The young know the rules, but the old know the exceptions...

Every so often I am hit with a eureka moment. There is a term for it, like a shower spark or whatever, but essentially it is a theory that a certain part of your brain can kick into high gear when you are predisposed with something else ie in the shower or driving a long distance. I am cursed with these all the time and I say cursed because I have forgotten more profound ideas and theories than I'd like to admit. Mostly because I don't write them down and by the time I get to the blog it's been replaced with day to day clutter, either way it's frustrating. Every so often I'll remember one and try to casually slip it in but if I could remember them, my blog would be way more enlightening. You'll have to make due with my inane babble until I can get a tape recorder that floats around my head.

Anyway, it's Christmas day and we are relaxing after a couple days of whirlwind family visits. D and I decided to host this year for a few reasons. My side of the family has no real room for formal visits, her brother is hunting photo ops in Africa while on a not deserved/overpriced honeymoon, and except for her mother, all her family lives in Quebec. We are happy to do it honestly. I'm not a fan of driving long distances, I prefer to be in my comfort zone and frankly we have the room. Everything went without a hitch, everyone was on time, no one aired their festering grievances and there were plenty of cookies. All in all it was a classic old school xmas dinner and I must admit, one of the best holiday meals I have ever eaten. D really went above and beyond and worked her a$$ off. How she can work a fulltime corporate job and even have the inclination to pull a meal stream like that one is amazing and solidifies reason # 344 why I married her. I'll thank her with a foot rub later.

The farm is prepped and ready for next season, Phase 1 is complete. We were hit with a week of very warm weather and after a patented eureka moment, I was able to finalize a plan of attack, finagle my cousin into coming over to clear the rest of the Montego plot and move around some top soil. The neighbour had helped a lot previously but some key things were still nagging me.

• How to get the soil back to real growing potential without wasting so much money and time on rehab. 
• Where to get the soil from to even get the grading back to normal.
• How much real workable space will we have considering the hazardous waste and trees.
• How will be spread the soil without damaging the substrate and using up too much favour credit. 

Auditioning for scarecrow job on next years plot

 The final resolution is to clear and grade the first plot, which finally grew to a mere 100ft x 60ft. All the good clean top soil, which was left over from a parking pad the previous owner created nearby, would be moved to the side until needed next spring. The base now is a relatively clean spot lacking in an overabundance of healthy nutrients but good grading and tons of natural sunlight.

Our move for the space next year is to build small plots within this larger one. 3 ft by 15 ft each which will be perimeter lined with landscape/interlock stones and useful pieces left on site or skids of over stock stone my uncle's business can't use. An ultimate example in reduce reuse recycle, the hippies would be happy. The stones will surround each plot essentially just to keep in the dirt we'll be adding, in turn creating a pseudo raised bed style. Between each plot will be 2 - 3ft wide walkways topped with soy ink based newspapers/cardboard covered with hay we snagged from some locals. Each plot will then be filled with the rich topsoil we have piled in the corners and then a few inches of this GardenMax super soil a local garden company sells. At that point we will adapt each plot to what we need in terms of pH levels, porosity etc. From then on, those plots will stay there and just be rejuvenated each season in whatever way works best. In total there may be approximately 40-50 plots, but we'll see...

Not sure how the future plots (adjacent to Montego) will be done, but we aren't a huge fan of the row style of farming so if this works we may just buckle down and do the mini plot style for each addition, then just maintain them. Now that the snow has set in and land manipulation is at a stand still this will be an ultimate too be continued/stay tuned. The GardenProPlanner App discussed previously is on sale for $9.99 and worth every penny. The final seed details will be added at a later post. A friends uncle sent us a care package full of some pretty interesting seeds to mess around with. Some including, I think, a few psychotropic cactus seeds from the peyote lose your mind genus family. But you didn't hear that from me... 

Cooper at 16 weeks

Cooper update coming next blog but I will say this, which you can add to my Eureka File (EF): I am positive, not unlike greeting card/chocolate companies creating holidays like St.Valentines Day, there is a conspiracy to be uncovered where paper towel companies are perpetuating the idea of people adopting puppies... you heard it here first...

