Building The Greenhouse.

This fall we built the hemlock frame and my boys and I installed the hoops. We've built it across from the barn where it will have protection from wind by being below the riding ring and surrounded by trees which are at a distance that they won't obscure light. Friends helped me build the north plywood wall with doors, installing the channel lock and building the south doors. So much work.

The boys enjoyed swinging between the hoops and they said they had a blast installing a ton of lag screws with me.

This weekend two friends came to help. It was time to install the plastic. Saturday was the installation of the doors, the inflation kit, additional bracing and other little odd jobs that seem to take forever. Sunday was crunch day. The strong winds cleared through Saturday night leaving Sunday morning calm and clear. 

We placed cardboard on the ground and then unrolled the plastic on one side. It was one full sheet of plastic which the instructions said to cut up the middle and then lay double layered over the greenhouse frame. Nope. No way was I going to cut anything. We grabbed the mid-line and started pulling it over. Thank goodness there were three of us. That was incredibly difficult. After a ton of work in pulling it over we aligned it straight and what do you know that's when the wind came up.

Immediately I had one person hold onto the plastic on the windward side and the other two of us wire locked one side. What a race! After securing that side we did the other one pulling with all our might to get the plastic as tight as possible. 

Then we secured the north end. As you can see from pictures it's not a little greenhouse the peak is over 12 feet high. Using ladders on uneven ground, pulling plastic with one hand and holding on with the other was... quite a feat. 

The hardest end was the south facing. We secured the bottom and then stretched and aligned the plastic up over the last hoop and under the other plastic. We wanted to only use one layer of wire lock to hold the main plastic and the end. This meant 2 people outside with one pulling the plastic of the main sheet tight and the other installing the wire lock while I was inside pulling like a mad woman to tighten and align the end plastic. Finally once that was secured we wire locked around the south doors and cut away the excess plastic. We were exhausted but thrilled it was on.

After catching our breath we then cut holes and installed the inflation kit hose. At first it didn't seem to be doing anything and we actually started wondering if we had stretched it too tight. Nope, in less than five minutes the plastic layers had separated and stretched taunt as a drum. I double checked all the wire lock and looked for any holes. Everything was great. 

There is still a ton of work to do with it including building a drain outside, installing more support for winter and wind, insulating the plywood, trim work and of course getting the ground ready for planting.

Wow. I have a greenhouse!

Time To Relax... What?

After receiving her last bag for this season one of my subscribers commented that I would now be able to put my feet up and relax this winter. The hard labor must be over. Well... no.

Keeping up with a 28 acre farm and a 4 bedroom 175 year old house in full renovations has shown to be a challenge. Plus being the best Mom I can be for my boys and add to that running my own business.

While the weather is still somewhat agreeable I'm racing to finish the greenhouse. I'm so close! I have a friend coming to help me this weekend and by Sunday afternoon we hope it will be all set to put the plastic on. Attaching the plastic needs a day where there is no wind. 20 knots just ain't going to work. As it's nearly always windy here I'm a little concerned but the site is quite protected so I'm sure it will be alright. After it's done and I've calmed down from dancing for joy ;) I'll be digging the whole thing up, setting up my benches and building the supports for the cucumbers and tomatoes in the Spring. Exciting!

I've done some work in the fields but have been stymied by rain and now the beds have turned to mud. Hopefully they will dry out before frost as I would like to plant some more garlic for next year.

During all this rain my thoughts have turned to the house. Living in the middle of renovations is getting on my nerves. Just one room done would be fantastic. Today I attacked the ceiling in the living room and dining room. I ripped down the remaining tongue and groove and will finish taking down the rest next week. At least then it will all be uniform and I can organize the wires. Whoever ran them must have been having a bad day. My Mom says to stretch fabric across in between the beams as both Jiprock is not in the budget right now and there is no way I'm going to attempt putting it up by myself. Maybe next winter. In the meantime my main goal is to get the living room, dining room and kitchen up to prime preferably for Christmas. I've been told by many that my muding skills leave much to be desired but heck it's a 175 year old farmhouse and I'm doing my best. After saying this though I know something else is bound to come up which requires my attention. That's just what farm living is about.

