AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER !!

SUGARING OFF TIME. MY FIRST ATTEMPT !

The first two sap buckets, installed on Sunday, March 7th. Leo helped me place the other six later !

Installation is relatively simple, and the sap started running immediately !  Well, not actually running... dripping. By Monday afternoon there was about 5" in each of these buckets, but on checking the other six, in the maple tree run south of the garden, I discovered they were full ! Thanks to Gabriel for asking for a status report.

All told there were about 40 litres of the sap.

Since I had made no real plans for the syrup operation I fell back on the BBQ. None of the "settler romance", the roaring fire, syrup on the snow, clouds of steam.

The boiling was reasonably successful and after two hours I had a pan ready to " finish" on the stove.

Oh, it bubbled and boiled, and I didn't mess up the stove, and I had the thermometer ( meat) in the pan to watch for the magic point !

The small amount of syrup that remained was poured into a mason jar. It looked pretty good, a golden hue, and tasted palatable.

An hour later I had about three inches of rock hard maple sugar !  Nothing short of a pick axe will liberate it ! A sure tooth breaker !

Today I must get a Candy thermometer and maybe I'll try again. There's still hope and I'm not giving up yet !

I guess I'll make wood collection a priority for the coming spring and summer months, and modify the incinerator pit to become my fireplace.

Thanks to V, C,B,O,L. for the present of five sap buckets. They look really great hanging from the trees, adding a certain cachet and allure to the property,  along the driveway up to the farm house.

While waiting for the sap to boil, I got a lot of stuff tidied up in the barn, and Dobbin started right away !

I haven't been totally idle since my last post. Done quite a number in the basement, with paneling on the stairwalls, almost finished my doors and wall project on the main stairwell, (needs staining) replaced a rather grotty door on the upstairs bathroom with a rather nice semi-refinished old pine door, and am in the final stages of the total renovation of the downstairs bathroom and passage. The attic insulation job seems to have been quite effective !

Leading up to Xmas,2009

Blogging with this program is so frustrating. I must be missing something, because no matter how hard I try to get the pictures in some sort of reasonable sequence they end up in a random pattern.

Bec and Grace leaving from Dorval after their delightful visit.

Leo, Ben, Ollie and Grace at the Buffet lunch on Saturday 11th. The candles were both decorative and functional. There was a power outtage from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gathering at the lunch table.

Xmas lights on the hedge in front of the farmhouse with Joe's Crowsnest fully decorated.

About time too ! Two long overdue shelves in Gabriel's cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind. Must do the staining soon !

A new look at the top of the farmhouse stairs. Lots of trimming and finishing to do on this project. Doors closed, and when opened this is what it looks like upstairs.

A newly created space in the library. Makes for a bit of privacy for the captain's bed.

One of these days I'd like to fill the windows with transparencies, representing the different branches of the family ! More on this idea later.

The only way to get the framing lumber for the "doors" project was through the bathroom window. Fortunately it had warmed right up and was only -10C. A dual purpose picture, this also shows the finished ramp door.

Hard to believe, but Xmas is almost upon us. Never a dull moment here. Our dear friends, Frances and Fred came for the last snow free weekend, Dec. 4-6 and we had a splendid time and Fred gave me some excellent advice on insulating the attic and some thoughts on upgrading the supply lines for the plumbing. The attic has been totally cleared of years of accumulated junk and four large bags of insulating batting have been added. Another twelve to go. So far, so good. The ultra sonic rodent machine seems to be working properly. No more squirrely sounds from the attic.

Rebecca and Grace visited, arriving on December 9th in the middle of a huge snow storm. We had a wonderful visit with them, including a super lunch at Magnans and a great buffet lunch at Ash with Vicky, Christopher, Ben, Oliver and Leo.

We returned to the Farm on the 15th to find another foot of snow on the ground ! The snow blower got a good work out.

Time to go and cut down a Christmas Tree. It gets harder and harder to find a small one in the 30 year plantation !

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful and peaceful holiday season.

Enjoy. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all. Looking forward to your next visit to the farm.

A New Winter cover !

This post is especially for Grand-daughter Millie. Millie was very concerned, during the summer, with the leaking roof and was most helpful getting pails set out to catch the drips. I think that next spring I'll have to get a scaffolding up and do some repairs on the roof !

By the way, Millie, this blue tarpaulin came from British Columbia !!

It is still unusually mild, so today will be a scything and shredding day !

