Poppy (the Hereford sow) has been re-located to the house of sinful pleasures also known as the West Barn. She leapt into the trailer without any enticement and the red truck towed her chariot around the corner. If there had been a sunroof she would have popped her head through the top and smiled into the wind. And now she is settled in her new pen close to Manu (the Hereford Boar). Manu was very – um – excited about having her come to visit. We just have to wait until Poppy is excited then they can get together. So far no-one has broken anything – so all good.
Meanwhile back at the home barn (after a bit of shoveling) Amanda and I opened the gates for Sheila my big fat pig and the twins, Molly and Tahiti, to join ranks. Sheila was in quite the mood, she marched through the two smaller pigs nipping and growling at them, she stalked straight down the corridor and with matronly determination turned directly to the corner where Molly and Tahiti usually sleep and LAY DOWN IN THEIR BED. The two gilts were horrified. Molly and Tahiti spent the rest of the afternoon poking their heads very slowly around the corner to see if she was still there then galloping back out of sight. They are terrified of Sheila.
Amanda and I worked in the barn for a while so we could observe and later in the night I went out to check them and Sheila had (much to the twins relief) gone back to her own bedroom and the two smaller pigs were happily asleep in their usual corner, I hope they will all sleep together soon because it is starting to get cold. And Sheila is a magnificent source of heat. Though pigs being pigs I think they will battle it out for a few days yet.
The weather is wintry now. We have had even more rain. The basement is flooding again. The wind is howling straight out of the freezing North and last night the rain turned to ice as it fell. Today will be interesting. All the North and East doors in both barns are closed up tight.
Good morning. Even though we are working in a puggy stinky mess no-ones spirits are dampened. The farming goes on and everyone has lots of hay to eat and a dry spot out the weather to sleep.
Even me!
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
44 responses to “Porcine Excitement”
Like a Farmy Soap Opera some days……. This post was so funny today.
Oh Celi … the image of Poppy riding with her head out a sunroof smiling on her way to Manu’s barn would make a classic movie clip! Love to come in from my chores to see what is up on your farmy. Today our temperatures plummeted to a wind chill of -17’C. Quite a change. I put the plow on our jeep this morning … so that might work to keep the snow away. How greedy we’re getting up here. We usually have had snow for a month by now … but instead this year had people SWIMMING in local lakes on Christmas Eve Day. I think though that I like the freshness and the anticipation of real snow. I KNOW what to do in winter … but have found the netherworld weather of this warm fall a bit … creepy?
agree, it’s just not right!
Animal magic! I love it.
This work?
Finally I can at last comment! It’s been days and days when I could not and it was sooooo frustrating. My computer died and I’m working from my iPhone 6s. At least I have a kevboard which blue tooths to the phone. Well, enough kvetching from me now. So happy to be IN again!. Much love, Gayle, here in dreary Sacramento, California
I thought of you all yesterday as we watched an American weather forecast. Brrrr. Lots of folks losing their homes and deaths as well, bad storm. Glad you are tucked up safe in your barn and home. xx
I feel a porcine Tinder site coming on … row chicka row row
Lovely piggy tales 🙂 And it’s good to know despite cold and dreary weather, at the heart of the Farmy all is well.
Well, do hope both barns become houses of love and sharing of bodily warmth: great you have Amanda there with whom to laugh at the antics . . . I was also fortunate to have quite a large almost impromptu week-long ‘pyjama party’ here over Yule: heart-warming to laugh and cry together . . . .
Couldn’t Manu and Poppy just join forces now? It seems like the companionship would keep them friendly until romance blossoms. Our pigs, both male and female, love hanging out together. But I know Poppy is a bit of a drama queen, so perhaps she would stir things up a bit. Being in close proximity will certainly make them both amorous!!! 🙂
They are next door, can see each other, but I am not putting them together until she is in heat (don’t want a fight on his first time – remembering sheila) then they can stay together if they get on – for the winter i hope?
Yes! After she is bred, until she is ready to farrow, they should be able to just enjoy each other’s company. Fingers crossed!!! xo
I hope so too, then Manu has company through the winter.. which would be good for both of them! fingers crossed and I have my prayer flags! thank you. Amanda and I will hang them tomorrow.. thank you so very much ..c
Stay warm and dry Celi 😃