Halloween

Halloween was great. I hope all of you had a fabulous one too. 

I spent the morning volunteering at Navarre's party at the Halloween Bingo table. I had 4 groups of kids each for 30 minutes. Each little one, won a game and received a prize of candy, then when they won again they received high fives from everyone at the table. Making this last for 30 minutes was a bit of a challenge. I was happy I could break up the time with questions, having them tell me more about their costumes, where they were trick-or-treating and more. The last group was a handful as by that point they were wired from all the candy they'd eaten. I was all smiles, so much fun.

 

Later after finishing some paperwork at home the boys and I carved the Jack-O-Lanterns. Navarre drew an outline of a bat and Anthony and I figured out the best way to do a cat. They loved that we had grown our own on our farm. So cool. Next year I'm planning on growing a lot of different types including Cinderella and white pumpkins. The kids want to try growing a giant one. We'll see.

My boys are completely into Star Wars right now. Such a proud mommy, yes I'm a geek! Last year they were both clones and this year Anthony was a Jedi and Navarre was the Red Clone Leader. My friends have Netflix in Halifax and the boys are always so excited to come to game night and watch it upstairs while the rest of us are gaming. I think they are old enough to have me read them The Hobbit now so next Halloween maybe we will see a little more variety.

Mahone Bay is a wonderful place to Trick-Or-Treat. It is very picturesque and the beautiful houses are all quite close together. The boys cleaned up in an hour and a half. They have now organized all their candy and we've thrown out the rejects. This leaves them with two huge bags. Oh my. We'll see how long it lasts. It's not the boys I'm worried about, it's me. 

Pullets Are Starting To Lay

Last night I found our first pullet egg. One of the cutest things. As you can see it's quite small compared to the adult chicken egg. For those of you who don't know a pullet is it's a young chicken in it's first year of life. They stop being called a chick after they grow in their feathers and are no longer little fluff bombs.
It's a little late in the season for them to start laying. Sometimes chickens don't lay their first year. The cold weather effects their bodies and can drastically reduce egg production, which is what has happened with my other chickens. Also the amount of sunlight has an effect on egg production. Once the weather warms up in the spring and the days are longer their bodies go into overdrive.

Box Delivery Week 22

November 1^st, 2014

Week 22

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Arugula, Garlic, Brussels Sprouts, Arrowhead Cabbage, Purple Cabbage, Carrots and Thyme

This week is our last for the season. Sad to see it end but a new one is already beginning. My plans for next year’s garden are in the works and I have started work on my seed orders. Seed catalogs can become addictive, everything looks so amazing. Please send me your feedback on this year’s vegetables and if there is anything in particular you would like me to grow for next year.

I loved having the carrots in the delivery this week. Normally the boys and I eat them steamed but sometimes I make them special. Here is one of my favorite easy recipes:

In a pot place:

Carrots, sprigs of thyme, a little butter or splash of olive oil, pinch of salt and a Tbsp. of sugar. Sometimes I also add some lemon zest.

Cover with boiling water and simmer until tender. Yummy!

I hope you had a spook-tacular Halloween and have a wonderful week!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Back into the Swing of Things

So maybe I was having an off day or swinging an axe is not like riding a bike. I got into the hang of it at the end but there was a mixture of curses and laughing at myself throughout. Also a few pieces are back in the shed. I don't admit defeat but I think they need to age a bit.

Always stop before you become frustrated swinging an axe!

I try to mix in some easier ones with the tough ones. Frankly after wrestling with a tough one, the joy of having a piece of wood practically fall apart on its own is a godsend. Big smiles and cheers. The chickens seemed to enjoy the show.

This year figuring out the best way to heat the house in the shoulder season has not been easy. Thankfully I had my furnace repaired last week so I can use my forced air. However using up the oil tank this early is not what I was planning on. I have a Kachelofen wood stove which only burns 2 fires a day. The whole thing heats up rocket hot but takes a few days to do so. Annoying as then it's too hot and I feel like I'm wasting wood. Argh. So I'm usually burning 1 fire a day and then doing some blasts of heat from the furnace.

