-Dragged home the two scrap trucks from Mike Hebert's place.
-Did the chores, went to bed.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 26th/2007
-Diesel fuel arrived. Fueled the fleet.
-Went to Mike Hebert's to prep two trucks for transport to the scrap.
-Went to Mike Hebert's to prep two trucks for transport to the scrap.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Tuesday, September 25th/2007
More pictures from morning chore time.
-Another first: I was up before the chickens. When I opened their door they were all still on the roost and looked quite startled to see me there so early-it was just first light.
-Changed out the old turlette for a bigger, better one.
-Primed the pump on the surface well.
Weather:
Really hot and humid. Back to doing the chores in my underwear.
Wildlife:
More geese.
-Another first: I was up before the chickens. When I opened their door they were all still on the roost and looked quite startled to see me there so early-it was just first light.
-Changed out the old turlette for a bigger, better one.
-Primed the pump on the surface well.
Weather:
Really hot and humid. Back to doing the chores in my underwear.
Wildlife:
More geese.
Monday, September 24th/2007
- Took it easy as I was still tired from the weekend. Played with Emma. Did the chores. There was a first today: when Annie, Emma and I went to do lock the chicken house door there was one female duck perched on the peak of the roof. I had to throw pebbles at her to convince her to come down. The ducks on a few occasions have been flying further distances lately-maybe a few hundred feet at a time.
Wildlife:
The Canada Goose migration is getting underway. We saw a few flocks today.
Weather:
Unseasonably warm. 28 degrees Celsius.
Wildlife:
The Canada Goose migration is getting underway. We saw a few flocks today.
Weather:
Unseasonably warm. 28 degrees Celsius.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21-23/2007
- Set up for the chicken processing operation.
- Processed 41 chickens.
- Shipped 2 of our 6 cows.
- A little bit of back-hoe work.
- The surface well went dry with the demand placed on it this weekend. Now I am hoping for some rain.
- Unloaded and processed scrap.
- Changed filters on fuel tank.
- Processed 41 chickens.
- Shipped 2 of our 6 cows.
- A little bit of back-hoe work.
- The surface well went dry with the demand placed on it this weekend. Now I am hoping for some rain.
- Unloaded and processed scrap.
- Changed filters on fuel tank.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thursday, September 20th/2007
- Went to feed-mill and restocked the feed for chickens and cows.
- Removed the filters from the fuel tank and discovered that I don't have the right filters in stock.
- Changed bad tire on my car.
- Removed the filters from the fuel tank and discovered that I don't have the right filters in stock.
- Changed bad tire on my car.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday, September 19th/2007
-Delivered our load of scrap.
-Processed scrap.
-Finished before 8:00PM and felt like I was on vacation. I sat on the swing with Annie and Emma and we chit-chatted about the day.
-Update on Windmills: A Gleaner article said that windmills might go up in St. Chrys. The town council has been approached by a company called Skypower and they must decide what to do after all the impact studies and paper shuffling is done. If they get installed I think that we'll be able to see them from home as they are to be put in the local of St. Joseph, St. Michel and RG. 4.
-Processed scrap.
-Finished before 8:00PM and felt like I was on vacation. I sat on the swing with Annie and Emma and we chit-chatted about the day.
-Update on Windmills: A Gleaner article said that windmills might go up in St. Chrys. The town council has been approached by a company called Skypower and they must decide what to do after all the impact studies and paper shuffling is done. If they get installed I think that we'll be able to see them from home as they are to be put in the local of St. Joseph, St. Michel and RG. 4.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Tuesday, September 18th 2007
-Pictures taken during my morning chores.
- After work I went on scraping detail with Richard: 4:30PM until 9:30PM; that was a long day. We had a pick-up in Ormstown and 2 in Franklin; filled our trucks and trailers. Not even enough time to have a beer when I got home. I miss spending time with Annie and Emma, but we need the cash.
- After work I went on scraping detail with Richard: 4:30PM until 9:30PM; that was a long day. We had a pick-up in Ormstown and 2 in Franklin; filled our trucks and trailers. Not even enough time to have a beer when I got home. I miss spending time with Annie and Emma, but we need the cash.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Monday, September 17th 2007
Temperature at 6:15AM: 2 Degrees Celsius.
- There is no more going to do the chores in my underwear. When I went to take care of the cows down at the lower pasture I noticed frost on the big round bale and on the grass nearby. There was also frost up at the garden so I think that is it for the award winning tomatoes.
- There is such a peace early in the morning when the sun is just coming up. I usually take a minute as the water fills for the cows and look at the fog dissipating over the river. As the sun starts to warm things up the fog rises and literally peels back depending on the wind direction. This morning I heard a duck calling; the only other sound was our rooster. By the time I get back to the house I'm fully awake because of the cool air. This morning I really wished I'd lit a fire last night because it was quite chilly after taking a shower.
