tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63090136036260981902024-03-05T07:13:15.138-08:00A summer at Green Being 2008Notes from my summer at Green Being Farm, Ontario, Canada, 2008Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-6833841363287311132008-11-30T17:15:00.000-08:002008-11-30T17:22:36.733-08:00The season is overFor any of you that are still following this blog, I apologise for leaving it so abruptly. The days following the last post were hectic and exhausting. By the middle of October I had packed up the farm as best I could, left for the city, attended my step-brother's wedding, and made it to the west coast by bus in order to start a month-long bike trip.<br /><br />I guess you won't get a detailed description of all the pigs now. Suffice it to say, they each had their own personalities and I miss them.<br /><br />The season is over and I've returned to the city. I'll post again if I have any more news related to this season or Green Being Farm, or if I start up another blog detailing some other adventure or mine.<br /><br />Thanks for reading.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-51942158776182275002008-09-29T18:21:00.000-07:002008-09-29T18:38:44.856-07:00Squealer<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxi21R8fF-V9EhAjOaAOEMdC_ikWZESET2LT3CS2r-p4YyalpAFBt6hGXuoyaQkFymXsgcuT223AwjuU-xh7gitqRfhE2KRbsx8llrTeQYzLkhOZBcZbtkPQr2OSj3vgDLgjkroi9HbNg/s1600-h/P1010349.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxi21R8fF-V9EhAjOaAOEMdC_ikWZESET2LT3CS2r-p4YyalpAFBt6hGXuoyaQkFymXsgcuT223AwjuU-xh7gitqRfhE2KRbsx8llrTeQYzLkhOZBcZbtkPQr2OSj3vgDLgjkroi9HbNg/s320/P1010349.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Looking rather uncharacteristically mopey</span><br /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7j3QEKZemXxpCv5FedXHXn-MRWIpN3bnQ59eLsmkdzV7iNPVnLERsegnCmkkWcGSUXTJnCvPA3StJjPkOcsybHfPsSCfh2Cv8jrbyqlzkesgYdZC_CbepXGoH6sb2oT1AxuiMhYVFPoc/s1600-h/P1010376.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7j3QEKZemXxpCv5FedXHXn-MRWIpN3bnQ59eLsmkdzV7iNPVnLERsegnCmkkWcGSUXTJnCvPA3StJjPkOcsybHfPsSCfh2Cv8jrbyqlzkesgYdZC_CbepXGoH6sb2oT1AxuiMhYVFPoc/s320/P1010376.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Yep, I think you can see what just happened there.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKjSubR0pIfhTpELRepIgQTS6OcwLIcuB5deH2DHdqP1N8sAnSsNAvDjGs6vA6xSjgHzETxopj15oTUAYg4ZSfXBC1AbME-WFnFpk2YK6SSKj2ijGNL37PIqzmHwoa0UG-GHXWa5qzWM/s1600-h/P1010395.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKjSubR0pIfhTpELRepIgQTS6OcwLIcuB5deH2DHdqP1N8sAnSsNAvDjGs6vA6xSjgHzETxopj15oTUAYg4ZSfXBC1AbME-WFnFpk2YK6SSKj2ijGNL37PIqzmHwoa0UG-GHXWa5qzWM/s320/P1010395.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nJBo6BmaRgNPK6RPiBvYn2jghAdreXpe2nIx4EabxiwNjb6PZ1dWqY3aCtr4ixZ98twyXMX5XYcKG-EQMRp6vrjk8eeXNG_YSS8SpIKxp7aJrh1MzwXpR_4Rwskfwi1MLM0OdLKlZ8s/s1600-h/P1010399.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nJBo6BmaRgNPK6RPiBvYn2jghAdreXpe2nIx4EabxiwNjb6PZ1dWqY3aCtr4ixZ98twyXMX5XYcKG-EQMRp6vrjk8eeXNG_YSS8SpIKxp7aJrh1MzwXpR_4Rwskfwi1MLM0OdLKlZ8s/s320/P1010399.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9gvtxkyi4PRYq0KdNtOXGyeMAeNvQAkhsFkhzsECn1AWqSgxW098MqksdZiAuyw3YhPytJFzFiJmoTmvV2xYXY_cc-er6gF6qxToSGsuwirlMvKon3WEBvU6o9Zjw7qrs-QJBbfO_Gk/s1600-h/P1010403.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9gvtxkyi4PRYq0KdNtOXGyeMAeNvQAkhsFkhzsECn1AWqSgxW098MqksdZiAuyw3YhPytJFzFiJmoTmvV2xYXY_cc-er6gF6qxToSGsuwirlMvKon3WEBvU6o9Zjw7qrs-QJBbfO_Gk/s320/P1010403.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1CDEO2YVnuRLD2PVB-DT-sQuoRHv6F8EC6wuIK0H1KpL3pSmxoLl_G42kEEpv04Cj-HjKM-OeW11RbCLgLl2WVBvGBNKJX89RlWsHlLOl7DdJavvSEDPtlvTa74Yl7g0tTxUjXLzaKU/s1600-h/P1010407.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1CDEO2YVnuRLD2PVB-DT-sQuoRHv6F8EC6wuIK0H1KpL3pSmxoLl_G42kEEpv04Cj-HjKM-OeW11RbCLgLl2WVBvGBNKJX89RlWsHlLOl7DdJavvSEDPtlvTa74Yl7g0tTxUjXLzaKU/s320/P1010407.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I think they're telling each other secrets</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Name: </span>Squealer/Babe/Humper<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Personality:</span> Typically very calm and sweet. He'd sit and let you pet him for a long while, and he'd always be one of the first to come up to the fence when you stood by to watch them. I really enjoyed his company.<br /><br />Squealer earned this name only recently when he started to make that classic pig squealing sound as he'd wander up to the food trough, or sometimes for no reason at all. When he was younger Tarrah would call him Babe because of his obvious resemblance. Humper? Well, when he was younger he was much pushier and would, well, try to have his way with the other pigs at times. <br /></div> </div>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-45881486859282638262008-09-28T18:11:00.000-07:002008-09-29T18:40:02.830-07:00The End of the Pigs<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE43uiDdqGfa6E5nolOhCClACfRmV8p_nlaTmjm6qv6MIQCxFHTbYnjac91XQBArpVKYSUzgf-APhitOLyX555aDeMFG7yv4yhB0eqGPpvtnUDzc41YjIEhKcIwi_nVNo86I-EqTE7qkM/s1600-h/P1010326.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE43uiDdqGfa6E5nolOhCClACfRmV8p_nlaTmjm6qv6MIQCxFHTbYnjac91XQBArpVKYSUzgf-APhitOLyX555aDeMFG7yv4yhB0eqGPpvtnUDzc41YjIEhKcIwi_nVNo86I-EqTE7qkM/s320/P1010326.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFrSSjNLa05fu45qXcl7eUjWfqspDZlncOJw2craEi2QlWJYT8YIWBYvbVWzyRa6uf3zX5fgC98IQdWrZJM4BPaY_6J50wcpK7w-7_S2ucy3AzK0N6mDYJu6iiiw5nJAUUiNR8zaTI_s/s1600-h/P1010360.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFrSSjNLa05fu45qXcl7eUjWfqspDZlncOJw2craEi2QlWJYT8YIWBYvbVWzyRa6uf3zX5fgC98IQdWrZJM4BPaY_6J50wcpK7w-7_S2ucy3AzK0N6mDYJu6iiiw5nJAUUiNR8zaTI_s/s320/P1010360.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCVv2O82Q1JC6djxVnHxasrka7rV-TwMIzLzyhgqJoc-kpyHXhgjrUdJe2Li_qa8_eBdXlVmqi0teNwcUXReTbqGQH1Y3IsY25QCzpnXeAtRmk5hP3dCU4gwLU6F17dbp5SrezLSrJWU/s1600-h/P1010365.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCVv2O82Q1JC6djxVnHxasrka7rV-TwMIzLzyhgqJoc-kpyHXhgjrUdJe2Li_qa8_eBdXlVmqi0teNwcUXReTbqGQH1Y3IsY25QCzpnXeAtRmk5hP3dCU4gwLU6F17dbp5SrezLSrJWU/s320/P1010365.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_6hsoAR1NTLCRAyjHXowQisvB8kwFsfE-S7LWvXt1tdD_qvAmqPMtD78dhfvPB1o7zJoELywFfOhL_we05NW3WNEf3GOd6BDCkX30NGKyGOqWHBG7nNdU4azZDL3bMsyIruMPKG_AXU/s1600-h/P1010431.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_6hsoAR1NTLCRAyjHXowQisvB8kwFsfE-S7LWvXt1tdD_qvAmqPMtD78dhfvPB1o7zJoELywFfOhL_we05NW3WNEf3GOd6BDCkX30NGKyGOqWHBG7nNdU4azZDL3bMsyIruMPKG_AXU/s320/P1010431.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Half our group of pigs are going to slaughter tomorrow morning. We had a little photo shoot with the pigs this evening in order to capture them in their piggy glory, to honour them one last time as the wonderful friends and beings they are, and so as to remember them in the years to come.<br /><br />In the coming days I'll tell you as much as I can about each of our eight pigs and what they've meant to us here on the farm.<br /><br />But for now, good night blessed pig friends, good night.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-38957633727686621242008-09-24T19:08:00.000-07:002008-09-24T19:09:39.458-07:00Potato Harvest<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jAOOwB2DSJrYRpFZHnYdIfJyIvyUo7rjvaROVKd67I6IJhNyDJErMju-pyndUE5e3l5kc4KvfqbQo3TTrFdi_fAH2vJyOyBHjJTw9Az1lE3gbjdfvxEY5IoDpY1j5AL4kx4qGqeBX7I/s1600-h/100_1772.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jAOOwB2DSJrYRpFZHnYdIfJyIvyUo7rjvaROVKd67I6IJhNyDJErMju-pyndUE5e3l5kc4KvfqbQo3TTrFdi_fAH2vJyOyBHjJTw9Az1lE3gbjdfvxEY5IoDpY1j5AL4kx4qGqeBX7I/s320/100_1772.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNJaUJ50qPcc0aVKwq7jUm9pfwvHg8yBg5Ue1uTnldbKLHBENNCz2lvpbTrnXLoPdxsY7byxhFr0y2ExmPKMZGnnrc4yuLGASId_WbfNdofTpj2GI-sNBbArei7GzfIVV6N5ctllvQbs/s1600-h/100_1780.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNJaUJ50qPcc0aVKwq7jUm9pfwvHg8yBg5Ue1uTnldbKLHBENNCz2lvpbTrnXLoPdxsY7byxhFr0y2ExmPKMZGnnrc4yuLGASId_WbfNdofTpj2GI-sNBbArei7GzfIVV6N5ctllvQbs/s320/100_1780.