The Ouellette Farm

Cold Ducks

2012-02-20T09:16:00.001-08:00

There are many different animals on our farm, most of which were dropped off by owners who
simply didn't want them anymore or couldn't deal with them. That's why, when you take a close look at our feathered animals, you'll notice it's a rather interesting salad of different sizes, colours, and breeds. I know, I know, we will eventually have to start saying “no” but for now, we have the space, the accommodations and the patience for them all. That's how the Muscovy ducks came to our farm. Those two girls are beautiful, all white, and so darn nice it was impossible to say “no”. These two ducks were just having a ball at our place. You see, we have a spring-fed pond in front of the barn and another in the back of the barn, the ducks must have thought they died and went to heaven. Even though they loved being on those ponds, they still went to sleep in the chicken coop with all the other feathered creatures as they knew it was a safer place to be than outside at the mercy of the many predators. Every morning, I opened the door to the coop to give the birds a choice to either stay in or go out. It was a good system for them, outside from the sunrise to the sunset and inside from sunset to sunrise. The chickens didn't seem to mind them at all but it sure made quite a picture, all the different variety of birds all huddled together in this coop, sure made me scratch my head wondering why humans can't seem to do the same that easily. Every night, I checked on them to make sure they were all in and most of the time they were. Once in a while, there would be a couple of chickens that would take their time in getting in the coop, got caught in the darkness and had to be “rescued".”..

As it does every year, the Summers turned into Fall and Fall was heading towards Winter but the ducks were still going to the ponds every morning even though there now was a thin coat of ice. They managed to find a spot that hadn't yet frozen and were still taking their “bath” there. I thought that was very brave of them, that's something you couldn't pay me enough to do. Ducks being ducks, the temperature outside wasn't going to stop them from having a bath and enjoying these last few chances to get in the water. Then the cold arrived and everything was frozen which really upset the ducks. Now what were they supposed to do? Snow just wasn't the same as flowing water and they let me know they weren't happy at all by following me everywhere and quacking all the way. There was water in the coop but it was in a water container especially made to supply only a slight amount of water for drinking and not bathing. I apologized to the ducks but explained that it was the only way to keep water in the coop and that bathing unfortunately had to wait a few months. I thought they understood me since they stopped following me. However, one evening when I went to close the coop door, they were nowhere to be seen. Now the temperature was getting extremely cold outside and the wind was picking up making me worry; there was a storm on the way. How the heck was I supposed to find white ducks in white snow? So I went up to the house to get my faithful flashlight and told Sasha, my farm dog, to follow me. I sent her to find the ducks one way and I went the other. After climbing over the cedar fence, I heard one of the ducks calling out to me, she was right under the cedar fence, frozen in the snow which was now covering her. I knelt down and gently picked her up, talking to her all the time. I immediately brought her inside the house and gently laid her in the large dog cage that I had placed close to the wood stove in the kitchen. I then went back outside in the dark to try to find the other girl. Since they were never far from one another, I knew where to start searching. The storm was blowing strong by then and it was just a matter of time before a thick coat of snow would cover everything. Sasha ran ahead of me and stopped close to the culvert under the driveway that linked the two ponds together. I directed the light beam into the culvert hoping Sasha had found something and that's where I saw the other duck. Fresh water was flowing in the culvert from the underground spring but it was so cold that the water was freezing as soon as it came out. The first duck had probably heard me calling out and braved the snow to come get help. The second duck was litterally frozen to the side of the culvert which, of course, was metal. She was alive but couldn't move so I asked Sasha to get out of the culvert and I crouched down on my knees to get in there myself. When I finally got to her, I took my gloves off and melted the ice from her wings with my hands while the duck stayed still and quiet. It worked but some feathers from her chest were still frozen to the wall so I scooped up some water from the flow, hoping it would melt it enough for me to pull her out of there. After a couple of minutes, my hands and knees were frozen but the duck was free so I finally backed my way out of the culvert. Sasha was very happy to see both of us out of there and followed us back to the house, dancing all the way. To thank her, I let her in the house with us and she immediately went to lay down beside the wood stove. You should have heard the other duck when I finally laid the frozen duck beside her, it's like she was yelling of happiness and gratitude. I grabbed a bunch of towels from the bathroom and laid them all around the ducks, with all the ice on them, there was going to be a puddle of water when it all melted. Then I went upstairs and changed into warm dry clothes. We were all finally inside so I added a log in the stove to warm up the kitchen as gently as possible. I sat in front of the stove with my feet up and a cup of warm tea. I quietly thanked Sasha for helping me find my precious ducks. She just gave me a big sigh, closed her eyes and dozed off, she had done her job very well indeed. Outside, the storm was blowing very hard but it didn't matter, everything was going to be alright.

The ducks stayed in the house for a couple of days after which it was obvious that they had frostbite damage on their little feet but everything else seemed to be OK. Every day, I put some cream on their feet during which time they both behaved. Unfortunately, they lost their nails and part of their toes but all was getting better as the days were going by. About a week later, I brought them back to the coop and gave them strict instructions to NOT go back to the ponds until Spring time which they didn't. They were quite content to have the drinking water and didn't ask for more. To this day, if I want to know where they are, all I have to do is call out and they both answer me. You know, if someone ever calls me a birdbrain, I'll take that as a compliment, thank you very much ;-)

The Harp

2012-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

Living on a farm, avoiding spiders is eventually impossible. I'm not too keen on sharing my barns with these bugs that have way too many legs and eyes, but after a few summers working in a barn, I've come to sort of accept them. Don't get me wrong, if one gets too close to me, I run the other way but if cornered, I have been known to grab the largest shovel close by and whack them to pieces. I despise those things like crazy but know that they are more afraid of me (I have a reputation) and they try to stay away from me as much as I try to stay away from them. Call it an “understanding” if you want. No, it's not really fear, it's more like disgust; if you ask me, they are the ugliest creatures on this earth however, they have a very important purpose when you face the unsurmountable number of flies that live around livestock. Hence my “respect” for them, I don't go in their bubble, they don't come into mine. Their favourite place to throw their web is of course, in front of windows and there are two windows in the feed/tack room, a place I go into at least three times a day. I used to go in just starring at them because, of course, there's a whole city of them and I always ended up tripping over something and falling flat on my face so I decided to just keep my eyes on what it is I was going to get and sort of ignore them – yes, my spider senses were tingling all the time but it was better than falling. My father-in-law decided one day when he was visiting that he was going to clean up the room from all the spiders and webs with my lawn rake so off he went. I think he spent 10 minutes in there swatting the rake up in the air and once in a while I'd hear a “Holy cow, they're big!” but remained far, very far away from all the commotion. When he brought the rake outside and shook it to remove the webs and spiders, the chickens ran to him and just had a feast. Needless to say, I didn't eat their eggs for the next few days but hey, the room was pretty clean after that. With a sigh of relief, I was finally able to go in the room without feeling as if I was being watched! However, it didn't take long for the spiders that survived the attack to create their webs once again. One day, I was listening to the radio while doing my chores and a beautiful musical piece came on, it was a piece played by a trio of harp, flute and guitar. What a lovely piece it was, so lovely that I decided to stop my work and listen to it. I sat down on a log outside the feed/tack room and just enjoyed my little break. It was another lovely summer day, the flies weren't too bad and I closed my eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face. The harp was playing a solo part when I opened my eyes and noticed one of the resident spiders was working on her web in the window in front of me and it was like she was playing the harp. Every note corresponded with her movement. For an instant, just for an instant, the spider didn't look so ugly but was rather beautiful. How could that be when I had despised them for so long? Yet there she was, working hard on creating her web as if magically playing this music at the same time. The piece of music was over too soon and reality came back. The spider was back to being a spider and I went back up to finish my chores but that little instant in time will always remain with me. Whenever I went in the room to get the feed, I didn't get the same tingly feeling but rather a sense of understanding. Those creatures were there for a reason and I had nothing to do with it. They were simply there to help with the farm chores, in their own ways.

