Lots of snow and then rain...

From the country...

snow mountain made by the tractor mount snow blower.

Millie Mae and Lucas

Nate in his kid cave

Millie Mae

the snow ball maker.

It snowed and snowed and then snow some more. After spending a few hours removing the copious amounts of white stuff from areas where we park, drive and walk (barn chores where specifically hard- ploughing through the snow carrying buckets of water for the animals), the kids donned their shovels, snow ball makers, sleds and went out to tackle the freshly made snow mound.

They had a little help from the resident work horse around here...

best dad ever...

 And now today it is raining already and threatening to ruin all the efforts made yesterday...

We will see if snow mountain makes it for another day.

Mr. Dressup, Ernie Coombs

From the country...

 (CBC Still Photo Collection)

“Keep your crayons sharp, your sticky tape untangled, and always put the top back on your markers.” Mr. Dressup

Remembering the late Ernie Coombs, today would be his 85th birthday. I spent many a morning watching the show, laughing over the shenanigans of Casey and Finnigan and waiting to see what costume came out of that tickle trunk...


Laura

The Etsy Shopping Trap...

From the country...

adorable earrings from Penny Glass Girl.

So, I may just be light years behind an average girl my age in terms of what is in fashion. My sense of what looks good usually involves whatever is clean...and comfy. But if you haven't heard of Etsy you have to check it out. No, checking it out really doesn't do it much justice... I think that it is physically impossible to just casually "check it out". I have officially spent the better half of my day pouring over image upon image of handmade heaven. There is everything from knitting to toys to jewellery and on and on. So in a hunt for some really neat X mas presents I have officially started my search. The great thing about Etsy is that you can look for your local creators-which is obviously what I am all about- or you can order from a plethora of vendors from all over the globe. My only stab at this website is that there are ALOT of vendors and weeding through the pages can be a major but albeit super fun way of wasting away hours of precious time. My search perimeters are to stay in Canada this season and support some of the great Canadian talent listed on this AMAZING website (can I plug it any harder???).  So here is what I have found;

-this little bit of heaven from pennyglassgirl from Toronto and why not get a set of the earrings too?
-this scrabble tile necklace is gorgeous (who doesn't like Robin's eggs?) made in Windsor, Ontario.
-tea cup earrings? too cute! Try it with a slice of pumpkin pie... made in Vancouver.
-then there are these creepy/humorous tees  for the geek in your life....made in Keswick Ontario.
-and I wouldn't write this post without giving a shout out to my pal Krystle who makes beautiful photo art....in the neighbouring town of Cannington Ontario...literally 10 minutes drive from the farm.

So there you have it another reason for shopping from local artisans....it is just so freaking fun!

Farm Tours and a Country Inn

From the country...

The gorgeous harvest table at Mad Maple Farm

Roast chicken sprinkled with salt

Fried green tomatoes and a root vegetable pickle

Arugula salad

Apple gallette with blue potato ice cream!

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to tag along with Fleming College students from the Sustainable Agriculture program on a tour. Our first stop was Fiddle Foot Farm in Mansfield Ontario. We were greeted by Graham Corbett & Amy Ouchterlony. Their operation mirrored our farm in many ways so it was nice to meet some fellow youngsters toughing out the farming thing too. We seemed to have a lot in common. Graham and Amy have only been on their land for 1 year which was very impressive considering that they are servicing farmers markets and a CSA (weekly produce box membership program) of 60 people.

Next on the roster was The New Farm in Creemore Ontario. There we met farmers Brent Preston and Gillian Flies. Their operation is a more established farm concentrating on salad greens, cucumbers and root vegetables. They concentrate heavily on marketing their produce. They have some great annual fund raisers and have partnerships with other businesses. I consider them to be a bit of a mentor farm and something that we strive for here on our farm.

