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Our biggest weekend yet

25/1/2012

9 Comments

 
OK, it wasn't quite as dramatic as that ill-fated camping trip in remote West Australia when we spent eight hours trying to dig our 4WD out of a river while an electrical storm raged overhead, and Farmer Wan had to walk out the next morning to call for help from friends in Karratha, 100km away... but it was still pretty big.

Firstly, we had guests in the form of BLT, dear friends from Oz who we hadn't seen in six years. Their gorgeous little girl quickly made Buddy the Dog her willing slave.

Then, on Saturday, we launched Muntanui onto an unsuspecting public at Festival Nelson Lakes.
Picture
Pita bread stall on one side, strawberries and cream on the other. The gods were smiling on us.
The Viva Muntanui! stall featured a select range of produce, mostly donated by kind souls who'd heard me moaning that I didn't have anything to put on it.

My unique sales patter ("Welcome to the Muntanui Festival! I don't know what all these other people are doing here but feel free to check out what we've got!") seemed to strike the right kind of note. Farmer Wan's more subtle approach was a huge hit as well. Meaning, people actually bought things.
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Buy, or I'll smite ya.
After taking out the cost of the stall hire and the money owed to friends on whose behalf we'd sold stuff, we made a grand total of $30. Factor in the time we spent in the lead-up, not to mention the cost of the promotional material we had printed, and we're deeply in the red. So we're not going to do that 'factoring in' thang. At least, not for our very first market stall. We prefer to bask in the thought that we made 30 bucks. Yay!

The absolute wonderfulness of the weekend culminated in the arrival of a handsome, hairy, red-haired Scotsman called Hamish.
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He's a whole lotta bull.
We've arranged for two Highland cows and their calves (a steer and a heifer) to join him in early February. We're also getting ten Wiltshire ewes, with a complimentary ram thrown in.

2012 is the year of livestock at Muntanui. It's the year we become proper farmers, rather than the glorified gardeners we've been over the last five months. This year, it gets serious.

Seriously scary.

Posted by Farmer Nik
9 Comments
cat davidson
25/1/2012 08:40:11 am

Wahhhhooooooooo
yey for $30
yey for the awesome big photo sign
yey yey yey for Hamish
Xxx

Reply
Lizzie
25/1/2012 08:54:20 am

Woohooo! Woooo Hooooo! That is exciting. I will take all your left over stock of helebores. That should make your $30 into $35. You're RRRRRRRICH! Rich I tells you.

Reply
jan thomson link
25/1/2012 11:45:21 am

Hey ,$30 profit is pretty good! I thought I'd made $200 till I realised that I'd paid $230 for Hazel's airfare to come and mind the studio! Ah well.....So maybe the coffee is your shout this week.
ps and Hamish is very cute

Reply
Keen link
26/1/2012 07:46:35 am

There's far too much shouting in these comments. Some decorum please! Hamish reminds me of one of those surly teenagers with a way-too-long fringe going 'whatever.' Anyway, he's awesome. As is the Viva Muntanui sign. And $30. And generous friends. You're right it is worth a wahoo!

Reply
Keen link
26/1/2012 07:47:42 am

Sustainable living. With Merriment. (And covered in BEES!!!)

Reply
Hilary Van Eldik
26/1/2012 05:09:49 pm

Love it Nik..you're looking splendid. Made me grin from ear to ear..love from the West xxx

Reply
Millsy
27/1/2012 04:27:23 am

Hamish is a spunk. Love the market stall, it will continue to flourish as your garden and farm grows and with the seasons. 30 bucks will buy a carton or three of cheap malborough sem sav blanc !!

Reply
Farmer Nik
28/1/2012 02:05:02 pm

You guys rock! Thanks for the comments, encouragement and giggles. Wish you could all be here to see it in person (except Jan, because you already are and you already can!).

xxx

Reply
syth link
31/1/2012 01:09:38 pm

Great to meet you both. What a super photo of Hamish - sounds like he is being spoiled already! Can't wait to hear how he gets on when the new 'beasties' arrive.

Reply



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    About Ewan and Niki

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    Farmer Wan

    Scottish mechanical engineer with a deep and abiding passion for good food. Outstanding cook. Builder of lots of stuff. Cattle whisperer. Connoisseur of beer. A lover rather than a fighter.

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    Farmer Nik

    Kiwi writer and broadcaster who hates cabbage, even though she knows it's good for her. Chook wrangler. Grower of food and flowers. Maker of fine preserves. Lover of dancing and wine. Definitely a fighter.

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