The Coady Collective
Coady's Cabana has been created by Matthew and Jane Coady. Matthew is a practising Architect, and Jane a retired newspaper publisher and former City Councillor.Over the 17 years that they have been married and living on the property there have been constant changes. The gardens were started and enhanced, art was acquired, as were cats, dogs, chickens and horses... even people!
The people.....
Jane and Matthew love creating a place for people to enjoy. Having two young adult off-spring has opened their eyes to the fun of having diverse people around, especially those with talents for music, song, gardening, cooking, yoga and good conversation.
......all pitch in
Sometimes house guests sing for their supper, other times they put their backs into work! Everyone pitches in. Helper guests are often paid with a free Cabana stay. Anyone can apply!
Bert
Bert is our salvation! Our 'gentle giant' lives in the Studio suite on the ground floor of our house, and helps us keep the place shipshape. His main job was helping Matthew bring his ideas to reality before he found an 'off-property' job! Now he lends a hand as needed and keeps the lawns under control.
Natalie
Natalie lives at "Idle Cottage", our ground floor apartment. She is a wonderful winter host for the Cabana!!
She is starting to feel the farm and get dirt under her finger nails! Although she works full time, she is finding it important to get involved with growing things. WoofersA woofer is a member of the WWOOF organization (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) - or better known as a Willing Worker On Organic Farms! Room and board is traded for work time. We have had woofers for the last couple of years and really enjoyed getting to know them - we've had a gal from England, a gal and a couple from Germany, a French brother and sister, Isabel and Teddy, a young English gal, Emma, Sandra a lovely German girl and a young Frenchman, Ghislain.
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The New Chickens
This year we ordered 60 day-old Red Sussex Cross chicks. They were hatched on March 13, so are now just over 2 months old and starting to become tame. They certainly know the bin that has the chicken scratch treats in it, and all come running!!
The chickens
We still have four of the first batch of chicks we raised a couple of years ago, but they are laying less and less so the new chicks will replace these old gals soon.
George, the rooster, has had to leave the property due to creating too much early morning noise! The horse...
Kharimha isn't often allowed out and about!
She is a 17-year old pure Arab mare. She is the gentlest horse around. Many people have experienced their first time on a horse on her back. She loves being fed apples, but carrots are her real favorite The dog....
Levi, the part Chow/SPCA special old man of the household will generally greet you with barks. It is his welcome. He greets us the same way! We are not sure that he sees or hears as well as he did. Joining Levi is Gordy, Natalie's old black retriever - we are definitely the place for geriatric black dogs!
The cat....
Lucy is our only remaining cat, she can usually be seen out on the prowl for field mice, and generally keeps to herself.
She will tease the magpies by going just inside the protected zone around their nests. It can get pretty raucous then! Work AwayersIn 2013 we are inviting young people who want to learn about growing their own food, and what it takes to maintain a property to join us, through the Work Away program. This is less restrictive than the WOOF program, so we thought we would see how it works.
Perhaps one day we will find a work-awayer to look after the Cabana so we can have a summer vacation!!We have enjoyed having Enrico from Verona, Italy staying with us through March/April this year. |