Finally, from our family here at Homestead U and Keltic Kreek Farm, we want to wish you a safe and happy (insert holiday here). May your best days of 2012 be your worst of 2013. We hope to share another year of progress and please feel free just to leave a hello below to let us know if/who  someone out there is sharing our trials and triumphs up to now.
(D and I have a bet as an over/under as to # of replies) 


Life Lesson #701: Best Xmas movies to watch Xmas day in order:

1. Christmas Vacation   
2. A Christmas Story
3. Scrooged
4. Elf
5. Die Hard
6. Gremlins
7. It's a Wonderful Life

You never count your farm equipment while sitting at the table...

The other night I was invited to a poker game held by a friend of mine who lives locally. I'm not much of a drinker and have little patience for when people are overly drunk. In no way would I be classified as a prude or preacher, I drink from time to time. However my tolerance for idiocy is very minimal. That being said, if you choose to play a game for money and you also get loaded and lose your shirt to me, so be it. So just as the night is wrapping up, a couple of the guys were a little low on funds and the betting turned interesting. During a game of Hold em, I flopped a King high straight and totally played another guy into a classic limping trap. Once all was said and done, I cleaned him out and walked away with $$ and a new fertilizer spreader. Isn't it funny how life goes, I never thought I'd be happy to win farm equipment in a game of poker but there it is...

Been a year already??

D and I are leaving day after tomorrow for a 'honeymoon'/anniversary back to Jamaica. We were married there this time last year but with the 30+ guests and stress up the ying yang it wasn't much of  a relaxing time. With the new house, farm work, Cooper: the super pain in the a$$, and just all around bad things happening around here, it will be a very welcome break. Coop is still pretty young and we should be here for him but the trip was booked a while ago, and as mentioned before is very badly needed. A family friend is gong to stay here to watch the homestead and take are of our menagerie of animals.

I'm going to try and leave a few neighbours with jobs to do on the property while we are gone. Why? Because they're mostly retired and have offered, or they want some of our trees to trade so it may actually get done by the time we're back. Most likely we'll come back and nothing will have changed. If I don't get that back Montego plot prepped by winter it will be a tough season of growing next year. I'll let you know how it turns out.   

And although it is a day late, and no one really reads this blog, I want to say thank you to all those who have served our country locally and abroad to keep us safe. Remembrance Day is an important day in our family, both my grandfathers served in WWII and the Korean War. Years ago I was walking through a school yard and a home whose fence backed onto the school had an older man working on his garden. We struck up a conversation through the fence and after a few minutes he had briefly mentioned serving in WWII. I gave him a sincere thanks for his service and he started to tear up a little. It was a great moment I try to recreate any chance I get. So anyways... thanks.

Life Lesson #3: Being born in Canada is winning the human race lottery. Appreciate and take advantage of it...

Tomorrow is promised to no one...

In some ways I wonder if the idea of starting a 'homestead' blog was a little premature considering we are just entering into the throws of winter. What I mean is, there isn't really much to discuss in terms of self sufficient living when you haven't really planted anything and aren't going to for another few months. On a personal level there are things to share but how interesting is that to anyone who aren't family and friends, and they don't even read this blog. We can keep you up to date with renovation or dog training progress, maybe just a blog like variety show of what's happening on the farm. Read if you wish, comments are always welcome but the true farm angle of things will be in low key until spring.  

To make things worse in terms of content this week, we were basically kept indoors because of the

Cooper: Cutest dog ever...

remnants of Hurricane Sandy. It was a lot of wind and rain for us but nothing over the top damage wise. It set us back a bit with the puppy Cooper, he wasn't a fan of the rain and the house training has been hit or miss. Thankfully we are planning on changing the flooring soon so he can do his worst with his ninja like poop bombs. There are some nipping issues with D, and because of coyotes we are going to need to keep and eye on him until he's big enough. Locals keep telling me to get a donkey for the farm to keep the coyotes away from the chickens etc but not sure D would be on board for that. Plus a donkey breaks the farm rule of no animals so big we can't bury it or stuff in a neighbours mailbox if it dies...

