tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66641177299150638902024-03-13T13:39:03.704-03:00 Occidental AcresThis is the story of our journey from overweight, jaded, city-dwellers to neophyte smallholders in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.
Originally, we kept this blog to keep far-flung family and friends abreast of our comings and goings. However, everyone is most welcome to follow our adventures as we learn to care for our little piece of earth.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger298125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-70597412230070367362014-05-24T17:21:00.000-03:002014-05-24T19:20:48.319-03:00I never really played with dolls...... until our son came along. Since then, I've become more intimately familiar with my more feminine side. Tutus, stretchy pants, fancy dresses and wigs. And yes, dolls.<br />
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Perhaps you remember Frida, or "Mad Eye" as we know call her. I wrote about her eye transplant some time ago. Well, it would seem that "Mad-Mouth" Finn has had a go at her, and sadly things did not go well.<br />
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The Boy wanted to do some facial reconstruction mock-ups, and so we worked a bit of magic and came up with this:<br />
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So much for visualization.<br />
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In a laughing fit of sadness, we temporarily turned our attention to a recent gift given from Auntie Tara. It is a DIY sock monkey from <a href="http://www.themonkeyshow.ca/">The Sock Monkey Show</a> in Halifax. Auntie Tara said she picked out the brightest colours she could find, and The Boy has been hounding me ever since. <br />
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Tara warned me there would be some sewing involved, but I had no idea that attention-to-detail was also warranted. We'll leave you in suspense no longer. <br />
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Behold the Majestic Western Nova Scotia Sock Monkey!<br />
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"That is the ugliest sock monkey I have ever seen in my life!" The Boy said, once again laughing light-heartedly. It has, nonetheless, joined the pack of "Guys" on his bed and is now having a rather philosophical introduction to Mrs. Pinky Mouse (who is also a new addition to the family). <br />
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Hrmphf. Good thing he's gotta lotta life ahead!<br />
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PS - That monkey has gone to dinner with us, been on the trampoline, met Little Dan and is now singing some kind of meow-meow song in the bedroom!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-85166464441070053862014-05-18T19:58:00.003-03:002014-05-18T20:02:08.248-03:00We have a winner!We have a winner in the "Name the Horse" competition!<br />
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Here's a clue:<br />
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Think you know what it is? Take a guess by leaving a comment!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-86487139417228381452014-05-16T13:29:00.004-03:002014-05-18T20:02:43.464-03:00A cock, two weaners and a DickThere seems to be a theme running through Occidental Acres this spring, but I can't quite put my finger on it... <br />
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Well, it's been a busy month here at Occidental Acres, Nova Scotia, my homestead, out there on Fundy Bay. OA has a new rooster for our girls as Flink was WAY too hard
on them. The new roo is a Buff Orpington (we
have three BO hens and they are far and away Laur's favourites), a
bit more mature and has been really good for the girls. They all LOVE
him - particularly our two small Golden Comets who were getting picked
on by the other hens. He has restored the pecking order and those two Comets will not venture far from his side. The three BO hens we have also adore him and together, those five
snuggle at night. It's quite funny actually. He is a big dood, and
we call him Big Chicken - he has an amazing vocabulary and the hens hang on every word he says. Except when a duck flies by, then they tell him that he's over-reacting.<br />
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He's missing a few tail feathers from altercations at his previous home, but they are growing out nicely and he'll present a rather majestic picture once he's all back together again!</div>
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We've noticed a marked drop in ticks this year, probably owing to the
chickens and
particularly the Guinea hens. They seem to have really eaten a lot! Of
course, I had three crawling up my neck saying Happy Mother's Day on
Sunday, but that was because I was waaaaay out in the field finishing up
my fencing and the birds don't go that far from home.<br />
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The most exciting news is that we've brought a giant Percheron home. I'm super excited
and a bit scared as this is my first horse! I love the big breeds and
have been jonesing for a Percheron but never in a million years thought
one would come my way. He's 18hh and his name is Dick As you can imagine, ribald jokes abound. I'm pretty sure we'll be changing it! We're thinking Little Dan, but we'll see what
sticks.<br />
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We've also been fencing like
crazy for the two little piggies that came home last week (yeah man, weaners. Say
it with me now! Weaners!), Berkshire/Tamworth crosses. One is red with big ears,
the other is black with smaller ears - they are cute, but they are also
food and so far I've managed to keep an emotional distance from them.
So, we put an electric fence energizer out in the field which required
approx 500' of hand trenching to bury the wire... then we strung the
wire (three strands because I just copied my friend Gerard's set-up, not
realizing his was originally fenced for lambs. Pigs only really
require one strand... but live and learn!).<br />
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Two weanling pigs (weaners) - both Berkshire/Tamworth crosses, both female. I call them Pigger Dhu and Pigger Roo</div>
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The top portion of my pasture has now been completely fenced. I divided it
in two because the top dries before the bottom and it makes sense to
rotate the fields, particularly with a big guy eating all the fresh
grasses. I now have 2 three-acre pastures for Little Dan. Next big
project is a run-in shelter/barn for him for the winter. Once that is
completed I'm sure there is a cow on the horizon. I'd love to see a
miniature Belted Galloway, but that's just me. They are so gorgeous.
