Pyromaniacs Gone Amuck!

Yesterday morning, we took advantage of the fact that there was no wind....we had a fire!

Not content to just burn the pile of wood that had accumulated down at the barn, I took the Lil John Deere and scooted around the property, picking up branches. I also gathered all those aspen saplings that I had cut down.....

Meanwhile, the Gman went out the pasture.....he first started with a firebreak at the edge of our property.

Then, he began burning the dead grass out there.

A few times, the wind came up just a bit....it actually helped a bit of a larger area get burned.

And....here's what it looked like at the end of the day! He got quite a bit burned off....and it will be great for the soil!

It'll look bad for a few days, but wait till the green grass starts to grow! Lots of people here burn their grass. We're trying to get a larger part of the pasture done each year.

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You can stop GE Alfalfa and GE Wheat! (For Canucks Reading This Blog Tonite)

I received this in an email from Patty S. Remember Patty? She won the book...anyway...action on this needs to be taken today March 29th. Please read thru this and decide for yourselves....know what you eat.

Support Bill C-474 – before Monday March 29, 2010 - Support Canada’s Farmers!



You can stop GE Alfalfa and GE Wheat!






Write a letter to your MP instantly from http://www.cban.ca/474action Take action this week! before March 29, 2010.






Your actions stopped the Bill from being defeated on March 17. Private Members Bill C-474 will be debated for a second hour in Parliament March 29. The vote will happen a few days later. Even if you have already written your MP, you are encouraged to send another letter before March 29 http://www.cban.ca/474action






Your concrete action could stop genetically engineered (GE) seeds from causing chaos in Canadian farming!






Bill C-474 would require that “an analysis of potential harm to export markets be conducted before the sale of any new genetically engineered seed is permitted.” The Bill could stop GE alfalfa and GE wheat.






This Bill is critically important because, as we know from experience, the introduction of new genetically engineered (GE) crops can cause economic hardship to farmers. Farmers are at risk when GE crops are commercialized in Canada without also being approved in our major export markets.






Flax farmers in Canada are now paying a heavy price because of this exact problem. Late last year, Canadian flax exports were discovered contaminated with a GE flax that is not approved in Europe or in any of our other export markets (except the U.S.). Flax farmers actually foresaw that GE contamination or even the threat of contamination would close their export markets. That's why they took steps in 2001 to remove GE flax from the market. Despite this measure, flax farmers were not protected. The GE flax contamination closed our export markets in 2009. It has created market uncertainty and depressed prices. Farmers are also paying for testing and cleanup and may be required to abandon their own farm-saved flax seed and buy certified seed instead. These costs are an unnecessary and preventable burden.






We cannot allow GE seeds to harm our export markets. Please support Bill C-474 and protect Canada’s farmers.






Write a letter to your MP instantly from http://www.cban.ca/474action Take action before March 29, 2010.





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Listening to Joel Salatin

Saturday, we were in Quesnel to listen to Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms. It was such a treat! The whole group was listening intently to what he had to say about farm management.

He talked about the way he farms naturally, raising beef, meat birds, pigs and laying hens in addition to managing the woodlot on the family farm in Virginia.

Grass fed beef are rotated thru pastures, followed by the laying hens who earn their keep by flinging cow patties everywhere spreading all the manure. A nice bonus are the bounty of eggs they lay.

He runs his meat birds thru tractors in the fields, moving the tractors daily to fresh grass.

His books are a wealth of information, if you are interested, pick one up!

And...altho it was a great weekend.....

it's Always so nice to come back Home!

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The Lack of Snow

There is a real lack of snow here this Winter.....here's the road as we were driving in last weekend...

The Valley

Our yard.....this has started me wondering how dry the conditions will be in the Summer. We are always aware of the fire hazard out here in the Valley.

Don't know if I mentioned it, but the day I came home from Kelowna, the Gman came inside to tell me that we had no perimeter fencing. Gasp!!! Then he explained that our truck rolled right thru the fencing and came to a stop in our front yard!

So, he used baling twine (how Country of us!) to hold the fence up and the gate on. Then we headed South.

Now that we're home, he's replacing the one fence post that got crunched. He's going to make the new gate wide enough for the tractor and trailer to fit thru.

Me....I've been keeping busy with my Fiskars. I bought these late Fall, and I am glad I did! We have just masses of small Alder saplings that I am cutting out. I am hoping to get rid of most of the little trees closest to the house....before summer.

And the weather is still cool enough that we can burn up all the saplings....

I've done one side of the long driveway and am now working inside the yard....click on the picture and you'll see just a small portion of the aspen saplings....

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Piggys, Rototiller....and More Seeds

The 3 Little Pigs are still acting skittish....they refused to come out of the corner yesterday when we went to feed them.....

