Mama hates me today. I have begun the process of weaning her lambs from her. She is getting worn down, her udder is looking banged up with dry patches and these lambs at almost three months old are big and pushy. Watching those two fly at her at full gallop, charging straight at her udder is too much now. They almost knock her over. They are too big and she is just too old. Her udder too fragile. One side is already shrinking. 
They say that it is harder for the lambs but Mama takes this stage badly. For a week now she has been in a harder field with no clover. Yesterday I brought her into the barn where she cannot see them and it is cool. Her diet will be further restricted for three days, so that she does not produce so much milk during the drying up period. Minty has managed to talk herself in with her so she is not alone. I am Minty’s milk bar so she will be OK in there. Nowhere on the property is out of earshot though. Mama cried at intervals all night and the lambs cried right back. 
Meadow, The Murphy and Aunty Mia are left in the Rat House Paddock.
So the farmy was at odds yesterday and all last night and will be for a few days yet. Even Kupa could not quiet them last night. All the bleating and carrying on is so sad. I had to sit on my hands to resist letting her back with them. But it is time. Mama has had enough. But she has a big gravelly old sheep’s voice and hearing her cry is heartbreaking.
When she has dried up and has put on some weight, I will put them all back together but realistically that will not be for a few weeks. Over the next few days I have to watch her carefully for signs of mastitis. But she has never had trouble with that before so we should be OK.
These guys don’t care though. 
Look at those smiles.
The bad beans are growing. In their slightly wonky lines. 
Chooks drink milk too. Raw milk is good for their tummies.
Good morning. Yesterday many of you asked for the Pickled Onion recipe. I shall tell you what I did. Remember these are fridge pickles – designed to be eaten straight away.
Fresh Pickled Onions
Heat one cup of cider vinegar and four scant tablespoons sugar. Add a teaspoon each of peppercorns and coriander seeds. (or whatever spices you fancy). To the jar add a clove of garlic.
Slice two white onions and one red onion thinly. Slice one fennel bulb thinly. Sterilize a jar.
When the vinegar has come to a boil add the onions and fennel. Let them blanch in there for 30 seconds. Then pack the onions into the jar and pour the hot vinegar in on top. Tap the jar to get out the bubbles and seal. Refrigerate when cool. 
I love the pink hue that the red onions bring.
You all have a lovely day. As I have been writing Mama has been quiet. Weaning is my least favourite time.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
85 responses to “Mama hates me today and the Pink Pickled Onion recipe.”
Weaning is hard and heartbreaking – as much for you as the animal. But you´re sensible and you´re doing it because ultimately it has to be done. And they get so much love and attention, I think deep down your animals know and understand!
Except today, they do not understand today. Though so far this morning it is quieter than yesterday.. fingers crossed! c
Poor Mama! I don’t think weaning is easy for any mother. I can’t imagine listening to her and the babies cry for each other all night. Heart wrenching!
Every time I see how fast those pigs are growing it amazes me. I’m assuming the eating ones are getting just as big. How long do you fatten them up before they reach your table?
I hope they at least warn you before they spray the soy beans with pesticide so you can get everyone inside! We have wheat farming family members who used to sit outside with iced tea and watch the spraying planes do the fields. As you can imagine, with even a tiny wind, they were doused with pesticides and back then, didn’t even think a thing about it. They are in their late 60’s now and have all kinds of health issues. Scary!
Thank you for the onion recipe! I was just going to send you a little note today and ask how it’s done.
Hope you have a lovely day~ April
The pesticides are now genetically written into the seed. It is only seldom that they will spray a pesticide anymore, sometimes they will spray a fungicide by air. And of course the herbicides are sprayed on the ground in the spring. This genetically modified seed which repels its own bugs is actually what is killing the bees (and many other insects) in such an insidious form because the pesticide is plant born now, it is in its pores. if you like -the plant sweats its own pesticide. It flies with its pollen. How is that for a lovely morning story! c
This sounds like the start of a horror story … and a future environmental disaster. How to destroy a food chain…
With a soundtrack of bleating lambs!! morning bill.. c
Yikes. I just recently read about the corn that is being modified with a pesticide that bursts the stomachs of bugs that eat it. (I can only imagine what it does to people.) The whole GMO thing is infuriating. There will be a day where I bet we can’t even find ground that hasn’t been contaminated and seeds that haven’t been altered. A sad day indeed!