So far no sprouts on the garlic patch yet, a minor disappointment. We have all the leaves piled up and ready to cover it after a couple good frosts. The next week is suppose to be decent weather so I'll keep an eye on it and hold off on the mulch cover as of yet. No progress on the Montego plot yet, the 5 days of rain have put everyone on hold. I'll be buggin' the neighbours for sure to get things moving before the winter sets in. The trampoline has been taken apart and moved to the shop for transformation, hopefully have that up for spring. And for whatever reason I ordered some seeds off Ebay as well. In the grand scheme of things not a lot, $40 worth of what would cost us $80 online at seed stores. Overall a good investment/source if they germinate, it's the tunnel vision thing at work again mostly...

All in all things are going well, we are still happy and progressing enough. We're leaving for our honeymoon next week and none of the locals have left a burning scarecrow on our lawn, so we are doing well so far. We've noticed a few things since living on the farm vs the city, some good some bad...

Wormzilla

1. Everyone seems to smile a little more. It sounds cliche but it's true.
2. The stars at night are mesmerizing and because we live on a slight hill, the sun rises are very intence.
3. Stringent deadlines seem like more of a suggestion to locals.
4. A lot of things are closed on Sundays, a fact I don't mind really. I appreciate the old days of everything being shut on the holy day.
5. Things which are gospel in the city, ie anti monsanto and non-GMO seem shrugged off to most here. One neighbour actually told me it was 'safe' to drink Monsanto's Roundup weed killer.
6. Worms grow very large. I thought someone lost a finger while digging the garlic patch. 
7. Morning tea tastes better. 
8. Raking the yard is an all day ordeal. May be time to cut down some trees.
9. It takes the same time to get to and from Tim Horton's here vs in the city.
10. Mouse bait seems to be a staple in decorating. 

Life Lesson #876: Better to have people think you're an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt...

Call it what you wish, it's still home...

Week 1 of the move is now complete and we have started work on the first planting bed for next season. An advantage of the fall move is plenty of prep time for the growing season. On the other hand its a full winter of busy work which may or may not become a Shining situation. We have no red rum in the house at the moment.

We have decided to name our planting locations based on different places we have been to, or would like to visit. So far we only have two,

1. Montego: Name significance: First place we ever met while on vacation. Farm Significance: the initial planting location for next years first crops. It's a 60 ft-ish by 80 ft-ish plot of land right on the front corner of our overall garden lot, closest to the house and the only spot without a forest of trees and stumps.  
2. Eden: Name significance: The place everyone would want to live. Farm Significance: the back 2.5ish or so acres of our property separated from the front section by a creek and some trees. Ultimately it will be where we plant an orchard of various fruit trees. Probably 2+ each of apples, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches etc etc. Anything we can get our hands on will be grown and tested there. Most likely also the beehive hangout...

 Why name them you may be wondering?

• A just for fun 
• B for easy reference when discussing any given location
• C in case one has to look for the other it would be an easy find 

After 1 hr with a shovel? really...?

Anyway, we will have a heck of a struggle trying to get Montego ready for food planting. As mentioned before we were happy that the previous owner ran a landscaping company. Now we're seeing a negative side effect of that, tons of debris and stones mixed into the soil. After an hour of plain shovel digging I found way too much garbage to be optimistic about the whole ordeal. So for the time being we are focusing on the garlic patch. We have about 180+ cloves consisting of 8 different strains and a handful of garlic bulbils as a test. The bulbils won't pay off for about 3 years but economically it much better than plain bulbs.

Semi Interesting Factoid: Bulbils are small garlic seeds that grow in the flower of a mature garlic scape. A scape can have 60 to 400 bulbils, the average garlic bulb has 6-8 cloves.    

 

Garlic slave at work

On to the planting. The old owners still have some items left here he has yet to clean up. We're being patient with them for various reasons. So after my hour long wrestling match with their garbage in Montego, I flagged down one of the workers he has cleaning up the mess. Following a quick chat, I picked a spot at the NW corner of the Montego plot and he drove his bobcat over and cleared me a 6 inch deep plot 5ft wide and about 15 ft long. Just enough space for the garlic patch. It's got full sun and it's enough out of the way I can prep the rest of the plot over the next couple weeks for next year. As you can see from the pic on the right, it's all a nightmare of weeds, but the potential is there. Main priority is getting the garlic in the ground and once I have the 3 yards of special soil dropped tomorrow, Sunday becomes planting day. And not a moment too soon. Good thing D got me the farmer overalls with leather knees...

