PACA POO TO THE RESCUE

Two great benefits of owning the camelids (other an using their fleeces) are that they keep the grass in the paddocks short and also provide a wonderful source of soil conditioner.  Unlike most farm animals, camelids like to use communal dung piles and will actually line up once the first one has relieved himself.  All jobs are completed at the same time, so the pile is also very nitrogen rich.  The piles make the job of picking up the manure much easier and as it is small pellets, it is very light.  Last weekend was collection day, so we took the bike out into the paddocks and shovelled the 'black gold' into the trailer and relocated it in front of our house.  Yes, I said - IN FRONT of our house. 

Being very fire conscious, we had red gravel placed around all our buildings when they were completed.  There was a large amount of builders' sand left over and unfortunately this was scrapped over the topsoil and when wet, set like concrete.  As a result we have struggled to grow any of the rye grass which was planted.  So - paca poo to the rescue. 

We are spreading it out from the red gravel and hopefully when the rain comes this winter, the soil will be more receptive.  This is a work-in-progress and for the moment looks a little like contemporary  art.

(You can see on the front stairs 2 pottery magpies -  so realistic that the visiting Western Power contractor took a side step as he approached the front of the house.  We had these on the front verandah, but when the red back spiders decided to make their home inside them, they were promptly put outside.)

So the peasants' work is done for this month, the boys have clean paddocks, we have strengthened our core muscles and the house paddock will be ship-shape for winter rain.