Snow and sausages

Well its been a big couple of weeks at Peace farm.  We had our inaugural Peace farm-warming party which happened to be on about the coldest and wettest day we have had on the farm so far.  A bit of a bummer that we couldn't enjoy and share our beautiful land more.  But luckily the rains stopped for just long enough for the farm tour.  Apart from that it was very cosy indoors beside the raging open fireplace.

The following morning we woke up to see our mountains covered in snow, so it was great to spend the afternoon of recovery in the breathtaking beauty of freshly fallen snow.  Here's a little video we shot that day:



Since then we have slaughtered and butchered our three berkshire pigs with help from local mobile butchers.  A big process for us all to get our heads and hearts around.  I felt quite sad to say goodbye (and thanks) to the three fellas as I have loved having them here the last 6 months.  The kids made the mistake of naming them as piglets (Gerald, Percy and Charlie) instead of just "Bacon" which is what they are now.  However, the whole process has been quite fascinating. Jasmena, a big bacon eater, is so far refusing to eat any of our pigs, but will happily eat the free range bacon from the supermarket!

I have previously been a vegetarian for more than 15 years and only just started eating pork in the last 3 years so I was not prepared to watch the kill and felt pretty squeamish with the butchering. But I have to say that it feels right to be consciously involved in giving these animals a happy and healthy life on our land, and giving thanks and appreciation to them for providing us with their meat.  It is so much more connected than just buying a packet of bacon from a deli.

We also now have a deep freezer full of delicious free-range pork.  And I am looking forward to getting our next lot of little piglets.  I wonder if these ones will be named...

Introduction: Emilie

Bonjour,

My name is Emilie, married with Travis and mother of Matis, my almost 3 years old son.

Being involved in the farm is really rich of experiences!!!

The last month things have changed in me. Travis and I went through a vivid tornado regarding the way we were relating to each-other. I really felt “death” and rebirth from it. It’s a huge time of growth and learning for me. Relearning how to be with myself and others in a more truthful, open and balanced way.

Since, I feel that new light growing in me, and a sense of confidence.

What I love about living here is the mountain facing our farm. I love our sacred women circle we made not long ago. Having a space to retreat where I feel held by nature, by a circle and by the directions feels wonderful and very special. The east is marked by a bushy area, the north reveals the mountain, the west is where our dam is, and in the south we can find a fox den and further away, our homes. Since we've opened that circle I’ve finally started to found in love with this land and the farm, and all its potential. I start to feel my potential on what I can give and offer from that place. Today I played my drum in the circle for the first time, and felt very grateful of the simplicity and ease to just do it! I’m at the moment studying shamanic midwifery, and part of the course is to have made our own shamanic drum, and to play it as a tool to heal and journey within. I love it! And this is a big part of what I would like to share with the farm…

Vix here...

I'm also involved in Peace Farm.

I'm very happily married to my love Murray and a very proud mama to my darling daughter Grace (nearly 2 years) and love my job as a kundalini yoga teacher.

I'm passionate about many things, particularly education based on the cycles of nature. I love alchemical crafts (transforming trash into treasure!) and I love wholefood homemade cooking, herbs, crochet, making mandalas, singing, dancing and the list goes on an on!!

In summary, I'm a lover of natural beauty.

More to come...

The beginnings of peace farm

Hello Fellow being of nourishment,
My name is Matt Daniele partner of Cat, step father of her two kids Jasmena and Marlowe and father of a toddler Luca and a new born Ollie.

The beauty of the Yarra Valley became the chosen place and when I got the job as Edible nursery manager at ECOSS community environment park we had to quickly find a place to rent. One year on we have bought our own land, a place to call home, a place to express all my interests, to grow my family, to plant all my plants for the wild, for stulpturing our land and for economic purposes, to share with my friends, to have fire circles with my brothers and sisters, to generally find my place in the cycles and seasons of this great part of the world.
 I love yoga when I make time for it, building projects- domestic, creative and commercial such as hothouses. I enjoy a home picked meal and a home made wine with my friends. My favourite thing is creating gardens for pleasure, beauty and nourishment.
I've brought the pigs to the farm, three berkshire boys. They are pretty good temperament, not too bad at ploughing as long as they have lots of water to drink, spill and wet the ground so they can work it in.

We are enjoying the goats milk and making great fetta cheese. I must say that home made quality cheese is easily up to the best standard cheese commercially made. Give it a go!
Also we have enough eggs for three families with approx 25 layers of assorted breeds, some yet to start laying, though it is mid winter.
Its great to be on animal care at least two days each week, each family collects the products of the animals (eggs & milk) for their weekly requirements. Luca, nearly 2 sometimes helps me and loves playing with water. Last week he experienced frost bite for the first time when we had minus two degrees celsius mornings.
From spring we shall start moving from subsistence to making a small income using various methods of economics such as sell, service, swap and barter.
The dream for me here is to run a nursery with a little cafe, teach, co-create a market garden, mixed orchard, meadow, food forest, animal rotations and wild haven by the spring dam and generally be filled by the joy of the peace and creation of our spaces, be that, sacred, bountiful, beautiful and enjoyable.

I believe I have started giving up my own needs and expectations of  how and when the elements of the orchard, market garden, nursery, etc will be in production and instead begun the learning of good communication, being available for my community.
I would just like to end on, I'm still pinching myself to have this opportunity in life, like coming home, feeling blessed.