Some bounty

Well last night was a perfect evening, we are finally getting some food from the garden. We harvested a large amount of strawberries and then we chopped up some Rhubarb...Heather made a fantastic pie last night. I am generally not a fan of anything sweet but it was a real taste of fresh and clean produce. Can't go wrong with that. I managed to get two cord of wood split yesterday so it was nice to sit down to a meal out in the gazebo by the pond. At this time of year we really only eat outside. We take full advantage of what we can get with the season. It is refreshing as well. Today it is such a wonderful day we must take a quick drive to the beach. As I have mentioned before we are fortunate with where we live that we are so close to the ocean. It takes less than 15 minutes to get there, why wouldn't you just want to go for a dip. Most people would be surprised to think of nice sandy beaches here in New Brunswick,Canada however we have what is considered to be the warmest beaches north of the Carolina's in the USA. With such large tidal movements over the hot sand it heats the water so rapidly. It is sometimes hard to believe that some people have never got the chance to see the oceans. I feel the water provides so much strength...rawness(if that even is a word).
I hope you all feel a day of joy

Return of the sunshine

Greetings of Love..
I have been away camping and hiking just a good way to kick off the summer. Sometimes it is really hard to get the urge to go to the computer when you only get such limited time out of the year with nice weather. Getting back at the work to be done has been rewarding as well. Everything has finally been planted in the garden. Seems quite late being July and all but with the rain and cold weather we had this is the best we could do. Now my big job is to get cracking with wood splitting.
We have had a new introduction to our garden this year. It has been quite detrimental. It is the striped cucumber beetle.

SCB

What a bug. Not only do they destroy squash, pumpkin, cucumbers,zucchini but there larvae will eat the roots of corn...I will not use anything against these bugs to kill them. I know there is "organic" pesticides that can be used. But seriously if it kills bugs how organic can it really be. Maybe I am just skeptical. What I read was to plant radishes in the same location as the plants it eats. Radishes grow fast and hopefully the SCB will destroy them before the squash and so forth. I have also been diligent in constantly removing them from the plants, Even obsessing over them maybe.I can get rid of there frustration with some wood chopping....Well I don't know what else to do, any good clean advice would be helpful...
Hoping you all a wonderful day

Beauty

Much love to all..
Just saying a quick hello and sending any positive Irations to anyone who may be reading today. I hope everyone is taking advantage of whatever is presented in front of you today. Laziness can lead to many destructive forces such as vanity. Vanity is something I would consider to be one of the true downfalls of the human race. Vanity leads to greed, power, oppression, control, corruption...and a low self worth, I would think.
"We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudices owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations, but to our fellow man within the human community" HIM
My personal theme is always "Uunconditional Love"
In reading about permaculture and design community is really the ship that will stay course in troubled times. We have to get closer as a society. Slow things down even. I hope this is still possible. Maybe I am naive and a dreamer. I hope I am just optimistic and forward thinking.
I think even the simplest things can be done to slow things down. I always tell people of what my mother used to do for my sister and I. We were discouraged to wear watches. My mother thought if we had a watch on we would be basing everything on the particular time. When I was younger I never really understood of course but now I see it in a complete other light. I think it is also a way to look at nature to tell us the time. Nature is really a built in clock. Migration of birds, sun patterns, moons, temperature. There is more signs in nature than your hour hand and minute hand can teach you.
So hopefully things can slow down and become more positive for everyone.
Go out and make a stranger smile even....

Around Square...

Greetings of love and consciousness...I actually see some sun in the forcast, Here is hoping because the gardens could use it. Photosynthesis is important and, well as we all know sunlight is a big part of it...haha. For a couple years before I started to have my own page I loved to check out Sara's page over at Farmama.
http://www.farmama.typepad.com/
I had been introduced to this page from the blog at RASFarms. http://www.rasfarms.com/
They have since started there own family farm independant from RasFarms and I am still hooked to the wonderful photos and stories to be had by her wonderful family. I suggest checking out both of these pages.
Recently Sara had started posting around the farm photos on Thursdays, looking for other people to do the same. It has been a great way to see her and other peoples unique farms, gardens, layouts etc. Today I will post a couple of my own as our season starts to get underway. Hopefully next week there will be much more to show. Happy Thursdays to everyone...



Supposed to be 3 Sisters but barely is 1 sister



Bush Beans

Lupins

The Red, Green and Gold

Ahh and the hammock to nap

250th day of Winter...

