Can you teach pigs.....or will they just get it?

So yesterday....I built an "automatic" hog water. I took a 40 gallon barrel and added hog water nipples. I split the hog yard more even, added a big cinder block to set it on and started filling it. OF COURSE this barrel has a crack in it about half way up. For now, that is OK....because I am not sure these darned pigs are smart enough to even know what this is for. They watched me install it....they were even throwing a hissy fit as I filled it....wanting water. I tried calling them over and flipping the nipple so they would know that is where the water is but those stubborn pigs all ran back to their now empty water bowls and pitched a fit. I eventually gave in and filled the water bowls. *sigh* Did I do all that work for nothing? Will they ever "get it"?

The weather was so nice yesterday, I was able to get a few other little jobs taken care of as well. A few weeks ago I replanted a couple of rows of beets. This summer has been hard on the garden and especially beets. I have yet to can one jar of beets. Yesterday as I was watering the seedlings, I realized I may not get to can ANY beets this year. They just are not thriving. We really like pickled beets so this makes me sad. Oh, I could just go buy some and put them in the pantry, but I really do not like mass processed vegetables. We still have 5 pints from last summer, looks like this winter we will just have to consider the beets as a "special treat" unless these little seedlings take off...and soon! I took the lawn tractor over to the sheep paddock and mowed down the taller grasses that had become tough. The sheep will not eat those and I don't want to walk through it and come across a sneaky snake. Besides....it looks better now. The last "big project" I worked on was the goat yard. There is this weed....I found out is called "Himalayan Balsam" I call it..." That darned weed" It grows fast, and will quickly take over an area.

The goats will only nibble on it, the sheep as well...but neither will eat it exclusively. The goats yard was covered in this...and it grows about 3 ft tall! So, I grabbed the weed eater and headed out to destroy it....at least for now. I am sure in a week or so, it will be back with a vengeance. That pretty much consumed the better part of my day. This morning I woke to temps in the LOW 50's. It is beautiful, but chilly out there. Today I will work the garden over a bit, gather green beans and Lima Beans. I need to start thinking ahead...winter is just around the corner and will be here before we know it. I am trying to make sure every animal is ready for the cold harsh winter that the Farmers Almanac is saying we will have. Condense pens...start picking up, washing and storing the many feed and water dishes that are not in use....and trying to get feed stocked in to last at least a few months. I had hay delivered a few weeks ago... 100 bales. That should get us through winter. Next will be a load of straw...and pine shavings. So much to do....so little time...busy busy!

August temps are like September...Hmmmm, Im NOT complaining...

This really has been a very trying year as far as the weather goes. Extremely wet and HOT for July and now for August the temps are only in the 70's and 80's. Gardening this year has been a real challenge. Our beets haven't had a chance....Tomato's are growing so slow, they are rotting while still green and the green beans are trying to give up already even tho I have only picked about 6 PINTS. I really am scared to dig up the potato's...hoping they did better than everything else...not holding out much hope. Yesterday I was able to clear an area in the big garden and get it mostly ready to replant. Yes, it is late however, I am thinking just maybe the beets will be able to grow enough that I will have some for the pantry. Today I will do my best to get them planted....wish me luck.

Making memories....teaching lessons...

What a great weekend. We had company for the weekend. Our youngest son, his son, and 2 of our son's friends came in from Oklahoma. This is the son that is always on the move, always doing "something" and wearing me down. Haha. They pulled in the drive around noon, and by 1 pm, we were butchering 5 roosters. This was a first time experience for our son Jason, and grandson Iziah. I wasn't sure how Iziah was going to handle it and at first I thought he was going to have a melt down, and we would have to have grandpa take him and keep him busy. Iziah is 8 years old, and all boy, but the first time can be a bit hard, for anyone. As we gathered the first 2 roosters up, he had a few tears...I asked him why he was upset and he replied...I don't want them to die. I pulled him aside,and explained why we process the extra roosters,how I do it humanely and that they don't suffer and how they will feed us, and we will be thankful. By the time I dispatched them, he was getting excited to get busy with plucking. He did great.

It didn't take us too long and we were cleaning up with 5 roosters in the cooler. I was so glad to have the help and we now have 7 meals in the freezer. Once the temps cool down, I will pull the backs out of the freezer and can them and make chicken broth. After standing bent over that table for a few hours, I was spent. I wanted to sit down and just enjoy the short time we had with them here, however, Jason was NOT ready to sit. *sigh* We took Iziah over to the small pond where Jason saw that the pond weeds were thick and we couldn't see the fish. He decided that needed to come out. He grabbed the leaf rake and went in. Iziah and I got the lawn tractor and wagon.

As Jason raked it out to the edge, Iziah would pick through it removing any life he found....crawdads, small perch, tadpoles, frogs, lizards....so much fun for a boy!

Even Jason's friend got in on the "fun" looking for critters.

