Friday, August 28, 2009

Hurricanes and Harvesting

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Hurricane Bill blasts the sunflowers in the front field


Sunflowers do impression of Marcel Marceau - mime walking in the wind


Harvest packed for the farmers market in Dundas. Beans, 2 types of cucumbers, scarlet nantes carrots, red and white new potatoes, zucchini and yellow summer squash. Also beets and lettuce (not shown).


The plowing match includes competition with horse drawn plows. Each contestant is given a measured plot to plow. They are judged on how straight and even they make the sods and how
square they make their lines. Difficult to do with a tractor, but even more challenging with horses pulling a single sod plow over unfamiliar ground. Skills include controlling the depth of the sod cut and the angle of the plow, plus driving a team.


Old school rigs like this riding plow and hand plows were seen during today's competition.
Antique tractors and other horse drawn equipment are also seen working in the field.
Now that's plowing!

We did OK at the farm table but attendance seemed down from last year and demand for produce was off. A lot of people planted big gardens this year. Everybody feels that cash is a bit scarce this summer. It's a a sure sign of the times.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Hurricane Bill is Knockin' at the Door

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The shore of Murray Harbour.


Hop flowers are nearly ready. They smell like really fresh beer!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Photo Stack from Murray Harbour North

Greetings From Dunn Creek Farm!

Just across the road from the farm is a shore fronting on Murray Harbour. It's a broad and fairly shallow body formed by the Murray River meeting the Northumberland Straight. The Harbour is home to a number of PEI's lobster fishermen (and women). It's also the home of PEI mussels, which are some of the best steamers you'll ever eat! Try them at the Enterprise Fish Co. in SB.

Seals cruise the waters and have their pups in the coves and on the small islands. Teenager and I left the shore and paddled down to Seal Cove Camp Ground.

Teenager gets ready to paddle out.

The water is as warm as a heated pool and dead calm.

This is the view from our kitchen sink.


The pergola I built from white birch last summer is now covered with hop vines and surrounded by asparagus ferns and giant russian sunflowers.

Standing inside the pergola under the shade of the hop vines.

The hop vines flower and then set cones. Hops are used to flavor beer and are also used as a medicinal herb. We now have fresh hops and clean water - can barley be far behind?

Sunflowers! They are growing several inches taller each day. Should start blooming soon.

The sunflowers are hosting dozens of ladybugs!

Summer Squash - yellow and zuchinni - are now ready to enjoy. Top quality! Conditions are perfect for these plants to keep producing for a while.

Cucumber plants fill a row. We're looking for a bit of rain to really kick these guy into gear. The plants are really healthy and flowering heavily right now.

Annie sleeps in. Too much fresh air and sunshine just wears a dog out!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

The Podcast is BACK!

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Hello Again from Dunn Creek Farm.

Well, we've all been as busy as a kitten in a tree. But time to update the blog and the podcast all the same.


Gracie trains for her new job - Barn Cat


Toby plays soccer this summer in Montague, PEI


Teenager. One more year of High School!


Rachel and Dakota. She brushed out his mane and saddled him for a ride.


July in the pasture and the wooden rail fences.


The Whole Fam Damily at King's Castle Park


Barbara on Horseback