Canadian Aboriginal Festival

We go to the Canadian Aboriginal Festival as part of out marketing program. The three day festival has a variety of programs, a Pow Wow, as well as vendors. The festival is held at the Rogers Center in Toronto... its sorta fun to drive into a large facility... then see it full of people...




There's that yellow truck again...


















We don't only grow cranberries... we have to sell our value added product. My.... that's a large bottle of juice...

Finally...

The 2007 harvest is finally over... not that long... it just feels like it as everyone is tired... had a BBQ for the boys (we only had male staff at the end of season for some reason). Burgers on freshly made fry bread... it was nice...

I went in today to finish some paperwork and check on water levels and such... on my way out I saw the three otters and the great blue heron... I think frogs bring them out...




It was nice to be at the farm...so quite... all the action is over for at least a little while... we have 15,000 lbs to pack on Monday...but for now we can relax...

Finishing Up Harvest

We are harvesting our last fields... the color of the berries is great! The dark red of these berries makes great juice. We are harvesting in our upland development: cranberry fields that have been planted away from the wetland. Water has to be pumped up to the fields to flood them but they are harvested in the same way.

Finished at the Fair

The 2007 'Royal' is over... the fair attracts many people from across Toronto and Ontario... We talked to lots of people and sold some cranberry products and, I hope we encouraged people to visit us at the farm... I went down Sunday to pack up... two skids down... one up... pretty good....

Night Work

Night scene overlooking a flooded cranberry field. There is some ice and a skiff of snow and some flakes falling.

Working nights is part of cranberry growing... we run the irrigation system to protect from frost... and during harvest, we flood fields so they can be picked the next day. Sounds easy enough. Someone has to work at nights. Right now... that someone is me... I still have to keep an eye on things during the day too...

hmmmmm.... thats the nature of farming...

Nice to be Home...

I am a country boy... did setup and a couple of days of chatting and selling drinks...


While I enjoy the city in small bits... I do like home... The city has light an noise while home is dark and quiet. I came back to the farm and saw our new building up. It is a much needed storage space as well as temporary home to our Dry Pick Receiving Plant.



As we have lost our night person to bigger and better things... I have had to do the night work... hmmmmm........ this involves running the irrigation system and lift pump to flood the fields... I am fortunate that I know some to the tricks of the trade. This won't help, however, with the lack of sleep, and the tired and sore body.

I did see two of what I believe to be 'inter-species' wolf-coyotes... this animal is not a Timber Wolf and not a Coyote. It is a mid-size Canis and looks like a cross between the two. Hmmm... need a bioligist...

More News from the Fair

Yesterday was a long day... I had to do the 9-9 shift... FedNor staff are a great help... The Northern Ontario Agricultural Pavilion showcases a number of Northern Ontario Agri-Food Businesses. This is our 7th year attending 'the Royal' and 'the Royal's' 85th year. We have made many friends and done business with many of those at the pavilion. So... long day but I sold some cranberry juice and talked cranberry growing with many...

Today started with a trip to CBC's Fresh Air... It's a great morning program on weekends... lots of regional reports, news and weather... I am usually up early and it is a great companion as I get going on the weekends...


I had a nice chat with Jeff Goodes about cranberries... and had a chance to meet Merial at the controls...

Off for a bit... back in at 1500 to work to 2100... then a sleep... an back to the farm...

I'm...... lovin' it?

Sometimes you come across something rather incongruous... see the picture below...



'Schmagdonalds'* is a good corporate citizen... they support community activities, Ronald McDonalds House... It is the nature of their products that is the issue... They are trying to move toward more healthful choices for their customers... but sponsoring 'To Your Good Health' stage at an agricultural fair seems to me to be SPINNING... A recent study linked being fat to increased risk of cancer... Sometimes it is better to just do what you do best... evolve... address the concerns of your customers... trying to pull the cow hide over our eyes... is not a good idea..



Hmmmmmm..... I'm lovin it?

*you would have to have seen Red Dwarf to get the joke