Life Lesson # 104: Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Oh we get puppy tomorrow too... can't wait. Overheard a helpful clerk at the TSC Store saying for a puppy you need a ticking clock and hot water bottle in their bed to help with mommy separation. Got one for puppy and for myself. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Wish I didn't know now, what I didn't know then...

So it's been a couple full days since we moved in and things have so far been great. D is over the top happy, telling me every 10 mins or so. I don't mind it really, as they say "happy wife, happy life."and the alternative would be a nightmare. We hit the ground running and have basically all the important stuff set up. The kitchen is functional, the office is up and downloading movies, the shower is hot but the garage is still full of boxes and that's ok for now.

In terms of farm work we bought a few key tools, mostly shovels and rakes, I've located the spot for the garlic to go and cleared much of the overgrown vegetation around our deck. Halfway through my battle on the deck jungle I thought for a minute Jane Goodall was studying me, but it was just a shadow.

Weepin' Willow

Our twin 50ft willows are now trimmed and no longer sagging to the ground. Some may think the willows could have waited but the trimming had ulterior motives since we needed some sort of ground cover for the garlic bed once they are planted and after a couple light frosts have it. Covering them with 4-6 inches of straw or leaves helps to regulate the ground temp and stops the bulbs from being dislodged during frost heaving. See there are things to learn here... Once we plant the garlic we are trying different combinations of additives and soil enhancements to see what benefits work. I'll let you know the final choices and ultimately the outcome in a later blog(s).. so stay tuned...

We pick up the puppy in 5 days, he'll be 8 weeks and ready for a new home, the cats will not be thrilled but they'll live. They haven't really adapted to the bigger house yet, both them and D are pretty jittery with the new noises. I sleep through anything, literally. In our old condo, the fire alarm would go off right outside our bedroom and it wouldn't even phase me. Hope that's true when the puppy (and kids) are whining/crying... I may fake it anyway... 
  
Life Lesson #76: What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s...










      

Be prepared, and careful not to do your good deeds when there's no one watching...

There's only 9 days left until we finally move in and the anticipation is taxing. We haven't even sold our condo yet, it was bad timing in August supposedly so until we sell, we are carrying 2 houses. D is so stressed her stress is palpable, I tend to lean more on the side of things will work itself out. Plus we have tons of positive karma in the bank. The place looks great and we only just listed 5 days ago. Either way, once its gone it will be a huge relief obviously.

So in preparation for the big move I've got the design for the chicken coop all set.

Chicken Coop for a King

Doesn't even matter that I wont be getting any chickens until spring time. I try to think ahead and give myself time to adapt any given project if needed. Also, knowing the design gives me time to gather things on the cheap from stores, garage sales, friends and neighbours. I probably won't even build the thing til march, but once I'm ready, we are good to go. It will be a winterised and 'ingenious' modification of this one here: Cooptopia Version 1.0

Another project I've have worked on is within an Apple app. Used with the iPad, it lays out a garden for you up to 5 acres. The details on the app are incredible. From every kind of fruit and vegetable you can think of, and all their planting/harvesting details. To succession planting, and warning you about duplicate planting issues, ie not planting tomatoes in the same spot as peppers the previous year. Easy to use and handy tutorials. Gardening App for iPad  It's the kind of thing you can lose yourself in for a few hours but I'm hoping once it's set up, it will be a irreplaceable tool. No more pen and paper graphs. I should mention it's 20$, but I feel worth it, and I think it goes on sale once in a while.

However, the top priority and first project to work on once we move is an in-law suite for D's mother. I'll make sure it's soundproof and a complete separate entrance. I'll keep you up to date on the progress because I know you're interested. Nothing over the top, new entry door, separation door, install new floors, electric fireplace and a kitchen. Perhaps a small deck and sliding glass doors off a guest bedroom. All this is second nature to me having worked in construction for 15 years. If you are a fan of HGtv you can see me as a lead contractor 1st season on the show Design Inc. But that will be our little secret...

Life Lesson #198: Everyone's got a story that could break your heart. Be patient and don't judge too quickly... 
 

