More Expansion on the Farm

Piglets 

Rock path

     We brought home a trio of Buff Opingtons and five Guineas yesterday. To add to the chickens. We lost a few chickens early on this year so we figured it wouldn’t hurt to add a few back. The guineas will be the new alarm system for the barn, and maybe even eat a few fire ants.

Buff

     I have finally got the yard mowed. I have been dealing with the electric company cutting trees and taking down and putting up poles for the last several days. I found three black rat snake eggs while I was mowing. I put them safely into a bucket to see if they will hatch. I don’t want them near the barn but I don’t mind them on the property as they will eat the rats that may find their way up the hill or the copperheads that we really don’t want to encounter at all.

     I paved my garden paths with flat stones to keep grass from taking over and I cleaned out the pond and filled it so that we can put some gold fish in it this year.

     The grand kids are here for a visit and to share in the excitement of the new baby pigs. They lost theirs last year to a dog pack and I told them they could come pick out a new one to keep and train.

Grace is practicing her guitar and Nan has been drawing. I guess they don’t miss the swimming so far but we are definitely going to have to get moving on the frame exchange so we can swim again soon.

     I surprised that darn pig that has been running the yard since birth yesterday. He was in the other pen when we came home and I closed the gate real quick so he can’t get out anymore! Ha. I saved him for a few more days at least because he was going to be slaughter this week. He can live in that pen for a while.  My baby pigs are doing great they are in and out of the barn all day long. The males will be cut soon and once they are weaned six of them will already be going to a new home.

     

The electric company left the poles for us they switched out and will be dropping off any of the others they might have just to keep from hauling them back with them. We will be using them for a pole barn.

Little Surprise

        Went down to the barn today to water the plants I just potted up and found some small arrivals in the barn. Lucy, my family pig had giving birth to 9 baby piglets. She must have been in the process of giving birth when I first counted because there were only 7 when I was there the first time. I came back up to the house and watered plants in the front yard garden then came in to let  my hubby know we had newcomers to the barn. When he went down he found 2 more, one must have not made it, possibly rolled on, and the other still in half way in the birth sack.  The runt is a survivor. I am certain that there will be a few more births before this week is out as we have a few more mommas ready to deliver. The heat is going to be a big player in how many make it this time because it is so darn hot. I keep the mud hole filled and the waterer too I just hope that is enough. I am so glad the barn was opened.

Up on the Farm

     Summer feels like it is here already. Temperatures are soaring into the upper 80’ and even the upper 90’s. I finally got all my herbs all planted, some in pots and some in the gardens. I have moved some flat rock into the garden paths to keep the grass from taking over this year.

The pool we bought in 2017 has not survived as it was supposed to. The poles have all succumbed to a bad case of rust.  We had a warranty for it so we received new ones and we are going to spray each piece with a good sealing paint. The bad part about it is that we are going to have to tear the whole thing down to change it out.  Ugh!

This is the sign my daughter made us for the farm!

     

     We had the electric company out this week to cut down trees in the yard that will or could have an ill effect on their lines in case of storms again. They butchered the trees too. I have to clean up their mess in order to mow the yard. I started the same day they came and something happened to the mower so my Hubby has to tear it down and fix it.

     The kittens we have need to find homes as they are taking over the whole house. We have 5 boys; all orange tigers and 3 girls, one grey tiger and 2 black calico. I would love to find forever homes for them all. As far as pigs go we have to burn the grass around all the fence to have the electric moving through them again so they can graze all summer. We may be making a bigger pasture for them in the process.

     We will be starting back on the framing of the house this weekend also. We definitely have our work cut out for us and it is just the two of us. No one ever said that farmers have it easy. There is always something to be done.