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabDHc91cu3DT13PxW6dUVqSSGtjlXRh-PK3FYth2sgBdUIRgBKr8LAdhLHzNcRplFmUs1Uv3PjGowERAimewp33FeucTcAE02y4ia99BYSwRYpCCDwJLeHvRg1tviqiXICNxKWIRQuZU/s1600-h/100_1782.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabDHc91cu3DT13PxW6dUVqSSGtjlXRh-PK3FYth2sgBdUIRgBKr8LAdhLHzNcRplFmUs1Uv3PjGowERAimewp33FeucTcAE02y4ia99BYSwRYpCCDwJLeHvRg1tviqiXICNxKWIRQuZU/s320/100_1782.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqfmK4lsGHpecV1Ef7rSq5JOmHrXtfl8WATMGukdrhRrfEMxjnxhhQ2caY4AoC2YQcoeiOtfU7YxqS5QNBhux0FNzINElxKM6Oj-AFMkpJAxkO0-flS3JS3vCSiXrrqRL8_hbMEe01N8/s1600-h/100_1784.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqfmK4lsGHpecV1Ef7rSq5JOmHrXtfl8WATMGukdrhRrfEMxjnxhhQ2caY4AoC2YQcoeiOtfU7YxqS5QNBhux0FNzINElxKM6Oj-AFMkpJAxkO0-flS3JS3vCSiXrrqRL8_hbMEe01N8/s320/100_1784.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Well, I'll still leave you wondering about the other photos for now. But in the mean time, today Angie (first picture) came to visit and help harvest the last of the potatoes. (I grew half of the potatoes for Angie and her <a href="http://fertilegroundcsa.com/">CSA</a>.) It was a very productive day -- we harvested almost of half of the remaining potatoes, so there's just about 1/6 of the patch left. What a relief. It's so good to have the potatoes harvested because then it feels like they are a bit more secure -- I don't have to worry about any sort of mischief happening in the field.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-92054337171768996852008-09-23T06:39:00.000-07:002008-09-23T06:41:49.045-07:00Update<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizspl6usUNEjXbZWbTqVraPBnP3qusscSI9YyI1OqpDG4PpIOe6vAKMXjjE7EfASlRPkrorpN7o_jTih_PfYXabHTNIViSfOgAR4-LOYzGaHtaZOBiEe4z3fsarXDwCIZ1YfYrCsQHUhY/s1600-h/IMG_3909.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizspl6usUNEjXbZWbTqVraPBnP3qusscSI9YyI1OqpDG4PpIOe6vAKMXjjE7EfASlRPkrorpN7o_jTih_PfYXabHTNIViSfOgAR4-LOYzGaHtaZOBiEe4z3fsarXDwCIZ1YfYrCsQHUhY/s320/IMG_3909.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIU_VTVVWiEB6XRygnMk_o4G1SOKEYOhfTQ46hUx6oGoe1GpofC71kzZyyMGAHNyD5rD1ooZAsKQUY0RXJdHAfiqhdckSNYUWBjA0v02TLF6CdYJ2_PytmZFDa-0QlJu-m82fGIJs_qA/s1600-h/IMG_3918.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIU_VTVVWiEB6XRygnMk_o4G1SOKEYOhfTQ46hUx6oGoe1GpofC71kzZyyMGAHNyD5rD1ooZAsKQUY0RXJdHAfiqhdckSNYUWBjA0v02TLF6CdYJ2_PytmZFDa-0QlJu-m82fGIJs_qA/s320/IMG_3918.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1W0G7GszactkbJjf8Br0CceHnUt2mCAmJTx9If2i3XVw_729a1xnRpkqjgESomcSLD8u8k2v6DMjQTlWUUJGmp6hsFkTSNnrTJZR6cb_uI8_PkqJgrl2478WEVafWRpMhDxhyphenhyphen7I-sZg/s320/IMG_3919.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWzwn09k1_QvtNFhpYICWXa_leqv_CFGVX7eOgFJIwCZ10rzkeuchlPEobyY0Aa987JN82ntlUeQzdmqV8TId8qMC1hzVnqhAZdhNLCqYEnum0sBUjjhH37eGGSwP1uSS4W7tjX1fT6g/s1600-h/IMG_3924.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWzwn09k1_QvtNFhpYICWXa_leqv_CFGVX7eOgFJIwCZ10rzkeuchlPEobyY0Aa987JN82ntlUeQzdmqV8TId8qMC1hzVnqhAZdhNLCqYEnum0sBUjjhH37eGGSwP1uSS4W7tjX1fT6g/s320/IMG_3924.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br />A season, a wedding, and now harvest. Lots to update you on, but in the mean time, here'r a few pictures to keep you wondering.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-89633942598094803942008-07-03T19:52:00.000-07:002008-07-03T19:56:32.575-07:00Turkey-eye viewIn the fray whilst being fed grass:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V5bSoLIaYpQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V5bSoLIaYpQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-70482210643196658912008-07-03T18:37:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:46:53.540-08:00Growed UpRemember <a href="http://greenbeingfarm2008.blogspot.com/2008/05/hot-chicks-sfw.html">those little chickens I showed you a few weeks ago</a>? They've grown up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44n5Xm_05iOCzAcVn8g5b5o2r40QjvE5SOR0UH_7QnF7RKa0IRyO8fZA5verXnj6-L9u7zMvTQ9JsCBZiU9CBT52TZOMlN7_oviVk-uJZ4pa1GF6_jTDiYjb-j2FaYp-j3FGzMDy23zU/s1600-h/IMG_3375.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44n5Xm_05iOCzAcVn8g5b5o2r40QjvE5SOR0UH_7QnF7RKa0IRyO8fZA5verXnj6-L9u7zMvTQ9JsCBZiU9CBT52TZOMlN7_oviVk-uJZ4pa1GF6_jTDiYjb-j2FaYp-j3FGzMDy23zU/s320/IMG_3375.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218969452278894882" border="0" /></a><br />They've been moved out from the sunroom and into the paddock closest to the house. They live in so-called "chicken tractors" -- moveable shelters. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAliryRK-RlIIlHj56gUsJoVt8arSoXsHTlE4pNt9ebg5AnH04Bm8OAZUrgEj5_Kgqx_27mfVTUnsgKi6zUNp0r6yxw_BkXr2dPcthHztjytyQw-72y4tHcCx94R1fzyhwuXpFIWMnFw/s1600-h/IMG_3372.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAliryRK-RlIIlHj56gUsJoVt8arSoXsHTlE4pNt9ebg5AnH04Bm8OAZUrgEj5_Kgqx_27mfVTUnsgKi6zUNp0r6yxw_BkXr2dPcthHztjytyQw-72y4tHcCx94R1fzyhwuXpFIWMnFw/s320/IMG_3372.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218969455743409186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qqe9rjuq33bwuA3hA6ckpigw8RkPHHWoHml7eVnJFSYNWbKb8i1yEyumcGTBpXXIzdoe8FH9nL6ShlpifXeBoZ3rEItegi8YldI3i1XeBqIYoA_Ndp9OOXRl3YxKNnrl4bRdIh36iz4/s1600-h/IMG_3381.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qqe9rjuq33bwuA3hA6ckpigw8RkPHHWoHml7eVnJFSYNWbKb8i1yEyumcGTBpXXIzdoe8FH9nL6ShlpifXeBoZ3rEItegi8YldI3i1XeBqIYoA_Ndp9OOXRl3YxKNnrl4bRdIh36iz4/s320/IMG_3381.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218969465926479746" border="0" /></a>Twice a day we move the shelter onto a new patch of grass. If you look closely at the picture above you can see the flattened and well fertilised grass in the tractor's wake. <br /><br />The chickens are growing up pretty fast -- they only usually take 6 weeks from hatching to being killed. I find it pretty disgusting how fast they grow, and how incapable (or unwilling) of moving they get. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=WKYJDnTRkS4">This</a> is always what comes to mind when I think of them.<br /><br />Anyhow, Tarrah's been looking to move their slaughter date up a week.<br /><br />In other news, the turkeys and hens are doing just fine. Here'r are two of the hens in the foreground, and some of the turkeys in the background:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH1Rqunz0HFcORbOjj1teeW75qvXPNy3GuJo0eLTxsYuZDKYwf8hHobFsNn4n56_Wm4q6aVE47gPQbJPMKUuYk9NTaP9I0GcWH0MhxN95bQ-8vFsGHdzLqpIHf05SHTC-YeQMIely3No/s1600-h/IMG_3346.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH1Rqunz0HFcORbOjj1teeW75qvXPNy3GuJo0eLTxsYuZDKYwf8hHobFsNn4n56_Wm4q6aVE47gPQbJPMKUuYk9NTaP9I0GcWH0MhxN95bQ-8vFsGHdzLqpIHf05SHTC-YeQMIely3No/s320/IMG_3346.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218969465238451090" border="0" /></a><br />We just got a new batch of day-old chickens last week. I don't need to show you pictures. Just think "yellow" and "puff ball".Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-71783094319329691982008-06-29T05:14:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:46:53.691-08:00Beetle Harvest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp5NTEOI2vJSVrGgSuFKX5Q9PeT-001jjIbRvCi5ntanS5c0H9RWjjNZ93Imra2CZ3LBksRANMHPdEhjCTJopaq_eBdCEYSm_iwjNAvHS3VOKjrVAD8d06bj88t2ErKZWmzOcEJn7ecU/s1600-h/IMG_3382.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp5NTEOI2vJSVrGgSuFKX5Q9PeT-001jjIbRvCi5ntanS5c0H9RWjjNZ93Imra2CZ3LBksRANMHPdEhjCTJopaq_eBdCEYSm_iwjNAvHS3VOKjrVAD8d06bj88t2ErKZWmzOcEJn7ecU/s320/IMG_3382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217276240973148386" border="0" /></a><br />okay, I forgot this great picture in my last post. When I went out to weed the potatoes last week, I noticed that there were several plants with colorado potato beetle on them. So I lashed an old stinky nalgeen bottle to my leg and covered the opening with a bit of a plastic bag with a small hole in it. That way, when I would bend down to pick up off the beetle I could just pop it into the container.