Week #41 - Giving thanks

So much to give thanks for this holiday weekend! After a very full week, the girls (Leanne, Taryn, Ariane & Grandma) took off for a girls weekend down to South Dakota, where Philip's sister and brother-in-law live.

We were able to give Ariane a full ranching experience... complete with driving cattle, grooming, trailering and riding horses, bottle feeding calves and various other silliness.

The males on the farm stayed home and worked hard pulling all the plants from the field and getting the barn ready for winter.... (involves a lot of shoveling...).

We came home to a beautiful turkey meal with all the fixings, completely grown here on the farm.

I give thanks for family, both near and far... for good food grown the way nature intended.... for laughter and hard work. My life is blessed to include all of these!

Spent a lot of time staring at the back of cattle,
driving them from one pasture to another....

Rode through beautiful fall forests

Did a lot of grooming... it's burr season! 

Played some serious card games! 

Shared some laughs and giggles...

Did I mention giggles...

and more giggles...

Waiting for us when we got home... 

The rules of the pasture...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 150 

I am always intrigued and interested in how our four legged animals get along. At our place, everyone grazes together - goats, cattle, sheep, etc. 

Like all herd animals there is a hierarchy of relationships with leaders and followers and introducing new animals typically puts everyone's nose out of joint for a few days. 

Each animal has a different personality and approach and while size matters... it doesn't always dictate who the leader is! As their humans, we quickly learn who to feed/water/scratch first and in what order, to maintain the current rules of the pasture!

Cow-lick!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 131

After we milk the goats each night, we have a routine (they would suggest a necessity) to visit with the goats and cattle in the barn. We must come armed with treats or we quickly are told of everyone's displeasure by way of a cacophony of bellowing and bleating from all.

Gaston's favorite treat is a pre-made horse treat made from apples. He sucks them off your hand with a exuberance that leaves you needing a towel and wanting a shower. 

Growing family...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 104 

Today our farm family grew a little bit more with the arrival of two new goats - mother and son. 

Everyone was pretty excited to see them which was likely a little overwhelming. 

By milking time, everyone seemed to be getting along and all (cattle & goats) accepted some apple treats and some scratching behind the ears.

Time for chores

FFF Photo a Day  - Day 86

Time for chores, everyday! Feed the chickens, water the cattle, collect the eggs, milk the goats, repeat. 

Farm life has a reassuring, re-occurring routine that is both gratifying and aggravating all at the same time!   

Meet Gaston

Day 12 - FFF Photo a Day


This is Gaston - our bull calf that was born this past July. He has turned into quite a fur ball and enjoys running around his mom in circles. 

Local folks may have seen him at the AMazeIn Corn in Ste. Adolphe where he hung out for a few months this summer. There he was known as 'Dexter' and enjoyed being spoiled by everyone who came to visit. 

A month ago he managed to get himself hopelessly stuck in the hay feeder and we had to cut him out with the angle grinder. We were pretty worried for a while but he bounced back with no lasting effect. 

For a beastie who is only 6 months old, he's had a eventful life!