Sunshine gives us all a smiling faceSpring Flowers make me smile
With the arrival of light nights and April I am running my first Chicken workshop in 3 years!
Contact me for details.
We are continuing to work hard to provide all the small farmers and gardeners with what they need , sometimes having to be extremely patient whilst supplies wend their way to the Island.
We are thankful to the suppliers that we have built relationships up with over the years as they try so hard for us.
Our Chickens and cows are thriving as are the plants on the farm. We are constantly adding to the diversity and resilience of the land and soil, to make sure a food supply is possible even if inputs dry up… what a fascinating world we are journeying in.
As January flies by, and the snow disappeared, the farm is awakening, mainly good stuff, but how invasive are Blackberries?? I am shocked by the growth over winter and now they are busy running! across the garden and orchard, so busy digging them out whilst the ground is still so wet.
Our chickens love the lengthening daylight and are in full production, we are opening up selected garden areas for them to scratch and eat in. We spend a lot of time ensuring the birds have rotational pasture areas, to keep the egg quality up.
We saw massive disruptions in the bagged feed supply at the start of the year and are thankful that if no feed got through, all the animals on this farm can survive healthily on what nature supplies alongside the hay supply, which, touchwood is still ok!
Imagine how feed disruption would affect those huge commercial farms,that lets face it supply the majority of the population with eggs and meat, no food arriving, would quickly cause massive death
We unloaded another load of alfalfa and timothy late last week and are waiting to see the hay test results. Our straw supply though has dried up, so for now rely on the bagged straw we have.
One thing is certain in 2022, I won’t take anything for granted, the way we have been used to.
I will thank everyone who interacts in our lives, for working hard to be there at the store, gas station, truckers, farmers, feed mills, vets, ferry workers and teachers, we now know, not to take ANYTHING for granted. Maybe it will lead to a kinder and more compassionate society? That said, I will drop off more eggs at The Sidney Food bank again this week.
As this year nears the end, with dark wet nights, I am looking forward to getting beyond the shortest day on Dec 21st. The chickens are very receptive to the daylight increase, and start laying more quite soon after that point in time. I love how this photo captures not only the colour mix but the size mix that occurs with our gorgeous flock of birds.
We will be closed, phones turned off and emails ignored! from 1pm on Friday Dec 24th until 10.30am on Sunday Jan 2nd to spend time with our kids and Iris, our grand daughter, definitely the bright light of 2021.
To perhaps make life easier for our customers, we will add a day, opening on Thursday Dec 23rd from 10.30 – 4.30.
Please stay safe everyone, we are continuing to operate outside as much as possible, masks mandatory and with e transfer the best way to avoid covid transfer!, though we do take all methods of payment!
We have great stock of most things, as ready as possible for whatever the world throws at us next. We certainly feel blessed to live on the Saanich peninsula, where we seem to have dodged a lot of issues that others in BC have had to deal with.
Best wishes from all of us at White House Stables for the Christmas break and New Year
After receiving hay on the Hottest day in 2021, this time it arrived when the Lowest pressure ever recorded sat off our coast. The “weather bomb” caused ferry cancellations, so our FANTASTIC supplier yet again came the night before, whilst the ferries were still running.
As farmers, we directly experience the changing climate in our daily work in the elements, and what it does to us our crops and our souls.
A great customer and friend, cried with me in the 40C heat and my motto was born out of that moment “Work with it” So we continue putting “climate caring” at the top of our list when it comes to our actions and decisions. We want our grand kids to have a future.
So we do our best to mitigate our own carbon emissions, a second set of solar panels will be making there way onto the barn roof, we grow with nature, helping absorb carbon into the soil not releasing it. Our “big trip ” for a significant birthday will involve a short ferry ride, no flights involved. Lets hope someone in the world can show the leadership we all need to act now!
Our beautiful old house is looking very white with the wonderful paint job it got from Frey, of Royal City Painting
The turkeys are growing into a gorgeous harvest, the young chickens [pullets] are producing tons of eggs and….
