I did not set out to be a pig farmer but there you are. Yesterday when I was talking to the man who was going to reverse my trailer into a tight spot, I heard someone else say behind me, in a low voice, to someone I could not see “Oh, that’s Cecilia. She’s the Lady Pig Farmer”. As though they had discussed this before as something unusual and noteworthy and wanted to put a face to the name. 
Poppy is still waiting and is at the ‘eating the bed’ stage. No matter what I put in there she eats it. Straw, wood shavings – the lot. I think some of it is a built-in dietary craving for some mineral the rest is her babies having a growth spurt.
I closed her door last night to keep the rain and wind out and as I sit here writing I can hear her bashing at the door to be let out. She has quite a big space but she hates a shut door.
Tane and below: Wai.
Wai is losing weight slowly but it will take the whole summer really. He is a funny wee pig. Any other pig forced into the company of other pigs (in this case Tima and Tane) will eventually give in and seek their warmth in the night. Wai, though he will share a leaf of hay with Tane, refuses to sleep with them. He prefers his own house and growls like a bear of either of them approach his lair.
Molly is over her very energetic breeding period – now, we wait a little under three weeks to see if she will come back into heat. Then I will write her baby date into the diary.
We have snow in the forecast. Sigh. This is turning into a very long winter – usually by now I am preparing the garden. But there you are April is going to be inclement.
My new chicks (ducks and layers) are due to arrive sometime next week. I am going to call the chick growers today and discuss our options. There is a chance we can put heat packs in with the ducklings. Next week is looking a little warmer but not by much.
It being a rainy day, I will be cleaning out the turkey house today. Though it looks like the chicks will be beginning their lives here in the basement – under lights. Which I hate – I hate the basement. But I see no warmth coming within the next ten days.
I sold 20 dozen eggs this week. The chickens are doing very well this spring. They like this temperature.
I better go let that sow out. She has sunflower sprouts with her breakfast this morning!
I hope you have a lovely day.
love celi
WEATHER: Rain, thunderstorms then snow. I wonder whether we will get thundersnow. Evidently that is very rare. Snow in April is not so common itself though not unheard of.
Tuesday 04/03 100% / 0.63 in
Thunderstorms likely. High 48F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Tuesday Night 04/03 40% / < 1 in
Rain and snow showers this evening will become mainly snow showers overnight. Windy as well. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precip 40%.
Sun
6:33 am 7:20 pm
Moon
Waning Gibbous, 91% visible 10:47 pm 8:37 am
The Kitchen's Garden 
38 responses to “THE LADY PIG FARMER”
Nothing more enlightening than hearing yourself spoken about particularly in low tones. Hilarious really.
The Lady Pig Farmer. Has a ring to it. Without generalising, however from a positive marketing point of view many people traditionally perceive women as more authentic & trustworthy than men, especially when it comes to nurturing & food.
Lady Pig Farmer is definitely respectful, though I wonder why they were speaking in low voices? Perhaps just being careful in case you’d be offended. When I was buying deer feed for Daisy – long before there were deer farms in this area, I was called, “The Deer Lady”. I had to call in my order for deer feed since it wasn’t normally kept on hand. It used to tickle me how the farm store folks gathered around to hear the latest news on Daisy when I’d come by to pick up my order. Later I became “The Deer Lady in the Jag”. I used our old 2001 Jaguar to do my errand running and it was no problem to pack 4 or 6 deer feed bags in the trunk.
Isn’t it great fun to eavesdrop?
Haha! Sounds like a very respectful title C…….said in hushed tones of awe
Yes, Kate does have it so right! Having come to the Lounge for a cuppa for well over four years when there was home-made wine, honey, sheep and so on and forth, I don’t think any of us saw that you would ‘specialize’ in the ‘oink-oink’ area of farmy production! Well, you have had time to see what works and pays the inevitable expenses . . . may the little ones be born safely and bring a smile on everyone’s face, ‘Lady Pig Farmer’ 🙂 !
I was looking at photos from this time during past years — last year, I was getting the garden all cleared out and ready for the coming growing season. And the grass was brilliantly green on April 25th. Right now, the garden is under feet of snow, with more falling. It’s… disheartening.
When we had the farm in Quebec and I was there for months on my own I would sometimes hear myself referred to by some of the villagers as La Femme de Claude Roy – the wife of Claude Roy. That was my designation it seems. It helped to explain “the American woman who had a French name.. but spoke English and ‘rather crappy’ French.” ; o )
Busy girl … Celi the lady pig farmer 🙂