My skinny girlie arms are SO tired. We collected 100 bales of good alfalfa hay from my friend the straw man and then one by one we hauled them up into the mezzanine floor of the barn to wait for winter. The Teenager unloaded them from the trailer..
..and carried them through to Our John who winched them up into the hay mow (said like Miaow) using this wicked ancient old pulley (found in another friends scrap metal heap) that you pull up by hand. 
Once John had swung the bale on to the first floor, pulling on the rope attached to the apex of the barn, I disengaged this apparatus, dropped that back down to The Lanky Teenager, carried the bale across and stacked it with the others. I like to stack because then I get the hay in the order I want it because I feed out by myself all winter and no-one else does it right! 
There are three grades of hay that will need mixing at feeding time as different animals have different nutrition requirements. Grass, alfalfa/grass (Johns hay) and alfalfa. The alfalfa is the highest in protein. In NZ alfalfa is called lucerne. It is the good stuff. These bales are very heavy. There is a good solid 60 plus pounds of hay in each. ) A cow will eat half a bale a day. Usually a quarter alfalfa and a quarter grass hay. And due to the dry weather hay will be in short supply this year. So I am feeling smug about having it all in and under cover. Johns alfalfa field, though struggling, will be mown and baled later this week if all goes well.
The Shush Sisters were setting up quite the clammer as they watched us work so in the breaks I let them out for a wee run and some training. 
I have been thinking about the pigs and the cost of feeding them once they are big and I am not sure the farm can feed and house two through the winter. Also the area designated for pigs in the winter was only meant for one pig. I am very against overcrowding animals. So I am going to be looking for a nice student to sell Charlotte to. My goal is that the farm is to feed the farm. Our pigs came from a litter of eleven. I am not even sure at this point whether I will breed Sheila as that is a lot of pigs to manage and sell. If Sheila is good with her training then she will be out and about with me most days. And in the dead of winter she will be in the barn with the other animals and me, so she will not be alone.
Sometimes we make mistakes. I think that the mistake is just that a mistake. But admitting the mistake, owning it, then dealing with the mistake is very powerful. My mistake was buying two piglets, sweet and entertaining as they are at this age. But they will grow to be about 400 – 500 pound and that is not be sustainable or manageable. Not to mention having two 500 pound sows trotting around after me as I go about my work. So I need to make this better.
One can come and sit on the verandah, not two. Well, let me know what you think. You all have a voice in the farmy and many of you have very experienced voices.
Good morning. Yesterday Daisy gave so much milk that she overflowed the bucket into the air line and down into the pump. All this in just under about three minutes by the way. Luckily our John was on hand to clean and dry the lines and the pump is still going. So he has ordered a bigger bucket. The one I am using is stainless steel so I cannot see when it is full. It is a 35 pound bucket full. So I have to keep lifting it. If it feels full (a knowledge that only comes with experience and that is something I do not have) I am to stop milking and pour some out. Then either reattach the cups and start again or hand milk the last of the milk out. I hope the bigger bucket comes FAST!
Paisley Daisy is in a good paddock! All that lovely clover. This bucket is full at just over 3 gallons. The next one will be 5.
Now I had better get my tired and achy self out there and get to work.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
85 responses to “Daisy’s Cup Runneth Over”
Hi Celi! I think that this is a good decision based on the needs of the whole farmy. I recently made an error in judgment that I am also glad I owned up to before the situation got worse. I had planned a beautiful fundraiser but in the last days leading up to it, realized that there would not be enough financial support for it to make it worth the effort, at least at this time.
it is hard to let go isn’t it. After you did all the planning too. but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and change the plan.. c
Morning Celi (T-time here) I think you will be wise to part with one of the shushes. I constantly worry that you are doing too much, but there is a limit to any one person’s strength and energy which only that person can know. Regarding a single pig missing her own kind, I think that on your exceptional farmy, the community spirit, built up among the flerd by your caring, will ensure that she’ll probably grow up thinking she’s a Celie, a Tonton, or maybe even a Hairy..
The elusive sun has appeared this afternoon, with unaccustomed warmth. The roses are taking full advantage to give us a splendid show. I’ve given the rain orders to hop across the pond for a day or two.
