I have no new year's resolutions other than continue to grow and learn as a farmer, add more critters to the mix, perhaps learn to cook better, and renovate the house some more. But those are all things I'd do whether it were new years or not. But I will share with you my past year in review as it was a great year for me and my family.
I'm a day early but better early then late as I was for Christmas! I wanted to make sure I got my well wishes to all of you for a propserous new year, and since hubby is off tomorrow I figure we'll probably spend the day working on the kitchen and I won't get around to blogging. I have no new year's resolutions other than continue to grow and learn as a farmer, add more critters to the mix, perhaps learn to cook better, and renovate the house some more. But those are all things I'd do whether it were new years or not. But I will share with you my past year in review as it was a great year for me and my family. The year, however, did not start off so well. We had an early blast of winter and got hit by two huge snowstorms in December. The horses were suppose to be outdoor animals but when the snow continued to pelt the earth, and their small pasture became too deep to move around properly plus the addition of high winds, we scrambled to find them shelter in the shed and horse trailer. The storms continued to pound our area and eventually one of our mini's, Duchess (Duke's mom) succumbed to one of the harshest winters I've experienced in many, many years. It was shortly after that that one of our neighbours approached us about a property becoming available just around the corner that had a huge beautiful, new horse barn. The decision to move was not an easy one as the house was not as wonderful as the barn and required work. Mainly in this room. This was how our kitchen looked when we first viewed the house...and missing a main factor...kitchen cabinets. In the end, we decided to take the place as it was an opportunity we thought best to not let pass bye. And I'm so glad we did. Since then we've added to the farm and I've had the opportunity to experience owning day old chicks. Watched them grow to fill my backyard with chickens. And shortly afterwards, ducks followed. And goats. And turkeys. And rabbits. And even a pig. We ended the year saying goodbye to some farm friends.... Along with some unplanned goodbyes. But we ended the year with finally getting cabinets for the kitchen. Overall, it's been a great year with it's ups and downs but that is what life is all about. I am certain 2012 will be an even better year as 2011 was just a precursor as to what is yet to come.
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My apologies for disappearing for the past ten days! I did not intend to but with last minute Christmas shopping, family gatherings, Christmas, kitchen renovations, a heating system that went on the fritz, plus squeezing in as much free skating over the holidays at the local rinks, I've been overly busy. I had every intention of at least coming on to wish everyone a merry christmas but again, life got in the way. So it's a little late, but Merry Christmas to all my blog friends and visitors and I hope you had a wonderful and safe holiday surrounded by those you love. I had a fantastic and blessed Christmas with my three wonderful kids and husband. Here's some photos from over the holidays to share. My two beautiful girls enjoying a skate at the arena. The boy finally learns to skate!! Yay, this was a big event. He's a late learner but I knew this would be his year. He was determined. Santa stopped in at the barn again this year and left all the barn critters treats in their stockings. And, of course, in the house as well. The boy was ecstatic to get everything Penguins, his favourite team after the Leafs, thanks to Sid the Kid. The girls are older now and have part-time jobs and buy everything they need, so we keep it simple for them but they always act like it was the best gift ever. Love them! The three spoiled pooches also got stockings under the tree. Hubby got a new snowsuit that he loved so much he refused to take it off! And I got a new barn coat and hat. We had a green Christmas afterall which was good for those travelling. My inlaws and my sister and her family came for a visit, but we were able to avoid any travelling ourselves this year. We've lost a couple barn critters including Coco, the chocolate muscovy duck (very disappointing) who got stuck under the ice in the pond and drowned as well as one of the Brahma chickens who we were unsure of their gender, we found him also floating in the pond. Not sure what happened there. Plus a couple more chickens to unknown causes. The cold weather I'm sure is the major factor in the death in all of them. Next winter I will be better prepared.
What do you do when you have too many eggs? We've been averaging about 7 a day and my fridge is starting to run out of room. Don't think I'm at a point yet where I can start selling them, so I have to find uses in cooking them instead. One of my favourite and easiest ways to get rid of 10 eggs quickly, is making the family omelettes. It's a fast meal, healthy and a crowd favourite. Here's my very simple recipe. First you will need two eggs per omelette, your favourite ingredients along with your favourite cheese. Now I've made it no secret that I'm no conoisseur, so I like it simple. Here's what I add. My omelettes must include the three above ingredients...ham, mushrooms and cheese. Preferrably black forest ham, fried mushrooms, and any kind of processed cheese. But I'm not that picky. Canned mushrooms and sliced cheese will do the trick just fine. So to begin, mix your eggs in a bowl along with two tablespoons of water and a dash of salt and pepper. Poor it into a fry pan and cook on medium heat until done. Add your ingredients to one half of the omelette and flip the other side over them. Let it sit long enough for the cheese to melt and voila, she's done. Simple. Quick. Easy. Healthy. Well, until someone drowns it in ketchup!