Highland might also be a decent choice for us.<br />
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The third project requiring hard work has been a new coop for the chickens. We will be getting
some meat birds at the end of the month and want to keep them in the
current coop and run. Our laying hens will then be moved to the new coop. The new coop will have a winter-proof run for the girls so they can
go out during the winter and not have to face 17 feet of snow.<br />
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We
currently have seven laying hens and get a half dozen eggs (on average)
per day. We sell two dozen a week for $3/doz, paying for their own feed, specially since they don't eat much during the summer as they are
free-ranging for bugs and seeds. We're trying a different meat bird
this year (Meat Kings were last year's bird) as the genetic mutants we
had last year freaked us out. They grew like monsters and could barely
walk by the time they reached a good processing weight. This year's
birds are called Sasso and they are originally from France.
They are a meat bird, but grow a bit slower and can actually walk
around and free-range for a good portion of their diet (rather than
laying down, panting with their heads in the feeder).<br />
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My understanding and appreciation of farming continues to deepen - lots of work for little money, but
you do it because it's what you like to do. It's also often quite
dangerous (yes, we've done some stupid YouTube moment-type things). We've been running since the weather turned
(only a couple weeks ago.... sheesh what a hideous winter!) and there
will be no break until the weather turns again late fall. Lots of
landscaping to do, run-in/barn building, more fencing (the bottom
pasture and along the brook), then moving the pigs to new pasture a few
times during the summer, of course haying and gathering this winter's
wood (Little Dan will help me get to the places I can't reach with the
tractor) and a whole slew of things I can't yet imagine!<br />
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Aaaaaand of course there will be lots of horseback riding!<br />
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... and that's the news from Occidental Acres, where all the women are strong, the male things are good-looking and the <span class="st">child is above average.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-23048872191460882462014-03-30T12:14:00.003-03:002014-03-30T12:46:14.287-03:00OMG. Piglets!As it turns out, my saddle blanket is perfect for the application in which it is used. Next time I'm out, I'll grab some photos of it underneath the 1902 Universal Pattern Trooper saddle that I use.<br />
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All of us have been quite under the weather of late, and I'm going on three weeks of sickness. I spent almost a week in bed, another week coughing up blood but it feels like the infection has finally filed a change of address form from my lungs to the Independent Republic of My Left Sinus. I'm still huffing and puffing when walking up the stairs and having random head-exploding bouts of coughing, but the sinus infection is definitely a health improvement.<br />
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The weather has been schizophrenic, to say the least. We'll have an absolutely gorgeous sunny day, followed by hurricane force winds and 30cm of snow. After our huge blizzard on Wednesday, in which we lost a few dead poplar trees (yay for next year's firewood!), we had a brief reprieve, with some sunshine and another weather warning for freezing rain. Like the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, it seems as though this winter has been unusually long - it's been windy, snowy and tough. There's definitely a bit of Spring Fever hitting this house hold!<br />
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I've got some great projects on which to work this summer, including a lot of landscaping projects involving stones. Luckily, Nova Scotia doesn't lack for rocks and some kind soul has neatly made half a dozen piles of them, ready for use. There will be two rock, if not four, rock stair cases and a small patio to build. Lots of grass/highway mix seed to sow, winter firewood to gather and my small barn to build. I can't wait for things to dry up so we can get moving on the outdoor projects.<br />
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One thing which needs to be done in the near future is to get an area ready for our piglets! Yesterday we went out to the pig farm and laid our deposit down on two female pigs who will join the farm at the beginning of May. We initially got two, thinking friends would want one for their freezer, but they've since decided to get their own. As pigs are so hard to find this year, what with the disease going around, and because they like one another's company, we decided to stay with an order of two. So, we gave the lady our money and chose our pigs.<br />
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Big mistake.<br />
Huge.<br />
Have you ever actually seen a baby pig?<br />
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Oh. My. Gosh. They are so cute. SO CUTE. In fact, I'm having second thoughts about eating such cuteness. I'm so in love with them that I've already named my girl... and have been badgering Laur into naming hers, too.<br />
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Mine is the little pink and black one on the bottom. You can't quite see it, but she's also got white on her two hind legs. Her name is Tiller (Tilley).</div>
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Laur's yet unnamed polka-dotty pig. She's quite hesitant to name hers as she's keeping a healthy distance for the sake of autumn butchering time.<br />
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It's so hard to take a decent photo of them as they were quite naturally interested in their mother and move so fast!<br />
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There's a lot of work to be done before they come home, including a pallet-shelter and putting in some fence posts for a hot wire, but I can't wait! They are supposed to be super-rooters, helping us plough the front pasture/meadow into usefulness and then finish their involvement with us via freezer-camp. I can already see there will be a monkey wrench in this plan as they are darn SO CUTE!<br />
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...maybe we'll keep the best rooter to breed and put the other in the freezer. I guess time will tell.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-49202024510889427802014-03-15T20:58:00.000-03:002014-03-16T10:29:15.937-03:00A not-quite-Hudson Bay (tm) Saddle BlanketYesterday I bought the supplies for a new project. Because all of us are feeling under the weather, I thought it might be a good day to get down to business. <br />
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As all of you know, I would really like to have a horse. I'm already working on acquiring the materials for a barn. But with horses comes additional cost as the tack and equipment can cost thousands. In an effort to keep things affordable (and keep the wifey happy), I've been trying to make things myself. I've already made a couple of rope halters, a lead rope and some very simple rope reins (although I do have two leather complete bridles including - headstalls, bits and reins).<br />
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I've been squirreling my homemade equipment away in a canvas messenger bag I also made, but this project will definitely be too big to fit in with the other things. I'm not well versed with the ins and outs of saddle pads (used to provide a bit of cushioning but mostly to protect the saddle from horse sweat and dirt) so I did a little research, conducted a bit of polling and used a bit of ingenuity and came up with a plan.<br />
