We be-leaf!

I had to admire the smooth way Ken managed to get out the door yesterday to go fishing. We were on our first day back from an Australian holiday and as always, there are a million things to do on a lifestyle block after one has been away for a wee time. Before I could turn around with my arm-length list, he had slithered out the door like an otter and was gone.
I forgave him; he did bring home a 6.5 pound rainbow trout a few hours later

 which found its way into the smoker after I'd seasoned it with lashings of brown sugar, tarragon leaves, sprinkles of worcestershire sauce and a capful of good rum.
But today was another day and the three big trees that line our road frontage have lost most of their leaves - leaves I want in my compost bin.
We are great believers in recycling and we try hard not to use too much chemical stuff. Except for on the rampant blackberry canes. And broom. And gorse, although none one that dared show its face this last summer. But outside of those, the idea is that we build up from the soil a kind of biological harmony that creates a longterm beneficial effect starting from soil composition and worms through to plants that relish that and of course, the animals we have on the block that benefit from that - and as a result, we benefit also.
It is the reason we have not put animals onto the land for the past 12 months. The grass has been grown and mown and left to lie to encourage self-fertilisation. We have reseeded the paddocks in an open sowing method and that too has paid off. The land is looking better than it has in many years.
That isn't to say that the land is getting enough. But I have been doing a lot of reading about people whose farms are producing much more (and sustained) than those who are using traditional chemicals which can force growth to suit. Their way is the way we want to go here and so we'll continue to work away towards creating not only top soil for our orchards and vegetable gardens; we also want the same for the paddocks that will be home for the animals that will sustain our wider family over time.
The trees are huge; 20 metres or more high and so they provide a lot of compostable leaves, which in turn make great soil for the gardens.
One shed its leaves very early and did get quite drought stressed, so that one we left alone - it will needs its golden winter blanket of nutrients to help it next spring. The one closest to the driveway is also being left this year.

The first tree however, we have taken two thirds of what it has or will shed. It will still have some to see it through winter and early spring and we also have left alone those leaves which fell from the canopy into the paddock - this provides a great fertiliser.
We had a lot of fun with this; stomping in the leaves in the trailer to squash them (to get more in) and ditto in the compost bin.
Although it must have looked hilarious as I have a crook ankle and getting into the trailer was quite a production. But not, it must be said, as much of a one as it was getting out. Ken was nearly rolling in the leaves laughing.
I am the photo taker of the family - I dislike being in front of a camera. But as one wit remarked recently, "You need to be in there or everyone will think Ken does all the work by himself." So for those who think that, this next pic is for you. (Just don't expect to see too many more!)

 We have very large composting bins; with each bay at a different stage in the breaking down department. These leaves, which will be mixed with an old mulch to help speed up the decomposition, were stamped down and will be covered with an old piece of carpet. This filters the rainwater down, providing a dark environment for nature's little helpers (and the worms) to do their thing. In three to four months time, I'll be adding  in a good sack of blood and bone (as well as the one I add now) and the whole will be added to the mulch mix which has almost broken down into soil at this point - by early spring, it should be good enough to add to the gardens.  And finally, I did like this picture. Almost 12 months since we first put the tender on the property (June 6), it has changed a great deal from the sad and uncared for land it once was.