But until then, we will enjoy what we have and try to ignore those soy plants next to the farmy.
I hope the weaning goes faster than you think it will, for your heart’s sake! You are a good mama to mama and her babes (and all the animals). Hope you have an easier day of it today than you did yesterday!
I think that Mama’s worst day will be today. But tomorrow it should ease up a bit, then get better from then on.. c
Great pickling minds thnk alike, I’ve just been making a version of your radishes! Delicious, I can see me having to make some more very soon as they are being loaded into sarnies as we speak. I don’t grow onions, but I’m sure I could find an excuse to pickle some of these, besides I love th eidea of using fennel in a pickle (must sow some more!)
And Poor Mama and lambs and poor Celi’s ears!
I love pickled onions and just could not bear to wait. If you find some good locally grown onions they would make great pickles too.. I shall pop over and read the radish post . i bet yours are great.. c
Ooops, I just emptied my spam – and accidently deleted you! I saw your comment too late and there you were with all the spammy loons! How did you end up in my spam? Bugger! Hope you have a lovely day out there on the farmy
FLUUUSH!!! gone! c
The cows up the road (beef cattle) are being weaned, too. The owner has two large land parcels, abot a half-mile apart on our road. The Mamas are near our place, and all the calves are down the lane…such a sad-sounding racket!
Making beet pickles with fennel later – just the refrigerator kind. I love your brine recipe!
I look forward to pickling my beetroot too. I have not done it before. It might be the Year of the Pickle. Also I like to do stuff in little batches for the fridge, so stress free and fast! Poor you having to listen to multiple cows and calves.. That will be noisy.. c
I didn’t know chooks drank milk!!!
The peacocks have a sip too! I usually feed my fowls yoghurt once a week too.. c
Well thanks for the tip because we get free milk from next door because Ming milks for them – how wonderful!
Hope the mourning sounds of weaning ease of soon – always makes me sad hearing the cows when the calves are taken away.
You must love all the milk Ming brings home.. c
Yum!
I don’t envy you having to listen to Mama’s bleating. I hate it here in the glen when they separate the calves from the cows, all their distressed moo-ing echoing around the surrounding hills. Heartbreaking.
Christine
Thank fully it does not last long .. in fact it is a lot quieter this morning.. whew! c
No doubt all people and animals are on edge on the farmy. Hoping this weaning time passes quickly. xo
morning diane, you will have to do this too with your kids next season.. but it is over quite quickly and they will all be together again in a few weeks.. c
Listening to the lambs bleating for their mother all night long would be very tough. And hearing their mother calling back would be even more agonising. What a tough time for you. I’m glad you shared your pickled onion recipe. I make something similar with gherkins and use mustard seeds for flavour xx
I need to buy some mustard seeds, i meant to grow them but forgot!! grr.. c
You have a new banner! I like this one too. Poor Mama, in a kind of way. 🙂
A hard few days ahead for the farmie, I fear. I hope it all settles back into normality soon. Claire’s pickled radishes look marvie, and I’m think that the combination of your pickled onion and her radishes might be worth trying. Our Danish cucumber plants are just sitting there looking sad and not growing at all. I might be buying cucumbers for pickling this year. Nuts.
Poor mama – I remember what it feels like, enforced weaning, and it’s not pleasant. I like those wiggly rows (to look at) though hate the idea of GM and pesticides and all the other cides.
Hope you have an easier night tonight, it must be heart wrenching to listen but it sounds like it also has to be done. Definitely going to try this pickling recipe. I pickle my own green chillies with rice wine vinegar and ginger but need to try something nnew.
Will Minty be weaned from her bottle now too? Poor Sheepies Laura
Always such a heart wrenching time; some of our cria are excellent escape artists when taken away from Mom…
Enjoy your day C.