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I'd seen some really neat canvas on a previous trip to the fabric store and although it didn't suit my needs at the time, I immediately thought of it when I wanted to make the saddle pad. It's off-white, not an ideal colour, but the bars are kind of cool and so similar to the Hudson Bay's signature colours that it immediately invokes a historical connection to Canada's past.<br />
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The canvas itself was a bit too wide for what I needed (I wanted a pad somewhere in the area of 32x32x 1/2), so it was necessary to make some changes in width and length. Sadly I was forced to remove the top green bar in order for my measurements to fit properly. I folded it a couple of times and decided my course of action.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-udbIAYxy21FE5mafESgfD01sXbDkq5GpWzVdITkSZ3bfuo1eNiP0Kw7RQiHZGCE7fngKECRvcMJu0NsoIbJI-jFlWCLohg6M2Bk7lmO6Z38RwS5qWY0dPV55PmzCbE8Kx3inG5brCifw/s1600/HB+SB+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-udbIAYxy21FE5mafESgfD01sXbDkq5GpWzVdITkSZ3bfuo1eNiP0Kw7RQiHZGCE7fngKECRvcMJu0NsoIbJI-jFlWCLohg6M2Bk7lmO6Z38RwS5qWY0dPV55PmzCbE8Kx3inG5brCifw/s1600/HB+SB+2.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
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The red bar would be at the front, mostly covered by a saddle anyways, with the yellow, red and green stripes showing behind. <br />
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With 32x32 my target size, I needed to make a few more adjustments to fit the felt. Here I've sewn the edges and get a real idea of what my finished product will look like.<br />
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After hemming the edges it was time to bust out the felt. This particular felt is 3/8ths thick, and doubled would be a respectable 3/4" pad.<br />
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Here the canvas has been laid out on the felt for fit. I did make some adjustments to the width. I ended up turning the pad perpendicular to its illustrated alignment, with the folded edge of felt to be at the front of the pad (over the withers). I also shortened the pad to a 31x31 by eliminating the white stripe at the very front of the pad. After rotating the canvas 90 degrees, I made my "chalk" line down the centre and lined everything back up.<br />
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I have now hand-sewn the all-important centre line and chalked out the additional lines where I will add reinforcing stitches. The front of the pad is shown at the bottom of the photo.<br />
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Sewing through canvas and felt is really hard on the hands and I might ask Janet at Trimper's Harness to help me finish it by machine. My hands are sore... but this pain serves to remind me of the pride and satisfaction which comes from a job well done. Maybe I'll just pick away at the remaining stitches over the next few days.<br />
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We'll see!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-26808193704297791192014-03-07T17:10:00.002-04:002014-03-07T17:10:24.678-04:00Tools!Got a couple of tools today - so excited!<br /><br />If you don't know what they are, take a guess in the comments section! If you know what these are, sit tight and watch what happens!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-10687213472150680082014-03-07T08:06:00.001-04:002014-03-07T16:52:39.432-04:00The journey towards "Opt out" continues.The past few weeks have been learning-laden for me. <br />
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First and foremost I had been sidelined for a few days by a kidney infection which literally crippled me with pain. That Wednesday afternoon I had some shooting pains in my back which made me wince and took me down to my knees. I couldn't sleep that evening for the pain and by morning I could not even move. Thank goodness for apple cider vinegar, honey and a shot of lemon. I took that with a warm water and drank it down by the gallon. Couple that with some cranberry pills 6x day, and I was right as rain by Sunday. There is a place for western medicine, but how great is it to kick something using natural medicine instead of an antibiotic?<br />
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On Friday during that whole ordeal, I did some chicken processing for one of our neighbours. I had planned to have some photos of the processing, and had taken some that day, but it would seem that I am unable to locate them. For those who are disappointed, there will be a next time - I have 10 (and possibly more) to do for my neighbour.<br />
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It wasn't a very long day for me - started around 10 and got the last rooster done just before 2pm. The roos were all done into skinless breasts as per request. I've come a long way from that first day, with my jaw set, trying not to throw up, but it's not something which is fun nor that to which I look forward. But I asked and received a small fee. Plus, I was able to put the rest of the meat into our freezer. We got thighs and legs, with backs for the stock pot. Not too many jobs will pay you with cold, hard cash plus food for the family!<br />
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I was completely knackered and my hands cut to ribbons from sticking them past small, razor sharp bones, but well satisfied with the day's work and had a great night's sleep!<br />
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I've been giving a lot of thought to our future barn. Trying to be thrift-minded, and with quotes from builders coming in the tens of thousands ($40-50k!), it's been quite a daunting undertaking. That is, until I saw a video of a guy in Arkansas, who built his barn with his own two hands. Building a barn by one's self is nothing new, I know. I had already planned to do much of the work myself with a conventional barn. But until I'd seen the video, it never occurred to me that I could do absolutely all of it on my own - with my own tools, my own supplies and my own ingenuity. <br />
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I've done a bit of researching about permits and if the building is less than 225sf, a permit is not necessary. Because I want to do it on my own, I will keep the square footage under the required amount and thereby avoid the county's approval process. My barn will initially be 11 feet wide by 20 feet long, for a total square footage of 220. With two generously proportioned side sheds, this will be more than enough room for a large stall and space for feed and tack. There will also be a small loft upstairs, again, room for more storage and possibly hay (although I have been advised that hay sometimes goes bad if kept in a loft).<br />
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One side shed will house Bertie (my tractor) and the other will either be used for hay storage, a sheltered turn-out or a pig sty. I'll be able to drive the tractor into the barn for stall cleaning and there is enough room to use the bucket for lifting heavier items into the loft. There is also enough room so that we can lift the canopy off the truck and safely store up in the roof, safely away from damage.<br />