More skittish than the pigs was da Wolf! He didn't want to even see them, and he huddled behind Gman, in order to stay safe....

Guess he remembers being goosed by one of them last year, when the pigs were a Lot Larger!

While we have them in the barn, we will just use a couple of bales of hay to keep them to one side of the room.  We'll move them down to their permanent home in a few weeks....

Late afternoon, the Gman started pulling the rototiller apart. It's long overdue for a good tuneup...now he has to search out for parts.....

I got more seeds started yesterday....all flowers. I seeded some Red Yarrow, Heartsease Violas, Columbines (my favourite flower) and some Echinacea....now let's hope they germinate!!

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3 Little Pigs

Last week we had a call on the cell, saying our piglets were ready for pick up. Only one problem - we were in California!

So our neighbours picked up ours (and theirs) and they have stayed with them for the past week.

Yesterday we had to go pick them up....easier said than done. Piglets can run like the wind!

You can see the Gman's big fishnet there in the bottom of the pic - just in case!

There's 8 pigs in this pen - we need to get ahold of 3 of them The neighbours figured we should all have a couple tall glasses of homemade beer first.....you know, to get the guys in working form! (The men, not the pigs)

Here's the Gman trying to coax one to come and eat some bread out of his hand.....

That may work for getting ahold of one little piggy, but once the others see him get picked up and put in the tote, there is no way any of them will fall for that trick again!

Gotcha! And dayummm....that little piggy was squealing and twisting around, legs flying around trying to get free....

Into the tote he went....my friend and I held the lid down so the little one couldn't get out, while the Gman was busy wrastling up 2 more. Our other friend was laughing so hard!!!

We've now got them home and in the barn....more pics to come hopefully later today....dayum, they are cute! Sphere: Related Content

Starting Seeds!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home! Our (a friend and I went in together on an order) order from Prairie Garden Seeds came in! Weeeeee!

I'm a little late in starting seeds this year, since we have been away. Yesterday I managed to get started....I got 61 green cabbages planted and 24 assorted pepper seeds planted. Here they are down in the new wine/seedling room.

If you're looking for more information about how I start seeds and the containers I use, click on over to here...

I have lots more seeds to start, but it will be done kinda willy nilly.  We're finding ourselves really busy already! Today we have to pick up 3 little pigs....plus I have to get down to my friends and pick up 4 of the 8 laying hens I had brought down before we left on our holiday. She will keep the other 4.  I've already ordered 12 more ready to lay pullets, but they won't arrive until May.

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Home....Again

We're back home in our Valley....and glad to be here! It's always nice to go away on vacation, but for us, it's even nicer to come back home!!!

We're already back at work, getting ready for Spring. I'll be posting about the work tomorrow....

Here's what I was looking at (when I turned my head to the left) for 3 days of travel back North....

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More Pics at Linda's

Here's some more pics taken at Linda's place in Northern California....

The neighbour's cows running home right behind Linda's veggie garden fence!

Linda and me in her kitchen after a delicious dinner and before an incredible dessert

AJ made this....poached pears in wine sauce with ice cream....yummy!

The elk in the field across from Linda and Jim's place....they told us the elk are there almost every morning!

Little Ebo and da Wolf running and playing.....

Isn't he cute?? You can see the Shar Pei in him....he's an adorable lil guy, we could have easily brought him home!

We're still posting about our trip over here.....we're having a great time now that we have found some sun and warm weather!  We'll be home in time for Joel Salatin at the end of March, then it's time right away to get the seeds started! I'm getting excited!

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Our Visit with Linda and Jim

I thought I would put the pics of our visit with Linda and Jim over here on this blog....we spent a night with them in Northern California. Beautiful area they live in!

Linda and her goats heading toward their barn at feeding time....

I'm tryng to remember this little goat's name, but I can't....it might be Angel. Very pretty colours and  a soft soft coat.

Linda bottle feeding lil Rosie....what a cute little baby goat she is! And when she calls Linda, it sounds just like she is calling "Mama, Mama"!

Beiber very willingly posing for pictures! A Real Cutie!

He's adorable! More pictures to follow of our time with Linda and Jim....we're posting about our adventures and misadventures of travelling thru California over on the other blog. Pop over and see what we've been up to!

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Dinner!

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago. The Gman was carving up a nice roast, and a certain Somone just had to come and watch!

Like clockwork, da Wolf inches silently closer to the action.....happens every time.

He's just hoping and praying a piece, however small, should happen to fall to the floor....

"Geez Dad, I can't hold out much longer!"

"Oh thank goodness, Mom comes to the rescue!"

Saskatoon Wine on the left....Dandelion Wine on the right. Dinner was great!!

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