It’s been a fantastic autumn – long, warm and largely dry.

That’s encouraged me to tackle so many jobs around the farm or should I say, farmlet.

Brian on the job - raking never ending leaves at this time of the year.

Maintenance done now means its relatively easy to cruise through the worst three months of winter weather.

Consequently, I’ve been flat out mending fences and gates, particularly where wood has dried out over summer then swelled again in the few recent bouts of rain. Hinges have dropped or have been in need of oiling and in some instances gates are still sticking and need adjusting.

A few weeks back I sprayed for broadleaf weeds and have been thrilled with the result. I’ve also been harrowing the outer paddocks, a job that has gone so smoothly since I purchased harrows which fits behind my quad bike. Looking over the turned, aerated pasture is very satisfying.

Of course, I do get a bit more agitated about the leaves that for six weeks or so never stop falling from our 20 or more London Plane trees. I rake them every day and despite composting a lot, the pile grows ever higher.

While I have a regular list of autumn jobs, which keep me on the go all day, there’s one new job to be added to the list – a new chicken coop. Readers will recall the story of our wayward hen who, with a bit of help on our part, produced eight chicks. We think three may be roosters and they have homes to go to but we plan to keep the remaining five hens, who will join our initial three. Now, that’s okay because the coop will accommodate about 12.

However we have another little problem. You guessed it our little mother hen has done it again – skyved off into the bushes when we weren’t looking and it took us a week to find her and the new nest.

This time we didn’t muck about. We just lifted her up, swapped the eggs for fertile ones and plonked her back again.

So far, she seems content and has stayed on the nest. But any more than three or four chicks will strain our accommodation so I’m warning builder son his talents may soon be needed. I’ll let you know if our family grows yet again.

Finally, our pacer Elsudoku went to the trials and ran a very creditable second. He looked fantastic on the track and came off, calm and collected. In fact, he had that look that indicated the whole thing was a breeze.

He returned for a second trial 10 days ago and again ran second. Then, last week he succeeded at the qualifying trials and should be racing soon. It’s all rather exciting and I promise to keep readers posted on his progress. See you next time with news of our brood mare too.

Brian Neben publishes Rural Living, and during the weekends is an avid lifestyle farmer.