Our Story
ABOUT US
We bought this farm in early 2017 and immediately set about renovating the main log house (circa 1837) from top to bottom. That first winter, while the contractors and professionals took care of the house, we spent our free evenings and weekends gutting the log barn where all the animals would live.
Getting the Barn Ready
The log barn is circa 1870s, and was at one point used for a small dairy herd. It had been many decades since the barn interior had seen animals, so we removed all of the junk, gave it a good clean and then built new hay feeders, gates and pens. Our first goats actually moved in before we did but sometimes you can’t control the timing of a renovation! Since we had bought bred does, within two weeks of living at the farm, we went from a herd of 7 to over 20.
Chickens, geese and a llama all joined quickly thereafter. The first spring and summer we built and installed new doors and windows in the barn to help winterize it, as well as added insulation and paneling in the section of the barn that is not log construction. As a result of all our hard work, even in the depth of Ottawa’s cold winters our barn rarely goes below zero Celsius – being heated by body heat alone. That means any new kids will always be warm and safe from the bitter outside, and also gives us flexibility on timing of when we can kid. We also had an approximately 4 acre pasture fenced, that serves as the goat herd’s primary pasture from spring to fall. Last, we built a pump house over the barn wellhead, which had been abandoned, and re-activated the well to provide fresh water to the barn.
The Rest of the Property
With all of the work on the barn and pastures complete, we took aim at other areas of the property. We installed a pool. We built a wood shed to protect the wood used for the wood furnace, which serves as the primary heating source for the house. We re-invigorated the raised planting beds, planted an apple orchard and cultivated a second garden site for fruits and veggies that like a bit more moisture. We also renovated one of the outbuildings on the property, what we call the “cottage”. We added a staircase up to the loft bedroom and added a simple kitchen. Our plan is to add a bathroom so that this cottage can be rented out as a self-contained unit for those seeking farm experiences, or just a break from the City. Stay tuned on availability!
Our Philosophy
Remains grounded in the reasons we moved here in the first place – to reconnect with nature, to grow and eat our own food, to slow down the pace of life and to focus on the simple joys of living. The animals and gardens remind us to live in the moment, and are a constant reminder of what great things can come from a little hard work.
