Farm feels oddly quiet today. Perhaps because 4 of the animals left yesterday for the butcher. Not comfortable enough in my skills to tackle that myself so I'm paying to have someone else do it. Still got the other cows on site and of course the chickens, such a joy to have them around, but it is getting late, I'm hoping they'll be ready by the end of November to hit the freezer. We are so not prepared to overwinter anything but ourselves on site. Maybe next year we'll have more opportunity to actually upgrade stuff on-site rather than just fixing what's here from previous owners.
Bit of a circus loading the animals as the steer nearly jumped the fence to get back with the rest of the cattle. Managed to find a potential solution, will check into it this weekend for next year, lots to learn I should have had them rounded up before the truck arrived but still wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Just been watching the wild animals this year, grouse population seems down, probably due to the number of coyotes around, deer seem to be common enough though I can't see them well enough to tell if I'm seeing the same 2 or 3 in a couple different fields or if there's really that many around. Locals are telling me there's a big black bear around but I so far have not seen it or sign of it being around, well unless you count the neighbours hives being behind electric fencing now as sign of the bear. Not sure if it was preventative measure or reacting to bear caused damage in the first place.
Off to the city this weekend for provisions, found a decent wholesale spot so time to stock up before the snow really flies and keeps me closer to home.
Be well all
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Harvest Time
Well it's been a pretty busy month, harvested the rest of the garden, potatoes, beets, turnip, parsnip, carrots galore.
Thanksgiving has been and gone, both had company on the farm and went to the city to visit other company. Great times.
Getting the place ready for winter now, cold enough that I am draining the garden hose on a nightly basis to keep it from freezing. Barn got cleaned up, just have to tear down an old fence and put down a new ramp to one of the outbuildings, be much nicer for storing the equipment in.
Once again reminded that I still need to find a suitable beater before winter so I can tinker with it, maybe even rescue the neighbours lawn-mower that they bent the blades on which I believe also bent their output shaft from the motor. It'd be something to work on that I might get a use for instead of making more afghans or quilts that we have tons of here already.
Still waiting on "work" to call, hoping to hear that I've got a position to get some income rolling besides what is here on the farm.
More books from the library, so awesome the libraries being in a huge network if local library doesn't have it (which is true for most of what I want to read) they can order it in, free of charge. Only trouble is you don't always get to renew the stuff that's ordered in if someone else is on the waiting list for it. But I stand by the library, so much cheaper than buying even a couple books a year new, still have to see if they have wi-fi or not.
Well, its a nice sunny day so I better get outside while the sun is shining and... pick up debris I think, still got a couple sections of fence that fell over and need broken apart for loading into the dump wagon / burn pile. Grass kind of overgrew a lot of it so still discovering where some of the bits are. Easy to turn an ankle out there.
Be well.
Thanksgiving has been and gone, both had company on the farm and went to the city to visit other company. Great times.
Getting the place ready for winter now, cold enough that I am draining the garden hose on a nightly basis to keep it from freezing. Barn got cleaned up, just have to tear down an old fence and put down a new ramp to one of the outbuildings, be much nicer for storing the equipment in.
Once again reminded that I still need to find a suitable beater before winter so I can tinker with it, maybe even rescue the neighbours lawn-mower that they bent the blades on which I believe also bent their output shaft from the motor. It'd be something to work on that I might get a use for instead of making more afghans or quilts that we have tons of here already.
Still waiting on "work" to call, hoping to hear that I've got a position to get some income rolling besides what is here on the farm.
More books from the library, so awesome the libraries being in a huge network if local library doesn't have it (which is true for most of what I want to read) they can order it in, free of charge. Only trouble is you don't always get to renew the stuff that's ordered in if someone else is on the waiting list for it. But I stand by the library, so much cheaper than buying even a couple books a year new, still have to see if they have wi-fi or not.
Well, its a nice sunny day so I better get outside while the sun is shining and... pick up debris I think, still got a couple sections of fence that fell over and need broken apart for loading into the dump wagon / burn pile. Grass kind of overgrew a lot of it so still discovering where some of the bits are. Easy to turn an ankle out there.
Be well.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Multi-tasking
I really think multi-tasking is a joke. You really are only focused on one thing at a time and when you're doing that one thing you're not paying attention to the others.
For instance, i diced up some potatoes this morning for a potato salad, put them in the steamer and turned it on. Then the phone rang, and I jumped on the computer to get the URL that I wanted to share, then started to smell something... oops the steamer never got turned down! Boiled dry, black black black pan interior....
All is not lost. I don't care to repeat it so sadly no pictures as I just wanted to get it salvaged if I could. But removed from heat, cooled enough to handle, added hot water and sprinkled baking soda over the charred pan. Let soak for 30 mins and wipe with an abrasive cloth... looks as good as new inside. Outside is another matter there's some coloring to the metal that I will see later if it will come clear or not, but for now the pan is back to usable condition and finishing the steaming of those potatoes for what will now be my evening potato salad instead of lunch!
