Yesterday we took Poppy across the way to Manu and retrieved the twins – Molly and Tahiti bringing them back to the Home Farm. But before we did this, as usual, we had to take two steps back before we took the one step forward. So the girls and I repaired all the fences Poppy had gone under and then released the Plonkers out into the wild. This left the big pig pen free for the twins. Poppy just hitched a ride to the West Barn as she wandered past, who knows where she had been sleeping all day but now she is Across The Way in a pen next to Manu waiting for her “time to come.” And not terrible impressed with the Closed gate rule!
The Berkshires were so happy to be released into a field that they chased each other then chased Boo then came back for some scratches before chasing each other some more.
Boo ran round and round in circles as the piglets chased him and if a dog could have been laughing he would have been a laughing dog
Later in the evening, a bad storm came screaming in and I had to run out into the rain and terrible wind with my apron and kitchen shoes on to try and herd the lost pigs back into the barn. They had not found their shelter yet and were very spooked by the storm – not answering my call or maybe not even hearing it above the wind and crashing trees. I sent Boo out and seeing him they raced after him following him back into the sunroom of the barn. So their games had been a kind of practice.
Ton was hiding in the wardrobe – he becomes invisible when there are storms.
Theo the pea chick orphan has decided that he is not going to live in his dog house. He just cries and cries. And twice yesterday he shape-shifted out of his dog carry box t peck around the . So I made him a house of cement blocks on their sides, that he can go and hide in if the big chickens get too mean – he has his heated Table Mama connected to the bricks as well, his water and some food, but is free to move in and out, and that worked very well yesterday. In the storm I ran from group to group and when I checked him he was right in the center of his little brick house a little shadow of a chick tucked up warm but still within spitting distance of a large group of red fowl.
It was so hot yesterday that Lady Astor spent most of the afternoon drifting through her coffee bags in the yards. The bags brush the flies off her back. I need to find a way to lower some so that shortie Alex can take advantage of the bags too.
Today we will bring Aunty Del back to the home farm and maybe Aunty Anna if I can separate her out. Lady Astor always behaves much better when she has Aunty Del with her. And Aunty Anna needs to get used to me. But we will see.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
31 responses to “Pig Swap”
I wish I had no about the ‘feed bag/fly’ trick when we had our horse. Wow – that storm – and you trying to make sure all the animals were sheltered – was very exciting reading. And I really love hearing about that orphan pea chick now has a safe little place where he can be with the other birds-of-a-feather. He sure is one determined little guy!! ; o )
Well, had I been there during the storm Ton and I would both have been invisible keeping each other company in the wardrobe. Storms are one of the few things in this world which absolutely petrify me !! On the ‘lovely side’ – your peonies are quite enviable . . . love them . . .
Such beautiful light in your photos!