March Adventures and Activities:

March Activities.

Homeschooling.

Loads of school work was accomplished this month and, after eleven weeks of continuous homeschooling, we took a week’s break to explore more of Nyanga, in the Eastern highlands of Zimbabwe.

The ACE program is based on reading proficiency, so as the children’s reading speed improves, so they are able to get through more pages of schoolwork each day.. With the excellent foundation phonics found in this program, the children’s reading is rapidly improving and now both children are able to enjoy casual reading in their free time.

This is helping me to see how essential it is to have a solid homeschooling program and now I am able to push their school terms from 9 to 11 weeks.

When the farm hosted an Agricura chemical field day recently, the children took the day off to listen and learn. They both enjoyed the event and have no problem mixing with adults.

7 Ways How to Motivate and Encourage Your Child.

Homeschooling Friends.

The guinea pigs and rabbits continue to bring such joy to the children. In the afternoons the children enjoy letting their pets roam around the garden. Paula’s rabbit got an abscess on its cheek so Paula learnt how to treat and clean it every day.

Homeschooling Art.

This month Paula Joy spent her time making new things, by repurposing something old. She welded old scrap metal into two fun name signs for her pony’s stables. She also made a lovely brow band, for Poppy’s bridle, using old baling string, complete with beads. The end result was practical as well as lovely to look at.

When the weekends arrive the children love making tents on the verandah, so that they can have a sleep out. They use their imaginations to create fun sleeping places. However, they know that in the morning all must be put away neatly, before they head off to play.

Horses.

This month the jumps got bigger, as the children spent time working on their one rein stops, lateral flexion, and rein back, all whilst jumping combinations which got higher and higher!

Thanks to the foundation method we have be taught by the Downunder Horseman, all the children’s ponies are now better trained, as regards respect and willingness.

With polo starting in April, the children’s ponies are getting ready for the season.

We ended the month by exercising the horses in the harrowed tobacco lands by the stables. Working in heavier soil helps get the horses fit for the up and coming polo season. Soon, the jumps will be put away and the polo mallets brought out.

Homeschooling Sport.

Thanks to the Covid lockdowns having been lifted, the children are back at cricket lessons, in the indoor nets. It is so much fun to be back playing cricket!

With our trip to Nyanga, we were able to get back onto the golf course as well, to improve their golfing skills.

March Adventures.

Farm Life.

Dalston Farm.

Masses of rain arrived in the first half of the month, which resulted in all the farm dam being filled and ready for the coming wheat season. Murray John always enjoys an afternoon of fishing in the farm dams.

The dryland tobacco crop is still being reaped and, due to all the heavy rains, the yield will be down.

Dryland tobacco on the trolleys for the curing tunnel.

However, the maize crop looks amazing, so we have enjoyed picking fresh green mealies to eat for lunch.

Murray John has been spending all his spare time, either driving the digger, or doing tractor work. He spent time learning all about the ridge hog which is used to knock down the reaped tobacco stalks. It’s a very hard job and something one has to do, in order to appreciate how tiring it is. Murray John’s goal is to learn how every farm tractor and implement works.

Trinity Rock Farm.

All the tobacco reaping ended mid-month and the curing barns were switched off, as soon as the dry land tobacco was reaped and cured. The grading shed then became the main focus, with the dry land tobacco being graded first. This is called barn door grading.

Our first lorry load of finished tobacco bales was then loaded up and sent to the tobacco company in Harare.

It’s now time to plan for the next season and to start doing the land preparation. Work never ends for a tobacco farmer!

Zimbabwe Economy.

We have just completed another crazy lockdown in Zimbabwe, which has had a huge economic impact on our country. Children continue to be uneducated as, even though the schools have opened, many people do not have the funds to send their children to school. It’s a very sad situation, which is not being addressed by the government.

However, on the more positive side, the country has a massive maize crop, which will go a long way towards feeding the nation.

Environmental Awareness.

With the full dams comes an increase in the numbers of water birds, which is such a lovely sight. The fish population continues to multiply, so the women all go fishing after work, to help feed their families.

Travel.

We took a week off in late March to enjoy beautiful Nyanga, in the Eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. It is always a special week of fun, adventure and family bonding time.

The children loved riding their bicycles around the resort, canoeing and swimming, as well as playing golf and tennis. My next post will be all about this family adventure.