Yesterday was the first day for the outdoor Farmer's Market. Even though it rained for most of the time it was great to be outside again. Started out slow but then the pace picked up. By 10 a.m. the crowds were out in full force. Unfortunately a fairly large portion of the field had to be fenced off due to vandals driving their vehicle through the field and tearing it up the week or two before ! This has happened more than once and now the district is finally going to put a chain link fence and gate across both openings into the field. Well with any luck at all a feasability study has now been completed and the city of Courtenay has given the Farmer's Market the go ahead to start a building fund to put a permanent structure onto the Farquarson Farm lands in the middle of the city! This is such great news for us as a market. We may finally have a permanent site that will be maintained by the city. We hope to have an education centre etc. attached to the venue as well. For now we can dream big and go from there. Anyway today is a nicer (weather )day and I am off to Tofino for a few days (lucky me ) to tandem teach a portion of the Master Organic Land Care program. I am very excited about this and I get to see my darling daughter to boot !

The Last Few Days

On Friday afternoon at work I got a call from Bryne. I heard him tell me "She's ba........ck! " It took me a second then I explained "You must be kidding! " Well he wasn't. Some of you may remember the wild turkey(s) that were hanging around the last few years. Only the female has been left and she hasn't been much of a bother until lately. Eating transplanted spinach seedlings is a NO, NO ! We have a fresh faced batch of new WWOOFERs who decided that they would try and catch her. They did ! Didn't take them any time at all. Put Audrey (thats the name Craig gave her last year)into a cat carrier and off she went on a truck joy ride into the yonder parts. Bryne drove her at least 5 or more km. away. That was Thursday and now you have probably surmissed who was BACK ! Yes it took Audrey less than 24 hours to make her slow and wobbly way back to the farm. Whoever said that turkeys were stupid ! She is picking her way through the tall grasses and such and hanging out near the chickens. Maybe she thinks she is blending in. Well if she stays content to munch on the green, green grass of home then its okay with us. But beware if she gets a taste for the transplanted greens ! Maybe she likes truck rides.
Later.

Getting Ready for the upcoming season

The day began early today. Justine had to get back to Tofino and back to work. Bryne and I had to finish getting the WWOOF house ready for the first arrivals tomorrow afternoon. We are expecting two german guys and a canadian woman all staying till the end of the month. Katerina who was here for quite a few months last year will be coming back again for a short stay and nostalgic reasons. Went shopping in Courtenay to get all the staples that are needed to keep the crew fed, clean and happy ! Looking forward to getting back into the routine and swing of things here on the farm. Oma came and had supper with us and wanted to know what she could bake for the new arrivals. We all know how lucky they are to experience Oma's baking and cooking. Although Oma is getting older and slower shes' still got it !! Have a great day, night, good sleep (whatever your up to in your time zone).Picture is of ( L to R) me, Justine, Oma, my niece Alannah and my sister Gesa @ Christmas.

Cheers and love,

Barbara

Easter Sunday

Hi everyone. Not a bad day today. Weather was quite nice and warmer too. Daffodils and tulips are out all over the place and everything is so green. Birds were very busy at the feeder today including the humming birds. Snow line was way down on the mountain as well. There is now 683 cm of snow recorded on Mt. Washington, the local ski hill. The most snow on any ski hill in the world at present ! After I got the turkey into the oven I spent some time cleaning up again outside. Lots of branches down from the wind storm. Had a look at the fruit trees etc. Need to prune out some of the broken branches etc. I picked some rhubarb for a friend the other day and we will definetly be picking rhubarb for the market next weekend. I am almost sure this is the earliest it has been ready for harvest. There is kale to be picked and the parsley is coming back too.Lots of seedlings and plants in the greenhouse keeping Bryne busy . Then it was time to get ready to go and pick up Oma and get to Rex's place for Easter dinner.We had two turkeys this year. I baked one in the traditional way and Rex roasted one over the BBQ. Both were equally delicious. As always there was more than enough food and we all ate too much but it was so good ! Oma baked a wonderful dessert as usual. Good day, good people and good food. Goodnight.

first time

So Ironwood Farm in Fanny Bay is finally going online and getting connected to the big, big world out there. Hopefully, with any luck, I can get this figured out and keep all of you who are interested up to date and current with the goings on at the farm.
The farm is in it's 15th year of growing and producing certified organic vegetables, plants, herbs and other good for your body and soul foods.
The farm has been a host for too numerous to count farm stays from all over the world. Hope this blog will be a way for us to stay connected and keep in touch with many of you as well as family and friends.
Today is April 3 and Easter weekend. Yesterday a mighty storm hit the west coast here. Trees were downed, power was out for huge portions of Vancouver Island and the Vancouver mainland. We faired not too badly. Power flickered on and off but persevered. Unusual for us but hey you got to get lucky sometimes.Once again we heard that Stanley Park in Vancouver was shut down due to falling trees. Haven't heard yet if Cathedral Grove here on the Island suffered much damage.In spite of the wind and weather I drove down to Parksville to keep my hair appointment. Neither wind, nor rain nor much of anything can keep me from having my hair done ! Of course as soon as Sabine had me looking good and I walked out the door !, the weather wreaked havoc on my great hair !! By the time I got in and out of the car a few times things didn't look so good anymore EXCEPT for the great colour ! Thanks Sabine, you take good care of me.
Today is a calmer day. Quite nice actually. Have spent most of it outside cleaning out sheds, making and burning the woodpile. Got lots of laundry washed and hanging out to dry. Thats got to be one of the best smells ! Fresh air and sun dried linen !
We're going to roast the first hotdogs of the year outside over the fire in a little while. Now thats a great smell and taste experience too. As I look out my window I see that the mountains have clouded over but the sun is still trying to shine. Better get the family together and get those hotdogs roasted before the weather changes again. I'll let you know how it goes.
Honestly I am not sure what blogging is supposed to tell you but I do know that I used to really like writing letters to people when I was younger. Perhaps this is similar but reaches a wider audience. I should go now, get the laundry in , get the hotdogs going...............Wow I can see the mountains again, fresh snow, beautiful !!
Happy Easter from all of us here in Fanny Bay at Ironwood Farm.
Barbara