With all the cloudy wet weather we've had the last few days, the hens have been staying inside. Today they're enjoying the morning sunshine while having their dust baths. 

Finally finished picking the beets and got them into storage.  It's been pretty cold at night but they didn't get any frost damage. Can't wait for borscht on chilly days. The pigs are enjoying the tops and culls. Nothing gets wasted around here.

Potatoes

Potatoes harvest is underway at the farm. Stop by with your pails and fill for $15.00. Washed and bagged are $1/lb. Red Viking and Yukon Gold available. 

Finally, our last calf of the year is on the ground. This heifer had a huge bull calf. Lyle was out baling in the field beside her and noticed she was having a problem. He ran back to the baler for twine and was able to help her finish the job. Mother and baby doing well today.

New pigs

Grumpy Sow had another litter of babies the other day. I decided to let her farrow out on pasture because she is quite mean when we have her locked up in a pen. The babies came out of her lair today for the first time. They had lots of fun exploring their new world 

Peas!

The peas are flowering and starting to make pods. It won't be long before we have peas for sale!

We finally have our new logo done.  It's been a work in progress for the past 2 years but its finally done.  My thanks to daughter Jen who drew the original picture and to Trent and Jared for getting it done.  Good work guys!  This is the first step in branding our farm.

Also had our first banner done that we'll be using at markets and trade shows.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  We used Vista Print and they were very fast with good quality. Could have been  a less fuzzy picture..sorry.  You'll just have to come to market to see it.;)

We have our first calf on the ground.  The calf is small, but she was born unassisted, nurses on her own  and the heifer loves her. A lot.  Just ask the cats!

Just in time for Easter dinner, I'm posting a recipe for leg of lamb.  It's super easy and turns out great.  

Garlic and Bacon-Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Rosemary

1 Short cut leg of lamb (about 4 lb)

6 garlic cloves, slivered

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

Using sharp knife, remove thin membrane from lamb. Cut tiny slits all over lamb; insert garlic slivers and bacon. Brush oil over lamb. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper.

Roast on rack in roasting pan in 325 oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 145 F for medium rare or 160 F for medium. Remove to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand 15 minutes.

Skin fat from pan drippings. Add ½ cup water to pan, bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Strain and keep warm.

Place lamb with meatier portion facing up. Grip shank end firmly with towel. Cutting down to bone, cut ¼ inch thick slices. With knife parallel to bone, cut slices from bone. Turn lamb so remaining meaty portion faces up. Carve as for first side. Arrange on platter, pour pan juices over top.

The traditional Easter Sunday lamb dinner goes back earlier than Easter to the first Passover of the Jewish people.  The sacrificial lamb was roasted and eaten, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs in hopes that the angel of God would pass over their homes and bring no harm. As Hebrews converted to Christianity, they naturally brought along their traditions with them. The Christians often refer to Jesus as The Lamb of God. Thus, the traditions merged. 

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Happy Easter everyone!

We're butchering steers and pigs tomorrow.  Available now for order:

Beef - whole or half - hanging weight $3.40/lb
         - family pack $100.00  includes 4 T-Bone or rib steaks
                                                           1 3-4 lb roast
                                                           3 lb round steak
                                                           12 lb lean ground beef

Pork - whole or half - hanging weight $3.25/lb
         - family pack $50.00  includes 5 lb pork chops
                                                        2 lb shoulder roast or chops
                                                        3-4 lb leg roast or ham
                                                        1 lb bacon
                                                        1 lb ground pork


Let me know if you're interested.

These two lambs were born in January and are quite a bit older than the rest of the lambs.  Sheep will settle down after they have eaten and chew their cud.  If you go into the pen a few hours after feeding, everyone will be laying there very content, chewing and regurgitating their food.  These two lambs are always together, they even enjoy each others company while cud chewing.

Thankfully, the spring storm that dumped snow over us is over.  Even the wind has stopped, so now it's time to venture out and survey the damage.  The sheep and cattle didn't seem to mind it yesterday in the wind.  They just dug under the snow and kept right on eating.  Getting to the pigs in the barn may be another story though.  As you can see in the picture, the drift in front of the barn is huge!  I'm off to plug in the tractor, I don't think the semis will get up the driveway without a pull when they get home this afternoon.

With our beef sales so strong we have had to purchase some calves for finishing. Our small herd cannot keep up with the supply and  I was able to source some calves from another farmer who farms the same way we do and has the same ideals.  His calves are chemical and hormone free, which makes them perfect for us. They are Galloway cattle which are what I have been looking for.  They have lots of hair to keep them warm in the winter which requires less grain in their ration.  Galloways finish with a smaller carcass which means that the cuts of meat are more what our customers are looking for.

The snow has been so deep that we weren't able to unload them at the loading chute.  All my pens are drifted 4 feet straight through and we can't even use any gates.  This time we had to unload at the barn which meant Lyle had to back up the semi through the yard and around the house.  It was only his excellent driving skills that got the truck at the barn.  We had to spend the day before pushing snow and digging out gates.  What a job!

 
The calves are settled in now and gaining weight.  It's been an adjustment for them though, they've never seen pigs or sheep before.  As all the pens have drifts over the fences, I can't keep the sheep and pigs in their winter pens and the hay feeders have become multi-species salad bars.  Hoping for spring thaw soon!