Then we ate lunch at the newly opened Mad Maple Farm and Country Inn where the wafting aroma of roast chicken greeted us as we made our way up the driveway. The lovely Miriam Streiman treated us to a local feast with produce from both farms that we visited, the feast also showcased uniquely milled flour from K2 Milling, honey from Osprey Bluffs Honey Company, and a ginger/sea buckthorn beverage from Meredith's Ginger Syrup. The meal was delicious, served family style on a beautiful harvest table in a kitchen that would make any cook wring their hands in envy.

The weather couldn't have been any better. The scenery was really breath taking, with rolling hills that went on forever. A really lovely place to live in Ontario. The tours were a great way to see how other farms operate (and a great excuse to get away from my own farm) and to connect with other people who make sustainable, organic farming a way of life as well.

This Weekend's market and a trip to the fiddle patch

From the country...

Millie's first trip to the fiddle patch,

Leopard and Bull Frogs in a bucket,

Stuck in the tree,

the avid fishermen,

the end result.

This weekend is the first spring/summer market at the Evergreen Brick Work's farmers market and we have been busy down at the fiddle patch harvesting fiddle heads, dandelion greens, stinging nettle and garlic mustard. The new Evergreen Brick Work's website just launched recently and it features a place where the vendors can put a profile of their farm and a tab where you can list what you have available for the upcoming market. I have been working on our profile and I think it looks pretty neat- check it out!

On the farm we have been scurrying about planting onions, lettuces, pea shoots, seeding countless seeds and on and on. We have also been tending to our new brood of chicks, ducklings and baby quail. The incubator has been running non-stop for a while now hatching out this years batch of poultry (photos to come). I have been to the public school showing/educating the kindergarten classes and the grade 1 class about the hatching process and I brought along my cardboard box of chicks. As soon as the top comes off- the children just dive for them- it is so great to watch these little people get as excited about chicks as I do. The planter gardens at the school is what's on for next week.

Farm life has really taken hold right now- so much to do and not enough daylight hours. Our backs/knees are sore and fingernails are compounded with soil. The spring peepers are back, each night they lull us into some much needed sleep and the black flies are starting to make their presence...May is here!

Easter Weekend

From the country...

Babies, tea and pie- a winning combination

First pick of pea shoots, arugula and assorted greens

To-die-for lemon meringue pie

Easter weekend:

- countless games of ninjas on the farmstead with the bow and arrows.
-the BEST lemon meringue pie and brownies washed down with gallons of teas.
-braised lamb, ham steaks, roasted root vegetables, first fresh salad from the greenhouse (with a sour cherry vinaigrette), and mashed potatoes with chervil.    
-gorging on dandelion greens
-visits with family and friends
-chocolate egg hunts and 2 new baby bunnies
-smack talking around the kitchen table and lots of laughs
-tree planting, salad green harvesting and chicken catching.
-the yearly chicken rental pick up from this gal and her family.
-researching new breeds of chickens for various purposes.
-walking, riding bikes and making home movies.
-wild foraging for dandelion greens and wild leeks.
-watching and discussing the happenings of this show.

How was your weekend?

The Weekly Run Down From the Farm

From the country...

Wiley Coyote turned the big 5

We celebrated with a movie (The Lorax) and bowling

made these cookie cheesecakes

one of a few quail egg trays put into the incubator.

It is proven itself hard to maintain a family, farm and blog... but I will trudge along. So much happens on any given day but here are some of the highlights:

-QUAIL eggs! I am super excited about raising quail. 120 eggs made there way to the incubator this past weekend and I am expecting babies around the 15th of the month. I have been You Tubing/researching like mad and trying to figure out the best way to raise the little suckers. They are fascinating little birds that are the size of a bumble bee when hatched and start laying eggs at 5-7 weeks!

-Lucas turned 5 on April 1st. He had been planning his big day for some time so we had to indulge this little guy and make it a good one. We did a movie, a rousing game of bowling and then home for french fries, homemade macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw. I also made these cookie cheesecake treats for dessert. With some balloons, a new fishing rod and a rendition of Happy Birthday via a phone call from his Aunt Mimi/Uncle Momo his day was complete.

