Well, Good for you! At my age, I'm really glad it's you not me-but that doesn't mean I'm not jealous. Seriously jealous. I'll hope for lots of reports from the 'frontier'.

I don't know with all of it, but that is Rhubarb. When I was just a kid the first job I remember was tending my grandmother's Rhubarb. She had a little patch at our place (right at the corner of the bunkhouse where there was water available). Anyway, I have a good feel for Rhubarb.

Periwinkle. The bluish flower. It makes a great ground cover and will tend to take over an area...

Oh. Head for a tractor store (in Nova Scotia?) and get deer or elk skin work gloves. They will last 10 to 100 x your dress gloves. A real secret is that you can turn them inside out and get the seams outside for the comfort. If what your doing isn't to needful of being tactile. Like piloting a hoe or riding a horse (or motorcycle).