Just a filler to try and do a blog per day...

It never ceases to amaze me the degree in which most people will go out of there way to help a virtual stranger when you are starting off in farming. It's like a brotherhood I never even knew existed but now that I do we are very appreciative. The value of books as a quick and in most ways substantiated form of information has it's value for sure, but the information super highway definitely lives up to its name. Any subject pertaining to a hobby farm has its own dedicated message board, and most likely one located either within Canada or even better Ontario. Even if it's just a general one it's still priceless in terms of information, its just a little less concrete.

Just within the last few weeks of researching a variety of Hobby Farm topics we have come across some valuable user generated information resources:

• www.backyardchickens.com  user generated information website/message board for raising chickens
• www.canadiangunnutz.com  user generated information website/message board for safe handling of firearms
• www.beesource.com  user generated information website/message board about beekeeping
• www.gardenweb.com user generated information website/message board about everything garden related. 

These are just some examples of useful sites of course. These sites in particular we have joined, tossed out a few questions here and there and the responses were quick, informative and first hand from someone we know was in our position not too long ago. Some have even gone out of there way to contact us outside the message board via email to offer advice for locations for good chicken/bee stocks or anything else we may be looking for. The time and money saved utilizing these type of sites are incalculable. Of course it has to be said to always use common sense before trusting anything anyone says right off the bat. We probably wouldn't meet someone in a dark alley while being lured with a candy or a baby chick, but in general everything has been nothing but positive.

Life Lesson #212: Success nowadays is 10% Inspiration, 50% Perspiration and 40% Nepotism.
  

Feel free to be yourself, everyone else is already taken...

It's interesting when I think about people's initial reactions to news about making a move like we are. The older people all moan about the workload, wondering why you'd do such a thing. The people our age all moan about the commute or distance to the 'action' and younger people (pre 25) could care less, just shrugging with a light moan of indifference. What makes it interesting is as the time approaches, every one of them seems almost as excited as we are. No one we know lives in a situation like we're moving into, and yet I can almost tell that in some way, many of them seem to wish they were. Everyone is welcome to come by and hang out/help on the farm, but I'll assume the draw of that will wear off within a few weeks. 

When we first started dating, D and I had zero intentions on moving to farm country or starting a business based on anything to do with Mother Nature. As time passed, our discussions about food quality, EotW scenarios, the zompocalypse and other interesting pillow chat started to make us think differently. The push to move into the country and be self sufficient happened organically. Just through osmosis we one day looked at each other and agreed which direction was best for us as a family. Once we started down that path, we've never looked back. Life Lesson #343 - When it comes to your better half, always be yourself and speak your mind honestly.

So the initial plan, as it stands, is to build the farm to a stage of feeding our family, our extended families and any local neighbours who are interested in quality and sometimes unique foods. We'll do this without pesticides, hybrids or damage to our ecosystem. In the end, we don't care about what other people think or moan about. It's not just about the money obviously, it's not about the in-laws all accepting it. It's about a unified dream and as D says 'Team Us' (usually followed by a Wonder Twins fist pump)

Everyone can have their own dream but this one is taken. We have plans to start a festival for a certain veggie we feel is being neglected and perhaps a cook-off contest of some kind. But none of this can happen without us building various projects.  These are including but not restricted to the following. This blog will share them all in some capacity and if you have any questions feel free to ask, I assume no one will read this but D and I.

8 ft Patio Sunflower

• Massive Greenhouse
• Chicken Coop  (aka Cooptopia)
• Beehive(s)  (aka Buzztropolis)
• Worm Farm
• Root Cellar  (aka Root Cellar)
• Carpentry Shop
• Solar Heater
• Solar Power Unit
• Solar Dehydrator   
• Canning Station
• Composting Station
• Fruit Orchard
• Vegetable Garden
• Mushroom Farm 
• Gunsmith Station
• Herb Garden
• Water Collection Unit (grey?)

 





  

Life's a journey, not a destination...

