fall is here!

You know fall is here when:

-the leaves are changing color in our maple trees, and falling to the ground.
-you take out the hats for the little ones, and you make sure their ears are covered.
-you here the distinct quack of our Canadian geese making their way south for the winter.
-the hens,ducks and geese want in the barn before supper is served.
-the soy plants in the field are all turning yellow and are just about ready to crop.
-when helicopters start flying lower and lower, scanning the corn fields for the beloved "weed plantations".
-the dogs sleep in later and later every morning.
-you suddenly have the urge to pick everything from your garden and can them.
-you suddenly have the urge to take your knitting basket out and knit something.
-When I move my rocking chairs from my porch back into my kitchen.

and last and foremost, you know fall is here when:

Your DH asks you where his long-johns are at!!!!


So, fall is DEFINITELY here!

.....fresh from the farm

Another project almost done!

Having such a large yard, with so many buildings, their is always something that needs fixing or other.  We don't seem to have enough time on our hands to do it all, so we take it one step at a time.  One of the attributes that sold us this farm, was the sugar bush and sugar shack. It was a total mess.  Broken glass, tarps flapping in the wind, critters of all kinds getting in there.
We had big plans to move it into the bush, but after considerable deliberation, we decided to keep it close to the house for now.
Made a weekend with friends out of it, built a fire, made food outside, enjoyed the beautiful weather and nice company.
We are trying to do all of this, with as little money as possible, and I think we pulled it off.
We covered it all with old pool thins donated by some good friends(thanks Steph & Sue).

We used old windows we found in the barn, which one was brand new.  Never installed. It's already looking so much better after so many nails hammered in, and so many swear words from hitting ourselves on the thumbs with the hammers.  And we finished it off with slabs of cedar, donated by another good friend(thanks Buck).

But sweat and tears were paid off!  What a beautiful little sugar house we now have.  We'll be able to enjoy spring even more now.

The finished product:

old friends

  You have to love facebook!  It's just awesome finding old friends that you haven't seen or heard from in more than 10 years.  I'm a big nostalgic baby.  I NEVER forget anyone that has crossed my path.  And some people have influenced my life to a great deal, then we've gone our separate ways, but THANK YOU facebook, we have now reconnected.
About 15 years ago, I got into horses.  Started taking lessons from a super coach, met lots of great people.  Started working for this great coach, then went on to work for her parents.  Took care of their stables for the winter while they went away to the nice sunny states.  I met some great people while working and training there.
We tend to forget about friends from the past.  Lives change, people move, circumstances happen.  But their's nothing like the warm feeling you get when you reconnect with those friends after so many years.
Everyone should take a minute and think of all those that influenced your lives, or just did a little something nice for you on the way by, and maybe try to find them, and say "thank you!"

.....fresh from the farm

cultural differences

Cultural differences are a present mind set in our society, and no matter who or how someone tries to change the world, these will always be present. With the anniversary of 9/11, it reminds us of this. But the differences I want to talk about hit closer to home. It's more of a city and country mouse story.
Having lived in both situations, I will pick country over city any day.
My city experience left me stronger for sure, but it didn't mean I liked it. Some city folks think they're so smart, and can handle just about anything. Remember January '98??? Ice storm ring a bell?? I actually lived in Montreal at the time, and it was like living in a war zone. I was one of the lucky ones that lived on the same electrical grid as the hospital, so we were less than 24 hours without power. I remember people being taken out of their homes by rescue workers, cold, hungry and in trouble. You couldn't even go knocking on your neighbors door, because you don't know them, and you make no effort to know them. You could be stuck on the side of the road, your life in jeopardy, and they will step over you as if you were last year's garbage. It's happened to me, and I wasn't impressed.
Now take me out of the city, and drop me back into my country setting, and HAAAAA I can breath. Around here, in '98 they went for more than 24 days in places without power. Communities got together, worked and helped out each other from the comforts of their own homes. One farmer would milk his cows, take down their generators, load them up, and head on down to the neighbors farm to get reconnected and start the milking process over again. Some of us ended up exhausted to the point of collapse because of their kind hearts. Some small towns got together, put up the funds, and rented mega generators that could run the whole village on power. Those who could cook, took dishes to those that couldn't. That is what community life is all about. Helping out each other in time of need, not seeing who can make it out first in line.

Born and raised a country girl, tried to become a city chick, would probably be dead if I stayed there, and came back to my roots pretty quickly.
Not because we don't have access to high speed internet, cable or other services that we are retarded. We might be a bit slower in some areas, but so much more advanced when it counts!
These is my personal experiences and opinions.

.....fresh from the farm

A success for second edition of the Carrière's corn festival

Last Saturday was the second edition of the "Carrière's corn festival". It was a success. We've been telling everyone that we got close to 100 guests, but after sitting down and counting, we are more around the 60 mark! OOooops!
The weather was on our side, it was a beautiful day. It always seems that no matter how prepared we think we are, we forget things. The first year, we forgot a BIG must have, LIGHTS! We didn't get fooled by that this year. This year, We didn't have long enough prongs to get the corn out of the boiling water, that's already been taken care of for next year(thanks to end of season sales). We had our beautiful outhouse that made quite a few people talk. Now that I think about it, I didn't even take a picture of it yet. Gotta get onto that later on.
Little problems with keeping the pig on it's rod, but thanks to a very handy DH, it still worked. We had planned some games for the afternoon, but people showed up later than we expected.(Another change in next year schedule, invite people to come earlier.)
Thanks to my cousin for cooking and serving the pork, and to my crazy sister-in-law for keeping the pig hydrated while cooking by pouring everyone's beer on the roasting pig. Thanks you to all the good friends that put in time and sweat to make this what it was.
Another mistake we made? We were counting on different people for stuff we needed, and we learned not to. Do not depend on anyone, otherwise you might wait for part of the day.
Lot's of old friends, family members showed up, had good food, great company.
Some stayed over for the night in tents, trucks etc.....
The evening was pretty cold, but a bonfire kept things warm enough.
Hopefully next year, more people will come. Remind to add your name to our guest list!!!!!!

.....fresh from the farm

godd time with friends and family

It's once again the time of year for our corn/pig roast. It's in it's second year running. Last year was a complete success, even if we weren't completely organized. But this year we are, or at least more than we were last year.
Nothing like being the host of a get together for family and friends, and have everyone congratulate you on all the good work you've done! A pat on the back is always appreciated.
And thanks to good friends, who offer their time and machinery, to make this place so much better.

They're still is area's that need improvement, but we'll get there in due time.
Last year we received around 70 people. This year, we're looking more into the hundreds. We hope to make it bigger and bigger every year.
Nothing like a nice big gathering of friends and family to catch up on old times. Eat good foods, drink good drinks, and laugh a good laugh!


.....fresh from the farm

berry season all over!

Well, we can almost officially say that berry season is now over! When you say berries, I've got them! or almost! We did have strawberries, but the first year we got Miss Pitchounette(our goat), we let her roam free in the yard, and she ate all of them, plants and all. So we are replanting those next spring.
Nothing like fresh fruits for the kiddies. First thing DD#2 does when going outside? Heads for the raspberry patch. I didn't even get to collect any to make jams, they were being eaten' faster then they were growing. Same with the apples, had to watch them as they would grab them right off the ground, bugs and all, and eat them.
They say the dirtier your kids are, the healthier they will be, immune system will build. Well my kids must be super healthy, cause they sure are dirty!