A Poem Just For Me!

2012-01-15T10:19:00.000-08:00

I know most of you are not bilingual and reading French is not possible but my dear sister Nathalie just wrote an absolutely beautiful poem that I want to share with those who understand my native Canadian tongue:

La fermière de Middleville

Au chant du coq matinal,
Avec la douceur du matin
La fermière s’affaire à ses tâches quotidiennes.

La brume s’étire à l’horizon
Mariant le ciel et le gazon
Un à un les rayons du soleil

Perçant le mystère de l’aube.

Doucement l’écho de la vie monte dans la vallée
Laissant place au murmure du vent.
L’air frais transporte avec elle
Les odeurs des bêtes qui suivent leur maîtresse.

Vaches, poules, chevaux, canards
Quelle cacophonie matinale!

La richesse de la matinée s’amplifie
Sous un ciel bleu
Alors que le soleil au zénith
A effacer toute trace de brume.

Le calme du décor
Se fige l’instant d’un moment
Alors que toute la cours répond

À l’appel de leur maîtresse.

Jusqu’au couché du soleil

La vie vit!

Et c’est à la lueur du crépuscule
Que la fermière ferme boutique

Étable, enclot, poulailler, bonne nuit.

En s’essuyant le front une dernière fois
La nuit peut venir bercer ses bêtes
Vers un sommeil profond

Et elle aussi jusqu’à l’aube du lendemain.

© Nathalie Leduc

2012-01-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

On a farm, we have hens, lots of them, and they are free to go wherever they please, every day throughout the year. They always go back to the chicken coop every night because they instinctively know they are safe in there from any predators since we close the door to keep the beasts out but open the door every morning for them to get out. Of course, during the winter months, they don't wander too far from the coop but during the summer, it's a different story. They go everywhere, from the barn right up to the back of the house where my garden is located. Of course, it means that we have a bit more trouble finding some the eggs during the summer months. Most of them lay in the coop where there are many nests full of fresh hay but some of them are rebels and decide to go elsewhere. Trust me when I say these rebel hens literally hide their nests. The only ones that can find those are the dogs, raccoons and anything else that has a good sense of smell. We'll find old eggs at the end of the winter months when we get to the last row of hay bales and how they got there is beyond our understanding – some of those chickens must be quite the acrobats I'm sure. On one beautiful summer day, I was hanging the clothes on the line when I heard one of the hens complaining bitterly. When you're around chickens for as much as I, you come to “understand” their language and this one was yelling out that she wasn't very happy at all. Leaving the wet clothes behind, I went towards the barn trying to find the hen that was in trouble and found her under the truck. The turkeys were literally walking around the truck in circles so I thought they had upset the hen by pecking at her or something. After making sure she wasn't bleeding, I decided to walk back to the clothes and leave them alone but after a ferw minutes, she was still complaining so I walked back to her thinking that maybe, somehow, she may have gotten stuck under the truck and was trying to get out but couldn't. I chased the turkeys away and knelt down to grab her but when my hand touched something squirmy, I immediately retreated my hand and bent down to take a better look at this hen, maybe there was more than what I saw before. All I saw was a very upset hen that was refusing to move so I tried to talk to her and let her know the turkeys were gone and that's when I saw something I wasn't expecting: Eyes just starring at me, eyes in her wing! What the heck was going on here? So I went to the house to grab my work gloves, bent down once again and reached for the hen once again. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to take my chances at getting bitten. I softly spoke to the hen, making sure the turkeyus weren't around the truck, and reached once again for her. This time, whatever the eyes were jumped up on my gloves and I started to laugh. The hen was bitterly complaining because she was protecting her new chicks from the turkeys! So I went to the barn to get a metal pail and headed back to the hen. After coaching her out from under the car, she called out to her chicks to let them know the coast was clear and one by one, they followed her. I gently took the chicks and put them in the pail. There were 8 in total! I walked to the chicken coop with the pail and Mother Hen in tow. Let me tell you, 8 newly hatched chicks can sure make a lot of noise, especially when in a metal pail, making me giggle all the way. There is a small cage in the coop which we refer to as the “hospital”, where we put any bird that requires to be left alone due to any reason. That's where I put the chicks and the Mother Hen followed naturally after I added food and water, she was very hungry and thirsty after hiding for 21 days. When I closed the door to the “hospital” and backed up to take a good look at the new family, practically all the hens came in from outside and started to talk to each other, to the new Mother Hen, and all the roosters started crowing, waking up everyone and everything that dared to sleep during this special occasion. It was such a commotion in there, I think my brains shook from all the noise so I left the chicken coop and got back to hanging up the clothes. When I checked on everyone that evening, everyone was back in the coop, settling down for the night and in the “hospital”, all the chicks were snuggled under their mother while she very soundly slept after an exhausting day. It was a pretty sight indeed. I walked out of the coop, silently closing the door behind me and watched as the sun set on another beautiful day on the farm.

