5 piglets +1 boar +3 carlottas

= A perfectly busy day.

Poppy woke up mid morning (yesterday) rolled over and discovered that there were five little piglets in her room. She stood up and looked at them milling about her feet making half hearted jumps at her teats, then she  looked at me and quite clearly said “What the hell is going on? ”

“Poor doll.” I told her,  “you have babies.” As the day went on she relaxed a little more and by evening she was up and eating while her babies slept in a heap on the floor. They have not discovered their warm little Snug yet but I hope they will soon. I am leaving them alone. Poppy is best if she is not bothered.

Every picture I take of them is rubbish so far – they are never still and their doors are closed so it is quite dim in there.

Today may be better for images.

Our new Boar has arrived! He is from a lovely farm close by.  Behrens Farm. They have lots of beautiful shiny show pigs and they were so kind – it was lovely to have met them. The farmer had been talking to the woman who runs the feed store I frequent, discovered me, bless her, and offered me her wee boar. He is 5 months old, gentler than any lamb I know and quite the sweet-heart. When we got him back to the farm we changed our minds about boarding him across the way and gave him the very secure new pen in the corner by Stalkers Garden.  But even though John backed the trailer up nice and close he decided he was not getting off thank you very  much. It all looked too big and open and scary and if it was all the same to me  he would rather stay on the trailer for a while.

He has the most incredibie eyes, slanted up  at the other corners and dark. I need to find out what brand of eyeliner he uses, it looks very good. I said fine, you can rest, and left him in there to settle down with the door open for a couple of hours. There was no rush. The trailer was inside the field.  Once he had caught his breath he dismounted and was gently herded by me and my piece of board and two very quiet dogs through the field and into his pen. I filled his water tank and he had a great big drink then climbed into the tub of water and cooled down at the same time. I think he likes his new house.  

I am still working on his name I have Manu and Red so far. Maybe I should just call him Carlos. Manu Carlos. Maybe I will! Manu in Maori is birdlike or bird or flight depending on the context and can be a girls name too. But his eyes are birdlike so I am leaning towards Manu.

Yesterday I worked as hard and as fast as I could to keep myself awake , feeding, fencing, gardening and milking and cleaning and all that stuff. The Matriarch came out for dinner with a basket full of food and as I was chopping the salad when I heard her shout. A pea chick was stood in the incubator looking out at her and peeping. By the end of dinner another had hatched and last night a white peachick hatched too- away we go again!

So you see? Five piglets, a Boar and Three chicks.  Not bad for an ordinary Fourth of July!

I hope you have a lovely day. Today Lady Astor will be brought in for her breeding by the Lady Vet this afternoon. Fingers crossed again!

Oh, I do love this farming life. I know it can turn to horror in a heart beat but today was a good day!

love your friend on the farm

celi