Well the longest day has now come and past, makes me wonder if summer will still get here. Our cold and wet spring has made many farmers nervous. It seems that the cold cloudy weather is the only thing we Maritimers have been talking about. Driving through the corn fields last year at this time was drastically different then this year. Corn has not even sprouted on most fields. Last year it would have been two feet high. The highest temperature reached yesterday was a whopping 12 C degrees. (54F) today they are calling for colder and winds are still primarily from the north. We are still having fires in the evening to get rid of the damp chills. Last year we burnt just over 4 cord of wood this year we have burnt almost 6. We have the wood but it really takes a toll on my surplus supply that I cut and chop. But since I am not spending time on the gardens I guess I have the time to get a chopping.
Heather will be done teaching for summer next week so luckily we will have our camera home full time again. And of course we need to go to the Island as much as possible to have a little time away. We are big fans of the beach and the power and beauty it brings.
Hope this finds ya'll happy and healthy

It is a Stormin'

The gardens are talking to me, no I am not crazy, well maybe a little, I think they are just wanting sunlight. Two days in a row would even be nice. Mama nature help my produce? I know us humans haven't treated you very well but I have tried to my whole life. Give us a little shine and I will feel that much better. But I guess I would have to understand if you are still not ready to reward us.
With rain comes slugs...I am really battling slugs around the yard and vegetable patch. I am hoping people could offer some form of advice in regards to keeping them away. I know the whole beer tray thing but I would need a kegs worth around the way. The slugs have been so intense in our area that flights have been delayed after storms to clean up rainways...yup that is gross. Everything works in its own cycle, this year is so far the year of the slugs, next year could very well be the year for something else. I hope it is bees...now I am really getting picky.
Much love to all...keep smiling

Kaya is always happy

Around the 'stead

Well I was away for a couple of days with a funeral, never a reason to have to go away but it also gives us a chance to celebrate life in its' whole. The gathering was a way for family and friends to hopefully seek a more fullfilling life and see how fragile and short our time can be. I was hoping to get to take part with my around the farm photos to follow suit with Sara on Thursdays over at http://farmama.typepad.com/farmama. However there is always next week. So today I shall keep it short and post a couple shots of some flowers comming out...
Much love to all

TV is crack

The only place that has any sort of heat these last few days has been the greenhouse, not much left in there now however, mostly just a couple of planters and a couple trays of ornamental corn, some marigolds. I don't have any room left for more ornamental corn. I don't plant those in the regular vegetable garden as I am afraid of cross pollinating with my sweet corn. I am not even sure of that is possible but I play it safe regardless. If anybody knows I would like some actual concrete facts on that. I managed to get a few more blueberry bushes for free yesterday. I hope it isn't too late to plant them. I would have thought by mid June our weather would be warming up but it was 4 degrees Celsius (39 F)last night and is only 10 degrees (50F) today...and windy so it feels like below freezing. Brr. I guess it is only fitting that the Stanley Cup Hockey Final is tonight, since it still feels like winter.
Last year I won a big screen TV, at first I was really excited to have actually won something. I thought I should sell it. I didn't have a TV for almost 10 years. Never really cared to watch any shows. I could see whatever I wanted on the Internet. Really the only thing I check out is hockey anyway...typical Canadian in that manner...hahaha....but my sister decided as a gift to us to get us digital cable, PVR, all those fun things. We didn't really want it at first but we couldn't say no. It is amazing how alluring Cable is when you have it. I thought narcotics were considered addicting but it seemed there was always something to watch. Especially since most of the shows were all new to us. Now that winter is over and the days are longer we are barely using it. Our contract is expiring this week. We could renew it for next to nothing but instead the TV is going away. Cold turkey...We are both book nuts and we feel this was taking us away from what is really important. So I ordered a new book and it should be here in a couple days...Sepp Holzer Permaculture...can't wait. Now if this Postal strike in Canada will end so I can get my book and turn the page on the TV saga.



