Surely these ravenous beasts need weaning soon she thinks. Sorry Charlotte not for couple more weeks.
They are in training to drink water from the spigot. Do you see the little spigot poking through the fence, this is attached to a hose that runs out of the base of a big water barrel on blocks. It is gravity fed and if they nibble at the steel spigot out rushes the water. The moment pigs see water in a vessel the upturn it and lie in the water.
They are learning to eat their solids, the store sends out old grapes and bananas and potatoes, melon skins, bags of old lettuce and carrots. Everyday I pick weeds and silver beet (the favourite), corn stalks, and eggs and grass Any leftovers from the house and the gardens go in their bucket. Raising pigs on food! I am This Close to finding a source of organic grain that I will use as treats to call them in off the fields.
Added to this is the garlic, molasses and flaxseed oil. But they still need their mothers milk for a few more weeks honey. Poor Charlotte. They are so big now. And so noisy and boisterous when they feed.
We grow more than vegetables and meat on the farmy though. We also grow food to nourish butterflies. Milkweed is a protected plant in our gardens and like an Indian cow is allowed to flourish wherever it likes, though not always in the right place and every year we attract more and more Monarch butterflies. Milkweed supplies nectar for the butterflies, and food for the caterpillars. A very important plant for the monarchs. So we let them all grow. In New Zealand we have a plant called the Swan Plant that has a similar status. But the Swan Plant will not survive the cold and I have no seed this year, I forgot to buy my supply when I was home.
So we only have milkweed this year. However there is more than one kind of milkweed, all of which are natives to North America and I am eager to find seed for one or two of the others to sow down by the creek. The older people around here are appalled when they see them shooting up in my flower garden and wild areas, as they were always taught that this is a noxious weed, and hack at it if they find it in their gardens and wild areas.
It is poisonous to humans and animals. In fact if a bird eats a caterpillar who has been eating milkweed he is going to feel very ill indeed – what an excellent plan of the clever monarch. The Ancient Native Americans used Milkweed for glue, fibers and medicine. This is an old wild original plant, it stands upright and its flowers have a heady old fashioned scent that layers itself into the air in waves. I don’t grow it in the fields. But I believe that it is an important part of the ecosystem. And every year we have more and more Monarch butterflies returning. They have put us on their secret map.
The Daily View. I must look back and see when we started this. I know I was going to show you this view for a year.
Good morning. Today I suit up and inspect the bees. I think I am going to have to combine the two hives. Nefertiti’s hive is very very quiet, whereas Cleopatra’s is heaving with bees. I will show you tomorrow.
But first I will move the cows back into Pat’s paddock. They can only be in the Dairy Mistress paddock for the evening, through the night and into the morning. We are reaching a hundred degrees each day now with high humidity, no breeze and full sun, and there is no shelter in there as yet (your Fellowship Forest willows go in this fall – I am growing them from cuttings) but this is where all the good feed is. So in a few hours the cows will come and stand at their gate and I will bring them through the fields, past the pig sty and into the deep shade with the big water trough. After that I open the pigs gate again so the piglets can run out into the long grass while the cows stand under the trees behind the fence and watch. Time sharing a field.
Have a lovely day.
your farming friend, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
63 responses to “Milkweed for Monarchs and a Daily Piggie Feast”
My yard is so full of butterflies you have to duck! I have three different kinds of Milkweed, some I have to cut back a lot as it spreads like crazy. I also grow lots of hers (dill, fennel, parsley etc) as they like that too. Just wish the cabbage whites would stay off my Broccoli, Cabbage and Brussels! Have had Monarchs for a couple of weeks now. And don’t get me started about the Humming birds – I have five feeders going all the time with at least 6 birds at each at any given time. Have to duck for these too as they fly like jets across my deck! But I love to see all life thriving in my garden – well maybe not the bloody Japanese Beatles!!
