It works!

You all remember that RMan bought a second hand ride on lawnmower a couple of weeks ago?

Well, after getting a new 12 volt battery, changing the oil, giving it a major clean, changing the belt and sharpening the blades, and then firing it up, he decided to give it a whirl at our town house before schlepping it to the farm.

Cutting, cutting, cutting...

It worked a treat - it even has a reverse gear LOL


So, naturally, we put it in the trailer and took it to the farm with us.


Bless him.  RMan was itching to try it out, but we had to finish the veggie shade cloth structure first - well, a happy wife is a happy husband - or so I'm told.  And a happy wife doesn't nag the happy husband, who is then naturally free to do what he wants - and thus the happy husband ends up even happier LOL


But eventually RMan got to play on his toy...

It worked really well.  Really, really well.

Elytropappus rhinocerotis

Image source:

httpwww.plantzafrica.complantefgelytrorhino.htm

Even the renosterbos closest to the house was no match for it.  Not that that is a long term solution.  This renosterbos actually needs to be ripped out of the soil.  (I'm not talking about the threatened renosterveld plants, rather I'm talking about one particular bush Elytropappus rhinocerotis, which is perfect for a snake to slither under to obtain shade in the heat of the day.)  Slashing the top will probably make that more difficult in future as the roots are just going to get bigger, deeper and more tenacious I fear.  And this member of the renosterveld family is very common and not threatened.  It is widespread (and spreads like crazy) and is a drab, uninteresting plant.  And, due to it's resin content, a definite fire hazard on a farm.

But, bear in mind that MKid is joining us for Christmas - and we want him to be able to play freely without fear that a snake could be lurking in the undergrowth.  So the renoster bush has to go - at least that which is growing closest to the house!

But, RMan discovered that the belt that drives the blades kept slipping off.  So he is going to move the jockey wheel to keep it away from the drive slip-ring. Hopefully this will sort out the problem.

So - the fun had to stop until RMan had time to consider and plan / prepare for some modifications.

Which are now arranged :)

So - this weekend, where they are predicting temperatures in the mid-30's (centigrade), we are once again travelling up to the farm.

For apart from the fact that we still have to get the veld grass down to a safe (grandchild) level, there are still so many auction goodies which we have to clear out of the garden and garage of our town "house-which-is-(still)-for-sale". The balance of the wooden battens / planks.  a couple of basic cupboards. More tyres.

And seedlings. More seedlings.  And even more seedlings.  I think I have about 160 in all.  If not more.  Which means that I have to dig up / pick axe some more of the veggie hut soil, and rake, rake and rake the stones out / away, add plenty of compost / bonemeal and Talborne Organics nutrients, complete the installation of the porous pipe and then get busy planting....  But at last I will be doing it in the relatively shaded veggie hut :)  And I will have my broad brimmed hat on!

Lemon tree saplings

And, talking about seedlings, we also plan to plant another 15 lemon trees too.  That will give me a total of 30 lemon trees planted thus far.

So, a busy time all round.  Hopefully we can fit it all in - but I think that will depend on how hot it actually gets.  Working in the garden at 34 - 35oC (93 - 95oF) is very hard work and not ideal.  Stressing the plants with that kind of (planting) heat is also what we hoped to avoid.  But we will link them up to the irrigation system (with the porous pipe) as soon as possible after planting.  I have a feeling that we will be up just before first light, work until the heat becomes unbearable, have an early lunch and a siesta, and then continue in the cooler late afternoon until sunset.  Which is, naturally, the perfect time to sit on the patio, glass (or bottle of beer in RMan's case) in hand and end off a day with a braai (barbecue).  I have a overwhelming desire for some barbecued baked potatoes with crisp skin, and corn on the cob, both slathered in cholesterol reducing butter and a sprinkling of freshly ground salt and pepper...

We're leaving at, or before, sparrow fart tomorrow (Friday) morning - so I'll see you next week :)