The boys and I are fine. I have extra blankets on all our beds for the cool nights. The cat is now back to sleeping with me, its nice to have a little purring heater.

Soon I will have the garden put away and the greenhouse covered and prepped. Then I'll be back into renovating. After insulating roughly 70% of the house last year I really need to do more. So much work! However, I am now awesome at it! As for mudding out, I'm trying but apparently so far I suck at it.

Let's see what I can accomplish this winter.

Box Delivery Week 21

October 24^th, 2014

Week 21

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Rutabaga, Beet Greens, Lacinato Kale, Rainbow Swiss Chard, Potatoes, Celeriac, Garlic and Rosemary

This week is a bit of a mix with the end of the season drawing near. For those who do not know what Celeriac is, it’s a root vegetable with a celery taste. It is wonderful in stews, boiled and mashed with potatoes and grating into a slaw salad with cabbage, carrot… Just about any root vegetable can go in it.

My favorite easiest dressing for coleslaw:

Start small as you can always make more. For two people I usually use ½ cup of mayonnaise and then slowly add pickle juice mixing until a desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add your coleslaw and toss it together. If you think you need a little more dressing just make some more in a separate bowl and then pour over the salad.

Another great side dish is rutabaga or potatoes roasted with rosemary and garlic. Dice up the root vegetable, mince the garlic and add some copped rosemary. Mix in a casserole dish with some olive oil and bake until tender at 350 degrees.

Next week the delivery will be on Thursday as Friday is Halloween. It will also be the last delivery for this season. My thoughts are already on next season and I am looking forward to your ideas on what you would like me to grow for you in 2015.

Have a wonderful week!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Halloween Decorating

Tonight the boys and I broke out the Halloween decorations. With the chaos last year going through all the renovations we missed decorating. Today we were inspired by all the decorations around Mahone Bay and at the boy's school which is getting ready for Bay Boo this Saturday.

I lugged my two big boxes down from the attic to the delight of the boys. Believe it or not I've downsized! Navarre said "Wow Mom you have a lot of decorations. This is so cool!" After dinner we made Halloween paper chains and then placed the different ornaments around the house. The boys said we were "Spookyfi-ing" They soon started making up games with the big plastic spiders, rats and bats. I loved putting out my extra broom in the corner, my beautiful black crow, skull candles, autumn garland, skeletons and my favorite vintage pumpkin man. Vintage Halloween is a favorite of mine. Wish I could get some more.

Tomorrow I need to find some thread to hang the bats and I've promised the boys we will make Halloween cookies next week to take to school for their class parties. I must admit I'm stoked! It's been a while since I decorated Halloween cookies. Dare I even bring up the possibility of a Halloween Gingerbread House? My goodness I must be crazy.

A Visit From The Neighbors

With the estimated torrential amounts of rain coming I decided it was best to complete most of my harvest yesterday. Luckily I had my two favorite helpers with me after they finished school. I admit their focus was lost once they saw all the worms in the soil. Worm huts and houses became a priority! It was great listening to them, I love the stories they make up.

When I moved to dig up the beets the boys joined me to munch on the blue star flower, Borage (tastes like cucumber). It was then that we noticed our "neighbors" were near.

We immediately wandered over to the fence. We haven't seen them much this year so it was a treat.

There is a barbed electric fence between us and the cattle so I wasn't concerned however we still didn't move closer to them and watched our movements. They stuck around for a little while with all of us watching each other. So neat. Love being in the country.

Toadstool

Magic is in the air! All I could think about were fairies, gnomes and other magical creatures after finding this little beauty yesterday.

Box Delivery Week 20

Here is this week's newsletter:

October 17^th, 2014

Week 20

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Arugula, Spinach, Celery, Apples, Parsley, Garlic and Sweet Peppers

This week flew by with the boys and I working on the greenhouse. It’s turned into a huge jungle gym for them. Also we’ve been having some fun in the kitchen baking. Apple season is here!

This week paired with the apples is celery which makes a fantastic Waldorf Salad.

