Old School Corn Grinder

Corn Grinder 

Buli - Corypha elata ( Philippine plant )

 December 3, 2020 

Wednesday 

Buri palm  ( Buli Palm) Corypha elata 

Corypha microcladia

( in badian cebu, philippines, we called it buli)

the picture of buri palm - Buri Palm Picture

The starch that was extracted from the body of the palm was soaked in water and the starch is called landang. We use to make budbud, a delicacy when I was in elementary school. We call them "budbud nga buli" 

I think bud bud is also called suman. There are many varieties of it, and one of the them is suman with buli. Some are made using sticky rice, wrap in banana leaves. 

When I was a kid, we own a big mortal and pestle. It was long about 6 ft carved out log where we put the buri and a wooden pestle to ground the buri to obtain landang. Landang was a type of starch which we use to make suman. 

Budbud buli is delecious snacks. its like sticky rice but have gelatinous texture to it. 

Sulphur Cosmos

Ottawa city ontario canads

Sept 2. 2020

The leaves look like marigold, i thought it was tall marigold.

Nope, its cosmos.

Want some seeds? I save lots. 

Tomato - red thesaloniki

Ready for seed saving

Medium.size tomato

Home Backyard 2020 & 139 March Rd Farm Project

 August 15, 2020

This year has been buzzing bee-zy. We have  a big little farm in the heart of Kanata. 

The work is  very humbling, challenges the very core of what Eco Farming means. My backyard has been negleted, but it came back alive and gave me surprises. Random seeds toss out and rarely water. 

The intent of this garden is my walking path with flowers for pollinators. Guess what? its working, year 5 in this house. 

Garlic Growing in Ottawa City Ontario

Ottawa City, Ontario, Canada

August 3, 2020 

I have been collecting garlic seeds for a while now, i'd say in the past 5 years. Karen of Black Star Urban Farm has been my partner -in-planting for these garlics. Together, we collect seed varieties and  its kind of fun hobby for us. 

I have planted Music and Portugal Azores as my main crop for the garden plots. I did commercial production trials here and there and marketed my garlic here in Ottawa, locally to friends and garden enthusiast. 

This year, I bought more garlic for my collection - bulbils from Jordan of Bird and Bee Seed Company. 

1. Khabar
2. Persian Star
3. Kotsyns Red Russian
4. Killarney Red
5. Purple Korean Rocambole

For those of you who wanted a quick summary of Garlic: 

Originally from Central Asia, it has been cultivated in the Mediterranean for over 5,000 years. Gladiators ate garlic prior to battle and Egyptian slaves purportedly consumed it to give them strength to build the pyramids.

Garlic is one of 700 species in the Allium or onion family.

Two types of  garlic: 

Softneck (Allium sativum)

Softneck Varieties

1. Artichoke

2. Silverskin

 Hardneck (Allium ophioscorodon)

Varieties of Hardneck Garlic
1. Chesnok Red

2. German White

3. Polish Hardneck

4. Persian Star

5. Purple Stripe - 

5a. Persian Star - a beautiful garlic comes from the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan. 

6. Porcelain - 

a. Music ( imported by Al Music from Italy)

b. Big Boy - looks like Music with purple colouring, sweet consistent flavour)

7. Asiatic

Tomato - red thessaloniki

Ottawa city ontario canada

June 25, 2020

Tomato - red thessaloniki

Companion plant: marigold, thai basil

Source: gretas organics

1 ft tall

Container garden

Tomato - pink boar

Ottawa city ontario canada

Tomato - pink boar, planted today, june 24.2020

About 1 ft tall, source: gretas organics

Companion: basil rosie

White container garden

Planted today june 24.2020 ground Tomato - Red Clark Early Jewel

Ottawa city, ontario, canada

Planted today - tomato, red clark early jewel

Source: gretas organics, about 1 ft tall, planted with mushroom compost

Planted today june 24.2020 ground (tomato, red clark early jewel)

Ottawa city, ontario, canada

Planted today - tomato, red clark early jewel

Source: gretas organics, about 1 ft tall, planted with mushroom compost

Cleome - The Pollinator Flowers

June 6, 2020 saturday
Ottawa City, Ontario Canada

I am very fascinated with Cleome flowers - also known as spider flowers. I grow them each year, they are mainstay in the garden for bees and lots of pollinators.

