FALL 2023 UPON US!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner here in Fall 2023 so from our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! We have been blessed with such amazing opportunities here and as each day passes, another project shows itself! LOL

It is amazing though that this year we grew some pumpkins. We look out our front window and see the bright orange pumpkins and the green gourds. It really puts you in the Fall season! It is most likely going to be a small Thanksgiving dinner here on the farm which will be very much welcomed this year by someone (the writer). We have been extremely busy with so much to do and we really need that quiet little break.

Miracle Sunflower Plant – Tree!

Never have we seen a sunflower plant do what this one is doing. We hope that the seeds we are harvesting from it bring the same in future plants. As of the date of writing this, it stands 10’ tall if not higher and has so many flowers as well as a constant 20-30 buds about to blossom! It has been truly amazing to look at each and every day. Most mornings, every flower has at least one bee on it which is awesome. Sometimes, there are multiple bees just pollinating the heck out of the blooms.

Next year, looking at lining our expanded garden with a ton of these plants and hope the same will happen. It is a site to see, the pictures don’t do the plant’s true beauty any justice. In the picture you will see that there are smaller sunflowers lower down, this is actually a different plant.

The large sunflower plant (apparently called Common Sunflower) grew in the middle of our Prairie Sunflower bush which is just cool. We thought it was dead until it just one day showed it’s face. It is massive now, we can’t reach the top buds to snip them for seeding it is so tall. Get a Ladder!!!

The morning this was posted, there were still 38 buds to open up!   (Click on Images to Expand Picture)

Family is All Doing Well – Fall 2023

Everyone is healthy, happy and still breathing. Some have lost a bit of weight naturally with all the work on the farm which is awesome of course. You go from the hustle bustle go go go lifestyle in the city with tons of stress to building a farm in the country fresh air. Now that is a lifestyle change! We have been making it happen and it has been an adventure.

Another Quality Meat Order from Diamond 7 Meats!

Well, ½ cow and ½ pig were ordered and we just picked them up. The freezers are full for now….   a few more roasts this time, but still a lot of meat coming into the house. The quality last year on our first order was so amazing that it was a no brainer to make the buy again. I encourage anyone who can manage it and has the freezer space to seriously consider it.

The quality of the meat is far superior to that you get at the grocery store. It is much fresher and even though we receive it frozen, when you thaw to cook, you can taste the difference.

This year however a little change of pace. We received 40lbs of ground beef still thawed and the remainder came frozen. We made 20lbs of meatballs and 20lbs of burgers for the freezer. BAM, and next year we may do more than just 20/20.

With all the harvesting Lisa and Ashley did, the freezers filled up quickly with frozen veggies for soups, etc. We did have to pick up another chest freezer but now we are good for the entire winter. OH MY fall 2023 Homesteading.

Our Pigs

This will be short as we do have a website (in the works) and a Facebook page with images of the pigs and info about them. We have two girls now who will be partnered with the two boys in the Spring. Prudence and Petunia! The boys are getting big and soon I am sure the girls will follow suit. Wilbur is a real show boater for the camera and is very affectionate. Hamlet is slowly coming around to human contact. Wilbur though has been very personable since day 1.

Kune Kune pigs are very affectionate and docile. They love attention in the form of belly rubs and ear scratches. Gentle is something that can be definitely used to describe them! This is one of the main reasons we chose this breed of pigs was because of their demeanor. For when we have visitors to the farm in the future, we don’t have to worry about any pig aggression.

Right now the boys can only see the girls through a fence as they will be in different living quarters for the winter months.

You can follow our pig adventures on our Facebook Page here and be sure to like the page: https://www.facebook.com/HamletWilburFarms

Solar Powered Security Cameras – Outside Wifi Extension

A Fall project….. we may have to get in the attic to run some wires! We are going to be installing some security cameras now that we have livestock. With that, an external wifi connection outside so the farm can be connected to wifi including the barn. The cameras are solar powered and they have 2 options for data storage. A SD memory card or Cloud storage. Not sure which one we will use but most likely the SD card to start with.

Eventually we will have cameras set up in the pigs pens but finding the right cameras is not easy for that. We don’t want them to be invasive as most of them have motion activated lighting included. We have a lead on a couple that will work and have some inquiries into whether they will work on our wifi mesh network.

We are going to be using Dekco cameras with Motion activated recording and night vision.
You can learn more about the camera here: https://amzn.to/3PFnR6P

More Solar Powered Motion Lights – Fall 2023

We have found an awesome solar powered outdoor light system. It is just enough light for the places we needed them. We placed them around the pigs area and a couple by the pasture. By the pasture primarily because the motion light coming on scares away coyotes if they are lingering. We also have their pen areas lit up so if they come outside, at night, they have light in their pens. With Fall upon us, the days are shorter so the lighting comes in handy for us as well.

It gets pretty dark on the property. Just the stars in the sky (and sometimes the Northern lights) are providing light during those darker hours. We have a massive overhead dusk to dawn light in the compound by the barn, but even with that, there are still a ton of dark spots. Motion lights to the rescue! So now the compound is powered with motion activated lighting for safety.