The guys took the pond weeds over to the geese, chickens and pigs. They said the pigs were the happiest upon getting their treat. I retreated to the house to get cleaned up and get dinner started. I made Izsiah's favorite dinner. Fried chicken, mashed "taters" green beans and gravy. As we all gathered around the table, pausing to give thanks, I couldn't help but smile as I watched these 4 men and young man....dive in with gusto. Passing dishes, making comments like "that smells great" and "you better get what you want now because once I get it there won't be any left" We all laughed and enjoyed a great meal. Iziah was eating, and already asking what was for breakfast. He knew grandma was going to make a big breakfast for him. Bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy. He talked about breakfast all night. The men all retired around a bon fire. I, after getting a shower, retired to my chair. One worn out grandma! LOL After breakfast, they gathered all of their things up and hit the road, back to Oklahoma. Life keeps us all so busy, visits are short and only a few times a year, so we treasure every minute we get with them. Today, we are back to the regular grind....farm chores, work, and later I will do some canning. Tomato's and green beans will go in the pantry. Our harvest is meek, but we are thankful for any that we get to help keep us fed through the winter.

Just look at that moon!

Did you get up before the sunrise? If so, did you happen to see that moon? If you were up, then there was no way you could have missed this!

It was so bright, that before sunrise, you didn't need a light out there to see. Tomorrow will be the FULL moon, second one this month, so you know what that means, right? A "Blue Moon" Last night I made sure to lock up the poultry tight. We have always considered the full moon to be a "predators Moon" since the night is lit up so well. This year has been a year of "memorable occurrences" So many Full moons, blue moons, blood moons, the epic rainfalls, the heat....and beautiful sunsets. Here is a evening sky we had the other day. This picture does it no justice. The sky was a beautiful apricot color..and it seemed to glow....everything seemed to have a wash of color on it that evening.

Along with this apricot color sky....my miniature rose finally bloomed....it too is an Apricot color....almost salmon color.

So tiny...so pretty. The weather has finally taken a change for the better. The humidity has let up....at least for now. The temps are still in the low 90's, but bearable. Hopefully now the garden will be able to recover, and produce enough for us to fill the pantry. It's not looking good so far this year. Everything has suffered from all of the rain. All we can do now is wait....watch...and hope.

I want to become a HERMIT!

Wow! This weather is miserable! Low 90's and dew points in the mid to upper 70's Oh, and lets NOT forget the occasional rain shower...just enough to make puddles. *sigh* This morning I went out to do the morning chores...thee is no air moving...it is so still....I can feel a fly's breath! As I walked up to the pig's pen, I noticed part of the electric fence was down. GRRrrrrrrr. This means I had to turn it off...slop around in the muck, and fix it. While I was in there trying to fix the electric wire, sweat dripping in my eyes, I became breakfast for the million's of mosquito's that were hiding in the weeds. Stripping wire, wiping sweat....taping wires, wiping sweat, smacking mosquito's, scratching mosquito bites, swatting at the air...trying not to inhale the thick cloud of mosquito's..one of them makes it's way into my nostril..UGH!!!!! I finally was able to get it fixed and RAN to the plug to get it turned back on, ran to the shop to put up the tools, and RAN to the house, scratching and wiping...swatting and scratching! In the 15 minutes it took me to fix the fence I ended up with 7 bites on my back.....and 6 on my legs. So, yeah, between the lack of air movement, the heat, the humidity and the smoke like swarm of mosquito's.....I think I am going to become a HERMIT! Other than running out to do a welfare check on the animals....refresh their waters....I am staying INSIDE. WHY can't we have 80 degrees with a light breeze, and ONE day a week of a light rain with night tie temps in the mid 60's? Wouldn't that be grand?? I am going to go hit the shower...then see what I can get into INSIDE!

Now what have I gotten in to??

