A Sunday in December

Brian finished shearing the last of the sheep today. He chipped away, a few at a time, over the past few weekends. Although we have always paid a shearer to come and do all of our sheep, this year has been difficult to pin down our new shearer. Preferring to shear our sheep in October, after the last of the cold weather, and before the grass seeds go to head, we waited as each week passed and our shearer still hadn't turned up.
He is the top gun shearer around these parts, as well as being a young Dad and one of those amazing farmers who goes out to help fight fires with his farm fire fighting unit. Of course he is hard to pin down.
Soon after we bought this property, twelve years ago, Brian took up the chance to do a TAFE course learning to shear sheep. Each year he does all of our crutching and shears the odd sheep to keep in practice. He really enjoys shearing and although is a bit slower than the professionals, he does a clean job of it. Very rarely is there a nick or small cut, unlike some of the fast shearers who leave small nicks all over the sheep.
What a Jack of all trades is this bloke of mine and I'm super proud of all that he does here to keep this farm running. It certainly takes a team effort between the two of us.

Meanwhile, I've had a busy Sunday too. The morning was cool so I spent it in the garden after all of the usual morning chores of milking the cow, feeding chooks and pigs, were out of the way.

This evening we are going to our annual Christmas gathering of the property owners along our road. Each year someone else hosts it and tonight is walking distance to our near neighbours. We are asked to bring a salad and a sweet to share so I've made this pasta salad.
As there are always way too many sweets on offer, and there are only the two of us, I'm taking a bag of shortbread for the hosts to enjoy after the gathering is over.

Rich with home made butter, shortbread is a Christmas tradition in our family.
                                                                    

                                     Shortbread

250 g (8oz) Butter
90g (3oz) Castor Sugar
280g (9oz)  Plain Flour
60g (2oz) Cornflour

Soften butter, add sugar and beat till fluffy, then work in the flours.
Divide mix into two equal halves and press into trays or into two shapes as above picture. Approx 1cm (1/3inch) thickness.
Mark with a knife into portion sizes and prick each portion with a fork.
Bake in a slow to moderate oven for approximately 40 minutes or until lightly golden in colour.
Immediately after removing from oven, cut the portion sizes again and sprinkle castor sugar over while hot.
Leave to cool on trays before packaging or storing.

I'm usually making it in my wood oven where the temperature is not always at the ideal, so I keep an eye on it so it does not get too brown.

Cheers and thanks for visiting our little farm blog.
:)