The big move!

I knew in the end it would be worth it. The packing. The sorting. The chaos. The uncertainty. Even living in the small rental was an adventure to say the least.

But as we settle in to our new farm, I am filled with such gratitude. The beauty of this place is a daily reminder of how fortunate we were to be in the right place at the right time.

Finally...home

Slowly getting there

Christmas is days away and I feel so absolutely unprepared. Thank god I did most of my shopping before the baby arrived.  Between that and online shopping I think I have managed to cover most of my gift giving needs.


We decided to do photos of the kids for Christmas.  Partly in an attempt on my part to appear normal, and feel normal.  I am really pushing myself to do two things every day.  Fold laundry.  Clean out a junk drawer.  Clean the bathroom sink.  Teensy baby steps towards finding my old self again.


When you have the first baby there is a sea of visitors following the baby's arrival.  They come armed with lasagna and gifts, and it's a heartwarming way to not only welcome the new baby but also to ensure that the new mother puts lipstick on and gets out of bed.


With a second child visitors are few and far between.  So the unfortunate thing is that new mothers don't have the same motivation to keep the house tidy and get themselves "back to normal". 


It's been a real struggle for me. I am frustrated that my body isn't returning to it's old self as quick as I would like it to.  I over did things the first few weeks physically (hard to believe, I mean seriously? Stairs are that bad for you?) and now I may have popped a stitch internally. Jesus Murphy that sucker hurts.


I am happy that I can drive again, although the idea of carting baby and toddler out seems overwhelming. I just need to find my groove again. I remember with the wee farmboy I was incredibly nervous on those first solo trips. So I know it will get easier.


When you are at your grocery store next, and the mom in front of you is juggling a toddler and a baby - please be patient. Smile, and say an encouraging word. It could very well be me.

Garden season begins

You really have to like working in the soil to be an effective gardener. I find the best time of day is early morning, despite the fact that the Mosquitos will eat you alive. 

I am trying to plant things that will do well in our small farm store - zucchini, cucumber, carrots. I am even trying potatoes this year.  The trouble is that I am quite enjoying myself, and next year when my mat leave is over I am going to miss having this time to garden.  I just hope I can keep it up.

The raised beds make the world of difference. Things are growing in leaps and bounds and covering them with greenhouse plastic gave me a good head start.

This is our raspberry and strawberry patch. If the birds don't eat them we will have a good yield this year.

And yes, that is one gigantic happy rhubarb! I can't wait to make rhubarb pies!

Good omens

Being over 40 and pregnant can be a nerve wracking time. Sometimes it's best to simply ignore those folks who tell you horror stories "just so that you are informed" - and instead to keep thinking positively.
Today on my way into the doctors office for my ultrasound, I had a lovely omen that things will be just fine.
The sun was peeking through a crack in the roofline, and made a heart shaped sunbeam on the wall. It was fleeting, but powerful.

Auction finds

I love country auctions. You can find the most unique items. Check out my new guardian sheep :) they came as a pair and I think they look magnificent in the garden!

The cutest ass

Asses are like potato chips, or purses, or great shoes...you cannot stop at one.

What began as a practical means of keeping coyotes out of the field, has now turned into a bit of an ass obsession. I fear that I will turn into a wild eyed version of the crazy cat lady - standing in some old post and beam barn surrounded by asses.

I swore I would stop at three, but then I read on a highly official government site that you should have one donkey per 50 sheep.  Of course, another site said that was hogwash, and that you could have one per every 100 sheep, but I used the first ratio as my strong argument in the purchase of Lucy.  Never mind that we don't have the sheep yet...it's all about effective planning!

Lucy is our new 4 month old donkey.  How could I resist her charm?

Donkey's are wonderful when it comes to livestock protection. In terms of value for dollar, they provide endless hours of entertainment, in addition to coyote protection.

In order for donkeys to provide the best predator protection possible it is important to first understand how they protect the flock. Think of a donkey like a security guard - in order to provide protection they must both be in the right place at the right time. The donkey's herding instinct combined with its inherent dislike and aggressiveness towards coyotes and dogs make it an effective livestock guard animal.

If a coyote enters the field, a donkey will raise a ruckus, and chase the intruder. In most cases they will actually confront the predator, and attack them by rising up on their hind legs and striking with both front feet. They will then attempt to bite the back of the predators neck as it ducks to defend itself, causing damage to main arteries.

It really makes you stop and think about how cute and fuzzy they are doesn't it?

Perhaps that's why I like them, they are cute, sweet and fuzzy...until you rub them the wrong way!



Can we visit your farm? Biosecurity

Ah, the farm. A glorious expanse of space. Fields of lush green grasses, and wildflowers dotted with cows serenely grazing. A peaceful and tranquil place to lie on a summer day and listen to the sounds of insects hard at work.

It's hard sometimes to remember what lurks below the surface. We have only recently begun to think about biosecurity, and the steps we must take as new food produces to ensure the safety of the food we produce, and ensure the health and wellness of our livestock.

Biosecurity at the farm level can be defined as the day to day practices that prevent the movement of disease-causing agents onto and off of the farm. We have to look at all aspects of "farm management", such as disease control and prevention (e.g. closed herd, vaccinations), nutrient management and visitor control. Tracing and tracking the movement of livestock is recognised as the most important biosecurity measure for most diseases, but many important hazards can be carried on contaminated clothing, boots, equipment and vehicles. This means that the single most important way we can reduce biosecurity risks is to limit the flow of visitors, particularly to fields/barns/and barnyards where animals are housed.