The Birth of Province

2012-01-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

One of our Canadian mare, Copper, was in-foal when she came to stay on our farm. In order to prepare for the birth of the foal, Patrick had two foaling stables built. You see, our barn was designed to accommodate cows as it was previously a milk farm and the “milking parlour” was just a big empty space. It was a perfect spot for two foaling stables on one side, the other side was left open to be used as the feeding area. Both stables would be about 10 feet wide by 10 feet long, enough space to allow a horse to turn around and/or lie down. Built with hemlock, they would last for as long as the barn was standing. Having had two grandfathers who were carpenters, every time I'd walk into the barn, the smell of freshly cut wood brought me back to the days when I was a young girl helping out in the wood shed. Just like most barns in the area, ours was built over a hundred years ago. As the work progressed and the stalls were built, more and more I felt like I belonged in that barn. When the work was done, those two stalls were absolutely beautiful and I just couldn't wait to welcome Copper's foal in one of them. We had written down the approximate foaling date and since it was still a few weeks away, we were happy to see the work done in time. We kept Copper and her sister Cognac out in the field since they were feasting on fresh grass and it gave me less work to do in the barn (less to clean). We planned on bringing Copper inside the foaling stall for the nights starting in a few days. Friends came up from the United States to stay for the weekend and were quite impressed when they saw the stables which, of course, was the first thing we showed them when they arrived on Friday afternoon. We had such a nice evening but since everyone was tired, decided to continue our conversation the next day. Being an early riser, I went downstairs to make the coffee and noticed that we were out of it. Fortunately, our little village had a convenient store just up the hill from our farm so I walked up the hill to get some coffee beans. The store owner was excited about the upcoming birth of our foal and wanted to hear all about our new stables so I stayed and chatted a while. When I started to walk down the hill back to the farm house, I took a moment to look at the farm itself. From my angle, I could see most of the fields and barns. Pride is the best way to describe how I felt that morning. The sun was just coming up, the birds were singing away and it was going to be another beautiful Spring day. What a perfect time to have friends over for a visit. With the coffee in hand, I continued my walk down the hill when something caught my eyes. There was Copper and Cognac, happily grazing the grass but what was that other little thing beside Copper? It moved and I stood still, almost dropping the coffee, with my mouth wide open. I immediately started to run down the hill and Patrick came out of the house yelling “What's wrong?” and all I could yell back was “FOAL!!!”, pointing to the field where the horses were. Patrick went back in the house to grab a lead and ran out to the field where he met for the first time Copper's foal. I got back to the house, out of breath, grabbed the phone and called our neighbours Lyall and Lionel, both horse people to let them know that Copper had foaled during the night – earlier than expected! After handing the bag of coffee to our visitors and telling them to make themselves at home, I grabbed my camera and ran out to the field. Copper was lying down in the shade with her foal right beside her, both obviously exhausted from the morning's work. Patrick was standing close to them when I slowly walked up beside him. All he said was “Well so much for building a beautiful new foaling stable.” which made me giggle. I took many pictures that morning but will never forget the first physical contact I had with Copper's foal who turned out to be a filly. The filly clumsily came up to me and nuzzled at my hand, so very soft and warm, just a perfect moment. I introduced myself and gently touched her neck. I then turned to Copper and softly whispered with tears in my eyes; “You did good.”

Well, that afternoon, we had a lot of visitors, all of which were not coming to see us but rather the new resident of our little village. Most were quite excited when I announced “It's a girl!!!” and I understood why when money started to exchange hands. Oh, the joys of living in a small town...

The Bat

2011-12-28T16:58:00.001-08:00

I wrote this story years ago, when our dog Apica was with us. Even though it's a bit old, I think a few of you folks will still enjoy reading it...

THE BAT...

The morning was absolutely beautiful and it was going to be another perfect early summer
day. Everyone was in a good mood and when I opened the chicken coop door, the hens and roosters couldn't run fast enough outside to enjoy the warmth of the sun and catch the few flies that had started to come alive. The horses were already standing in front of the barn, right in the sun, dozing away, in a very peaceful state. It was enough to inspire any artist to grab his paints and a canvas. The farm chores were calling me so off I went, bucket in one hand and pitchfork in the other. The eggs were gathered, stalls cleaned, chickens fed and adding water to the horses' water container was my last chore to do. With water hose in hand, I went straight to the water container and was about to put the hose in it when I noticed something odd.

On the inside, stuck to the wall just above the water was a very wet black bat, just shivering and clinging on for dear life. The poor thing must have flown in there chasing a mosquito during the night and got too close to the water with its wings. In daylight, it was pretty much blind and the sunlight reflecting off the shiny sides of the container certainly didn't help. It had just grabbed onto a little dent on the side (caused by the horses I'm sure) and held on, not being able to fly with wet wings. Most people would have screamed, ran away, or panicked but I instinctively put on my work gloves and grabbed the poor little thing with nothing but concern and pity for it.

I held it in my hands, this helpless little thing, and just wanted to wipe it dry but then thought how wonderful Mother Nature was to offer her rays of sunshine to help with the task. While the little bat was “sunbathing”, I had the chance to really take a good look at it. I had never seen one so close before and it was such a thrill to hold one in my hands. I started to talk to it, no, actually, I sang to it. I had read somewhere that if an animal is afraid, hearing a soothing melody helps it relax. So here I was, singing to this bat and, believe it or not, the bat started to talk back to me. At first it was a very high pitch noise almost undetectable, but it was there so I lowered my voice and sang a lullaby that my mother sang to me when I was a child. The bat stopped talking and at the same time, stopped shivering. It just looked at me with its big ears moving back and forth, almost as if it was listening to me, trying to understand what I was saying.

My farm dog, Apica, was right beside me the whole time and I lowered myself to her level so she could take a look at what I had in my hands. Apica just looked at it and didn't even try to touch it, almost like she knew that the bat was quite exhausted from its ordeal and she didn't want to make it more nervous. After a while, the bat's wings and body were dry. Since it was so bright outside, I just couldn't let it fly away so I took it inside the barn and put it in the area that I absolutely despise because it's so dark and gloomy, a perfect spot for a bat. I just opened my hand close to one of the beams and it crawled out of it, clinging onto the wood with its little hands. I don't know how long it stayed in there, a part of me was hoping it would go back to the area every night but the next morning, I tried to find it and it was gone. Being a wild animal, I wasn't expecting it to stay but part of me hoped, just for a second, that somehow, I would know that it was alright and thankful for my little efforts.

One evening, a couple of months later, I was sitting outside in the dark, listening to the wolves and looking at the stars. While I was contemplating on the beauty surrounding me, Apica did something I had never seen before. She actually started to dance, not trying to catch anything, just jumping and wagging her tail. When I looked more closely, a bat was dancing with her in the moonlight.

Happy December Solstice!

2011-12-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

It's finally here, the longest night of the year which means that darkness will start getting shorter and shorter from now on. It's all uphill from now folks! I know, I know, it's WINTER but cold temperatures cannot compete with our human need for sunlight, especially when everything is so very bright and white out there. Yesterday, we had a period of freezing rain in the Lanark Highlands and it was not very pleasant to walk on, let me tell you. This morning, as I'm looking out my window, the ice that froze on the branches is melting away and it's raining in the sunlight. The horses and cows are stretching their legs, wondering if any grass is growing in this warmth. The chickens, using their wings to balance themselves while slipping, are pecking away at the drops falling off the barn roof. Today is December 22^nd and everything is melting away. I had to laugh when a neighbour said we'll be paying for this nice warm weather come Spring time when Winter refuses to leave after arriving so late. You just never know! But having more daylight is better than cold temperatures, if you ask me. Darkness is simply not my friend. A few years ago, my darling husband wanted to test my hate of darkness one night while snowmobiling by stopping in the forest and turning off the light, leaving us in complete darkness. My husband is obviously not afraid of the dark and was silently smiling to see how long it would take for me to react. After a long 5 seconds, I whacked the back of his helmet with mine yelling “Turn on the lights NOOOOW!” which he immediately did as I threatened to climb over him to turn the darn thing on myself. There's just something about darkness that I just can't digest, leaves a bile taste in my mouth. So, all this to say I'm tremendously happy it's December Solstice day!!! Yep, winter's here but it's “adieu” to the long nights. Now where are my sunglasses...

The Wood Cookstove

2011-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

When my husband and I moved to this beautiful century farm, we became very good friend with the last farmer from the Mather family, Lyall Mather. The Mather family had owned this farm since 1852. Lyall and I sort of adopted each other, he was a very kind and wise father figure for me and I was a naive and enthusiastic daughter figure for him. He came over often just to chat and talk about his life as a farmer which was a priceless treasure for me. Lyall told me the history of everything here, from the forest trees (some of which have his carvings) to individual barn boards, stories that I will always cherish.

