I said to myself, the old farmer made this for a what?

I stopped at Bert Larmer’s property yesterday after spotting a bird feeder in his front yard.

Once I’d introduced myself and asked if I could take a few pictures Bert happily showed me around his yard and out buildings.


[“Old farmers like Bert make sturdy, long-lasting birdhouses”]

He made several of the birdhouses and his son makes feeders. Good thing they don’t live in my neighbourhood; they’d put me out of business.

(FYI Canada Revenue Service: I don’t have a business but birdhouses do pay for gas for the motorcycle - so it’s not like I’m not paying taxes).


[A piece of local history: “I raced this dugout on the Thames for Bunny Bundle, 1973,” said Bert]

Bert also showed me a duck house he made from canary grass (cut from ditches) and binder twine, and told me that in Holland they have a holiday or festival where many handmade duck houses are placed in the wild.


[“Honestly, this duck house was a first for me”: photos GAH]

Great idea, I thought, while examining this unusual but practical construction. (The straw is twisted into a long rope, and the rope is sewn together as spirals are formed).


[“Bert has more canary grass to make spiral-shaped houses”]

Last week I stopped and chatted with a Mennonite farmer. Yesterday with Bert. Next week - who knows?

But I think it will be awhile before someone can beat Bert’s line, i.e., “I made this for a duck.”

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