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Another really great thing about Nova Scotia is that so many people are willing to share, trade or barter for stuff. Case in point - I recently answered an advertisement from a fellow selling scab wood. Scabs are the slabs of wood cut from round trunks in order to make them square or rectangular. These squared pieces are then turned into dimensional lumber - 2x or 4x or 6x whatever you need. Because wood is so plentiful and thrift and ingenuity are qualities much admired in farming communities, many people mill their own lumber by buying, hiring or borrowing a saw mill.<br />
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One of my other neighbours has offered me the use of his saw mill to cut the lumber for my barn. I've been stock piling some nice soft wood for next winter, but I think most of what I've piled will be better put to use with the barn. There is a lot of smaller diameter wood cut down and just waiting for me to drag it off of the hills for for firewood. I did not feel good about just using his mill, so I offered to trade some hard wood in exchange for it's use.<br />
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While I was out purchasing the scabs, the fellow from whom I bought them noticed my trimming kit. I explained that I've been trimming and shoeing for friends as I've been out of the business for some time. He then asked me how much I'd charge to trim his seven horses! I reiterated that it had been a long time since I charged anyone, but that I'd find out the going rate - neither wanting to undercut another farrier, nor over-charge the fellow. <br />
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During the course of our conversation, the fellow had mentioned he had telephone poles and dimensional lumber also for sale (hence the reason the scabs were piled at his place). I offered to trade him the trims on his horses for the telephone poles and he agreed. So, I will trade my labour for the foundation poles to my barn. <br />
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This makes me feel great - not only will mine be the labour put into construction of the barn, but it will also be my labour traded for the materials with which to build it. It already feels good to know that I have a skill which is valued and desired!<br />
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All of this brings me to my adventures with cutting and skidding wood yesterday. The temperature was cold but the sun was shining and I figured that it was a good day to try and get some of the hardwood laying at the back of my property. There is a pile of approximately 40 hardwood logs laying in a difficult to reach spot and it has been bothering me for the year and a half that we've been living here. With temps so cold I figured much of the ground would be frozen enough to try and get to it.<br />
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Bertie and I set off with high hopes, down the sun-dappled logging lane. I wished I'd had a video camera with me as the day was absolutely brilliant! The tractor and I made slow and deliberate progress along the soggy brook-bottom of our property where we have so many springs and run-offs that it never truly ever freezes. <br />
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I had a couple harrowing experiences and managed to get Bertie stuck twice. But we made short work of the deep muck by using the logging winch to drag ourselves out. There were a few slippery places and before we reached our intended destination, I decided that I should not push my luck any further. I stopped right where I was and turned around. <br />
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It was during this turn around that I saw a beautiful piece of popple (poplar) laying exactly where it had fallen during one of our wicked storms. Luckily, I was prepared for this situation and had the chainsaw with me in the bucket of the tractor. I jumped off Bertie to retrieve the saw.... and fell into snow that was waist deep!<br />
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Not wanting to return home empty-handed, I soldiered on - 200 feet away was the prized poplar. About four inches under the snow there was a decent crust which supported me ever second or third step. When I did break through the snow however, I was up to my waist. <br />
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Have you ever seen a rhinoceros making snow angels? Me neither, but I bet that's what I looked like, struggling to get out of the deep, granular snow.<br />
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I finally gave up and started crawling. I remembered that it's best to disperse weight on thin ice, and that this was the principle behind snow shoes (which would have been useless in the brush and around the tractor) I figured it wouldn't hurt to try moving along on all fours. I am sure that I now appeared to be a drunken rhinoceros making snow angels.<br />
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As I was snow-swimming, dragging forty pounds of logging chains around my neck with the twenty pound chainsaw in one hand, pulling the logging cable hook in the other, I couldn't help but think that this was farmer cross-fit. I mean, I was getting a fantastic abs workout! <br />
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Anyways, it was a tough day. A chore which is normally rather dangerous and labour intensive was made doubly so by deep snow, slippery ground from open springs and hidden obstacles. I managed to make it back to the log landing with all my appendages and a complete tractor. That I was dragging two (practically) worthless popple logs was a small bonus.<br />
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I will not try to get wood from that area of the property by tractor, alone, again.<br />
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My log landing. </div>
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Two popple (poplar) logs partially obscured by snow on the left.</div>
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Heavy work occupies the body and allows the mind to wander at liberty - providing both an opportunity to philosophize and a dangerous distraction. But for all that, I think I'm starting to understand farming:<br />
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Toil long, labourious hours, allowing ample opportunities to become severely wounded, and possibly killed, for that which will be infinitely more concrete, real and rewarding than pimping yourself to the highest bidder whilst slaving away at a soul-deadening, unfulfilling and completely useless job for an insulting hourly wage.<br />
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But really, what's important? Is growing food worthwhile? What about providing heat in the winter? Is it helpful to tread a bit more lightly upon the earth? And the feeling that comes from having a direct effect on the day to day life of you and your family? Is self-esteem and the health of your body really worth it?<br />
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The answer to all of those questions, and so many more, is a resounding, "YES!"<br />
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Eggs from our farm, beef from our friends, bread made at Marie Et Guy's from organic wheat grown and milled in New Brunswick. Don't look at the sriracha behind the curtain!</div>
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In other news, Penny has given up being broody. In an interview, she cited lack of stimulation as the basis for her recent decision. "It was boring and I found that it was holding me back from the morning porridge," she explained.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-79201531836616844642014-02-10T20:59:00.001-04:002014-03-07T08:07:07.357-04:00It's been a while...I know it's been a while since I last posted, but we've been plodding through winter just like everyone else in the Northern Hemisphere. Because I've been feeling a wee pang of guilt at ignoring all of you, I undertook a small project both to occupy our time on Sunday and to provide blog-fodder for you.<br />