One day, we were sitting at the kitchen table and he asked if I'd be interested in acquiring a wood cookstove, the same model that used to be in the Summer Kitchen. He knew of someone in the area that was “getting rid” of theirs and thought it would be nice to have such a historic piece in our farm house. Within a few hours, we were all packed in the pickup truck; my husband driving, Lyall giving us directions to the place and me just itching to see this antique treasure.

As soon as we walked into the house and saw the old wood cookstove, we knew it was meant to come home with us. The previous owners took such good care of it, it looked practically brand new. The reason they were getting rid of it was simple; since it was over 100 years old, it didn't meet the modern safety codes determined by their insurance company and had to be replaced with a newer model. Mind you, this was their one and only heating source so I can understand why the insurance company were insisting it be replaced. We wanted the stove simply to do canning/preserves, cooking, and to warm up the room during the colder seasons. So in the back of the pickup truck it went.

When we got the stove home, we couldn't wait to use it but knew we had to install it to code, and that meant having tiles installed on the floor and a protective wall barrier built behind the cookstove. After doing the renovations to the Summer Kitchen, we placed the old cookstove in its place with an awful lot of strength and effort (the thing is incredibly heavy), and christened it by making our first meal on it that very first night. Even after all these years, I still think everything tastes better when cooked on the old stove from breakfast to jams and jellies. It just seems to add an “originality” to the taste. My husband absolutely loves using it, especially with the price of electricity going up. He's quite a pro with it and although Lyall first showed me how to use it, my husband has taught me a few more things on how to successfully cook with it. There's just something about cooking like my grandmother used to, keeps me connected to her in some ways... Brings warmth to my heart and I find myself smiling while thinking of all the pioneer women before me who for many generations did what I do today.

If you want to see a cute short video of Lyall, I encourage you to visit the website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27pjyoPBk_w

I really miss him dearly but know he's right here with me, smiling with pride.

Another Wonderful Local Store to Visit

2011-12-05T09:58:00.000-08:00

If ever you scratch your head, wondering what to get for people on your gift-giving list, why not try something different: Balderson Fine Foods in the small village of Balderson. It's located right across the street from the original Balderson Cheese Factory off Hwy 511 and the store itself is quite beautiful.

The owner, Norma, has rekindled the “old fashioned” idea of a traditional store, starting with the original tin ceiling, and she offers an incredible number of local products, something that most big-name stores seem to have difficulty doing. Not only does her store offer unique and delicious selections, it also specializes in wonderful gift baskets. The store is nestled between the largest ladies' boutique in the Ottawa Valley, Emma Lee Fashions, and a sweet smelling bakery offering a variety of home-baked goods.

Balderson FIne Foods is one of the Ottawa Valley's best kept secrets. If you're looking for a very different gift, it's the place to go. If you're looking for local products, it's the place to go. If you're looking for a place that offers a calm atmosphere, away from all the hustle and bustle of crowds, it's the place to go.

So if ever you're in the Lanark Highlands, please take a trip on the Hwy 511 to Balderson, only a few minutes away from Perth. It's well worth the visit, you'll see. Just remember, it's across the street from the original Balderson Cheese Factory (now called Balderson Village Cheese) and there is plenty of parking off Hwy 511 beside the building – beside the bakery, hard to miss. If you want more information, check out their website at www.baldersonfinefoods.ca

Happy Shopping

Beautiful Snow

2011-12-02T06:33:00.001-08:00

What a thrill it is to wake up in a beautiful world wrapped in a fresh coat of snow. This time of year is my absolute favourite; no mosquitoes, no black flies, no spiders starring at me with their 8 eyes, no weeds in my garden to battle with, everything is slowing down, including traffic on the roads. Feeding hay to the cattle and horses is now a daily chore since grass is no longer available to them and yes, the cost of feed for the poultry goes up but it's still beautiful out there. Imagine just for a moment if snow was another colour, let's say black. Snow falling down would make the outside look very somber and dreary, wouldn't you say? Personally, I believe Mother Nature knew that all creatures would need something cheery during the cold months and that's why snowflakes are white, making everything bright once again. Of course, there is a much more scientific explanation to which I totally agree but I still think there's magic in the air when snowflakes are falling from the sky. All you have to do is stand still, close your eyes, listen to them fall and stick out your tongue to catch a few...

We Should Never Forget

2011-11-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm “finally” putting up some Christmas decorations and when I say “finally”, I mean according to most stores, my Farm Gate is quite late in doing so. Have you noticed how fast the Christmas decorations come out after Halloween/Samhain in the stores? When I went to do a bit of groceries at the start of November, I was floored when I heard some Christmas music on the speakers. I thought November was the month to remember the end of the First and Second World War and to honour all those who have served/are serving? To me, November is represented by a Poppy, not by Christmas decorations. Is it not an insult to anyone touched by military events, anyone involved in any war or even peacekeeping to be pushed aside by Christmas decorations? That's why taking out my Holiday decorations is never done before the last November days, out of respect for all who are/were touched by a soldier(s). I have the highest esteem for these brave people. The fact that they are willing to risk their life to defend our young country is something that none of my life accomplishments could even come close to matching. The whole month of November should honour all those who dedicate themselves to such an impressive task, whether from the past, present or even future. Le jour du Souvenir / Remembrance Day should be for the whole month of November instead of just for one day... We should never forget.

Then again, that's just my humble opinion, I may be wrong.

Being a Newbie

2011-11-28T05:12:00.000-08:00

Last week, I acquired a book for newbies in the world of Blogging... someone like me. The book was dragged everywhere over the weekend, from the house to the barn so I could put my nose in it whenever I had a "spare" moment. Certainly cleared up a lot of my questions, like "Why would anyone have a blog?" or "What would be appropriate to mention on a blog?" and so on and so forth. I'm still a newbie to this internet thing and probably will remain that way for years to come but I'll catch up one of these days. My niece Laura finds it quite comical actually, she seems to think that everyone was born with a keyboard in their hands and is amused when I ask her questions about computer stuff. Guess this generation gap is defined by the oh-so-different perspectives on "common sense" ~ mine is from a human perspective and hers is from a computer/artificial perspective. Privacy is a very important to me but she sees it as loneliness and isolation. Being able to sit on a fallen tree and listen to music played by Mother Nature is not "natural" to her but immediately understanding any new computer gadget is. Where she sees her world as a constant connection to everyone, I see it as such a lonely place to be. To me, it's a world of misspelled and "fast" words, void of any emotions except for artificial superiority. Feelings don't even exist unless they can be texted, for crying out loud. Makes me wonder where balance, inner peace and human wisdom can be found in this crazy world of instant communication. However, it sure makes me realize how luck I am to live on this beautiful peaceful farm. If I want to communicate with people, I have to pick up the phone (yes, the house phone that's connected to the wall) and call them, I can also email them and now, I have this blog. Yep, this "old" girl just may one day be up-to-date on all this web stuff but until then, I'll keep communicating the old-fashion way; by using my voice and my ears... and yes, the keyboard.

GROUND BEEF!!!

2011-11-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

Well, airlines do it regularly and our butchering facility did it too: Overbooking!

