Life on the Homestead
Greet Our Goats
Greet Our Goats
We started keeping dairy goats in the winter of 2018. Our goal was to get comfortable with raising goats so that we could begin to provide for ourselves in ways that were still bringing us to a grocery store; dairy in the form of milk, cream, cheeses and yoghurt. We jumped in with both feet and bought two pregnant does who gave birth on Christmas Eve. Over the past 3 years we've now had over twenty kids born, each one cuter than the next!
Today, we still have one of our original nanny goats, Willow (a Pygmy X Alpine, aged 4), and one of our first doelings, Belladonna (a pure Nigerian Dwarf, aged 2.5). This year they both blessed us with 3 kids each! It has been a huge learning curve but one that has been nothing but rewarding.
Bunny Buddies
Bunny Buddies
The Buzz About Our Bees
The Buzz About Our Bees
The journey with beekeeping began in 2017 when Sandra decided to get over her lifelong fear of bees by taking a course in beekeeping. Sandra and Martin were so lucky to study under Brian Lacey and the late Brent Halsall. It was a life-changing experience that we will never forget or be without gratitude for. Keeping honeybees, of course, would also allow us to fill another hole in our desire for a self-sufficient life; besides maple syrup we could add another source of sweetness and one with amazing medicinal value. All of the humans on this Homestead participate in beekeeping; even the youngest, Jackson. We are always learning; beekeeping is an ever-changing activity that constantly provides you a new lesson, just as you think you’ve got a great grasp on it all. Last year we raised up 5 hives and with conservative collection and extraction of honey for ourselves, (we never want to overstep our boundaries with these valued members of the homestead) we ended up with 20 litres!
Fun fact: Honeybee colonies are a very matriarchal and feminist group. They are led by a queen and all of the workers, foragers, and nurse bees are female, while the male bees (also known as drone bees) are simply there for mating with the queen. Drone bees do not have stingers nor do they collect pollen or nectar. Come winter the female bees typically kick them out of the hive until new drones are born the following season.
Check Out Our Chickens
Check Out Our Chickens
Growth in the Garden
Growth in the Garden
Mighty Microgreens
Mighty Microgreens
Micros are one of the newest hobbies on the Homestead. Martin began dabbling in growing microgreens when he worked for Butterfly Sky Farms in 2016, where he raised salads and microgreens for many of Ottawa’s restaurants and health-conscious take-out spots. When the farm moved, Martin didn’t go with them and instead he started to grow micros for us at home.
Last year, he began experimenting with different varieties of greens, as well as different growing techniques. Now, after finding a groove that he is quite happy with, he and his two friends, Rob and Robyn, are in the process of launching a new business in eco-friendly microgreen production; bringing high-density nutrients to all of us in ways that are inspired by and respect the earth. You may find microgreens for sale in the shop and as the program gets underway, you will also be able to request recurring orders so you can regularly take your nutrition to the next level.
Fun fact: The guys are spread out between Osgoode, ON and Quyon, QC and hope to provide coverage for all the places and spaces in between. They are currently in the process of renovating two shipping containers to create a growing centre and home base for daily operations.