We actually picked up some winter wire protector casings so the connections were protected. They are pretty cool in design and seal up pretty tight to keep the weather out. I placed links to both items we used below as something good is something to share.

The lights have not been through a winter yet so we will see how they hold up. A couple of them are in direct line with the northern wind current. We have faith and this will be the true test of their durability.

Solar Powered 3 Mode Outdoor Lights – https://amzn.to/3rofZyC
Outdoor Weather Wire Protector Cases – https://amzn.to/3Rs9jKw
(No, we don’t make money from the referral links)

Insulation Around the Doors of the House

There were two doors we had some draft issues with during the winter last month. One was the door from our living room to the driveway and the other was the one to the back deck. The door entering the living room needed some foam insulation and wood framing to really get it insulated from drafts. Let’s keep in mind the house is older, and we think someone held the ruler on an angle when they did a lot of things. J

We filled the holes, cracks, crevices with foam insulation and then put some wood overtop to give it a decent frame look. Lisa painted the framing put in so the whole section was white and looked decent.

For the door to the back deck, we found that it appeared some brick or wood was simply missing beside the door. Like it was not put in when the back deck was built. So, we placed some foam board insulation down the side for now and in the bottom portion to seal up any possible draft points. We are considering new doors in the future so a quality temporary solution that will last a few years will suffice for now until we get to that new door project.

Barn Seal Up

There are, were a ton of holes in the barn from years of weathering and neglect but we have started to seal up all of them. The main area of the barn is completely sealed up from the outside elements, but upstairs and in a couple of side rooms we still need to do some work. We know the barn will be somewhat cold without it being heated but keeping as much of Father Winter out of there is the goal. We will see how insulated it really is during the winter so we can plan for the care of livestock in the future.

Wellhouse Door – Wind Break – Insulation

Last winter the pumphouse experienced some very cold drafts which froze the water feed so we had to defrost the switch and pipes throughout the winter. A royal pain in the butt. The door frame at the bottom was completely rotted. No amount of insulation last year stuffed in holes and cracks was stopping that North Easterly wind draft from getting in.

Colin and Lisa took this project head on. We were “unable” to locate a pre-hung door or just a door the same size as the one that is currently installed in the wellhouse. It would be a custom door order which for the pumphouse, just isn’t worth the $800+ bill we would have been charged to get just the door. So, brainstorming, ideas, solutions……we figured it out.

We rebuilt the bottom portion of the door frame with a couple of framing 2×4’s and a 1×3. From there we sanded down the remainder of the door frame and the door. We put calking around the door frame and in any open space in the door jam or frame. From there we installed some weather stripping on the inside of the pumphouse around the door. (We already had some on the outside from last year)

Once the weather stripping was in place, we put some foam board insulation on the inside of the door and along the wall where the wellhouse valves are to protect from any cold. Then it was time to give it a fresh coat of paint which Lisa did an amazing job at. Everything always looks better with some fresh paint.

Once the paint was dry, we sprayed a weather sealant around the same places that received the calking so it was for sure sealed. No light comes through when you close the door, we are sealed!

We also wanted to take a preventative measure with regards to the wind/snow from the North East. So, we joined a couple of heavy duty pallets and placed them as a wind break wall along the door side and wrapped some snow fence around it to block even more wind.

When we had the pumphouse revamped last year, our electrician put in a thermostatic heater so now when it comes on, the pumphouse should remain warm with less energy used unlike last year.

Dogs are Getting Older and All Doing Well – Fall 2023

Well, the 3 beasties are all doing great! Solo who was a wild child puppy has calmed and settled into his own. He is still trying to grow into his paws as he gallops when he runs. Luke the oldest is still protecting the house from killer leaves but it is Solo who will most likely be the main protector of the 3.

Solo barks at whatever doesn’t belong, but, he is very particular about his space and he barks with purpose. He and Leia get a long very nicely which is great because we hope when Leia is old enough, they will get together and produce puppies!

Solo and Leia will definitely produce amazing puppies. They are both VERY intelligent, like Luke, and are perfect for anyone who has acreage for sure. Luke is fixed so he won’t be part of the Leia party.

Leia is getting bigger and with that, escaping from her massive pasture pen has become something of the past. Little whodini just can’t squeeze out any little hole anymore which makes us very happy. She doesn’t go anywhere, she just mocked the other two still inside the fenced in area.

The dogs have two massive fenced in places to safely run and play which helps them get used to boundaries and the acreage. They are also able to see Hamlet and Wilbur (our pigs) through the fence and allows them to get acquainted with the pigs. It is recommended they are not with the livestock until they are somewhere between 1-2. They have all been introduced to the pigs on leads and everything went awesome. Everyone sniffed and loved each other, awwwwwwwwe.

We are looking at GPS trackers for the 3 dogs in the spring where they will be confined to the perimeter of the property. It is either that or we put in 2700 ft of solid fencing they can’t get through. That is an option.

