Category: Rural Living

  • Little Steps to Home

    Sitting in the lounge at the mechanic’s this morning (don’t ask), I found myself in the company of a friendly sort, an older man who was definitely from here. I know this because as soon as I arrived, he asked me a question, I countered with a book, we chatted for about a minute, and…

  • Could you live without the internet?

    For a change of pace, I’m going to answer the Plinky question. It’s not for want of ideas, it’s just a good question. No suspense here: Yes. I could totally live without the internet. Unlike TV, cell phones, and constant access to music all around the clock, though, I wouldn’t *choose* to. We have a…

  • Wood Heating – Fantasy and Reality

    The crackling fire, the comforting warmth against the icy blast. The woodstove is one of my favourite parts of our rural lifestyle. I have one of those lovely iron wood racks next to the main stove: This is what the actual wood pile looks like: (All the stuff in front of it was already stored…

  • The Chicken Rodeo

    The chickens got out about 15 minutes ago, as they do every few days. When one has livestock AND a garden, this is an urgent situation. Last fall they skeletonized two rows of chard the week that they were ready for the market. So, I dashed out the door and met my son, sticks in…

  • Weird Veggies

    I am firmly of the opinion that sustainable local eating requires more diversity in what is available locally. To that end, I am constantly experimenting with expanding the number of foods in my own backyard. I swear, one of these years I’m going to be successful with okra and melons. Today, however, the exotic food…

  • Control that Lawn!

    My day today included a scythe, a push mower, and the digging of garden beds by hand. I also made a REAL pound cake: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, one pound of each. I added a pinch of salt to the flour and a splash of lemon juice. No baking powder – it wasn’t invented yet…

  • Persistent or Stubborn?

    Only time will tell. I just planted asparagus for the fourth time. I think… it might have been the fifth time. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I’m sure that this set is going to be the one that takes. As I was digging, amending, adding perlite, building up the beds rather than trenching, chasing…

  • Not the Best Farm Day

    So, after the debacle with the greenhouse on Sunday, and reassurance from the farming community yesterday, this morning was spent taking the plastic off the defunct frame so that I can reuse it on a sturdier frame. While I was trucking the remains of the greenhouse back to the shed, I discovered the feathery remains…

  • Well, That Blows

    Today’s post: a little more with the practical, a little less with the dilettante. Yesterday morning was entirely consumed with attempting to rescue the greenhouse from the dying throes of winter. Despite nigh-Herculean efforts, we were not successful. However, I think we kept our cool throughout most of the situation, and I was able to…

  • Choices and the Back of my Car

    I just had to clear out the back of the car so that it will have space for picking up people at the end of the day. The contents are highly reflective of the choices I have been making recently. The back seat contained: a chainsaw, an extension cord (orange, 50 feet), a case of…

  • School Gardens – or not?

    Sierra on Strollerderby asked us what we thought about Caitlin Flanagan’s article on School Gardens in the Atlantic Monthly. I did make a comment, but it left me thinking all evening, so I guess it goes in here. If you read my last posting, you will rightly predict that I’m in favor of school gardens,…

  • Happy Chickens

    We have a small (but growing) flock of laying hens. I was all keen on the fresh eggs, but I have been surprised to find out how much I love my chickens. They turn out to be really funny and affectionate (in a distant bird-kind-of-way). They come a-runnin’ to see what’s happening when somebody steps…