For nearly a week now I’ve been based about 6kms out of Tokoroa on a sizable lifestyle block. It used to be part of a working dairy farm. The old herringbone cow shed is still here and is apparently still operational. But this place is now used for raising dairy beef.
There are two mobs of cattle, a smaller group of weaners and yearlings, and a bigger mob consisting of cows, younger calves, and a couple of old bulls. Both mobs are pretty straight forward to tend to, with daily silage and fresh break of grass. Unfortunately, the grass here isn’t flash at the moment, and we’ve had some really hard frosts over the past week which will slow the grass growth even further. Some mornings I haven’t been able to shift the stock until almost 9am, as there is next to no heat in the sun and so the ice lingers. But there’re loads of wrapped bales of silage so the stock are all getting a good feed.
The property is also used to run a horsey business, which focuses on retraining and rehoming equines, and providing lessons to members of the paying public. There can be up to 20 horses here sometimes, but while I’m here I only have eight, which is probably enough. 🙂 There’s 3 mares at the back of the farm, then close to the stables there is a mare with two foals keeping her company, and a couple of geldings in separate paddocks. So far, they’ve all been good to deal with. They’re all pretty quiet and easy enough to handle. They get a good feed of fresh grass and silage (or hay) twice a day. The boys get a fancy muesli mix for their dinner, in addition to grass and silage/hay.
The home is nice and comfy and gets loads of sun. House-pet wise, firstly there’s Boefje (pronounced boof-yay) who’s a Jack Russell/Blue Heeler cross. She’s a neat little doggie and has been my shadow pretty much from day one. Then we have two kitty cats, Simba and Buttons, who were both gotten from the local SPCA. Simba is an easy-going cat and we were mates from the first day. Buttons is quite timid by nature so I didn’t see her much to begin with, but by the third day she was all smooch and dribbles and curling up with me at night.
Outside there’re five chookies who get to free range much of the day, and a couple of hunting dogs (Cocoa and Baxter). They’re friendly enough though not suited to have around the cattle and horses, but they have a nice big pen to run around in during the day.
Finally there’s Jeff a pet feral pig. The owners found him last year on the side of the road a bit further out in the whops. They initially thought they were looking at a black kitten, but it turned out to be a black piglet on its lonesome. So anyway they brought him home and raised him to be a family pet. He’s pretty hardcase, likes to run around his little paddock, and he’s always looking for a good back scratch at meal times.
I’m in Tokoroa for another 10 days, then I’m off to do a repeat housesit in Rongotea.
Boefje
Simba
Buttons
Jeff
Cocoa (front) and Baxter
Chookies x 5
Big Mob
Small Mob
Chesney
Loki
Mare (Connie) and the two foals
Mares at the back of the farm
The old cowshed with the stables in the background
The stables and the arena
The arena
The front lawn
