New Tractor

Well, we actually got a real one, but while we were waiting for it, and to have it set up, we enjoyed this one, with it's wheels spinning in the wind. Cute.
So this week we finally unparked the new John Deere 6330 and started using it. We haven't had the loader on it yet, but if it works as good on it as it does on the old 6120, we will be happy.

If anyone is wondering how we made out with all those wagons we picked up a couple of months ago, we have also finally got them all in use. The 2 tandem wagons went under the forage boxes we picked up last year, so that brings that fleet up to 5. Shouldn't have to wait for a wagon now, huh.

We picked up enough lumber to build 3 new hay racks. We had most of our haying done before I got them built, used 1 of them for 1 day, but the last 2 weeks of rainy weather allowed me time to get the other 2 built.

So we now have 8 hay wagons, just haven't a picture of them all in the same place. I am sure I will sometime.

We will enjoy seeing the one we replaced on several bonfires. we had a few beers as we built it, and might just have another as it burns.

Brigitte!!

It was great to have Brigitte, and her 2 children, Oscar and Xavier here for the weekend. She stopped by on her way home from New Hampshire. Not exactly on her way, but we were sure glad to see her. We did some great catching up on Friday night, and on Saturday we spent lots of time in the pool. Stacy was over with her kids, and Grandma stopped by too. The boys just loved visiting the farm. She even stopped and had a picnic lunch with Tanya and her kids in Florenceville on her way home. So good to see you, Brigitte.

Tractor Canada

Today we were honoured to be one of the farms visited by Dr. John Varty, Molly Daley, and Micheal Liew. AKA Tractor Canada. They are driving a farm tractor across Canada, and started out in Charlottetown, PEI on July 1st. They plan on interviewing farm families and are planning to do a documentary about farming, farm families, and food. We had a nice, long, enjoyable visit, and shared lots of thoughts. I just looked at their planned itinerary, and they were hoping to be in Quebec by today. I know why they are not. The next time we drive across Canada, we just might catch up with them. If anybody wants to meet some good people, find these guys and have a chat.

Happy Birthday Stacy

The weather can sure change in a hurry. After a cold weekend, yesterday and today have been so hot. I cleaned the pool last night, and it is filling now with the overflow from our spring. Carrie started working at the Evandale Resort yesterday. She was told that she was a great dish washer. Hmmm, we never noticed that here. Both Willard and Autumn lost their family jewels yesterday, but I'm sure no one wants to see pictures of that. But we do have pictures of Stacy, on her special day. The first one is really her, not Cecily. And the second one was taken by Brigitte.

Happy 27th birthday Stacy! We hope you had a great day. Did you get all those eggs graded?

M-S Bike Tour

This past weekend we participated in our annual fundraiser fo the M-S society. The Rona M-S bike tour. Despite their neutral stand on the CCSVI procedure that seems to have benefited Sarah and so many others, we feel that our support and gentle persuasion for change in thinking is the best plan for us. When we were doing our open farm day last weekend, I would never have thought that by this weekend we would have had our first cut of haylage all done, but we ignored all weather forecasts, and got 'er done. So, after a late spring and sketchy weather, we are all caught up to where we were at this time last year. And the bonus, no broken bones! We welcomed Simon back this year, but due to pregnancies and other reasons our team was down to just 4 this year. Here are Carrie, Jesse and I waiting to start. Simon will be here before we go!

Tanya was upset that this would be her first year not biking, she left home at 6 AM to be here with the girls to see us off. But ended up being the official photographer for the Psycows.

Here we are getting ready to go. I told you Simon would show up!

Nanny and Tanya were waiting for us in Norton. We won the Team Spirit Award, mainly for the enthusiasm that was shown by Tanya and her girls. Emma biked with us from Norton to Hampton, it was not warm out, and even after it started to rain, she declined an invitation to stop. "I want to do this for Nanny!"

The rain stopped, the cold didn't, but we got to Rothesay. I can't say Jesse left us in a cloud of dust, as it was too wet for dust, but there was no catching up with him. Here he is with Sheila at the finish line. After awhile, Carrie and I biked in.

We enjoyed a great meal at the banquet, and were pleased to earn our top fundraising per team member trophy for the 4th consecutive year! Simon also earned a personal fundraising award.

It was definitely HFC (hurting for certain) on the return to Sussex the next  day. But Grandma met me in Hampton with some Advil, and I soldiered on. And Emma, I think she wants to bike again!

And we did.

Notice Carrie in the background? Well here she is, still smiling! Proud of you Carrie!

And me!

At some point after this picture, both Jesse and I had flat tires. I needed air twice for a slow leak and Jesse had a blow out which was fixed quickly by Bill, from Darling Island Bike Shop. But we finished, and looking for those pictures.

School Tours

Today we had an open farm day, with proceeds towards our annual M-S bike fundraiser next weekend. It went very well, we had a steady flow of visitors all day. It also signified the end of this years school tours. We have been hosting 2 - 4 schools a week, for the past 4 and a half weeks. We even had a group of seniors in this year as part of their bus tour. I got a few pictures on a couple of different days. Here is one group in the lower barn.

Autumn, Jenny, and Santa

Milking a cow is a favourite.

Waiting for the milk truck, and looking at their funny reflections on the shiny truck.

Bacon, Ham, and Sausage

The kids having their snacks, and Emma and Abby wishing they could too.

And of course the horse rides with Banner.

Randoms. Carrie being brave on Banner, and Sarah being equally brave while in with the pigs.

Kara, Bradford, and Cecily. Today at open farm day.

Happy Birthday Cecily

It's not often that you turn one year old, but having a grandchild turn one seems to happen a lot around here. And there is no indication that it will stop anytime soon. Here is a very happy Cecily on her first birthday. The rest of us get to celebrate with her on Thursday.

Cecily is likely fast asleep by now, oblivious to the fact that Boston is 4-0 above Vancouver after the first in the 6th game of the Stanley cup playoffs. Hoping you had a happy day, YEAH Cecily and Boston!!!

Introducing Autumn

Why Autumn when it still feels like winter and summer is only 2 weeks away? But Autumn is a llama, the newest addition to the menagerie of animals we have around here.

Jesse and Carrie went to pick him up, and it looks like Autumn and Jesse have already formed a bond.

I'm sure there will be more and better pics of Autumn as he gets settled in.

Happy Birthday Jesse

This time last week, we hadn't put a seed in the ground, but what a week...we sure got lots done. And to top it all off, our little boy turned 25 today. As he hasn't changed that much, I just pulled a couple of pictures from the albums. The first is with Junior, just before we ate him.

 I'm not sure why there were only 3 candles on the cake, but it might explain a lot of things...

We all hope you had a happy day today, stay out of jail tonight, I'll be up in case you are late, but don't be too late as you have to spread bark ash in the morning, so we can get our last piece of corn in. We all love you Jesse, Happy Birthday!!!

Finally planting corn

I know, I know... I am up late, but I just got in a shower and a couple of glasses of wine ago. Today was a good day, we finally got some seeds in the ground. I started planting around  9:30 this morning and got 23 acres done here, and then a field at Brian's, and then over to Gilbert's and got all his done.