<br /><br />I suppose if I was more cruel (or less of a wuss -- your call) I'd have just squished them rather than collect them, but I figured the turkeys would get some nutrients from them. Turns out, turkeys aren't super keen on these beetles, though they did eventually eat them all.<br /><br />With my ragged hair and unkempt beard, my longsleeve shirt with sunprotecting <a href="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3699/coolmodivatepg0.jpg">popped collar</a> and torn armpit and torso, and this bottle strapped to my leg, Nathan described me as "one week away from a vagrant".Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-78185545173453919462008-06-28T06:18:00.001-07:002008-12-10T13:46:55.206-08:00Potato plantingSo, about two and half weeks ago, I planted all the potatoes. I was a big job. I had 1/3 of an acre to plant roughly. About 600 lbs of potato seed. I did it over two days, but really only about 12-15 hours of work.<br /><br />I had prepared the bed before hand. I ploughed it, then used the furrower to make the furrows:<br /><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpLCLJVGHr2ACz-iFbIogFR9FnfMmgM9zjudCncxaESWSzCqlw6vyj6RrqJohD5aC9W5MUGa3-gAGNEWDa98oVry64EoLh71fKDHUjpgZYCvgrfJ13ioCkQTOL43k4jXOpidEJO_uCMU/s1600-h/spring+08+110.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpLCLJVGHr2ACz-iFbIogFR9FnfMmgM9zjudCncxaESWSzCqlw6vyj6RrqJohD5aC9W5MUGa3-gAGNEWDa98oVry64EoLh71fKDHUjpgZYCvgrfJ13ioCkQTOL43k4jXOpidEJO_uCMU/s320/spring+08+110.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Hauled the potato seed out to the field. I have four different varieties. Two early (Onaway and Norland) and two main season types (Red Cheiftan and Yukon Gold). Here are the Onaway.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dFQ8leYqf3L2F0PZl5JBlYV2OBjv_R9cHscvceO9-KgWcu5XepXT30WIB7QAHtlKJVdshVKb9nv3gcb-zMLn6rYCaDHiG4uTLKFwQA4XHMraHJwm-O4YVIfTrx2WZoMO1XslN8biY84/s1600-h/spring+08+113.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dFQ8leYqf3L2F0PZl5JBlYV2OBjv_R9cHscvceO9-KgWcu5XepXT30WIB7QAHtlKJVdshVKb9nv3gcb-zMLn6rYCaDHiG4uTLKFwQA4XHMraHJwm-O4YVIfTrx2WZoMO1XslN8biY84/s320/spring+08+113.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF9GRVQcVBmTN8yyRFwfqCWsVtiIbVt50mQdyStgIi77DOFzMvy-dYfzm8XlFIR3AVoGhV8f1Pd87BhLnRWtBXafv6st5_bsi9K0TqQ6rg17DjdACvOKRqbl7CzIacgzkFlkd_f_oyM/s1600-h/spring+08+114.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsF9GRVQcVBmTN8yyRFwfqCWsVtiIbVt50mQdyStgIi77DOFzMvy-dYfzm8XlFIR3AVoGhV8f1Pd87BhLnRWtBXafv6st5_bsi9K0TqQ6rg17DjdACvOKRqbl7CzIacgzkFlkd_f_oyM/s320/spring+08+114.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div>I stored them in our shed, under some cardboard and tarps. I was a bit concerned that this wasn't the best place to keep them (too moist, too dry, too hot, too cold... what do I know.), so I kept checking in on them. They stayed firm (except for one bag of Red Cheiftan that had a fair number of rotten guys in it).<br /><br />I had also planned to let them sit out for a few days to let them grow sturdy sprouts, but they seemed to do this just fine on their own. :-) I had also planned to pull them all out and cut them if they were too big, but again, except for the Red Cheiftan, they were all a good planting size (about 2 oz). I didn't notice the big Red Cheiftan's until I got them out into the field, so I ended up cutting them out there and letting them dry before planting. Not ideal I don't think.<br /><br />Anyhow, as to the actual planting. The furrows were 30 inches apart roughly, and I was planting 15 inches apart. I had about 29 rows at roughly 190 feet each (I plotted out a 200x200 foot area but then used some of the space as headers for turning the tractor and such).<br /><br />I started by using a digging hoe to hack little pits into the furrow every 15 inches so that I could then drop the potato seeds in. This was probably unnecessary, but since it only took about 3 minutes for each row, and made it easier than placing the potatoes in the furrow and having them roll around, I stuck with it. I then used to hoe to pull a bit of dirt over each potato. Here's the sequence:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhdnRXpZuuNW5FapAzIAhq3r9h1L1mz1q8-lsygXoPrHqT0m-W3qOh8rRbrnaj8JrWCWCh8ypxLXzC9v938DqfhggX3oCCxivVx76U-I_OcGO9DtctqCpzXkvNbF2-Lfb6xluX8IcpXc/s1600-h/spring+08+116.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhdnRXpZuuNW5FapAzIAhq3r9h1L1mz1q8-lsygXoPrHqT0m-W3qOh8rRbrnaj8JrWCWCh8ypxLXzC9v938DqfhggX3oCCxivVx76U-I_OcGO9DtctqCpzXkvNbF2-Lfb6xluX8IcpXc/s320/spring+08+116.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Divets<br /><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj6sr19LfG2M7IRGd0g3sHkCIhhmVK36J5XqE2tSshsgqHrahH_qUFOFvLV8YWv6kPlunG8t3YNjDKzOwvaFF-LW1woL8ekNrehcv2x8UAKFwr2Ykx72pfGQ42ptUxbDNvPv-ujHzfvM/s1600-h/spring+08+117.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj6sr19LfG2M7IRGd0g3sHkCIhhmVK36J5XqE2tSshsgqHrahH_qUFOFvLV8YWv6kPlunG8t3YNjDKzOwvaFF-LW1woL8ekNrehcv2x8UAKFwr2Ykx72pfGQ42ptUxbDNvPv-ujHzfvM/s320/spring+08+117.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOq67LUzdG28K709N9kK53GaA2yp1YW1ETJDhIZWBGgGq5GfGEhhvecQ8ksGucIiUMI13GuBdQrwTBi8G63ctp79aw4O1j-2y5VQqKVOhtZfzULMvmJSmFduyne-7MYFKHmnPEc7W6-M/s1600-h/spring+08+118.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOq67LUzdG28K709N9kK53GaA2yp1YW1ETJDhIZWBGgGq5GfGEhhvecQ8ksGucIiUMI13GuBdQrwTBi8G63ctp79aw4O1j-2y5VQqKVOhtZfzULMvmJSmFduyne-7MYFKHmnPEc7W6-M/s320/spring+08+118.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </div><br />And, not that it looks much different, but here is the field after I was done planting:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2GoJ-KZ8GT7584maUmsM8OjzrpNBDgBU1Q1ueaAGawn8J7TmewZw9iowy5isofFNQ52-HSywYPftEI8yZG7L-PuSONvlYjm__f2HhOPDNnp6KJKanTpi_6DWnFvi51Cfb0XsfJU7A-U/s1600-h/spring+08+122.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2GoJ-KZ8GT7584maUmsM8OjzrpNBDgBU1Q1ueaAGawn8J7TmewZw9iowy5isofFNQ52-HSywYPftEI8yZG7L-PuSONvlYjm__f2HhOPDNnp6KJKanTpi_6DWnFvi51Cfb0XsfJU7A-U/s320/spring+08+122.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />And here's the field earlier this week, showing some green (both in plants and weeds... erm):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VmNmQPmQlogjWuo29IeghDSV-e_FyuhT-uADv4Kt8dejPNF6RU_cuz4q8_rlHF5iRk_lJQGbl_opdn7aXEL1zq-PKXvckWr0uhJxNGJkXrysHuxNN8gwKRq2VpFg1y8yYp5ZPJTWrOE/s1600-h/IMG_3329.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VmNmQPmQlogjWuo29IeghDSV-e_FyuhT-uADv4Kt8dejPNF6RU_cuz4q8_rlHF5iRk_lJQGbl_opdn7aXEL1zq-PKXvckWr0uhJxNGJkXrysHuxNN8gwKRq2VpFg1y8yYp5ZPJTWrOE/s320/IMG_3329.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216928486611679378" border="0" /></a>The early varieties having come up and are looking strong. The main season ones are just coming up. I spent a day this passed week weeding the early guys. It's pretty mind-numbing work to be hoeing the furrows (it's finicky and not nearly as fun as hoeing flat earth). It was also bit difficult with my lame hand. <br /><br />Hopefully the next step will be hilling. I expect it'll be a bit cumbersome. When I was deciding how to layout to plot I didn't give much thought to the tractor and how I could use the furrower to hill (partly because we didn't have the tractor then, and partly I'm just a n00b). So, I think I'm stuck doing it by hand.<br /><br />Luckily, working out on the far acre is really really nice. I'm right next to the wetland, and on a slight rise so I can look out over our fields, the wetland, and the neighbouring fields. I'm also away from the house and road so it has this quietness and peace about the place. I'm not sure how to take a picture to show you all of that.<br /></div> </div>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-55889151401807703182008-06-28T06:02:00.001-07:002008-12-10T13:46:55.296-08:00Hands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnUv5483zGAz304ZpljMSj6uRLzDQwn0I7H3jPfdS2O3_H8cnIZsY6_RrGsjVMaYYNceVMJlg0h0Fj1efXN9l5fEdpzEa8O9o1dVFla94QGsxEjy31_0wk10GnmCdJXnaq3RscM2gUuk/s1600-h/IMG_3293.