A better mousetrap

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Living on a farm means there’s critters both outside and inside. Outside, my philosophy is live and let live. Inside, I want two-legged creatures only.

However, the reality of country living is that every so often in the house we hear the pitter-patter of little feet… or more accurately the gnawing of little teeth.

I’m speaking, of course, of mice. (The snake and the toad were one-time visitors).

If there’s a mouse in my house, he is not long for this world.

Matt is the resident exterminator, and he has found a highly effective weapon: an electronic mouse trap.

Ours is made by Victor. Matt ordered it online, and we received the rat trap rather than the mouse trap, but it’s just as effective–probably moreso.

It runs on four C batteries. There’s a switch on the top that turns on the trap. One end is open for the mouse to enter. The other end is for the bait. Matt’s favourite is peanut butter.

As soon as the mouse enters the trap, the electricity kicks in and he receives the shock of his life–in fact, the last shock of his life.

If we’re within earshot, we hear a quiet buzzing for about half a minute. A green light on the top of the trap starts blinking when we have a victim.

Unlike other mousetraps, disposal is no-muss. Simply up-end the trap to dump the dead mouse into the garbage.

We’ve found it a very helpful solution to our occasional unwanted visitors.

Anyone else have an effective pest control solution? We have feline mousetraps too, but their assigned territories are outside, not in. What four-legged creatures do you have in your house?

Gobble gobble

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

At the top of Matt’s list of animals he most wants to see at the farm is wild turkeys. Well, we still haven’t seen any actual birds on our property, but over the Christmas holidays we found definitive proof that turkeys come to visit.

(The larger tracks walking diagonally in from the left side of the picture are Matt-tracks).

In the deep snow, I have to look pretty closely to identify the tracks as turkey. They walk one foot in front of the other, and, if they plant their foot properly, I’m sometimes able to pick out their distinctive three-toed print.

According to the tracks, 11 birds came through our farm. In some spots, you can see where their wings dragged as they were walking along.

While lefty has to deal with droopy wing syndrome, the guy to her right obviously has his own problems. My diagnosis is likely too much Christmas cheer.

Back in the marsh, where the ice was covered with only a thin dusting of snow, the tracks were unmistakably avian.

I wish I had thought to put something beside the tracks to show their scale. These are some big birds.

Since the thaw last weekend, we no longer have snow to help us with tracking. Matt’s fingers are crossed that the turkeys weren’t just passing through and instead are ready to become permanent residents. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open for signs.

No chandeliers here

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Last week on the Art of Doing Stuff, Karen professed her love of chicken coops and shared images readers had submitted of their coops.

Her post inspired me to get out and investigate our chicken coop. I confess, this is a spot that I usually prefer to avoid.

Karen wrote, “some of the most dilapidated coops are among my favourites.”

Well, dilapidated is a good descriptor of our coop. If you’re feeling charitable, you might call it rustic. Usually, I tend to just call it gross.

Perhaps a chicken laid a very heavy egg and broke the concrete floor?

I’ve seen some coops with chandeliers and artwork. The leaky roof in ours has started to form stalactites, which I guess could be considered sculpture.

And in case you’re starting to wonder, you are in fact correct. The coop has not been cleaned out. Likely not for several years. (Warning: The next photo may spoil your appetite).

The coop is cozily tucked into the west side of the barn under the pines. The worn barn boards, old mullioned windows and generous size are appealing. The abandoned water and food dishes in the run, the layers and layers of manure inside and the overall dilapidated state both inside and out are decidedly not appealing.

I’m planning on adding geese, ducks and chickens to the farm someday, and they will need a home–a better home than this coop. My Dad (the general contractor) upon seeing the coop for the first time suggested that dynamite might be the best solution. We probably will end up starting over, but we’ll likely still end up more on the rustic side of coop design–I can’t see myself putting a chandelier in a chicken coop.

If you’re looking for some slightly more inspiring coops than ours (albeit no chandeliers), check out what Art of Doing Stuff readers submitted. And while you’re there, make sure to check out Karen’s own coop which completely puts ours to shame. Even though she says her hens don’t care how their coop looks, I don’t think Walnut and the ladies would be too happy if their home was anything like ours.

