Valhalla Farm

09/28/2025

Crow and I at the Shepherd’s Crook SDT 2025 in Woodville, Ontario. PC: Norma de Rose

06/21/2025

VH Crow grown up!

06/17/2025

Baby Crow! ❤️🐾🐾

05/31/2025

Crow

04/21/2024

🌼💛 “Hello, I'm a dandelion.
A lot of people call me a w**d but I'm a friend and come to help you!
My flowers are the first food for insects after hibernation and unlike most other plants, I have pollen AND nectar, not merely one OR the other! And I am generous with them! 🤪😉
When you see me, remember that I'm the ONLY one who wants and can grow in that particular spot. Because:
Either the soil is too compact / hard / stomped and I want to loosen it for you with my roots.
Or there is too little calcium in the soil - don't worry, I will replenish that for you with the dying of my leaves.
Or the soil is too acidic. But I will also improve that for you if you give me the chance.
Or a mixture of the above reasons, of course. 😊
I'm here because your soil needs my help so best you let me grow without disturbing me! When everything is fixed, I will disappear again, I promise!
Are you trying to remove me prematurely with my root? However meticulous you are, I will return 2x as strong! Just until your soil is improved.
You can even tell by my growth at which stage my help is at. If my leaves are flat on the ground then I'm far from ready but if they all reach up then I'm already a long way on my way.
Something completely different is that I am 1 of the first bloomers in spring so I will announce spring / summer for you.
During the day when it's hot, I open my flowers but in the evening when it cools off I close them again quickly. In fact, if it's not hot enough during the day I won't open them at all!
My flowers are even delicious for you people by the way, did you know? I used to be called ′′honey (or gold) of the poor′′ because my flowers are so sweet in e.g. jam, sauce or salad! The internet is full of recipes - check them out.
But wait until the end of May or later before you start picking and even then, don't pick everything yet! The biodiversity and bees will be very grateful!”

04/21/2024

Same goes for training our dogs!

Over the years, one of the bad horsemanship traps that I found myself falling into was letting the horse that I was getting on walk off before I had asked for that.

And part of that, I think, was because when you are younger and agile, it just doesn’t seem like any sort of big deal to catch up on the fly.

But it is also true that the moment of mounting, and, to a slightly lesser extent, dismounting, makes the rider vulnerable to all sorts of problems, including some particularly bad falls. Which is why it is so important to teach the horse to stand quietly like a rock until the rider is on, has both feet in the stirrups, has gathered up the reins and has asked the horse to step off.

Just as horses learn the habit of walking away too soon, so they can be taught not to, but it can’t be one way on Saturday, another way on Monday. Consistency is what creates habits, so if you want your horse to acquire the habit of being still while you are getting on, teach that daily.

Try not to make such a big deal about it that it makes the horse nervous or feel trapped, but take the time to readjust if he steps away or sideways from the mounting block before you are ready.

Like so much about horse training, we are creating conditioned response. But not nervous response, which is what we get when we are in a hurry or when we get intense.

04/06/2024

🤣

04/04/2024

The crew that started it all for me! L to R: Tw**d, Gabe, Rook and Bess.
Rook, Tw**d and Bess were the dream team! Emily purchased Gabe and he was her star! ⭐️

03/17/2024

Tru’s sire, the amazing Cap!

Aled and young Cap