About Us

We are a Catholic farming family in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada.  We started off with a cow-calf operation but we have expanded to include sheep (thanks to Jack), hens and roosters (thanks to the 4-H Chicken Club we now have many varieties....and we have even washed them), four work horses, several barn cats and a dog named Ruby (she doesn't like zucchini).

We have eggs in our pockets and poop on our boots.

Sometimes, I need to get away from it all and I go out for a drive.

Our house is very 'lived' in (it's messy)....but I have found the best window cleaner ever

We eat very very well here.  We grow a lot of our own food.....rows and rows of potatoes, as well as other vegetables and most of our meat.  I love to bake....pies, cakes, cookies, buns and squares.

Our house is filled with the music of Johanna's fiddle.  She also stepdances.....and is teaching Sophie and Lydia!  There is always lots of noise here....as we also have a little electric drum set, a piano, a guitar and a French horn.  The tin whistle disappeared a few years ago.....have you ever felt like snapping a tin whistle in half?  It's hidden away in a cupboard somewhere....I didn't actually break it.

When we aren't making noise or outside doing chores or baking.....we 'craft'.  Sophie especially likes to make things....and even label things.  She is very creative.

Johanna, Grady and Jack can be found in the 4-H show ring at the local fairs.  They spend hours with their animals (beef and sheep) all summer long.  Sophie and Lydia can't wait until the day that they will be old enough to join them.

This simple blog is about our daily lives and adventures on the farm.

Thanks for stopping by....I would love to hear from you!

6 comments:

  1. Just "found" you this evening as I was doing some browsing. I am a retired teacher but grew up on a "mixed" farm. I am really enjoying your blogs and hope to find more time to catch up on past blogs soon. I loved my youth and had many similar farm experiences, - hens and eggs, pigs (not sheep) dairy and beef cattle, work horses, big barns, hay fields, big gardens and lots and lots of home grown and homemade food, ..... and lots of hard work..... and lots of fun. I, too, am a Catholic who grew up with strong community/church connections and involvement in
    4 - H as serious fun! Happy that you are not keeping your life style a secret 'cause it is an amazing way to live and raise a family. Keep up the great blog; am loving it.

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    1. What a lovely comment! Thanks so much! I hope that by reading you will recall lots of great memories that you have of the farm. It is truly an amazing way to live and raise a family....I wouldn't want to live any other way.

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  2. You guys are flippin' nuts...

    And I love it! Great stories throughout and funny to boot. Thank you so much!

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    1. Thanks Ben....love your comment! We are flippin'nuts....that's a great way to describe us!

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  3. Hi Brenda Dwyer!

    My name is Megan Dijong from TheNewFamily.com, I am the project manager for the New Family's 1,000 Families Project, which has won us Best Blog by the Canadian Online Publishing awards. What we do is find 1000 families with interesting and unique lifestyles, traditions, and relationships. Your story can even be about friends who you consider family. We ask that you talk about a personal or unifying growth that you’ve experienced with your family and friends.
    After stumbling across your blog, we believe that you have an interesting story that you could share with us and we would be honoured to have your story featured on our blog. If you are interested please let me know at families(at)thenewfamily.com, I will then follow up with a guideline on how to write a 1000 families post. We require that our writers contribute a short story with a minimum of 750 words, along with a family picture. In the meantime, you can check us out at TheNewFamily.com

    Thanks!

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