A Palava Hut and Family Days on the Farm
A new palava hut gave us somewhere to meet and rest. Our family visited, the children met the turkeys, and a rabbit’s hair loss brought a new concern.
In June 2025, we built a palava hut at MNC Farms: somewhere for meetings and a resting place for ourselves and the workers. As the farm grew, we wanted a shared space where people could sit together and take a break.
Our family also came to visit, and we had a good time together. The children enjoyed the rabbits and saw turkeys for the first time. Alongside those happy moments, we noticed a problem with one of the rabbits and began looking for treatment.
- Approx. palava hut cost (USD)
- $400
- Pair of turkeys (USD)
- $250
A place to meet and rest
The palava hut cost us around US$400. We built it for meetings and as a place where we and our workers could rest. It gave us a space for the conversations and pauses that belonged alongside the daily farm work.
The photograph shows the hut in use, with a wooden table and chairs beneath its timber-framed, corrugated roof. After so much time building shelters, preparing fields, and working on the houses, we now had this shared place to sit.
Sharing the farm with our family
Having our family visit was one of the pleasures of June. We had spent months working to bring the farm together, and it was good to spend time there with the people close to us.
In the photograph at the beginning of this chapter, you can see the potato greens growing beside the path. We were planting them to feed the rabbits. The family visit captured that part of the farm too: the crops growing around us, the buildings in the background, and everyone spending time on the land.
Welcoming a pair of turkeys
We bought a pair of turkeys for US$250 in total. They joined the birds on the farm, and their arrival became part of the children’s experience of visiting.
The photograph shows the two turkeys in the fenced poultry yard, with ducks behind them. These were new animals for the children to watch and get to know.
The children’s first look at turkeys
The children had a great time with the rabbits. It was also their first time seeing turkeys, and they were amazed. The photograph of them watching the turkeys and ducks is one of the memories we kept from the visit.
In May, seeing the cows near our house had felt like a glimpse of the life we had dreamed of. In June, sharing the farm with our family brought another part of that dream into view. The animals we cared for every day were also giving the children new experiences.
A concern with one of the rabbits
During this month, one of our rabbits started losing hair around its nose. We noticed the change and began looking for treatment.
The close-up photograph records what concerned us at the time. Caring for the animals meant paying attention to changes like this, alongside the feeding, housing, and other work of the farm.
Remembering June
June gave us a place to gather, a happy family visit, and two new turkeys. We remember the children’s interest in the animals and the potato greens growing beside the path. We also remember the worry about the rabbit and the search for treatment.
These moments all belong to the same month of our journey: making space for people, enjoying time together, and continuing to learn what our animals needed.
Palava hut, family, turkey, duck, and rabbit photographs supplied by MNC Farms for this chapter.
Published · Recollections from across June 2025; no single day is assigned to these events.