Apples                         Celery

Raisins                        Walnuts

Dressing: 

¼ cup Mayonnaise                  ½ Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp lemon juice                    Pinch of salt

Chop up the apples and place in a bowl of lemon water to prevent browning. Slice the celery. Mix the dressing. Drain the apples add to dressing with celery, raisins and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Have a great weekend and be safe in the coming storms.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Box Delivery Week 19

Here is a peek at this week's newsletter:

October 10^th, 2014

Week 19

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Assorted Winter Squash, Carola Potatoes, Leeks and Sage

The nights are getting colder and on the plus side bringing out sweetness in all the hardy greens. This week it is exciting to have leeks which pair perfectly with potatoes for Potato Leek Soup.

The sage can be used for your Thanksgiving Turkey. My way, which I adapted from Jamie Oliver is to take the fresh turkey and gently separate the skin from the meat, making a pocket open from the neck down over the breast meat. Take some butter and smooth it out over the breast meat and then place in your sage leaves laying them flat. The bird is now self-basting and beautifully flavored. Looks like a stain glass window. Plus remember to throw your giblets in the pan with the turkey to add an enormous amount of flavour to the gravy.

Also many people comment on how I carve a turkey, apparently it’s not the norm. Let the turkey rest for a little while after coming out of the oven. Keep it hot by placing tin foil and a clean towel over it. Once ready to carve get out your platter. Find the breast bone and cut down on one side with your knife, using the ribs of the bird to guide you, take the whole breast completely off. Then slice it crossways so that each person receives both the outer meat and the tender inner meat. Repeat with the other side. Place the breasts in the center of your platter and remove the dark meat and place around the outside. Yummy and beautiful.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Box Delivery Week 18

Here is a peak at this week's newsletter:

October 3^rd, 2014

Week 18

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun, Arugula, Garlic, Assorted Winter Squashes, Eggplant, Radish, Celery

Fall colors are coming into full bloom here at the farm. Our walks around the pastures are becoming more and more vibrant every day.

This week we have some sweet winter squash. Simply cut in half, place in a baking dish cut side down, add some water and bake at 350 degrees until soft. So good with a little salt and butter.

Also a neat addition this week is celery. Here is a simple pasta recipe:

Pasta with Celery Sauce

A bunch of celery

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil or to taste

2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, minced

½ pound pasta

Parsley for garnish

¼ tsp dried red pepper flakes or to taste

Pinch of salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Chop up the celery leaves and set aside.

Chop the celery ribs to be the same size as the pasta.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the scallions and celery until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant approximately a minute. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Meanwhile in a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta until al dente, drain but do not rinse.

In a large serving bowl combine the pasta, celery sauce, chopped celery leaves, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well and serve immediately.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Box Delivery Week 17

September 26^th, 2014

Week 17

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Beets, Carrots, Spinach, Arugula, Red Onions, Mixed Kale, Swiss Chard

This week’s delivery is full of gorgeous greens. Stir fry’s and pasta with sautéed veggies is at the top of my list this week. Remember to tear the stems out of the kale before you cook/eat it to enjoy just the leafy goodness.

Unfortunately unbeknownst to me the fence wasn’t closed up last night as I was told and a visitor came in and ate the remaining broccoli, kale and kohlrabi. That was very frustrating to find this morning as I did my chores. Luckily the deer didn’t move into the garden very far and there are many vegetables untouched. Still, it’s not good news.

I still have pork available and a couple beautiful turkeys left.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Autumn

My favorite season has always been Autumn. The glorious colors, crisp air, crunch of leaves, sweaters and of course Halloween. It's a cycle of life, the time where many things start to die off with visits from Jack Frost. 

Only the cold hardy vegetables are still growing up in the fields except I'm babying some beans and young beets. Also there are plants in the little greenhouse. The part of Autumn which I am finding difficult as a farmer is the death of the animals. I made sure this time I was there for the pigs, chickens and the turkeys. I always watch and thank them making sure they are well taken care of. They've all had good lives and this part to me is very important. It was a nearly instant death for all with little to no stress on the animals. Still I took it pretty hard, especially the pigs. Thankfully a wonderful man helped me through saying to keep my chin up and how great it is that I care.

