Sask Archives - Small Prairie Farm

FARM JAM 2024- A message from Malcolm

“This year, the farm jam is on Saturday, August 3rd. Come camp and enjoy music. Directions can be found https://smallprairiefarm.com/contact-location/ or Google: Malcolm Rice’s farm. Hope to see you there.”

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 ****

June 6, 2024

Farm Fam Jam 2022

Farm Fam Jam had a great turnout this year!

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!

Learn more about Malcolm’s whirlygigs and weathervanes.

Watch some of our videos

August 8, 2022

Farm Jam 2022

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.

May 19, 2022

Farm Jam 2021- The Year After COVID

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!

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.

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July 28, 2021

Winter 2021

Lots of snow. Let’s hope some ends up in the dugout.

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March 2, 2021

Spring 2020

Spring 2020 is in on a confusing roller coaster ride

With Covid19 we all started the season early. The more we could get out to the farm the better. Whether Malcolm’s fixing the truck, Tania’s family is out hiking or Kelly’s recluse to her camper the farm acted like a getaway for all of us.

The dugout is way down of course, the wind has been brutal, cold toilette seat, cuddling up to the heater at night, all totally worth it not to be in the city with CovIdiots.

This spring we’ve got a lot done (write ups to come):

Malcolm and Sebastian build a wind generated battery to power the front driveway camera.

Tent Alley Rejuvenation- Malcolm has filled in the spaces between the trees in Tent Alley to keep the garbage and the wind down. Malcolm always loves visitors and Tent Alley is one of his favorite places.

Malcolm got the old International truck running in order to get water from Pense.

The garden has shrunk but all is planted. Spinach, lettuce, kale, dill, cucumber, carrots, potatoes, beets, garlic, peas, 3 different kinds of onion, zucchini, squash, Radish’s, pumpkins. We have everything.

The Cherry, haskap (Honey berries) , apple, plumb, trees are budding leaves.

We have a new chicken coop this year made by Jeff. Kelly Decided to up the number of chickens. More chickens, means they needed more space. Jeff magically made the plans up in his head and built it from there. It turned out amazing!

Also new to the chicken fair grounds we’re trying in ground gardens with coop wire over top. This is so the chickens can at the greens but not destroy the plants. We planted different lettuces, spinach, chard, beets, cucumbers and a few more.

Kelly’s spice garden planted by the trailer. This year Kelly planted (experiment saved seeds) pea seeds. Onions, chocolate mint, dill, garlic chives, chives, snow onions, basil, parsley, lemon thyme catnip, saffron and there’s more to come.

We have finally picked out new strawberry patch location. We’ve been humming and hawing on a new place to put them. The old place was downing in grass and wasn’t producing garden. We are only on the first layer. If you know where there are some excellent rocks let us knowing. So after a few years we came up with something! A strawberry rock pile.

See our previous years in gardening

Some of the silly stuff we come up with

May 27, 2020

Garden 2019

Garden 2019 was huge in spite of lack of water!

This year we planted the entire Garden plot!

In the Garden 2019 we grew cucumbers, corn, raddish, (yellow, purple, green) beans, soy beans, swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, (yellow, green) zucchini, (heirloom, orange, purple) carrots, (green arrow, sugaranne, sugarsnap, mixed)peas, (red, yellow, mixed)potatoes, dill, cucamelon, garlic, onions, peppers, hot peppers, Spaghetti squash, pumpkins, beets, Dads tomatoes,

Added tomatoes along the one grapevine row.

Volunteer:

Tomato, spinach, sunflowers, chard, dill, watermelon, squash, borage

Annual:

Asparagus (not producing yet), chives, snow onions

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Fruit Trees/Shrubs/Plants

Kelly had to nurse the goji berries back from a hard winter. We’re still searching for the perfect spot to put the strawberries. This year we had ground nests in them so we had no great opportunity to get to the berries.The ones we do find are tiny. We got a sandwich bag of hascaps. Lots of plumb and apples, cherries and a few grapes

Added

2 Black currant plants, 2 Rhubarb, Gooseberry

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Canning

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Pickled:

cucumbers, swiss chard stems, beans, eggs, peppers

Pressure canned:

Beans

Frozen:

Peas, spinach

Some ideas for seeds:

See all of our garden adventures!

September 3, 2019

Farm Jam 2018

Farm Jam 2018 was smaller than usual but more fun than ever!

There was a small group at Farm Jam 2018 this year, but a lot of newcomers! We were happy to see Beth and Laurier(Sp?), Auntie Kate(from South Korea), Billie, Kendra, Cousin Danielle and family, cousin Gerry and family and of course all the regulars. There were a lot of kids which is always fun when the gocart is in action.

We’re always happy to have people out, But nobody took home CHERRIES and/or SWISS CHARD lol. It was a good event. Thank you to everyone who came out. If you have pictures send them!

The Little Neighbour Boy Gets a Surprise Swarm

The surprise swarm that took Jeffs grainery by storm!

In just 2 days honey bees had created a swarm on Jeffs exterior wall of his grainery. This isn’t the first time bees have been around before but never a swarm like this. This time it was more of an adventure.

Wanting to get rid of the invasive swarm he got Shawn Maskwa a seasoned beekeeper to come out and asses the situation. The first day he came out the clouds were overcast.

*Fact- Bees are grouchy when the clouds are overcast

So, we waited until the next day. The goal was to find the queen and transfer the swarm. We suited up. We started out trying to use a vacuum bucket. The swarm was too big and thick and was clogging the vacuum hose. So Shawn scooped the bees with his hands and moved them into the beehive.

*Fact- The swarm would have come from anywhere in a 6-mile radius

I got to “bee” a beekeeper for an hour or so until I got so hungry I had to leave. Never been stung by a bee before I didn’t know if I was allergic. Good thing Shawn keeps an EpiPen on hand. Dad (Malcolm) was nowhere to be seen because of his irrational fear of bees and wasps. Mom (Diane), Jeff, and Drew were standing on the sidelines.

After a few hours of scooping, vacuuming and pulling boards off the side of buildings most of the bees were removed! The bees were surprisingly docile. Shawn was able to remove the main honeycomb. Although we didn’t get to see the queen he was pretty sure we got her because the bees were content in their new hive and all the ones not transferred were trying to get into it.

After a lot of work by Shawn and Jeff, the bees were contained and were transported to Shawn’s farm (after quarantine) where they can hang out with the rest of his bees. They will be well taken care of and producing honey, not so close to Jeffs tools.

**Update** The queen has been found. The beekeeper will leave them alone for 2 weeks to see how they settle

Cousin Weekend 2018

Cousins Weekend Was Filled Sunshine, Drama and Food!

We camped out at Uncle Malcolm’s for the cousins long weekend! Mathew and Emmy joined us from the East coast, along with Terra and the girls(this includes Andrew). The invitation was also extended to our parents this year! Everyone packed up their tents, campers, games, footballs, baseballs, kites, pets, food, booze, kids, sunscreen, swimming trunks, and brought their partners????! Tania set up a Scavenger Hunt! There were water balloons and water gun fights. We picked berries, roasted marshmallows and more.

Not one child went without a dirty face at least once during the weekend. Jennifer got an early morning (afternoon) wake up to Oh Canada and Andrew took the kids on quad rides. People took part in signing on stage at night.