-Earth Hour was spent in our living room with the wood stove blazing, and  the candles lit. The kids and I read books, played Guess Who and went outside wrapped in blankets to see the stars (it was such a clear night). Millie cried for almost the full hour until she fell asleep in my arms while Nate and Lucas hid under blankets convincing each other that her crying was going to bring the monsters out.  Fun stuff!!

-The farm is coming alive again- perennials are poking there heads out and the animals are feeling frisky in the extended hours of daylight. The turkeys have started laying, the chickens are laying like gang busters and the ducks are squirreling away their clutches of eggs until they get the right amount to set. We are spending full days outdoors getting a jump start on the growing season.The boys have tossed the t.v. aside in preference for playing and the dinner bell is once again being used to beckon people indoors for meals.

It is an exciting time on the farm ...

The Weekly Run Down From the Farm

  

 From the Farm...

Learning to walk in new boots...

Mud fights (I was NOT impressed).

Here is a list of this past weeks events (in no particular order). With the summer-like temperatures we have been outdoors mostly getting shtuff done.

-researching for my newest poultry endeavour- raising Quail for meat and eggs!!!
-dreaming about and trying to convince Mark that if you are going to raise quail then why not pheasant as well.
-plugging out greens/lettuce starts into the greenhouses for an early crop
-building new chicken runs
-cleaning up the farm/runs to the dump
-seeding, transplanting and seeding some more
-collecting eggs and starting my first hatch of the year
-wondering why our turkeys haven't started laying yet
-ordering some new laying hens (day old chicks) for pick up in April from here.
-listening to the spring peepers with open windows at night (unheard of around here considering it is still March)
-hiring our first employee (ever) to help around the farm for the season.
- more teething and screaming coming from the lil' miss around here (sheesh get those teeth already...)
-mulching and starting new compost piles
-visits from friends who are eager to get their hands dirty around here.
-planning the new Kinder Gardens at the Elementary school for this spring and planting projects to do with the children.
-wild energy exuding from every pore of the boys- lots of mud, running, and play fighting
-cleaning out the chicken/turkey pens
-dancing in the kitchen to the Jackson 5
-eating our first wild harvested salad of the year with sorrel, chives, greenhouse lettuce,lemon balm and dandelion greens
-watching this show and thinking that Amy and I could do this someday...

How was your week?

Give me a March break!!

From the country...

So we are 2 days into March break around here. Lots of wet/muddy clothing and rubbers full of puddle water. To top it all off my laundry line broke today! I freaked out! First of all, it was a dream laundry day (sun shining, breeze blowing) and secondly, my kids are a muddy mess. I hastily raced to the hardware store, bought the fixings, raced home and grunted/cursed while putting the laundry line back up.

I have 5 more days of this you know...

Seedy Saturday at The Evergreen Brick Works

From the country...

I have been busy packaging up some of our saved seed for this upcoming Seedy Saturday at the Evergreen Brick Works. We are regular vendors there all year round so I thought I would try to hock some of our seed this weekend at our stand. It should be a fun day for everyone young and old with activities, seed swapping/buying and also the farmers market. We will have some seed potato varieties, bean seeds, squash/ pumpkin seeds, and some tomato seeds from our crops last year!

Good Pickle Year and Gingersnaps!

From the country...

pickled cornichon, garlic scape, bread n' butter pickles, carrots with fenugreek and dilly beans.

We adore our pickles around here- making them, laying them out on  pickle trays and of course eating them. This year has been an exceptional pickle year for us. I think the secret that took us way too long to realize is- small batches. Everything is better when done in smaller batches. Quality ingredients and fresh fruit/vegetables are key as well to making show stopping preserves.  More labour may be involved with smaller batches but better quality pickles in the end. I love the crispness and slight garlic zing of the pickled garlic scapes and the bread n' butter pickles that Amy and I made last summer are the best batch yet- sweet and crisp.