The 20lb creature in my fridge

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

While my American readers are celebrating Thanksgiving, we have moved onto Christmas already up here in the north.

Tomorrow we’re hosting Matt’s Mom’s side of the family for an early Christmas dinner, and in between vacuuming up drywall dust and supervising the carpet installers who arrive this morning–giving new meaning to last minute party prep–we’ve added a new animal sighting to our list.

Although our Butterball is not exactly a wild animal

Thanks to Matt’s parents for venturing south of the border and braving American grocery shoppers to bring us this turkey. In addition to the obvious Thanksgiving date conflict between Canada and the U.S. I think we may have inadvertently undermined 200 years of peace when my MIL’s friend Marg grabbed the last three turkeys in the store so that we could have the pick of the poultry.

Matt’s pick is for the biggest turkey he can find. At 20 pounds, I think this guy fits the bill.

I’ll post a full party wrap-up next week. Until then, I’m setting aside all cultural differences to wish everyone a good weekend and all of my American readers a very happy Thanksgiving.

Cozy kitties

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

A giant crate had been sitting in the burn pile beside our fire pit ever since Matt and I dragged it up from the end of the driveway at the start of the summer. I kept saying, “I’m sure we can use that somewhere.” However, it was Matt that finally had the vision of where.

Slice and dice with the sawzall

He sawed it in two, filled each half with straw, placed them in a sheltered corner in the basement of the barn and, voilà, cozy cat beds.

One bed even got a canvas tarp for extra coziness.

Cross task #3–fix up some winter beds for the cats–off our fall to-do list.

Our hardy, independent barn cats are living in the lap of luxury now. Easter and Ralph have each claimed a crate and made their own nests in the straw. Although they’d probably stay warmer if they snuggled, Ralph has put her paw down at babying her kitten any more. It’s in everyone’s best interest that they each get their own bed.

Documentation of their enthusiasm for their new beds was difficult to obtain.

Pictures of Easter look like this.

“What are you doing over there? I’m going to come see you!”

Or this.

“Treats! Oh yes, please! I like treats!”

We finally got Ralph to model for us, but even she looks like she wishes she was somewhere else.

“Are you done yet? Back scratches will only get you so far.”

The crates may be a little rustic for other felines, but our pusses think they’re just purr-fect.

Sorry.

For future photo shoots, anyone have any tips for encouraging cooperation from cat models? Is there anyone else who has four legged creatures sleeping in your barn, shed or garage? For other cat owners out there, where do your kitties sleep?

Adventures in babysitting

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Saturday was nephew day at the farm.

The festivities started with a tractor ride.

The two nephews in the tractor's front end loader

Two nerds in a bucket

Followed by a hike.

Three nerds in the forest

A lesson in talking to turkeys.

Calling all gentlemen turkeys!

And a test drive of a couple of the deer stands in the back forest.

Two deer were actually sighted in the woods

We also took advantage of having two extra pairs of hands around and put them to work on our fall to-do list.

The task of burning up the massive brush pile we amassed over the past two weeks of tree trimming (to-do #16) took pretty much the whole day.

The uncle seems to be putting more effort into tending the fire than the nephew

Also on the list was freeing our trees from rope, twine and stakes that have been tied around them (#10).

I am not sure who had the bright idea to tie metres of binder twine (and hang a plastic plant pot) in this tree, but my bright idea of a solution was an almost 13-year-old and a Swiss Army knife.

And finally picking up metal from the driveshed floor (#7).

Two particularly big bolts snagged by the magnet

We don’t want to be the completely uncool aunt and uncle, though, so we made sure they had time to have some fun too.

Including building (playing with) fire,

There was perhaps more smoke than fire, although they did eventually get it going.

Making new friends,

The cautious feeling each other out phase

The bonding phase

And setting off firecrackers.

Separating some Black Cats

We even enjoyed an alfresco lunch altogether.

Cats and kittens included in the feast.

Pulling out all the stops for a hot gourmet feast.

A mighty pot of KD, kids’ favourite food

So nephew day can be summed up by child labour, knives, firecrackers, lighters, axes, fire and fluorescent fake cheese pasta.

Matt’s brother may never let us have the kids again.