Our little but convenient Greenhouse



Rainy day

Greetings of Love...
Sometimes you just have to love rainy days...the rain gives everything a beautiful shine. Things just slow down in the rain. I thought if I am going to get wet I might as well do it in full fashion. So I set out through the woods. I followed the stream that runs through our property. I have noticed cars parked down the road lately and I am guessing this is for fishing season. I didn't want to disturb anyone so I made my own trails. When I was a little "tike" I loved to fish, nothing better than casting into the lake and getting a nice bite from a small mouth bass, maybe a Northern Pike or two. Now I have more compassion for the fish I guess. I just couldn't imagine putting a hook through their mouth. I have no problem with people fishing for survival, I am however definitely opposed to commercial fishing practices here in Atlantic Canada and throughout the world. However I know this is required to sustain our economy here...
I have been spending more time observing nature lately. Trying to see natural systems at work. Hoping that I can carefully begin to create this is my own surroundings. I have introduced many plants to my pond. All of which I gathered from larger wetland ecosystems. I have added a few logs to the bottom as well. Planted many different wildflowers that are naturally in our area. Hoping this attracts more wildlife, birds, bees, butterflies, insects of all sorts. Diversity will help with balance. After I read Masanobu Fukuoka "the One Straw Revolution" it really helped me to sit back and appreciate and observe natural systems at work. If you have never read this book go out and grab it at your Library or buy it. A great book to pass on to friends as well.
I am going to post a picture of what my pond looked like last season...then in a month or so I am going to re post a new picture to really show the difference. It already looks much better but after the reeds and water plants grow some more the changes will be more noticeable hopefully.



Pond 2010

After I look at this photo I can already see major changes...Stay tuned in for the update

Getting back at it..

I know it has been sometime since I posted but it is about time to get back at it...Where to begin? Firstly our growing season has been as challenging as I can remember. I do realize this is something I must over come, and I always like a good challenge but mama nature is really testing me this time. We more than doubled our May average rainfall amounts with close to 300mm or almost 12 inches of rain. We had below freezing temperatures in mornings of May 22 and 23rd. But....things are looking up so far for June. I had our corn in the ground last year by May 15th, this year I had to wait until June 10th...crazy..I hope the growing season extends later this year so I can enjoy corn from the garden. Starting seeds inside was also a big challenge as I timed things incorrectly with the temperatures outside. Too many tomato seedlings that just didn't get the sun they required. Still we press on. I am optimistic that our soil in the garden has really improved. I was able to introduce a very large amount of compost this year. I have been getting composting materials from other people this year past year so my pile was greatly increased. I am always weary of what I add. I never use other peoples grass clippings as I am nervous of chemicals used. Even though they have been banned in our part of the country...but as is many things but humans still prevail with ignorance.  I will be back on the blog train now to keep anybody who may follow in the loop with the gardens and life.



Some shots from around the flower garden beds



Getting started

Well like plenty of Canadians I am a sucker for hockey. So my nights have been busy with the NHL playoffs. I wish the playoffs however were not at this time of year as there is so much to be done around the property. I guess my jersey will have to go back in the closet so more can be done.
I planted a few things this year that will keep us going for years to come. We have made a decision to try and grow as many perennial vegetables as possible. We are slowly replacing our flower beds with herbs, fruit, or flowers that will benefit us medicinally. So this weekend I am putting up a lot of our perennial flowers for sale. Heck I will probably just give them away if someone stops by to pick them up. I can't eat hostas, so why would I waste my time tending to plants strictly used for aesthetics. The less time spent on flower gardens the more time I can spend on my vegetables and fruit. We also bought blueberries this year to go in one bed. This is my first attempt at blueberries but with a little research hopefully they will provide wonderful goodness for years to come. Any comments or tips would be gladly accepted...So now we have a good raspberry patch, red currants, apples, cherries, mulberry, and soon blueberries

Blueberries

I also have to start splitting some more firewood. Unfortunately it isn't splitting itself. I really enjoy doing it without a splitter. I find it is a great escape to just go to town on the logs. I don't play sports competitively anymore so it is also a great way to stay strong and healthy. I like having rough calloused hands. Or as Heather tells everyone there is nothing smooth about me....I am not sure what she means by that....
Well this up-coming weekend will be time to make a new raised bed, and wake up our hibernating vegetable beds. Time to bring in the compost pile.
I love composting...
Have a stellar time getting your hands dirty this weekend. Much Love

Fire key

Much Love to all.

What another great few days I had with my family. Sights to see, things to plant, and binghi fire to keep it all together.

I had a lot of brush to burn and clear on Thursday. I make sure every year that I get these few days off. I always use this week to have a big fire. I end up with a lot of brush and downfall when I limb trees for firewood,  this is a simple way to get rid of it all. The fire however is more than that.  Our ancestors used fire for survival, protection, cooking, ceremony……My April fire is a ceremony to me. A connection to my roots.

