Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention. Jim Rohn

It's summer! Grab your hat and hit the field running, there's lots to get done.

The gardens have been weeded and are growing nicely. The kids have removed the blossoms from the strawberries that were planted this spring. It's an easy job for them with their small fingers for pinching tiny flowers and their flexible backs for bending over. The blossoms need to be removed the first year of growth so that the energy is directed to plant production.

The beef cows, sheep, and laying hens are moved to fresh pasture daily. This isn't a hard job, but does take a few minutes to get done and to check the livestock for any issues. Creatures need looking after.

We had a couple of cows with their calves in a weird area of the farm to eat the grass around the trees. They were chosen for this job because they were gentle and easy to move. However, the other day they spotted that the electric fence was down. Their grass was not perfect anymore, and they could see the rest of the beef herd in the far pasture.

"We're out of here!" and off they went, down the road, through the garden, and to the gate for the pasture. Thankfully, the garden didn't sustain much damage. Just a few holes from hooves.

Martin was going to move them the next day, but they did their own moving. Now, if the rest of the bunch would be so cooperative. But then, how much fun would it be for the farmer if he didn't have some challenges?

Cutting and baling hay is much nicer for James with the new tractor. It has a cab with air conditioning and a cushy seat.

"James likes his new tractor so much that I have to make sure he's cleaned his room before he can use it," Martin jokingly tells us. Guys are just big kids when it comes to their new toys.

As Jeannie and I were taking our walk around the farm, I remarked that there was a lot of building material in the hay shelter, which was about to be used for the new bales coming off the field.

"Don't worry. There's nothing like a panic to get things cleaned up in a hurry," she replied casually.

Sure enough, the next day, all the wood and other materials that had been used to build sheep sun shades and chicken mobiles were sorted and stored. Clean as a whistle for the hay.

While James baled the hay, enjoying his AC, Martin used our older tractor – full on sun and hot breezes – to stack the bales. They finished haying before the weather became excruciatingly hot.

Whatever the weather, the work has to be done. Farmers can't wait for ideal circumstances.

Sweet Facts About Cherries

It's the season for fresh sweet cherries!

There are more than 1000 different cherry varieties, sweet and tart combined, but only 20 per cent of them are used for commercial purposes.

Archeologists found fossilized cherry pits in primordial caves within Europe and Asia.

The earliest recorded information about cherries was by Greek author Theophrastus in his book, History of Plants written in 300 B.C.

Cherries were part of Roman soldiers' rations, and as they traveled, the pits they discarded became the trees that proliferated throughout the empire. There was a saying that to find the old Roman roads, all one had to do was follow the wild cherry trees.

The name cherry came from the Latin word "cerasum," which refers to an antiquated Greek region called Kerasous. It is thought that this is the area from which cherries were first exported to Europe.

Although a little bit obscure, it is thought that the first sweet variety of cherry originated from a region between the Caspian and Black Seas in Asia Minor in 70 B.C. Other indigenous sweet cherries were found in Europe, western Asia, and parts of northern Africa. The acidic cherries are most likely from the Swiss Alps and Adriatic Sea.

Cherries arrived in North America in the 1600s and were brought to the settlement of New Netherland (Brooklyn, New York today) when it was still under Dutch sovereignty.

The world record for spitting a cherry pit is 93 feet by Brian Krause in Eau Claire, Michigan, which occurred in the annual cherry-pit spitting competition in 2004.

For a few more facts, go to 13 Sweet Facts About Cherries.

Comparison of Mans Greenhouse Organics and Hydroponically Grown Products

Mans Organics is soil based, with compost input. It's similar to how we grow our food, except with more heat and protection from environmental elements, like wind and snow.

Healthy soil with good structure is of prime importance to Mans Organics. Also, organic certification requires that produce be grown in soil.

Hydroponic agriculture is very artificial. It is a process of growing plants without soil by adding nutrients to the water. It might seem impressive that that much food can be grown in a small area, but that isn't the whole picture.

Just to provide the phosphorous fertilizer, there's a strip mine to harvest the ore, a smelting plant to refine it, and a fluoride waste stream. Hydroponic agriculture doesn't use less land than our gardens do. Just like feedlots don't use less land than range cattle do. The appearance is deceiving.

Also, hydroponics plants don't coexist symbiotically with microbiology. There are no fungi or nematodes or beetles. There is no ecosystem. As far as I can tell, it's about the same as lab grown hamburger. I like my veggies with dirt on them. :)

Harvest Haven Pastured Chicken Breast - These are our "go to" favorites when we want something quick and tasty for a family dinner or serving guests. Moist, flavorful, and filling…they never disappoint. Great on the barbecue!

Harvest Haven Pastured Beef Bacon - This healthy alternative to conventional bacon is made from Harvest Haven pastured beef. The brisket is simply brined and smoked without nasty preservatives.

It's great served with eggs, pancakes, or cornbread for breakfast, in a BLT for lunch, or diced into a casserole.

Mans Organic Bell Peppers – Locally-grown peppers with flavor and pep. Mans Organics provides only the best vegetables. They're grown in enriched soil like veggies are supposed to be.

Filsinger's Apple Cider Vinegar (945 mL, 1.89 L, 3.79 L) - Apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries to help with a variety of ailments because of its naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic properties.

Filsinger's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made with their own farm-grown, certified organic apples. The vinegar contains no additives or preservatives, and the finished product is raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, and contains a mother of vinegar.

Organic BC Cherries - Cherry season is here! There's nothing like enjoying a bowl of fresh sweet cherries. And how about a delicious cherry pie? Cherries aren't available for very long, so get them while you can.

Avalon Organic Sour Cream, 500 mL – Made with organic milk and cream, which means no GMOs or pesticides in the soil or the plants the cows eat, no hormones or antibiotics in the cows, and no artificial colours or preservatives in the milk. This is an excellent product for serving as is or mixing into your favourite recipe.

Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic.

Sweet and Sad – The Story of Murdoch, the Mallard aka Murduck

Murdoch put a smile on the face of everyone who met him. He brought such pleasure to all those who knew him, especially Marseilles, his companion and caregiver. His short life made a lasting impression.

The sheep had finished grazing the fall rye in a field next to one of Martin's ponds. As James was about to work the field with tractor and cultivator, he found a Mallard duck's nest with three eggs.

Martin put the eggs in the incubator that had laying hen eggs in it already. Duck eggs require similar conditions for hatching, but not exactly the same as chicken eggs. Consequently, only one of the Mallard's eggs hatched.

Marseilles, our Princess of Poultry eagerly accepted the responsibility of raising a duck, Murdoch, or Murduck as he came to be known. She researched what he required for food and how soon he could go swimming.
Thinking he would be lonely, some chicks were put into his pen in the greenhouse. He didn't care for them, and they were afraid of him. Murduck preferred human companions.

You'll see in the video how a duck takes to water. Murduck was the cutest!
But sad to say, the day after this video, he was not well in the morning and soon expired. Marseilles was heart-broken and the rest of us could identify with her.

As a consequence of such a sweet encounter with Murduck, you may see domesticated ducks wandering around the farm. After all, Martin has quite a few ponds for them to use and we have a Princess of Poultry who will take good care of them.

Click pictures for videos.