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnUv5483zGAz304ZpljMSj6uRLzDQwn0I7H3jPfdS2O3_H8cnIZsY6_RrGsjVMaYYNceVMJlg0h0Fj1efXN9l5fEdpzEa8O9o1dVFla94QGsxEjy31_0wk10GnmCdJXnaq3RscM2gUuk/s320/IMG_3293.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216917415519569522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I fell off my bike a two weekends ago, and sprained both of my wrists. Nothing severe, but bad enough that I couldn't use my hands for two days, type much for a week, and still have trouble opening jars or doing anything that involves gripping whilst twisting. But by the middle of the first week I was back hand-weeding a little, and by the end of this week I was able to use the tractor again for light work (but actually it was a stupid thing to do because the tractor kicks so much that occasionally I felt some pain). <br /><br />Luckily I have great housemates that took care of me, and helped me weed the garden right when it was getting a little out of control -- I'd been neglecting it to do other things around the farm, and of course, to get the potatoes in (more on that in the next post). <br /><br />All of this made me think about how important the health of my body is to the work that I'm doing. Without my hands I'm essentially useless. Can't weed, can't seed, can't plant, can't lift, can't ... etc.. At least, not in the ways I'm used to, and not with the tools I have. I did figure out new ways to do old things, like lifting bags of feed with my elbows and forearms, but mostly I just paced around wishing I had a mini-scuffle hoes I could strap to each arm.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-15000600390493104732008-06-07T06:06:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:46:58.590-08:00June 6th Tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWU5ClFteGm3x3-hlechIMGUjt1wmCuYhsxyKYYhV2pTc6hSuqVyc1vRzPaOzbf6i-kyBGwpzcu-1eh7p7-YqNLkJ0xRNlooXXTfW6cuoeKWcB81zrX19xj9ZF7CgheWG_V1SjhsiSZU8/s1600-h/IMG_3178.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWU5ClFteGm3x3-hlechIMGUjt1wmCuYhsxyKYYhV2pTc6hSuqVyc1vRzPaOzbf6i-kyBGwpzcu-1eh7p7-YqNLkJ0xRNlooXXTfW6cuoeKWcB81zrX19xj9ZF7CgheWG_V1SjhsiSZU8/s320/IMG_3178.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209107447317294882" border="0" /></a>Remember those little baby chicks? They're now ugly adolescent creatures that have no souls. :-P<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNhZosNzU-LdH8vLz0QLtZ2fWHm9hTgRqv-lt5g2XECEUSS8ef2KuapEpACuOLqo2POdfWSIu3ku5nfVYjC77aLea11RkSzO4bnBejK3c6pFpuW30FPOcBBwW2Oxj3I4x2TAX2O8Pm7M/s1600-h/IMG_3179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNhZosNzU-LdH8vLz0QLtZ2fWHm9hTgRqv-lt5g2XECEUSS8ef2KuapEpACuOLqo2POdfWSIu3ku5nfVYjC77aLea11RkSzO4bnBejK3c6pFpuW30FPOcBBwW2Oxj3I4x2TAX2O8Pm7M/s320/IMG_3179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209107459832902754" border="0" /></a>We've moved them out into the workshop near the greenhouse so that they have more space to run around. We've also put up chicken wire against the cardboard walls because the dudes are trying to fly up and out already.<br /><br /><br />We have more little ones though. We just got a bunch of turkeys. They're still cute, for the moment. Notice the turkey chicks have a little bump above their beak... that's their premature snood, I think.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKtWIcruQGHMCJqJYVOsXVqzlLjOrcv0IgjAZGNuLNKcpaKLGz495dJVroVfpn_HW4TaLSja2oxmg2LCGXKUuNIDvVixfi5ZgYYW-TGykyhSWex2j8uwg77cH2rp1wm_tRmbEyEcYbfo/s1600-h/IMG_3183.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKtWIcruQGHMCJqJYVOsXVqzlLjOrcv0IgjAZGNuLNKcpaKLGz495dJVroVfpn_HW4TaLSja2oxmg2LCGXKUuNIDvVixfi5ZgYYW-TGykyhSWex2j8uwg77cH2rp1wm_tRmbEyEcYbfo/s320/IMG_3183.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209107469008804994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Garden-wise, there is still a ton of tomatoes begging to be planted. Thing is, it hasn't been dry enough long enough for me to work any more of the garden. So the tomatoes will just have to wait another few days.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNV_w_0nP-lltE-hQcvXSXPVdLWas06FZ_Bh-3CU9-Uv_-Juwx40ECH44OaDYl1yL1q1_exzTNACPHhJN8MKGhyF3x12D96ksGOInmz72XfXindSHztAymJZWk2pez_y9vcsrR1N5uZ8/s1600-h/IMG_3184.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNV_w_0nP-lltE-hQcvXSXPVdLWas06FZ_Bh-3CU9-Uv_-Juwx40ECH44OaDYl1yL1q1_exzTNACPHhJN8MKGhyF3x12D96ksGOInmz72XfXindSHztAymJZWk2pez_y9vcsrR1N5uZ8/s320/IMG_3184.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br />In the garden things are looking good.<br /><br /><div style="float: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nlFi1lRv-sOFPlxeAfPqW3c9HQgKLxIEf51khm82bbRY6gLKUXVdT3ljyksAo94lB1QAR-TvQixT-KQhRRcF5482VuseIqSxx9k5hVyb5D7EZPUrcU_rr7J94q9goyPKF620j8xYvNw/s1600-h/IMG_3187.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nlFi1lRv-sOFPlxeAfPqW3c9HQgKLxIEf51khm82bbRY6gLKUXVdT3ljyksAo94lB1QAR-TvQixT-KQhRRcF5482VuseIqSxx9k5hVyb5D7EZPUrcU_rr7J94q9goyPKF620j8xYvNw/s320/IMG_3187.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZm5okd-x3mGWB_SxLQnLzVa1h_jYuLLUc7EtGjjWt2iudIfnsr5BVv_U71-3U1b_TQpKaZnH0K6h-7H9_26xHYmyyuGb23A_Bxkv5TDDn-XvlbQvo_gWHDSi4Q_bs6u5QtBDD7_tPWM/s1600-h/IMG_3191.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZm5okd-x3mGWB_SxLQnLzVa1h_jYuLLUc7EtGjjWt2iudIfnsr5BVv_U71-3U1b_TQpKaZnH0K6h-7H9_26xHYmyyuGb23A_Bxkv5TDDn-XvlbQvo_gWHDSi4Q_bs6u5QtBDD7_tPWM/s320/IMG_3191.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="clear: both;"><br />The onions are going for it, as are the fava beans.</div><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcZqOEKWXxc8AFxw5I_2TuGdN2mOG3gyf6y_7-BK7Tr6z7tF0lfcyc6yz-A5PswF79YLLdSwl4RnhRlalpDWoEhJBP2abcFML781HLfUw5AbS270Z02OwsT-E4MnnRIKQCvZ03Ow49QU/s1600-h/IMG_3188.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcZqOEKWXxc8AFxw5I_2TuGdN2mOG3gyf6y_7-BK7Tr6z7tF0lfcyc6yz-A5PswF79YLLdSwl4RnhRlalpDWoEhJBP2abcFML781HLfUw5AbS270Z02OwsT-E4MnnRIKQCvZ03Ow49QU/s320/IMG_3188.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>The carrots have come up.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-06Je4NVS0er3TC_bv0C7_rjDilVeJcQ5hRCFqjzbDFZ5Hkrqzxe3GH2_RgaWQHqmu5PbACgQB6nRRgc_JHNQeSSKom6hhOXK54JcnnWiL00zzf1EYlp4eS4_gHmRu9ixZ9IUsxIbYos/s1600-h/IMG_3190.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-06Je4NVS0er3TC_bv0C7_rjDilVeJcQ5hRCFqjzbDFZ5Hkrqzxe3GH2_RgaWQHqmu5PbACgQB6nRRgc_JHNQeSSKom6hhOXK54JcnnWiL00zzf1EYlp4eS4_gHmRu9ixZ9IUsxIbYos/s320/IMG_3190.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>So have the beets.<br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZm5okd-x3mGWB_SxLQnLzVa1h_jYuLLUc7EtGjjWt2iudIfnsr5BVv_U71-3U1b_TQpKaZnH0K6h-7H9_26xHYmyyuGb23A_Bxkv5TDDn-XvlbQvo_gWHDSi4Q_bs6u5QtBDD7_tPWM/s1600-h/IMG_3191.jpg"><br /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLnayEzNiaJqEl9rifNapFsNMbiAtqLqkX7ev9p9AI5qB1p0HJZKGEymD7Onxvf6qgn6XFG_xxK9lrj-hUmJJebrLbx-9ZbFRKJ9CcpPHIsdu_J8RTjyhTGtUJDRDE39N157MHpZKElY/s1600-h/IMG_3192.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLnayEzNiaJqEl9rifNapFsNMbiAtqLqkX7ev9p9AI5qB1p0HJZKGEymD7Onxvf6qgn6XFG_xxK9lrj-hUmJJebrLbx-9ZbFRKJ9CcpPHIsdu_J8RTjyhTGtUJDRDE39N157MHpZKElY/s320/IMG_3192.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Peas.<br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEPMSXD0O-7VliWl-Tp__GquuHzwjy8kFtoB_vljbWMc-8OI35g11qsMi-OSP6TOhED69mMJDIz5n_UZkByablc06JT5CRXxXYAPvymOowRzN-n1zSnvCay_G9OERg_NkEOrcPIwuXXs/s1600-h/IMG_3193.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEPMSXD0O-7VliWl-Tp__GquuHzwjy8kFtoB_vljbWMc-8OI35g11qsMi-OSP6TOhED69mMJDIz5n_UZkByablc06JT5CRXxXYAPvymOowRzN-n1zSnvCay_G9OERg_NkEOrcPIwuXXs/s320/IMG_3193.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Celeric (hard to see in this picture) is still doing well, and hasn't been touched by the deer/birds.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86u8s5Um2C5jkXY5VIuE37SBns2nVnIEClsLlWJVJabh0vpDWIafnqBZh_eKEvE4AL41U5qEfWMi7O8RV19hmUOYybK5TRogkt8qJAEJEoI0fa7j6zae3sJ_E0Ta_GK8uGNeRQHF1vM8/s1600-h/IMG_3196.