Last night our friend Tim O'Sullivan (Timbo Rural Contracting) showed up with some extra friends and they took out four foxes in an hour. Four.
Happy, happy, happy.
I don't know if that's solved the immediate problem, but I suspect it's put a dent in it.
We know Tim well, and he knows us, and he offered to trade his time for our choccy bikkies which he's pretty fond of.
I can do choccy bikkies.
I always make these in double batches, it just doesn't seem efficient to only make 15 at a time.
In case of foxes, or bad days, or just to celebrate an excellent cup of tea with, I give you Visitor Biscuits.
VISITOR BISCUITS
Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup choc pieces. (Or more.)
Method:
Cream butter and sugar with salt and vanilla.
Add egg, then add flour and chocolate. The mix will be quite stiff, work it with your hands to bring together into a solid dough.
Ball up into about 15 bikkies and bake for about 15 mins in a moderate oven (180 degrees celcius).
Enjoy in the dark with a beanie on and a spotlight, or with a late night hot milk to celebrate a job well done, or as a morning treat after turning over a very, very hot compost.
Will possibly work as hard currency.
xxx
Photos by Luisa Brimble.
Love it! All of it! The news about the wily foxes (not so wily now) and a yummy biscuit recipe.
All good.
Posted by: Just Joyful | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 09:52 AM
I love the sneaky hand grabbing one at the end :)
Posted by: SB | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 11:52 AM
Love your posts Fi. And a recipe too - happy days! Friends are amazing when it gets a bit real and raw. Friends ROCK!
Posted by: Andrea | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 01:39 PM
Thats great news, was trying to comment yesterday and wish you luck. Good luck now with keeping the next 'batch' of birds safe. The biscuits look yummy
Posted by: JEN | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 01:45 PM
Phew!
Posted by: Louise Freckelton | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 01:51 PM
They look delicious.
Flapjack (the sort with oats and syrup and butter) is my hard currency. It is widely accepted in exchange for favours and also cheers up tradesmen. Use it, and you will always be known, even years later, by plasterers, heating engineers, plumbers and builders as the Lady with the Flapjack.
Fingers crossed that your chickens are safer now.
Posted by: Hazel | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 03:01 PM
Your blog has had us enthralled (and horrified) for the last few days. We only have 6 chickens but had never realised the carnage a few foxes could cause. I'm glad it seems you might be winning the battle now.
The biscuits look delicious - I shall be trying them out later and hope to eat them just out of sight of my greedy girls, where I promise to enjoy their antics for a few minutes and be thankful they are still going strong. All the best for everything.
Posted by: Kerry McCance | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 05:08 PM
I remember when you fed me those biccies. You can make and cook them in the time it takes to say hello, put on the kettle, shoo the kids into the toys, and settle into a kitchen chair. By the time the tea is steeped the biccies are are ready hot from the oven. Good news about the fox :)
Posted by: Catriona | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 09:02 PM
Fabulous news about the foxes. To be a little more decadent add a few chopped pecans to the biscuits!mmmmm
Posted by: June | Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at 11:17 PM
You wonderful thing. I am more inspired than ever, my dear, and that's saying something! Big love to everyone, especially your Mum.
Posted by: Sue | Thursday, 26 June 2014 at 07:19 PM
Thanks for the recipe! So pleased to hear its BVFarm 4, Foxes 0, rotten mongrels!
Posted by: Joolzmac | Friday, 27 June 2014 at 09:30 AM
I have been thinking of you every time I go out to see our four girls in the backyard. It must have been a heartbreaking week for you all.
The recipe is timed perfectly. I am needing to make a small pressie and these will be perfect. Yum. Thanks for sharing.
Take care.
Posted by: Bruisemouse | Friday, 27 June 2014 at 04:40 PM
Biscuit /ˈbɪskɨt/ is a term used for a variety of baked, commonly flour-based food products. The term is applied to two distinct products in North America and the Commonwealth of Nations and Europe. For a list of varieties, see the list of biscuits and cookies.http://www.needithosting.com/
Posted by: michelle | Saturday, 12 July 2014 at 10:06 PM