Calving Season is here.

March is when we like to calve our cows. We actually start about the 20th of February and finish hopefully before the end of April. It seems that by March the weather is starting to warm up, but the mud puddles haven't got too big yet.

We have to spend a lot of time in the pen with our cows, just checking on things and being there if there are any issues. The cows get quite used to us being around and after a wile almost ignore us as we walk through the pen. They do seem annoyed when I walk through the pen at 3:00 am and shine the flashlight in their eyes.

The grand kids get quite used to being there when a new born calf opens his eyes for the first time, looks around in bewilderment and wonders what all those things are he is seeing for the first time. It seems an amazing act of mother nature to watch him learn to stand and learn to drink milk all in his first 15 minutes of his life.

The grand kids do enjoy going out to the barnyard for fresh air and to get out of the house. They do like to go feed the horses. Our old white horse named Blaze just had his 31st. birthday. In the picture you can see he is getting his mane braided.

Keri's Birthday

Keri celebrated another birthday the other day. We invited her and her family over for a family meal and celebration. We were also fortunate to have my sister Vicki and her husband come for supper and a visit. They only live about 30 minutes away but it seems we never get to see them so it was great to catch up on what was happening in their lives.

Farm Marketer of the Year

On February 24 and 25 we attended the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Associations annual Berry and Vegetable school. It moves around throughout the province each year and we were fortunate that this year it was in Red Deer which is only an 1/2 drive away.

This is always a very informative couple of days with lots of great speakers all with a wealth of knowledge. We also like all the networking that happens in the classrooms and in the hallways with other growers from throughout the province.

Each year the executive of the association chooses one operation to be their "FARM MARKETER OF THE YEAR". This year Edgar Farms was chosen with this prestigious award. Jim Hill a grower from Sylvan Lake made the presentation at the noon luncheon. He spoke of what we had done on the farm and needless to say our heads got quite swollen from all the good things he said.

We received a lot of good press with this award with a large articles in the Red Deer, and Innisfail papers. We were also interviewed on the radio on the farm news section.

An email from Carlos in Chile

As you may know this last January we toured Chile. One of the memorable stops was at Carlos Crovettos farm. He was the fellow that treated everyone as his best friend and taught the no till school.

Last night we received a forwarded email from him. I have attached it below. He speaks of an earthen damn that he has for irrigation water and he has opened the underwater drain to lower the water level


Pictured here is a view of his irrigation lagoon and a picture of a building that had toppled over in Concepion that I copied from "The Hindu" magazine on line.

Dated March 03, 2010 11:03 PM.
Quoting Calos

"Dear Friends:

Since few minutes ago the cell and internet communication arrive.

My family, closer friends and myself are fine. We are in the fifth day but still we do not have electricity. In the farm we have had little damage. the main one looks to be 60 meters crack in the main dam but it does not have seepage we have open underground pipe for water release. Soon an engineer is coming to check damage.

We have electric generator to produce energy in vital service like, water, light energy for 70 thousand birds, mash food, communication through satellite with CNN and national at Santiago TV.

Our apartment in Concepcion is 3 years old, fortunatelyr Saturday early morning 3.30 hours we were not in there, we were at the farm. The building has 13 floor. Monday we could enter, the building is severe damaged inside the twin towers is 25 cm lay down ay the level of our floor, has to be demolished as well as many others. In Concepcion one new one fall down with 15 floors. Rescue came from Santiago, many people is death, they have to open concret walls with electric machine to get in and rescue some alive people. This is unbelievable, how could fall down,maybe the question is why remain stand up many others tall buildings?

The earhtquake was 8.8 Ritcher scale and last more than two minutes. Unbelievable, Never feel in Chile something like that. I remember the 1939 earthquake, I was six fortunately our house was very solid concret. This one killed 10.00 people. Most of the houses were adobe brick. To day the situation is completely different. During the movement I thought that was the end of our life, every furniture was move about three meters, some fall down, many windows were broken.

Right now we have a big one............... we have had more than one hundred. Doris panic is out of control. I do not know what to do.

In Concepcion bad people is destroying every thing, some looking for something to eat and water, but many of them are taking out every thing from the super markets malls and others.. Fortunately since yesterday the army close to the police are working for better citizen control.

The central south of our country is paralyzed, the people is suffering, no food and water, oil is difficult to get. We can not send eggs to Concepcion and we are in severe danger in the farm. We have locked the two access road to the farm.

When we receive your emails we feel much better. We have had more than 120 earthquake and only today the internet is open. We loved your messagge, it is wonderfulto have we have good friends that really love us is Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Ukraine, Germany, England, Spain, Australia, Canada, Mexico and France.

I would like to know better English and tell and explain in a better way every thing about us. Please receive everyone of your warmest appreciation for your worries about us. It is a great help for our life.

Carlos Crovetto Doris Arrau"