SAVE THE DATE

TALGA 2019 CONFERENCE 20th, 21st & 22nd March 2019 Port Arthur, Tasmania

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2018 TALGA JOURNAL

It’s that time of the year again where we ask all members to have an input into the TALGA Journal. Please forward your article to your ALR Representative.

We are also after advertising for the Journal. You may have something you would like to advertise or know of a business who does.
Rates are – business card size $25, 1⁄4 page $50, 1⁄2 page $75 and full page $100.
Enquiries to secretary@talga.com.au

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FIONA GLOVER was interviewed by Sarah Grigg of FLOW FM Radio Network on Lavender in Australia. It will be broadcast on Friday and repeated on Saturday this week in their program Regional Roundup, from 10am. It may also be available on line.

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NEW TALGA MEMBERS

Lisa Wallace, Ridgeland, St Lawrence Qld
Peter and Thomas Maher, Hahndorf Lavender Estate, Hahndorf, SA Sophie & David Sheridan, Emu Bay Lavender, Kingscote, SA
Peter Rozendaal, Narrabri, NSW

TALGA President Gary Young welcomes our new members to TALGA and trusts you enjoy the benefits that we can offer from networking, conferences, workshops, industry knowledge etc.

Visiting Qld over the cooler months, you may like to call in on Anna and James Tyson, who recently opened up their new shop Nardoo Lavender Antiques & Collectables, Shop 4, 140 Long Road, Tambournine Mountain, Qld, 4272. Ph 07 5545 3716.
Anna is looking for wholesale suppliers of lavender products from amongst our members.

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FOR SALE

Dawn Baudinette has harvested, dried and stripped large quantities of L.angustifolia‘Egerton Blue’ this season and is ready to sell. To place your order please contact Dawn direct on 0408 150 635.

TALGA would like to encourage advertising in the Enews, so if you have something in the lavender line that you would like to buy or sell, or perhaps advertise your upcoming farm event, please forward your information to me for inclusion. kpkelly27@gmail.com

Reminder for Members to follow TALGA on Facebook and to like the Page

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CUTTINGS FROM MCLAREN VALE LAVENDER

There are moments, fleeting moments, when one glances around the property and everything is in place, looking serene and beautiful. I enjoyed such a moment last week. We had received a few sprinkles of rain, not enough to give the soil a good soak mind you, but enough to bring on some green shoots; mainly weeds, but green nonetheless.

With a cuppa in hand I ambled down the track that borders the vineyard next door. Passing the birdbath, my darling blue wrens were twittering back and forth, and a tractor was gently rumbling in the distance, mingled with the soft hum of bees going about their work in the peppermint gums overhead. We are lucky to have gorgeous views across a valley, and as I stopped for a moment a rain cloud appeared overhead with a light sprinkle of rain creating the perfect rainbow.

This is the x factor of owning a lavender property. It’s not something one can put a price on or explain necessarily. I did however mention to T what a beautiful sight it was, ‘that’s nice dear’ hesays, and tells me in detail how he’s fixing the steering column of his old FJ.

For the second time in 30 odd years it’s been so dry we had to buy in water to supplement the tanks. It’s a time of great tension as one by one the tanks get emptied and water use is strictly monitored. No matter how dry it gets, I always ensure the birdbath is kept full. Like a naughty schoolgirl, I makesure the coast is clear before the tap goes on. A moment later T passes by, ‘I thought we agreed you weren’t going to use the hose again?’ he says with a big frown on his face. ‘Well I was just………’

As the lavender heads towards dormancy, May is time for a big clean up and I have been pruning bushes and digging out feral olive trees that invade our property ready for a big burn-up. Olives are the bane of our existence; they thrive on drought, total neglect and continually seed themselves all over the place. Did you know olives have been carbon dated to 20-40 million years ago and can live for 2000 years for goodness sake? Environmentalists reckon they are vulnerable to ring bark by rabbits. If only, I think to myself, not at our place mate. Ah well, back to me digging.

Kind regards Christine Hitchen

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