The following post was written by Jill from Crooked Lake Farm. As a fellow farmer, Jill wishes to engage with other farmers as well as educate non-farmers on what farming is about and what happens on a farm. If you have any questions you wish to ask, please feel free to leave Jill a comment or engage with her on Twitter andFacebook! Back in December, I was having breakfast … [Read more...]
Farming is More Than a Lifestyle
The following post was written by Jill from Crooked Lake Farm. As a fellow farmer, Jill wishes to engage with other farmers as well as educate non-farmers on what farming is about and what happens on a farm. If you have any questions you wish to ask, please feel free to leave Jill a comment or engage with her on Twitter and Facebook! Farming is more than a … [Read more...]
What Do Cows Eat In the Winter?
Welcome to another edition of #FarmFactFriday. You've asked this question, and Jill is here to answer it. What Do Cows Eat In the Winter? With a foot of snow on the ground and temperatures below zero, many people often ask, what do cows eat in the winter? The simple answer is hay. Most people are familiar the a cows diet in the summer, acres and acres of lush green grass. … [Read more...]
Life on the Farm #FarmFactFriday
Being a farmer's wife and living on a working farm, I realize there are many questions about what life on a farm is like. I want to include the perspectives of farmers and believe it is a good idea for people to get to know the farmers who grow their food. For this reason, I have teamed up with a few people in the ag world to best answer questions the public may have. We … [Read more...]
Harvest Vegetable, Beef and Rice Soup
We had a great harvest season and have a few remaining squash, beets, and carrots from the garden. With the weather and temperature making it feel a lot like Winter already, it's time for Harvest Vegetable, Beef and Rice Soup! Thank goodness we're a soup-loving family! I've included two versions: One to make in your dutch oven or heavy pot and one that can be made in … [Read more...]
What are you Thankful for? #ThankFALL
Cool, crisp air, swirling leaves of reds and golds, and warm, fuzzy sweaters all remind me of Fall. Fall reminds me of Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving reminds me of family. The house bursting with warmth and love, the holidays are what I love the most. I know some people stress out about hosting Thanksgiving dinner, but I actually love it. It makes me happy to cook a turkey … [Read more...]
Savoury Zucchini Bake
With this being harvest season on the farm, I've been spending hours in the garden and in the kitchen! In fact, I'm starting to feel like Mr. Fredricksen from the Disney movie, Up! when he gets out of bed and stretches his back. Being hunched over in the garden for hours sure does a number on my back. I must be getting old! With all the zucchini we get every year, I have … [Read more...]
Do You Ever Lie to Your Kids?
I stood outside in shock. I wasn't sure if I was sad or upset. There was a lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach. I found one of Little One's bunnies lifeless and its littermate suffering from some kind of neurological issue. The way its head was tilted to one side and looking up to the sky, I knew something was wrong. That, and the fact that it showed no interest … [Read more...]
Life on the Farm
Some days, I wake up and wonder... "How did I end up living on Manitoulin?" "How did I end up marrying a farmer?" "Am I able to be a farmer's wife?" Life on Manitoulin is heavenly (most of the time). It is not without its issues though, but overall, it is a wonderful life. We live on a farm, grow our own food, have a healthy environment to raise our child, and … [Read more...]
For the love of good food!
Every now and then, we meet people we connect with through shared passions, hobbies, and interests. Most of you already know how much I love cooking and entertaining. When I discovered there was another food blogger on Manitoulin Island, I was so excited! Oh, and she's not just another food blogger! She's also a fellow Food Bloggers of Canada blogger! I became a member in … [Read more...]
A Peek into my Rustic Kitchen
Many of you know I love to cook and host dinner parties and get-togethers. Some of you have asked to see my kitchen. We're still in the planning stages for our kitchen reno and quite frankly, I have no idea where to begin! Since the kitchen is the hub of the household and where memories are made (long dinners spent with loved ones, gathering around while the meals are … [Read more...]
Farm Life
It's Wednesday! You know what that means! Wordless Wednesday time! I've been on a bit of a Wordless Wednesday hiatus and after doing it religiously for years, I stopped for some reason. This is week 2 of getting back into the swing of things. I have to admit that I have missed Wordless Wednesdays. Just some snippets of our life -- Farm life. On Wednesdays, … [Read more...]
Life On Manitoulin #WordlessWednesday #Manitoulin
I haven't done a Wordless Wednesday post in a long time. Here are some snippets of our life on Manitoulin. On Wednesdays, all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words (hence the name "Wordless Wednesday". The idea is that the photo says so much that it doesn't need words to describe it. Do you have a Wordless Wednesday post? Leave your link in the … [Read more...]
Foraging for Edible Wilds with Kids
My Dad once told me that "you will never go hungry in the wild if you know what to look for". Learning what plants in the forest are edible is something that is not only fun, but so important for kids and adults alike. Over the Victoria Day long weekend, we took friends of ours and their kids on a nature walk on our property to look for edible wilds. We have a lot of wild … [Read more...]
What Makes Us Proud #GayLeaFoods #MadeFrom
As a farming family, what makes us proud is hard work, dedication, and the ability to rise above adverse situations. Believe me, there have been many times I've entertained the thought of throwing in the towel. Farming is not easy. It's in my husband's blood though, and no matter how challenging and demanding farm life can be, my husband always demonstrates his … [Read more...]