A ginger SNAP!

Here is a recipe for quite possibly the best gingersnap cookies that I have had. Maybe it was a result of this amazing powdered ginger that was gifted to me for my Thanksgiving baking. Mark bought it for me here along with cinnamon and nutmeg. This particular recipe is sandwich cookie recipe with raspberry jam but we used left over cream cheese frosting from Millie Mae's birthday carrot cupcakes.

Yum!

Occupy Our Food Supply

From the world...

Dr Vandana Shiva

"We have alternatives that protect the Earth, protect our farmers, and protect our health and nutrition. To occupy the food system means simultaneously resisting corporate control and building sustainable and just alternatives, from the seed to the table. One seed at a time, one farm at a time, one meal at a time – we must break out of corporate food dictatorship and create a vibrant and robust food democracy." -Vandana Shiva

click here to read the rest of the article.

The Weekly Rundown From the Farm.

From the farm...

Collection of eggs (blue chicken egg, large chicken egg from one of my bigger ladies, duck egg and a brown chicken egg).

Here is a brief rundown from our week here on the farm. Included in the tally are both highlights and low lights in no particular order:

-trying to get some much needed sunshine therapy spending time in the greenhouse (because this glum chum is tired of being cooped up) organizing and tidying up.
-opening up one greenhouse to the chickens who are ecstatic to be able to get a decent dust bath.
-spending a lot of time in my head planning out this upcoming growing season and figuring out the logistics of farm life and three children
-getting a chuckle out of these guys while watching them with the kids
- longer days and spring- like temperatures have the chickens/ducks  really upping their game and are pumping out the eggs
-shamelessly enjoying this show every Monday night.
-sleepless nights due to teething and coughing
-ordering in my yearly supply of kelp for the poultry and maybe need to dust off the old saddles for the lady turkeys because breeding season is just around the corner.
-seeding countless trays of onions, pea shoots, sunflower greens and sprouts in buckets.
-working on a few chalk board/sandwich boards for the spring/summer market season.
-bought our first plough for the tractor (next step figuring out how to use it).
-enjoying the first bar of  homemade soap.
-feuding with a lil' Millie Mae because she has decided she doesn't like eggs anymore (mainstay of our diet around here) but wants to have a diet comprised mostly of fruit, sweet potatoes and bread.
-sprouting, and eating lots of roasted sweet potatoes
-became a host on this site (farm work trade for travelers) and I am enjoying the emails from some keen youngsters from France testing out their English.
-putting laundry out on the line almost everyday!

How has your week been?

Growing Sweet Potato Slips

From the country...

Sweet potato sitting in water

This year I am attempting to grow sweet potato slips. Sweet potatoes aren't generally grown from seed but by a slip. The slip is a shoot that grows from the mother potato. In a few weeks I am expecting each eye on this here tater to have a nice leafy 2-3 inch sprout on it, which according to my research I gently twist off, and put into water and it will grow roots and will eventually become a plant by which other sweet potatoes will grow from. If all goes well I will put this project into my farm how-to tutorial page- but for now we will see how it goes.

Basically you take a nice clean sweet potato (I would suggest one that is grown local to you) cut it, place the cut end into water, place in a warm well lit area of your house, make sure the sweetie is in water at all times, and well- watch the slips grow. It would be a great planting project for kids too!

I have read that you can get as many as 50 slips per tater- I guess we will just have to wait and see...

Who knows maybe I will get another one of these??

Millie Mae turns 1!

From the country,

My lil' Valentine turns 1...

Valentines and Sweet Potato Love

From the country...

Pile of homemade Valentines

This year I decided that instead of going to the store (too lazy/busy) and buying the prefab valentines that we would make them. So I collected some clip art and some different fonts, printed them, coloured them, cut them out and pasted them on bristol board. Then I sat down with Lucas where he spent 2.5 minutes with me making them, then quickly found something better to do and I finished all 23 of them by my lonesome. Nate is planning on finishing his tonight- so it looks like I will be making some more later when everyone is sleeping... I think that they are rather sweet looking though and a little less wasteful. Everything (aside from the printing) was found in our art closet.