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I've been reading quite a bit of Eric Sloane's work about the tools, buildings and lifestyle of historical New England. I came across this illustration in one of the books and decided that it was time to make something.<br />
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So the Boy and I decided to make a small winter sledge (or sled, sleigh or scoot, whatever your dialect) for the tractor or horse. To that end, we slapped some boards on a pair of road-shopping skis, strapped them together with a few other boards, put a chain on the front and called it good!<br />
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Step 1 - disassemble the skis and cut the runners.</div>
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Step 2: screw the skis onto the runner boards.</div>
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Step 3: screw cross boards onto the runners.</div>
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Step 4: strap entire contraption to bored horse.<br />
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Step 5: (no photo) watch bored horse go trotting, then cantering, off without you but still attached to said contraption and bewildered, albeit deliriously happy, six year-old son.<br />
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Crap.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-23043012121550677582014-01-12T08:14:00.002-04:002014-01-12T08:34:15.173-04:00Canada without nature?The Boy has been on a Harry Potter kick lately. We've been constantly bombarded by a running commentary on an imaginary Harry's comings, goings and doings. Curious about a particular occupation mentioned in the series, I looked up "Auror" on the Harry Potter Wiki page.<br />
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While I was there, an advertising banner flashed by the top of the page and caught my attention. I laughed.<br />
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I think perhaps The Nature Conservancy Canada missed its intended mark with this banner. The NCC implored - What would Canada be without nature?<br />
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Uh... Hmmm... Well apparently it would be Peru. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-48818400438867792072013-12-29T08:27:00.000-04:002014-01-08T03:17:26.460-04:00BlancheSadly, we have another chicken requiring a bit of treatment. I think having Flink (the roo) in the coop with the girls is proving hard on everyone. None of the chickens want to go outside in the snow, consequently everyone has been stuck inside for a month and a half already. Flink wants to have his way with the girls, but they are tired of him and inevitably a battle ensues. <br />
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Poor Blanche has had the short end of this stick, being one of Flink's favourites. If you've never seen a chicken mate, it can be a bit of a violent experience if the female isn't receptive. Poor Blanche is not open to his advances and has suffered a bit of a gash on the top of her head. <br />
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We first put some Blu-Kote on the wound, but it would seem that she's
now got a bit of infection - swollen, red, oozing and hot. Because the
topical anti-bacterial medication was not helping her (in fact, the
swelling had even pulled her eye lids back a bit), we decided to take
more potent action.<br />
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While I consulted the Maritime Fowl Facebook group, Laur went down to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/annavalecoop.accs?fref=ts">Annavale Co-op</a> to see what they had available for chicken medications. Luckily, Phil was there (who knows a considerable amount about poultry) to help Laur with some recommendations.<br />
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She decided a penicillin injections were the way to go and we sprung into action.</div>
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Whilst Laur put the finishing
touches on our Home for Convalescent Chickens, Blanche and I entertained
ourselves by checking out some fish tv.</div>
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Blanche came surprisingly easily. Sometimes the chickens struggle a bit when you pick them up, and not being one of our favourites, Blanche hadn't been handled quite much as some others. I'm not sure if it was because she was feeling quite crummy, or if she simply realized we were going to help her but she came with me quite willingly and was interested in the household goings-on. She sat in my lap as Laur constructed a wide catch-all to prevent wood shavings from being scratched out of the cage and on to the floor. She took an avid interest in the fish for a bit, occasionally trying to peck at the small rocks lining the bottom of the aquarium. <br />
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The fish were also interested in her, too, often swimming in circles right in front of her. Both species seemed to find a pleasant diversion in one another and it was a rather amusing sight. </div>
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After the cage was ready, Laur bravely gave Blanche her first penicillin shot - 0.5cc injected into her breast. As neither of us had ever given a chicken a needle before, we weren't sure what would happen. Would she struggle and flap? Would she try to wriggle free? Would she scream? We were both tentative and curious.<br />
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I flipped Blanche gently on to her back, where she settled nicely and relaxed (apparently this is the "put the chicken to sleep" position). Laur drew 0.5cc into the 20ga syringe and quickly, confidently, injected it into her breast.<br />
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She didn't bat an eyelash! What a champ!</div>
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Blanche checking our her new pad.</div>
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This morning has dawned with a gray drizzle lightly falling. After checking her a few times last night, it seems that she has passed in relative comfort. The swelling has gone down considerably, the wound has stopped weeping, both eyes are now looking symmetrical and she appears to be bright and perky. She's had a nice big drink of water and eaten her breakfast. Laur even found an egg!<br />
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This afternoon we'll give her another injection, but for now she's resting comfortably and quietly. <br />
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She's such a good girl!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-77847411263769408212013-12-25T09:07:00.002-04:002013-12-25T09:08:16.340-04:00Horn hacking...In retrospect, an Aussie saddle without a horn would have been a better investment - already having been caught and stabbed by it numerous times. But because budgeting is tight, a different saddle was not in the cards. So, I've had to do some surgery on my current saddle. I'm sure I'll end up replacing the current flap with something prettier, but in the meantime my saddle is much safer.<br />
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Because there wasn't a lot of information online about removing a horn, I decided to document my experience so others will have an idea of what to expect should they decide to do the same thing to their inexpensive stock saddles.<br />