I can't believe how fast this past month has passed.  Usually the months in the dead of winter pass so slowly, but this year has been so different.  There have been so many new arrivals in the barnyard, new lambs, goats, calves and now,  two litters of pigs.  These little guys were born when it was -30 outside.  I have a little farrowing barn that we heat so these guys are quite comfortable when it's nasty outside.  The mom is a duroc sow we got last fall.  It's her second litter and we bred her to Boris, our Yorkshire boar.  Everyone is doing well, they are already sneaking out of their pen to run around and explore.  Should have lots of Christmas hams! 

I love looking at seed catalogues. My plants and garden never look like the pictures, but it's nice to dream that one day I'll have a spectacular garden, instead of 3 acres of weed infestation.  Anyone want a job this year weeding?  Let me know, I'm serious.

I've spent hours pouring over different catalogues getting my seed orders ready. I'm always looking for different varieties that do better in our short season.  Last year I tried kidney beans and chick peas for the first time.  The kidney beans were great, they cook up big and fat and taste nothing like the store bought ones.  The chick peas didn't do well at all.  Not sure if I'll try again or not.  I've had good luck with cantaloupe so this year I want to try watermelon.  See how that one goes.  So what are you all growing this year that's new for you?  

 

We're Free!  But we don't know where to go!  

There is so much snow in the lamb feeder pen that they are now able to jump over their pen and get out. When we built the pen, the panels where 32 inches high which is enough to keep a lamb in.  With all the snow the sides are about 18 inches and are no challenge to a  limber lamb.  I guess I'm doing some more fencing.  They are so funny though, they run and buck while experiencing their freedom.  After going so far from their pen, they turn around and go home.  Not very adventurous.

 Last summer I grew some colored corn. You may remember my post from last fall with the picture of the pile of beautiful colored cobs.  I kept everything that didn't sell and dried it.  After I saved enough seed for myself I still had a pile of corn.  Rather than feed to the chickens, I decided to grind it up and try and cook with it.  Doing a small amount at a time through the blender ( the mix mill is too big lol) I was able to break it down enough to run through a sieve.  It's not yellow like store bought cornmeal, but it tastes very good.  I've made a few batches of corn bread and they turned out great, although they were a little crunchy.  I'll have to find a smaller sieve before I grind more.  I try to avoid commercially grown corn, it's all gmo and it can't be grown without a huge amount of fertilizer and chemicals.  It's important to me to feed my family with food that wholesome and nutritious.                                                                                                                             

Spring must be just around the corner.  I can't believe that I also have some lambs on the ground along with the kids.  We don't start lambing until March 18th, and I thought I had pulled the rams out last summer in time so that no one got bred early.  However, 2 weeks ago I noticed a few ewes were bagging up and would be lambing soon.  Sure enough, I have some lambs and their mothers living in the shop.  We heat it with wood, so it's warm and toasty in there.  I'm hoping to move them out to the lambing barn with heat lamps now that they are stronger.  The man really takes objection to his "man" shop being taken over with the woolies.

I'm now paying the price for not getting my buck pen built last summer.  No new pen for Bailey meant that he had to stay with the does all summer and fall.  That meant that he could breed them whenever he wanted to, not when I wanted him to.  So, now I have baby goats in the cold freeze of January.  The babies all have hot houses with heat lamps running round the clock.  They stay under the heat most of the time, but come out to run around and eat.  When they get chilled, its back to the lights.  My power bill is going to be huge, but there's no alternative.  It also means that I'm back milking goats when it's -25 outside.  That also doesn't make me happy.  Guess what is top of my to-do list this spring!

Carmela

Hannah and I have started working with Carmela.  We bought her last year, but it has been so busy that she's just been running out with the other horses.  Hannah is able to ride her, but I'd like to use her as a draft pony around the yard.  She isn't very happy with us, and needs lots of re-assurance that the tire isn't going to bite her in the butt. 

Wool for Sale

Once a year we have the sheep shorn.  Although we have specific meat breeds of sheep, we also have some sheep that have exceptional fiber.  Our raw wool is sent away to be processed at a mill where they turn it into 100 % Saskatchewan grown yarn.

 Corriedale Yarn - 2 ply sport weight 112 grams/226 m per skein.  Use 4mm - 5mm needles.  $8.00/skein

 

          

Roving - Natural colours, dark brown, gray and white.  Great for spinning or felting. $18.00/lb

Recycling the Christmas Tree

The goats have been eating just hay and oats now for months.  Goats love to browse trees and will eat as high up as they can reach.  I thought they might enjoy the old Christmas tree.  What do you think?

Busy Making Soap

Now that Christmas is over for another year, it's time to start replenishing my stock of goats milk soap.
If you've followed this blog for a while, you'll know that I have goats.  I love my goats, but they are a handful.  They are intelligent and do funny things that make me laugh.  They also get into trouble and wreck things that make me cry,  All in all, I'm glad I have them .... Lyle won't say the same thing.....  Sometimes I just have to ignore him. 

This year I'm going to try making cheese.  I love feta cheese and I buy lots of it.   Like everything else on this farm, I figure  that I should be making my own.  I will update with pictures after kidding when I have a milk supply again.

In the meantime though, I am busy making goats milk soap.  Naturally made soap  with goat's milk is very moisturizing on your skin.  The natural glycerin is left in the soap as well.  Store bought soap contains detergent and petroleum derived ingredients.  As well, they have removed the glycerin to sell separately.

Check out the "Product Available to Order" page to find out what fragrances we have available.