For instance, i diced up some potatoes this morning for a potato salad, put them in the steamer and turned it on. Then the phone rang, and I jumped on the computer to get the URL that I wanted to share, then started to smell something... oops the steamer never got turned down! Boiled dry, black black black pan interior....
All is not lost. I don't care to repeat it so sadly no pictures as I just wanted to get it salvaged if I could. But removed from heat, cooled enough to handle, added hot water and sprinkled baking soda over the charred pan. Let soak for 30 mins and wipe with an abrasive cloth... looks as good as new inside. Outside is another matter there's some coloring to the metal that I will see later if it will come clear or not, but for now the pan is back to usable condition and finishing the steaming of those potatoes for what will now be my evening potato salad instead of lunch!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wishlists
Well I've been working on my "to buy" lists now for a while, those items that when you see them and the price is right you've just got to have them...
Took care of one today, found an all metal grater, made in Canada, age unknown but its NOT a box grater those silly things are so hard to clean and I only use the one face anyway. So now I have what is more appropriate. And it only cost $1 at the *cough* local second hand shop... 40km's one way isn't exactly local but I was in town anyway for some supplies. Also scored an all metal cake decorating set, didn't even know they were available but as soon as I saw it I had to have it... all of $5 for that little darling of an item.
Those 2 items together are a big step forward for me, both being all metal allows me to remove the plastic ones that are already here, they'll go with the plastic picnic set, and the no-name plastic containers. I rediscovered a long lost joy the other day with drinking my ice-tea in a mason jar... put the lid on and shake it... saves dirtying a spoon just for mixing it.
Also on top of all that, I discovered that I can finally ditch my once much desired Magic Bullet, as my big blender that I already had has the removable base that attaches to my normal-necked Mason jars, so I had the capability of Magic Bullet like function all along without realizing it. Hello fresh ground spices and personalized drink's or deserts right in the container they'll be served from.
I do have on my wish-list though some harder to find items
1) I want a guitar - acoustic, and the courage to learn it
2) I want a bolt-action shotgun, they should be just the ticket for me here when the neighbourhood dogs (or the local coyotes) come a-calling at my livestock. Again. But can I find one, no, the local shops laugh at me when I ask them, nope I had one come in about 6 months ago but its in my personal collection. Well thanks... what about mine?
3) I want a ride-on lawn mower, one with a blown engine is just fine as I want to tinker for a winter project this year, deck size no big deal just has to be reasonable.
4) I'd like a quad/4-wheeler/ATV also with a blown engine, so really either 3 or 4. They'd each be much more compatible with a quick jaunt down the local side-roads Saturday and Sunday morning collecting the empties from the yahoo's who still drink and drive around here, quite literally by the number of cans available for the collecting. Bike and foot works just fine but I could collect so much more with a powered item under me.
Alright that's it for me just putting some stuff out there, because hey when you do you can have it. I only decided a couple days ago to look for that grater and the first time I was to town after that decision, there it was!
Be well all.
Took care of one today, found an all metal grater, made in Canada, age unknown but its NOT a box grater those silly things are so hard to clean and I only use the one face anyway. So now I have what is more appropriate. And it only cost $1 at the *cough* local second hand shop... 40km's one way isn't exactly local but I was in town anyway for some supplies. Also scored an all metal cake decorating set, didn't even know they were available but as soon as I saw it I had to have it... all of $5 for that little darling of an item.
Those 2 items together are a big step forward for me, both being all metal allows me to remove the plastic ones that are already here, they'll go with the plastic picnic set, and the no-name plastic containers. I rediscovered a long lost joy the other day with drinking my ice-tea in a mason jar... put the lid on and shake it... saves dirtying a spoon just for mixing it.
Also on top of all that, I discovered that I can finally ditch my once much desired Magic Bullet, as my big blender that I already had has the removable base that attaches to my normal-necked Mason jars, so I had the capability of Magic Bullet like function all along without realizing it. Hello fresh ground spices and personalized drink's or deserts right in the container they'll be served from.
I do have on my wish-list though some harder to find items
1) I want a guitar - acoustic, and the courage to learn it
2) I want a bolt-action shotgun, they should be just the ticket for me here when the neighbourhood dogs (or the local coyotes) come a-calling at my livestock. Again. But can I find one, no, the local shops laugh at me when I ask them, nope I had one come in about 6 months ago but its in my personal collection. Well thanks... what about mine?
3) I want a ride-on lawn mower, one with a blown engine is just fine as I want to tinker for a winter project this year, deck size no big deal just has to be reasonable.
