Duffys Lane Maple Honey, Brouwn Eggs and Hay

Duffy's Lane Maple and Honey
by
Jen and Brent Roberts
15271 Duffy's Lane, Caledon, Ontario

Honey Brown eggs from free range chickens Premium Hay for competition horses and pets At Duffy's Lane, Caledon, Ontario
Custom Cutting Available When we moved up here 5 years ago we never dreamed what was ahead of us. After spending far too many hours cutting the 5 acres on our front "lawn" we decided to put in a crop of hay for our daughter's horse farm ( http://www.freewebs.com/awayzaway/) . We preped the fields ourselves and got it seeded then began the fun and games of trying to get it cut and baled. By the 3rd year we gave up and got our own gear. Now we have all the gear needed John Deere 4040 tractor ( 95 Hp ) New Holland 271 haybine New Holland 144 inverter New Holland 404 re-conditioner ( crusher ) Fransguard SR3200 rotary rake New Holland 315 baler with thrower 2 x 20' all steel thrower hay wagon. Our lot is small so we have time available. If you are in the same position we were a few years ago, with a crop that you would like cut, we may be able to help. Give us a call 905-880-7876.
To get here: see our maps page (with satellite view) To get here from the city come up 427 to the end, Take Hwy 7 west about 2 Km to the first stoplight, which is Hwy 50. Come north on Hwy 50 right through Bolton to Castlederg Side Road (stoplight) and turn left (west) to Duffy's Lane Come north about 1/2 Km to 15271.

	Some of the chickens the year Rory the Rooster ran the run. A few weeks later, there was no more Rory. Fate unknown. But he's not chasing Jen any more. This year (2006) we started with 22. Now there are 21. Getting about 18 eggs a day with deep almost orange thick yolks. The grasshopper population is getting thin. The entertainment value will go down with the grasshopper population.
	The beehives in their temporary home beside the chicken container. Last years largest colony is on the right. The others are the new Russian bees with various feeders to help them start building. When they are at full mid summer strength there are nearly 1/2 million bees living there.

Premium Hay For Sale Our hay is premium alfalfa and timothy only. The majority of it goes to a competition horse farm near Guelph. We seeded with top of the line "Pride Protein Plus" seeds. The fields are almost totally free of weeds and grasses. We cut and bale ourselves for optimum nutrition and to retain the most leaves possible. The majority of the nutrition is in the leaves. We make only small square bales measuring about 18" x 14" x 36 to 40" long. Weight is dependant on the moisture content but they average about 40 lbs. For folks with hamsters, gerbils, rabbits etc, we can sell bales at the farm or I can bring a few in for pick up in the Dixie Rd - 401 area where I work at my "day job". The pictures below are of the first cut of 2008, which is now baled and some is available. This is a nice blend of timothy and alfalfa. The second cut will come about mid August and will be "richer" and will be comprised of almost pure alfalfa. Top quality horse hay is rare. We've worked our fields like a garden to make top quality.
	First Cut 2008 1350 bales the following pictures will show the front and back fields before and after raking. The windrow height difference is dramatic, and made even more so in pictures because the after raking pictures are near sunset
	Front after raking This year we have a Fransgard rotary rake that makes these great fluffy windrows to help fast drying.
	Back field before raking
	Back field after raking.
	The alfalfa and timothy crop (aka hay), June 2005, cut and drying in windrows. In 2006 we are letting the alfalfa go further into bloom to let the honeybees have a feast. So far they have not got the message. They're going off and finding their own supply of something. About 20% of the crop is in bloom and I have spend hours in the middle of it (pulling thistles that the horses won't eat) and have not seen ONE single honeybee. In 2008 we started cutting and baling our the crop ourselves. We have learned a lot of tricks and now make very high quality hay with high leaf / nutrition content... in small lots.
	A wider angle view from the same point as above with a bit of snow on the ground.
	There two pictures show the first two pieces we have. The John Deere tractor is 90 Hp and will be just powerful enough to pull the baler and a hay wagon up and down the hills on the property. We hope to be able to do the odd job cutting for some of our neighbours who also have the same problems we had. When the sun shines the farmers make their own had and it's hard to find one that will come and do small lots like ours.
	Hay in storage in the "dome" from the 2006 cut. The outside layer has yellowed off a bit, but if you turn a bale over, or open it, you find there is still considerable colour inside.
	The New Holland hay baler comes home.