Easter time

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

No, renovation fatigue hasn’t turned my brain to mush and I’m not high on drywall dust and paint fumes. I do actually know what time of year it is. (Groundhog Day is just around the corner, right?)

The title of this post is in honour of our newest family member, Easter the kitten. Remember her?

Today is Easter’s five month birthday, and she’s starting to cross the boundary between kitten and cat.

She hasn’t learned her lesson about curiosity yet and likes to investigate everything–including the camera.

She’s learning to hunt, although her prey predominantly has six legs. She eats grasshoppers, wings and all. We’re hoping she’ll move up the food chain soon.

“Hello. Can I eat you?”

She has caught one mouse, although I think that was only because he was stunned and petrified after Wiley and I unearthed his home, and he made it very easy for her.

I’ll spare you the more graphic images of what happened next

She chased a vole this weekend, but, after running in circles around the driveway a few times, she was frightened into giving up the chase when the vole turned and squeaked at her.

It was a very embarrassing scene.

She’s very rambunctious and works hard to entice Ralph to play with her. Ralph’s been a very good Mom and often obliges, even though a wrestling match between a kitten and an experienced barn cat is really not a fair fight.

“Don’t you want to play with me, Mom?”

She’s even started to grow into her head, which as a kitten was her most defining characteristic. We only occasionally slip up and call her by her baby name.

Easter’s not-so-big-anymore head

Being an only child, Easter is a wee bit spoiled. She’ll come when Matt whistles, but that’s because she knows he’s a soft touch who’s good for a cuddle, a scratch and even a treat. I’m still working on training her that she’s not allowed in the house (she made it as far as the kitchen one day) or on the patio table when we’re having lunch outside.

In the family roles, I’m the enforcer and Matt’s the enabler.

Ahhh, the challenges of parenthood.

Animal farm

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

I remember just a few months ago when I used to window shop for shoes. Apparently, moving to the country has changed my priorities slightly, because when we were at the fair I viewed it as an opportunity to window shop for animals to add to the farm.

How my life has changed.

It turns out, if you have feathers, you’re on my list.

At the very top is geese, specifically Embdens.

Someday I will tell the story of a very special Embden gander.

Sticking with the waterfowl theme, next on the list is ducks. The funnier looking the better, apparently.

This very friendly (or perhaps aggressive) Muscovy duck actually pecked the camera just before I snapped this shot.

Indian Runner ducks look like bowling pins when they’re not being so shy. These two get bonus points for being spotted like cows.

Chickens. I would like meat birds and egg layers, please. Oh and probably a brave handsome rooster to look out for everyone.

Isn’t he a pretty boy? No wonder he won first place!

Turkeys. I think this guy would come in handy right about now.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canadians! (This guy is probably not very thankful it’s Thanksgiving).

We’re still a little ways away from expanding our family to include these fine feathered fowl, so for now I truly am just window shopping. Hmmm… maybe in the meantime I can find a pair of feathered shoes, thereby satisfying my apparent affection for feathers along with my undernourished appetite for fabulous footwear. Two birds, one stone, y’know?

Is there something fishy going on?

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

What does it mean when my mackerel clouds are shaped like actual fish?

Mackerel clouds over the barn

And seagulls take flight across the sky?

Seagulls seem to like farm fields just as much as the seashore

I live on a farm. I feel like I should know these things.

Hopping at the homestead

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Now I don’t claim to be any great housekeeper, and I admit that while we’re under renovations I let the cleaning routine slip a bit. However, Sunday morning I was a bit surprised to see a very large dust bunny in the opening of the bedroom doorway. Especially because I had run the shop-vac around the main floor just the day before.

I was even more surprised when upon closer inspection I discovered that the dust bunny was actually a dust toad–and it was alive.

Yup. Forget mice, although we have had three of those so far. When it comes to animals in the house, Matt and I start with snakes and then go on to amphibians.

With the help of a piece of cardboard and a tupperware container, Mr. Toad was relocated to a more hospitable habitat outside in the garden.

Mr. Toad, still slightly dust covered, but now safely in the garden

I don’t know where he’d been on his tour of the house, but he was caked in dust, so I hosed him off and then gave him some hands-on attention to remove a few remaining clumps.

He seemed pretty exhausted from his escapade, so eventually he gathered his strength to crawl into the leaves to recover.