I'd almost forgotten this blog existed.
Time to update things after 9+ years.  We are well underway with the house, but severely delayed by lack of finances.  I lost my job in late 2017 - the non-disclosure agreement that was part of the settlement process means I can't share what happened.  The upshot is that the Independent Education Union got me a fair separation payment.  If not for our local Union Rep, we would have lost our house and land.  I had a heart attack as the termination was so unexpected, and that led to a quad-bypass and a long period of rehabilitation.  Just as I was getting back into work here on the farm, I found I had aggressive prostate cancer.  Some months of radiation therapy later, and with ongoing hormone therapy, I seem to be ok but still getting 6 monthly checks.
The weeds have largely taken over the place and we have downsized the menagerie to one heifer, 2 dogs, a pig and some chooks.
Last year, our cow, Blossie, dropped a calf, then trod on it and broke its leg, then went down with what seemed to be milk fever.  We had to put the calf down, but thought Blossie was on the mend, but she dropped off the twig.
Some friends very kindly gifted us a beautiful little Jersey heifer, Poppy, who is now growing nicely and is due to be joined in 3 or 4 months time.
Our Jack Russel, Jack, had to be put down after what the vet thinks was a snake bite.  Our daughter, Leah, gave us a beautiful Tenterfield Terrier, Buddy, as a replacement.  Buddy has given our other dog, Susie, and us, a new lease of life.  I cannot recommend Tenterfield Terriers enough: energetic, but easy to train and manage.  Great alarm dogs, but not aggressive.  Great with kids.  Affectionate.
The strawbale house is progressing slowly as money becomes available.  The big expenses holding us back are getting the plumbing finished and the electrics sorted.  The bale walls are up but not yet rendered.  They're very effective.  We had a few days in the mid to high 30s a few weeks ago and on the hottest day, we spent it in the house.  Even though the upstairs insulation is not finished and the window frames are not yet tightly sealed, it was about 10 degrees cooler than the outside temperature.  I also spent time working in it during winter when the temperature stayed in the low 20s while outside was in single digits.  Can't wait to get it finished and us moved in.
We have just robbed several of our beehives for the first time this season and hope that they will start paying their way as we sell the honey.
I built a top-bar hive to go with the conventional hives that we run, and it has resulted in a very strong colony.
Will post some updated pictures soon.