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So, here you go... hack on, happy hackey hacker!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-43007125691320371202013-12-24T17:52:00.001-04:002013-12-24T19:21:01.180-04:00Happy Solstice and Yuletide!I'm not much for all the Xian-ness of the season, preferring instead to focus on the message of the ancients - darkness and light, death and rebirth, the cycle of the year and the hope that lives in our darkest days.<br />
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To that end, we're tucking into a supper of seafood chowder and waiting for our traditional listening to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/tracking-the-flight-path-of-the-shepherd-1.2474997">CBC's production of The Shepherd</a>, written by Frederick Forsyth and read by Al Maitland.<br />
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Take a moment to look around you and think about how your life would be different tonight if you had no electricity. Tonight I am thinking of those tens of thousands in cities and towns without power on this dark, cold Canadian winter night. Stuck in apartment buildings with no elevator, no heat, no lights, not even a way to heat a can of soup. Please keep all those people in your thoughts. <br />
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So whatever this season means to you, I hope you find rest, warmth, quietude and the company of good friends and family.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-8481967505649862432013-12-20T19:13:00.000-04:002014-01-08T03:19:35.974-04:00Houston, we have an "animal" problem.Those of you with spouses or mothers will know exactly what I'm talking about when I mention the "something's wrong" voice. In the past, I have heard it too often for comfort. Thus, when I hear it now it strikes fear into my heart - when I hear the "something's wrong" voice, I immediately get irritated.<br />
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This morning, when Laur came in from checking the birds she called to me. "Please come here. We have a bit of an issue - an <i>animal</i> issue." I'd checked the birds not 2 hours ago and knew there was nothing serious, and yet there was a tone in her voice, verging on panic, that irritated me immediately.<br />
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I sighed heavily and plodded down the stairs, certain that whatever was the matter was going to be neither fun nor clean.<br />
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Laur motioned towards the coops. "There," she said, "it's in there. There's a squirrel in the feed bin."<br />
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I sighed again, grabbed my rubbers and continued plodding out the door and down the hill. This is what awaited me.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-70837064317659252792013-12-18T06:27:00.003-04:002013-12-18T06:27:57.700-04:00Day #2Schools and events are closed across the province for "pending snow". Perhaps we should just stop teasing and shut 'er down for the holidays, yes?<br /><br />In other news, The Goat goes in for neutering today. <br />
<br />From the Mouths of Babes:<br />
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Last night Laur and I were going over today's scheduled appointments when she mentioned that Finn goes in for neutering today. <br />
A small voice from near the fireplace piped up, "ME TOO!"<br />
I think what he meant was that he's got an appointment, too. For a tooth extraction.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-60802240048345595362013-12-17T15:23:00.001-04:002014-01-08T03:20:52.516-04:00Finn's Composting AdventureFinn has been known to jump the barrier on the front deck from time to time. When Laur let the dogs in this afternoon, only one returned. Neither of us had seen him jump nor had any inkling where he might have gone.<br />
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I called out the deck door quickly, but I neither saw nor heard anything. I went to the side door and called again. Nothing.<br />
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Just as I was reaching for my boots, a quick flicker of movement caught the corner of my eye.<br />
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You can take the dog out of the wild, but the dog can't get himself out of the compost.</div>
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Yes, there is a video of the repentant little nutter.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-638164494458663522013-12-16T06:44:00.002-04:002013-12-16T06:45:20.235-04:00#1 For the record, today is the first day school has been cancelled this year.<br />
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Last year my recording system was rather flawed, to say the least, and I lost track. So, let it be known, today is the first snow day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-90862026276672792292013-12-15T19:51:00.002-04:002014-01-08T03:22:36.075-04:00Home on the range...During today's inclement weather Laura was inspired to make a wonderful slow-cooked pork roast. Whilst it was percolating in the crock-pot she asked if there was anything I'd fancy for a treat. Because I've always been rather fond of pull-apart type dessert, I asked her to research some kind of sticky-goodness to satisfy my sweet tooth.<br />
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I'm sure you can imagine my surprise at seeing "ass in a bag" in repose upon our kitchen range.</div>
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Apparently downstairs in the freezer, we had a few loaves of bread, ready to thaw, rise and bake. Placed upon the range to do just that, were two loaves of unbaked bread, left to rise and await their fate as my sticky-bun treat! I can't wait!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-61312543565248530222013-12-15T09:42:00.000-04:002014-01-08T03:27:56.775-04:00The hatches are battened.Seems we have a bit of a blow comin' in. As usual, Laur has the chickens, ducks and particularly the Guineas best interest in mind and we set out for the back to make sure everyone was comfortable.<br />
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Laur has been making a warm porridge for the girls every morning. Although today isn't as cold as yesterday, will be around zero by day's end, she likes to make sure everyone is well-fed and healthy. Laur is worried that with winter temperatures the Guineas (named The Kabuki Twins) will become quite
weak and has decided to move them into the chicken coop. To that end, I hung the heat lamp in the coop. When the temp warms a bit I'll be back to make a few changes in order to accommodate them - a higher perch will enable them to stay away from the hens, lest they be picked on. The ducks seem to be quite content with the little duck-house-inside-a-duck-house that we made for them. <br />
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It would also seem that the porridge breakfast and extra protein has paid off, as today we had our first chicken eggs! We need to start keeping a sharper eye on those girls as the two we found this morning were frozen, but now that we know they're coming we'll be paying close attention!<br />
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Clockwise from top left: jugs to take water to the birds; food for the stray kitty;</div>
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a spare chicken toy; our first, albeit frozen, eggs; and an empty porridge dish/spoon.</div>
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And so, with the fire blazing merrily, a bottle of mulled wine in reserve, meat in the crock, dogs happily chewing on some stinky hooves, a tall stack of books to tuck into and a few crafts on the itinerary, we are going to sit back and enjoy the season's first Maritime storm!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-4084411080383846632013-12-13T13:25:00.001-04:002013-12-13T14:27:22.958-04:00Are you lookin' at me, or lookin' for me?As many of you know, we have a certain fondness for <a href="http://www.raplapla.com/">Raplapla</a> at our house. A few weeks ago, Frida sustained a life changing injury - she lost one of her eyes. Needless to say, The Boy was verklempt - admonishing us to send her back to the hospital for treatment.<br />
