Heaven

So I dropped the gauntlet. I have suggested to a couple of dog trialling people I know are foodies, that we engage in a little friendly competition to see who has the best summer recipe. I am certain that it is not me, however, it seemed like a great way to get some new recipe ideas.

Guidelines, are as follow:

1) it must be YOUR RECIPE !!! i don't want to see your dish on the food network.  If, Ina, Bobby, Alton, or someone on there makes "your dish" you LOSE.
2) You get to submit two recipes
3) The contest ends at the Calgary Stampede where a bottle of wine goes to the winner.
4) I get to put your recipe up here on my blog.

I suggest we make each others recipes, but that is going to be up to you ladies.  Each of decides on the others dishes and then vote on the winning dish.

There now that crap is out of the way here is my first submission.  It's a kinda healthy dish, which is unusual for me as anyone who knows me can attest.  No one will ever accuse me of being orthorexic .  (told you I would find a use for that in my blog) I do like good food, and just because it's good for you doesn't always mean it tastes like crap. (though that is usually the case)

On Second thought . . . .I need something better than this for the competition.

ahhhh, Houston? ------ We have a problem!

In the continuing saga and chronicle of my active failures in farming; I need to relate a story that might pertain to anyone with a Coyote problem. . . .

Don't Wipe them Out  !! You might need them.

Since moving out here to the NCR, I have made steady progress in "thinning" the population of Coyotes around our place.  Great idea right !!??

Maybe not so much -- 

Yes, it's true Coyotes can be a problem, I know people who have had extensive problems as of late with their sheep and the local Coyotes.  However, it is also true that Coyote's serve and important role in the ecosystem.That being said. I don't like 'em. Not a bit. At least that's what I thought!!

Last week I had a sheep that, gave up his reasons for living.  With some assistance, I sent him to the rainbow bridge to wait for me.

  I usually practice "natural re-distribution"  of the carcases, unfortunately for me, there seems to be no takers.  The neighborhood is devoid, if you will, of Coyote's.  So now I have a rotting carcass with no one around interested in helping me get rid of it.  Turns out, Coyote's are scared of the NCR.  

Funny thing is -- I warned a friend of this exact scenario !!! 

Brilliant, I know.  

Two Down

Well, this weekend was the "Clock Stock and Barrel. I would like so say we lit it up, put on a clinic, showed em how it's done, etc. Alas, we stunk it up pretty badly in there. "The Clock Stock and Barrel" in an indoor trial and on sheep. Unlike the bull sale, you are not allowed to grip (bite) the sheep. This proved an Achilles heel for Jed and I this weekend.

My first set on Saturday was unfortunately and really nice set of sheep they stayed together and moved nicely. Why unfortunately then? Because through a combination of an unresponsive dog and miss-handling, we gripped out and wasted them.

On Sunday it was a different story, abstinent sheep and a excited dog made for a very quick exit 'ala Calgary stampede '09.

I have to say I am not sure Jed and I are suited for the arena circuit. Jed unfortunately has time for sheep that aren't into doing as they are told. Problematic in arena trials, that combined with the speed leaves me wondering every time "wow, really, that quick."
Training on some different sheep will probably help and more time more patience yadda yadda yadda.

Winds-day. . .

I realize that I too am getting old and yesterday I remembered from my childhood an episode from a Winnie the Pooh episode called A Blustery Day.  In this episode, originally aired in 1968 (not that old). The gopher tells Pooh that if he were him, he would skedaddle out of here, a confused, Pooh ask's why and the Gopher responds's because it's Winds-Day.  Yesterday happened to be Wednesday, I thought the whole thing fit especially when I saw some of the local residents battening down the hatches and waiting out the wind.

A closer view

The 6 'P' s

A good friend of mine and a person I consider a mentor and keystone to the person I am now once tried to instill in me an unbelievably important motto. And while I am the first to admit I appear to not always hold this motto in high regard.  My inability to follow it does nothing to diminish it's importance.  At the time I remember that it felt very much like a lecture as I was being instructed in the value of the 6 p's.  My friend is a bush pilot and clearly his adherence and faith in the 6 p's has considerably more importance that I thought would ever apply to me.  However, as I get older I am realizing the value of them as well.

The 6 P's as many of you may already know are as follows:

Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Now, I could cite all kinds of my failure to adhere to this edict and I will cite some.  However, I will begin, with a success.

This is the new page wire I installed with my friend who was drafted into service to assist.  I say drafted because it was certainly not volunteer labor.  Conscripting my friend was only part of my Prior Planning.  I drafted skilled labor, I arranged to have proper equipment brought in (also supplied by the friend) and I purchased the necessary tools to facilitate the installation of the fencing.

The result is a relatively straight, tight, fence.  SUCCESS !!

My next example of Prior Planning is :

This is, as I like to call it, the "Ted Bundy Table".  This is where Benjamin, in no uncertain terms be portioned, weighed, and  in general, processed into a selection of delicious offerings.  I have, grinder, stainless sink, and various hooks and knives.  It is also far from Billie's watchful eye so as to maintain the illusion that Benjamin merely moved on to greener pastures.

