
Appropriate plants will be grown on the outside of the fences for supplement feeding.

28/09/2026

Acacia Saligna
So beautiful.

28/09/2026

Why can’t we come in here and graze.
Um no. You’re not eating the newly planted trees and plants.

27/09/2026

Friday - 103 trees were planted as a start to the basic structure of this area.
They were watered in. Some of the whipper snipped grass was popped in a wheel barrow and spread before more mulch is spread around the plants. Watered the 103 plants in again today ( Sunday) One thing at a time.
Oh the sheep.
Clearly getting into areas they are not supposed to. By distracting the young one with sheep cubes I managed to remove the neck scarf.

23/09/2026

Green green grass of home

23/09/2026

The grass/ green stuff got a bit out of hand.
Managed to mow a bit after whipper snipping the clover and popped it in and around one of the rows.
It hadn’t been watered over winter and I think there is one casualty. Many plants are still growing though including the vanilla bean plant that survived the frost. It might be small but it’s alive. Batteries went flat, including mine so more mowing tomorrow when all batteries are recharged.

20/09/2026

These are two experimental “syntropic” rows that are clearly not as lush seen in the video, but they are still doing well given the harsh environment and minimal rain. They had no watering over winter. In between we see tagasaste , elderberry, pigeon pea and few other plants in between the trees and Acacia saligna, now in bloom. It’s been good to see what survives and what flourishes. There have been a number of plants that didn’t survive and noting this will inform the way in which the new rows will be planted. Not sure how many mango trees have been planted and died. They need special care it seems.
Some post holes near the new fenced area to keep sheep out will be filled up with compost and then plant some of the trees into them.

20/09/2026

Watching this regen video to be inspired.
Will start planting up top of the new paddock later this week. I hope
I will connect water to the paddock via a tap and then feed some black poly pipe to the trees to help water them until they are established. I will have to pop some manures in on it around and maybe some hay mulch to keep the moisture in and develop some soil. It’s pretty gravelly with some developing soil on the top layer.
I will have to get some more hay this week. I have some many plants many grown from cuttings and / or seeds in the shade house busting themselves to be planted, Lilly pillys and acacias, mulberries maybe a willow tree or two as well as some kangaroo grass, Bana grass, native bushes and trees as well as things like rosemary and carob trees. So maybe I’ll rip a line and pop some of those pioneer plants in between the Lilly pillies, maybe I’ll use some of the Bana grass and plant them to chop and drop. that’s the plan anyway. We will see how we go.

An introduction to Regenerative Agroforestry Systems and one of our...

05/09/2026

Spring
The plum and peach trees are flowering.
Grateful for having the vegie patch mulched and the other section mowed/ whipper snipped while I was away, attending meetings.
Started weeding the beds now. Also have a section behind the houses fenced off to allow it to be protected from the sheep and hopefully plant some bush plants and various other bits and pieces once we figure out how to water them in the first year.
A beautiful rainbow with the sheep in their night paddock.

15/08/2026