This year, I have access to greenhouse grown ones, and they are massive tall already. We repotted them and sell at Sweet William Farms.

I have some direct seeded, but they are still small.

Here are pictures and video of Cleome - she grow them from seeds and describe the flowers in more details. It has photos of it blooming, so that is a bonus.

Cleome - Pollinator Flowers

Here is a picture of my potted 1 gallon pot of Cleome flowers.

For details in buying this cleome flowers:

Sweet William Farms

We are at 139 March Rd, Ottawa, Ontario.

If you are on the 417 West - Exit at Eagleson, we are on your right side, about 2kms from the exit. Once you see Corkstown Rd, slow down, really slow down and look for the big old barn, and pull in into our parking in front of the barn.

The Garbage - i wonder who left this here?

May 1, 2020

Sweet William Farms

March rd, kanata, ontario

"This farm has been abandoned for at least 10 years. ", the (CO) said t

 Kyle. He came by to help us close the backgate and lock it and also figure out the front gate. 

Then off we go, we know we have many garbage to pick up. 

So, here they are: 

A 3 wheeled shopping cart by the main entrance

Day 7 - Thursday - Rainwater Barrel

May 7, 2020

Thursday 

We spend our time here today, continue the clean up process.

 I cleaned up the entrance of the "hill of rejects", so Kyle can mow this area. 

It is very near the well, so I also dug out to find the water connection. 

Kyle manage to finish mowing the pumpkin patch, so i should be getting the ground ready. 

Speaking of well, i have called Air Rock Drilling today to see if they can service and get this well running. So far, I have to wait until the person servicing can call me back up. The last well locate in this address was dated Nov. 09, 2015.

I also called Ashton Mechanical, and they give me next week to inspect the well, thats promising.

On the other hand, we bougth rain barrels today, 4 of them. We can harvest gray water and rain to water our crops. These are 25$ each at Cohens and labeled food grade. 

We come home late, and exhausted, but thats a great progress. 

A new beginning

It was 2015 that i got the courage to take a much needed turn in my life. The last 5 years has been a rollercoaster: epic, scary, blessed, exciting yet peaceful. The best years started when i turned 40 and face fear with a shovel. 

Ive grown, ive fallen many times, back up stronger than ever. 

My English is still mediocre, especially my writing. But i hope you get the gist of what im saying.

I'm leaving the dream according to my definition. I called the shots, I pushed harder than anyone when it seems so daunting.

Its enjoyable, it is breath taking, I am growing and glowing !!!

2020 is another big year to me. Many milestones, like a growthspurt.  Its not without challenge, but bring it on! 

Each day, little victories. The chains that bind you help you detour to a much wider and bigger opportunity.

Take it, live it, love it! 

Bring on the angel's choir, face the storm...plant the seeds of love. 

YOU GOT THIS!

Sophia

tomato 2019

When its given to you, it is special

Yes, valentines day gift

Family day 2020 feb 17

It was -17c cold and my family went ottawa downtown for winterlude and beavertails

Saturday feb 22, 2020 And..its sunny, Ottawa, City Ontario is at 4C

Ottawa,  Ontario, Canada
Feb 22, 2020 SAT

It is 4C and sunny in Ottawa Ontario, *you might roll your eyes*, its still freaking cold, but hey, it was -20C on February 18th and took the kids out for family day. So today is victorious weather wise. I never been so obsessed with weather in the Philippines, it always warm and we never have conversation about it. Everywhere I go here in Canada, we talk about the weather. It a common topic where people just say " nice weather eh?" or " freaking cold today"!

In my 20 years here in Canada, I am as Canadian as you can get, and think like a Canadian. Half of my life is spent here, and today at 4C and sunny, I feel that is pretty warm weather for winter. Well, despite the fact that my front yard has a pile of snow, about 4 feet high.

