Our weekend update: part two

Part two: Maleny Dairies

Despite being one of the coldest days we have had this year and almost getting peed on by Devinia the milking cowing, we had an amazing couple of hours at the Maleny dairies on Saturday.

Firstly, this place is beautiful. The colours of the day were lolly bright: blue skies and rolling green hills. But on Saturday, icy winds whipped across the mountain top, my hands were numb and I found myself stamping on the ground trying to keep warm.

As our tour got started we got to meet a beautiful, obliging, Guernsey cow called Devinia. She let us all pat her and we were able to taste some of her milk. The kids didn't want to try it, but for me it was fantastic.

I was instantly transported back to my Nana's farm and the cold misty mornings when my uncle would bring the fresh milk up from the dairy. I'm ashamed to say it now, but I hated fresh cows milk back then. To me (a townie) milk was suppose to be white. I didn't like that hot creamy milk on my cornflakes, and often ate toast instead.

Now that I know better...... I want a house cow! That milk was so yummy.



Then we got to feed the baby goats and calves. So much fun.



We all had a go with the milk bottles, except for Spunky Monkey. He wasn't that interested and just wanted to wander off into the paddock instead.



Miss Moo Moo loooved it. She was a natural. She is the real animal lover of the family. If she had it her way she would have got a kitten for her birthday.

When she wasn't feeding this little goat she would just pat his soft, soft coat.

"Mum he is so soft. He is so sweet"



Mr Moo is feeding Penny the calf. The calves were quiet a bit stronger than the little goats, and complete guts. This little one ended up with the hiccups, which was pretty cute.



The old farmers hut is now a chicken house. However the cheeky bantam chickens spend all day wandering the open fields. Who could blame them.



At the end of the tour we got to taste some of the yummy Maleny Dairy products. There was no need to convert us on their milk, we already buy this product. But I was impressed by the flavoured milks. We never buy flavoured milk, but tasting these flavoured milks took me again, back to my childhood. Of days when I would sit in cafe booth seats with my parents and drink flavoured milk straight from the ice cold metal milkshake container.

We left with one of each flavour; strawberry, chocolate and coffee.

Our weekend update: part one

With such a busy weekend just gone I have decided to post about our weekend like this:

Part one: the birthday - five, footloose and fancy free.



Despite a late night at our wonderful school musical, Miss Moo Moo was up early and into our bed. When I wished her happy birthday she said,

"Look at my teeth Mum, can you see how big they are. They are very big now that I am five"

As is our usual birthday ritual, she opened her presents in our bed. A pile of dress-ups and some 'Angelina Ballerina' books.



Straight away Miss Moo Moo was into her dress-up's. The 'much wished for' ballet dress. A brides veil, a mermaid costume, some 1950's nana slippers and frilly pink 1950's brunch coat. All thrifted over the last month or so. She was over the moon.



Daddy made some special pancakes for the birthday girl.



Then we drove to Maleny and to the Maleny Dairies that was to be our outing for the day. It was really fun, but oh so very cold!

More about the Maleny Dairies tomorrow.



Before we went on our farm tour, we had some morning tea cupcakes in the car park.





After a wonderful morning at the farm we went to the nearby Maleny Cheese Factory for some cheese and into Maleny to find a sunny spot in the park. We sat here for hours protected from the icy, biting winds by the local library.

We enjoyed a simple, delicious picnic. Homemade zucchini slice and yesterday's cupcakes from home. Maleny cheeses: triple cream brie and tuscan cheddar, wood fire breads: a crusty white called 'snow cap' and a walnut and rye. A punnet of very ripe cherry tomatoes and sliced ham from the local butcher.



As I sat in the sun and watched the children happily playing, I savoured the simple food that I was eating. Happy in the fact that 80 percent of it had been produced within a kilometer of where we sitting.





After a long day the children both slept (yes slept!) in the car on the drive home. Home just in time for some quiet play and a bath before dinner. An easy barbecue of sausages and marinated chicken that had been requested, followed by cake.

Mr Moo's chocolate cake topped with coffee icing. We had to light the candles three times - you know what big brothers can be like. Eventually Miss Moo Moo got to blow out her own candles and we all enjoyed a piece of cake.

The perfect end to a perfect day.