Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Oh, pigs!
So, sometimes it's good to not make plans. because as soon as you do, they change.
Like yesterday. I planned to stay home all day and work on getting ready for Valley Fest Saturday. Got a phone call from my friends Steve and Sarah. They are the ones who got the 2 pigs I was going to get back in March. But chickened out and sold them to my friends. First timers, they were. Had the perfect place to put them. They grew and grew and grew. They were great pigs, those 2. Happy pigs. Big fat pigs.
Til Monday.
They had an appointment at the butcher. But they weren't going. Nope, not those pigs. They were perfectly happy right where they were, thank you.
Steve called wanting advice on how to get those pigs in the trailer and to the butcher. He had fixed it up where their pen was blocked up and the trailer was wide open, ready for them to walk right on in.
But they had other plans. Like laying down at the bottom of their pig pen, in the shade. And spend the day there. Like a pig should, right?
So Steve called me asking for help. I said I'd be there as soon as I could. He had 3 guys coming too. And Sarah. We were going to run them up the hill into the smaller area, then push them into the trailer. Just like that. Sounds easy, right? Well, they are PIGS! Pigs don't do what you want them to do. They do what pigs want to do. And that's all.
We ran those pigs up and down that hill. A LOT. Also had a dog chasing them. And a cattle prod. And lots of sticks.
Well, needless to say, the pigs will be staying in their little piece of heaven for 3 more weeks. They won this time.
Speaking of changed plans. I had talked myself out of breeding the sheep this year. I just didn't want to go through what we did the last time. But, the more I thought about it, the more I thought about it. I had a few people asking about lambs. So I have talked myself into breeding just 5 of the older ewes. Darla, Annabelle, her daughter Buttercup, Adele and her daughter Cassadee.
I'm going to also take the 2 wethers to the butcher Oct. 6th. Already have them sold. I need money! Then I will start looking for a ram. A friend has Finn rams, so will probably get one from her.
I'll take the other 5 ewes, Adalaide, Amarillo, Campbelle, Cara and Cameron out along with the 2 alpacas and put them in another pasture til the other 5 ewes are bred. Then I'll keep the ram with Oden, the buck, in the back yard.
Speaking of Oden the buck. He's coming home next week. Then he will be with Freja and Olga for awhile. I'll keep the 2 little does away til I think the big girls are bred.
So, some changes around here.
And speaking of changes again, it's the first day of fall y'all!!!!! So fun! It was a warm day though. I have had to water the garden a lot because no rain. Sure could use some. The garden is coming along real nice. Should be able to go back to the farmer's market next weekend.
I like change, really.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Milk machine...
I'm just milking Freja once a day now. It takes 2 days to get half a gallon. But it's worth it. I love goat milk!
I'll get my buck Oden back the end of September. Then he goes in with Olga and Freja for awhile. Hopefully there will be kids in March.
Friday, September 18, 2015
The chickens are out again...
and back in the garden.
I did get the electric netting fence around most all of the kale and collards, so I hope the rest will be ok. I tried to block off all the holes around the fence too. But Black Bart is the first one out there. And he clucks so the girls follow him. Darn ole rooster.
I got more collards and turnips planted Tuesday and watered in really good. Today I planted 2 rows of carrots to the right of the radishes. I think I'll plant a few more rows of radishes later.
So far, it's looking good out here in the garden. Buckwheat has flowers already. The bees are bringing in lots of bright yellow pollen right now. So I hope they'll have lots of honey to make it through the winter. I hope I don't have to start feeding them for awhile.
I am feeding the humming birds about every 4 days now. They come let me know when the feeder's about empty. I added a full cup of sugar this morning for them. They are getting ready for their long flight soon. I see them all over the place, in the window box and the flowers. I was sitting out under the cedar tree in the garden the other day knitting and I heard them all in the tree. I love them.
What's going on in your gardens right now? Anyone planting fall crops?
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