I also needed it to keep warm after we got a little more snow….I know what they say about April showers and May flowers, but what about April snow?..May you can sow ????Let’s hope.

After the fire had stopped its glow we headed away for a couple nights to the beach. The fire and water is a great way to refresh and cleanse the mind. Unfortunately the water is never warm enough to swim at this time of year but the power and natural beauty of our coastline is so magical. We just had to put our feet in…

I love when things start to warm up again. The warm weather brings out the wildlife. We were fortunate enough this week to see moose, deer, coyotes, and our ducks. Maybe I am assuming that they are the same ducks as the last couple years. Either way they are to us. I hope to be able to post a couple photos of them. I wish they would choose to be more photogenic....

Give thanks and praises for all the wonderful things in life.

Rolling Stone

Howdy,
Don't you just love how one thing always leads to another...maybe slightly ambiguous, however I love to keep busy in my yard. There is never a dull moment and there is always things to kept up with. Yesterday as it poured rain I thought to myself what a perfect day it is to transplant seedlings. As the weather tried to put a strain on my activities I  knew the shelter and warmth of the greenhouse would keep me feeling vibrant. I got all my seedlings transplanted to give them some room to stretch out. Then I realized how the maple sugar was just running from the trees. It was almost hard to keep up with it. I didn't want to waste any of that lovely sap. The only waste it can go to is my own waist....So I collected all that goodness and on Thursday when I have collected all I can keep for season I will boil it down and just like that, cavities....hahaha or maple candy,syrup. So after the collection of sap I realized Kaya...my wonderful but highly careless dog has ran through my new raised bed. To his defense it wasn't there last week so it is all new to him. So I began to make more posts to make fences. I really do not like to have barricades up in the garden but when you have nature and my dog at your doorstep you must come prepared. Since I cut my own wood there was no shortage of limbs to chunk up and sharpen to make posts. So the raised beds are safe, luckily Kaya didn't see the other bed. Well since I was working with the chainsaw anyway I might as well work at some more trees for my firewood. A little hard work in the elements paid off as the unsuspected sun came out in the afternoon. What was meant to be a lazy day in the rain became a late night. And ultimately the days I cherish most.

Much love to all in groundation celebrations...give strength

Thanks for your trash

I must give thanks to the many people who are wasteful.
I have been re-doing a couple of customers kitchens and it amazes me every time how much people just want to throw away everything. Everyone wants the new best thing. I guess in order to fix weak economies governments would be happy of these capitalist beliefs.
Microwaves, cupboards, drawers, stoves....the list can just go on.
If it doesn't match take it out. So as far as they know everything is being junked, but I have been taking things to charitable centres. Maybe your white oven is not as nice as the new stainless steel one,however it is much better than no oven at all. Many are still actually grateful to just be able to cook a warm meal.
Unfortunately much of construction waste just piles up at the dump.
I am the wood collector on job sites. If there is any usable wood on anything I keep it. There is no need for it to go to a landfill if it can be used in another application. I will even just use it as kindling if that is all I can do with it. My favorite is drawers. They make perfect plant containers. Drill a few holes, fill with growing medium and Voila...

So much love to all you who chose to live in a slightly greener world. 

Weekend Glory

Much Love,

I had an amazing time this weekend getting things done. The more you can check off the list the better things seem. We had a beautiful sunny weekend. I am not even tarnished one bit at the fact of heavy rains all week. Maybe we can get rid of most of the snow. I managed to get two more raised beds all set up and ready for planting. I will have a couple of photos to post eventually but I would rather a sprout showing its tip first....for complete accomplishment.
These last two days were spent with chainsaw and axe in hand. It is sad to see some of the trees go however on the bright side (hopefully much more bright) we get firewood in the future and more sun to the gardens. It is wonderful to live in a forest but it definitely comes with its' challenges. We really don't get enough sun for our gardens. We work hard to have them as vibrant and producing as possible. Patience and dedication is key.
However really the vegetable garden is still technically on the back burner at this time since we still have lots of snow on ground....

so chop chop...

Splitting wood for next year, chopping down trees for the following year, this is what was on my agenda today. I love to split wood. The strength and precision is alluring to me. It is also nice to contribute to heating costs....

the end results warm the soul.