I woke up at 10 am today, because I work nights. Its saturday, and you think taking it easy might be on the plan. But it seems there is never enough time of the day when you are a mom of 3. I feel that my neck is hurting on the left side, probably slept the wrong way.

I headed to Movati Gym to sit in the sauna, I figure the sauna has a warmth that can ease my pain. 15 minutes of heat, then I went to shower. Well, it's not helping out, but a clean shower may help my mind. The nice day means people were at the gym so parking lot is full.

I headed to grocery, spent $45 on basic produce at Fresh Co, and headed home.

At 12:35, I reached home.
My kids - Kieren 9 & Karlina 11 are both on the computer and tablet. I unloaded the grocery and ask the two of them if they want to cook pancake. Karlina wanted to be a chef someday and Kieren wanted to eat, so giving them the chance to cook while I am home sounds like a plan. My kids commented that I am bad at making pancake, I rush my cooking and the mix are usually with the dry mix and not blended properly. So, I fail the pancake test.

Kieren and Karlina wanted to do better, so I poured the mix, add water and Kieren and Karlina have the electric mix out. I added mashed banana, powdered cinnamon, and liquid vanilla flavor. The two of them take turns mixing the batter, and it seems they were bonding over a chore that mommy fail.

Karlina finished the PAN program, which teaches kids basic cooking skills. She is the fire who turn on the stove, get the pan, pour little oil to get the pancake cooking process. They poured the first batter and both of them went back to the living room to play Roblox, Minecraft. The smoke alarm sounded, they recognize that you need to be in the kitchen to cook. It actually takes time to cook a pancake, so Karlina logs off from her game, and so as Kieren. The two of them went to the kitchen and went cooking pancakes.  I have to keep checking the kitchen because the batter is poured all over.

Now, the dreaded - who will wash the mixing bowl and the spatula/pancake turner. I have to google what its called - the pancake turner:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00GWVMMNO/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNjg2V1g5S1AxNU9VJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI4MzgwMzU0OUpNNFhEOVVSVCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzIyMTAyMVJKR0s0UkZUOEhMUyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbDImYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Well, Kieren said it was his turn, as her sister was the lead for cooking. He cleaned and wash dishes by hand, I don't have a dishwasher, I live in a "victory home", the house built after the war. So, yeah - there is no room for dishwasher or they never really thought of that, kids did dishes during this era I think. Unless, I want to put the dishwasher in my living room which is crowded as it is - with piano and couch, so I have to forgo the dishwasher. The couch has to stay and so as the piano, so we eat over the couch or the piano.
I have to say that I aced my motherhood today - I taught my son Kieren to wash the sink after doing dishes and drying it. At 9 years old, he felt accomplish doing that.

Pancake cooked, the house is still standing, the sink is cleaned and dried, this is the epic definition of modern-day single mom family. I think this day is a miracle.

1. Gym - I showered there. ok, success then. 
2. Bills - I paid Hydro Ottawa $366.64 and Enbridge Gas $158.02. I dislike online banking recently due to some fraud, but I am glad I was able to pay my bills using the bank machine. Hydro Ottawa provides us electricity. It is one of the standard utility that you pay monthly. "Hydro Ottawa provides electricity supply to its customers, by taking electricity from the provincial grid and distributing it to homes and businesses. " https://hydroottawa.com/ .               Meanwhile, Enbridge Gas is also a standard utility to heat our house and water. "Most of the natural gas consumed in homes is used for space heating and water heating. It is also used in stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, lighting fixtures, and other appliances. " This one was a bill that used to confuse me because I thought everything runs via electricity, but our homes in Ottawa are heated by natural gas. So, I guess that is how we heat our house, so we do not freeze in winter. 
3. Grocery - fruits, and veggies to survive for the week. 
4. Motherhood - kind of, failed at the task of cooking pancake, kids took over
5. The kitchen sink was cleaned - victory. 

Well, it's about 3pm now, I saw the sun shining. It is a good idea to clean and paint my car's tire rims. It is so rusted, I cleaned it last year but now needed a second coat. So, winter jacket on, and work on my car.