To market, to market
Our local Trash and Treasure market was on this past Sunday; we haven't been for ages but there are a number of things I am looking for, so I decided to pack everyone up and head off early for a scrounge around.
Despite getting there before 8.30am, it was much hotter much earlier than I'd anticipated and the girls had spent their pocket money within 10m of getting in the gate I think, so I didn't get nearly as long as I would have liked to go through all the stalls, but I did still come home with a few things I was after :-)
Actually, one of the main reasons I wanted to go was to check out the local Chicken Motel man and his chookies, to check out his coops. My girls were not terribly enthused by his Hyline Brown chickens, but once they spotted his Silkies - well! Besotted, I think you might say. Looks like I may have to make our future coop bigger than I thought because I was well and truly taken with the Silver Sussex at a stall further up the lane.
This man also had ducks (Ducks! I want ducks!) who assured me - without prompting - that they were easily able to be trained to poo in the one spot in the yard. Cool! Sadly, my two dogs are a gun dog breed (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers) and I fear the ducks will come off second best to their instincts... Sigh.
Anyway, Miss Six had the 'big' birthday party this year, but Miss Seven is allowed to invite a couple of her friends over to the family get together at the end of this month, and she has requested that we do a "High Tea" this year!
(Just as an aside - how is that a huge Tom Boy such as myself, known for wearing a dress on perhaps 5 or 6 occasions in my life, bears not one, but three girly-girls?)
Hence, I was looking for some cheap bone china cups for the girls and their party and the market didn't disappoint :-) Most sets seemed to be Royal Doultan or some such and priced accordingly (who buys a $50 tea cup at a market I wonder?), but I did find some little cuties for a few dollars each. A shame I didn't have longer to look around, but there's always next time.
I did also find a few other treasures for myself, like a stainless steel mouli (Hooray! I've been looking for one since last tomato sauce season) and some preserving jars. I did much drooling over the enamelware but evidently it is very 'trendy' at the moment; even chipped and worn plates were selling for $4 each! I guess that makes my grandmother's large basin I'm using for my compost bucket worth about $40 LOL.
I've got another enormously exciting find to share with you soon too - I've found Miss Seven's birthday present on eBay and hubby is picking it up for me tomorrow night! It's SO cool and I'm just thrilled to bits, so prepare for a photo-heavy post ;-)
Anyway, best go and batten down the hatches now - it's forecast for 36'C (97'F) today. Salad for dinner! I'm thinking an icy cold salade niçoise? Hmm, better go pick the lettuce before it wilts.
Cheers,
11 comments:
I have my eye on a couple of Khaki Campbells since I first saw some about 2 years ago.
I haven't been sure where I would be able to get them so I mentally put it on hold.. Then they they turned up in all their cuteness as ducklings on the Daylesford Organics blog and now I am totally infatuated. It seems that ducks don't really have a fugly stage.. they just grow more seriously big.
Even worse it means I can definitely get them here in Vic.. so now I have to really clamp the "I wants" down until I get the proposed duck enclosure remodeled.
Good luck with your future High Tea.
Kind Regards
Belinda
By enamel ware - I presume you mean the white plates with blue edging on it - you know the old panniken and plates you took camping.
I picked some up in a box of freebies at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago.
Want to do some negotiating - I am in Canberra
Janet McKinney
gotta love a trash market! its getting addictive! good scores all round esp. the moulix. Enjoy the high tea, my b2 had one this year and they really adored it.
We are on the salad train too, Julie, its just too hot for much else. Looking forward to seeing the present : )
I love going to the markets also but we only get to the ones in Adelaide on rare occasions, have got some great bargains there.
We do have an undercover local market once a month in our town. Sometimes things are overpriced though.
As a duck owner, I would question the claim about it being easy to train them to poo in the one spot. It's hard enough persuading them to lay their eggs in the one spot!
Aah, chickens and ducks - they are certainly in my future - somewhere!
Tell me, after the 36+ day we had yesterday, how did your butterbell fair? Or did you put it in the fridge? I am most interested as we keep the butter out most of the year when it's cool enough but yesterday I forgot and came home to a lovely puddle on the kitchen bench!
We've got Indian runner ducks, and they're great. I'd also question the training thing - I'd love to hear more information on it if anyone knows more about it. In my experience they poo everywhere, even in their paddling pond. And as another poster pointed out, they lay their eggs all over the place too!
We've also got silkies, and they are great for kids - very placid, cute and cuddly. They're not much good for eggs, though. Ours also didn't do much for the garden beds in the chicken tractor. They don't really dig or scratch the ground much. We added one leghorn to the tractor, and within a week she'd turned the grass into seed- and weed-free dirt!
I wouldnt be put off ducks too quickly- we had a labrador who I trusted 100% with our chooks and duck (and her drive wasn't completely dead-she did have a keen interest in pocket pets and rabbits). We now have a lab/poodle who is also fine. If the duck comes too close to her, she glances at it, picks herself up and trots off to another location :)
It would take a bit of patience but I'm sure its possible (or you might prefer to stick with chickens)
Hi Belinda,
Ooh yes, I like the KC's, I think I actually prefer them to chooks? Would you use yours for eggs as well, or just pest control?
Hi Janet,
Yes, that's the stuff. I'm looking more for bakeware, storage tins and jugs than plates & cups - I think the post on those bulky items would be pretty expensive even if you did manage to score some? Thank you for the offer though :-D
Hi Kel,
Yes I remembered B2's when Z suggested it, I'm going to go and revisit your post for ideas ;-)
Hi Tammy,
Love a good salad, but what happened to spring? We were in jeans and long tops just a week ago when it reverted to winter weather and now it's scorching again! Sigh.
Hi Tania,
It's weird at what seems to be in vogue at the markets, the pricing doesn't seem consistent! Still, some good bargains to be found ;-)
Hi Toria,
Ah, thank you. I did wonder if he was having me on, now I know :-)
Hi Leah,
Yes, a good question! It went gloopy and fell into the water LOL. Didn't worry me too much as it fell out in one lump, so I just fished it out with a knife! We turned on the air con anyway for an hour afterwards as at 38'C the fans weren't doing much and it was fine then - in future I may stick it in the fridge in the very hottest part of the day?
Hi Darren,
Hmm yes, as I said to Toria, I wondered if the duck man was legit LOL. Yes, I'd heard the silkies aren't much good for eggs which is why I'd like a couple of the others for the 'serious' work, but it's good to know that they are so good with the kids :-) Plus I hear they don't do as much damage if you let them free range in your veg patch, which would be supported by your lack of tractor action. Thanks for the input :-)
Cheers, Julie
Hi Mondo,
One of our dogs would go OK I reckon, with some training, but I don't trust the other one at all. He once spent 15 minutes barking at a Praying Mantis climbing up the verandah post and kills tiny skinks with his paw, so I think ducks might just do him in! LOL.
Cheers,
Julie
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