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86u8s5Um2C5jkXY5VIuE37SBns2nVnIEClsLlWJVJabh0vpDWIafnqBZh_eKEvE4AL41U5qEfWMi7O8RV19hmUOYybK5TRogkt8qJAEJEoI0fa7j6zae3sJ_E0Ta_GK8uGNeRQHF1vM8/s320/IMG_3196.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Neither the fennel.<br /><br />Out in the far acre, the wheat I planted last week has already come up. I did a bit of dance when I saw this:<br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj3oNh_t66mlviyLzgQIjuA6GHnHcYM-hrP5a5g3fmzp-ZPXzUXujdVopO6_1ioHNi0RkS2tR2IsiHOxbecMizg6TJGCD1cI5sK0I01_xASQhVjODK40THH4UIwFbuziTCifsx1QfiRQ/s1600-h/IMG_3199.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj3oNh_t66mlviyLzgQIjuA6GHnHcYM-hrP5a5g3fmzp-ZPXzUXujdVopO6_1ioHNi0RkS2tR2IsiHOxbecMizg6TJGCD1cI5sK0I01_xASQhVjODK40THH4UIwFbuziTCifsx1QfiRQ/s320/IMG_3199.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br />See that patchy green stuff... here it is up close:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219PblwvXJw4qbCsYshte4aD9CScKKeF5WKLwD7ra7J8Gim6f0wvsrmM5vDQBFVeEf8pnSEKieVWx-O587xvT69rwR04c631d362i-fuu9KJfl4yeK2zmj_G6xxQdza16EAFh3qzID3U/s1600-h/IMG_3200.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219PblwvXJw4qbCsYshte4aD9CScKKeF5WKLwD7ra7J8Gim6f0wvsrmM5vDQBFVeEf8pnSEKieVWx-O587xvT69rwR04c631d362i-fuu9KJfl4yeK2zmj_G6xxQdza16EAFh3qzID3U/s320/IMG_3200.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br />And for comparison, here's the rest of the wheat in the field that was planted two weeks earlier:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8_m3iV2VqsOlDt1Sa4SLvUwo85obz2Nfw-9pw_Ll2fiALVWKG5hUecFy0RrNFo0RkEhoT0cvPILWafT-A1v8IXhiKbMgqBBe6gzeuUOWmocZ0AuQ70Z35bJ8A8OIa3q6oaoMXoj0mXU/s1600-h/IMG_3203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8_m3iV2VqsOlDt1Sa4SLvUwo85obz2Nfw-9pw_Ll2fiALVWKG5hUecFy0RrNFo0RkEhoT0cvPILWafT-A1v8IXhiKbMgqBBe6gzeuUOWmocZ0AuQ70Z35bJ8A8OIa3q6oaoMXoj0mXU/s320/IMG_3203.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209123629728334562" border="0" /></a><br />By the way, I tried baking loaves of bread using store bought whole wheat (President's Choice Organic), Organic Meadow whole wheat, and Red Fife from Saugeen Specialty Grains. All of the breads tasted okay, but the Red Fife and Organic Meadow had more wheaty flavour to them. The Red Fife in particular is surprisingly different. <br /><br />The other day I was able to work most of the 1/3 of the acre that's going into potatoes.<br /><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusL7S5SWSROXxxgVUP66OscYiTD7mOddiF8KciHaspQ6jTJor1Rbs4qmpJlUdcdraCNkiUhZKW_od8KDqGj69jYcyiaUJ8jQNJnluK1HUPM6aJC8hpWp-NHZgH-S2MDIRFTE8cYhyphenhypheniCM/s1600-h/IMG_3202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusL7S5SWSROXxxgVUP66OscYiTD7mOddiF8KciHaspQ6jTJor1Rbs4qmpJlUdcdraCNkiUhZKW_od8KDqGj69jYcyiaUJ8jQNJnluK1HUPM6aJC8hpWp-NHZgH-S2MDIRFTE8cYhyphenhypheniCM/s320/IMG_3202.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209123615700996594" border="0" /></a>I'm a bit worried about not yet having the potatoes in. It feels like it's getting late (but what do I know really). I would have liked to have them in this week, but as I mentioned, it's been so wet and our soil so full of clay that I haven't had much of a chance to work it since getting the compost spread. Bah. <br /></div></div>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-12567669912992796932008-06-07T04:26:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:46:59.390-08:00Bubbies probably wouldn't approve...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0uHtBsSbwl1EFblEkOdQKl9T_oTR0XzRyaAZvdu9XCTrPh2CXKshbs0bhoskCidzL44Ta2jLYaeuPqYAkLspep5HIJfGQh_CFI6LBeN19nq-8QReD93SadYBuCzO2EqlwG3_oTdoHC4/s1600-h/IMG_3176.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0uHtBsSbwl1EFblEkOdQKl9T_oTR0XzRyaAZvdu9XCTrPh2CXKshbs0bhoskCidzL44Ta2jLYaeuPqYAkLspep5HIJfGQh_CFI6LBeN19nq-8QReD93SadYBuCzO2EqlwG3_oTdoHC4/s320/IMG_3176.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209107421613211378" border="0" /></a><br />We've had some pest problems in the garden over the passed couple of weeks. When I planted the chard seedlings out two weeks ago, I came back the next morning to find most of them all eat down to the ground. Whatever had done that had also taken a few nips out of the nearby lettuce, but hadn't touched the fennel, cilantro, dill, or onions.<br /><br />Then last week I noticed what I think were deer tracks in the garden. They had pummelled some of the carrots and beets I had just seeded, otherwise hadn't done much else. That's because I was prepared... I covered the lettuce and other leafy things with row cover.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xULMPu4Ej0eXS-BMwGwDPJEL688D2729E6OE7MboaqiaxZbUJYfuJKy7opRRJ1SSlAxrn3jYVwGl2gYvwL6Yk8HpVQkHEQiN23SswTg8B1RVPR5lo1i7Du6ljtBLtxt8duTzWT4DltA/s1600-h/IMG_3186.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xULMPu4Ej0eXS-BMwGwDPJEL688D2729E6OE7MboaqiaxZbUJYfuJKy7opRRJ1SSlAxrn3jYVwGl2gYvwL6Yk8HpVQkHEQiN23SswTg8B1RVPR5lo1i7Du6ljtBLtxt8duTzWT4DltA/s320/IMG_3186.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(Most of the row cover pictured here is covering the squash I just planted, but the far right hand corner is covering the greens.)</span><br /></div><br />So it's deer then, right? Well, a neighbour says she's had trouble with starlings eating her baby greens. But since I saw the deer tracks I'm going with that. I did some reading and surfing to see what other people do to get rid of deer. <a href="http://www.gutrumbles.com/archives/005657.php">Peeing on scarecrows</a>? I like it. I haven't built a scarecrow yet, but that's coming. For the moment I'm just peeing around the garden, and I'm lucky enough to have housemates willing to contribute their stinky excresia -- (but not willing enough to walk out to the garden: hence, the Bubbies jar).<br /><br />Nothing seems to be eating the peas, beet greens, or spinach that's come up so maybe it's working. Although yesterday I had the row cover off the brassicaes for an hour or so and when I came back:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx910u1KfR47kz8ZU1xmyvMgchyphenhyphenVf6HYDQCxZ3lTqekofbAdVkQIJF9JRz3XJk00TF0gSB4V9Ze-n6p7lkr3TzZpV1vmzD3StQKJKPJXLAj6xaqjn0Ca9Cit3u1VoZh3LoabwPKMsFYYs/s1600-h/IMG_3194.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx910u1KfR47kz8ZU1xmyvMgchyphenhyphenVf6HYDQCxZ3lTqekofbAdVkQIJF9JRz3XJk00TF0gSB4V9Ze-n6p7lkr3TzZpV1vmzD3StQKJKPJXLAj6xaqjn0Ca9Cit3u1VoZh3LoabwPKMsFYYs/s320/IMG_3194.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">No more kohlrabi. So now I'm thinking it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> birds in the garden. Time for hanging tin cans and building a scarecrow I can pee on.<br /></div>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-32615185149985550632008-05-29T19:33:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:01.866-08:00The hard wayThis year I wanted to try growing some grain. I figured I'd start with what I eat most of: wheat and oats. April and May have been so rainy that I wasn't really able to get it in until today. Well, that's not true, I could have got it in sooner (and really should have, I think), but on those few sunny days when the ground was dry I doing garden work, or waiting to actually get the grain (eventually got Red Fife wheat seed from <a href="http://www.saugeenspecialtygrains.com/">Sean McGivern at Saugeen Specialty Grains</a>).<br /><br />Well anyhow, here's what I did. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglrbD_pXJ_xIiRWcWJayx7qCn8AGAsHtUKuIx-SYC4vsDT5JJqOcwhQezWTCF0iLJtFPtvhikMDJor14jfUY9Qhld3lyZ4krRl43wZIaqn-2MoKbdEmyBWKQcyQAcnVsFyKO81GX5VTw/s1600-h/IMG_3139.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglrbD_pXJ_xIiRWcWJayx7qCn8AGAsHtUKuIx-SYC4vsDT5JJqOcwhQezWTCF0iLJtFPtvhikMDJor14jfUY9Qhld3lyZ4krRl43wZIaqn-2MoKbdEmyBWKQcyQAcnVsFyKO81GX5VTw/s320/IMG_3139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205995883951303026" border="0" /></a>Here's the bit of the far acre I set aside for the wheat. From the wheelbarrow back to the tree line and over to the right (there's a little patch on the far right that I've reserved for garden beds. The spot set aside for wheat is roughly 50 x 200 feet, or a 1/4 acre. