Well, after we finished pruning in 2010, Emma and I went back to New Guinea with Frank Taylor’s mob, Kokoda Treks and Tours, and, with a small party of seven, we trekked Shaggy Ridge. Apart from just the experience of again walking in the footsteps of heroes, we also sought to raise monies for the
What happened to a year? Read More »
Today, 3 May 2010, I celebrate my 65th birthday. Just to clear up any misconceptions, that is 65 years young, not old! Anyone checking my Facebook will notice that I am still well entrenched in my first childhood. Saving children from dying Speaking of children, I have taken the reins of Life Education Tasmania Inc.a
The next old feller who chats to me in the main street of Lilydale and says: nice drop of rain! I’ll drop him. Yes, a whole year has passed without me making any reports and for that I apologise. The 2009 season was difficult, but aren’t they all? Vintage was very light in terms of
RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN Read More »
With the help of Brenda and Elizabeth the vineyard has been tied down and the mulching finished today. Over Winter I fertilized using dynamic lifter (chook poo) for the first time in over seven years. A lack of nitrogen last season was evident in the pruning weights and I figured that a boost, here plus
Winter management is complete Read More »
Well, after some five months in the planning and execution, and $6,000 overrun, our new net shed/workshop is finished. The old net shed, which embraced a pig sty, goat house, net storage and a lot of wasted space was in the state of early collapse. Our backhoe specialist, Tony, had great fun demolishing it and
New shed – new goat – new day Read More »
Brenda and I headed off for a well-earned holiday, travelling first to Adelaide to visit her family in and near Victor Harbor (their spelling, not mine!). Then we travelled on the Ghan to Darwin, stopping at Alice Springs and Katherine. It was a great trip and, despite having our own Mrs Marples on board (Brenda
With my daughter, Emma, more about I walked the Kokoda Trail, following the path of the 39th Militia Battalion in their retreat from Kokoda, fighting every inch of the way a force six times their strength and better trained. Why the mullahs of the day chose the militia, rather than properly trained regular AIF soldiers
Well, a bit of a change from vineyard work! Read More »
Well, not really. Quentin Bryce is not my sister, but we are probably related somewhere back in Scotland. If we are I doubt she would want to recognise all our rellies. I am a direct descendent of Rob Roy McGregor who, contrary to the movie, was in fact a sheep stealer and not a cattle
The contract picking team arrived at 7:30 am and took 5 tonnes of Chardonnay for processing as sparkling wine. Not Providence unfortunately, as the fruit was absolutely fantastic. No, another very good Tasmanian brand! We would like to make sparkling but we cannot manage the increased cost associated with sparkling wine production. It is about
Vintage – Chardonnay Read More »
Exclaimed our winemaker, Guy Wagner. Guy was speaking of the subsidiary bunches that form from the main bunch stem of Pinot Noir, often referred to ‘wings’ or shoulders. These grapes will always remain behind the primary bunch in ripening and at vintage, even though they will be the right colour, will not achieve full ripeness
“Wings like a 747!” Read More »
