Is that the big pig?

I had been telling Inaki about my big pig. And as I introduced him to all the animals he was interested to meet this well loved Big Pig.

– Is that the Big Pig? said Inaka looking at Manu my one year old Hereford boar. I  told him that no that was not the big pig, though it was A big pig. Manu jumped up and rested his front legs on the gate showing off his muscly shoulders.

Next he saw Poppy. The Hereford sow.

– Oh.  He says. That must be the big pig.

– No, I said, That is a bigger pig but not THE big pig. Poppy turned and stormed off in a huff.

Then we walked across to Sheila’s sunroom.

– Oh, he said. Then there was silence. That is a Big Pig.

Sheila grunted. Yes, she said without raising her head.  I am THE BIG PIG.  Now hush. I was sleeping – and will be sleeping again soon. Less noise please.

Now that the turkeys are in a pen we have discovered that they are laying eggs. There are only two hens so these are not fertile but I hear they are great in cakes. The cadet crawled into their covered area to collect them so she got to take them home.

The peahens have discovered the wild bird food. It is not as if they do not have plenty of feed elsewhere.

We have twenty new layers now. Little Rhode Island chicks.  They are tucked up  in the brooder box in the Cloak Room for a week or so and once the last of the cold weather is gone they will migrate to the Turkey House that Fede built last summer. And this weekend is the Famous Bantam Swap and I intend to buy some fertile eggs there as well so we can introduce some new genes into the flock  – these will go into the incubator.

It was pretty stormy here last night. Lots of rain and wind and thunder and lightening.  A good night to be a cow sleeping in a deep bed of straw in a dry cozy barn.  Or me in my bed. Today we have more rain – in between showers Inaki and I will be out planting raspberries, blackberries and wild pear trees and crab apple trees.  The best time to plant a tree is today.

I hope you have a lovely day.

love celi