Winter in the Okanagan Valley

While we may live close to Kelowna we are far enough out of Kelowna to be able to enjoy a bonfire with the country and horses around us. It’s pretty cold hear for a month with daily highs of -15 and lows in the -20s. It may not sound cold to someone who lives further north or on the Prairies but, in the Okanagan it cold. Here is a few shots of my back yard and a few of the horses we spent some time with, with treats.

This is a face shot of one horse and if you look in the eye you can see other horses, the barn, the sky, and me taking photo.

This my back yard and our old farm house and shop is at the end of this road. Nice place to go for a walk.

The winter is beautiful but I am ready for Spring.

 

2015 garden is producing 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule

Two and a half months of extremely hot weather has put garden harvest well in advance.

15 lbs+ potatoes per plant

I’m getting 15 pounds or more of potatoes per plane. Wow, I’ve got about 30 plants.

The beans keep producing faster than we can keep up with pickling and freezing

Squash varieties just keep producing

 

Getting the garden ready for plant this weekend in the Okanagan Valley, BC

Did a lot of soil work in the garden again this years. once ore next year as we have been doing the last 4 years and soil should be just as we want it. It was heavy with clay first year and has taken a few years to loosen up.

A shot of our garden after tilling shot between lilac trees.

 

Great stove for a great price

The old stove which was in the house had seen it’s day and the glass on the door cracked. Got a super deal on a Hotpoint which cooks like a stove should. The wife is happy and the food is good.

 

Heavy wind pulled wire suspension anchor out of house wall

A sudden wind blowing snow hit my place about 4 days ago pulling the power wire anchor out of the wall of the house. This wire goes to my shop and pump house.

The wire didn’t come down in the high wind which reached up to about 80mphbut the insulated anchor was ripped out of the wall. Using a ladder I mounted a pulley on to the wall and tied a rope to the insulated connector and down through the pulley. I then had a friend pull the rope through the pulley. I was then able to secure power wire to wall.

This is not a permanent fix but takes the stress of the wire until I can fix it properly. Just lucky it did not snap the wire initially.

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Polo season is over and horses enjoy some grazing in the field

It’s pretty busy around the farm house during the summer with lots of polo activity. A couple of guys come up from Argentina every year to help out. well, the season is over and the guys are back in Argentina. All the hay has been taken from the fields and the horses are free to enjoy grazing with lots of room to cruise. Time for winter again. In 6 months it will happen all over again. Boy, I love living here.

 

Cleaning up the yard and getting the garden ready for winter

We had an awesome summer and fall in the Okanagan Valley this year. It’s hard to believe it is mid October and we still are having days with temperatures in the 20’s. It has worked out well since this year has been so busy it allows me to catch up. My son, Ian, is coming out today to help me work the rototiller and get the garden ready for the winter. once that’s finished I have to work on getting the rest of the firewood split and in the building next to the shop which heats the shop I the winter.

we have been working the garden for the last three years and by next year it should be in the condition we want it. it has taken a bit of work since of the high amount of clay. Today we will be running the ’tiller through it once and then adding composted soil, loose soil, peat moss, and some sand, some bone meal, and ’tilling it again. This should loosen the soil up some more. Next spring I will be adding manure and tilling again. Should be a great and more workable garden next year. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving day yesterday. It’s almost winter and time to get in tune with the upcoming festive season. Oh no, more money.

 

Garden harvest

It’s that time of year again. Today was the last day to harvest the garden. We did pretty good and have lots of canned, frozen, and fresh veggies.

The squash and pumpkins are still growing.

Next year will be even better with some more soil conditioning

 

Star’s staring at you and happy

Star, loves Andrea and I and loves to stare and watch us. This one is on a hot day in the Okanagan Valley

 

A new picnic table for the deck

It was not worth it for me to buy the lumber and hardware, and to measure and cut, when I can buy the complete table ready to assemble for $60