Does Our Compost Man Hate Me?

With gardening comes yard waste.  I have been doing a lot of gardening.  I have subsequently produced a lot of yard waste.  With the help of Grandma Susan and Grandpa Derrick, I bagged this yard waste and put it out for collection by the compost man.  There are a lot of bags at the end of my driveway.

I mean a lot.

Like, more than twenty.  The photo simply does not do it justice.

Our compost man stopped at our house.

He picked up our recycling.  He looked at the garden waste bags.  He looked at me.  He kept on driving.

The bags are still at the end of my driveway.  I am going to have to call somebody.

If You Give a Perfectionist a Pressure Washer...

How do you know it's been raining on the farm?

The wheelbarrow is full of water.

The chicken run has turned into a lake.

There are muddy dog prints all over the floor.

Rainy weather limits the options for outdoor chores.  However, today I figured - if I am going to get wet, I might as well get really wet!

Who knew that if you give a perfectionist a pressure washer, you will guarantee them six and a half hours of entertainment?  Really.  Never having pressure washed before, I did not realize that I was missing out on the most fun chore ever!  It is so easy - you literally wave a wand around, sometimes while standing on a ladder - and it provides immediate results.

My trusty tool of choice.
Thank you Grandpa Don for this amazing machine!

I got absolutely soaked but our house looks spectacular!  When the sun came out for a few precious minutes this afternoon, our house practically sparkled.

So clean.  Not a spider web in sight!

See? Sparkling clean.

Talk about gratifying.  If only every home maintenance activity could be so enjoyable. I wonder what else I can pressure wash...

Sunday Nutty Sunday

A few weeks ago we harvested nuts from our black walnut tree in the backyard.  They are a favourite of the squirrel so if we want any, we have to work fast.

Walnut in the tree.

Ha! We got them before the squirrel!

After removing the green outer shell, we dried the nuts.

Today we cracked them open!

They are incredibly hard.  We used a vice.

Liam helped.

Seamus tried to help.

 It was A LOT of work for meager returns.  No wonder black walnuts are considered a delicacy!

Cracked nuts

Black walnut (left). Regular walnut from the store (right).

Our yield.  Depressing, right? That is a snack size harvest - for a mouse!

They also did not taste that good.  I guess it would be worth it, if we were starving...maybe.  I think black walnuts might be like celery.  You burn more calories getting them into your stomach, that you do from the actual food itself.

We have decided to return the rest of the walnuts to our backyard squirrel. Bon appetit!

Preparing for the Rain

There is nothing like a nice dry barn on a cold, rainy night - if you are a sheep or a donkey, that is.  Today, the boys and I "scooped the poop".  That is code for mucking the barn and chicken coop.  

Chickens love days like this because they get a "freedom day".  With all the coop doors propped open, the hens and Beemster get to free range in the backyard in addition to the chicken run.  

This makes for very happy poultry but sad schnauzers.  The dogs are not allow in the backyard with the chickens due to their respective "conditions".  Charlotte follows the chickens around and eats their poop.  Emily tries to kill them.  Both are not helpful behaviours, in addition to being disgusting.

  

So clean

Sheep eating their bedding.
They prioritize a full tummy rather than a comfy sleeping spot.

Liam and I finished the coop just in time - it is starting to rain!

Who likes the rain best of all?  The ducks!

Getting Back to Work!

It is time to get caught up on some of the work around the farm before winter sets in.
Most of our animals are happy and healthy. Like Charlie here...

I am sad to report that our rooster Bolt dropped dead yesterday.  Not from neglect, I assure you.  It was more likely death by exhaustion induced by his constant philandering.  Beemster is now left to hold down the fort (aka chicken coop).

In my first few days off, I have pruned our grape vines, weeded and edged our vegetable garden, cleaned half of the windows in the house, and weeded half our flower beds.  For example:

After

Before

There is still so much left to do.  I will keep you posted on my progress as I get back to "work" (really, back to fun) on the farm.