Welcome!
May blew by and now we are into June! From one extreme to the other. Extra hot and dry with some wind thrown in for good measure, and now we are getting non-stop rain. The extreme weather is driving us to be ever adaptive in how we run our farm and greenhouse operation, and definitely keeps us busy!
It’s been tough, even with the greenhouse, to harden off seedlings, keep everything watered, and not have new plants get wind-whipped before they have a chance to toughen up, but I have to say, anything that leaves here is definitely as tough as you can get for what it’s had to go through! I’m trying to fill orders as quickly as I can, but if I haven’t gotten to yours yet, please be patient. Mother Nature has caused delays on top of the long list of wonderful clients we have to get through.
Lambing was off to a stellar start with two sets of twins being born to first-time moms with no complications. That has changed to a drought on the lambing front,
which is showing us that some ewes are open and fat, rather than pregnant. it would seem our one ram lamb may not have been as ready to breed last fall as his slightly more mature buddy was, since the lambs we have been getting are all sired by the same ram lamb. Live and learn. Osian will be ready this fall to make up for it! In the meantime, I think we still have a few ewes left to lamb, but as they are carrying longer, it is likely they only have singles, and one or two is younger as well, which often causes them to carry longer. We will watch and wait vigilantly.
Chicks are hatching furiously, but the hatch on May 30th may be our last for the season, so contact me if you want Isbar or rainbow chicks. We can still provide hatching eggs for awhile longer, and of course, have our rainbow protein pearls for eating as well. We are looking forward to adding more
Black Copper Marans into our existing flock, and are trying out Standard Dark Cornish, both thanks to Nancy Adams. She is a knowledgeable breeder, and a lovely lady. It will be a few more days yet before we see how our incubator of Guinea fowl does. I’m crossing my fingers for healthy babies and some new colours. Maybe this will finally be the year for turkeys. We’re supposed to be picking up some Royal Palm eggs this week to hatch out! I still have a few other breeds on my list, but we will see if anything materializes this year, or if we roll things into next season.
We’re counting down the days until we can get Juno preg-checked. Yes, you heard correctly. We bred her to a tall, dark, handsome jack named Magnus, and would be super excited to find out she would be expecting a long-eared mammoth foal next year!
Then there are the events. We’re trying to get ready for the big ones like Alberta Open Farm Days, and K-Days (a new one for us this year), while still maintaining everything else. We could really use some help in some areas, so if you would like to volunteer for AOFD (you get free products and discounts, or free spaces in our upcoming workshops in lieu, plus it’s a fun atmosphere where you can learn, and meet some other amazing people), or work a paid shift at K-Days, please connect with me at dawnw@mmgardens.ca
Upcoming Gatherings at the Manor
Our next Nature Walk is Whispers of the Wetlands on June 11th, and features the native orchids and other wetland plants of our fen. From then on, we will host a Nature Walk one Thursday a month, with more being booked as interest grows.
Whispers of the Wetlands nature walk – June 11th
Time 10:00 AM| Get Your Tickets: https://www.mmgardens.ca/product/guided-nature-tour/
Join us as we wander the spring-fed fen on the east side of our property. Our focus will be the native species of orchids, but there will be so much more to see, including other wetland plants, birds, insects, and possible other wildlife signs. Part of all proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the upkeep of the Wagner Natural Area – another beautiful fen area.
Who knows what you will experience on this guided journey?
Only you — should you decide to walk this path with us. 🌱
Litha Summer Solstice Day at Medieval Manor Gardens — June 20th
Choose one of the experiences that resonates with you most, or combine both for an entire day of celebrating the sun’s peak. Kelsey Shapka will lead you in crafting your own birch bark medicine pouch, and/or Andrea Zemrau will guide you through a sound immersion experience in our fen with her sound bowls. Email me at dawnw@mmgardens.ca to register.
Get more details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/3869740533321944/
These are but a few of many gatherings to be revealed in our Calendar of Teachings for 2026. Stay close, dear friends, so you do not miss what lies ahead.
I’m offering some of the more reliable species for preordering this season, so keep visiting our website to see what’s new as we add available species.
Volunteers
Our Crewyrs (Creators) Tribe is looking for new members to help us in the greenhouse on transplant days,
and put in our Native U-Pick Garden (whhaat??? You’ll have to keep checking back for when we release more info about these exciting projects!). We also need to get our summer fields ready along with our ram shed. Of course, there will be Alberta Open Farm Days again. If you enjoy learning, sharing your knowledge and skills, especially in the areas of construction, gardening, livestock, and people, this might be for you! Volunteers get to learn, try out our products at no charge, and receive discounts on our upcoming workshops. You may be able to get hired on as part-time staff if the fit is right. Interested individuals can contact me at dawnw@mmgardens.ca.
Firecircle Program
We just have the business plan remaining to complete in the Firecircle Program. It is so worth the investment as it will guide Medieval Manor’s path in the short and long term. If you are considering starting a new business in the tourism sector, have an Indigenous led or rural-type business, consider this program.
Immersive Learning Experiences
If you have a group interested in having us run a workshop or hike for you at your location or ours, or are
looking for some consultation regarding a planting project, by all means, contact us to arrange something. Teachers, groups, and corporate team builders, a great idea for this spring or next fall, is to arrange for one of our in-person workshops or tours. Whether you wish to create a mini ecosystem (woodland faerie, prairie, or puddle garden), go on a nature walk, or engage with and learn from our unique livestock and regenerative farming practices, MM Gardens can create an experience just for you! Contact us at info@mmgardens for details. We do not take any deposits until we know it’s a go, and we can always change dates if required.
Other Tidbits
We currently do not generally ship live plants out of province as they are overwintered outdoors to ensure hardiness, and may therefore contain organisms not native to other places. Some areas near us can receive free shipping, so please inquire if you are unsure or if our website is not cooperating.
Gift certificates are a great way to gift something in advance or if you are unsure of what someone may like. Delivery is also available to a number of areas.
We aim to provide completely immersive nature and agricultural experiences and products to educate
and connect people back to the land, thus instilling a desire to take action regarding the health of Mother Earth and her children.
Stay safe, and thank you for supporting local business and going back to your roots to grow your future.
Dawn Watts,
Owner and creator of Medieval Manor Gardens
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