Hello from Northern Canada

heirloomgal

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Hi everybody,

After spending the last few months on TEG, I was curious about this sister site. I've peeked in a few times now and have enjoyed reading through many of the posts on here. Such a great site! One of my primary interests in self sufficiency is food security, particularly in regards to OP seeds; selecting, ways of increasing/speeding germination, harvest techniques and ideal storage. I'm trying to build a heritage seed ark. I'm about 5 years into 'construction'.

I live in the suburbs, but I'm using up the property as best I can for growing as large a diversity of food and seed crops as I can. I very much try to live by the idea of 'food as medicine'. I'd love to have some chickens, but zoning won't allow it here. Yet! I'm hoping that may change someday as appeals continue to be put forward to that original decision.

Being northerly the shorter season is a bit of a challenge, but I have a small 12 X 8 greenhouse that helps me add a bit of extra time to the season. Overcoming and outsmarting wildlife pillaging my plants and seeds is one of my next major goals!
 
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heirloomgal

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In February of this year, we got to -6F!! MINUS SIX. I've never in my life experienced minus degrees and it is fine with me if I never do again. 2 ice storms and 2 snow storms, 10 inches of ice and snow. Y'all can have your cold, long winters--keep them up there!
When we get to the minus 6 department, in April or May, it is so exhilarating! After those minus double digits for so many months, for any single number we do this:weee:weee:weee
My mum told me once that when I was born ('76) the belief at the time among all the mothers was that young babies sleep better in the cold. So they would bundle up the baby in winter wear, put the baby in the carriage with blankets, and set outside the front door in the cold. In winter. To sleep. They would check every so many minutes we were alright and we'd have most of our naps out in the 'fresh air'. This even my own mum did! Lol Seems insane to me now, like wowzers crazy, but I've met several ladies of my mums' generation who told me they did it too. They get shocked by my surprise. Despite my early exposures though, I still find anything colder than -20 nearly painful.
 

Alaskan

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When we get to the minus 6 department, in April or May, it is so exhilarating! After those minus double digits for so many months, for any single number we do this:weee:weee:weee
My mum told me once that when I was born ('76) the belief at the time among all the mothers was that young babies sleep better in the cold. So they would bundle up the baby in winter wear, put the baby in the carriage with blankets, and set outside the front door in the cold. In winter. To sleep. They would check every so many minutes we were alright and we'd have most of our naps out in the 'fresh air'. This even my own mum did! Lol Seems insane to me now, like wowzers crazy, but I've met several ladies of my mums' generation who told me they did it too. They get shocked by my surprise. Despite my early exposures though, I still find anything colder than -20 nearly painful.
I have read that they still do that... in Finland maybe.

:idunno
 

baymule

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Glad you joined! Because of SS, I bought an All American pressure canner, the ONLY one made in America and not China. I love it and named it The Beast. Also bought a 9 tray Excalibur dehydrator and bought the solid sheets too. I dehydrated the elderberries we picked this year. And I bought a Family Grain Mill, I use it to make cornmeal from the Painted Mountain corn I grow.

I consider each of these to be investments in our food supply and our overall health. They are excellent quality and will probably last my lifetime.

Im happy that you are here, there is lots of information in old posts too. You do so much with the limited space that you have. I admire your beautiful garden and all the hard work you put in it.
 

Alaskan

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We have TONS of snow! A few years ago there was so much snow that the covered carport we enter to get to the front door of the house required going down a small hill of snow. It was like climbing down a snowbank into an underground tunnel to get into the house. That was wild! But it was a bit unusual to get that much.
We had that one year, in the over 20 years I have been here... I felt like we were living in a hobbit hole!
 

baymule

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:th:duc:ep:ep:eek: Oh my!! My winters rarely see much that's below 30. It's considered extremely bad when we get the very rare teens. I cannot ever remember even single digits. Surely nothing with a minus or I wouldn't be here writing this!!!!

You guys are beyond my idea of a place to live. Really??? Below temps??? :idunnoim cold just reading it.
In February of this year, we got to -6F!! MINUS SIX. I've never in my life experienced minus degrees and it is fine with me if I never do again. 2 ice storms and 2 snow storms, 10 inches of ice and snow. Y'all can have your cold, long winters--keep them up there!
 

farmerjan

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Welcome from the more western part of Va.... BRRRRR please don't send your weather down this way.....no offense but I have absolutely NO DESIRE to have minus 37 .... we have occasional minus 10... lasts for a day or 2...
One thing though... is your -37 in C or F???? Because your 0 in C is our 32 F.... more or less..... and we get down occasionally to -10 in F.....

No matter, either one is COLD!!!!!

Do you have a greenhouse like @Alaskan for growing plants????
Whoops, just reread your post so yes you do have a greenhouse...
 

Mini Horses

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:th:duc:ep:ep:eek: Oh my!! My winters rarely see much that's below 30. It's considered extremely bad when we get the very rare teens. I cannot ever remember even single digits. Surely nothing with a minus or I wouldn't be here writing this!!!!

You guys are beyond my idea of a place to live. Really??? Below temps??? :idunnoim cold just reading it.
 

heirloomgal

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I am on the coast which gives me cool summers, and usually cool, not terribly cold winters.

The warm waters from Japan come up my way. ;)

Interior Alaska is where those terrifyingly low temps occur, and I am very glad to be far away from those areas!

However, I live up on a hill.... which means I have about a month LESS of growing season than those living on "the flat" or "the bench" which is only 20 to 300 feet above sea level.

I am up at 1,300 feet above sea level, but can still see the ocean (well, the bay).

So.... I am MUCH warmer than you in the winter.... but less light.

Are you land-locked enough that you stay dry with little snow?

Our snowfall is highly variable, but we definitely stay humid.
We have TONS of snow! A few years ago there was so much snow that the covered carport we enter to get to the front door of the house required going down a small hill of snow. It was like climbing down a snowbank into an underground tunnel to get into the house. That was wild! But it was a bit unusual to get that much.
 
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