Stripey Possum Visits

In all my time at Cape Trib, I have only seen a stripey possum twice. The first time we were camping under the blackbean a few months after we arrived in 1989, and the stripey came down the trunk of the black bean tree right in front of our noses. The second time was a stripey in a banana bunch a few years later, eating the banana and making a scratching sound on the plastic bag covering the bananas. They are nocturnal and I tend not roam at night.

Then just a few days ago there was a loud 'chirring' sound coming from the gazebo around 8 pm. The dogs were alert and went over to investigate. So did I. In the dark there was nothing to be seen, but a very loud noise was coming from behind a leaf. It sounded like it was upset and annoyed whatever it was. Digby arrived with the torch and low and behold - a very small stripey possum looking up at us. We watched it as it stood up and then in a bowlegged hop it raced acros the driveway and up the mango tree. Digby grabbed for the camera but of course it was gone. We think that it might have lost its balance and fallen out of the tree and was winded - took a few minutes to recover and was making a fuss.

My third siting and I was thrilled!

You can see a photo of a stripey at http://www.daintreecoast.com/rainforest1.htm

Back home and ready for the 2007 season

We spent february in Melbourne. The planned 8 day walk was aborted 16 hours before we were due to start walking when I tripped and fell in the main street at Apollo Bay and landed on my kneecap on the pavement. Two weeks later and it is still not fixed, though at least I am mobile. We changed plans and headed off with our new sea kayaks that we bought while we were in Melbourne and started the drive home with some paddling along the way.

We are now home. The cape has had over one metre of rainfall while we have been gone, and we are madly trying to cut the grass ready for guests and fruit tasters.

What fruit is around at the moment - loads! Salaks, mangosteens, abius, soursop, passionfruit, santols, matisias, guavas, breadfruit.

CLOSED for FEBRUARY

We are taking the month of February off, so the farm will not be open. We will still be responding to emails, but not frequently, so have patience. We intend to walk the Great Ocean Walk in south west Victoria - 8 days hiking along a spectacular coastline and carrying packs. The website is at http://www.greatoceanwalk.com.au if you interested.

Neighbour's horse eats our Abiu crop

People ask us what pests we have in the orchard.

I never thought that 'horse' would be on the list. A golden palomino who lives a few blocks away has decided our place is better than his, and he has moved in to feast on the abius. He eats everything - including the skin, and the seeds. The process is a bit tricky for him because he can't actually hold the fruit while he eats it - a bit like playing bob apple. The fruit bounces around on his nose until he can get his teeth into it.

I always get sticky lips from eating abiu from the latex near the skin. Considering the amount of fruit he has eaten, his lips will surely stick together. I suppose we will have lots of little seedlings germinating in horsey poo all over the orchard too.

Digby went out and madly picked as many Abiu as he could at 'horse height' so that he could sell them to Mossman before the horse got the whole crop. Spurred into action so to speak.

We are still waiting fingers crossed

Three hundred and fifty mature Mangosteen trees should be loaded with flowers by now. Alas - one tree with 6 flowers and that is IT! Last year the flowering was late too, and the trees burst into bud in the first week of January.

Trees need to be stressed for several months before they flower - Digby thinks they have not had enough stress this year. The tree has to make a decision to either flower or flush. The sad news is that we now have about tweny trees flushing. So these won't be flowering for sure.

We have a sinking feeling that over the next week, all our trees will flush and burst with new foliage.

Don't count your Mangosteens before they hatch!

Digby in the solomons

For the last 2o days and counting Digs has been roaming around the solomon islands looking at fruit trees and designing a fruit tree project for AusAid which will start next year. This photo shows digby teaching a grafting workshop in Oecussi, East Timor in 2005. Looks like there will be more of this in store for him in 2007 in the solomons

Tourist torments our baby croc

It's pretty special living in a wilderness area where you can see animals living in their natural habitat. There has been a small crocodile living in the estuary of Mason Creek for at least 4 years, and all the locals have kept an eye on it over the years. Then a tourist decides to torment it.

Read the story here: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/stupid-stefaan-meets-allan-the-croc/2006/11/09/1162661802875.html

I have been rung by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Sunday Mail about the croc attack. I said the croc was being tormented in its own habitat, that this is a wilderness area where seeing/ living with animals in the wild is part of being here, and that it should not be taken away to a croc farm.
Read day 2 of the story:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/allan-the-crocs-on-the-run/2006/11/10/1162661886516.html

Yesterday while National Parks rangers were in the creek area which they closed off to everyone else - a large gunshot was heard coming from the area. They are denying that they have shot it - but nobody else had a gun and was shooting at that time. I guess the truth will come out eventually.