The Quince Orchard is home to Myrtle, Olive Pink, Ferdinand and Loveheart the Fawn and White Indian Runner ducks. It is of the utmost importance to us to increase this rare duck breeds numbers in Tasmania. Although, saying this I have not had much luck, they don’t lay many eggs, fertility and hatch rate is low, the gene pool (to add new genetics to the flock) is barely existant Australia wide since so many back yard poultry keepers cross breed ducks instead of keeping the breeding line pure. I spent 12 months trying to find a pure breed drake in Tasmania with no luck. But, I digress, lets get back to the Quince Orchard.

The duck bath water is emptied daily and waters the trees and the duck’s droppings break down to feed the soil.

 

 

When we had a small flock of Heritage breed hens living in our Back Orchard, we would sometimes swap the ducks to the Back Orchard & the hens to the Quince Orchard, they enjoyed the change of scenery and pick at slugs & bugs the other flock may not like as much. The hens were always larger heritage breeds (the smaller breeds seem to be too tempting for the hawks). Breeds such as Light Sussex, Australorp, Rhode Island Red and Orpingtons, (photographed above) who love a full time job (fossicking) and a hobby (read have lots of energy and worked away until bedtime), were a great help with establishing the orchard. Larger hens are notorious for scratching about and have very strong legs, lots of people find this irritating because they can easily destroy a garden, we found it a positive, the trees were well guarded and the hens could work away, it was a win/win.

Head of pest control, the poultry keep all the bugs and slugs at bay.

We don’t use any chemicals, herbicides or pesticides.

 

 

The ducks also share the Quince Orchard with Liliana’s two guinea pigs, whose hutch we move around the orchard several times a day. The guinea pigs are constantly grazing instead of us having to regularly mow the grass. The Quince Orchard only sees the lawn mower a couple of times a year. Saving on time, petrol, and lawn mower maintenance, the guinea pigs fertilise the soil with their droppings – better for the environment and the guinea pigs are such sweet animals to care for. We always make sure that the bath water is never emptied near where the guinea pigs graze or are going to be grazing. Over the years Liliana has had up to 13 guinea pigs, living in pairs, and because of the size of the orchard there was enough space to accommodate them. You always need far more room that you think when grazing animals due to climate change and unpredictable weather, that then effects how much green pick there is for animals to graze on.

 

 

When we first shifted to Fairy Wren Cottage Michael couldn’t break the ground with a crowbar and only scrappy weeds grew in the Quince Orchard. Now, thanks to this system with the ducks, hens & guinea pigs the orchard is abundant & thriving.

 

 

Until next time, love from the garden.

Jude x

 

QUINCES FOR SALE

Quinces are available for sale during the harvesting season of March through to late April.

We deliberately hand pick what is actually ripe during those weeks instead of marking the calendar & picking everything at once that may not be quite ready.

It is such a slow process growing this fruit from seeing it bud & flower right through to the fruit setting & ripening, we are mindful not to rush the final stages.

We are generous when weighing quinces for orders.

To be in touch:

Click here for the Contact form.

If your prefer email, my email address is fairywrencottage@gmail.com

If you prefer Instagram, my account name is @fairywrencottage