Whew ! Actually did the job I planned to do.

Just a quick post today!


Being a 'Happy Farmer' involves understanding two immutable principles and learning to live with them is the key to happiness.

1) Nature rules man and those who think otherwise are sorely mistaken.
2) Machinery is only as good as the constant upkeep and maintenance.

Having a 'done list' is one way of respecting these principles and helps to avoid lots of frustration and tension.

This huge trunk and its accompany limbs are now stored off the ground, to dry out and await milling one day.

Grounds Upkeep-An on-going activity.

Just a week ago, Saturday 7th, Vicky, Christopher, Ben, Ollie and Leo visited, bringing the most delicious dinner- marinated salmon fillets that Christopher did on the BBQ. Vicky prepared, as a special treat, creme brule for dessert. Apparently she wondered whether or not I would have a blow torch, to which Ollie remarked that " Grandpa Phillip has everything" , or words to that effect. Having produced the blow torch, which Vicky wielded professionally, Christopher asked if Ollie's observation was correct, to which I replied that there were one or two things that I might not have, for instance a Chipper/Shredder !

Today's job. Get the pine logs, suitable for milling, off the ground and racked for drying. And, while I'm at it, get the stump cut down to ground level !

I don't think it is worth getting a stump grinder. More practical to rent one for a week !!

Clearing out the "plantation" .

Moving from brush pile to brush pile in Dad's plantation. Chipper/shredder makes wonderful mulch !The whole area is beginning to look quite respectable after several years of neglect. This might be the perfect site for a small shelter constructed out of some locally cut wood:

The mowing season is over, as is the leaf blowing, vacuuming and mulching. And as the vegetation dies unsightly reminders of incomplete brush clearing appear !

Just one week ago, Gabriel remarked, after a chariot ride on a beautiful afternoon, that the piles of brush in the tree line were quite noticeable and that she understood why I had been casting my eyes on a chipper/shredder, and very generously offered to get me one, which I needed no further encouragement to follow through on !

Thank you, Gabriel. This piece of equipment has already proven to be one of the best acquisitions, and it's all thanks to you.

Our local township has all but banned outside brush burning, in fact has pratically eliminated all fires. This is a very sore point with local farmers and yet another example of the continuing intrusion into our lives by government.

It looks as if we will have another beautiful day, so must get down to work . This great weather is an unexpected bonus.

SOME DREAMS HAPPEN !

Naturally, the sequence of pictures is exactly the reverse to the one I wanted !

Here is the almost completed work barn addition. Two doors make up the sliding barn door. The green one was from the inside of the farmhouse, from some 37 years ago and the pink one was either the front door of the house or cottage when we first came here in 1972.

Checking to make sure the entrance is wide enough to take the lawn tractor with the mower deck !

Framing, and selecting windows !

Preparing the foundation. The last of the railway ties !

The chosen space for the extension.

Staining and final trimming will have to wait for next spring. Always something to look forward to !

Winter won't be far off, I have all four winter tires on, so for the next few days I'll make sure that everything is put away, do the pre-winter maintenance on all the equipment and get the snow blower cab re-installed.

A beautiful sunrise today, so we're off to Ottawa for a visit to the Nicholas Hoare bookstore and the National Gallery.

No thoughts about my next dream, for a winter indoors project, but will let you know when it is done.

Thanksgiving -2009

Our full scale Thanksgiving Dinner happened on Friday night this year ! Vicky, Christopher,Ben, Ollie and Leo joined us and stayed 'til Saturday p.m. when they headed off to Lake Macdonald. The weather finally cleared up and we had a beautiful day.

Christopher dug out around the octopus-like roots of the manitoba maple stump in front of the Main Barn.Very tenacious. I had dulled three chains on the saw trying to reduce it ! Finally this area is clear. The white spot behind the tractor was the boulder that Roy helped me drag away. We were doing quite well with the Cockshutt 30, but it suddenly decided to quit so we had to bring Dobbin in for the final tug ! Replacing the ignition switch solved the problem later.

Emptying and storing the water barrels gave rise to some interesting games and an impromptu steel drum percussion activity !

We were able to finish the closing of the pool with the winter blanket and leaf net. This picture shows the finished job on the skimmer replacement project.

A little fall bouquet, all from the garden. Zinnias and a lupin. In early October !

Well, this morning there is a heavy white frost carpet so it will be time to clear out the flower baskets and start the clean up of the garden and flower beds.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !