Garden

Unpaid Labour Clearing Weeds

What a wonderful spring this has been. At this time last year, we were still cold and so, so wet that we still could not even think about planting our garden. Friday, the last of my first round of seeds went in. Saturday it rained - yay! - and today it looks like  I have to weed already!

I started about a month ago with the fence. Last year I had put up a low, flimsy fence that the rabbits crawled under and the deer used as a grazing bar. This year I went higher, I dug it underground, and built it much more solidly. So far it has stood up to some pretty fierce winds so I am hopeful it will do its job and I will get to harvest more than three squash and a measly handful of beans.

I have in the garden: raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, asparagus, garlic, three kinds of onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, two kinds of peas,  three kinds of beans, two kinds of peppers, two kinds of tomatoes, three kinds of potatoes,  two kinds of squash, cantaloupe, two kinds of cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, and sunflowers. I also have my separate herb garden with mint, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, thyme, lemon thyme, chives, basil, chamomile and lavender. I have already started looking at new canning, dehydrating, freezing methods and recipes. As you know I have taken great joy in being able to eat my harvest well into the spring this year and hope to find new and yummy ways to eat from the garden.

Chickens: ARE AWESOME! Eight white sapphire chickens arrived last Monday. (This type of chicken is a newer mix breed that is supposed to lay powder blue eggs.) This meant I did have to set up a brooder for them (another new experience). I think I did a good job - proof - the chicks are still alive, growing and seem quite healthy! It is difficult to accomplish much right now because all I want to do is be in the coop with these sweet babies. The farm born chicks are so much fun. See the pic of fun and games piggy back rides.

Critters

I have loved watching as the birds and animals have been coming out to play as the weather has been warming up.  I have seen and heard a number that I have been unable to photograph. Of course the amazing ensemble of bull frogs that serenade me every night, the pair of eagles that soar overhead too fast for me to whip out my phone, the bobcat that I stared in awe at and forgot to even reach for my camera, the mated ducks that returned to the pond this year. All amazing wildlife that I so lucky to be surrounded by.


The critters I have been able to photograph, a snake (not a huge fan...), a deer. Luckily Dixie was inside for the night but I was out enjoying a fire when this beauty strolled into the yard. For the first time ever, I put up a hummingbird feeder and have been rewarded with  a number of visits. I believe I do have two nests of pheasants on the property but have never been able to catch any on camera. This beauty was posing for me at the lumber mill when I went to pick up some wood. And finally, we have the ever elusive Lion King Dixie. This is her favourite vantage point to look out across St. Mary's Bay.

Chicken update: I am very sad to report, Penelope did die. Her sisters are healthy and growing every day. I fell victim to the chick adorableness and will be picking up 8 day old babies on Tuesday... Chicken addiction is a real thing (if you couldn't tell from all my previous posts blathering on about my adoration for my feathered friends)!

First Two Girls Farm Babies

Sophia hatched three beautiful chicks on Monday making these the first animals born on the farm.

Tallulah

Penelope

They are awesome! I am sooooo in love with these fluff balls. However, my luck with chickens has not always been stellar and this also has not been straight forward and easy. Let's rewind to 5 weeks ago. My lovely hen Sophia decided she wanted babies. I gave her 8 eggs and sat back to watch. She appeared to be doing her job well, one egg did break, but she was determined and patient and although she was protective of her eggs, she was never aggressive towards me. One week later, Phoebe started to display signs of also going broody. I am certainly game for this natural aspect of farm life, so I gave her 7 eggs. She also seemed to be doing things right, the only difference was that she did become aggressive toward me and nipped at me a few times. Following internet and book advice, I waited until dark and moved the hens and their eggs to a separate building now named the maternity ward. Unfortunately, when I went in to check on them in the morning, Phoebe was not sitting on any eggs, and Sophia was sitting on Phoebe's eggs. I hoped that the cold eggs might still be viable and placed them all under Sophia then moved Phoebe back to the regular coop. Eggs hatch in 21 days but unfortunately by the 23rd day I had to admit defeat in that Sophia's original's eggs had been cold for too long and were not going to hatch. She wanted to be a mom so badly that she continued to sit for the additional week on Phoebe's eggs and was successful with three babies.

Arabella

Penelope's Feet "Booted"

Which leads us to the present. We have Tallulah (brown), Arabella (all black) and Penelope (black and white). Penelope is not the healthiest little critter. While her sisters grow and thrive and learn from their mom, Penelope is struggling to walk and therefore cannot make it to the food dish. I have researched (ya, ya, I know) and I think she has curly toes - just like Phoebe - hmmm - not sure if this is a genetic trait.... I have tried to straighten them and the right foot looks much better, but after two treatments, the left foot still curls. I look at Phoebe and see how she thrives, so I keep hoping that if I can keep Penelope fed, she will get stronger and learn how to walk on this unusual foot. I am so proud of Sophia. She is the best mom! She protects and loves all of her babies where some animals may ignore or even kill the weak one. I find her sitting on the chicks keeping them warm in every and any corner of their coop. Wherever Penelope has managed to drag herself, that is where momma makes her other babies come to sleep.






That's enough for now, I could go on gushing about them for pages, and I am sure you will hear more as time goes on, but for now....I am loving being a Chicken Grandma three time over!

Happy Mother's Day

I want to wish all the mothers and those who take a mothering role a Happy Mother's Day. This was another holiday experienced under the duress of social distancing and thus, while voices could be heard, it may still have been a lonely day for many people.

My extended family has been one to gather for every holiday. We talk loud and eat a lot. In making the choice to move here I knew this would change but this was now my third holiday celebration alone since Zoe has chosen to return to Ontario. My birthday, Easter and now Mother's Day.  So the novelty of spending them alone is starting to wear off.  If you look back through my posts you will see that food often has a prominent voice in my life. Today was no different. You will also notice my repeating joy in being able to provide some of the food on the table. Tonight I had a sausage patty and while I did not "grow" this meat, one of Zoe's summer co-workers did. So it was farm fresh, free range, local, delicious pork with one of my farm fresh, free range eggs in it. I had fries still remaining from my potatoes last year, a lovely green salad dressed with a blackberry vinaigrette made from my blackberry jam, and a rhubarb (fresh from the garden) and blackberry (frozen from last year) crisp for dessert. Add a glass of wine and it was a delicious meal. I definitely missed the loud family surrounding me and I REALLY missed having someone else around to do the dishes after! (As both Sandy and my dad can attest to...that is my least favourite job.) But I ate well and survived thanks to talking to my mom, my children, and receiving lovely messages throughout the day from friends.


I have one hen sitting on eggs and today was supposed to be hatch day which I thought was perfect to have a hatch on Mother's Day. Unfortunately nothing has stuck its cute little beak out of a shell yet, but I have heard little peeping!! I am so excited, hopefully tomorrow we will have little babies on the farm and then I will be  chicken grandma💖

Routine

It has been five weeks since I stopped working and began social isolation.

I have settled into a comfortable routine with a healthy mix of relaxing and working.

I start off everyday with Dixie walking around the property. Then everyone gets breakfast. First the cat and dog, then the chickens, and finally me.

I enjoy an hour with my coffee and book.

Dixie and I walk again.

I work for about two hours.

I have lunch and, wait for it....Dixie and I walk again.

I work for another two-three hours then clean up for the day.

I feed everyone supper, Dixie and I walk again, and finally I can pour a glass of wine and Netflix.

I have been trying to limit my trips into town to every two weeks.  I look forward to hearing human voices every 14 days that do not come through a tv speaker. Although this is my week to go, my freezer has never been so full of food! I do go through the basic perishables like lettuce, butter and cheese, but besides those things, I have enough frozen soups and meals to last me a few months.

I am excited to hear some provinces are beginning to loosen up restrictions and are in the starting stages of moving into what will become our new normal. I really look forward to seeing people again.  I just hope everyone still recognizes me 15 pounds heavier, grey haired, with no make up?!