Winter 22/23

1 Jan

In this post:

Overnight stays at the Lodge through Winter.
Christmas dinner with the Carp.
Dismantling the Lodge.
Observing the site.

STAYING AT THE LODGE

It has been a fun first few months at the lakes. Despite the terrible weather and lack of any form of running water, heating or power, we have been making ourselves comfortable in the Lodge and enjoying some sporadic overnight stays on-site.

*Filling bottles from the stream to flush the toilet.*

Christmas Dinner by the Carp Pool

Our families were mildly offended to find out that we did not attend their opulent Christmas dinners to do this instead. Learn to prioritise yourself.

Clearing the Lodge

Making a new space in the Lodge is the first real job that we need to complete to start working on the site.

The current building is dated and can be converted into a much brighter, more functional, modern space. The old oil boiler, heating, water and piping system needs dealing with, the bathroom needs removing, the floors all need replacing and the kitchen needs modernising. The building itself is inefficient and has no power or water connection… Safe to say there is a bunch to do.

To get started on all of this, we first need to clear out the old Lodge, so that we have an open space to start working out from.

Observations

This month I began reading ‘Think Like an Ecosystem’ - a wonderful, short book about permaculture and principles of holistic land management.

In this book, the author articulates how important an initial year-long period of observation is, before starting work on a site.

We have only been at Onny Vale for a few months, but already I am beginning to see how true this is. We are starting to see the first environmental changes as we progress through Winter, and each day on-site offers a new discovery or understanding.

Considering it is a fishery, I am yet to see a fish.

It will be interesting to see how the site develops and manages itself over the first year. Hopefully there isn’t some kind of major flooding or act of God around October.

I am scared about the volume of grass-cutting that will present itself… Maybe 40-50 sheep will do the trick.