The horse sale was brilliant, one of the best sales I have been part of in years. Tons of optimism for horse racings’ future.. [I am hoping for a new facility which will respect the commitment of all the horses, trainers and owners involved in an industry I love]
Our two gorgeous girls sold well, with Hip 20 going to BCs leading owners Willow Creek Farm, to whom horses are a passion not a commodity. They take amazing care of their animals as does the trainer of Hip 52 She was bought by new owner Bruce Bean, whose trainer Rob Gilker, is a a leading light on the trainer scene,
Bruce Beans share in Sonja’s Joy Hip 52s’ 1/2 sister, brought us an exciting win on Feb 28th in the 5th race at Fort Erie, thanks to the care and attention of trainer Mary Ann Baumgartner.
White House Stables bred horses have won across Canada this year, with Big Time Louie and Sonja’s Joy in Ontario, and Adrienne’s Aurora representing us in Alberta. B.C. with some lightly raced and unraced competitors [CR Sunrise, Jose Jose, He’s a Saint and Serengeti Sunset ] ready to burst onto the scene in 2022. We are blessed to have fantastic owners and trainers loving and caring for these horses.
“No owner ever committed suicide with an unraced 2yr old in the barn”
such a true and great quote .. we love having a dream
Excitement builds as the day approaches that the yearlings load into the trailer for the ferry ride and on to Thunderbird Equestrian Show Park in Langley
These 2 SPECTACULAR fillies are both by the new BC stallion Counterforce. He has to be one of the most regally bred stallions to come to BC, as he’s by Smart Strike, twice leading sire in N America and is a proven sire of sires, including current leading sire by Graded stakes winners, Curlin, as well as top sires English Channel and Looking at Lucky.
Counterforce stamps his babies with great conformation and minds to match. Both mares nicked beautifully, with Chilli Chines rated A++ and Serengeti Sunrise an A
He combined beautifully with our mares, who both have proven themselves capable of producing athletes and champions,
Hip 20 is out of Serengeti Sunrise whose son, Stanz In Command, was champion 2 yr old and Gr3 placed at 3 when he ran 3rd in the BC Derby, leading him to be voted Champion 3 yr old in the BC division.
Hip 52, is out of Chilli Chines, a Champion broodmare whose son Herbie D won the Grade 3 Longacres Mile and was voted Horse of the Year in BC AND Washington. He was a running machine winning 12 times, and continues racing in retirement in his field in Cobble Hill.
We are celebrating April with $5 off all our 20kg bags of Step 7 Equine Supplement.. There is lots to celebrate…
Babies have arrived all spring, the latest is by far the best, as we now are grandparents to a little red headed girl called Iris arriving on the eve of Earth Day.Thank you Connie and Cameron for making this dream come true
Norm pictured here with a red head born earlier this year,
We have been operating with the outdoor setting for the last month, as we quickly realized moving indoors removed a safety layer … it’s not worth the risk. We will get through this together and safely!!! Like everyone, we can’t wait to reunite with friends and family, so we continue to do our part now, in the best way we know how.
As this year closes, we want to thank all our customers for their patience and support, what a fantastic community you are!
Final 2 days open in 2020 are
Wednesday Dec 23rd 10.30am – 4.30pm
Thursday Dec 24th 10am – 1pm
This mid week opening will allow everyone to stock the animal larder and xmas stockings…
Hay, Grain, animal bedding and pet treats….
Gifts for the stomachs and backs of your loved ones….
Our pastured turkey, halves at 16 pounds, whole over 30 pounds and a few vacuum packed parts for tiny Covid dinners!!! Also lovely chickens from this year around 5 pounds. Egg availability has improved, with our late summer chicks now starting to lay.
We have some special practical lifetime gifts like smart carts and yellow wheelies to save your partners backs, fencing and gates to protect your partners garden and your ears and the wonderful Amish made brooms, that make cleaning up a delight.
White House Stables 