Holiday season, still work to do

• By Natalie Pitfield

There are many unique traditions that are celebrated at Christmas.

I love driving through our community and seeing cute messages on hay bales or decorations where you least expect them. It puts a smile on everyone’s face.

One of the most challenging things for most lifestylers around the holiday season is the fact that there’s still a ton of work to be done. It’s the height of summer, and weeds are rampant, paddocks are overgrown, and some animals need that little bit of extra care.

So while most people are heading away or putting their feet up, we’re often working harder than normal. I think farmers and lifestylers understand equality better than most. When you live on land and care for animals, you all pitch in to make that work no matter your gender, size or age.

My husband works over 60 hours per week, but actually enjoys working hard on the property whenever he can. My parents are aged like fine wine but still do heaps to help us maintain our land and animals. My kids have pitched in since they were little.

No one is spared when it comes to chores. It’s teamwork at its finest. And my team is one of the best there is. I’m always especially grateful at Christmas to have a family I’m proud to be part of. I know not everyone is quite lucky.

And I may complain from time to time about always being so busy looking after critters and our acreage, but I heard a wonderful saying this week that really made me stop and smile.
If you’re tired at the end of the day from doing something you truly love, how incredibly lucky are you?

I honestly love my mini rescue zoo. And I love living on the land. I wake up every day and give thanks and appreciate just how lucky I truly am.

I’ve shared my Christmas cake recipe in the last edition. If you haven’t already tried it, hopefully you can make it next year and love it just as much as we do. Best of the season to everyone!

Recipe: Nanna Pauley’s Spiced Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients
2 cups molasses
2 cups sugar
450g butter
2 eggs
8 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 heaped tsp each grated lemon rind & grated orange rind
2 tsp ground cardamom
4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare two baking trays by sprinkling with a little flour.
2. Combine molasses and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until sugar has melted. Add spices and rind. Mix well. Stir in baking soda that has been mixed with a little water. The mixture will froth. Remove it from the heat if it looks like it might overflow.
3. Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the hot mixture and stir till the butter has melted. Cool the mix slightly. Add lightly beaten eggs.
4. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Divide the dough into 8 portions and wrap each in baking paper. Dough will be extremely soft at this point, but will harden in the fridge.
5. Refrigerate overnight or until firm.
6. Roll out one portion of dough, leaving the others in the refrigerator till needed. Dough should be quite thin (though if you like a less crisp cookie, you can roll your dough a little thicker. Just cook a few minutes longer). Cut out cookies using Christmas cookie cutters. Place on prepared trays. Brush with a little honey mixed with hot water. This will give them a slight shine.
7. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Cookies should be brown and slightly firm. Remove from trays and cool on wire racks.
8. To decorate, make royal icing by combining an egg white with enough icing sugar to make a fairly firm icing (start with a cup and add more as needed). Colour icing and pipe on cookies as desired.