So in the spirit of Valentine's day I will leave you with these images of 2 sweet potatoes in love...

Sweet potato displaying their love for each other on our front porch...the shame!

mmmmmmm....

On the Farm: A How-To Grow Pea ShootsTutorial

From the country...

How to Grow Pea Shoots

This is the start to my, "On The Farm How-to Tutorials" which will be posted periodically throughout the seasons featuring farm related topics. Many of these tutorials can be adapted to anywhere you live (with some exceptions) and will hopefully show some really great ideas/techniques to possibly help people become a little more self sufficient.

I grow pea shoots here on the farm pretty much all year, as long as the weather isn't too hot- sometimes I take a pea shoot hiatus in late June/early July when it tends to get hot and muggy around here. I find the shoot to be more reliable then the actual pea crop. In spring/ fall I grow pea shoots outdoors and in late fall/early winter I grow them indoors under artificial light. Pea shoots are a very popular market item for us, we sell big tubs of them loose at our market stand (people pay by the oz. and bag there own). They can be eaten fresh in a salad or can be lightly sauteed/stir fried. They have a subtle sweet pea flavour and are very fresh and crisp.

What you will need:
-a bucket with a screen and some way of affixing the screen to the lid. I cut a circle off the top of the lid leaving the sides intact. If you are trying this on a smaller scale you can use a mason jar with the ring screwed on and some cheese cloth or mesh.
-sprouting peas (I use Dwarf Grey sugar peas from here.)
-soil (I use our own from the compost)
-2 trays or containers to grow the peas on that is fairly deep and has holes in the bottom.
-some way of feeding you peas (I have used Kelp Man liquid Seaweed before) but if you have a good quality soil mix you should be ok.
-a mister
-a watering can

Step 1 -Sprouting the peas
-place dried peas in a bucket and cover with water. Let sit for 8hrs to soak. The peas will soak up the water so make sure to add more if needed.
-dump out water. once daily rinse and drain your peas leaving bucket upside down to fully drain until the next rinsing.
-do this for a few days until your peas begin to sprout (photo above)

Step2- Spreading the peas onto soil
-take your soil, give it a good watering and allow to drain

-next is to spread your sprouted peas onto your soil you want a fairly heavy layer of peas do not worry if some overlap.
-give you peas a good misting
-cover your peas (I use another tray on top) to keep the moisture in and put somewhere warm.
- mist periodically and leave the lid on until you see your peas start to grow. I leave the lid on until the peas start to lift up the top tray.

Step 3-Expose your peas to light
- now this can be under artificial light, outdoors in a sunny spot (when the weather is nice), or in a sunny warm location (near a south facing window) indoors.

Step 4- Harvest
-cut peas shoots when they are around 2-3 inches cut em (when they are nice and leafy). This should take about a week- depending on the growing conditions.

Step5- Enjoy them!
-try sauteing them lightly, with eggs for breakfast.

Pickled Winter Radish

From the country...

Who says you can't pickle in the winter? We just tried this quick winter radish pickle out (mostly because we had them in storage) and to be honest I am pretty surprised as to how much I love them. Winter radish are grown in the fall and store through the winter months. The are larger, meatier and more mellow then their feisty spring cousins. I was surprisingly delighted with this recipe it is fresh, crisp and zingy (not to mention pretty). Quick pickle recipes are great when you don't want to haul out all the canning supplies and they are usually ready to eat within a couple of days.

So get your pickle on!

recipe here

Ground Hog Day

From the country...

photo credit: Jason Cohn / Reuters

The toll

 

Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam: did not see shadow- spring is on the way

Ontario's Wiarton Willy: did not see shadow- spring is on the way

Puxsutawney Phil (the U.S critter): did see shadow- 6 more weeks of winter

Happy Ground Hog Day!