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34Gw44w4B8w-9wnSYhE6b6CugNo5t2hxCuaF-Wm5J5cbZAIMkXQaId6gPYhiJ1_4Cr0eLqOvjbpHOGrglaskPfQ7OAo3VbPmET2oJdU2du-PVzVIN3jCQn0AP9VuPrnSHfNGitBbQKBo/s1600-h/IMG_3138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34Gw44w4B8w-9wnSYhE6b6CugNo5t2hxCuaF-Wm5J5cbZAIMkXQaId6gPYhiJ1_4Cr0eLqOvjbpHOGrglaskPfQ7OAo3VbPmET2oJdU2du-PVzVIN3jCQn0AP9VuPrnSHfNGitBbQKBo/s320/IMG_3138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205994561101375826" border="0" /></a>And here's the wheat seed. As I say, it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fife_wheat">Red Fife</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcxfIi3O_lAzzNHTGvWLCvTdp8toTo4Eve2mDOq_yecv2pRDrj1uEWQaBocOJqu5j1emCHjlpb3lSDOpqEmagkxUlYzIBxc6cEQ_L7FVjhtKo6GbGltx7MEv7w_bIBUP9WWHlucCxkhU/s1600-h/IMG_3137.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcxfIi3O_lAzzNHTGvWLCvTdp8toTo4Eve2mDOq_yecv2pRDrj1uEWQaBocOJqu5j1emCHjlpb3lSDOpqEmagkxUlYzIBxc6cEQ_L7FVjhtKo6GbGltx7MEv7w_bIBUP9WWHlucCxkhU/s320/IMG_3137.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205994556806408514" border="0" /></a>I broadcast the seed using a hand-crank broadcaster. I thought about broadcasting by hand for that old-timey feeling, but decided not to. Following the <a href="http://www.cog.ca/ofch.html">COG Organic Field Crop</a> guidelines, I seeded at 180 lb/a, so 45 lb.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccSHKlUweYQYMDZ3kd8N7eIkfsLeL4BYJXDc4d_JH0-ETl3KMsYwe5ZdvvajPn0oxajRm1egALeO-CMMrvn5B44BKeownfi4pBYqqIwK4vmdHkdOvODVS3kVrOdeVUcs75YIBkuuYmYI/s1600-h/IMG_3141.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccSHKlUweYQYMDZ3kd8N7eIkfsLeL4BYJXDc4d_JH0-ETl3KMsYwe5ZdvvajPn0oxajRm1egALeO-CMMrvn5B44BKeownfi4pBYqqIwK4vmdHkdOvODVS3kVrOdeVUcs75YIBkuuYmYI/s320/IMG_3141.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205994569691310434" border="0" /></a>Here's the grain, all scattered.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGL9VP9DKOSCZLVErLbn2AJ16fEaol_QMWRG0JGpa4p_NxQp7-wZoIEAPOICKVwoPZk_fBFP-Ev5r1ls9b7VhUz1Fm5-xrX0gZfoEluGiQ2HoIqRZh1upRgheuwLKhTAKf0NuRYWs3NmM/s1600-h/IMG_3143.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGL9VP9DKOSCZLVErLbn2AJ16fEaol_QMWRG0JGpa4p_NxQp7-wZoIEAPOICKVwoPZk_fBFP-Ev5r1ls9b7VhUz1Fm5-xrX0gZfoEluGiQ2HoIqRZh1upRgheuwLKhTAKf0NuRYWs3NmM/s320/IMG_3143.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205994552511441202" border="0" /></a><br />Then, the hard bit. I raked the seed under. It was actually easier than I thought it was going to be, but dragging a dinky hard rake across a quarter of an acre takes some effort. I can feel the work in my shoulders and arms still, this evening. <br /><br />All told, it took me about 1h 30m to plot out the area, broadcast, and rake in. Okay, so, if I actually get 300 lb (the half of an excellent yield), then that's pretty good. (Of course, all the hard work of harvesting and threshing and all that is yet to come).<br /><br />I'll keep you posted.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-10767957656054551112008-05-29T19:08:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:02.858-08:00The start of the gardenSo over the past few weeks I've started up a bit of a garden patch in the near acre of the field. Here'r some photos of that and some of the planting.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJxpAwx6kxcEmD5hSfFBNg1-4vKEYugwYKQzCr5Y4je-ibarqAgF2LPV5tkg57eGMj0VQtNR8ru2eoQtvIxYD1cUPWbdM0PeQ2R2KcDXzKJJg8YR6Fhqn3Gefcg7h_6i4huAQRRsTLTw/s1600-h/IMG_3123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJxpAwx6kxcEmD5hSfFBNg1-4vKEYugwYKQzCr5Y4je-ibarqAgF2LPV5tkg57eGMj0VQtNR8ru2eoQtvIxYD1cUPWbdM0PeQ2R2KcDXzKJJg8YR6Fhqn3Gefcg7h_6i4huAQRRsTLTw/s320/IMG_3123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205988823025068242" border="0" /></a>Here I am, putting the M back in Man. This is our <a href="http://www.bcs-america.com/tractor_etail.cqs?catid=0ddf4e7b26de2582f70cc1cf0bfd9b53">BCS</a> walk behind tractor that I've been using to do much of the heavy work. In this case, making raised beds using the rotary plow. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5Wg-l1TfQYrWnHppp2-H6lZG6AxtihXBDV8VHjZl46p3StmgvzrhzbLzfwpvusM5WXqQSszpdzTtBkJ4ApG4RGYidq32YDo83kNdGAAegQI8mZCm_owFsCieoC6o1kMRJ6fSv9Dzna8/s1600-h/IMG_3122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5Wg-l1TfQYrWnHppp2-H6lZG6AxtihXBDV8VHjZl46p3StmgvzrhzbLzfwpvusM5WXqQSszpdzTtBkJ4ApG4RGYidq32YDo83kNdGAAegQI8mZCm_owFsCieoC6o1kMRJ6fSv9Dzna8/s320/IMG_3122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205988827320035554" border="0" /></a>And here are the raised beds it makes. I'm still getting the hang of how to use it. You might be able to see that the beds aren't really the same width.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweZbFu2p-1d0-XOlXSTWAiAuSa33oJ5NnO_EHM8aTK_nF0pdBv0ooPMTC4MLmJYAreEhJRoW6cjrw1z8kuT8J824PgKohPXfukXQrNt_2361r8-Ql5z9veZPfOVn4S5GjItv5q4kQZ1M/s1600-h/IMG_3010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweZbFu2p-1d0-XOlXSTWAiAuSa33oJ5NnO_EHM8aTK_nF0pdBv0ooPMTC4MLmJYAreEhJRoW6cjrw1z8kuT8J824PgKohPXfukXQrNt_2361r8-Ql5z9veZPfOVn4S5GjItv5q4kQZ1M/s320/IMG_3010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205988831615002866" border="0" /></a>Back on the 16th of May, Nora and I transplated the leeks, onions, and celeriac, and planted a bunch of onions from sets (pictured here).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__IBllWQ4_XPLYT0sUKj0ecwdi7LDphyphenhyphenDCH9dKVR0EdSFTxeolNag09Znr8lZuavGiPZYHourRQvD1gvxM8C_LaIDuh6oVHBYAFkronH6rWn90ZI7IYGhYyOkHbXGJ0LFqHBWYxatdJg/s1600-h/IMG_3040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__IBllWQ4_XPLYT0sUKj0ecwdi7LDphyphenhyphenDCH9dKVR0EdSFTxeolNag09Znr8lZuavGiPZYHourRQvD1gvxM8C_LaIDuh6oVHBYAFkronH6rWn90ZI7IYGhYyOkHbXGJ0LFqHBWYxatdJg/s320/IMG_3040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205988835909970194" border="0" /></a>Soon after, I planted parsnip (above), spinach, carrots, beets, peas, more onions, and probably more.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_36UpjMG4PRhFI7reR_mW5gV9_c7LweKmDMXZP-FDogkqPhwTvU7o8MFDZGRkFx33TDSftVReyeQdOigEx8uH1-YRbthwkzZ2uO3mewB8Eag7W0ZguTrSiLe6hbLxbx1JVe6GYLz9PKA/s1600-h/IMG_3042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_36UpjMG4PRhFI7reR_mW5gV9_c7LweKmDMXZP-FDogkqPhwTvU7o8MFDZGRkFx33TDSftVReyeQdOigEx8uH1-YRbthwkzZ2uO3mewB8Eag7W0ZguTrSiLe6hbLxbx1JVe6GYLz9PKA/s320/IMG_3042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205988831615002882" border="0" /></a>As you can see, I was planting in the middle of the night! no, but it was dusk, the flash lies.<br /><br />Since then I've transplated chard, lettuce, a green onions, fennel, various herbs, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. Plus planted beans, more carrots and beets and spinach, and other things I'm sure. <br /><br />Next up: plow the far acre and put in the potatoes, plus start some corn, more beans, summer squash, cucumbers, and such.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-47040585300431036612008-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:04.040-08:00Pigs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskjhXpealzeTb9iX3Zr1CbJVqhGbwv1TrH0_o1yQ-jW_cGlSphScmNOmLPFLYfTTfG0veRsprGtyGP1sc6B7gNZ63T9efWsqr8EOfjmPn9M8O1HG2YqdaKdfPpAm79oOSGqnmKEYFN6M/s1600-h/IMG_3111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskjhXpealzeTb9iX3Zr1CbJVqhGbwv1TrH0_o1yQ-jW_cGlSphScmNOmLPFLYfTTfG0veRsprGtyGP1sc6B7gNZ63T9efWsqr8EOfjmPn9M8O1HG2YqdaKdfPpAm79oOSGqnmKEYFN6M/s320/IMG_3111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205984652611823810" border="0" /></a><br />Next in line after the chicks was the pigs. We brought them over last Friday. 8 pigs, all of them <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkshire_%28pig%29">Berkshire</a>, with some having a bit of Yorkshire in the mix. <br /><br />Bringing them here was a bit of a trick. We rented a cargo van, put a tarp and some straw down and then drove the little dudes over from <a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=Wingham,+ON,+Canada&z=14&iwloc=addr">Wingham, Ontario</a>. 