I take the .22 with me every morning in hopes of startling that fox again. I swore I caught his scent in the barn again the other morning. I am constantly scanning for any sign of him in the fields as I make my rounds during chores. I thought that I would probably like hunting because of the productive feeling one gets as you search for an animal during the early morning. I don't think it would bother me if I didn't even get a deer, just to be out in the bush in November and doing something besides firewood might be nice for a change.
- There is no more going to do the chores in my underwear. When I went to take care of the cows down at the lower pasture I noticed frost on the big round bale and on the grass nearby. There was also frost up at the garden so I think that is it for the award winning tomatoes.
- There is such a peace early in the morning when the sun is just coming up. I usually take a minute as the water fills for the cows and look at the fog dissipating over the river. As the sun starts to warm things up the fog rises and literally peels back depending on the wind direction. This morning I heard a duck calling; the only other sound was our rooster. By the time I get back to the house I'm fully awake because of the cool air. This morning I really wished I'd lit a fire last night because it was quite chilly after taking a shower.
I take the .22 with me every morning in hopes of startling that fox again. I swore I caught his scent in the barn again the other morning. I am constantly scanning for any sign of him in the fields as I make my rounds during chores. I thought that I would probably like hunting because of the productive feeling one gets as you search for an animal during the early morning. I don't think it would bother me if I didn't even get a deer, just to be out in the bush in November and doing something besides firewood might be nice for a change.
Saturday, September 15 - Sunday, September 16/2007
- Worked on the ditching project all weekend. The routine went as follows:
It sure beats shoveling though. I am rushing to get this job done as I am way behind on firewood detail since the scraping lifestyle has possessed me. My goal is to get the low test wood pile sawed up next week and then get my high test pile out of the bush by hunting season. I know that November seems like a while still, but there is a whole pile of minor construction projects that need to get done before winter as well.
- On Sunday Annie, Emma and I went to her parents farm to eat. There is a really good view of Covey Hill, Lyon Mountain, and the Adirondacks. On Covey Hill-near Chateauguay, NY-there are now 19 power generating windmills that have been erected; they are visible with the naked eye. Apparently there will be 125 altogether. You can also see the enormous cranes that are being used to put them up. I'm not sure what I think about the windmills. On the one hand I am happy to see alternative energy sources being used, but on the other hand they are quite an eyesore. An interesting fact about the energy produced: 22 to 34 turbines will produce as much electricity as about 1.5 million gallons of oil a year. It would be nice to eventually tell the MFers to choke on their oil.
- Use backhoe for 2 hours.
- Something breaks on backhoe.
- Fix backhoe.
- Use backhoe for 2 hours.
- Something breaks on dump trailer.
- Fix dump trailer.
- Repeat above steps.
It sure beats shoveling though. I am rushing to get this job done as I am way behind on firewood detail since the scraping lifestyle has possessed me. My goal is to get the low test wood pile sawed up next week and then get my high test pile out of the bush by hunting season. I know that November seems like a while still, but there is a whole pile of minor construction projects that need to get done before winter as well.
- On Sunday Annie, Emma and I went to her parents farm to eat. There is a really good view of Covey Hill, Lyon Mountain, and the Adirondacks. On Covey Hill-near Chateauguay, NY-there are now 19 power generating windmills that have been erected; they are visible with the naked eye. Apparently there will be 125 altogether. You can also see the enormous cranes that are being used to put them up. I'm not sure what I think about the windmills. On the one hand I am happy to see alternative energy sources being used, but on the other hand they are quite an eyesore. An interesting fact about the energy produced: 22 to 34 turbines will produce as much electricity as about 1.5 million gallons of oil a year. It would be nice to eventually tell the MFers to choke on their oil.
Friday, September 14, 2007
September 10th-14th/2007
-Scraping all week. Price is up to $210/ton for #1 short metal. I think I've arrived in the scraping business because I was given an honorary baseball hat with the St. Urbain scrapyard logo on it by the owner of the scrap-yard.
Saturday, September 8th/2007
MONKEY MEADOWS FARM RECEIVES TOP HONOURS AT HAVELOCK FAIR
Saturday was rather hectic. On Friday night I'd partaken heavily of my birthday whiskey and was deliciously hung over when I woke up at 9:30AM Saturday morning. This year Annie and I had decided to enter produce from our garden and the deadline was 10:30AM. Annie had been primping, priming, picking and choosing her cherry tomatoes carefully since 6:30AM. I on the other hand had nothing ready.
9:33-10:00
I put on my big, orange chainsaw boots and ran out in my underwear to do the chores. As luck would have it, Mrs. Pycock was at her mailbox as I careened for the barn in my skimpies and flimsies. She began waving hello to me, but then her hand quickly covered her heart and she did a quick shuffle down her driveway as she cast backward glances at my inappropriateness. I could hear many "Oh my goodnesses" as she headed back home with the pornographic image still in her head.
10:00-10:15
Chores got done and I dug taters. The last plant I dug produced a 2 pounder and I wielded the mighty potato above my head and thanked the gods of sun and rain; I knew I was in contention for "biggest and best potato". I also washed a basket of taters for the "best crop" category.
