Goslings Galore Hatch Out at Wiggley Bottom Farm

I’ve always loved Spring, ever since my childhood growing up in England, because Spring means lambing season, it’s when calves are born, flowers start to blossom, leaves grow and the sunshine returns, a time when chicks hatch, when shoots and buds appear on branches and the days start to lengthen with the promise of long summer days ahead which seemed endless to me as a child. Being a lover of the changing seasons it’s not surprising I love Springtime in the Yarra Valley.

Spring is the time for Bud burst in the Yarra Valley’s Vineyards

I heard someone calling the Yarra Valley ‘Melbourne’s food bowl’ recently – which is very apt, as we are a huge fruit producer and all around us our fruit trees are currently laden. And as a wine growing region, Spring signifies the start of the cycle – all the vines have been pruned, the vineyard floor mulched, and the winemakers are watching each grape variety in the vineyard to see when bud burst occurs.

Getting the right balance in the fruit for the wines depends on so many factors -the right amount of rain, no Spring frosts killing off the new fragile shoots, or animals nibbling on the new bud growth. Vineyard managers have a lot to look out for, like all farmers. And sunshine is crucial for the vines during Spring and we haven't seen too much of that yet!

Springtime at Wiggley Bottom Farm means New Goslings

And right now, at Wiggley Bottom Farm there’s all sorts happening, with the asparagus doing really well, the goats are expecting and the initial 15 goslings that hatched soon turned into 37, all of whom are being collectively looked after by all their mums. The goslings are adorable downy little puffballs and honestly, the sight of a brood of day-old goslings is guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone's face. The tiny bundles of soft fluff are the epitome of innocence,

and I love watching them pad after a few insects and try to keep up with Mum and the rest of the brood. But the lives of goslings are not as carefree as we might hope – Mum sometimes squashes one or two and being out in the wild, they have their predators too of course.

We could learn a lot from geese, they are fascinating to watch - they form lifelong partnerships and both parents raise the young – it’s a really equal relationship. Everyone seems to be protecting the baby goslings, which is gorgeous to see and I don’t go too close or intrude, but they probably think of me as yet another Mum! And here they are, being lovingly chaperoned around.

If you’d like to come and enjoy all the action of a farm stay in the Yarra Valley this Spring, give me a call and lets book you in or you can check availability online here.