8 pigs in a van is pretty hilarious and heartbraking. Hilarious because the pigs are still pigs and doing regular piggy things like snuffling through the straw and rubbing up against each other. Heartbreaking because they're obviously scared and don't really enjoy the trip (one little guy got car sick on the way). <br /><br />Once they arrived though, the pigs made a pretty quick transition and seem to be at home in the little barn out in front of the house. <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHwd7jf5myhggUrEyZaya3jzAX_5oIVWwZ4r6EK_LD3pLXD8as_jEPaJYmTQVCTOsTd2pwP5xy7nEunG41DdXKaN2uQTohBeWuujr-Lr0SUYlJMhBLmuAeRqcrOF3XONb7X26tEnsHMg/s1600-h/IMG_3094.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHwd7jf5myhggUrEyZaya3jzAX_5oIVWwZ4r6EK_LD3pLXD8as_jEPaJYmTQVCTOsTd2pwP5xy7nEunG41DdXKaN2uQTohBeWuujr-Lr0SUYlJMhBLmuAeRqcrOF3XONb7X26tEnsHMg/s320/IMG_3094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203913649446463618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBABGhskxM4H2NSDtoTetrmugcCrEm2fPybYRjyvt1PUZC6UT3oEkCpmN5b77S2Fqq9hv_WFsIJP8F1yYnxfsIk088DOiwXAmp8CVbTYAl_kUrswjCx174W43lr60yOx6BuSpazH6OTUc/s1600-h/IMG_3097.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBABGhskxM4H2NSDtoTetrmugcCrEm2fPybYRjyvt1PUZC6UT3oEkCpmN5b77S2Fqq9hv_WFsIJP8F1yYnxfsIk088DOiwXAmp8CVbTYAl_kUrswjCx174W43lr60yOx6BuSpazH6OTUc/s320/IMG_3097.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203913658036398226" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4eDcfU69HGgxTE7f3sMxvHhbiADVuLpNyDZ1iYtcCqjy5vFewpNEuONypdv2m-Fm5S43LksMb9pIEP1_0Wj7X7bNyPSyTzdnXeqbUN6A0MYmpowt_is0-IVtz67gQclhg2rfR9025mo/s1600-h/IMG_3099.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4eDcfU69HGgxTE7f3sMxvHhbiADVuLpNyDZ1iYtcCqjy5vFewpNEuONypdv2m-Fm5S43LksMb9pIEP1_0Wj7X7bNyPSyTzdnXeqbUN6A0MYmpowt_is0-IVtz67gQclhg2rfR9025mo/s320/IMG_3099.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203913662331365538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY6sUCfQb1LlbPeDreJmMVzvk2bW-r8vZKstBfY9MZjD2xlQgm0WY2U36DTE_Cy4zHpha3IeDfIT8WnkPAibELKlcSzRyiZy_1uc3BqjgPF9Ig51aJ5sKHMGVOea1TCgwxFebIlpPMAk/s1600-h/IMG_3102.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCY6sUCfQb1LlbPeDreJmMVzvk2bW-r8vZKstBfY9MZjD2xlQgm0WY2U36DTE_Cy4zHpha3IeDfIT8WnkPAibELKlcSzRyiZy_1uc3BqjgPF9Ig51aJ5sKHMGVOea1TCgwxFebIlpPMAk/s320/IMG_3102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203913670921300146" border="0" /></a>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-86154501295552032412008-05-21T16:21:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:04.520-08:00Hot Chicks (SFW)Yesterday we got 100 day-old chicks. They're cute as all get out. Here is a video and a few photos. Guest appearance by Mike (the crazy kid that cycled up from Toronto).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0aXaPtPOYMOTup3kjSY5XG7vANl3mxY0VaIkksuwBNARlnr0XJuVBnuRceiolONRkjHlOFERWgDOXZ4_kWe5In4cPtpISDaOrqiZfGWZCt0qRd_3hibWwwhB7SgBpQ71_s0cYyRQwVU/s1600-h/IMG_3064.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0aXaPtPOYMOTup3kjSY5XG7vANl3mxY0VaIkksuwBNARlnr0XJuVBnuRceiolONRkjHlOFERWgDOXZ4_kWe5In4cPtpISDaOrqiZfGWZCt0qRd_3hibWwwhB7SgBpQ71_s0cYyRQwVU/s320/IMG_3064.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203007273908054114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtoWSsVnxsOBK-bTIob4NxodHxUmGc62wN_uQfUK3no7UE28_Yvx0PKOJXm2Q2MNZtegi-1P72iS4yBVygqkNG03gyR7nVIBe8XNIAWF5w-htRNkWaqUOrbcO17mK0PNR2kBEGdiwtnw/s1600-h/IMG_3059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtoWSsVnxsOBK-bTIob4NxodHxUmGc62wN_uQfUK3no7UE28_Yvx0PKOJXm2Q2MNZtegi-1P72iS4yBVygqkNG03gyR7nVIBe8XNIAWF5w-htRNkWaqUOrbcO17mK0PNR2kBEGdiwtnw/s320/IMG_3059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203007278203021426" /></a><br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2SKZdM2bUNI&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2SKZdM2bUNI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center>Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-38698438433336677292008-05-18T11:55:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:06.772-08:00A brief tourHere are a few pictures of the property I took the other day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHo96hpwLy1hm44XIjPIXzifIG2rZnTOu6fEjmRjP_A9TArjaBjmwO6NW_YZHBYEnX0FdgVuxcHeqZRiRsWSN-Mn00UquiYg-S55gUqCFM-2YMd3wyE8ZxAKtBs_Cxo-frgDGjlK_InQ/s1600-h/IMG_3000.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHo96hpwLy1hm44XIjPIXzifIG2rZnTOu6fEjmRjP_A9TArjaBjmwO6NW_YZHBYEnX0FdgVuxcHeqZRiRsWSN-Mn00UquiYg-S55gUqCFM-2YMd3wyE8ZxAKtBs_Cxo-frgDGjlK_InQ/s320/IMG_3000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794800391157682" border="0" /></a>This is looking south out from the home block to the 30 acre field. It wraps around to the left. Well, that's how the field looked a week ago.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg6p5UGUzCuiqtAcHCGoSaIdIiqPzvFFLkISqTAvhEXF39vm9v4zlqDoJsbtKzonyyLAQjpays5j7mg0GNq-7Q566gUsdI9wcyAIrwqSOhp4kfh8fGKVrCcqAN_2vKHtqg9WIHZfL4Yk/s1600-h/IMG_3033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg6p5UGUzCuiqtAcHCGoSaIdIiqPzvFFLkISqTAvhEXF39vm9v4zlqDoJsbtKzonyyLAQjpays5j7mg0GNq-7Q566gUsdI9wcyAIrwqSOhp4kfh8fGKVrCcqAN_2vKHtqg9WIHZfL4Yk/s320/IMG_3033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201799705243809794" border="0" /></a><br />Since then I've made a few beds and planted onions, leeks, carrots, parsnip, beets, and spinach.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHft0XYopLnE1EUJk3kshodO2blaYyNY0jdZjp4wuXg0D3dog_3TTSbI0o6k68RdlVBL02sP8mILJ_KfWlMTgZq3FVIe2Nsgqefkni9-slviTLpoRT-pFM2RoRATtGUG58GUe3N3ZxqFI/s1600-h/IMG_3001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHft0XYopLnE1EUJk3kshodO2blaYyNY0jdZjp4wuXg0D3dog_3TTSbI0o6k68RdlVBL02sP8mILJ_KfWlMTgZq3FVIe2Nsgqefkni9-slviTLpoRT-pFM2RoRATtGUG58GUe3N3ZxqFI/s320/IMG_3001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794804686124994" border="0" /></a>The property has several little structures on it. This is a miniture barn. Complete with its own hay maw.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaorVomWOlt52AHgyKBVhw59kwONxUJMm5QS_s5rXL80p48VNhDvyH5dgEXQdA2RTPiKcf1hDrxOoFPVJwhB5KbCtd3CG_VTIDjautSiir53cKz15VDRh2xeesAk3tVO7F1yaUpJNxkg/s1600-h/IMG_3002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaorVomWOlt52AHgyKBVhw59kwONxUJMm5QS_s5rXL80p48VNhDvyH5dgEXQdA2RTPiKcf1hDrxOoFPVJwhB5KbCtd3CG_VTIDjautSiir53cKz15VDRh2xeesAk3tVO7F1yaUpJNxkg/s320/IMG_3002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794804686125010" border="0" /></a>Behind the mini barn, is the covered hoop barn. (The 30 acre field stretches out behind it).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3pwJT44-h2udvw9OOFIobJb69h18E5I609pr1U6kZXxI7_gciS7ccauOg5tH6Wb2tDHARMDBtQMIxoR2DRwyJaeGFGmV2uuoVjymBoD-An1ylrXgnjbZ0KwbBQCsG9SYm6oeQQen2Ik/s1600-h/IMG_3004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN3pwJT44-h2udvw9OOFIobJb69h18E5I609pr1U6kZXxI7_gciS7ccauOg5tH6Wb2tDHARMDBtQMIxoR2DRwyJaeGFGmV2uuoVjymBoD-An1ylrXgnjbZ0KwbBQCsG9SYm6oeQQen2Ik/s320/IMG_3004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794813276059618" border="0" /></a>Here's the view of the hoop barn from the field. Where I'm standing to take the picture is the far corner of a square acre I've marked out to use as a trial garden. I plan to put the grain, potatoes, and a few beds of veggies back here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LXsq1mL5PXZfSp2UxA2PRTmxE0VE86wD5x795ir4NCoklOuuCfpV-ntS1QDSHHIqZFQs80o0r6JmymMjbc-uu_LrrBA7idQYtdlYfHWMrzrpVlLBsOJkB4NPW1GAPNU9VD68bTUg8G4/s1600-h/IMG_2999.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LXsq1mL5PXZfSp2UxA2PRTmxE0VE86wD5x795ir4NCoklOuuCfpV-ntS1QDSHHIqZFQs80o0r6JmymMjbc-uu_LrrBA7idQYtdlYfHWMrzrpVlLBsOJkB4NPW1GAPNU9VD68bTUg8G4/s320/IMG_2999.