Durvillea Wines

We are just back back from a week in the North Island doing sales work. We began with a dinner for Astrolabe at Soto, a day in the trade, then down to Hamilton for a dinner at Domaine and more calls. I did my first Durvillea tasting at Te Rapa New World while Simon tasted Astrolabe at The Hamilton Wine Company. The fantastic thing about this industry is following the wine through from growing to serving it to customers. We finished off with a tasting at the Merchant of Taupo.

So home and one of my first jobs was to check on the chickens. They are starting to lay again and  my two young ones for the first time. Now, I currently have 5 chickens. Three are Wyandottes, one red, one black. Beautiful but not the best layers.

Cautionary tale No1: if you want a reliable supply get Brown Shavers.

My chicken keeping began in an impetuous way. I was at dinner with friends when one, Lorraine, asked if anyone wanted a rooster. She had one that was being picked on and was in emergency housing until a new home could be found. I said I would have him. So Roger arrived to live in the dog run.

I loved Roger. He was beautiful and benign. At least I thought so.

Cautionary Tale No2: don’t judge a rooster by his tail feathers.

Roger in the olive grove

Next, Pete, an old chap at the gym, offered me some girlfriends for Roger and so I inherited 3 beautiful but aging golden laced wyandottes, Winnie, Dot and Hillary. Unfortunately Roger just couldn’t cope and began to attack Hillary. He become, I am sorry to relate, a sexual maniac. He attacked Hillary so badly she was almost dead. The chicken house looked like a scene from a horror movie . So it was obvious that poor old Hiliary needed to be put out of her misery. So I took the axe shaking, but just as I raised the axe, telling myself I had to do it, my sister grabbed the axe and did it for me. You see I had just had my hip replaced and in those early days there is a chance that you could dislocate with bending. I don’t think swinging an axe is recommended.

Winnie, Dot and Hillary

Cautionary tale No 3: It’s not all eggs, and fluffy chicks keeping chickens. You need someone who will dispatch the chickens (ie. a chicken executioner).

So now Roger was back in the dog kennel in isolation and despite my best efforts at rehabilitation he continued unrepentant to attack the remaining girls. So with the help of Sophie a contract was placed on his head and a young man from another winery did the deed.

Cautionary tale No4: stay on the right side of Sophie

That’s all for part one, sorry it’s been a bit grim! I’ll be back soon with part two and more tales of life, death, and free-ranging.

- Jane.