Due to unexpected high number of meat processing commitments, our beef cuts won't be ready until the end of the second week of December. Sooooo, please note the new date of availability:

Ground beef packages will be available as of Saturday, December 10th instead of the 3rd.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Farm Gate Hours for Saturday, December 17th, 2011

2011-11-24T06:02:00.001-08:00

The cold season is a time of year when the lack of sunshine affects our moods and our humour but these dark hours offer a wonderful opportunity to look up at the stars, take a deep breath, relax and be reconnected to everything and everyone. The Holiday Season is fast approaching and we are reminded of how precious time is. Like the countless stars, the glimmer of happiness and love illuminate through the darkness when we remember our cherished gatherings and think of the ones to come.

My mother is having her Christmas Celebration early this year: It will be on Saturday, December 17th therefore the Farm Gate will be closed that afternoon. Yes, we will be open but only from 10: to 12:noon. Sorry for the inconvenience but I'm sure y'all understand... Just can't say "no" to Mommy ~ She puts too much love and time in decorating her home and preparing the most delicious meal of the year!

Open on Sunday, December 18th 10: to 5: as usual.

Our New Farm Dog

2011-11-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

Well, we did it, we got a new dog and she's a real cutie!

Meet Bernie, born on July 13, 2011

At 5 months of age, she's already got paws as big as a 1 year old, shoulders almost up to my knees, and sure is full of energy.

We decided to call her Bernie in honour of my Grandmother Bernadette. She came from a farm about 45 minutes from here , her mother looked like a German Shepard and her father was "probably" the neighbour's Newfoundlander but not sure. Whatever her roots, she's settling very nicely here on the farm. Watching her learn and discover has been quite a joy for us.

The first picture is of her and Sasha (our older farm dog) taken in September when she was just 10 weeks old.

The second is of her lying with Sasha taken on October 22, 2011.

She and Sasha have bonded like no other. I'm sure Sasha misses Apica and Bella but witnessing her adopt Bernie as her little sister has been a great pleasure for us. I know Bernie just wouldn't be the same without her big sister Sasha!

MEAT BIRDS

2011-09-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

SOLD OUT OF CHICKENS FOR 2011!!!

Free-range chickens, raised the "old fashion" way; outdoors with all-natural feed, fresh air, grass, and whatever else Mother Nature has to offer. Very healthy, extremely lean and oh so delicious! Government inspected. Sold frozen and whole. 2011 Price $3.99/lb - Weight averages 4 lb.

Starting 2012, chickens will be raised by custom orders only and won't be available on "first come, first served" basis. Custom orders will be taken until MONDAY, APRIL 30TH, 2012 and not afterwards as day-old chicks need to be ordered from Ontario hatchery by that date.

The Apron

2011-03-28T12:22:00.001-07:00

My mother sewed beautifully and lovingly passed her knowledge down to me when I was old enough to reach the sewing machine pedal. I'm going to use this "old fashion" skill to make myself a few hard-to-find pieces, such as an apron. I would like to share the following with you - a good friend told me this story a while ago, there is a similar one is on the web, and now it's on my blog so enjoy...

History of the Apron

I don't think today's kids know what an apron even is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material.

But on top of that, it served for so much more:

It served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..
And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,bent over the hot wood stove. Kindling wood and logs were brought into the kitchen in that apron too.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds!

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. I remember when Grandma used it to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool, gently slapping any finger that tried to taste her home-made filling.

It will be a long time before someone invents something to successfully replace that 'old-time apron' since it served so many purposes.

Today, people would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that old apron. Mind you, I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron... but LOVE.

The Loss of Our Dog...

2011-03-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

Apica was Patrick's dog, really a "daddy's girl" and followed him everywhere, wanted to be with him all the time, and kept looking up the road at every chance she had to see if he was coming home. Sadly, it is that very road that took her from us. She was hit by a car around midnight the evening of February 15th, 2011:

I had just turned off my night light when our other farm dog, Sasha, gave the alarm that there was someone in our driveway. There were 2 other cars stopped by the side of the road with their flashers on. I woke Patrick up who went to check things out. I knew something was wrong when I saw him get in the pickup truck and follow the car up the laneway to where the other cars were stopped. My friends, if I told you my heart stopped when I saw him get out of the truck and pick up his dog off the road, would you understand me? She was 13 years old and we expected her to pass away soon but definitely not this way. Although it was very painful, we cannot help but be grateful to the person who bravely came to wake us up that night.

Needless to say, it has been quite a difficult time for Patrick. Apica was his first dog, his faithful dog, his farming partner, his best friend. Being farmers, you would think that the difficulties of facing death comes with the job and that we get over it easily, but I'm telling you, it is not so when it's the ending of something as beautiful as the friendship between a man and his dog.

She is dearly missed and it will take some time before I can approach Patrick with the suggestion of getting another farm dog. Maybe this summer, we'll see. But until then, I have to get used to the fact that she's no longer around although sometimes, I swear I can see her running in our fields, looking for Patrick.

Thank you Apica for giving us the best gift of all, your unconditional love and devotion. While you wait for us up there, I'm sure there are lots of things for you to run after... until we meet again, my dear friend.

LIST OF ORGANIC HERBS (Culinary & Medicinal):

2011-02-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

NOTE: Price and availability may vary. Contact us for more information.

HERB	SIZE	PRICE
Angelica	1 oz	$5.00
Angelica	2 oz	$9.50
Bilberry	1 oz	$5.50
Bilberry	2 oz	$10.00
Blessed Thistle	½ oz	$1.50
Blessed Thistle	1 oz	$2.75
Catnip	½ oz	$2.25
Catnip	1 oz	$4.25
Chamomile Flower	½ oz	$1.50
Chamomile Flower	1 oz	$2.75
Elderberry	1 oz	$2.75
Elderberry	2 oz	$5.00
Feverfew	½ oz	$2.50
Feverfew	1 oz	$4.00
Horehound	½ oz	$2.50
Horehound	1 oz	$4.00
Lemongrass	½ oz	$2.00
Lemongrass	1 oz	$3.75
Nettle	½ oz	$1.50
Nettle	1 oz	$2.75
Parsley	½ oz	$2.00
Parsley	1 oz	$3.75
Peppermint	½ oz	$1.50
Peppermint	1 oz	$2.75
Red Clover Blossom	½ oz	$2.00
Red Clover Blossom	1 oz	$3.75
Red Raspberry Leaves	½ oz	$1.50
Red Raspberry Leaves	1 oz	$2.75
Rosemary	½ oz	$2.00
Rosemary	1 oz	$3.75
Spearmint	½ oz	$2.00
Spearmint	1 oz	$3.75
Thyme	½ oz	$2.00
Thyme	1 oz	$3.75
Valerian	1 oz	$2.50
Valerian	2 oz	$4.50
Vervain	½ oz	$1.75
Vervain	1 oz	$3.00

FAIR TRADE & ORGANIC LOOSE TEA SELECTION

2011-02-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

Note: Prices and availability may vary. Please contact us for more information.

