Monthly Archives: March 2018

Amusing, Belize, Farming, Food

Goosie News & Misc.

Our two month old goosie has reached adolescence and is starting to feather.  She has stopped calling for Mama Munchkin and is starting to make new twittering noises with the occasional Chinese goose Qwack (not quite quack, there are finer nuances to goosie language).   She is out during the day and she is back in her cage at night.

She’s bigger than this now; about 4lbs (2kg).

Growing Goosie.

I thought that she would be “lonely” but now I think that this is perhaps a human concept; she is perfectly content to sit by herself, twitter and preen…sleep…look for water, wander around at her leisure and eat grass whenever it takes her fancy.  Animals are rather resilient little things and can face the world with such braveness and independence.  It has been a great pleasure to see my goosie grow up into an adult…more so because of the short length of time!   🙂

Oh, and look at these two!!  Two more to fulfil my mothering instincts.  Double Easter Goosies…Very Auspicious…

Double Goosie.

The miscellaneous subject of today is suriname cherries.  Last year, we had an awful time with the thieving black-birds and brown jays.  Despite putting up all sorts of silvery, glittery things;  the usual Internet silliness…you know…when they say, “…here’s another great idea for old CDs and aluminium cans…recycle your garbage to scare birdies away…”

Oh, and the big eyes drawn on pieces of card-board didn’t work either…it just ended up being an arts and crafts afternoon for Munchkin and Gnome…much to Gnome’s chagrin.   A word of caution: Gnomes do not do Arts and Crafts!!  They only want to tinker around with useful things that can make life better in some way.

Anyway(s), I am collecting a pound in weight of suriname cherries each day right now.  I have started harvesting them un-ripe (yellow-reddish) EARLY morning (before the early bird) and I place the un-ripe cherries in dry season room temperature (40C/104F) during the day.  Viola…they all turn plump red and ripen up very nicely by the end of the day.  By the way, I didn’t get this information on the Internet…I just experimented since I was soooo mad at the birdies for eating up all my cherries.  🙂

Suriname Cherry.
Amusing, Belize, Farming, Plants

Rain Signs.

I think that I have mentioned before that we don’t bother with the weather reports any-more since we have never found them accurate.  For a time, we relied on the fruit-monger but we haven’t seen her in ages. Today, is it going to rain or not?  So, Gnome pointed out all the the rain signs; we have observed these signs, over and over again associated with rains.  Honestly, we do use the scientific method. 😉

“…well, the rain hawk was going off like crazy and…you (Munchkin) have a splitting headache…the road just got graded and there was a sudden build up of grey clouds over half an hour.”

“…Hmmm…are four signs enough for a rain…”

Well, let’s just wait and see if our Munchkin and Gnome Rain Signs work!!  🙂  Or, do we need to add more Rain Signs to the criteria?

Anyway, I ‘ll will leave you with a few pictures of vegetables from the farm (oho, the excitement of being a Munchkin and Gnome knows no limits!!).  This year, we have kept the plants to a minimum so that we do not need to use up too much water over the dry season.  These plants are being irrigated with grey water (washing machine/ shower and dish-washing water).

The Chinese winter melon is growing up the one side of our duck coop.  So funny, I couldn’t get one for Chinese New Year but now the plant is producing lots of fruit.  The Chinese usually eat them (in soup) when they get really big.  I have started harvesting them young because we can’t possibly get through the sheer volume of eating mature fruit.  They taste like cho cho (chayote) and other types of curcubit plants.

Winter Melon.
Another Winter Melon.

The rocket (arrugola…is that how you spell it?  That’s the Sicilian word for it by the way) is dong really well despite the drought:

Rocket.

Asparagus is doing great:

Asparagus.

This eggplant looks like an egg; not much taste though…it’s a bit rubbery but great to look at (if anyone is interested in looking at eggplants that resemble eggs). 😉

White Eggplant.

This is an unusual striped orangey egg-plant.  They don’t get very big but I like them since they are sweet tasting and (God-Forbid!!) they make a nice ornamental.  Munchkin philosophy: You really should just eat it and not just have something for pretty.

Stripey Eggplant.

Just as I finish writing this post, the rain is starting (a little)…

Amusing, Belize, Farming

The Life and Trials of Mark Goosie.

Mark Goosie (I am with-holding his real name since people might think that I named  him after some-one real) was one (of a pair) of  geese that we first introduced into our farm back in the good old days.

Mark Goosie.

Unbeknown to us, at the time, we were ruthlessly sold two boys.  So, we had asked for a breeding pair but did not get what we asked for!  Anyway, the two of them paired up (as geese do) and seemed quite happy together.  We tried to introduce female geese later on in the game but the two remained inseparable.  One female goose was found un-expectantly dead (there’s been a murder!!) under the house and we decided to put it down to a crime of passion.  The two original geese would  not let anything get in the way of their relationship.

After a while, Mark’s partner went to Great Goosie Heaven and we observed Mark Goosie mourning for a long time.  At that time we couldn’t find a new companion goosie so we introduced a white duck in the hope that he would accept him as a friend.  And he did; for a long time they walked through the farm together side by side like old buddies.  White duck died a few years later and again, Mark was left all by himself.  Five more years went by and he wondered around the farm alone occasionally honking in unison with passing honking trucks.

Goosie and Duckie.

Last year, we managed to procure some female geese and finally Mark accepted a “she” goose companion into his life.  They were really lovely  together and it was as if Mark had found a new lease of life.  During breeding season, he located a nice nesting spot for his companion and filled it with his own feather down.  He stood guard by her side, day and night, whilst she was setting.  They always walked proudly together and did not appear to mingle with the other goosie groups.

Well, a few weeks ago, we found his female companion dead in amongst a pile of rocks behind the duck coop.  We weren’t sure what had happened (a snake perhaps??).  He was so distraught…honking madly and flapping his wings.  He was in such an emotional state that we had to place him in the confinement of the duck coop; he wouldn’t leave the spot where he lost his girl.  Whilst in the coop, he continued to place feather down on the ground to make a nesting spot.  When we saw this, we felt such sadness for his loss.  Awwwhhhh!!!

Anyway, what to do with Mark Goosie??

Well I never!!  We thought that he would not recover from this last bereavement.  But, he has re-emerged like a phoenix from the ashes- and has become head bossie (sensei) for the young’uns (the five brand new geese from last year).  He acts as their sentinel, guard and teaches them “the way of the goosie.”  Every morning, we see him proudly leading his troop to the pond in an orderly straight line.  What a Champion…we love a happy ending, don’t you!!  Go Goosie Go!!

Here’s a picture of Mark Goosie leading his team of youngsters:

Head Goosie.
Belize, Farming

Dry Season Days.

Oh I haven’t been writing…it’s the usual dry season time when I just feel too hot and too tired!  We are out by 6ish every morning and it is hot by 9am.  The geese hide under the shade of the house and run off to the pond when they get the chance; I kind of get the feeling that they think we are just being plain silly for our insistence in working in this heat.  Anyway, Gnome has been clearing more of the back area; when we first arrived here, we planted a whole lot of samwood trees for timber.

Cutting up trees.

They are all bunched up and too close to the house (we were once very silly and planted willy-nilly).  Gnome is systematically removing one tree at a time, chopping the wood to dry for later charcoal making.  This is craboo wood from a wild tree that has grown into a monster…we had to take this one down too; the colour is very pretty:

Craboo Wood

The charcoal area has been moved…sort of to the side…so that it is not right in front of the house!  Of course, Gnome did not re-locate for aesthetic reasons…he simply ran out of room and needed more space.

Charcoal Area

Another reason for moving the charcoal place is because Gnome wants to build an outside kitchen bunker next to all this.  He is going to make it out of used tyres…how romantic..recycled furnishings for Munchkin.   Anyway, it will be very helpful to have another food station as my present kitchen is crammed so full of food, I can hardly get into it.

Oh and Gnome is putting these everywhere as sitting stools; they are every-where…under the house, under the rosewood trees and a couple under the bread-fruit.  His reasoning behind all this is that the common habitat for munchkins and gnomes are under trees  sitting on stumps (when it is too hot).   😉

Tree Stumps.

I will leave you with a nice picture of mushrooms growing on our samwood.  This is Ganoderma lucidum; you can grate it and make a tea out of it.  It’s one of those immune booster type things that the Chinese use in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Ganoderma Lucidum.
Amusing, Belize, Farming

Still Going!!

I can’t believe it has been ten days since I last wrote.  The days have flown by and we have taken advantage of the very dry spell…not a single drop of rain since last night’s single (literally!) drop of rain.  Gnome had to stop mowing  for a few days because of carpal tunnel but he seems okay now with it.  He has been chopping trees down to make charcoal; one tree fills up a 55 gallon drum about 2 to 3 times over, stuffed very full.  The charcoal is being stored for colder days.

Making Charcoal.

I had a slight mishap with my right middle finger when a concrete block accidentally banged down on the tip.  Ahhhhh….it was so painful (I am not good with pain and the worse patient ever).  I didn’t even bother Gnome (because he was too busy) and sorted it out myself.  I treated the initial inflammation and then came back out of the house with a huge bandage wrapped around my finger and wrist and kept on going.  What a brave Munchkin!!  I did not realise how important the tip of a middle finger was until I had difficulty opening bucket lids, washing dishes properly with a scrubber, even lighting the stove and so many other activities of daily living.  Anyway, it’s all fine now and the injury has healed.

