Tima and Tane

Yesterday I put Tima and Tane in a little field together.  I loaded Tane into his travelling crate and John helped me  carry him across, (Life is so much easier on the one day a week that he is home – if you can find him awake of course!)  I am not so sure Tane will follow me yet, we are still bonding so I thought it best to carry him. Tane will be brought up differently from Tima.

Tane is a boar, he will get big, and when a female is in heat he will get bolshy, he will have tusks. We cannot have a boar wandering about the house in a bad mood. He will not have the free rein that Tima has. So he will know his boundaries – and those mean never in the house. Though it still amazes me how friendly this breed of pig is. He has known me only a few days but already he is trying to crawl up into my lap.

There is lots of grass in the little field and Tane immediately started to munch – he had not enjoyed being locked up in the purgatory house. The next few nights are reasonably warm so they can sleep  out there in their snug little out-house and hopefully bond.

TonTon is doing a bit of bonding as well. There were a few spats and a bit of whining  but all in all Tima and Tane got along very well and even shared their dinner of pumpkin and melon.  I was pleased to see that Tane did not back down when Tima got hissy at him. This bodes well for breeding later on.  I hope to sell their piglets and make a little money for the sustainable farm. Self sufficiency is all very well until you have to pay the rates.  Then the piper must be paid.

And it is better for Tima to have another pig with her. The winter is hard for a pig alone  – as Sheila will tell you.

I was working on the childrens book yesterday evening and John was making dinner when I heard him call out- there is a pig on the porch!. Well you and I know this is not news, but John is seldom home. So I went out expecting to see Tima ..

and found Poppy with her head in the bucket of pears that were due to be sliced and dehydrated today.

Through the screen and then the double glazed door Poppy looks a little scary, but that is just pear juice dripping  from her jaws.

She had bashed at that gate, we were talking about the other day, until the chain came off. (It is now tied up with baling twine.)  and rushed to the porch – as they do. Her Heat is on the wane now. She will be back to placid and smiley Poppy soon. She is a good size this pig. I am pleased with her. She eats a powerful amount of grass and clover.  I learnt my lesson about fat pigs. Less grain the better.

Speaking of fat pigs – Yesterday evening I got the pitchfork to push all the summer straw closer to  Sheila’s bed (while Poppy was out in the field and we had a quiet moment together) and Sheila shambled over and quickly re-arranged herself the  lay down in the middle  of the straw and asked me  to cover her up, (it is a gentle grunting sound – the asking-  she watches me, combined with the sounds and an interesting wriggle  – just like last winter), so I heaped the straw around her and she said thank you and closed her eyes and sighed.  I love that pig. I MUST get onto her christmas calender too. Soon I will have to start buying feed. Winter is coming and the  grass will freeze.  Sheila’s calender is how she earns her way on the farm as you know.  She is already one of the oldest pigs in Illinois.

I forgot to tell you that we took Queenie to stay with her bull-friend, It was very late at night on Friday as Our John was held up at work.  So she was decanted into a field with a couple of heifers and the young bull.  Everyone was very interested in each other. The fields are a lot harder over there so she may even lose a little weight during her stay which will not hurt her at all. She has been in a good paddock that one.

Camera House and I will visit Queenie  sometime this week so you can see where she is. The  Fencer has very tidy fields. A nice place.  She will be there at least 24 days – so she is there for two cycles.  It is all about breeding at this time of year. Sometimes I miss Daisy something awful. Other times I can manage The Missing. Today I  just miss her.

Work to do today. I wish you were here.

I hope you have a lovely day.

celi