Millpost has a very nice autumnal feel at the moment - cooler, longer nights, green grass, mushrooms. The rain has disappeared, and the grass and clover growth has slowed down, but it does feel like we’ve seen the worst of this Summeris Horribilis*. I hope I don’t have to eat my words.
As we approach our yarn “selling season”, I thought it might be prudent to give an update on the markets we plan to attend this year. Our little market stall has been a fantastic way for us to meet people from all over the region, and keep up with everyone's knitting projects. We’re always on the lookout for new fibre/yarn themed markets too, so please get in touch if you have one to recommend, especially in NSW!
Here’s the list so far (including but not limited to etc etc):
Capital Region Yarn and Fibre Showcase, Sunday 15th March 2020. Lions Youth Haven, Westwood Farm, 244 Kambah Pool Road, Kambah, ACT. 10am-2pm. This is a first time event being put on by the Queanbeyan branch of the NSW Knitters Guild. It’s a lovely spot, on a working farm, looking out over the Murrumbidgee and the Brindabellas, and it should be a great day out for families and fibre enthusiasts.
Collector Pumpkin Festival - Sunday 3rd May. Collector, NSW. 10am-4pm. Our first time at this huge festival. Collector is a lovely historic village halfway between Goulburn and Canberra, and the festival showcases local produce and the arts/craft community, with loads of pumpkin and non-pumpkin related stalls and activities.
Canberra Wool Expo - Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th May. Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston, ACT. 10am-4pm Sat&Sun. One of our favourite markets, this will be our fourth year in a row at the wool expo. A huge weekend for wool lovers, with shearing demos, workshops, wool for sale in all its splendid forms, and the usual fantastic OBDM stalls as well.
Cuppacumbalong Welcome Winter Souk - Sunday 24th May. Cuppacumbalong, Tharwa, ACT. 10am-3pm. This gem of a day out is in the grounds of the heritage listed Cuppacumbalong Homestead, and brought to you by the team behind the famous Tharwa Valley Forge. Lots of premium local handmade goods in a gorgeous bucolic setting, just outside Canberra.
Creative Fibre Sunday, 12th July. Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston, ACT. 10am-4pm.
Another fantastic wool and fibre themed day at the OBDM.
Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show - Fri 17th - Sun 19th July. Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo, Vic. You know the deal - the biggest sheep and wool event in Australia. If it’s wool or sheep related, it’s there. Must be seen to be believed.
Understandably, given the summer we’ve had, the Bungendore Harvest Festival has been cancelled this year, but we will endeavour to get to some Bungendore Farmers Markets through the autumn instead, especially if the tomatoes ripen!
Now some brief farm news. We’re continuing to feed the sheep while we let the paddocks recover from the dry. The sheep have taken nicely to their barley/lupin/barley straw diet, supplemented with lime, salt, and the odd load of tree fodder. Thankfully the roos have temporarily dispersed so we’re getting some lovely pasture in places, especially from the native c4 grasses like red grass and kangaroo grass. Our temperate grasses have suffered terribly from the 3 dry winters and springs in a row, and we may have to consider re-sowing some paddocks with a more climate crisis tolerable species mix - tropical pastures seem to be the go.
The recent rain seems to have brought back a few precious trees from the brink, and our rainwater tanks have filled up nicely, but we didn’t get the run-off many places got, so our water supply dams are still low.
*with apologies to latin speakers everywhere
Harry Watson 01/03/2020
