Getting a 500 kg ute back camper on the back of a ute is no easy task but with the help of a few snatch straps and the tractor we made short work of loading it up and setting it up down by the Wilson’s River. Of course we needed to camp out to Christen it and bring in the New Year.

Found this recipe after putting a chicken on the Anuka Smoker. As usual I have used the fire, ready aim technique and have taken the chook off the smoker now for some refinements. Which brings us to the great rub recipe.

Kev’s Hot Rub (Makes about 1 cup)

Recommended for Fish, Beef and Chicken

1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup ground coriander
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chili power
2 tbs firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbs salt
1 tbs dried pepper flakes
2 tbs freshly ground black pepper

Grafton Bee Pick Up

Things are really buzzing now at the Cromwell Farm on Sheaffes Road with the addition of honey bees to our farming endeavours. Alison’s father John has a long history of bee keeping and the girls love to hear stories of their mother riding her pretend horse when she was a little girl and jumping over the bee hives. Their favourite part is Alison misjudging her jumping skills and knocking a box over and the bees chasing her all the way home.

We are looking forward to learning lots about bees and the marvelous work they do for mother earth. It’s so special to have the girls hear first hand from their Pops about the bee keeping.

Here is a bee video from some guy named Steve to hold you over till we make some home grown bee videos.

You might get tired of hearing how much our family comes together when we get stuck into cattle work but that won’t stop me from sharing the joy that our cattle bring our family farming. Here are the records that Aubrey recorded on her phone during the calf and cow chaos:

Dan-de horned-nills 00001 no.126 5-1
Chip- nills 00017 no.125
Ebony (daughter of ebby) nills. 00020 no. 132 5-1
Rain (daughter of Reanna) de horned nills 00015 no.127 5-1
Apples (son of Abella) de horned nills 00019 no. 128 nuts gone 5-1 tick sprayed
Kev (son of K-Cross) de horned nills 00009 no. 129 5-1 tick sprayed nuts still intact
Alabama (son of Abalina) de horned nills 00005 no.131 5-1 nuts gone tick sprayed
Miles (son of M-Cross) de horned nills 00016 no. 133 5-1 nuts gone tick sprayed
Catherine (daughter of Condimine) de horned nills 00011 no.130 tick sprayed 5-1
Happy (son of Hudinie) de horned 00008 no.134 nuts gone tick sprayed 5-1

Cromwell Swan Chops Getting Ready

Ingredients
Serves 4

4 free-range pork chops (about 250-300g each)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 pieces
80g unsalted butter
2 kipfler potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
The pork is great drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar. Or try the salad with dried fruit such as dates, prunes or apricots. I also like it with a chopped jalapeno chilli or two folded through. Or you can replace the lemon juice with 1-2 tbsp verjuice.

Method
Remove the chops from the refrigerator 2 hours before you intend to start cooking, and season liberally with sea salt.
Using a microplane, grate 1/2 the zest from 1 lemon into a bowl. Cut the top and bottom off the lemon and, with a paring knife, remove the remaining skin and pith and discard. Fillet the lemon and add the fillets to the bowl with the zest. Squeeze the juice from the second lemon into the bowl.
In a small non-stick pan, sauté the apple in the butter for about 5 minutes. When cool, place in the bowl with the lemon.
Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and, when cool, add to the lemon mix. Add the parsley, salt to taste, a good grind of pepper and 3 tbsp olive oil and mix the salad.
Preheat the barbecue to hot. Splash the chops with a little olive oil and shake off any excess. For nice criss-cross grill marks, place the chops on the grill bars and cook for 2-3 minutes. Rotate the chops 90 degrees and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Turn them over and cook for 5 minutes or until done to your liking. Place the chops on a plate, cover with foil to keep warm and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
Place a chop on each plate, drizzle with any juices, sprinkle with salt and place the salad half off and half on the chop.

This recipe was reproduced Oh I hope the SMH does not mind from here

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/cuisine/meat/recipe/neil-perrys-barbecued-pork-chops-with-apple-potato-parsley-and-lemon-salad-20111020-1m9m3.html

Located just 4 hours North of Toronto Porter Lake is waiting for you. Enjoy the comforts of an insulated and screened in cabin on 100 acre property with a private lake all to your own. There is so you can do and so little that needs to be done when you hang out a Porter. For more information email greg@cromwellfarms

Skinny Dip at Porter Lake

In about 3 hours we had the job done and dusted. I will scan and post the detailed notes of the doses and procedures done to the cattle but right now I have to get my self away from the keyboard and onto the tractor to help the Peter McDonald fencing crew.