My journey

A year ago I left my home, my friends, and many things familiar to me. I drove across Canada with my dogs in tow, driving through some of the most beautiful countryside I had ever seen. I remember driving up through the Canadian Shield, through to the open plains of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, to the forests and mountains of Alberta. We arrived to a riot of fall colours and sights and I’ve watched the seasons turn a full cycle now. 

It’s been a year of learning and the most important lesson is that things rarely go the way you intend or expect. Especially as concerns livestock. I’d done my research, and when I was ready looked for my first chickens. I was lucky and bought my first nine chicks from a reputable breeder who has been there to help me with all my random questions along the way. While of the original nine chicks I have 5 left, those lovely pullets are my survivors. They survived my learning curve in keeping poultry and have given me lots of beautiful eggs and plenty of laughs. 

I learned to cull when injury or sickness required it *Amprol is now a standard in my chicken first aid kit*. I raised my first turkeys for the freezer from day olds to butcher weight and learned to process my own birds. There is something very satisfying in knowing how that animal was raised, and knowing that their end was fast, painless, and that they suffered no stress. It is something I will do again, and with more confidence. 

I was also introduced, in a very snowy fashion, to the short growing season up here. My vegetable garden choices require some reworking for next year, but it was a fun summer of experimenting with different heirloom varieties. My beets, onions, and lettuce went bonkers for me while my beans, peas and squash were a bust. So I’ll be looking to try some different varieties and maybe try setting up a cold frame. 

One year in the books...and a second one to come.