One day I am going to start the motor and drive off with these big birds flying up behind me. Though it would not surprise me if Geraldine came along for the ride!
The piglets are having a growth spurt and are demanding more and more food. Interestingly when I offer different kinds of food they eat the greens (weeds from the garden) first, then my special un-ground all animals food mix (wheat, oats, barley, corn), then last of all, and begrudgingly, they will turn to the special sow and pig from purina (the proteins are plant based no added animal products).
Of course the cultured milk or bowls of whey are the Top of the Top of the list and I am mobbed when they see those buckets coming. Zack made an amazing marszapone to go with the spaghetti I made last night from a home made scorched tomato sauce. We have yoghurt hanging for a labneh today and a butternut base in the fridge for an icecream, and ricotta pressing for a ricotta salata. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have these two rattling about my kitchen.
There will be recipes! But as you can see each of these dishes takes more than a day to make.
Sheila eats no grain at all with all the kitchen scraps she has to eat. She has a lovely big field but all yesterday she napped in the naughty pig pen. Very soon this will be resown in oats.
Txiki was separated from her mother yesterday. It is a little early but Alex is being brought down by this big healthy calf. Lately her mother has been standing in the water trough with her head by her knees or by the gates with her drooping head down. Txiki was a little surprised when the door of the barn shut behind her and she found herself alone in there with only pigs and me as company. But I know I have the timing right when the mother heaves a big sigh, softly turns and drifts back out into the field without a word. Txiki on the other hand has been sending half-hearted moos out into the night – all night. It will take her a few days to settle.
I cannot send Txiki across the way to the West side with the other singles because she is so small. So my plan is to keep her here, bring Aunty Anna and Difficult back here (I do not want them impregnated), then send Alex and the Carlos the tiny bull back to the other side. I may even try to do this today.
But first I want to get out and rake the hay early while it is still a little dewy. It dried faster than I thought it would on that wet ground and we will bale it tomorrow morning.
Aunty Del did come into heat yesterday morning but both the people who do AI for me were out of town. So she will have to wait until later in the month. A bit boring but there you are. Nothing I could do about that.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Teespring Tshirt campaign is still running, 8 more Tshirts to go and we will reach our goal of 75. Sales close in seven days. Also see below for the Sheila T shirt. (Remember this is an opportunity only – no worries if this is not something you are interested in).
A few of you have asked for the old Sheila T shirts instead. If three of us register they will reopen the sales of this T shirt for all again. So if you want one here it is. I will will be one of the three.
Love c
The Kitchen's Garden 
31 responses to “Moos all night Long”
Musical Cows Sunday 🙂 Sigh I really wish the ZAR/USD exchange wasn’t so hideously high 😦 Looking forward to details of those interesting tasty treats in your kitchen. Laura
I think there was a link or details for direct to you payment for the wee pigs’ care and a donation? Via Paypal? Please would you post this again. I think you’ll get more bang for my £ sterling that way. Thanks Celi. Kitchen activities sound wonderful and lovely to see pics of lovely Sheila.
my paypal account is celima.g.7@gmail.com and thank you so very much.. c
It can be difficult to listen to the ongoing moos of separation! When we sell our baby goats, and the mothers are left behind, they ahahahah (different from a sheep’s baaa) loudly and sadly for a full day or two. It can be heartbreaking! But fortunately after the second day, they all seem to move on to being single goats again. All the food and cheeses being created in the farmy kitchen sound fabulous!!! 🙂
All that food is making me hungry. So, I am off to make some scones.
Sheila looks like a very happy pig 🙂
She is happy at the moment, we stopped the gap and now she is not being visited by that Molly and Tahiti.. happy pig! c
I still intend to load that donation button – just waiting for the time – I seem to be so tired in the evenings lately. But I will follow your link asap
It’s worth doing. Once installed you just have to paste in a very short piece of code anywhere that you want the button to appear. Once the post is published the code shows up as a button. It works very well 🙂
The song of sadness. I always hate the cries of Mothers and calves when it’s “that’ time. But it is so necessary, as you pointed out so well.
Linda
I am so burned out on the same old kitchen meals! The boys never complain, however. You know boys- a full stomach and all is well with the world. But my sweet daughter and I have more discerning tastes. Can’t wait for the recipes,
Poor Txiki doesn’t realise she’s not such a baby any more. So well grown she is! She’d make Carlos a handsome wife some day if she wasn’t moving on…
Oh no, Txiki is staying here to be bred by Carlos – she is number two in my beef herd. c
Oh good! I must have mixed her up with Naomi…
Easy to do – we have quite the cast now!
so lucky you are with two chefs in the kitchen! Waiting breathlessly for the recipes! Hugs to all!
Yes, I’m a bit confused–as I said a short while back. I’m very embarrassed to say I can’t recall Aunt Anna!! And I read this blog faithfully every single day without fail. And here’s another embarrassment. A few days ago, you said you thanked the plonkers and sent them off to the abbatoire . I thought you meant Molly’s piglets. But no! They are too young. Then I thought maybe you meant Molly and Tahiti. I checked the cast of characters–which I love doing, as I like to remember all who have passed through your loving hands, but I know you are exhausted with loving and some the newest aren’t yet represented. So…
A long time ago I asked for a picture of Sheila’s open mouth and you obliged me then—and today again!
The plonkers who have just left are (I think I have it correct) Poppy’s litter from last year, and Molly & Tahiti’s brothers.
Also Celi bought some other piglets as plonkers, I don’t know if these went as well, Celi could let us know?
The plonkers who just left were the four Berkshires that I brought in. Poppy’s plonkers left last year.
I don’t put the plonkers in the cast page as they are only here a short while. the cast is only for those with names – and yes – i have to add Aunty Anna. She is home now and you will see more of her so not to worry. c
I have never before realised how fluid and creative the life of farming is until reading this post today. I see that you not only think but use your intuition much of the time. I can see what attracts you to the work and the life. So happy you have a couple of trained and willing kitchen hands. xx
Fluid is a very good word for it! c
You sure did hit pay dirt with these new wwoofers. What a lucky break — and well-deserved. I hope Txiki settles down
I don’t know what happened there … I hope Txiki settles down soon for you. A quiet night would be nice, eh?
Nice to see your real face, John!
Aw … gee thanks, Gayle. WIth Mad Men gone for over a year now, it was time for a change. This one is current and I’m glad you like it. You may be seeing it for a number of years to come. 🙂
OMG: Sheila must be the luckiest pig in Illinois: what am I saying – in all the world . . . and methinks she knows it 🙂 !!
Poor Txiki. Growing up is hard.
“…. when the mother heaves a big sigh, softly turns and drifts back out into the field without a word” That was good. (and you must feel happy when things turn out like this)
Working with nature and animals teaches people to fine tune into what’s going on around them.
YEA for so many finding Lurch and Boo fits them to a T.