Issues such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, foot and mouth disease, avian influenza and Newcastle disease are very real, and can be transferred from farm to farm on shoes and clothing.  All visitors to our farm need to understand the possible risk they present when entering a farm, and what precautions need to be taken when visiting. Visitors can unknowingly bring harmful agents onto a farm via contaminated clothing and footwear, equipment and vehicles. 


So what are we doing?

• We have implemented a "no visitor" area in our barnyard, signage will advise visitors that they are entering a biosecure area.
• All visitors must "Check in" at the house and we have begun to keep a record of farm visitors, including contact information.
• Visitors must advise us if they have visited another farm within the last 7 days.
• If visitors have been to another farm, we provide them with footwear to wear on our farm if they have to go down to the barnyard area.
• We limit contact with our livestock.
• We wear "off farm boots and clothing" and remove it when we enter the farm. It is stored in an outbuilding away from the barns.
• Visitors must wash their hands before and after contact with our livestock.

We get many requests to have "parties" on the farm, but friends and family now understand that in order to be a part of their food chain, we need to ensure the safety of their food.  In the end, it means being able to offer them farm fresh naturally raised beef, pork and chicken - without the risk of disease.

Which do you prefer?

Maybe I should just flip a coin. In the end, I think the decision would be a whole lot easier.

Donkey or Llama?

We need something to stay in with the pigs at night when we eventually get them. It's funny really, farming is such a snowball of events. First, we will get pigs. But they need hay and grain, so we will fill the barn with hay and grain. But the grain will bring mice. So we need more barn cats. And the pigs need protecting at night, so we need a livestock guardian with them... see what I mean?

We do have two amazing livestock guardian dogs, but they come in the house at night. So we need something that lives in the pasture.

Donkey's are great because they sound the alarm, and are fairly easy to keep. However like a horse they require winter stabling. They also need a visit to the farrier on occasion.

Llamas don't require winter stabling, but don't really "raise the alarm".  I have also been told they spit and get quite a strong odour - however they are low maintenance.

I thought about simply going on the cute factor, donkey's do seem cuter. However that does seem to take the seriousness out of the decision.

I do have a fondness for donkey's, and I suppose part of that comes from my love of horses - but I don't want to be biased.

Maybe we should just get a camel.

Wanted: Victorian Farmhouse on 50+ acres

So we have resorted to running ads in local papers, and online. Surprisingly, we have had two responses so far! Sadly, neither farm was within one hour of our day jobs, so we had to pass.

I am hoping that somewhere out there, as someone drinks their morning coffee, they see our ad and say "hmmm...we have thought about selling the farm. Let me give these kids a call".

I am a firm believer in the power of positive thought, and so I have been visualizing our farm. Last night as we lay in bed, we each spoke in turn about what it looked like.

"The barn is magnificent, it has huge beams reaching upwards towards the hay loft. And the old barn boards let a wee bit of sunlight in. You can smell the fresh hay".

"As far as the eye can see there is nothing but rolling hills and forest"

"The woodlot is a wonderful place to walk, with a soft layer of old leaves beneath your feet. I can't wait until spring when the sap begins to run"

"Our house is ancient, and as you approach it you begin to notice the lovely Victorian details, which we have restored with great care"

If we dream it, it will come.

Lessons in Real Estate

Over the course of looking for a rural property, I have discovered that there is one person that you have to rely heavily on.

The City Planner.

City Planners are typically holed up in a basement office of city hall, tucked away with their maps, and not usually visited by the public. We find they respond very well to surprise donuts, or Tim Horton's coffee.

City Planners can tell you all sorts of marvellous things. If you befriend them, they will even tell you things that they shouldn't, because they begin to care and don't want you to purchase your hard earned money on something that will not be worth the investment.

Each time we seriously consider a property, we go through the same process.

1. The initial drive by to determine if the property looks remotely like the MLS listing.
2. Google Mapping, to determine what is around the property. This is VERY important and can save a lot of time. A large quarry behind a farm can decrease the value tremendously. So can railway lines, hydro corridors and auto wrecking yards.
3. Visit the City Planning office. They can tell you what the development plans are for that area, who owns the lots adjoining the farm. What rights of way exist, if their are floodplains, protected lands, or swamps.

Then and only then if a farm passes all of this criteria would we call our agent and ask her to show us the farm. It saves her an awful lot of wasted time.

In the beginning...

I am a girl, a city girl. A girl who has spent the last 15 years riding downtown city transit, and smelling exhaust fumes as I drink my Starbucks latte on my trek to the office.
I am a city girl who loves the ballet, the opera, and the wonder of the theatre. I am a girl who adores the smell of hotdogs from street vendors, and the sound of buskers earning spare coins on the corner.

Quite sometime ago, I made the move to the suburbs. A land of station wagons and minivans. A world of neighbours who offer to help shovel your driveway, and grocery stores that still have bag boys.

I became a suburban girl. I took the train into the city, caught up in the morning rush of commuters. I learned to like the big box stores, with their endless choices of merchandise, and the grocery stores as big as football fields with their promises of low low prices and their sea of colourful produce.

But then, almost 3 years ago, I met a boy.

And deep in our hearts, we had a wee bit of country. It started with a shared love of country music, and cowboy boots. We took long drives in the countryside, and began to adore the tall maples which line country laneway's. Over time, that wee bit of country began to grow.

And so it began. The search for a farm. We have been looking for almost two years now, and we have certainly learnt a lot about rural properties. I am going to share our MLS adventures with you all here dear reader. So that you can laugh along with us on this adventure!