Running this farm on my own with 2 boys is a daunting task. I'm still working on the greenhouse and just when I really can't handle anything else, torrential downpours hit and my driveway washes out again. Yep that day went from bad to worse to horrible. 

Each day I'm picking away at what I can, never seeming to catch up but I've been told "You can only do what you can do. Stop expecting too much of yourself. You are doing great." This gets me back on my feet and ready to go at it again. 

I'm very happy to have sold all the chicken, most of the turkeys are spoken for and over half of the pork is sold with hopefully lots more interest in the remainder. 

My kids are doing awesome. Navarre is adjusting to the new routines and Anthony is now in soccer twice a week. It's a real joy to see how happy they are here and that makes it all worth it. 

Tonight the boys went up to the barn with me to collect eggs and close up. We also went up to the garden and checked on row covers. On the way out, we saw deer tracks. OK, lets deal with it. I took the boys for a walk around the fence line. It was getting dark but with the sunset we managed to find 2 breaks, one very bad on a corner. We went back down to the workshop and I found my tools. I gave Anthony the flashlight and Navarre the drill to carry. Each were talking away, a little nervous out there but knew they were fine with Mom. 3 wires had been knocked off at the southwest corner. I was able to refasten the top one and temporarily secured the other two until I fix them tomorrow. 

As we all came back down, the topic was "What is the cat hunting tonight?" We got inside, up to brush teeth where I pulled out Navarre's loose tooth. Then off to bed with them looking forward to a visit from the tooth fairy. 

With the nights getting cooler I'm wondering when to start up the wood stove. Wood and oil are still on my to do lists. As for now it's down blankets and fun fur quilts keeping us warm. At least the sun still has some heat and I'm really enjoying the stars at night. Everything is going to be great, just have faith.

Black Gold

Yesterday I was able to borrow the truck! I called my friend Wayne and set up to visit at lunch time. He has a big farm over in Northfield and said I could come by when able, to buy some manure. He loaded up the truck using his tractor which took less than 5 minutes. Wish I could unload it that fast.

After the much slower drive home I backed it up near the garden to unload. The kids call the truck "The Beast" as I always have trouble with getting the darn thing into gear and the steering wheel locks up every time I need to start it. Frustrating.

Anthony immediately wanted to help unload, Navarre joining us later too. Love how involved the boys want to be. They are wonderful helpers!

The last 2 feet seemed to take forever! Then I decided all the grooves in the truck liner were designed by someone evil. Still we got it all clean. A quick hose off and it'll be cleaner then before.

I'm happy to have this off my list. The manure is nearly at a state where I can use it so once Spring comes around it will be perfect Black Gold.

Box Delivery Week 16

Here is a look at this week's newsletter:

September 19^th, 2014

Week 16

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Zesty Greens, Radishes, Green Onion, Rutabega, Eggplant and Thyme

It was another incredibly busy week on the farm. Believe it or not I’m still sowing seeds, more crops are being covered nightly with the light frosts and I’m looking forward to also having some sprouts for you soon. The kids are excited about the deer coming to eat all of the windfall apples, we counted 10 the other night. I love my deer fence! The boys are also being wonderful little helpers stacking firewood with me.

For this week in your delivery, I was so excited to have eggplant for you. My little grow house is filled with both peppers and eggplants. Simply slice and sauté your eggplant in olive oil until soft. We like a little grated parmesan on ours.

Also you can peel and cube your Rutabega. In a bowl mix it together with some olive oil and thyme and roast at 350 degrees C till golden. They are a fabulous side with dinner.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Box Delivery Week 15

Here is a peek at this week's newsletter:

September 12^th, 2014

Week 15

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Mesclun, Cucumber, Swiss Chard, Assorted Summer Squash, Parsley, Beets and Radishes.

Cool nights are here. Many plants are now covered in row cover each evening just in case of frost. With such a late spring all of us farmers were hoping for an Indian Summer. Who knows with Mother Nature? The garden is doing well and I am very happy with it’s production.

Starting September 22^nd I will have pork for sale. Please let me know if you are interested in any particular cuts so I can request them. Also if you would like to order a turkey for Thanksgiving I have 7 still available. They are $4.75/pound. The approximate weights are between 10 and 14lbs.

