It’s officially the start of winter in Tasmania in a week’s time on the 1st June. I wonder if anyone has told mother nature that. This morning we had our first frost and at 9am it was still only 3 degrees, so winter definitely seems to have come early down here in Tassie. Cold, you say…not if you are dressed appropriately. Winter is actually my favourite season at our comfy Cradle Mountain B&B.
The chooks have nearly finished moulting. If you have never seen a chook moult, it’s really quite funny. They look like they have been plucked, with feathers going everywhere, and then they look like a porcupine when the new quills grow, before finally new feathers grow to keep them warm. The trouble with this is that they don’t lay while moulting. The cows are also looking very woolly now that they’re getting their winter coats. We have nearly finished the new goat barn, which we’ve been working on for a while – and we’ll put some temporary fencing up just to get them back inside for winter. Believe it or not, goats actually need good shelter so the girls will be nice and warm and dry this winter.
The garden is constantly changing and evolving. The trees are dropping all their leaves right now…producing mountains of free mulch for the garden. It is beautiful to see the changing autumnal colours – yellows to oranges to reds – which happened late this year. The maples, in particular, go a brilliant, deep red colour. A lot of work around the garden getting ready for winter; pruning roses and trees etc. The raspberry patch is a wild jungle that needs cutting back, and the currents also need pruning. I am going to move some of the blueberry plants into better positions; I need to do this when they are dormant, so it will be a good time for those shortly. The rhubarb needs to be dealt with; I can see a few jars of rhubarb jam there. Unfortunately, there are no figs, as it got cold early and they won’t ripen now. I missed netting the pond again and it is now full of leaves from the birch tree. Oh well, out comes the pond vacuum again. Talking of birch trees, now is the time you see the big red and white spotted toadstools.
The winter landscape can be quite stark with all of the bare trees, but it is breathtaking! The days are much shorter, but they are clear and crisp. Going on the various hikes in winter gives you a different perspective and you see things you wouldn’t otherwise. It’s still a little early for snow around here, but seeing the mountains covered in snow never gets boring. We don’t get a lot of visitors over winter, which is a shame, as Tassie is gorgeous in winter and a snow-covered Cradle Mountain is spectacular! Of course, the best things about winter are sleeping in, and sitting by the fire with a glass of red while devouring a local cheese platter.
So, pull out your woollies and come and stay with us for a visit this winter in Tasmania – you won’t be disappointed. Check out our winter specials as another reason to visit.
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