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- By Natalie Pitfield
We’ve been incredibly lucky during our time on our lifestyle block to be blessed with absolutely stellar neighbours.
There’s only been a handful of times I’ve sent out an SOS, but every time it’s been answered promptly.
When our neighbour’s bull jumped the fence to get to our cows, I was recovering from surgery and unable to go and do anything. Janine from down the street came and promptly led the errant bull back to his own paddock by his nose. He towered over her, but he knew who was boss the moment her fingers hit his nostrils.
When we were bringing in hay, we’d have heaps of people arrive to help. There was always a feed on offer at the end of the exercise. And a whole bunch of gratefulness on our part.
We had a cow stuck in a ditch. Our neighbour Bert brought his tractor and helped haul her out. He showed us an easy way to do this and also how to massage her limbs and get her walking again as soon as possible.
Our neighbour Shane brought his digger over to help dig a grave when we lost one of our pigs unexpectedly. Our neighbour Matt let us use his loading ramp and even pitched in to move the cows from our place to his.
Suffice to say that without the kindness and willingness of our neighbours, we definitely wouldn’t have lasted the past 23 years on our 16-acre block. Often, people in the city don’t always know their neighbours. To us, that’s such a foreign concept. We have a gathering once a year to get all the neighbours together so we can appreciate the help we give one another.
I’m so very grateful for the amazing people we’re surrounded by.
RECIPE: Potato salad
Ingredients
500g-750g potatoes suitable for boiling (e.g Vivaldi, Jersey Bennes, Rua, Red Rascal, new potatoes)
3 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise (I like Best Foods)
A splash of white balsamic vinegar
Onion salt to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives, spring onion or parsley if desired
Method
- Leave skins on potatoes unless you really don’t like them. They’re nutritious and full of flavour.
- Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces Put in saucepan. Add water to cover potatoes completely.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for around 15 minutes or until a knife passes cleanly through a potato. Don’t overcook or potatoes will fall apart. Drain potatoes and allow to cool.
- In a bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, balsamic vinegar and onion salt. Taste as you go so you can adjust your flavours. Whisk dressing until as smooth as possible.
- Add dressing to cooled potatoes and mix. Add chopped chives, spring onion or parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if required, adding salt and pepper to taste.
This salad is so scrumptious you’ll be asked to bring it to every barbecue or summer gathering you attend.
