Recent Posts

Book Review: Keeping Bees

Book Review: Keeping Bees

I’ve just had a look at a new book called “Keeping Bees”, by Pam Gregory and Claire Waring (the book is part of Flame Tree Publishing’s Green Guides series). Claire Waring was a contributing writer to The Beekeeper’s Bible, which I read and thoroughly enjoyed 

Dust Bowl

Dust Bowl

We’ve had such a cool, wet summer around these parts that it’s been branded the “bummer summer” by some. If we ever do finally get a nice, hot day (or heaven forbid, two in a row), it’s almost sure to rain within 48 hours. Needless 

Wild Huckleberry Tarts

Wild Huckleberry Tarts

Red (highbush) huckleberries grow wild in our area, and we’re lucky to have an abundance of these bushes on our property and in the neighbouring park. My daughter went for a sleepover at a friend’s house last week, and those crazy girls spent the evening 

Five Weeks Old.

Five Weeks Old.

Just a quick update on the babies before signing off for weekend activities.  When the chicks were a couple of weeks old, I moved their “nursery pen”, which is inside the coop, in front of the door to the chicken tractor, creating a larger area for 

The Case of the Missing Berries: A Garden Caper

The Case of the Missing Berries: A Garden Caper

  After threatening to rip out my strawberry patch last year due to lackluster production, I think I’ve finally figured out the key to getting a good crop. Despite having 60+ strawberry plants, I never seemed to get more than a handful or two at 

Scrumptious Sorrel Tart

Scrumptious Sorrel Tart

I made this tart for the first time last month, but it’s actually been two years in the making. The idea of using something like sorrel in a tart wasn’t even remotely on my radar until I read about it over on Tara’s blog (which is a 

We Are Family

We Are Family

Our second batch of chicks arrived early last week, and in preparation, my husband built a cozy little nursery pen inside the coop. We set things up anticipating having to use the heat lamp, but I was still hoping that one of my broody hens 

Refurbished Freebies and Integration Questions

Refurbished Freebies and Integration Questions

I was in the city last week delivering eggs to a friend, when I spotted some weathered but otherwise decent  wicker chairs sitting out by the dumpster. I’ve been looking for something like this to put on our bedroom deck, so I nabbed them. In 

To Bee or Not to Bee?

To Bee or Not to Bee?

Okay, so that title is a tad cheesy, but it was late when I was writing this. I did my annual mason bee house-keeping a little late this year, but things were looking pretty good despite the neglect. We seem to have had quite a few new