I would like to start off by giving credit to a person who inspired this blog. His name is Jason and he has a blog Modern Pioneer based in the USA. We've never met, never spoken and never emailed, but his story isn't that different from my own and I liked how he went about sharing it. He is more of a 'pioneer' tho, hunting animals, tanning hides, canning beef and veggies alike. For the time being, we are not killing anything except in self-defense. I'm not a hunter of anything but cookies, and more of a soft heart ultimately, so when it comes time to cull a chicken, I'll hire a local guy probably. We are trying to be self sufficient while still keeping a toe in society. Oh and as far as canning goes, it's fruit and veggies only. There's something unnaturally odd about bacon in a jar. If for nothing else this blog may inspire/entertain others but its also to share with our children the chronicle of our journey. So, Jason... thanks...
Modern Pioneer Blog

Pic Off Condo Balcony

At present, my wife Danielle (D) and I live in a small condo within the downtown core of Canada's largest city. The area offers everything a young couple could ask for in terms of distractions. Walking distance to everything that happens in the big city and to some degree we took advantage of it. I spent too much of my youth 'partying' so I was more of a worker bee while living here, D however rode the wave and enjoyed the city life to its fullest. By the way, party should not be used as a verb after 30.                           
                                                    

Luckiest man alive...

Anyways, I have always lived near the city, D on the other hand was born and raised in small town Ontario. We met in Jamaica 5 years ago and were married there last year as well. She is a great woman who understands the meaning of team. I love her with all my heart and truly am lucky to have met her. Coming up to our 1st anniversary we have decided not only do we want to be responsible for our own food, but in our opinion, the city is no place to raise a family. Some may call it homesteading, others hobby farming, I'm not really sure what we're calling it. Ultimately, we want to depend on others as little as possible in as many aspects as possible. It was also some point between the 10th disease awareness marathon and the 5th religion based protest march that closed our area that year which told us we've had enough. Deep down we aren't city people anymore.


We started looking for a new home 6 months ago, criteria in mind and budget firm, we began the hunt. This new place is going to be our family home, something where roots will run deep and a true heritage can be established for our children and hopefully grandchildren. I will dig into my Irish genetics, channel my forefathers who came to Canada after the potato famine and farmed the land for family and neighbour. D is French Canadian and Eastern European, she can't choose if it's Ukrainian or Polish but I'll let you know when she decides. Either way she makes a mean perogie.

Family Roots

Family heritage was never a big thing in my house. Being raised by a single mother of 2, it left little room for anything but the basics. That being said, we never went without, and it wasn't until I got older than I appreciate what she gave up for us. My mother tells of her childhood on a farm in eastern Ontario but they had moved to the city long before I came along. Throughout my childhood I spent many a summer day working on a friend's grandparent's farm, I have an incredible memory and learned as much as I could. But honestly, if I learned anything at that time, it was a love of fresh food and a respect for nature. As is true with most parents, I want to make sure my children have what I didn't, but for us, that also means understanding who you are and how we fit into the world as a whole, with an emphasis on self sufficiency.  

After a short home search, D and I found a great place just north of the city. Sometimes when you have a dream, you can get blinded but what you don't want to see. Long story short we didn't get that house. We were crushed to lose that first house by $1000, but in hind sight I'm glad we did. I'll tell that educational story another time.

We kept looking but hope was low because what we needed was pretty specific. 5+ acre utopian dream home close enough to the city to commute and flexible enough to have freedom to do what we want to. D will keep working at her job while I get Keltic Kreek Farm up and running. Did I mention I have little experience homesteading? So what, I have read countless books and websites already on various subjects from beekeeping, chicken raising, alternate views on food cultivation, solar energy and grey water usage. Perhaps my memory will come in handy for once. Either way, we'll take the journey together and one day you'll come to our farm for great food or to learn how to be more self sufficient. Well that's the general plan anyway.

Months of disappointed searching past and we went away for a weekend to relax. One night we finished dinner and were having a discussion with an older couple next door about our future plans. Older couples love talking with newlyweds and dispensing words of wisdom, and this was no exception. The man in the equation turned to us after hearing our obvious dismay about losing that first house, and said "No matter how great a deal is, there's always a better one around the corner, you just gotta be ready..." I know it seems very simplistic, everyone else was moaning about 'fate' and 'meant to be', which always seems like the cry of the loser to me, but this, for whatever reason hung with us in terms of making us feel optimistic. The next day we went home to real life and everything changed...