4) I'd like a quad/4-wheeler/ATV also with a blown engine, so really either 3 or 4. They'd each be much more compatible with a quick jaunt down the local side-roads Saturday and Sunday morning collecting the empties from the yahoo's who still drink and drive around here, quite literally by the number of cans available for the collecting. Bike and foot works just fine but I could collect so much more with a powered item under me.
Alright that's it for me just putting some stuff out there, because hey when you do you can have it. I only decided a couple days ago to look for that grater and the first time I was to town after that decision, there it was!
Be well all.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Garden harvest
Well, we had our first frost here this weekend, killed off the tomato plants and the cucumbers. Time to gather the rest of the surface stuff.
Zucchini: 4kg of zucchini here, will soon be processed into bread / muffins
Beans: Wax beans 4kg of beans have been processed, frozen for winter use. Frozen in containers of 100g or 200g serving sizes.
Peaches: 20lbs of peaches canned put up 9 quart jars at local stores that's about $50 worth of peaches that I don't have to buy this winter, aiming for more next year
Potatoes: harvested one full row of the 6 in the garden, steaming many of them to mash and freeze, also making potato salad, and multiple stews, veggie, beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit. Make em now freeze em for later use.
Beets: one beet over 600g itself, and there were numerous of them, harvested a milk-crate size container of them, pickling to follow. Maybe some juicing.
Parsnip: Apparently didn't thin these enough many are darn stringy but will be usable
Carrots: Again didn't think them enough, they'll work in soups and the like
Turnip: some nice results here, only picked a couple here, in ground they'll keep a while.
Rhubarb: plants came in, half of them took, not bad first year growth, we'll get a good take next year
Raspberries: most of the plants took, I think only 4 didn't oh and the 5th succumbed to being trampled on by everyone who set foot in the garden and stepped around the much bigger second one in the row... No berries this year but they are very healthy looking growth, should be good next year.
Onsite updates
Fencing: allow more time than you think because your livestock will show you the weaknesses in due time. Calf got out by walking up to a slightly wide gap between barb wire strands and stepped right out... pigs also got out of their lower pen and rooted up an area until we realized they were out. Good to know that secondary area is well fenced though so they were contained.
Power: well prepared for a power outage now, got the generator up and running, settled in a convenient, accessible spot, will only run long enough to keep the freezer contents frozen as needed, so what once every 24 hours? Also accessed to a propane stove for cooking, is a relief as the camp stove only connects to 1lb propane canisters which can't be refilled here. $5 / lb... makes the 20lb canisters better just can't use them 20lbs for $15 or $100 to get the same 1lb at a time. Now well prepared for a prolonged power outage, but it's gone out overnight only once in almost a year in this area.
Keep well
Zucchini: 4kg of zucchini here, will soon be processed into bread / muffins
Beans: Wax beans 4kg of beans have been processed, frozen for winter use. Frozen in containers of 100g or 200g serving sizes.
Peaches: 20lbs of peaches canned put up 9 quart jars at local stores that's about $50 worth of peaches that I don't have to buy this winter, aiming for more next year
Potatoes: harvested one full row of the 6 in the garden, steaming many of them to mash and freeze, also making potato salad, and multiple stews, veggie, beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit. Make em now freeze em for later use.
Beets: one beet over 600g itself, and there were numerous of them, harvested a milk-crate size container of them, pickling to follow. Maybe some juicing.
Parsnip: Apparently didn't thin these enough many are darn stringy but will be usable
Carrots: Again didn't think them enough, they'll work in soups and the like
Turnip: some nice results here, only picked a couple here, in ground they'll keep a while.
Rhubarb: plants came in, half of them took, not bad first year growth, we'll get a good take next year
Raspberries: most of the plants took, I think only 4 didn't oh and the 5th succumbed to being trampled on by everyone who set foot in the garden and stepped around the much bigger second one in the row... No berries this year but they are very healthy looking growth, should be good next year.
Onsite updates
Fencing: allow more time than you think because your livestock will show you the weaknesses in due time. Calf got out by walking up to a slightly wide gap between barb wire strands and stepped right out... pigs also got out of their lower pen and rooted up an area until we realized they were out. Good to know that secondary area is well fenced though so they were contained.
Power: well prepared for a power outage now, got the generator up and running, settled in a convenient, accessible spot, will only run long enough to keep the freezer contents frozen as needed, so what once every 24 hours? Also accessed to a propane stove for cooking, is a relief as the camp stove only connects to 1lb propane canisters which can't be refilled here. $5 / lb... makes the 20lb canisters better just can't use them 20lbs for $15 or $100 to get the same 1lb at a time. Now well prepared for a prolonged power outage, but it's gone out overnight only once in almost a year in this area.