Seems there is always something going on around here....and I am usually the one to get in it. This weekend the hubby and I decided we would "divide and conquer", and we did...sorta. You see, the problem we both have is...our minds are still in the " 20 something mode" and our bodies are in the "grandparent mode" Saturday morning we laid out our battle plans....He was to get on the mower and mow all day, into the night if needed..( not really) and I was going to get in the garden and decimate the weeds. 8 am....I headed out to start with opening coops, filling feeders and waters...and unleashing the poultry hoards on the creepy crawlies. Now that the waters have receded from the month long deluge of rains, we WILL reclaim this land! Onward little feathered soldiers..."Carpe Diem" seize the day. On to the pigs....as I walk up to "mud city"...a stinking hole in the ground where future bacon and hams lay lazily....the handles of the heavy buckets of feed dig into my hands....they awaken with the sound of my footsteps. Large black ears twitch, tiny little eyes peer at me through the fence as they stand there, waiting for their breakfast. The month long rains have made this area a place I do NOT want to be for very long periods of time. It will take several pounds of powdered lime to control the stench. This is NOT a job I look forward to. How can something that smells SO BAD.....end up tasting SO GOOD!? Soft grunts and slurping, chomping sounds....means my job here is done. Whew! On to the barn. The animals know my routine...and the sounds involved. The sheep and goats are quiet while I tend to the animals on the north end...however, as soon as I slide the door shut on the shop, where I store the pig food, they start calling to me. The goats are the loudest protesters. What are they protesting you might ask? Apparently the fact that I walk too slow to make them happy. It starts with a few calls from the younger crowd, Baaaah, Baah..then the adults chime in...BAAAH!! This arouses the sheep..with a low, bass type call....muffled...MMMMmmmmm. The sheep emerge from the barn...meeting me at the gate. I get a full escort to the barn. They must feel the need to scatter the barn cats from my path, you know, so they don't slow me down. The sheep have a "dance" that they perform every morning as I scoop out their breakfast. The 2 bigger girls get fed in a stall since they feel that every dish of feed must be consumed with record speed so they might be able to steal everyone else's breakfast. The girls prance in and out of the stall, softly calling, or mildly protesting my lack of speed. Now, feeding these 2 gals is tricky. They are...how do I put this without sounding mean? Oh, I know.....they are not fat they are fluffy! HA! Nope, they are fat AND fluffy and demanding! Every day, as I enter the stall, they start....running in circles around the feed pan...shoving each other like it is a game of "musical dish" As they circle around I wait for an opening..and throw the feed into the pan. This stops them in their tracks. Whew, I did it and didn't get thrown into the stall walls. This is a good day! I lock the stall door and turn around to see two little beady eyes watching this fiasco. Tulip the pot belly pig waited patiently while I "danced with the sheep" She lets out a few little grunts as I fill her pan....and poor little Laura, the last of the Shetland sheep, patiently waits by the barn door...where she is ready to flee if needed. She is a silly sheep. She has been a resident here for 5 years, and most of the time I can scratch her cheeks and shoulders...but one wrong move, POOF! She is gone! Time for the live weed whackers to get their breakfast. They have been standing at the gate to their side of the barn...bawling the entire time I tended the others. They act as if they haven't been fed in days...or weeks....screaming at me...trying to climb the gate to get to the feed cans. *sigh* I push my way through the herd to get to the dishes and finally get the last of the critters fed and watered. I stand back, looking around as they all enjoy their breakfast, and I smile. Happy animals..bales of hay stacked floor to ceiling..full feed bins...yes, my job here is done. As they finish up, I turn the 2 big girls out of the stall and head out to get to work on the garden. By this time the hubby is on the mower...getting his day started. I pause....staring at what should be a garden, but looks like a jungle of weeds. Somewhere in there....there are Lima beans and Brussels sprouts....tomato plants and green beans. I pull on my gloves, and get started. Weeds are flying....hand full after hand full the garden cart is filling up. I pull the bottom layers of leaves from the Brussels sprouts and prop them back up with the sticks that hubby provided while cleaning the fallen branches from the trees before he mows. Slowly but surely it is looking like a vegetable garden again. 4 hours later, I stare at my accomplishments. If the weather co-operates...we just might have a good harvest yet. Well, at least a few of them are doing better than I thought. The beets...well..I will replant them next weekend. The day comes to an end...with 2 very tired humans....and several animals that await their dinner. Time to give them their dinner and put them to bed. These were the happenings of last Saturday. Sunday morning we awaken sore and stiff. We decided to take it "easy" today...except for feeding the animals...we will not "work" outside. I woke up with my right index finger hot and swollen at the tip. I can't see a wound, no point of entry, but I grabbed the drawing salve and slather it on and wrap a band aid around it. It was tender all day Sunday. Today, Monday morning I was awakened by the pain. Dagnab it! I cleaned the area, and again slathered drawing salve on it...and wrapped it up. If by Tuesday it is not better, I guess I will call my Dr. Today I will work inside. Highs in the low 90's with humidity to match. YUK! The light rain we got last night is going to make today a miserable day to be outside. Hello laundry....we meet again!

Late July....replanting and saving.

What a hard summer we have had....weather wise. So much rain...and heat....the humidity has been tough on everyone and everything. Keeping the garden alive has been a challenge. Have I ever told you how much I love a challenge? I do...but this one has been tough. The weeds are the only thing that seems to love this weather. Since I have started a new job, my time in the garden has been limited. The rain has made the rows retain water...and impossible to walk in. Well....the water has receded, the ground is getting more solid, and I am able to walk in the garden without sinking past my ankles. So.....this weekend I am taking on the challenge of saving the garden. Once I get in there and get the weeds out, I am going to lay in the barn cleanings.....at least that is the plan. I have been able to get a few tomato's and cucumbers so far...so we have been enjoying those...my main concern is our green beans, Lima beans and Brussels Sprouts. Those are a few of our main vegetables that we are depending on to get us through the winter. Hubby will be tackling the grassy areas this weekend. It will take most of 2 days for him to get the grass mowed. So...as I sit here enjoying my morning coffee....I am making plans as to my course of action. Divide and conquer....that is the plan for this weekend. Wish us luck!