As the new year starts to unfold we usually take a few minutes to look over our successes and failures of the previous year. Our family attempts to learn from mistakes in order to move forward productively. Our attempts at composting had their challenges but with the help of professionals, the problems are resolving. There […] Read more
Composting is a simple natural process
Experts provide advice on proper procedures and precautions
Foxes and wolves are always on the hunt
A tree-climbing gray fox is a new name on the predator list
Predator loss is a reality all classes of livestock are susceptible to. Many with cattle do not have as big of a worry as those with sheep, goats, and poultry, but this pasture season was bad all over. Conversations with livestock producers across Canada showed us there is also a new threat around. Red foxes […] Read more
Start with good stock — stay healthy
Some diseases are hard to fix — the best approach is to avoid them
Raising livestock for a living means that they have to be productive. They must reproduce, be healthy, and not be labour-intensive. Nobody makes a profit raising sick animals. The University of Guelph and Semex have been moving forward studying this from a genetic standpoint. This is exciting because with the increase in prevalence of Johne’s, producing healthy […] Read more
Nature’s fly control program
Parasitic wasps won’t eliminate flies, but can reduce numbers
With the arrival of spring comes the new crop of flies. Since experiencing fly strike last year, controlling the fly population is more of a priority. Last summer we began to notice not only were sprays not working as well as they used to, they are getting harder to find. This is due to tighter restrictions […] Read more
Using wild edibles on our farm
Plants that are often regarded as ‘weeds’ can actually be beneficial
A few years ago we started to learn how to use more herbs and “weeds” around the farm. The one that totally surprised our family was purslane (Portulaca oleracea), or as we call it, wild portulaca. It is very invasive, so if left to grow it needs boundaries with border edging. It’s worth keeping around […] Read more
Pumpkin seeds with no shells
Pepitas are loaded with nutrition and have no hulls
Growing up, pumpkin seeds were a once-a-year treat. As a child there was the confusion of whether they were to be shelled like a sunflower seed or just chewed. Personally, the hulls were a bit too fibrous, but once you got inside, those seeds were very yummy. As an adult I noticed that there were […] Read more
Planning for a new season of what to plant and grow
Winter evenings are spent going over catalogues and making those decisions
Farmers have a hard time with winter. A part of us just wants to be in the dirt. Basically farmers want to farm, and this starts very young in some people. In an effort to keep our two-year-old grandson from “farming” in our houseplants this winter we did a small experiment with a house farm. […] Read more
The learning value of fixing a tractor
There’s no point looking at the negative — STAY POSITIVE
Our family has managed to almost bring another production cycle to a successful close. There are a few things we have learned and a few that we are still learning. One of them is how to start a tractor. Our tractor is reassembled but not moving. Thankfully there are very kind diesel mechanics in this […] Read more
Getting a handle on fleece marketing
Opportunities appear to be there for all grades of wool
In December 2015 we announced we were on our way to realizing our dream of producing dual-purpose sheep. Our first black ram (Clun Forest X), our purebred Rambouillet ram, and our Fredrick James (Suffolk cross/Rambouillet) were going to work. The goal was to produce acceptable meat lambs with wool that was pleasing to wear. Personal […] Read more
Suddenly our life had changed
Would you be prepared if serious illness affected a family member?
People talk about life-changing moments. Some are good, like the birth of a baby; others are hard, such as the death of a family member. Over the years our family has seen a few but never as intensely as May 4, 2016 when my husband started getting ill. It was nothing remarkable. Our whole house, […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