Thank you ViV. I think she will be Ok alone as well, she has had a good start and we are an unusual farm, she will not be confined to a cage. I am glad you have some sun.. Bet your roses are beautiful .. have a lovely Tea Time! c
Summer is such hard work…but I would it rather be summer than cold winter. Although, Terry would rather have winter and enjoying the fire!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Wow, just caught up on a week’s worth of posts – always so much going on on the farmy! That Daisy is certainly worth her weight in white gold these days. Look forward to hearing how the Old Codger is getting on with his sticks.
I think you’ve probably made up your mind already on what to do about the piggie problem, so I won’t bother adding to that dilemna. Lots of sensible advice already given. Just wanted to wish you and the farmie a very good morning and a peaceful day. xx
That is quite hard work and I don’t envy you. But it must be so gratifying.
About the pigs: there is always bacon. Just sayin’! 😉
Morning Eva, Charlotte has a name, and we cannot eat anything that has a name.. those are the rules.. I will find someone who wants to breed them! c
It’s a sad old clicke but – I love hard work, I can watch it for hours. Full of admiration for you and your team.
actually I have not heard it in a while so i got a laugh!! c
All that lovely hay! It’s really quite beautiful, but I can only imagine how hard you worked! I really appreciate the dilemma of what to do with the piggies, and your mistakes are really such lessons in learning how to manage a sustainable farm. I don’t know how you could always predict, but what I continually hear is how compassionate you are towards your animals. I know that keeping them doesn’t sound reasonable and parting with them difficult, too. I can’t imagine feeding two of them at the size that’s predicted! I’d ask Kupa for advice. 🙂 Debra
Kupa said get those noisy things out of here, they snore!! c
Celi, your usual clarity appears to have got muddied on the subject of the Shush Sisters. Recently you said that the Shush Sisters were different from the plonkers, that they had “pet status”. Pigs are funny and curious but they are not pets, I doubt Sheila will ever come and sit on your veranda without also wanting to crash through the front door just to see what’s inside! Also the Shush Sisters need to pay their way if they are to contribute to your goal of a self sustaining farm and leave all the swanning around to Kupa.
Perhaps you can keep one Shush and manage a litter of piglets through the summer when they can be outside. The piglets will get to market weight in five or six months and will make you some money to pay for all that winter lucerne. I’m thinkin Daisy will feed the pigs all summer and the pigs will feed Daisy all winter plus there will be bacon. At the end of the summer you will be back to one Shush who needs to be wintered inside. I don’t imagine you will have much trouble selling the pigs as you will be very good at direct marketing them to people who want to buy animals reared using your ethical principles. I will certainly read with anticipation about how you do this, not worry that an animal that was named is no longer part of the farm.
Well put. I will probably keep one (Sheila) and breed her. The thought of keeping two to breed was just too much.. We are not set up for that many piglets. Plus two great big pigs crashing about in the barn in the winter was too much to imagine. I always meant for there to be only Sheila. When I say pet status I mean that she is breeding stock and will be trained to the farm and to answer to her call. Like Daisy and Queenie. You are right, I need to keep my eye on the ball! c
But they’re strong! 🙂
That’s some nice looking high test hay! I tell the girls that haying builds muscle and character. The oldest one will probably start helping the neighbours do hay this year or next. We stopped doing it ourselves a few years back and lease out the land to neighbours instead.
I’ve never had pigs, but we’ve discussed getting one. I’m curious to see how it all works out for you.
I can send you one if you like! She is house broke! c
Now wouldn’t that throw the cat and dog for a loop! I’d be a heck of a plane ride for the pig, too. 🙂
I could train her to sit with her seat belt on and not slurp her drinks!!
Oh my – things are really get super busy. Afraid I can offer no pig related advice, but look forward to seeing what others have to say!
This is a decision no one would want to make. Virginia
I don’t think your arms will be skinny for long with a heavy milk pail to tote around. We all make mistakes and we’ve sure made our share. I think it would be wise to sell Charlotte. Ovescrow ding and stress about maintenance isn’t something you need or want.
very true annette! c
I love that old implement you found for pulling the hay up into the mow! As far as the trouble with two pigs…they do eat aplenty. You may be able to get slop buckets donated from a local school or nursing home but that would involve some running around. I am really interested in how you plan for self sufficiency on your farm and woud love to hear more of the specifics on how much and what you plant/do to maintain that goal.
well soon all the food crops will be coming in and then we will not need to buy pig food at all! well for a while.. c