Recipe of the week:

Beets Napoleon

This is one of my favourites. It is a little involved but super easy and a great one for entertaining. You can make the nuts, dressing and prepare the cheese beforehand, and then once the beets are done it just takes minutes to assemble.

Place beets in parchment wrapped in foil and roast in the oven at 350 until soft, usually an hour depending on your oven. Then scrape off the skin and slice into rounds. Keep warm.

Meanwhile:

In a bowl mix: 1 cup pecans, 1/8 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. water, 1/8 tsp salt. Later once the beets come out spread them on a parchment lined baking sheet drizzling the remaining syrup over top. Toast until lightly browned about 7 minutes. Watch, making sure they don’t burn.

In another bowl mix the dressing: Whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 medium shallots, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.

Separately, mix ½ an 8oz container of cream cheese with ½ tsp garlic powder. Roll into small bowls, place in a plastic baggie and put in the fridge.

Once everything is done assemble your beet towers. Alternate beet slices with cream cheese balls flattening them out as you build.

On a large platter place some greens, like Mesclun and/or Spinach. Nestle in your beet towers. Scatter some sliced cucumber and your toasted pecans. I also love adding avocado and green onions. Drizzle lightly with the dressing, setting the rest aside for if people want more.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Unexpected Storm

Saturday night an unexpected storm woke me during the night. For as long as I can remember I have loved storms. Thunder and lightning, the rush of the wind and rain. Plus any time I've been able to go and watch the ocean when it's stormy, it's been fantastic. So as you can guess, I'm normally the one whose super excited when a storm is coming, maybe even a little too excited.
However, last Saturday was the first storm that has ever scared me. It hit so hard and fast I was shocked. The thunder was like cannons directly over the house. Everything shook and I was freaked that it had hit the house. I'm not exaggerating. My immediate thoughts were worries for the pigs being scared out in the pasture and for either the house or barn to catch fire or be damaged. Have I mentioned the amazing amount of lightning rods on these 2 buildings? Insane! "Please. Please let them be grounded properly."
The storm brought an incredible downpour which I was thankful for as it meant any lightning strike should be snuffed out. That's when out my window I saw a tree in my neighbour's field hit by lightning. Wow.
I went to check on the kids who slept through the whole thing. How on earth did they manage that?
The storm moved off and gradually the rain tapered off too.
I think the reason this storm caught me so off guard was a combination of it's intensity, closeness and also the fact that it's just me and two kids. A little overwhelming.
Everything turned out fine. All the animals are OK and I emailed the man who inspected the house who said the grounding rods are fine.
So bring on the next storm, but not directly overhead though please.

Freaky Friday

School has started and I am so happy for my boys. Their classrooms are across the hall from each other which makes drop off in the mornings very easy. Plus they are loving coming home on the bus, especially when it's bumpy. I was so touched when both boys were lamenting that they wouldn't be able to help with the harvest on Friday mornings anymore. I admit I was a little lost without them.

Actually yesterday my whole day was difficult. I woke early in the morning to the sound of a chicken whose decided to stop staying in the barn. She unfortunately was caught by a raccoon and I've placed her in the compost pile, back to the earth.

When I went up to feed the pigs by the garden. I had another surprise, 3 deer were staring at me, 2 does and a fawn. Crap. A wire had broken off in 3 spots on the inside corners of the fence. I fully admit I should have done more work on the fence but there's only so much one woman can do.

After driving the boys to school and getting a late start on the harvest then washing and sorting out the deliveries the weather was already heating up.

I grabbed my tools: wire cutters, drill, isolators, and my trusty nail (believe me it's super useful). I started at the main gate and one post at a time took off the wire, stretched it taut and secured it. I have approximately 60 posts 14 feet apart. I admit fantasies of offices with AC were going through my head at times.

I surprisingly made good time but had to let go of the dream of having a shower before heading to Halifax. I hooked up the wires back at the main gate and then ran to fill water buckets, feed the animals and water the peppers and eggplants. My alarm started chirping at me to go pick up the kids at the bus stop.