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794263520245586" border="0" /></a>Back on the home block, there is a small cabin in one of the flower gardens. Big enough to hold two small beds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvpLnY0PHfQFeh4u-dW5juo7mGR4lMgH5fyaJsYKpP-jzFNk98HBnkE9CHEA2EkmP1QewEB9VfZXB56QjAOpVJ-9TABqn2XVSx-MgBb83CyeDJvIG_y6RcOAFhBgPppaRALdhdSSaB28/s1600-h/IMG_2998.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvpLnY0PHfQFeh4u-dW5juo7mGR4lMgH5fyaJsYKpP-jzFNk98HBnkE9CHEA2EkmP1QewEB9VfZXB56QjAOpVJ-9TABqn2XVSx-MgBb83CyeDJvIG_y6RcOAFhBgPppaRALdhdSSaB28/s320/IMG_2998.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794345124624274" border="0" /></a>Across the way from the cabin is a trailer.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0L0OFXhU1L_IJnT3Y5tlgjDscWnD1WCARSnG7AcUN_cxjZXszcZe1OHXymcSgZbXal1gvQKWtrek6ST2SlWA_q32zALfxv-2al6WHXbSHWWEwTf-9EBLdgim-r5Rokr9SakoRNkzQFQ/s1600-h/IMG_2995.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0L0OFXhU1L_IJnT3Y5tlgjDscWnD1WCARSnG7AcUN_cxjZXszcZe1OHXymcSgZbXal1gvQKWtrek6ST2SlWA_q32zALfxv-2al6WHXbSHWWEwTf-9EBLdgim-r5Rokr9SakoRNkzQFQ/s320/IMG_2995.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794276405147490" border="0" /></a>And moving back a bit farther you can see the cabin tucked in the woods, and a small pond. The cabin is out and to the left, and the you can just see the field stretching out on the left hand-side of the image.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpkKcsDR-LH4ZmQHaC6jHayxxZBxaOwPIcocYFWfvMMQlTaajVbw4NuyeBJkRvrTz3vXUa_oIDi_feRGY4m2wfxD6QOTlXFATynYEFXWRoQVQblKZHWpLiF5GRmB8LAqpJq6BPAoVs6s/s1600-h/IMG_2994.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpkKcsDR-LH4ZmQHaC6jHayxxZBxaOwPIcocYFWfvMMQlTaajVbw4NuyeBJkRvrTz3vXUa_oIDi_feRGY4m2wfxD6QOTlXFATynYEFXWRoQVQblKZHWpLiF5GRmB8LAqpJq6BPAoVs6s/s320/IMG_2994.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201797948602185714" border="0" /></a>Behind where I was standing to take the picture of the pond is the workshop shed, and on the south end you can see the sunroom. We replaced the tin roof of the sunroom with plastic to give it more light. At the moment we're keeping the seedlings in this room during the day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb5onaRPFmTS4GOlwlufrAmRJOoJyHrBrbeuChrrIT75vHZ4VNY7usI9nRTpMO-D02ggzN6mzJgeET1OTAp4dL9C5gGEj0AhZcuvP48nn36wqPnRX-4V_Lgyrv-OTMGqgV2IdSTYIOaU/s1600-h/IMG_2996.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqb5onaRPFmTS4GOlwlufrAmRJOoJyHrBrbeuChrrIT75vHZ4VNY7usI9nRTpMO-D02ggzN6mzJgeET1OTAp4dL9C5gGEj0AhZcuvP48nn36wqPnRX-4V_Lgyrv-OTMGqgV2IdSTYIOaU/s320/IMG_2996.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794340829656962" border="0" /></a>Across from the workshop is the house (which I don't have a picture of at the moment) and this, the "loft" barn.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtItmOC3b78NU-Us-uvU-uB12bVXbDTa2NpCH5g9vCluj67g6ty8pV_7YfZXf-Zd5di8KNvu-gJnGcWD-WPL4WCOLyT70kvEDptkmZDUJEKdBURPl3ZYctouCSQagAdEmFTSfG0ubYzE/s1600-h/IMG_2993.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtItmOC3b78NU-Us-uvU-uB12bVXbDTa2NpCH5g9vCluj67g6ty8pV_7YfZXf-Zd5di8KNvu-gJnGcWD-WPL4WCOLyT70kvEDptkmZDUJEKdBURPl3ZYctouCSQagAdEmFTSfG0ubYzE/s320/IMG_2993.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201794336534689650" border="0" /></a>Behind the workshop there is a rather large lawn of grass. I've started to convert it over to a garden to see how veggies fare there. Tarrah has seeded greens for her sisters wedding. The white row cover is used to protect the seedlings from flea beetle.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309013603626098190.post-53780304580820735162008-05-18T06:41:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:47:06.932-08:00An introduction.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=44.071924%7E-80.944176&style=h&lvl=13&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1&cid=18E6FBBE988C8083%21123"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih87wi1ie0tVBLK03BKFTv-BxId2CfmgIIb6JqawIvSjqxNXu5RZkaaWZalHkj4tOcVMsHFCWwCmalJbH8tnJ6TJPUXlR6Njqdh3IFBGkfpMpquA-K4UF7QYl2j9YzxCoB8BSugvj95SM/s400/Green+Being+Farm+Map.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201739622946305858" border="0" /></a><br />I've been holding off starting this blog because I had an elaborate idea of how I wanted to introduce the farm but it seems that's not going to happen because at the end of the day I don't seem to have enough energy to pull it all together.<br /><br />Regardless, I'd like to start of with a little introduction to this blog. <br /><br />So, I'm spending the next couple of months here at Green Being Farm. Two of my friends, Nathan and Tarrah, bought this property last autumn and moved up here over the winter. The aerial photo above shows the property -- click the image to explore the area. It's about 50 acres in total, with about 30 acres of workable land: the balance is in various structures, gardens, lawn, and plenty of wetland. <br /><br />Anyhow, Nathan and Tarrah are both working full-time from home this year. Their plan is by next year to have a small vegetable market-garden for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture">CSA</a>, and raise chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, and eventually cattle. All of which, Tarrah, and maybe another person, will work on full-time. But, as I say, this season they are working full-time from home. <br /><br />I'm spending the summer here getting their farm and some of the land ready for next year, and taking advantage of Tarrah's farming know-how to learn a bit more about growing vegetables and such. I'll be keeping a small vegetable garden -- growing enough to feed us all for the year, plus a bit extra for family and a <a href="http://farmingaround.blogspot.com">few</a> <a href="http://www.third-bit.com">friends</a> (and maaaybe also <a href="http://www.holsteinfarmersmarket.ca/">nearby farmer's market</a>); growing potatoes for Rachel and Carolyn at <a href="http://beetstreetcsa.ca/">BeetStreet CSA</a> and Angie at <a href="http://www.fertilegroundcsa.com">Fertile Ground CSA</a>; and experimenting with growing a quarter acre each of wheat and oats just for kicks. Also, Tarrah is raising a few chickens, turkeys, and pigs this year, which I'm certain I'll be helping out with. <br /><br />Here's what I'd like to get out of this season. I'd like to get a more complete sense of what is involved with running and starting a farm and farm business. <a href="http://farmalicious.blogspot.com">Last year</a>, and in previous years volunteering on farms, I've learned heaps about the basic theory, skills and practice of organic market gardening but I've only every really done the grunt work. This season I'll be doing lots of that too, but I have more responsibility here. At the end of the season I'd like to be able to have learnt enough and feel confident enough that I could start my own operation -- and more importantly, to know whether this is something I'd actually want to do. <br /><br />I'm also keen to help Tarrah and Nathan get the momentum going for their operation. There's plenty of experimenting to do (as we're doing by having various garden plots), infrastructure to build (recently, a sunroom for seedlings), and systems to sort out (e.g. how to use the walk-behind tractor to make beds).<br /><br />Finally, this season is also a chance for me to step back from my studies. I've completed the first half of a masters in computer science at U of T, but I'm not sure how to continue exactly. Over this summer I'll give that some thought, which you can read about <a href="http://skoolr.blogspot.com">here</a>.<br /><br />As for this blog, I'd like this to be a place to record day-to-day happenings, pictures, and my reflections on the season.<br /><br />That's all. <br /><br />Oh yeah, if you'd like to know more about Nathan and Tarrah and the farm, the CBC did a documentary on new farmers a few weeks ago which featured them. Listen to it <a href="http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/sundayedition_20080505_5659.mp3">here</a>.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02696937918500393627noreply@blogger.com1