01/08/2026
Learning Winter’s Rhythm
Another wet week has meant juggling an ever-growing list of jobs waiting to be done.
There have still been a few wins along the way. Our orchard pruning is finally finished—a milestone I’m very happy to tick off the list.
We also managed to make a little more progress in the strawberry patch, although once the rain set in, we packed up and headed back inside.
And if you’re tired of hearing me talk about cleaning sheds… I completely understand! But that’s exactly what we’ve been doing. The difference is, this time it’s finished—and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Over the years, the shed had become one of those jobs that quietly occupied space in my mind. Now that it’s done, it’s no longer something I keep thinking about. There’s a real sense of freedom in clearing things out, whether it’s throwing something away, finding it a new home, or repurposing it for another use. Sometimes a clean shed brings just as much satisfaction as a productive day in the garden.
One thing I’ve come to realise after four years on this beautiful piece of land is that South West Victoria has its own way of doing winter. We can make plans, prepare garden beds, plant where we can and keep up with maintenance, but ultimately the property sets the pace. Once the rain settles in and the cold takes hold, growing vegetables becomes a real challenge.
Rather than fighting the season, we’ve decided to work with it.
With that in mind, we’ve made the decision to close the barn for most of August. We’ll be open as usual on Saturday, 8 August, from 11am–5pm, followed by our Patch to Plate Dinner that evening. After that, we’ll be taking a short winter break for the following three Saturdays before reopening for our regular Saturday trading on 5 September.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is pause, catch your breath, and prepare for the busy months ahead.
Now we just need one more week of negotiating with the weather!
Patch to plate dinner this Saturday, 6pm onwards $25, supported by Nat. Centre for Farmer Health