Little Goosie is about 5 weeks old and her weight is going up everyday; she is more than 2 lbs (1kg) in weight.  I estimate that her weight will be 5lbs once she gets to 12 weeks.  That is not too much considering that if you intend to feed up a green goose (equivalent of broiler) your aim is to get them up to 10lbs in 12 weeks.

This is an old picture: Goosie is probably four times bigger now:

Goosie.

No more little goosies yet and the sneaky goosies have switched all their old nesting spots so we can’t find any-more eggs right now.

Secret Goose Nest.

We have two very broody females, sitting in nests (yes they finally figured out that the big square structures with soft natural furnishings were nests).

Nesting Boxes.

However, we don’t trust their haphazard setting abilities so they are sitting on a bunch of rocks.  We have tried de-brooding them a number of times by sticking them in the duckie coop…somehow they manage to get back out (Houdini Goosies) and plonk themselves back on their nest of rocks.

Anyway the farm is looking great with the new hair-cut.  Gnome will be getting onto the coconut area soon.  We will keep on going and have a natural break with the Iguana rains…

Dear Ms Iguana, I hope the rains come soon so that you can lay your eggs but please don’t lay them on our farm because we don’t have enough succulent greens to feed your little blighters!!

Iguana.
Amusing, Belize, Farming

I Don’t Recognise This Place!!

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We have naturally gone crepuscular this year; I think it’s partly because the first cry from the geese is about 4.30 am.  So, 4.30am has become our natural waking time.  We like to talk and have a cup of tea (or two) in the morning, plan our day and then we are out on the farm early.  Look at what’s happening!!  I don’t recognise the place…the bush has come down and we can actually see all around us!!  Ha-Ha!!

There’s Gnome charging ahead and disappearing into the bushes:

Clearing Away.

I guess I am taking pictures just for our benefit because the reader is probably none the wiser.  But you have to realise that we were practically living in bush for the last 6 months because we have had mass machinery break-down.  So, let me indulge myself with a few more pictures:

Oooooh:

Another section cleared.

Ahhhhh:

Cleared Pond.

We even found a very spiny bamboo that has grown up (into an adult size):

Spiny Bamboo.

We have re-claimed fruit trees too:

Clearing.

Also, Gnome is busy with other projects.  He woke up the other day and said:

“That’s it!!  That’s it!!  Algae is the answer to everything!!”

He went on about a super big protein source, survival food and natural solar panels.  He said quite a lot and then said he wanted to cultivate algae; and, so he did:

Culturing Algae.

Well, this is what I said:

“Well okay, you can breed your algae in your spare time…but first clean the farm up!”

(That is the Chinese in me coming out which he tells me is endearing at times).

So, more pictures of cleared up farm…

The Pond Area.

Look, I can actually walk about:

Farm Cleared.
Amusing, Belize, Farming

Cleaning Up!!

Gnome is boldly going where no Gnome has gone before (well, he has been there before but it was a very, very long time ago).  He is re-claiming the farm territory and expanding into the unknown.  Phew…we have never, ever been able to clear up the farm in one go so here’s hoping that all goes well this time!

So, more silly tales from Munchkin and Gnome: Grey goosie (aka  April Jones of the Jonesey sisters…yes, you have to keep up with our goosie soap opera!) went missing a few days ago.  We searched high and low for her but to no avail since it was still very bushy at that time.  We figured that she was laying eggs in the back of beyond (somewhere!) and was most likely sitting on a clutch of eggs.  Anyway, Gnome stumbled across her in some dense bush yesterday…she was hissing and carrying on and was none too pleased with the disturbance of noisy machinery and grass flying every-where.

Grey Goosie.

So, Gnome called me over and asked what we should do.  This is what we ended up doing: we mowed around her and left her a little island of dense bush!!  I think that we love our goosies too much and are catering to their whims…don’t you think?  This is not how you run a farm!!

Anyway, at the beginning of the year we had decided to put out nesting boxes for the geese.  There are many of these washing machine coverings filled up with nesting material and smooth rocks scattered around the farm designed to entice the discerning, broody goose.  Any takers??  Of course not…the goosies didn’t come to our “lay your eggs in our lovely nesting boxes made out of white goods” meeting.  They would much rather go au naturel…

Nesting Boxes.

Oh well, that’s the usual kinda stuff that happens on the farm.  Oh and we caught this funny looking possum which was the size of a rat.  Gnome’s immediate response was that it wasn’t big enough to eat!  I think that the bigger variety that we caught first time round was a Virginia Opossum (the ones that can “play dead”).  This scary looking thing is a Grey Four-Eyed Possum.  Anyway, since we raged war against the possums they seem to have vacated the area quick smart.  No more possums to be found…that’s a good thing!

Possum.