So life on the farm is nice, relaxing and full of cow poo!

We've been here for a week now, got here on Tuesday and was greeted by Jaqui and Rob and their 3 children (Alex, Boyd and Kate) hiding in our room, lots of cows, cats, dogs, chickens, doves and a horse, so lots of animals to play with and pet :)

The first week went by really quick and included milking cows, moving cows from one paddock to another, feeding cows, driving and riding a quad bike, getting and carrying lots of wood and helping with fencing paddocks.

The milking is actually really fun. Don't get me wrong, it's poo everywhere and you get kicked and slapped on the head and in the face by their tails - but who doesn't find that fun eh?
It's also much easier than we both thought (especially since one of us was under the impression people still milked cows by hand)

We have learned lots of interesting things about being a farmer, some have learnt more than others, which was over due!

Our dearest Dave went in to the history books as the Brit abroad who cracked the funniest, but also the most stupid comment ever and it made Rob 'Rob the builder' farmer and Jacqui (and everyone else they told) cry with laughter.
We were in the cow shed milking, just a normal day. Dave kept referring to the cows as 'him', so eventually I asked him "Why do you keep saying 'him' to the cows?"
Dave replies: Are they all girls?

Yes Dave, they are all girls, every single one of them. That was probably one of the most stupid things I have ever heard, and I say that with a lot of love.

The first weekend was even busier than the week and on the Saturday we spent the day in Kawhia, fishing and relaxing at the camp ground there where Robs parents were staying. We went out on their big boat and actually caught 4 fishes (Dave reeled in two bad boys, one of them a lemon shark!) and 3 sting rays!! :O
They are massive and really floppy!
I even tried some of the smoked fish, which didn't taste that bad.

We left the campsite later on after Robs mum got a little tipsy and spat watermelon pips everywhere (which had us all in tears) and then got really excited when putting an ABBA CD on and opening the camper van doors and turning it up!

The kids fell asleep in the car and the day was done, but another early start was to come as Sunday was NZ North Island Rowing championships which Jaquis niece was rowing in!

I won't lie, rowing never really floated mine or Jens boat (ha!), but this was really entertaining; we were supporting Jasmine, who won a gold medal before we even got there and went on to win 3 more - all but one was very convincing, and there was free sausages in the tent behind us; everyone's a winner baby!

We headed back to the farm at 6ish after all the races, and now it's nearly bedtime.

Hopefully going car shopping this week to find a car to travel in - not to mention there's more cowgirl-milking to be done!

Har de göt!

Dave and Jen