The japanese beetles are killed by dawn and water sprayed on them but with all that wildlife hopefully the birds will eat them. I would love to have hummingbirds.. I have seen one or two here but I do need to think about what plants to grow for them. Your garden sounds like a fairytale! c
Lovely read, as usual. Glad to see everything’s calm and happy on the farm.
Celi, those little pigs are growing so fast! Good luck with the bees…
The milkweed we have in North America can be eaten by humans, I was just as surprised to see it myself but we recently did a label for pickled milkweed pods for Food Network Canada! The garden looks lovely and how wonderful that you are growing things for the butterflies, that Monarch is beautiful. We haven’t seen a Monarch up here in a few years.
Ha, well that is good to know, pickled milkweed pods aye!! sounds interesting!! c
I love this blog. I know I have said it before but you really have created a PLACE. I visit this place everyday. It is like escaping into a really good book. Thank you.
Mggie what a lovely thing to say..escaping into a book sounds great.. speaking of which it is pretty hot now so i should go and see about those bees! c
You are one amazing woman; I adore the creatures
I’m with you on the milkweed – even collected seed pods from an empty lot a few years ago to spread in the back field. We’ve got some, but not enough…Every year, a little more 🙂
Did you try the ice with the chickens?
Oh i did and they took no notice at all, so i gave the rest to the piglets and they tried their very best to grab them and munch on them, they thought they were cool toys! I don’t have an ice crusher, i think this is the problem. Great idea though, i think if you do it often enough the piglets will get the hang of it!… c
I have the nicest memories of milkweed from my childhood. I remember picking some in the woods, peeling them and wondering at the layers under the peel. There’s a silk layer, one with tiny seeds, and the pod is in the shape of a fish. What wonderment.
What an amazing change in the Daily View! Wow. And I love the photo of the butterfly. So peaceful.
I love milkweed…I never kill it…drives all the farmers in our area bats, but if we kill milkweed we lose the Monarchs…I can’t stand that thought. So we have milkweed all along the canal bank and the transfer ditches and the pastures and my yard!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Are you my Mother? I think you are my mother.. c
I always enjoy reading about your daily chores and dealings with the “Children of the Farmy,” Cecilia. You talk about the heat as if it is merely another aspect of a fluid, ongoing story, never complaining, always adapting. Friends and family who visit you must love being in your space.
Anything that attracts the butterflies has got to be good. They are beautiful.
I love reading about your life down on the farm. I am learning so much about pigs, didn’t realise they had such personalities.
I once read that farmers used to let milkweed grow along the edges of their fields but, as the use of commercial weedkillers grew, the milkweed died and the Monarch numbers began to drop in some areas. I have a PBS program that explains the Monarch migration. Each year, it takes 4 generations to leave Mexico, reach Canada, and then return to Mexico to spend the Winter. It’s fascinating and I’ll get you a copy the next time you come on a shopping run. I’ve tried to grow milkweed here but have had no luck with it. Apparently it’s the only weed that won’t grow here, judging by the looks of things. I’ll be leaving for Michigan. Take care, Celi. Do be careful in this heat. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
You are not wrong there, but i worry about Our John more than i worry about me.. he has to work out there in this for the whole day, no ducking into the shade for a break.. I have a whole list for the next time i run up.. not the lunch visit though.. the next one! Say hi to your most darling Zia from me.. tell her that her apple tree is doing beautifully.. c
Well raising piglets does have matters common with raising human bubs; was just about to ask whether they were weaned – seems they still have the best of both worlds! Poor Charlotte in 100 degree heat!! There was a lot of milkweed in NE Europe and I was even made to wash my hands as a tiny tot if I had touched it! Butterflies: Please more photos when you find them: your photo beautiful and I surely love them. Both husbands nicknamed me that [ 😉 ! whatever that says about my character 🙂 ] ! From Fijian I was ‘manna manna’ for decades!!
I always learn something new about farm life from your posts! So insightful!