Guess how I will be spending the Christmas holidays?! Sun tanning somewhere in the southern hemisphere? Nope. Cruising the Carribbean? Nope. Skiing in Whistler Mountain, renting a log cabin in Vermont, checking out the bright lights of Las Vegas? Nope, nope, nope. Here's a hint. And another. Yes, it's true, we finally have kitchen cabinets!! After ten long months of being without cabinets, I am over the moon about this. My goal was to have the cabinets before Christmas. True, I may have meant installed and finished, but beggars can't be choosers. I will be happily renovating over Christmas break. And maybe if I remain positive thinking, they'll be installed before Easter!
Look who made a return this morning! Come with me as I do chores this fine winter morning. First stop is the chicken coop. Where everyone is waiting anxiously for breakfast. They have been up for a while, as so have I, but the sun hasn't and won't until about 8 o'clock and since there is no light in the coop they have to wait for the sun to rise. That doesn't stop Frank from welcoming the morning with his cock-a-doodle doo's though. I emerge from the coop to be greeted by Dakota, our night guard. Together we head over to the big barn and make our first stop at the turkey's pen. They had gotten too big and were taking up far too much room in the chicken coop so had to finally get the boot. They are taking up residence in the old rabbit/rooster run while the rabbits or indoors for the winter and the roosters have moved in with the hens. I'm not happy with the turkey'sr new housing situation, though, so will probably make some type of accomodations inside the barn before the weather gets worse. After I feed them, I head inside the barn and am immediately greeted by the welcoming party, aka the barn cats. They get fed first if only to keep them from being underfoot. Chase is next to greet me with a good morning neigh. But Miss Elizabeth is more pressing and demanding my attention first. Once I fill her bowl, I grab Chase some hay and toss it into the corner of his stall and collect his and Lizzie's water buckets. Notice how muddy Chase is, he spent the last couple of days outdoors enjoying the mild weather. Farm Girl worked late last night and didn't get a chance to brush him down. If the weather is nice, I'll turn him out for the day, but I think I'll keep him indoors today. On the opposite side of Chase's stall, Odette and Lacy believe the hay is for them as well and join Chase for breakfast. Next I fill the water buckets and am grateful once again for running water in the barn. Jadis and Faun say good morning from the opposite side. I check their water and food situation. Satisfied with what I see, I haul the full water buckets back to Chase and Lizzy, then check on the rabbits water and food. And lastly, I let Damon out to roam for the day. He's been keeping rez in the sick bay coop inside the big barn ever since we put him in there about a month ago. We thought he was dying so completely cleaned the coop with Javex and moved Damon inside, hoping he'd recover. He did, thankfully. But now he never wants to leave. We'll leave the barn door open for him to go out and venture but he's much happier inside the barn. Can't blame him. It's nice and warm in there and plenty of cat food to steal. Back outside, Dakota heads for her dog run for the day. I will be letting the ducks out to forage for the day and I can't have Dakota free as she has acquired a taste for duck. The greenhouse is my next stop. Usually the ducks are very eager to leave the greenhouse but this morning they are hesitant at the appearance of snow on the opposite side of the door once again. But they eventually do empty out of the greenhouse and some even dare a cold morning swim. While others prefered to enjoy the pond from the edge, thank you very much. That should be it for my morning chores, but I need to stop back at the chicken coop to grab their water bucket since the shed is without running water. It's not really an issue though since the coop is right next to the house. In the summer I can just take water from the hose outback which is only a step away from the door to the shed and in the winter I can carry water from the kitchen out to the chickens. So I make a quick stop into the house to fill their bucket and find the boy awake. I wish him good morning and he updates me on the latest hockey news. I return to the coop with water in hand and collect any eggs before leaving. While in the shed I load up on wood for the day. I haul it inside and pile it next to the fireplace, and then, finally, morning chores are done and I can sit down to a morning tea. About that time, oldest gets up and lets the goldens outside and Farm Girl eventually crawls out of bed some time after that and heads out to the barn to complete all the mucking and cleaning that needs to be done. I say, I get the better half of farm chores.
It was another warm day today. The highest all week. Plus the sun made a return and with the warm weather, our pond melted, making our ducks very happy once again. I'm figuring this should be one of the last warm days of the year, if not for a while, Afterall, this is what it looked like this time last year. And poor Farm Girl was hauling buckets of water to the horses in knee deep snow and below zero temperatures. The boy had been home on a four day long snowday as the second largest storm of the year had struck this exact time a year ago. Highway 402 (one of Ontario's provincial highways) which is located about 30 kilometers south of our farm had been shut down due to the storm, trapping thousands of drivers. The Canadian Military were eventually called in to rescue the over 200 trapped motorists. But today, a year later, this is how we spent the day. We let the girls out on this fine unusual December day. I figured they will probably be locked up for the next three to four months as we don't have a proper outdoor pen for them, so they might as well enjoy it while it lasted. It was young Holly's first time out of her stall. I had fun capturing the day with her. And the other girls too of course!
