I realized last night when I was loading pictures that my blog has attracted over 10,000 follows now. This blog is my solace and comfort and company, without you all I would never have survived out here in the Midwest. Thank you all so very much for being with me here on my journey through life and farming, its ups and downs, its changes, challenges, joys and sorrows.
But this morning, as happens so often now, I have very little time for back patting. This hay needs to be brought in before the rain comes and I have visitors coming from the city for the weekend. And if you have a minute look at the two beautiful Angus Mamas who were delivered yesterday.
The Mama’s are very anxious, they have come out of a huge herd of about a hundred kept on concrete and fed haylage and corn. They have never seen dogs, or cats, or chickens let alone pigs or peacocks. So for most of yesterday they stood and stared over the fence with a mix of horror and amusement flinching back from the occasional surprise appearance.
The farmer is selling off his old girls because he is running out of hay and does not have enough pasture. What pasture he has is already suffering from lack of rain. He has not had rain since the last snow fall – his fields are not growing, his new alfalfa hay field has not even sprouted and he was obviously miffed that I was already cutting hay.
So I guess being down here in the lowlands has its advantages.
The two Mama’s are 10 and 11 years old, and are due on the 31st and the 1st. He said that this year everyone is calving early so lets hope these girls follow suit.
The rest of the farm showed very little interest in the new arrivals. Everyone just poddled along in their usual way.
To make room in the barn Sheila very happily followed me out her summer fields.
Within minutes she was in the mud. Here is a funny thing. Sheila is the only pig I know who makes eye contact so directly. She came to me in the barn and I leaned down and said to her “Want to go for a walk? It is time for you to go out into the field.” Sheila looked me in the eye then turned and walked away from me to her gate where she stood and waited quietly but intently for me to undo the knots and swing it wide. Once the door was open she maneuvered her 6 foot body through the gap and led me over to the field gate.
She did all this very calmly with a serious sense of purpose and “message understood’. It is this connection that convinced me to keep Sheila as a pet. Poppy will follow me to a gate, attempting to bash her way through while I open it but Sheila leads me to the gate and waits quietly for me to open it. Very different pigs.
I have never, before or after, had a pig like Sheila.
Now, I must saddle up the tractor and attach the rake and get out there and turn the hay. It blew all night and now the rain clouds are gathering. I hope I have until midday because with just a little more drying this hay will be ready. It is looking very good which is naturally terrifying me. Rain loves my hay when it is perfect. Hay sure raises my anxiety levels.
Talk soon. Have a lovely day.
celi
Friday 40% Precip. / 0.05 in
Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High near 75F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Friday Night 60% Precip. / 0.21 in
Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low around 60F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The Kitchen's Garden 
43 responses to “10,001 AT 7.47PM”
What a very different life for the new ladies! I am so happy that they get to experience something nice like grass and other animals. So many in large factory farms never do. That makes me so sad. I hope their calving is easy on them. I am sure that will be a different experience for them too now.
They are very slowly branching Out. They are very relaxed today
Those two experienced older ladies are about to have their eyes opened even more! Not just dogs, cats, chickens, pigs and peacocks, but also guinea fowl and ducks, Bastard Minks and coyotes (but hopefully not too many of the latter two items). Fingers crossed they drop their calves nice and promptly so you can go Greek mountain climbing with a peaceful mind.
Yes – those coyotes have been very loud lately so I will bring the new girls up to the barn every night just in case.
I just can’t stand the thought of animals (including humans!) living their whole lives on concrete. It’s heart breaking. I don’t know how the farmers who do that can live with themselves. I’m so glad that those beautiful ladies have landed at your farm. And I’m so glad that YOU farm!
Congratulations on your first 10,000 followers 🍾💛 I had to smile, there is always one duck perched on the edge of the pond, it couldn’t be scared of water could it.? Welcome Ladies to your new, kind organic life. Laura
That Sheila is something else, that’s for sure! And nice that you were able to get two mamas, as they can be together in this new and exciting experience on the farmy! 🙂
They look like lovely cows – no doubt they will enjoy their new life after a little settling in.
Congratulations on 10,000 C 🙂
and those two ladies are super lucky to end up with you
How sad that before they came to you all they knew was concrete. Wait til they figure out your lovely farm.
FREEDOM! Those girls jus don’t know it yet it yet………. Thanks for talking with us, Ceci! Your blog is always so warm, informative, and beautiful to look at. Makes my day and I thank you for it!
Do these big black ladies have a name? If not…then ask your followers….my goodness what a lot of followers you have but then like me they know a good thing when they see it ( read it) Those ladies look very nice. And as you say they have come from a different enviroment…it will take them a while to realise thay they have arrived in farming paradise.. Sheila..what can one say about such an amusing,independent, can be stroppy and yet such a joy. You are right..there is pig like Sheila…never has been and never will be. Go get the hay in….lots of love Me in BG
10,000! That is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your life and farming, your thoughts, your work, your hopes, your creativity, your photos.
I am so glad John bought the 2 cows. I love them getting to be with you and the farm. They will soon be so content and enjoying themselves.
Glad you have your Sheila.
Best of luck with the hay!
Congratulations on 10,000!
Sad that the farmer is doing it tough. I guess he can take comfort that his beautiful girls found a loving home with you ❤
I think those two new ladies are very lucky to spend their last years in such a cozy and diverse farm with a farmer who cares about them. I’m glad there are two of them. It hadn’t occurred to me how terribly lonely and homesick a cow taken alone from it’s home herd must feel.
Wow! That is a lot of followers. Congrats on that but I’d bet you would get more joy from the rain holding off just long enough or the calves coming easily and in good time. Sheila is probably like my 2 dogs I had. They understood ever word I said and responded with attempts to communicate. The first one actually tried to move her lips to speak. Animals may not have speech, but they can understand if you have spent enough time with them. Sheila is smart and knows she is loved.
Fingers crossed that the new ladies drop their calfs early, so you can have a stress free holiday! Sheila is certainly one of a kind. 🐷😀