We usually have a lot of fun! We have chickens busting their butts making eggs. We provide supper for the night (burgers and hotdogs).
BRING YOUR OWN BANJO OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT! Many family and friends feel like they’re musically inclined and love to put on a jam session. If this is also you, bring your musical talent!
*** PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH MALCOLM OR DIANE, IF YOU’RE COMING. SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH FOOD TO BUY ****
The 2023 summer season again was filled with grasshoppers. We started building above-ground planters so that we could cover them and keep them higher up. So here are pictures of the cactus garden and strawberry garden.
100 Shand trees
We also put in 100 or more trees from Shand Greenhouse. Every year we get some for our shelter belt and dugout.
Dave, Brenda, Megan, Paul and the boys (Joe and Sam), Bruce, and Mira were the first brave souls out on Friday night. Just in time for Jeff to roll up with his 7/11 on wheels. Lime Slushies, cold iced tea, and water with a mini-ice machine. It wouldn’t be Farm Fam Jam without all the bells and whistles.
Saturday more family and friends started to trickle in as the day wore on and so did the food.
Egg salad sandwiches and different sides for lunch.
Drew was on the BBQ serving hamburgers and hotdogs for supper. Uncle Paul cooked a juicy, tender, smoked brisket.
Food started to pile up on the table, coming from everyone! Chicken wings, mashed potatoes, potato salad, Quinoa salad, baked beans, vegetable plates, dips and so much more. It was the battle of the crisps (apple and rhubarb) and cake for dessert.
The jam session started only to be cut short by a heavy downfall of rain with strong winds. We all huddled in the Quonset for cover while Drew continued to BBQ.
The blue skies returned when the rain let up, and so did the band. After it got dark enough the guys set off fireworks, only to be challenged by fireworks miles away to the northeast.
The night petered out with people sitting around the fire.
The following day the adults had first breakfast at the crack of dawn, while the younger crowd woke up later (10:30 am) for second breakfast. The kids had fun playing in the parachute, kiddie pool, and with the Foosball table. Throughout the day people left with hugs and handshakes.
ANOTHER GREAT YEAR! WE HOPE YOU ALL COME AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
Farm jam is Saturday, July 30th this year. We will supply burgers and hotdogs for supper. Also outhouse and water. Power will be on a first-come-first service. Bring your tents or camper. Join us for the on-stage jam.
The year after COVID. We didn’t get many pictures. It’s like we wanted to see people with our eyes instead of through a camera lens for once!
Malcolm Rice, David Rice, Bruce Rice in the S.S Tippy, and Ryder (The only dramatic one this weekend).
It was a great FARM/ FAM Jam. WE HAD BABIES! You know we are close to the end of the COVID epidemic when babies can leave the house!
Adam & Jenna had their little one out along with Raje and Mike. Aunties and grand aunties we’re loving it!
The Boiler Room Boys & friends hosted by Malcolm Rice plays the main stage.
Drew cooked up a storm again. There was of course so much food and so many aunties to make sure you ate that food. Lots of people left with leftovers (goodie bags of food) or eggs.
It was a good group of people (Claudia and Bernie didn’t get that camper they were going to look at in the morning. the table bed was too small)
Most of the 35- 45-year-olds made it out of bed by 9 am. Their parents were still disgusted with them for sleeping in. Breakfast was already over.
Tents were set up and taken down. Every time it was funny and a family event.
What do you call 12 Rice’s setting up a tent?
Friday night entertainment. TAKING IT DOWN SUNDAY…EVEN FUNNIER. (Someone send the video please).
The pigs made their debut by being the smelliest of the evening.
We planted ornamental sunflowers one year to attract bees and now they are an invasive weed. This year we tried to use them as a wind block to the garden. They soaked up more water than prevented water evaporation. Now they are a pretty weed in our garden.
Kelly started new experimental planters on the Northside of the farm for herbs and heirloom seeds.
We added hundreds of flower bulbs in the fall! We’re excited to see what comes in in 2021.
We started Virginia Creeper along the deer fence line around the garden. On the same fenceline, we are trying to get Hollyhocks to grow. NO LUCK. Open to suggestions.
CRITTERS, CRITTERS, EVERYWHERE! WE HAVE THEM ON CAMERA.
We’ve had several Critters families stop in to try and figure out the cameras. We’ve also had a few who didn’t notice the cameras at all.
Birds, raccoons, deer, coyotes, fox, MOOSE, Owls, house cat, bald eagle, hawk, cougar, rabbit, white weasle, and more. We’ve had the pleasure of catching a few photos of some of Saskatchewan’s wildlife wandering through the yard. We just use our simple outdoor Nest Cam. These little Critters are always welcome until chickens start going missing then we’ll reevaluate.
FOX
COYOTE
GANGSTER DEER
DEER FIGHT CLUB
PHEASANTS
RYDER AND TROPHY GOPHER
We are itching for the season to start. The family has already started staying overnight at the farm with the camper furnaces in the campers on overnight. Until the snow of course.
In the fall over 200 bulbs, were planted. We are very impatiently waiting to see what comes up. Last year we also planted Virginia creeper along 1 side of the fence line, Hollyhocks, Delphinium, and more. We are excited to see what’s going to bloom.
We bought a used metal/fabric Gazebo just to test it in the violent Saskatchewan wind. Hopefully, it can withstand a year as an outdoor TV room. We are considering the heavy COSTCO one. We just need everyone to fall in love with the idea first.
Seedlings are growing in windows waiting for the farm. This year we are eager to plant an extra-large garden to help supplement the 2 piglets we are raising (spring to fall). You will see pictures of the new pen soon!
We will be posting more updates about the beginning of the year as the weather changes.
Summer 2020 was my (Kelly’s) first full season living primarily at the farm. What better place to social distance is the farm. That’s a LIE! The Rice farm has been a haven for people looking for outdoor retreat! Bon fires, hiking, biking, sledding. We even showed up for Christmas.
Garden
Our giant garden produced a little before the swarm of grasshoppers wiped everything out. Cucumbers, carrots, garlic hardly produced. Corn surprisingly well again this year. Of course beans, peas and beets did fine. We used all heirloom fingerling potato seed this year as we couldn’t find red potato seed. WE HAVE CUTWORMS! Gross!
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Water
We ran mostly off of rainwater this year. Our dugout went dry. We shipped cooking & shower water from Pence and Regina.
Chickens
We had a flock of 20 birds on the farm laying eggs in the new chicken coop. During the grasshopper invasion they hardly had to be fed. Their Eggs were sold by Malcom at SIAST. Next year there will be a price increase in eggs, so we can make our money back. At the end of the season October 25, the chickens were sold.
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Critters and Such
Hollyhauwks first year
Pine tree art
Dilled garlic scapes
Rainbow
BBQ View
Gilly finding the dead
Moose Drop off
Window Spider
For the end of the season we lit all of Jeffs old brush on fire.
WINDMILL AND SOLAR TRAIL CAMERA
The Windmill turns on a windy day and charges the battery. On a sunny day the solar panels send a charge over to the battery. The battery then sends power over to the inverter. The plug you see in the inverter runs the camera, Nest cam. This way we can see what’s happening at the farm.