Back at the farm the boys helped me load up the car and get their things organised for coming into town. Off we went and once I was almost to Halifax that's when I realised I had forgotten to plug the electric fence back in. Good lord girl!

Slightly freaking out I called everyone I could think of. A friend of mine who was visiting Lunenburg, said she would go. Thank goodness. At the farm she called to say everything was fine and the pigs were in their pen sunbathing. What a relief. Fridays are too busy especially this one.

Even with all these difficulties I had some wonderful moments. The kids so excited to help with deliveries, Anthony reciting a book to me they had read in class and later relaxing and having some fun with my friends.

Finding the positives can be hard at times but just keep smiling and know everything is OK.

Box Delivery Week 14

Here is this week's newsletter:

September 5^th, 2014

Week 14

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Arugula, Red and White Onions, Cucumber, Swiss Chard, Assorted Summer Squash, Basil and Tomatoes!

This will probably be the last week for summer squash. Remember you can always freeze the squash for later. I grate or thinly slice the squash then blanche it. Make sure to drain it well after and pat dry with towels before placing in freezer bags. Then when you are craving it again you have it at hand.

I’m nursing the cucumber and winter squash as best I can. All plants eventually succumb to something unfortunately. Also the tomato blight that came with the Hurricane has started to take hold. Keeping my fingers crossed I'll be able to bring more of these veggies to you. Next year will be better once I have them in the greenhouse.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Garlic

After dinner the kids and I love walking around the fields before bed. Well I say walking but most of the time it's running around playing tag or races. This week at the end of our "tour" we stopped and pulled some garlic. The kids were a little crazy, I love experiencing this with them.

We brought the bundles down and placed them on the top tier of pallets to dry. As always a great night.

Box Delivery Week 13

Here is a peek at this week's newsletter:

August 29^th, 2014

Week 13

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun, Rutabega, Cucumber, Kale, Swiss Chard, Assorted Summer Squash, Royalty Purple and Dragon’s Tongue Beans, Broccoli and Tomatoes!

We’ve had some beautiful days on the farm this week. I’ve also found out that Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water is a fantastic solution for keeping my squash plants healthy.

Plus we were very excited to see the winter squash growing for example Acorn and Butternut. Also the tomatoes really loved the heat this week, I’m hoping they will be ok as there is a tomatoe blight occurring and mine just started to show signs of being effected. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Zucchini Parmesan

The kids and I tried out this recipe last night. I was shocked at how fast and easy it was. Yum!

Slice 1 large squash (you can use a mixture of varieties) and sliced onion into a pan and sauté on medium heat with olive oil and some salt and pepper. Stir often and cook until soft and slight browning occurs.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grate some white chedder cheese, you can add some parmesan too and open a jar of pasta sauce.

Once the squash and onion mixture is ready spoon it into a casserole dish, cover with sauce and then cheese. Place in the oven until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Box Delivery Week 12

Here is a look at this week's delivery and newsletter:

August 22^nd, 2014

Week 12

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Beet Greens, Cucumber, Assorted Summer Squash, Royalty Purple and Dragon’s Tongue Beans, Parsley and Thyme. 

I hope all of you had a wonderful week. Yesterday was a very busy day for me and my boys. I had hurt my knee on Thursday doing of all things carrying laundry up the stairs. Anthony and Navarre immediately said they would get up early and help with the harvest the next morning. They have helped a bit before but yesterday they showed what great junior farmers they are! They helped pick beans, made cuttings and were my runners for everything else. Then back inside they sorted and helped me divide the vegetables and take them up to the cooler. It was so much fun.

Today I’ll be making one of our favorites: French Onion Soup. It’s inspired by the thyme which the boys both say smells heavenly.

Combine 3 Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp oil, 5 large onions thickly sliced, a splash of water and a pinch of salt in a large soup pot. Cover and heat over Medium heat for about 10 minutes until the water evaporates. Remove lid and turn heat to low stirring often for approximately 30 minutes or until the onions are soft and supple.

Add some sprigs of thyme, 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, and some salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes for the flavours to blend.