Look what has happened to my snow! It up and left...ten days before Christmas! How rude. No matter, me and the boy tried to get into the Christmas spirit by building a gingerbread house. We had big ambitions. That fell apart. I'm no baker. So I headed outside to do some productive work. The boy snapped a photo of me to show that I actually do chores around the place and not put all my kids to work...but heck, if I can, I sure am! He might have cut off my head, but honestly, it's me. And though I may want snow for Christmas, I don't miss it when it comes to cleaning the coop. The barn is toasty warm but the hen house is freezing so having mild temperatures while cleaning it out has been nice. That's Buffy, our youngest chicken keeping me company. She's a home girl, not a fan of leaving the nest to venture out into the great big world...or at least my yard. Even when I scooted her out and blocked the entrance to lay some fresh shavings down, she was right at the door watching and waiting. And lastly, I had decided awhile ago that these two were roosters. I already have a brahma, Sophie, who I know is a hen (pretty sure she's laying) and these two outgrew her quickly, have those long necks that Sophie doesn't have and one has had attitude from the moment it arrived at our farm as a day old chick. So I was certain I had two brahma roosters on my hand. But then I was speaking to someone the other day and they reminded me of something. Something that appears to be noticeably missing. My roosters lack spurs. The bad news is I may be down two roosters. The good news is I may be up two hens.
The male estrogen levels are high here at the farm. They must be because everytime I turn around our tom turkey, Skeeter is in a huge combat with our muscovy drake, Sir Quacksalot. And I'll be honest, the battle has me watching in awe at these two big magnificent birds going at it that I completely forget to grab the camera. When I do remember and rush outside to catch this remarkable image on film (sort of speak) they immediately break up the fight. But the evidence is left behind. Can you see the ring of blood around Skeeter's neck and chest? I tried to take a photo of Sir Quacksalot's battle scars, but for some reason they were in no mood for a photo op. That's blood on Sir Quacksalots face and Skeeter's feathers in his mouth. Not sure who's blood it is but it's always a flying when they go at it, and thus far we don't have a winner or a loser or I'd assume the battle would have come to a conclusion by now. But whenever Skeeter gets a bit too close to Sir Quacksalot (and I'm thinking on purpose) away they go! In other male news, we got a new rooster. I named him Frank. Just because. Okay, truth be told I'm running out of great name ideas. He's a barred rock, a HUGE barred rock. And this spring's hatch. He's going to reproduce me some huge babies. That's the plan at least.
The thermometer dropped below freezing overnight and we woke to a frozen countryside. Our pond was a sheet of ice. Ducks, I discovered, react funny in winter. The snow yesterday made them hesitate for only a few minutes before venturing out into it. It didn't take them long to start foraging beneath it. The below zero temperatures, however, had my ducks unaware of what to do. We've been housing them in the greenhouse which is right next to the pond, as seen above, since we never got around to building a duck house for the winter. The greenhouse works as it provides warmth and plenty of sunshine for them. It also provides me with great fertiziler for the spring.
When I let them out this morning, a few headed right for the pond and proceeded to do a cartoon-like reenactment of a duck skating on ice. Kind of funny. I attempted to break the pond at the shallow end so that they could get some water to drink and bathe (the greenhouse can get pretty dusty) but within ten minutes it had frozen over again. Then instead of heading out and foraging, they all went into a kind of hibernating state right there on my deck. So I filled some feed into a bucket inside the greenhouse, added a tub of water, then went about "waking" the ducks and trying to herd them back into the greenhouse. Some woke immediately and flew inside, others seemed unable to move due to frozen wings, and a few reacted in what I could only describe as "playing dead". They'd proceed to quack in alarm as I approached then literally fell over onto their sides as if they were dead. At least it made it easier for me to pick them up and return them to the greenhouse. The good news is if the below temperatures continue, I may be able to build that ice rink for the boy after all. With the mild temperatures for most of the winter thus far, I feared we wouldn't be able to. Yesterday, I gave the local arena a call with this thought in mind to see about joining him up for their learn to skate program. Holly smokes, they wanted $230 for just one night a week for only 3 months, PLUS an additional $100 for fund raising (or raise the money in other ways). I just want the boy to learn to skate, for pete's sake! So my fingers are crossed the temperature stays cold. |