Keep well
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Livestock N Fencing
Nothing like new livestock to show you where your fences weaknesses are. Despite the previous days work buttoning up the fences, tightening loose strands, patching holes made for vehicular access it took all of 2 hours for the one of the new cows to slip from their intended pasture to the secondary one that isn't perfectly fenced.
An hour of putting obstructions up to keep it contained and we had him back in with the others, mostly because he decided to get a drink which was done on that side of the fence.
So all our vehicle access areas are buttoned up though we still need them, gates will follow, the joys of reworking what someone has done before you. Quite a mess of fencing too, fence posts, chicken wire, vertical slats, poles to extend snow fencing 4 feet above the height of the fence, taking down the old eye-sore fencing is an ongoing project, getting it all cleaned up and more usable for our intended purpose with the land.
Tomorrow the chicken yard gets its fencing checked as they'll soon be venturing outside, hope its a bit dryer tomorrow than it has been, ground is already saturated. Its a good thing mind you, the dugouts are filling up again higher than they have in the past couple years, always good to see. Just need to get more water storage in place for the pens.
That's all for tonight,
Be well, one and all
An hour of putting obstructions up to keep it contained and we had him back in with the others, mostly because he decided to get a drink which was done on that side of the fence.
So all our vehicle access areas are buttoned up though we still need them, gates will follow, the joys of reworking what someone has done before you. Quite a mess of fencing too, fence posts, chicken wire, vertical slats, poles to extend snow fencing 4 feet above the height of the fence, taking down the old eye-sore fencing is an ongoing project, getting it all cleaned up and more usable for our intended purpose with the land.
Tomorrow the chicken yard gets its fencing checked as they'll soon be venturing outside, hope its a bit dryer tomorrow than it has been, ground is already saturated. Its a good thing mind you, the dugouts are filling up again higher than they have in the past couple years, always good to see. Just need to get more water storage in place for the pens.
That's all for tonight,
Be well, one and all
Monday, September 6, 2010
Welcome to the Farm
Hey all and welcome to the farm. We're tucked away in northern Alberta, couple hours north of Edmonton.
Just our little corner of the world, but it IS ours.
Interests here on the farm are varied, we have a vegetable garden with potatoes, beets, turnip, carrots, parsnip, sunflower, raspberries, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and all kinds of herbs. We have livestock, 4 cows, 4 pigs and 3 dozen chickens. The cows... one heifer, one cow and her calf, and a steer, the steer will hit the freezer this fall when the pigs go and of course the chickens. The heifer and cow have been bred for April or May calving.
Future plans include rabbits for meat and perhaps for fibre if I can lay my hands on a spinning wheel.
We've also made use of all the roofs of our buildings to gather rainwater, uphill from the garden is a 1000L tank filled with rain, might expand that to 2 tanks next year, because it's uphill it feeds the drip-water lines in the garden without the need for an additional pump. The barn also has 2 1000L tanks connected, one tank is elevated and collects the water for the pigs, the other is just a backup tank if the first one comes empty we can top it back up from the second with a pump. Storage shed also collects water used to supplement what the cows get.
Hunting season is almost upon us, still looking for a Bolt-action shotgun but not having much success there as yet.
I don't get groceries, I get provisions, sugar for canning / baking, flour though the plan is to grow some of our own here and mill it on site, coffee, tea. Much of the rest of our needs are met by the garden, eating in season. Raspberries went in this year so looking forward to the harvest next year.
Well I'm to post this now and get back to cooking dinner, be well all.
Just our little corner of the world, but it IS ours.
Interests here on the farm are varied, we have a vegetable garden with potatoes, beets, turnip, carrots, parsnip, sunflower, raspberries, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and all kinds of herbs. We have livestock, 4 cows, 4 pigs and 3 dozen chickens. The cows... one heifer, one cow and her calf, and a steer, the steer will hit the freezer this fall when the pigs go and of course the chickens. The heifer and cow have been bred for April or May calving.
Future plans include rabbits for meat and perhaps for fibre if I can lay my hands on a spinning wheel.
We've also made use of all the roofs of our buildings to gather rainwater, uphill from the garden is a 1000L tank filled with rain, might expand that to 2 tanks next year, because it's uphill it feeds the drip-water lines in the garden without the need for an additional pump. The barn also has 2 1000L tanks connected, one tank is elevated and collects the water for the pigs, the other is just a backup tank if the first one comes empty we can top it back up from the second with a pump. Storage shed also collects water used to supplement what the cows get.
Hunting season is almost upon us, still looking for a Bolt-action shotgun but not having much success there as yet.
I don't get groceries, I get provisions, sugar for canning / baking, flour though the plan is to grow some of our own here and mill it on site, coffee, tea. Much of the rest of our needs are met by the garden, eating in season. Raspberries went in this year so looking forward to the harvest next year.
Well I'm to post this now and get back to cooking dinner, be well all.
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