BLACK TEA:

DECAF ENGLISH BREAKFAST ~ Ceylon decaf tea by water process ($2.50/oz)

DECAF VANILLA CHAI ~ Ceylon decaf tea by water process, chai spices, and natural vanilla flavour ($2.75/oz)

EARL GREY ~ Full leaf Ceylon tea, bergamot flavour, safflowers ($3.75/oz)

BLACK & WHITE TEA:

GINGER PEACH SUPREME ~ Ceylon & White tea, ginger, sunflower, calendula, natural peach flavour ($2.50/oz)

ESTATE TEA:

EVENING FIRESIDE ~ Rooibos, chamomile, spearmint, peppermint and fenne ($3.50/oz)

HERBAL WINTER TEA ~ Apple bits, hibiscus, rose hip, orange peels, lemon grass, blackberry leaves, cinnamon vanilla flavouring, Rooibos, almond bits, verbena, linden blossom, star anise, cinnamon, corn flower blossom, vanilla bits and cloves ($3.25/oz)

WINTER'S HERBAL REMEDY ~ Marshmallow, ginger, licorice root, wild cherry, and lemon peel ($3.25/oz)

FLOWER TEA:

LYCHEE JASMINE ~ Carnation and red osmantlus flowers, wrapped in young green jasmine leaves ($3.75/flower)

FRUIT TEA:

CANADIAN BLUEBERRY ~ Apple, hibiscus, rose hip, blueberry, elderberry, orange peel, natural flavour ($3.50/oz)

MARITIME CRANBERRY ~ Apple cubes, hibiscus flower, rose hip, cranberry, natural cranberry flavour with a touch of vanilla ($3.00/oz)

PEACH CREAM ~ Apple, hibiscus, rose hip, elderberry, calendula, natural flavour ($2.50/oz)

GREEN TEA:

CANADIAN MAPLE ~ Safflowers, calendula, natural Canadian maple flavour ($3.75/oz)

JASMINE DRAGON PEARLS ~ Young Jasmine green leaves rolled without any scenting ~ use 6-8 pearls per 8 oz cup ($5.00/oz)

ROSE TEA ~ Full leaf good grade with rose petals ($2.50/oz)

GREEN & WHITE TEA:

LEMON SUPREME ~ Lemon verbena, lemon peel, calendula and natural flavour ($2.50/oz)

HERBAL TEA ADDITIONS:

ECHINACEA ~ Natural Echinacea Angustifolia root ~ Drink alone in hot water or add to any other tea when feeling under the weather and/or need a boost of natural energy. ($6.00/oz)

RED CLOVER BLOSSOMS ~ Organic red clover blossoms ~ Good amounts of vitamins, proteins, minerals and other nutrients, including niacin, thiamine and vitamin C. It can assist in bringing about hormonal balance and helps sooth the nerves. In addition, red clover has been found to contain isoflavones, antioxidants, as well as a few substances with anti-tumour properties. ($4.50/oz)

STEVIA POWDER ~ Natural Stevia leaf crushed into powder form ~ Very sweet, use instead of sugar. Calories: 0. Glycemic Index: 0 ($3.50/oz)

ROOIBOS TEA (aka RED TEA):

100% NATURAL ROOIBOS (Aspalathus Linearis) POWDER ~ from South Africa ($7.50/oz)

FRUITY ORANGE ~ Red Rooibos, orange peel, orange blossoms, natural flavour ($2.75/oz)

POMEGRANATE ~ Red Rooibos, safflower, calendula petals, orange peel, natural pomegranate flavour ($2.50/oz)

YERBA MATE TEA:

MANGO ~ Yerba mate, mango, sunflower, natural mango flavour ($2.50/oz)

New Farm Gate Hours

2011-01-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Farm Gate is open only by appointment in November, January, February, and March - Open Saturday and Sunday 10:-5: April-October & December.

Snow and Neighbours

2011-01-15T13:27:00.001-08:00

What a beautiful winter we are having here in the Lanark Highlands. Not too cold and not a ridiculous amount of snow either. However, this being January, I'm sure the "true" winter will be here soon enough...

There is a small house being built across the street from our farm house at the moment. Seeing that our farm is in the village of Middleville (the farm extends to one of the corners at the main intersection), we have lots of neighbours who are used to farming activities. It will be interesting to see who will move in that little place. My husband keeps saying "I sure hope they like farm noises, especially them roosters that start at 3am, cows that moooooo 24 hours a day when separated from calves, and the dogs barking at predators during the day and night." My thought is ear plugs, those things work wonders. I have a bunch that I can give them as a house-warming gift. Sure hope they laugh instead of scratch their heads with confusion in their eyes. If they're confused, they're in for a ride, a real country one!

Beef Sausages

2010-11-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Some customers are concerned with the fact that our beef sausages may be a bit too salty. That made me wonder about something: Most of us know to rinse any canned goods before cooking them due to the high sodium content in the brine but this applies to most goods and not just canned ones, including sausages. During processing, sausages are temporarily laid in sodium hence the need to thoroughly rinse before cooking. The recipe for the sausages comes from our butcher who will try to "modernize" it since today's society is carefully watching their sodium intake. Hopefully soon the ingredients will contain less of it (none would even better) but in the meantime, we will only offer the Northern Maple sausages for which we received wonderful feedback, on top of the fact that they contain the least sodium. We hope our customers agree with our commitment to the quality of our products since after all, an informed customer is a healthy one.

PRESERVES, CHICKENS, AND BEEF

2010-10-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

Well g'day from Middleville, Ontario, CANADA:

Canning season is wrapping up here on the farm, and I will admit that it sure was a good one. We certainly had a good number of recipe options for our preserves due to the wonderful array of goodies from our garden. This year for our preserves, we chose to use glass jars made right here in North America with 100% recycled glass. Reducing our carbon footprint is one of our main goals and this just another way to help accomplish it. Price is $4.50 for a 250 mL jar of fresh chemical-free preserves made over our authentic century-old wood cookstove. Please note that since our preserves are made in small individual batches, quantity is limited - once they're gone, they're gone until next year when our garden comes alive again.

Selection at this moment includes:
~ Fresh Green Tomato Relish
~ Green Tomato Relish with Home-Made Marmalade and Natural Smoke Taste
~ "Old-Fashion" Pickled Beets
~ Wild Berries Jam

There are still a lot of other jams and jellies to make (thanks to our hard-working freezers) and the blog will be updated as they become available.

Note that we also have a few chickens left for sale and just like the preserves, when they're gone, they're gone until next year. We aim to have them available once again starting at the end of July 2011 so if you would like to have some for Christmas 2010, now is the time to get them. Price is $3.75/lb.

Turkeys sold-out within a few hours so in 2011, we're definitely increasing our number for Thanksgiving and should also have some for Christmas. Advance orders are strongly recommended!

At this moment, we are sold out of beef cuts but our freezer will once again be filled with delicious cuts in mid-November. The date will be confirmed on this blog so do try to visit it again in the next few weeks. As you know, our cows have the choice to either take shelter in the barn or live outside their whole life - now that's freedom! Their feed consists of what is natural for them: Fresh grass and hay, all chemical-free and home-grown. According to the feedback from our customers, concentrating on the quality of the meat instead of the quantity definitely reflects in the taste!

Well that sums it up for us on the farm. Until next time, happy Halloween and have a wonderful Samhain!

Caroline

At Summer's End

2010-09-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

OK, so I haven't written in a while. Summer time is the busiest of the year with all the meat birds, calving, gardening, dehydrating herbs, eggs, haying, going to local Fairs, entertaining family and friends, plus plus plus. Never a dull moment on the farm so please forgive my neglect.

