Our babies are growing up

Our 3 silver Campines at 2 months old

Hello,
its been a while, I've been busy as I am sure you have too what with Christmas and New year and all. But I thought it time I should come and have a look at whats happening here.

Lavender Araucana rooster

Its been a different Summer from last years so far. Last year we got lots of tropical rain right thru Summer but the Monsoons haven't started yet so its been dry. Which is how it should be here in Southern Victoria, Australia. We're in the mountains where it is green most of the year. But it continues to dry out. Who would have thought Marysville would burn to the ground 4 years ago. Lush green wet cool temperate rainforest. Mountain Ash Eucalypts don't regenerate after fire, they die. So this area is not used to fire historically.

Poppet, she is a light Sussex breed, 2 months old

Anyway it is drying out here too. We still have patches of green grass around but not too far away it is tinder dry. Not sure how we would cope if a fire came through. Now that sounds dumb on our part. We have done a workshop with the CFA Country Fire Authority and have decided that we will get out if a fire comes. But saying that there are all kinds of fires that could happen. Black Saturday was cataclysmic. No one can hope to survive that without luck and a good escape plan. But small grass fires on still hot days can be controlled.
Saying that though, you need water and a means to squirt it. They tell us when fires break out the power generally goes off. So no electric pump. Mains water pressure drops so no help there. Unless you have a fire pump, they tell me Diesel is the best, then you should get out.

We have good insurance, so we'll get out. Hope this doesn't happen as I would hate to lose our chookies.

Head to head our two boys vie for dominance

We have a phone tree for fires in the neighbourhood. And a good neighbour rings me and I pass on the info to the next person on the tree. We have had 2 calls this Summer but they were small fires and not that close. I am worried a bit though, as a suburban refugee I don't have experience with bushfires.
We have cut the grass short and cleared away sticks and leaves from buildings, so the fuel load is minimal. That's all we can do I think.
Well till next time, bye for now.
Dayla