10:15-10:25
Loaded in the car and raced for the fair. Not much time to spare. Lucky Dan Whyte was at the gate and let us park close to the office to register.
10:25
Went to the exhibition hall and was accosted by some mean old lady fair official. She was shaking a rolled up newspaper in my face as she chastised me, "You need to get your exhibitor's card at the office before you can register and you only got 5 minutes before I'm shutting you down sonny, so hurry it up."
10:30
Arranged our produce in the following categories: Best red cherry tomatoes. Best yaller cherry tomatoes. Best potatoes. Biggest and best potato.
11:30
The competition was fierce and almost unlimited as people from all over the Valley enter produce. But we managed to collect first prize for Best Yaller Cherry Tomatoes. First prize for Best Potatoes. Second prize for Biggest and Best Potato (my potato was actually the biggest, however it was not as nicely shaped as the winning one).
I have now been referring to myself as the POAWP (pronounced Pope) It is an acronym for Producer Of Award Winning Potatoes.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Friday, September 7th/2007
- One of the broilers was crippled so we put him in the freezer.
- Cleaned up in the garage.
- Cleaned up in the garage.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Thursday, September 8th/2007
- Picked up a load of scrap in St. Louis at Ferme Brault on RG. 40. Went to Annie's parents' to get corn while I was in the neighbourhood.
Wednesday, September 5th/2007
- More ditching with backhoe. Using smaller rocks as fill along back road by the river.
- Big thunderstorm at 4:30 AM. It was so overcast that it was still completely dark outside at 6:00AM.
- Big thunderstorm at 4:30 AM. It was so overcast that it was still completely dark outside at 6:00AM.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Tuesday, September 4th/2007
- The forecast was calling for a low of 8 degrees, but it was 3 degrees when I went out at 6AM to do chores. Just about fire lighting weather as it was uncomfortably cold after my shower; in fact I saw smoke coming from a chimney in Riverfield on the way to work.
- During breakfast we watched a huge flock of starlings leaving the bush from Mrs. Pycocks. They flew out in a steady stream of 6 to 7 birds wide for a good five minutes. They came our way and landed in the trees around the house. There were so many of them that it reminded me of bats leaving a cage. Maybe this is how they migrate.
- Continued work on the ditching project with backhoe.
- Got three calls for scrap within the past week. God-damn full time teaching job gets in the way of all the important stuff I have to do.
- During breakfast we watched a huge flock of starlings leaving the bush from Mrs. Pycocks. They flew out in a steady stream of 6 to 7 birds wide for a good five minutes. They came our way and landed in the trees around the house. There were so many of them that it reminded me of bats leaving a cage. Maybe this is how they migrate.
- Continued work on the ditching project with backhoe.
- Got three calls for scrap within the past week. God-damn full time teaching job gets in the way of all the important stuff I have to do.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Friday August 31-Monday September 3/2007
- Weekend of the Cornroast at Montcalms. Eric brought his boom truck and upstaged my potatoe gun demonstration. Emma was afraid to go up for a ride, but she screamed and jumped as she watched everyone else going. She also watched a calf being born and didn't like it very much.
- Built a new potato gun because Richard got a bin full of taters.
- Worked on the backhoe. Leveled and reinforced the washout on the north-west corner of the property. I've been filling it in with rocks, but it needed work on the retaining wall, so I piled up some boulders and that did the trick.
- Began cleaning the debris from along the ditch behind the chicken house.
- The big bull got his head stuck in the page wire and mangled part of the fence. Therefore I ran a strand of electric along the west and south side of the small pasture.
- Went for a 4 wheeler tour with my girls. We sampled fruit from our three apple trees and decided to prune them this fall. Two are good for eating and one produces good cooking apples.
- Took a break and went fishing for a bit on Monday. I was just about to give up when I caught a 4 pound small-mouth on a top water weedless frog. He was lurking under the overhanging branches of a tree and exploded through the surface to grab the frog. He gnawed up the lure pretty good. I feel pretty lucky to be able to fish in my backyard.
- Built a new potato gun because Richard got a bin full of taters.
- Worked on the backhoe. Leveled and reinforced the washout on the north-west corner of the property. I've been filling it in with rocks, but it needed work on the retaining wall, so I piled up some boulders and that did the trick.
- Began cleaning the debris from along the ditch behind the chicken house.
- The big bull got his head stuck in the page wire and mangled part of the fence. Therefore I ran a strand of electric along the west and south side of the small pasture.
- Went for a 4 wheeler tour with my girls. We sampled fruit from our three apple trees and decided to prune them this fall. Two are good for eating and one produces good cooking apples.
- Took a break and went fishing for a bit on Monday. I was just about to give up when I caught a 4 pound small-mouth on a top water weedless frog. He was lurking under the overhanging branches of a tree and exploded through the surface to grab the frog. He gnawed up the lure pretty good. I feel pretty lucky to be able to fish in my backyard.
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