Weather in the Lanark Highlands was extremely hot and humid this summer but we still managed to put close to 2,000 square bales in the hayloft. A few days ago, the temperature cooled down and the humidity finally lifted. The maple leaves have just started to change from beautiful green to breathtaking oranges, reds, and yellows... Nothing like the end of one season and the beginning of another to encourage your thoughts to travel between reminiscence and anticipation. Dearest grace, Samhain is just around the corner, didn't I just get the garden ready for the vegetables? Time goes by too fast when every day is a new adventure.

I'm watching the birds fly back and forth between the feeders and the trees, thinking on how simple things are in the natural world and how ridiculously complicated most people's life have become. What will it take for people to realize that our time here is extremely short, that any insignificant act becomes a significant moment and that out of our moments, life is made. Life should be a collection of special memories without regrets and doubts. The basic human relation with nature seems to have been tossed aside in order to make room for stress and materialistic needs. The word commitment doesn't seem to have the same significance, “me” seems to be more important than “us”. When we put the importance of our personal comfort above consequences of our actions, future generations are bound to pay the price dearly. In fact, we have already seen a glimpse of what's ahead: Extreme natural disasters, high divorce rates, heart diseases and cancer cases rising, spirituality practically disappearing, media (television, radio, internet, newspaper) playing a significant role in a person's identity instead of being simple entertainment, and so on. Being on a farm in the middle of nowhere, looking at society from outside instead of inside has opened my eyes.

Now let me tell you, I may have grown up in the country but I started my adult life as a city girl, moving from downtown Ottawa to downtown Vancouver to downtown Toronto. However, back in 1999, I realized the damage I was doing not only to myself but also to everything around me. My roots called me back to the country where I learned to truly appreciate the circle of life and to understand the circumstances of my actions – none of this “reality TV”. Oh don't get me wrong, I still go out downtown with the girls once in a while and get my fix of shopping, but I mostly do window shopping, remembering what it was like to wear designer clothes and shoes instead of stained torn-up jeans and rubber boots. However, after such an outing, when I get home, I take a breath of fresh country air and look up to the beautiful stars and moon. That's when I thank Mother Nature for sharing a tiny little piece of herself with me, a place I call home.

Foodsmiths Summer Taste Fair

2010-07-14T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting event coming up in Lanark Highlands by Lanark Local Flavour:
Foodsmiths Summer Taste Fair

MEAT BIRDS!!!

2010-06-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

We raise our meat birds the traditional way, as natural as possible. They are kept inside the barn when they are day-old chicks up to the moment they have enough feathers to protect them from the elements (sun, rain, wind, etc.) Then they are moved outdoors in large moveable pens that have no floors. In other words, they are protected from the predators but can still enjoy fresh grass and bugs as the pens are moved in the field. Yep, these are healthy birds indeed. We get them processed at a Government inspected facility located about 2 hours drive from here. Everyone who has purchased our meat birds in the past has had nothing but compliments for the quality of the meat. We prefer to concentrate on the quality and not quantity. The average weight of a processed bird is 3 1/2 lbs.

This year (2010), our meat birds will be available from Saturday, July 10th ; Saturday, August 21; and Saturday, September 18. Sold whole and frozen.

Please note that they sell very quickly and are sold on a "first-come, first-served" basis unless reserved ($5 deposit required per reserved bird).

Contact us at 613-259-2188 or at farm@ouellette.ca for more information.

Weeds!

2010-06-08T05:20:00.000-07:00

When we moved here back in 2002, the garden area hadn't been tilled for about 15 years so it's easy to imagine the amount of weeds we had to deal with. We tried everything - of course without chemicals - to eliminate them but I could hear them snickering every time I approached them with my garden tools. After years of fighting, I think we finally won the battle. If it wasn't for my dear friends and neighbours Lyall and Lionel, I think I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago but this year, the weeds are not snickering at all. Lyall and Lionel taught me that patience is the best tool. Yes, it would take years to get the garden looking like a garden again instead of a jungle and yes, I could do it. They taught me that as long as I removed the weeds before they had a chance to put down the roots, it wouldn't be long before they all disappeared. The first year, it was an actual battle with the roots. Anyone who has fought with Scotch Grass will understand the challenge. The second year was another battle with roots but less than the first year and so on and so forth. This year, as soon as I see something sprouting where it shouldn't be, I grab my hoe and remove it. Aaaah, hear that? It's the sound of the garden sighing...

Caroline

Bliss Cat

2010-03-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Even the barn cats are happy that springtime is on the way.

Chili Con Carne

2010-02-13T10:28:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper seeded and finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 14-ounce cans of crushed or diced tomatoes
2 14-ounce cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef.

2. Drain off excess fat, leaving one tablespoon in the pan.

3. Transfer cooked beef to a large bowl and set aside. Return pan to stove.

4. Saute onions, bell pepper, jalapeño and cumin until translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. Transfer meat, onions, bell pepper, jalapeño, tomatoes with juices reserved, beans, salt, chili powder and cayenne to the slow-cooker, crockpot or heavy bottomed pot on the stove.

6. Cover, set on low heat and cook for 4-6 hours.

Serve in a bowl with the toppings of your choice sour cream, yoghurt, shredded cheese, parsley or chopped green onion. May also be served over rice or cornbread.

Best Ever Barbecue Sauce

2010-02-06T12:55:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups pureed canned tomatoes
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon tamarind paste

Method

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and coriander and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, vinegar, wine, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, mustards, lemon rind and chili flakes, whisk to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is thickened and flavours have combined. Season with salt to taste. Transfer mixture to a food processor and blend until slightly chunky. Makes about 21/2 cups, and is great for barbecuing and oven braising beef, lamb, chicken, ribs etc..

Jams, Oils and Vinegars

2009-05-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

Delicious jams, dessert sauces, infused grapeseed oils and vinegars are now available in the Farm Gate Shop!

All our jams and dessert sauces are created in 'individual batches' over a Finlay wood cookstove using traditional recipes and modern processing methods.

Basic grapeseed oils and vinegars are organic and purchased directly from an Ontario winery in the Niagara region. The ingredients used to infuse them are either from our garden or from other local farms. We are very proud of what we are doing here in the Lanark Highlands, and it shows in our products.

The Farm's History

2009-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

The very first record of ownership of this property is dated 1820. A gentleman by the name of Stark picked the parcel of 100 acres literally “out of a hat” and built a little cabin on it. Stark moved away a short time later, and the property was returned to the Crown. The ruins of the cabin may be seen on the west side of the existing sugar bush, by the line fence.

In 1826, William Anderson received the crown deed to the property but there are very few records of any activities on the property between 1826 and 1851.

John Mather purchased the property in 1852 when he was 30 years old. A log barn was built where the existing barn is located today. John resided in a log house in the village and started a wagon-making business. In 1856, he purchased another 50 acres for farming, but passed away only a year later at the age of 35. His young wife remarried and moved to Paisley, Ontario with their two sons, John and Henry, who were too young to take over the farm at the time. There appears to have been little or no activity on the farm between 1859 and 1869.

