Our Life
This is Us
We are a very close Family. Our two sons Cooper on the left and Bailey between Paul and I are our whole life. Cooper and Bailey are the reason we started our business in 1999. We wanted to be able to have a family and not have anyone else look after our boys. So they were born and then back to a market with us. One stage of our business Paul and I use to do four markets over the weekend and split up. Paul had Cooper with him at Rocklea he was only 3 years old. He fell asleep under one of our tressle tables. Our girlfriend gave Paul a camp stretcher the next week. Cooper loved it. Bailey was in a sling on me for up to three years at the markets he use to run off all the time. With Cars moving around me at West End Market it was extremely dangerous. So I would set up with him in the sling. We have such beautiful memories from our markets. We wouldn't have it any other way!
Herby our very sooky cattle dog
Herby has been a part of our family now for 11 years. One day driving on the highway heading to Brisbane I (Deb) was driving and said to Paul I'm going into the Produce to see the piglets. Well when we walked in it was love at first site. There was Herby sitting in a cage with two other puppies. We told the man at the shop we had jobs to do in Brisbane and we would call in on our way back. If he was still there it was meant to be. So we did and he's been with us ever since. He has the antics we've never had in a dog ever before and we've had a few. He is the most loyal companion we could ever ask for and knows when something just isn't right. Many a time he's just sat and looked at us with doting eyes. He is the centre of our family.
Aussie our one and only Sheep
Several years ago we received a call from friends asking would we like a lamb. They had just slaughtered his Mum for meat. Luckily Paul took that phone call and said yes. I couldn't believe it. We hopped in the car and drove to Laidley where this little wooly fluff ball was and picked him up. He fitted on Paul's lap on the drive home and bleated the whole way back to our farm. He wouldn't take a bottle for three days so we called our local vet who has looked after all our animals for 25 years. He said if he wouldn't take milk try him on Lucerne. Well he loved it and there's been no turning back. He's the best fed and cuddled sheep ever. He has gotten into all our hearts. Can't imagine life without him.
Crops from our Garden
A farmer friend at the markets gave us some garlic so we put them into pots. We've never grown Garlic before it was a lot of fun. Little green spikes poked through the soil it was so exciting. Over the next several weeks the green spike grew and just stayed tall for a few weeks. Eventually it started to die back so we pulled the garlic out of the pots and it was so adorable. The smallest garlic we've ever seen but so flavoursome. Definitely trying again next Season.
Another Passion - Our Succulents
We might be a herb grower but another plant variety we love is Succulents. We live in a very dry area that gets extremely cold down to -6 some years and we've been to the extreme of 52 degrees for a couple of days three years ago. Gosh we hope we don't ever get to that again it was shocking. Over the years of our life in Minden we've bought a lot of plants but Succulents have always won us over and our collection is growing. We have the perfect climate for them.
Good Bugs
Lady beetles, butterflies, green frogs and small birds - finches, wrens and willy wag tails. We have all sorts of animals on our farm. These all help with keeping our bugs at bay. Not only do they keep the bugs to a minimum but the birds all share Aussie's wool to make their nests. We have a small nest in our hot house that a Willy Wag Tail has built and has hatched two eggs in there to give us the cutest babies.
Our Water Feature
We've talked about having a water feature forever. Well a couple of years ago a girlfriend moved house and gave us this beautiful bath that she used to give water to her dairy cow. We feel honoured that we have it on our farm. At a plant expo two years ago we found an amazing stall selling water plants. So we bought a few and it's finally happened. It's very therapeutic as it's right at the bottom of our back steps so when we walk to the clothes line I go right past it. Over time the plants have grown and we have a small leaf growing over the top.
Home Baking - Gluten, Sugar and Dairy Free
Four people living together and one has to eat Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free. Wow this is hard. It's a massive learning curve to cook a different way and generally everything I try to cook Gluten Free just doesn't work. If you have a recipe that you have tried and tested please share it with us. We would love to try it.
Special Timber Orders made for friends
Custom orders are always a challenge but Paul loves attempting to make something new. We have a very special friend in Toowoomba who makes gorgeous Pottery. She wanted to open a gallery from her home and asked could Paul make something unique for her fence to hold her pottery. She gave Paul the idea and he ran with it. The small shadow boxes are gorgeous and her Pottery looks amazing holding them.
If you ever want something different made please always ask. If we think it's possible Paul will have a go. It's always awesome to learn new things.