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”
Can not wait to see how the newbies begin to flourish in your farm environment. Reading of their previous life makes me sad but knowing where they are now makes me happy! And thank you for inviting us to share in your world every day. No pig like Sheila. I mean what other pig has ever had their own t-shirt?
aawww Sheila ❤ See that's why I know we would get along and fall in love. She's like me and speaks human. XOXO – Bacon
Do your new cows let you near them?
They are very slowly letting me near them but no touching
many congrats!
Congratulations…signing to your blog was one of the things I did that has continued to deliver great joy, and a friendship too, to my life, so I thank you with a big hug! Out of interest, could you tell us one day what the expected life spans are typically for your various farms animals. I only really know about chickens, cats and dogs from experience, so knowing about cows, pigs and various others birds you keep would be very interesting.
Check out this website http://www.four-paws.us/campaigns/farm-animals-/farm-animal-life-expectancy/ I think it will answer your question.
Thank you!!
Congratulations on the 10000+, and your joint efforts in cow rescue. Bugger about the rain 🙃 I was reading about making silage -as one does when one is researching a production horticulture assignment and wanders off track- smiled when I read this among the info… “Swear a lot and then be comforted (slightly) by the fact that this heavy rain will result in a lot of good quality regrowth.” http://www.utas.edu.au/tia/news/news-folder/making-silage-in-rainy-weather
Oh Celi – so remember congratulating you when you made 1000! Well, ten times the kudos to you now . . . I am glad our caring is important to you, but you are part of all of our lives also . . . remember that . . . no one ‘forces’ us to come and have a cuppa . . . we understand and feel for you and with you . . . . .
Nicely said Eha: )
Congrats on making 10,000!!! Gertie and Mertie or Bessie and Bossie, or whatever they may end up being named, look like they’ll relax and become happy members of the Farmy. Finding your blog was a blessing. Sheila is an intelligent pig, knows you love her and in her piggy way, she loves you. I hope you got the hay in and that the new girls will drop their calves well before you have to leave for Greece.
Congratulations on 10000, amazing! I remember way back!
I never had a pig until now, Celi.. Now I have several, in words and pictures. I feel that I know them. Each one is unique. Take Sheila, for example. The mini derigible of her body (as I recall) can also serve as a pillow or back support. Then there are things that make her seem like an essential being, one that has been there all along: her love for earth and water; and there’s the slow movement, knowing eyes, and wordless understanding. I think she might be a messenger.
She feels like a messenger to me.
Very good looking cows. Hope babies are as nice.
Boy, I sure hope you got it turned, dried and baled before that rain arrived!!
And congrats on 10,000. WOW
Teenaged ducklings are lanky creatures, aren’t they? Just like teenaged humans. I love them.
Congratulations Celi .. well done! I’m not surprised though 🙂 Your place will be like heaven to those two new cows .. and no more concrete
Lovely cows and good for you on getting those girls, they have many many years left in them for giving you nice calf’s. I have 50 big new cedar posts arriving on the farm this week to be able to cross fence my biggest pasture into two half’s.. We won’t tell my hubby LOL but it was reading about your pastures that got my rear in gear about getting more cross fencing done on the farm.. It will be a very good thing in the long term.
Also had to deal with a male fox that was being a bad boy and hunting on my farm.. caught red-handed.. bold as brass eating it in the back of my big barn.. sigh!
I hear you about the hay 🙂
How wonderful – you will make some excellent fences- I really need a fencing guy- but it makes the grazing so much easier when it is just a matter of opening a gate. Some of my gates are just a piece of pretend electric fence. But it works.
Nope, I’ll never tell, lol; )