For us, it was working "full time real jobs" for six months, and then not earning a cent for the next six months. This means we paid "full time real job" tax for six months, and then nothing since then - meaning we're due for a colossal tax refund!
Between us, we collected a little over $9000 (minus the accountants exorbitant fees :( ) ...aaaaand we've already spent it. All on the business, of course, but still, we have new toys!
1) A new tractor!
Our old beast of a tractor - with no doors, leaking oil, smashed windows etc - has finally conked it for good. After scouring Gumtree, we found a pretty good deal on a tractor in the next town. The owner is moving interstate and has slowly been reducing the price from over $25k to the measly amount we bought it for. Naturally, I don't know too much about tractors - but it's red, comes with a bunch of attachments and Geoff reckons its good, so that's good enough for me!
2) Grapes!
What's a winery without grapes!? For now, we have been sourcing our grapes from the Stanthorpe region (further south, in Queensland) where it's a little colder and there are a lot of vineyards. We've been slowly preparing to plant some vines ourselves, by removing about 100 finger lime trees (and having that epic burn off). With the new tractor, Josh will be able to turn over the ground and dig the holes for the support trusses. In a few weeks our new grafted tempranillo vines will be here! Tempranillo is a Spanish variety of red grape which doesn't mind the warmer climate. It ripens early, meaning we can hopefully harvest before the summer rains come. Our gorgeous red volcanic soil isn't ideal for wine grapes (the fruit will likely grow rapidly and produce big, plump fruit full of seeds - but not a lot of dense flavour for winemaking). BUT - tempranillo is the best chance we've got! It'll be a great learning opportunity for us, and it'll be awesome to have our own vines.
3) Fruit Trees!
Daley's fruit tree nursery are having a sale on their spring plants - and we indulged a little. We've purchased a nice selection of trees to add to our exotic fruit orchard. We have about 10 new tropical fruit trees (mangosteens, coffee, lychees, miracle fruit and a few more I can't remember!) that we'll plant alongside our current fruit trees. We are really interested in building our fruit orchard (and orchard tours) side of our business - people love looking around the trees and it's a great activity for groups who visit, who aren't necessarily interested in wine tasting.
In other news
- I think I might have got my first QLD speeding ticket (still waiting for the bad news in the mail)
- Josh and I finally got our QLD drivers licences (still waiting for them in the mail too!)
- I hit my second kangaroo in Betsy (Bets and I are fine - not sure about the roo, but I think he's ok too, it was just a bump)
- I went to Rockhampton for a work conference. I was up there for three days, learnin' stuff and meeting people. I didn't get to see much while I was up there, it would have been great if I could have visited Yeppoon and a few other tourist towns while I was up there, but hey, no such luck. I got to stay in a really nice hotel on the Bruce Highway though, where my bedroom wall backed onto the 24 hour Maccas drive thru.
- We're going to the Bundy Flavours festival on Sunday. I love festival days!
- We have more jaboticaba fruit ripe - here we go again!
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| Josh and his new toy! |
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