Green

The Southerly wind threw itself at us yesterday. Spitting heavy rain in amongst the gales.  Shaking the doors and windows looking to stick its long scissorhands fingers in through the cracks.  The barn was easy prey for windy fingernails. It is a colander of a barn. More holes than you can shake a stick at. More whistles than a marching band. The wind warmed up a little as the day went past, but still, howling drafts are very bad for babies.

So I shifted the The Bobby and Marcel to a North Pen. Much to their surprise. 

And I brought in a barrel for Poppy my Precious.

She did not actually sleep in the barrel as expected but I am coming to realise that nothing Poppy does is as expected. She slept in the lee of the barrel with her nose under an old vest of mine that I gave her when she was feeling poorly.  She still is not quite well which means that when we pick up the new KuneKune on Saturday Tima will have to sleep elsewhere until I am sure Poppy is not contagious.

You asked for a photo of Poppy climbing into my lap. But of course there was only me so I tried to take a shot myself but like a cat she Knew there was another hand that was not paying attention and it was hopeless. All I got was this. Deeply unsettling really.

Let me explain because this picture does not give you a thousand words, more like a thousand questions. Sometimes lack of focus is atmospheric, other times it is just lack of focus. In the lower left hand corner of the screen is the frayed cuff of my jacket, my hand is under Poppy’s head. She lays her head right into my hand like this so she can connect more solidly.  She already has a heavy head. So, her two feet are perched up on my knees with her head in my hand. She is happiest when I take my breaks in there with her.

Yesterday I spent some time on the phone and have found a local woman who has a small feed store, out in the country not far from here, she called around for me and found a pig feed with no animal products or medications or chemicals and has ordered a couple of bags for me. She also found a corn and soy free feed for the Kune until we get some grass. (Timatanga Moana will eat hay as well – such a big name for so little a pig). The lady was also thrilled that I shall be raising Hereford pigs as she has a few friends who would like to show them and would buy them from me. But there I am getting ahead of myself again. Let’s see if we can grow Poppy first.  She had no idea what a  kune kune was and was confused about its no grain requirements.

Now my question for all you beef cow raisers, Queenie Wineti is due either on the 30th or the 4th. What do you think? Come on Brat. What does that kiwi fella think too. I know you don’t have Herefords. But the udder of an Hereford is VERY different from the udder of a Dairy cow.  Queenie is the first beef cow I have bred and being one of a twin I am grateful we were able to breed her at all.  

Speaking of dairy cows. Daisy is now on two milkings a day and her milk is still bright white and clear of any problems.  She is behaving very well, no kicking or complaining. Plus yesterday was the first day I could get the cups to stretch to all four quarters at one time. So from now on I do not need to milk one side at a time.  We milk at 6am and 6pm. She gave 40 pints of milk in the morning and then 38 in the afternoon. That is about 10 gallons a day.  Roughly 40 liters. Good girl Daisy. We have enough milk to start feeding the Plonkers, (feeder pigs for the freezers)  just as soon as the blasted weather warms up.  I had better hurry up as Sheila is sucking up the slack! She is meant to be on a diet.

I started yoghurt yesterday. Fresh cheese today.!

Soon our land will be green. I see suggestions of green in the fields already. This time last year we were having snow storms so we are not that far behind really. I am just turning into a grizzle.  March is always the hardest month. We are so close!!

I hope you all have a lovely day.

Your friend on the farmy,

celi