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It's somewhat cost prohibitive to send her back for repair, as she's successfully outlived her 1 year warranty. This morning, we took things into our own hands and performed a rather successful transplant, if I do say so myself.<br />
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Pirate Frida.</div>
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20/20 Frida</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-52333433357884751612013-12-11T16:53:00.003-04:002013-12-11T16:57:28.804-04:00A couple of chicken vids for your enjoyment....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lZSdmKHpi-w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Flinker Ban Crows his wee heart out.<br />
(...aaaaand it looks like I forgot to delete the credits bit... oh well. It's probably the same on the vid below.) </div>
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Hillary and Penny hop up for some treats.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-31848073402384720932013-12-11T14:21:00.000-04:002013-12-11T14:23:18.500-04:00Chickens and chicken accessories.Well, we finally got some snow and it looks like it's here to stay - at least for a couple of weeks anyway. The current temp is hovering around -5 which means that snow is melting in the sun and making the roads a bit slick. But the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I can't help but feel upbeat. <br />
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Yesterday I processed the last three of our male chickens. We had to put one down a few weeks ago as he looked unhealthy and we managed to rehome one of the Silver Laced Wyandottes. But the two Black Australorp x Golden Laced Wyandotte crosses and the Chantecler were too much for our small flock. When the testosterone starts to flow, the flock hierarchy changes. They started by trying to out-crow one another and moved on to chest bumping. One of the BAxGLW was absolutely gorgeous, but was itching to get into a full-on fight with one of the other males, started to chase people around and tearing feathers out of the hens.<br />
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Oddly enough, we'd chosen Flinker Ban many weeks ago to be our flock roo. He matured faster than the others, has been crowing the longest and seems to be the most docile whilst doing a good job looking after the girls. What does "looking after" mean? Well, he makes sure no-one has wandered too far, sounds the alarm when something looks threatening, generally struts around looking good without being aggressive and the hens listen to him. He's also been really good with the females, and I think if we do hatch some babies in the spring they'll be a decent looking mix. <br />
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We've still got all three Buff Orpingtons - Blanche, Penny and Hillary (with Hillary being my favourite of the favourites); one BAxSLW - Poe; and one Chantecler (Shorty - who seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order). I think we're going to add one Red Comet from Mooshum's house, just to round out our hens to six.<br />
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Laur saw an <a href="http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.ca/2013/12/cheep-n-easy-diy-chicken-boredom-buster.html?m=1">interesting post on making a toy for the chickens</a> and I think I'll put that together this afternoon. Might help to relieve their boredom come winter - they've already decided to blockade themselves in a tiny chicken snow-protest. Although, Penny and Hillary will hop up on the door barrier to receive some treats and evaluate the weather on a day-by-day basis.<br />
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The beginnings of our own chicken toy.</div>
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Lucy wondering what I'm doing. </div>
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Skiffin and Poppy with the view from the stoop. </div>
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Some new Nova Scotia product to try - Stutz cider made from 100% Nova Scotia apples; Glowine, a mulled wine from Jost; and Smuggler's Cove dark rum, distilled on Cape Breton Island. I asked Laur why she had such a broad smile walking out of the liquor store this morning. She replied, "How can you not feel good about getting Air Miles from NSLC?"</div>
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"Pardon me, but have you heard the good news about our Lord and Saviour, Jésus Polito?"<br />
Berwyn might no longer be with us, but his Chickengelical legacy lives on.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-81881156244930492682013-12-03T20:05:00.001-04:002013-12-03T20:05:08.395-04:00Off to ReginaHello friendlies... I'm off to Regina for a few days to attend the funeral of a very dear friend. Consequently, there won't be too many updates for the next week or so.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-27050957692821819202013-11-26T20:27:00.000-04:002013-12-01T15:51:46.885-04:00Sunday Drivers - Off to Walton and the great beyond...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Sunday we decided to head out and explore some uncharted coastline. Our wanderings took us through Hants County and all the way to Truro in Colchester. On the way we passed through Walton and took a few snaps.<br />
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This sign is on Highway 215, north of Brooklyn. Interestingly, the halfway point lies on the 45th parallel- this places us on the same latitude as Bordeaux, France; Turin,Italy; and, Hokkaido, Japan. We're even on a more southern latitude than that of Portland, Oregon!</div>
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The light at Walton. Although it is difficult to tell from this photo, it was absolutely freezing cold! Prairies "dry" cold. Out East is "humid" cold. It doesn't really seem to matter to me - dry or humid - cold is cold and it was FRICKIN' cold!<br />
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The strand at Walton. </div>
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Walton's condemned wharf. It was far too frigid to take more photos, as I was completely unprepared for the weather, but we really must return with the truck on a more pleasant day. The beach was carpeted with generously sized, flat, blue rocks. I would love to pave the floor of my shop with these amazing stones.</div>
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On our way through Wolfville, we stopped at Pete's Fruitique for a wee snack and a bevvie. For those who are not familiar with Pete's, I think it could be described as Mark's and Spencer meets Whole Foods, with a dash of Herrod's (but mostly just the prices!) All of us selected a portion of sushi and a fruit juice. In passing I spotted a barrel of the most beautiful chestnuts I've ever seen. The sign indicated they were from Italy and I was immediately taken back to my Christmas trip to Switzerland in 1998. It was during this trip that I fell in love with roasted chestnuts offered at Christmas markets in every town square. I simply could not get enough of them at that time and was so delighted to find such a quality product again. Because I am the only person in our household to enjoy this early winter treat, I only purchased a pound of the delicious little devils. </div>
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Our day ended in Truro, where Laura was delighted to find a Taco Bell.
