Riverbend Orchard

Them: Don’t you want to wait until David is home to process those calves?
Me: Um, not when I have the 4-H girls and their mamas!

The Mind Health Matters club at SKSS runs a series of events for Mental Health week and the farm petting zoo has become my favourite work tradition! Here’s a few shots from a wonderful day of kids and animals!

Victoria Day weekend! When people go camping, watch soccer, play golf, and we …. Breed cows!

Would you like your logo on our club’s trailer? Fly us or the club a DM and we’ll take your money!

Island Beef Spring Show, period


Mirrah Webster
Mirrenna Farms

Erin Lee
Linden Hastie

People often ask why we are still so committed to 4-H when our own kids are aged out. I have some pat answers about how we value the programme, and we feel an obligation to offer opportunities to youth, etc etc.

But the honest truth is that days like these, with community and chaos and growth and great food and what I know will be lifelong skills and friendships for these kids - days like these fill my bucket.



David L Comrie
Carole Gillis
Lower North Thompson 4-H Club
📸 Carly and Desiree

My dad used to tell a story about a young farmer whose wife was pregnant with their first child. In a conversation with an older farmer down the road, the young farmer admitted that, as the baby’s due date neared, he was feeling pretty nervous about the impending birth. They lived a long way out of town, and the young farmer was sure they wouldn’t be able to make it to the hospital.

The oldtimer reassured him: “You’ll be fine. It’s just like calving out a cow and you have lots of experience with that.”

They didn’t see one another again until after the baby was born. The old fella asked his young neighbour how the new arrival was doing.

“Oh, you were right -it was just like birthing a calf, and the baby is healthy!” the young farmer exclaimed. He continued, “The missus did real good too, but she sure raised a hell of a fuss when I made her eat the afterbirth!”

🧑‍🌾 👨‍🌾

I’ve seen a lot of cows eat the afterbirth, but never one with as much relish as this first calf heifer!

So…. You asked for it!

This heifer laboured for about an hour and only managed to get one foot out. We couldn’t reach the second one, so we pushed the calf’s one foot and her head back in as far as we could. Then the girl reached in and wrestled the other foot forward.

Once we had two feet to work with, it was pretty smooth sailing, especially factoring in the timely arrival of the sheep shearer).

Calm before the storm…

Lisa Simpson - not dead or dying, just third trimester with probably her third set of triplets in three years. Talk about a trifecta.

Penny - probably the same as Lisa.

Susan - probably going first.

Sophia III, Luna, and Honey Baa Baa

Prim, the Queen 🫅

Hattie