In 1870, John and Henry, now grown, moved into their father’s log house in the village and relocated their father’s log barn to where the “Machinery Barn” is today. That year, they built the first extension on the main barn. Their work is still standing and can be seen from inside the existing barn.

In 1875, the property was equally divided in two, each brother holding 50%, and together they started farming the property.

In 1888, the village’s very first Cheese Factory was built on the North side of the property (off the 6th Line), set up as a cooperative venture, where as much as 100,000 pounds of cheese were produced in a good year. It unfortunately burned down in 1929 and the ruins of the foundation are still visible today.

In 1890, Henry sold his half of the property to his brother John who moved their father’s log home onto the property and it became the farmhouse.

The milking parlor was added to the main barn in 1907 and in 1910, John passed down the family farm to his son, John Mather. A hen house was also added to the main barn that year, the very same one that is used even today. 1928-29 saw the kitchen and 2 bedrooms being added to the farmhouse, the kitchen with a walk-in pantry, sink and hand pump.

In 1944, the property was passed to the second born son, Lyall Mather - the eldest son, John Earl Mather, had moved away from the farm to become an engineer. Lyall and his youngest brother, Ellis, shared the farm responsibilities.In 1959, a devastating fire destroyed much of Lanark village. Lyall, and his mother were just returning from the village from purchasing bread and could see the “glow” and smoke rising into the sky from the farmhouse. It must have been quite the sight...

In 1974, new government regulations mandated that a new “milk house” be built to store milk under controlled conditions.

Today, the farm is a little different than what it used to be so long ago. Instead of a milk farm, it’s now a vegetable and guinea fowl farm. The Farm Gate shop is located in the old dairy house, hence the floor and drainage aperture.

Some traditions have endured though - where the hens laid their eggs back in 1910 is where they lay their eggs today. Fields that were cultivated long ago are being cleared today, and they will be cultivated again. The vegetable garden is still in the same location. Lyall Mather’s grandmother planted a beautiful apple tree in the back of the house when she was a young bride and her tree still produces beautiful juicy apples.

Everywhere you look, there is a piece of history on this farm that dates back to the late 1800’s. It is a privilege for us to be here today, and we thank the Mather family for making this such a wonderful place to call home.

Perfect Pot Roast

2009-02-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

Roast

1 five pound roast of beef, preferably bottom round or brisket
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh olive oil

2 to 3 cups dry red wine

1 cup each chopped carrots and onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 to 3 cups beef stock, (have extra in reserve)

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (not peeled)

Salt to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons red wine or dry vermouth

Bouquet garni

6 parsley sprigs

6 peppercorns

3 whole cloves

4 allspice berries

1 teaspoon thyme

2 or 3 cloves of garlic pounded,

one bay leaf

(all tied up in a square of clean cheesecloth or something similar)

Directions (Roast)

(1) Lightly baste the roast with olive oil and brown on all sides in cast iron skillet

(2) After browning, arrange the roast in a large casserole (one with a cover).

(3) Deglaze the skillet used to brown the roast with a bit of wine and pour the resulting juices over the roast in the casserole.

(4) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

(5) Sauté the chopped vegetables in the cast iron skillet with a little olive oil until browned slightly, then add them to the casserole and arrange them around the roast.

(6) Pour in the remaining wine and beef broth to about one third of the way up the roast.

(7) Add tomatoes and bouquet garni and put the covered casserole into the oven.

(8) When the liquid in the casserole starts to bubble, turn the heat down to 325 degrees.

(9) Check the liquid levels in the casserole and turn the roast occasionally. It is done when a fork pierces the meat easily, usually about four hours.

Directions (Sauce)

(1) Remove the roast from its casserole and strain the liquid into a saucepan. Return the roast to the casserole.
(2) Degrease the braising juices and simmer, skimming off any fat that rises to the top.

(3) Correct the seasoning and simmer lightly for a few minutes
(4) Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch/wine mixture.

(4) Return to the saucepan and simmer until the sauce coats a spoon.

Serving

Remove the roast from the casserole and arrange it on a serving platter. Pour a bit of sauce over it, then decorate with chopped parsley. Place the rest of the sauce in a pitcher or gravy boat and pass it separately at the table. If you wish, you may slice the roast thinly in the kitchen before placing it on the serving platter, but carving the roast at the table is a lovely touch.

Notes

Serve with noodles, mashed potatoes or rice along with a green vegetable such as green beans, peas, broccoli or spinach. You may add turnips, carrots and onions for a dash of color and taste contrast. Serve with a dry red wine and basket of bread rolls, preferably multi-grain.

Hearty Winter Chowder (1)

2009-02-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

3 carrots, finely chopped

2 onions, chopped
2 cups diced ham or sausage
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups corn kernels
2 cups cream
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons sherry

sea salt to taste
chopped chives (to garnish)

Directions

(1) Saute carrots and onions in butter.
(2) add diced ham or sausage

(2) Add chicken broth, thyme and sage.
(3) Bring to a boil; add potatoes, corn and half-and-half.

(4) Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender.
(5) Mix corn starch with sherry (add a little broth to thin the mixture).
(6) Stir cornstarch/sherry mixture into soup and stir well.

(6) Add sea salt to taste

(7) Garnish with chives and serve.

This chowder makes a wonderful festive meal when served at the table in a tureen and accompanied by whole grain or French bread, salad, cheese and white wine. If you are serving the dish to vegetarians, the ham or sausage may be left out without compromising the taste of the chowder.

Savoury Frittata

2009-02-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
4 small fingerling potatoes sliced thinly
1 large red or green pepper, cut into thin strips
4 fresh green onions, finely sliced
handful of small mushrooms washed and sliced
3 T. chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley
12 cage free eggs
1 C. milk
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated cheese of your choice (Swiss, Gruyere, Gouda, Cheddar and Mozzarella are all lovely)

Directions

(1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
(2) Heat butter and oil in 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
(3) Add potatoes and cook until lightly browned and tender.
(4) Add pepper strips and mushrooms, stir and saute until tender.
(5) Stir in green onions and the herbs and cook just enough to heat
(6) Spread the vegetables evenly around the pan.
(7) Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper, and half the grated cheese.
(8) Pour the eggs into the pan atop the vegetables
(9) Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until partially set, about eight minutes.
(10) Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
(11) Place in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the frittata is set and golden brown on top.
(11) Slice into wedges and serve hot with crusty Italian or French bread.

Notes
Yields 8 to 10 servings and recipe can easily be cut in half for fewer servings. This dish is suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner and is equally good when made with asparagus, fresh green peas, zucchini, corn or other vegetables rather than potatoes.

Kindred Spirits

2007-11-25T19:46:00.000-08:00

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Beyond Factory Farming

Beyond the Fields We Know

Blessed Maine Herb Farm

Canadian Organic Growers

Common Ground

Dirt Worship

Farm at Coventry

Farmer Jane

Farm Start

Healing Arts

Lanark Local Flavour

Local Eating

Local Food Plus

Moonroot

Mother Earth News

Providence Acres

Rainy Day Thoughts

Rural Ramblings

Seeds of Diversity

Slow Food Ottawa

Stead's Maple Syrup

Susun Weed

The Ouellette Farm

Thistle Cove Farm

Tiny Farm Blog

Windblest Farm

Wise Food Ways