I am often amazed by the power of a small word or gesture. The tiniest pat and smallest gentle correction can literally make a world of difference to a persons future. A small word as you open the door, a smile as you close it. We are powerful. All of us. We must be careful with that power. Gentle with it. 
It is the same with animals. When working with animals we train ourselves to watch for the smallest sounds and movements. We are all-powerful. We must be very careful with our decisions. Lady Astor is locked up on the concrete – now that the ground is so wet and poggy, she just gets her udder so dirty, but this small change has resulted in way less milk than I would normally get on a diet of fresh pasture.
Presently I am watching Poppy to make sure she is on course for a healthy delivery. It is true that I don’t know as much as I should about farrowing pigs, only having had one sow before Poppy and that was Charlotte and she gave birth with no trouble at all – the trouble came later. So I am being careful, one overlooked error could result in a dead piglet, everything is very high value for her now.
I mentioned to the lady at the little feed store I frequent that I had had trouble with AI (Artificial Insemination) with Poppy being so expensive and yesterday a local farmer called and said she had a lovely young Hereford Boar for sale, she had heard that I might be interested in buying one. He is 5 months old with Good Hips! We have room across the way so I am thinking seriously about taking him. The price is right. Just a small comment and we may have saved ourselves a lot of money and gained more control over the breeding. Herefords are becoming a popular pig.
The turkeys are entering that messy toddler stage. Still very sweet and slow growing. They are dear wee things. I am changing nothing in their enclosure they are doing very well.
The sunflowers are growing at an extraordinary rate. They are already taller than me and beginning to form flowers. The sweetcorn that is planted in rows behind it is doing very well in some areas but being knocked badly by the excess water in other areas but are already tasseling. I am pretty excited about these crops. Most of this is feed for the animals. I am very grateful that these rows are draining well. Some farmers have had their crops underwater for weeks around here… it is a disaster. And still raining. The other day the creek water was just below the bridge – perilously high.
The tank chicken tractor has been moved back into the garden so a group of chickens can start their garden housekeeping. This is an excellent way of improving the fertility of a resting section of garden. The enclosure with its chooks is left on a piece of ground for a few weeks and they clear it and fertilise it wonderfully before being moved to another section.
Right – out to work for me! It has been raining again so coats and gumboots rule. The peachicks will be delivered to their new home today. Jake is coming with me as navigator. At least with the chicks I do not have to hitch up the trailer to my imaginary truck, they will be travelling in a cardboard box in the back of the cooking oil car! Or a boat.
Life is good – busy and good.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Love your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
33 responses to “The Power, Your Power”
So many of us have stopped using the intuitive nature we have with people and animals. Quietly feeling our way to their needs. I think that your ability to use yours will make up for any lack of knowledge with your farm animals or the farm itself. The fact that you are open to anything brings the good to you. Our words are powerful. I’ve become very careful with mine as well. Your overabundance of rain is something we long for here. We have had not a drop in more than a month. Quite unusual for the Pacific NW area. Too much of a good thing is never helpful. I’ll be here waiting for piglets. 🙂
Can’t recall words. Animals remember and it affects the way they behave and look at you. I try not to yell at Molly/the German when they are being naughty, as you can see the worry in their faces later. People may hide it better, but it’s there.
As a pebble turns the stream, a word does, too, in the universe.
I love sunflowers – they turn to follow the sun. People turn towards nurturing/light too, even if they don’t realize it.
Smiles sent.
smiles received – thank you darling.. c
Everything looks so green and lucious . Have a wonderful day.
Oh Poppy Poppy! You’re in our hearts today and especially these farrowing days ahead.
Everything is so lush your way… as it usually is in June in the northern hemisphere. But, my gracious, you can turn off the rain any time soon! I feel for you. We have just had two days of solid rain here, not hard rain but enough to keep things chilly and soaking wet, and today’s sun is soooooo welcome. I can’t imagine weeks of that sogginess. But I do love your photos and have to say that Poppy is looking very much more pregnant today that she appeared a few days ago…. and her ‘udder’ appears to be very ready. I wonder if she’s wondering what’s happening to her.
By the way, do you ever sleep? How in the world you keep up with all you must do and then to take the time to show us your pictures and share your thoughts is beyond me. Have you always been hyperactive? 🙂
Your comment about the power of words, or a word, is wonderful. Yes, we must be very careful, and thank you for the nudge.
Hope you’re keeping dry and warm. It sounds as though the sunshine is in your heart, never mind the lack thereof outdoors ~ Mame 🙂
We are an oven here…need some of your rain!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Sorry I haven’t been commentign much recently miss c – times are a wee bit overwhelming here but I pop in every day and every day you make me breathe in and breathe out and remember that everything is going to be ok.
everything is going to be ok tanya – one way or the other.. we only pass through life you see – the loving is the hard bit.. Heaps of love flying your way – for what it is worth.. c
You are a very special lady x
Wow, the Farmy looks like it’s moved to the tropics… or the tropics have moved to the Farmy… I’m sure if you watched you could see everything growing. When you do get sun, soon I hope, the sunflowers and the greenery will be extraordinary. Your Illinois seasons never cease to amaze me, snow and ice everywhere then in no time at all it shifts to jungle green abundance.
Can’t believe the speed of your jungle growth either: may the weather gods be kind from here on in! And Poppy’s milk bar surely is made up of first class equipment . . . can’t wait to see the customers there either . . .
I’m amazed at how green and lush everything is. Just like NZ!
Life is good! I would love a chook tractor 😄