Raising the Flower Garden for the Spring

Our front window flower garden did amazing in it’s first year. We have 3 rose bushes that have us very much perplexed with their late budding and blooming. They definitely have established themselves but right now they are covered in buds and blooms. It is actually nice to see, but a little late in the season.

The 2 lavender plants are enormous, they grew to atleast 20 times their original size in their first year which was pretty awesome. All the other flowers did very well and provided some amazing colour through the past few months.

We have raised the actual flower bed up 1 mini tie. For winter it will help us to insulate the new plants, (roses and lavender), to get through their first winter. We are going to use some of the mulch from the chipping we did as well as straw hay around the plants.

During the writing of this blog, we have had some cooler and wetter weather arrive. Looks like the last rains before the cold comes. Looks like we will be ripping out the remainder of the flower and veggie garden over the next 3-5 days, weather depending. The garden is pretty much the last item on the list for winterizing. We are however going to leave the sunflowers until they die on their own. Curious to see how long they last.

Fall 2023 is Here, Leaves are all Changing and Falling

The mornings are chilly, the trees are losing their leaves, Fall 2023! Remembering last year it felt like it all happened overnight. I think this year with us having a clear line of sight on winter, the process of Fall has been more gradual thus far. Outside the office window, the Magpie hotel constructed last winter is now visible. No residents but just as magnificent as we remember it.

We have noticed in the past 3 weeks a dramatic increase in pestering bugs. The swallows left way too early….they were our bug control system. Next year, hopefully we can encourage them to stay longer with a new swallow hotel we will build over the winter.

Oh, the bugs don’t like the cooler weather….  Got a bit chilly the day this post was being completed. Bugs were nowhere to be found. NICE!

Planning for Spring

Paddocks

Paddock Space for the pigs is really a roll of the dice situation depending on what we decide to do pig wise. We “may” bring onto the farm some American Landrace pigs which are somewhat of a standard pink pig, but, a favourite of our butcher. They get to be about 800lbs in just a matter of about 6-8 months and then are ready for harvesting.

Our Kune Kune’s are a specialized pig so whatever offspring they have, they will take about 16 – 18 months before they are ready for harvesting and it is a marbleized meat which means a fattier pork. Many butchers call them a lard pig, and not one for your standard pork cuts. (We think those typical dry porkchops will be darn tasty with a marbleized fat through them)

IF we decide to expand into other pigs, we will need to increase pig pasture paddock areas for sure, but right now, we are just staying with our cute Kune Kune’s! We have been looking into designing a pallet-based paddock area that can secure any type of pig. Another reason we love our Kune Kune’s is that they don’t dig under fences. They are content with where they are.

Fencing

Fencing kind of ties in with our paddocks at this point. We do have a few areas on the property where fencing could be implemented. One of our goals is to tear down as much of the remaining falling paddock fencing and repurpose it elsewhere on the property. Anyone looking for a spring project? Let us know, we can certainly use the help! (room and hot meals included)

Part of our fencing plans include lining part of our property that has ranching fencing with what will most likely be Tower Poplar trees. They are commonly used for windbreak/shelterbreak from wind and weather elements. They are fast growing and can grow to be 66ft approx. in height.  These are the one breed of poplar trees/hedging that have no fluff/fuzz given off and they also will grow in any type of soil no matter how bad it may be.

We know the soil is good on the property, but it is good to know they will grow in anything. They will line the Eastern side of the property where the fence runs north/south. In time, it will help break that wind from the North East.

Veggie Garden

Massive plans for a new veggie garden as our modge podge garden this year was a huge success. We already have our gopher/mole deterrent buzzers that work awesome! We did not have a single issue with gophers or moles in the veggie or flower gardens. Yes, we did put down hardware cloth in the base of the garden, but, the space surrounding the gardens still did not see any gopher holes. The buzzers we got worked amazing.

The majority of our veggie garden will be moving into a new area near the paddocks. Clearly, the raised veggie beds were just a bit small to house the very successful plants this year. Even when we pulled out the squash and zucchini plants yesterday, there were a ton of small ones starting to grow on them. Quite amazing considering the time of year.

Yes, the veggie garden is done except our tomato plant (and the sunflower tree). We will leave it until the last minute before a potential frost this week so we can ripen as many as possible on the vine. It does look like we will be ripening a lot of greenies inside this year.

Next year, we are looking at a wider variety of veggies and most that can be harvested for the freezer. With our pigs, having veggies for them is important and there is no better way to get those veggies than growing them yourself. We are planning on a pumpkin patch of sorts including a special breed of pumpkin, which will be a surprise!

Closing…. Fall 2023

In closing up this Fall 2023 blog post, from our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving and most likely, Happy Halloween as that will probably pass before another blog post goes up. It is almost time for the great Alberta Tire Change as we gear up for the upcoming wintery season. This year has brought us many blessings and new additions. Our farm has transformed and will continue to as each month passes.

If you want to know about anything we have done or written here in greater detail, just let us know. Connect with us through our contact page!

A new favourite quote of the writer is this……

“ Be Curious, Not Judgemental ”

by Marguerite and Marshall Shearer (no, Walt Whitman never said it)