Out to the farm

5 Nov '07 5:18 am

We recently had a long weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving. This is our north american traditional holiday that goes back to the earliest days, when the pilgrims were so ill-equipped for the harsh climate that they never would have made it without the generosity of the local native Indians who fed them and showed them how to survive in such a cold climate. We hold a Thanksgiving feast to honer those times.

Funny thing is, that Thanksgiving day is held at a different time in the USA and Canada. Anyway. Rolling Eyes

This year we were invited to go out to Deb's sister's farm to have dinner with a group of the family. We have gone before, but not for a while due to Deb's delicate condition. In fact we haven't been out to the farm in almost three years now.

So on Sunday morning I loaded up the truck with Deb and our dog, Storm, who has never been out to the farm. Nor, shall I dare to say, has she ever even seen a real farm. How sad this is, because she is a Boarder Collie and has never known the joys of herding anything. We were a little apprehensive about taking Storm to the farm because she hates to ride in the truck, so a 2 hour trip each way was an untested event and there could have been problems.

But there were no problems, although the sun never shone a bit all day. It was overcast but there was no wind or rain. I took my camera along.

5 Nov '07 6:23 pm

A fascinating narrative,GG--It is hard to imagine prairie lands,as it is so hilly here in NZ.
What happens to the canola?Is it seeds in the storage tanks?I have heard that rape seed was originally made into industrial oil,but now cooking oil as it is cheaper to produce-is this correct?
The idea of the garden troughs inside the old wheels is so clever.
Dixie.

5 Nov '07 8:18 pm

I didn't really have clear image of how Saskatchewan would look. We once took a long trip up the rockies as far as Jasper and then from there to Vancouver. But I've never driven East of the Rockies. Looks like Bambi's idea is spreading. I've been considering photographing one of our regular walks with the dogs. Thanks for taking us with you.

5 Nov '07 9:31 pm

Dixie, The canola is in seed form in the bins. They have to wait for just the right weather to harvest it. They have a huge combine that they use for this and those dump type trucks you see parked there are grain trucks for hauling the grain to the bins from the fields and then the auger puts it in the bins. Soon a big rig with a trailer will show up to take the grain to the Wheat Pool railway station and then it's loaded on the train. They have more than just canola. they also have wheat and winter wheat, some straw and mustard, I think. It changes from year to year. Deb said they have grown rape seed in past years. Most cooking oil we use here is canola or corn oil. There is a project getting underway somewhere in the province where they are going to make motor fuel from seeds.

Carol also has a fair size vegetable garden and she pickles and puts down lots of goodies. Last night we had beats that Carol had pickled for supper. Yummmmm!

The one thing I didn't show a pic of is the old grain elevators or "prairie giants" as they are called. At one time there was literally hundreds and hundreds of them across the country but now there is only a hand full left. Carol has a model one with the family name on it as one of her lawn ornaments. I'll see if I can find some pix to share.

Christopher

6 Nov '07 12:12 am

Nice to hear from you again, Debs and Christopher!

I knew Saskatchewan was flat country, but the scale of it, especially when covered with a uniform cloud cover, is quite awesome. I imagine it is the kind of country that grows on one, creating fierce loyalty. There is much of my country that is similar, in that it is not 'obviously beautiful' but rather has a stark simplicity.

And nice to get to know Storm better!

6 Nov '07 3:20 am

Deb here... I grabbed Chris' computer when he wasn't looking. Ha!

I was born and raised here in Saskatchewan so I'm a certified "prairie chicken." Chris is from the west coast and I thought he'd really miss the mountains and the ocean but he really likes it out here. Did he ever post about our drive from the coast back here when he moved here? It was my first time through the Rockies. Looking back, I think it was some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen but at the time, I was white-knuckled and very, very claustrophobic. When we finally got to the prairies, I recall heaving a huge sigh of relief and contentment. I felt I could finally breathe. We'll have to go through our pics and find some we took of the sunsets out here. I like your phrase "stark simplicity" but when you see our prairie sunsets, you'll find it anything but stark or simple. We live in the city but if we drive just out of town at sunset, we have a panoramic view. There's really nothing like it. But what can I say? It's home.

Take care,

Deb (and Chris, too)

6 Nov '07 4:06 am

How exciting, a trip to the farm with Chris and Deb. What fun! Thanks to both of you for posting the photos from your trip and for the educational bits as well. I never realized that other places might celebrate Thanksgiving Day as well. Show's how narrow our world vision can be sometimes. I loved seeing all the prairie and farm pictures. Deb's sister must be a wonderful woman.

6 Nov '07 6:26 am

Hi Chris and Deb, lovely to hear from you again, and what a lovely trip you had out to the farm. I agree with the others that I knew that some areas were flat and straight for miles and miles, but seeing it through your eyes gives it a whole new meaning - the beauty of the uninterrupted view is something that, over here in tiny old England, is extremely hard to find - even some of our best countryside has a motorway or something marring the view Sad

I absolutely loved the wheel planter too, what a fantastic idea, and so effective! Deb, your sister seems an extraordinarily resourceful lady Very Happy

. Thanks for sharing.

7 Nov '07 12:18 am

I was out in the garden working hard, and then everything got really dark , and started raining...And I have still SO much work out there...

But , the good thing is, I came back to the Forum, and discovered this lovely discussion!!

Why, Hello Deb in person!! Why don't you do this more often??

Chris, I LOVED your texts, explanations AND photos!! That lovely capture with the red door and the adorable kitten is really something!! Wow!! A paradise of kitties , it seems!! I understand why Deb was thrilled!!

Thank you for the explanation about Thanksgiving!!I have never had an idea about the origin of this Holiday!! Nor of Halloween, cause in Greece all my life, I was never having such a holiday, with... phantoms, pumkins , and things..Nicholas in his multi-national and multi-origin Primary School, he has all the Muslim , indian, and Christian holidays with his classmates (there are not little Jews in his class)!! He knows everything about these Holidays, and his teacher is obliged to teach about all these holidays , with real de-tachment of any negative approach and thinking!! I Just ADMIRE the Belgian Education, and its humane, tolerant approach!!

But, still, I have Not yet been accustomed of phantoms and pumkins, and children ringing on the door , late on the 1st of November!!I always forget to buy presents and goodies for them...I am awful...I know about Halloween's origin , though. I know it comes from the ancient Celts 'and Romans' celebrations, when Autumn was turning to Winter...Really interesting!! And then, it was a little ...embellished and Christianized by the Christian Church, which thought that these cults were so....polytheistic, and therefore...naughty for the good Christians...

7 Nov '07 3:23 pm

You make me think of a TV interview with the only Jewish Afrikaans poet who left to live in Israel in '48. In about 1983, her children grown, she published a book of Afrikaans poems again. In the interview she remembers growing up in the "prairies" of SA and 'how the high clouds would roll in over the low land and build up into massive thunderstorms or beautiful sunsets.' I thought of her storms and sunsets when I saw the expansive of your sky...

Out to the farm

Out to the farm

Fascinating

Nice to see the countryside in your neck of the woods.

Thanks for the coments

Your trip

You got that right, Jack!

Home Sweet Home

I just discovered this lovely new thread!!

Hi Debs-in-person!