Comment: goats, farming in Northern Canada et al

I grew up on a small farm (some dairy) in Northern Saskatchewan. Everything is frozen solid until mid - late April and then floods for a month. Somehow my parents made it work. Our back porch was enclosed and became a greenhouse, hot water pipes from the house heated it. We had HUGE garden -(high fences) amazing soil - great asparagus, peas, beans, root veges, cabbage, yes standard stuff. I expect newer varieties have really changed things. The canner was going all summer (unpleasant work). We ate from it all winter. Mom made jam, jellies, every kind pickle you can imagine. She baked a lot. We ate a lot of potato salad.. It was frozen again by late October. We kept frozen food outside in a high cache, my Dad and his buddies hunted (it was a big deal when they brought a moose or an elk home) and shared so there was meat or fowl in there, root veges were stored in sawdust which works great*. Only local fruits were crab apples, raspberries and gooseberries. Mom crushed berries and canned the juice with sugar and vinegar to drink all year. We bought back bacon (oh yeah) and ham from neighbours. We went to the big town once a month weather permitting to buy things like boxed cereal, bananas, flour, sugar, cheese etc. Everyone really watched out for each other, especially with winter blizzards. We got a new outfit once a year, literally. Remember Sears catalogue? As kids we raced our horses bareback. No one cared if we took off for hours but the cows had to be in before supper doncha know. Looking back, we really were free. It was glorious. I wish I could tell my Dad now how very grateful I am for the life they gave us. RIP Dad.

Now goats....When I moved out I came west, and was part owner of a farm with goats for a time. To keep the milk (and more goats) coming we bought a Billy. Of course I knew nothing about actually owning a billy goat. Have you ever been downwind from an amourous Billy.......not for the faint of heart.

I don’t know how this thread happened but Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!!!! I found Ron Paul 4 years ago and I pray for him. He is a real Hero. No one has any business telling hard working good folks how to go about their life. And Fishing and boating licences? pfffttt! And guns? They sustained us. Don’t even get me started.
God Bless all!