A winning way of life
RD: We have been receiving your magazine for about 20 years and we keep every one. I find them to be a great resource and cannot bring myself to throw any of them out. My husband, Russell, and I raised our four boys on my husband’s ancestral home in Copper Lake, Antigonish County. 
    We gave up the sheep in 1994. He is 77 and I am 68 and we still run a cow-calf and small blueberry operation. Our lovely silver Charolais are our pride and joy and we love our way of life, labor intensive though it is. It is so good to have a publication that we can relate to.
Keep up the great work.
Marjorie MacHattie
Goshen, N.S.

Easy on fuel
RD: This tractor I took a picture of on a rural drive in New Brunswick is made entirely of bales of hay with steering wheel and hubcaps added on. I love your paper and when I move in the spring I shall continue to get it.
Esther Bradley
Cherry Burton, N.B.

Another fool?
RD: We moved to Annapolis Royal from Southern Saskatchewan just over two years ago and live across Hwy. 201 from neighbors Ron and Rosalind Purdy who graciously allow my Standard poodle “Dancer” and me to walk up the mountains on their woodlot road. 

Mowing in style
RD: I built a tractor from a heap of parts from a 1941 Willys jeep – crank, radiator, carburetor, coil, steering system including steering wheel, water pump, shifting lever, and head with original spark plugs. Its gas tank, fenders, and air filter are from Allis Chalmers tractors. 
    The brake and clutch peddles, draw bar, hydraulic levers, and gas control are off I.H. tractors, plus lots of chain drivers from an I.H. grain drill. There’s an “ooga” horn also on it. 

Key to good cheese
RD: A couple of years ago I got interested in making my own cheese. After reading several books on the subject I tried my hand using store-bought liquid, and even powdered milk, often mixed with cream. The resultant cheeses varied from passable to quite good but I’m convinced that my success is severely limited by the milk.

Big trees, butt

RD: I was visiting some old friends in Jolicure, N.B., and found a copy of RD. I was struck by the great articles about fracking and egg production (Jan.-Feb. RD). I was also prompted to measure my apple trees when I got home after reading the letters describing large old apple trees.

Expert Panel seeks input

RD: As an active opponent to fracking, I very much appreciated Jack MacAndrew’s recent article, “A Fracking Mess” (Jan-Feb 2014). Unfortunately, MacAndrew did not mention the Expert Panel on Hydraulic Fracturing in Nova Scotia. All citizens, termed stakeholders of N.S., but from outside N.S. as well, are asked to submit their concerns about – or interest in – fracking by the end of March 2014.