While the boy and I enjoyed some popcorn chicken, Laur was quite happy
to order tacos. The time was just after 1pm when we decided to head
home - and what a fortuitous decision it was, too. The first little
snow squall of the season meant the roads had deteriorated markedly by
the time we were safely home!<br />
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I popped the chestnuts into the oven and when they were ready, we all sat down with a treat and concluded our adventure with an episode of Doc Martin<br />
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Fresh Italian chestnuts!</div>
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Slice an X on the flat side of each nut, roast at 425 for 20-30 minutes.</div>
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Once the skins begin to roll back from the X, roast for a few minutes more, then wrap tightly in a towel to steam. The shells should peel quite easily away from the nut inside.<br />
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So good!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-77839285196622010402013-11-23T22:05:00.000-04:002013-11-23T22:46:43.366-04:00Back with a vengeance! Hello again my dears! I do apologize for the lapse in blogging, but it's been a busy couple of months. What with guests and my brain exploding, I've been rather preoccupied. That said, Occidental Acres is back with a vengeance!<br />
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I've had a rather creative bug up my arse lately. I've completed a couple of projects and have another on the go. To that end, I whipped up a set of saddle bags for Brandy. And I just realized I should probably get a photo of that before I start talking too much about it. Once the weather clears a bit, I'll get over there and take some snaps of the ol' Brandster - her feet are looking fantastic and we've been putting on a few miles together. <br />
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Because it's hunting season, we've been taking it easy on the backwoods stuff. Sticking to the roads has been a bit of a bore, but it's only a couple more weeks before we can start wandering over hill and dale once again.<br />
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In the meantime, I finally busted out the forge this afternoon and pounded out a primitive hoof-pick. It felt pretty good to pound some hot metal although I am incredibly rusty! Shaping keg shoes is nothing compared to using your imagination and creating something with a bit of artistic flair. That said, this simple hoof pick will be serviceable, if lacking in panache<br />
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Forge, blasting away.</div>
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Farrier's anvil and Grandpa's ball-peen hammer. I do have Grandpa's Peter Wright, but want to get my skills back up to snuff before busting it out. I know... it's an anvil, right? I'm only going to make hammer and anvil sandwiches, but there is a bit of ceremony and respect to be paid to those who've gone before me.<br />
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And of course, the chickens had to come over and check out what was going on. Some really crappy snapshots of the girls and their curiosity.</div>
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Blanche</div>
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Attila and Hillary (she's my favourite!)</div>
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Penny </div>
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Poe</div>
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Did you know that a chicken's right eye is near sighted and left eye is far sighted? You can tell in the photos of Penny and Blanche that I was quite far away when snapping the shot (well, you can tell because it's a really blurry/grainy snap, but also because they are looking at me with their left eye). Whereas the photo of Hillary tells you that I was quite close and that I had something interesting on my boot! I recently read an interesting article on how chicken's see the world - check it out on <a href="http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/10/do-you-see-what-i-see-12-fascinating.html">Fresh Eggs Daily.</a><br />
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Glad to see you back, hearties! Come back soon and I'll be sure to get back on track with regular blog updates!<br />
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Oh yeah and your dose of From the Mouths of Babes:<br />
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"Momma, do you wiggle a little bit if your butt itches?"</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6664117729915063890.post-67206713299998002302013-10-27T07:37:00.001-03:002013-10-27T07:41:49.989-03:00The moment you've not been waiting for...I know you've all been waiting patiently for a blog entry. OK, <i>some</i> of you have been waiting patiently for a blog entry. Others? Not so much...<br />
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This is just a wee update to let you know that I have not forgotten about you, my hearties. I do have a lot to share with you, but I've been a bit handcuffed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache">Cluster Headaches</a> lately. It is a difficult target to nail down and a moving one at that. Click <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache">here</a> if you are unfamiliar with CH. It pretty much runs my life for a few months each year and I've not been in much of a story-telling frame of mind lately.<br />
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Here are a few photos of our recent adventures to tide you over...<br />
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Noggins Farm pumpkins.</div>
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The last peaches of the season.</div>
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The new guy is making himself at home. </div>
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Adventures at Ross Farm during Nana's visit.</div>
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One of the last market days.</div>
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In Annapolis Royal during Nana's visit.</div>
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Shannon River public access point.</div>
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Lunenburg.</div>
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Windsor Pumpkin Festival - breast cancer fundraiser.</div>
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Inspector Clouseau dropped into the drink for a bit of the festivities.</div>
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Even the local dogs were into it!</div>
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A secret cove we recently discovered.</div>
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Microwave in a landscape.</div>
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The Boy, colourful as usual.</div>
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