Meanwhile toast up some slices of nice bread and grate some cheese. You can use Swiss, Gruyere, Emmental or any other of your favorites. Lately I’ve fallen for a local cheese from Knoydart Farm available at Farmer’s Markets and at Sobeys. It’s certified organic and comes in many varieties. The boys and I love the Poppy and Garlic Cheddar Cheese.

Once the soup is ready remove the twigs of thyme, most of the leaves will have fallen off flavouring the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with toast and sprinkle with cheese. You can then melt the cheese using the oven but please be very careful.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Farmer,

Amber

Another Dream Come True

When I was 8, I visited my great aunts farm in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba. A bonus was I was able to see my Great Grandfather’s farm which was just a few miles down the road. No one lived there anymore but all the buildings were still standing. Even though I never had the pleasure of meeting him he has been an inspiration to me. My trip there was wonderful. Looking at the fields being hayed, avoiding cow pies, feeding chickens and loving every minute, a little farmer was born.

Since that day I’ve followed many different pursuits but always came back to the dream of having a farm. It’s now been one year that we’ve been here and it’s proved an amazing adventure with so much more to come.

This week had a fantastic surprise, my fields were hayed. This may not mean much to you but to me it solidified that I had a farm. After months of looking for someone to come and hay, I finally convinced my fabulous neighbor. I paid him for gas and he took all the bales, save two, for his cattle. It was a win-win. Both of us happy and my fields are maintained.

It takes about 3 days of good weather to make hay. First you cut, next, as I call it, “fluff” (I’m sure there is a more technical term), this lets the grass get more air to dry out. Then you rake it into lines and bale it. He has the equipment to do round bales and my barn was made for squares, so I’ll have to store my two in the stables.

The kids had a wonderful time running around the fields watching the haying. I was super excited too. Once the bales were rolled I took the kids up for more photos.

It was late in the evening when my neighbor finished taking all of his bales back to his own barn. He left two by the riding ring for me to roll down to my barn. Unfortunately the electric wire for the pig fencing blocked his way so I had a job to do.

The next day rain was predicted to come overnight. I needed to get them inside. Well, what’s a girl to do but just get it done. One of the bales was a little lopsided and it rolled onto it’s end. Ok I’ll take the other down first. It was slightly nerve wracking. These bales weigh roughly 800 to 950 pounds. As long as I went slow things were manageable.

My view rolling the bale down

I lost it a couple times nearly being run over at the bottom but I made it to the barn around the obstacle course of garden pallets and plant sheds. I had thought of placing both bales into an unused horse stall. Once I reached the threshold at the door of the barn though I had a predicament. For the life of me I could not roll it over the 4 inch step, then I was very annoyed to find it would not roll back. Pushing it out was a real pain in the you know what. My feet kept slipping out from under me. I tried levering it, jumping on it, even kicking the darn thing. Finally adrenaline and pure frustration won out and I got it to roll back out. YES!

The wind up!

I rolled it back about 8 feet from the barn for a wind up. Pushing as hard as I could I rolled it towards the door entrance just missing the door frame. It rolled up on the threshold and slowed almost to a stop. I pushed with all my might swearing and in it rolled. AHA! I might also mention at least 20 chickens were watching these proceedings and I managed not to roll over a single one. I maneuvered the bale into position at the side of the stables. One down one to go.

Ok I need to be smart about this. Levering did not work so… time to get the Honda. I drove the SUV up to the bale and set up a line to pull the bale back onto it’s side.

I got in and slowly pulled forward. It’s working! It flipped onto it’s side and then right back over. “Are you kidding me?” I got out, wrestled with the now tangled line and reset for take 2. This time I went extra slow. It flipped over and then Argh! Rolled upright again! I got out and frankly I’d had enough. I did the unwise thing of putting myself between the car and the bale and pushed with all my might. It must have been slightly off kilter or because the bale was a little uneven but… Victorious! It rolled onto it’s side. I untied the line from the Honda and moved the car down to the barn. Moving this bale was incredibly difficult as it kept rolling off to the side and I was starting to lose my cool. However, I did it. I now have two bales in the stables from my own hay field and that’s pretty cool.

I was exhausted and drenched with sweat. Yes, yes, I know. I need a tractor, I’m working on it.