Diary: Day 5 - A "Day" at the Farm

Our "day" at the farm was really only about 2 hours. I think that's good. Good, considering it was raining some of the time and it got really cold. Cutter and I stayed in the truck most of the time, but when we arrived at the barn, which was our first stop, it was still nice out. So, we got out, took some pics and got some much needed fresh manure air!

Cutter wasn't quite sure was to think about being put inside this tire. But after about 30 seconds he thought it was kinda cool and started laughing.

That big tire belongs to this big thing!

<-------------- And that thing is called a combine and it can harvest a lot of acreage, in a short amount of time. Boy, farming sure had changed. It has an air conditioner and even a heater! Which is much needed in Canada. Greg took a tour of the combine and we were hoping to get to harvest some, but with the rain, we were unable to. Greg wants to take a trip back, which we plan to do anyway, but next time he really wants to go harvesting. I told Gene that Greg is free labor so he needs to use and abuse him. But if he does that, Greg may not want to go back; so I better rethink that idea!

That horse in the background, it is the first horse Cutter has ever seen. He laughed and he laughed at the horse. I guess he thought that it looked funny! It was pretty funny horse, as funny as a horse can be! He came up and sniffed Cutter's hand, I wish we had thought about bringing him some carrots, bread, or something yummy, but I didn't plan that well!

Our next stop at the farm took us to a natural spring where the cows get their water. Here is little known fact for all the city people out there; Did you know that cows need salt in their diet? If it is not available they will lick rocks and such until they get what their bodies need, most farmers will place salt blocks by their water source to insure that they get what they need.



Gene owns several thousand acres, so we could have been gone literally all day, but he picked the best places for us to go and get the best picture of what farming is like. We drove around in several different pastures, just looking and talking. Not much farming going on when we were there.

Everything that Gene and his family grow is organic. As part of the Jewish culture, Gene had some rabbi's from New York come and watch as he harvested his organic passover wheat. They are going to return in a few weeks to watch him package it.

Back when people started migrating towards North Portal, they would set up homestead on a piece of land and claim it as theirs. This particular pasture that Gene owns, had been claimed by many families at different times. The reason nobody would stay on it? It was full of white rocks and you couldn't grow anything on it. The families would come in, set up and start moving the rocks; thinking that they could get all the rocks moved to different places and that they could start growing something. This rock wall is a testament to just how much rock was out there and this doesn't do it justice. Eventually the families would realize that it wasn't a good piece of land, pack up and move their family else where. While driving around on this pasture, I can't tell you how many "rock" walls we saw.

After our trip to the farm, we went back to Gene and Cathie's house and had some good ole grub. On the menu tonight, STEAK!! T-Bones and Rib eye. Straight from the cow. And it was awesome.

Daddy, Mommy, Warren #1, Lauren, Warren #2 and Leslie

Blowing kisses to the camera! He is getting better at it!

Leslie, Mommy and Lauren

When I was little, Leslie and I used to be pen pals. I loved getting mail (I still do) and it was extra special when Leslie would send me something. It had been about 8 years since I last saw both Lauren and Leslie, so it was nice to get a chance to hang out and catch up on what is going on in their lives. Lauren married Warren #1, just 2 weeks after Greg and I got married, in Maui. Can I just say that she was one beautiful bride with a gorgeous setting! They just bought some land and have started farming also. Lauren and Warren are waiting on the babies, they have a big house being built and want it to be done before they start working on additional family members (Sorry, Cathie I tried. I thought maybe Cutter being so good would fool her, but it didn't.) Leslie met Warren #2 a few years ago and they have been dating since. I think I may have heard some wedding bells, but Warren #2 just started his own First Aid/CPR training business; so they are waiting for that to take off and then I think we may be hearing them a little louder! Also, while we were there, their sister Nicole, met someone named Warren also! Just friends, but I nicknamed him "Tres" as in #3. It is a big family joke and I wanted to be apart of it!!

Warren #2 and Cutter

Cathie, Mommy, Oma and Aunt Bette

I love my family!

Day 6 keeps Cutter and I at home relaxing and Greg goes to the golf course!! Yes again, but this one is special. Stay tuned!