The herd on the way out to pasture, with the two calves out front.
Devon Acres Farm is a small farm located along the Grand River in Brant County, just west of Brantford and southeast of Paris. We grow vegetables organically on about three acres, pasture chickens, ducks, sheep, cows and four Belgian workhorses and encourage the growth of natural forest in other areas of the farm. We are working to farm using Agroforestry techniques. Trees and shrubs are grown throughout and alongside farmed areas to increase diversity for us farmers and to encourage greater diversity of plants and animals species.
We grow a very large number of different vegetable varieties. We have small flocks of ducks and chickens for eggs and meat, a herd of about ten cattle for beef and flock of around fifteen sheep for mutton and lamb. The horses, cows, sheep chicken and duck are all on pasture when possible. The horses, cows and sheep are fed hay during the winter months.
We use our workhorses as the major power source on the farm. They do all the heavy work in the garden with cultivators, discs, plows and potato digger and do a lot of wagon work drawing hay, firewood and other things as well. We use tractors very sparingly to move things that are not so easily moved with horses. Things such as lifting large round bales and compost.
Our Border Cheviot sheep on fall pasture
The cattle herd heading down the trail to a late fall, early winter pasture.
Newly planted spring vegetable garden.
Cucumbers in early summer.
Vegetables started in trays, some ready to be transplanted out to the garden.
The garden in mid summer
The toolshed, right, and the pickup shelter, left, being made ready for the weekly vegetable share pickup.
Ready for pickup
Another day, another pickup.
Tomatillos and several pepper varieties ready for sharers pickup.
The garlic harvest drying on racks.
Picking up some hay from our neighbours farm.
The hay on the wagon, only a 1/2 load here, starting the mile long trip to our barn.
Preparing for planting using the single row cultivator.
Another day, more garden work.