I should confess that, while the TBT is an example of Prior Planning, it wouldn't be fair to leave it there, which leads me to Piss Poor Performance, 

This, as you can plainly see, is a Freezer, not just any freezer, a freezer with the lid removed to facilitate defrosting.  Not only that this freezer is on a flat deck trailer and was loaded with a skid steer into place because. . . .

It weighs nearly 900lbs and contains a solid - - - "MEATSICKLE" Yes, a shinning example of poor planning lead me to fill a FRIEND's FREEZER (did I mention that the freezer isn't mine, not my friends either).  Yes, on a very cold night I butchered up a cow but had nowhere for it to go. . . .this was the result.  Now, crowbars, hammer, and saws-all in tow, I am working away at this debacle.  In hopes of preventing another one with you know who.

WANTED: ATTACK DOG WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE

I can't believe that BOWNESS has once again followed me to the country!!! This morning as we went to the truck we noticed that it had been rummaged and that the usual things were missing: change from the ashtray, sunglasses etc.  Unfortunately for us, the creatures we feed and call dogs were of absolutely no help whatsoever in alerting us to the presence of a "robber" I think maybe we should keep them in the truck and or garage from this point.

Alas, I sure would have like to introduce myself to the enterprising young individuals helping themselves to my possessions, needless to say I would have gotten creative with the discussion and my views on "reciprocity" and "forgiveness"

Recipes for Benjamin

So, as I reflect on the future of Benjamin I began to think of all the tastiness that dwells within his cantankerous carcass. In an earlier post I may have intimated that I was not a fan of grass feeding him.  This is of course not true.  I was merely trying to continue the feeding routine that he had been used to.  I believe that feeding grain is a great way to get them fat for market, however, as someone who has hunted deer that that have had free run over fields of grain were supposed to be fantastic, sadly here were not.  The deer had an unbelievably gamey taste and were fatty and generally not worth the 4 am wakeup call to hunt.

That being said I think that Benjamin will break down as follows:

Crown Roast of Lamb
Roast Leg of Lab Stuffed with Feta, Spinach and Wild Mushrooms
BBQ Leg of Lamb With Apricot Glaze
Stuffed lamb Shoulder with Chestnuts Goat cheese, and Rosemary
Lamb Stew wine and Cream sauce
Lamb Kebabs, Ground lamb and some shepherds pie

I think the above list will make up nicely for the trouble I have had with this little bugger . . . .

Spring Thaw . . .

Well March IS in deed coming in like a lamb, which undoubtedly means that it will be leaving like a lion.  I predict 10 feet of snow and 5 days of monsoon rain.  However, this means right now that it is a great time to walk dogs, check out things around the NCR that may have been covered with snow and generally plan the spring and summer.

I noticed this pump durring the winter and though that it would look near my planned vegetable garden, this is until I tried it out.

Yep, It works so it will be staying put. Kinda a neat though.  That means I have three wells within about 100 feet of each other.  Weird hey?

Next I went over to see how the sheep were doing. . . .only to be reminded of the trouble maker in the bunch.

There he is Mocking me from the "safety" of the flock.  You see, I need to sort the sheep out at the gate so I can have some to work Jed with.  Alas this little bastard is always squirting out or blocking the gate.  Either way he is a pain in the ass.  I had originally been going to feed him grain and him alone.  --- Man !! you would think someone with more that 10 brain cells would be able to figure out that "flock" is an important work to remeber when keeping sheep.  Further you would think that same individual would be able to predict that a lone sheep (**note - not a flock) would not eat.  In fact, he would not eat on his own (Keep your advice I Got IT) and so Benjamin - who was going to be finished on grain.  Will instead be finished on grass/hay.  Look, I know it's not ideal but New Zealand does it.  Regardless, Next weekend, is BBQ weekend.

One Down

Yesterday was the first trial for me this season. I competed at the Calgary Bull Sale.  I should mention that is was also my first time at a cattle trial competing or otherwise.  I am afraid I have no photos, or video or anything of the like, however, I did make the finals with an 8th place finish after the first round.  Can't say much about the finals, except to say that I wanted it to end pretty shortly after it had started.  I didn't get particularly compliant cows and it just proved too much for but Jed and I.

Big congrats to the winners:

Denae Frew 1st place
Shauna Burton 2nd
and Chris Schmalz in 3rd

You people put on a clinic on calm and proficient stockmanship.

Happenings @ the No Chicken Ranch

There have been some developments at our place that , while not earth shattering, deserve some notice.  First:

I have finished the Kennel.  I got this kennel for a a pretty good price and while I needed to spend some time to get it up and ready, I still need to install the mid-support uprights.  Unfortunately for me the place I got the first batch of do dad's is out of the pieces I need.  It is sufficiently secure to hold Jed, however, not the Aussies.

The Dog House . . .is pretty Gucci as Dog houses go. . .It is heated, has 2 inches of foam insulation and vinyl siding.  I won this at the Red Deer CKC Dog show 2 years ago.  I think that Jed will settle in here pretty nicely.

The second development is that we have a bit of a shot gun wedding taking place.  

Meet Lassie. . .She is a 2 year old Black and Tan Kelpie owned George Walker.  He left her here while he went to Australia in the hopes of breeding her to Jed.  Thus far, there are no signs she is coming into heat, so this might just turn out to be a boarding situation.

She Doesn't seem to mind, however and is settling in nicely to life at the No Chicken Ranch. . . .