Circumstances

What a day... it can be quite amazing to sit back and look at the range of emotions one can go through on any given day.  Challenging as it may be, we must persevere...stand up, be strong. I feel I might be too dramatic at times, but "all the world's a stage and all the men and woman merely players"....
When things get us down we have to dwell on the positive. What is wrong with dreaming, thinking about greener pastures...being positive and respectful is contagious.
It is unfortunate that monetary values control the system. When you think that what is money other than a dream...a fancy piece of paper, a shiny piece of metal. I guess that is maybe why the fish bites the hook...can shiny metal really be that alluring.
Well these weak things are really what makes me feel grateful for the simpler way. I love the power of the sun right now. We still haven't had two consecutive days above freezing however my green house has become vibrant green. If the sun isn't something bright and shiny that gives real value, than seriously, what is? I have even seen a few green tips in the yard...that just makes me feel overjoyed, and on that note, I believe I will end my day on this emotion.

So....
I am wondering what plants people are planting this year that they have not before?

Much Love

Spring??

First off I think the only spring that I am feeling is the one under my cabouse in this old chair...
This winter was one for the ages. All around the world you are seeing such drastic weather, extreme highs and lows, flooding, high winds...the list goes on. Hmmm, could it have anything to do with the dreaded "global warming"? And of course we must realize that media does play its' own role in how we report any happenings.
But we must look on the bright side. Right? Half empty or half full? I prefer to not waste my time, just fill the cup and go about your business.
Back to spring...or as above mentioned the lack there of it. This winter had provided us a couple of challenges. One of our main challenges was where to put it all...the white stuff...the never ending shovelling. There was so much snow this winter that roofs were collapsing under the weight. What scares me is that building code requires a roof to be able to hold more than 3 feet of snow. We had that much in January...no kidding. Our roof leaked all over the place due to extreme ice damming. So every morning if the sun was due to shine we would have to set up buckets throughout the house. A lot of damage on the inside but if you look on the bright side...(the full cup) I am forced to do some remodelling and adding new insualtion to our house to make it more efficient. So next winter I will be ready for you...oh and a new roof is going to help.

The snow also has kept our surplus wood for the stove buried. The cold weather had us go through more wood then our wood room could hold. This is why we keep extra, just wish I could have got to it much easier then digging through the ice. If only my wood shoot was accesible. But there is a light at the end of this tunnel as well. I now know that I must keep surplus wood high and dry.Nothing is a mistake if it can be fixed or rectified.  All this snow also brought the deer in. I mean the deer were everywhere. I hope they didn't eat all my composting efforts.

So my idea is to forget this winter for some of the damage and destruction it caused but I can't help but feel selvish since really this extreme weather is the result of humans damage and destruction of our Earth.
My memory is however fresh with the new scenes comming around the yard.......A little green has showed its' face under the white blanket...Thank goodness as my seeds are all started..

Much love from my family to yours.





 

Germinating

Germinating a view into our blessed lives I guess. My name is David and I live on the Atlantic coast of Canada with my wonderful and hardworking wife Heather. We are lucky to have our crazy furry companions with us to keep us company. Our dog Kaya, and our cat Terrapin...and I am reminded to never forget our rabbit Kiwi. We try to live our lives with respect and love to all. I feel that unconditional love is the only true means to happiness. If one can achieve this great aspiration there would not be any war, hunger, poverty, oppression, the list could go on forever. No reason to preach however, I would hope that this should be obvious. But this is not as easy to achieve as one would think. We live in a world of greed and vanity. I guess greed and vanity are really one in the same.
Heather and I chose to move away from the "hustle and bustle" of the city. We want to live a much more simpler life. It has been two years now and we are still learning every day.  We try to grow as much of our own food as we can, bake our own bread, we cut and split our own wood, we compost everything.  Heather laughs at me whenever I talk about composting as nothing brings me greater joy then thinking that our garbage is what feeds us....but this will be a whole other story. We are making great strides..but hopefully with a healthy carbon footprint. I am fortunate that I am trained as a carpenter so I can keep busy during the long winter months. Being a carpenter definitely helps you when you are trying to upkeep your small little homestead. Heather is an elementary school teacher at a rural public school. I don't think she could teach in a better environment. Rural school are becoming extinct just like everything else. Having Heather off in the summers helps us to keep the gardens going strong and vibrant. Now if we can only get that darn snow to melt. I look forward to meeting some other people interested in farming and a simpler way of life...I am happy to be old fashioned...or as I would say rooted.

Much love and blessings from my family to yours...




I wish the yard was looking like this and not three feet under snow, but I do love the seasons....