WORKING FAST NOW
I am clearing the winter bedding out of the barn reminding myself that putting huge round bales of corn stalks into the pens as bedding was all very well until it is time to haul if all back out, thawed and smelly, a forkful at a time.
It will be interesting to see what kind of compost it makes mixed with cow and hog manure. Thankfully all my animals only eat vegetable based feeds.
Meat eaters manure is very stinky. We don’t want that
All the water heaters have been gathered up and are stored away until next winter- usually this task precipitates a backwards step in the progression of spring and a lot of ice breaking but I am willing to take the risk. So is the electricity bill. 
Do you think LuLu is waiting for a fish? 
I have started Tia’s milking room training again. Now she is developing that hopeful milk cow at the milking door look . 
Molly being helpful while I work. I could feel her piglets move around – they felt like little bubbles of air – they still have lots of room – so I am thinking she has a good month or so to go. Which is good – April is a perfect month for babies. 
The morning birds are so loud this morning as I write.
So that is Molly’s farrowing pen cleaned. Today I will endeavor to finish the turkey house so I am ready for the chicks that arrive next week. That should not take too long actually. Then I will work on the Airbnb and the porches.
The first guests are on the 25th of this month so I need to get ahead of that too. Way ahead – I am looking at a very busy summer.
Talk soon.
Celi
D
24 Comments on “WORKING FAST NOW”
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Jude and Boo look to be about equal fighting weight now. You sure are off to a busy start. Laura
Yes they are the same size- and Jude still follows boo everywhere- very sweet
Boy, that last snow melted quickly! Fills me with hope that spring really is on the horizon. Still not warm here but will edge up over freezing point today, which is good. Seems like a never ending winter this year. Lots of babies for you this year, lucky us to be able to watch them grow. Have a great day! ~ America 🙃
I hope you warm up soon – I know we will probably have a few more cold snaps but it does feel like we have turned a corner.
A busy summer sounds profitable. 😉
I hope so. I feel confident about my markets
Looks like your babies are on the way to the Farmy!!! 🙂 I am super excited about our goat babies coming this year! We got our visiting Billy goat late, so won’t have our babies until May. Our pigs, Jethro and Ellie Mae, have entered retirement. Ellie just stopped reproducing! They are happily grazing in the pasture and enjoying life. Our baby chicks should arrive this week, and the new brooder my John made is ready for them. We’ll have to keep an eye on the bees as each of the last two springs a hive swarmed. The first year we were able to catch the hive, but last year it made the great escape. 😦 Anyway, I need to read up again on bee behavior! Soooo excited that Spring in finally here!!! (fingers crossed!!!) 🙂
I miss my bees. Sad Face
Keeping bees is way more difficult than we ever dreamed!!! We had planned on being ‘hands off’ beekeepers, but with all the issues bees face these days, that’s impossible! And each year I think, ”If we have a colony collapse for some reason, that’s it!” But so far we have been able to maintain at least one, and usually two hives each year. We haven’t been able to harvest honey every year, but it sure is wonderful the years that we do!!! 🙂
Yes. The honeybee is not a native to this area or a little box which makes beekeeping a bit of a science.
In spring I often put an extra level on the hives – usually just the box – they usually take off due to lack of space. Or the perception of lack of space.
I was so sad mine never lasted the winters. Pity the native bees don’t make honey!
Good luck with the Airbnb. I am listed but haven’t had any visitors yet.
This will be my third summer and it is always a very busy adventure. What is your listing? How exciting –
I worked yesterday to put winter away as well, but in my case that meant some tidiness to the small garden beds and hauling out the hose from it’s winter storage. Sadly when I turned the house on it sprung a huge leak. Found a very old one tossed by our little apartment community storage shed, hooked it up and no leaks! It needs some hanging and some kinks worked out, but at least it works, and my plants need some water. We have temps in the 70’s right now!
The 70’s – that sounds just lovely
Mornin’ ! Our kitties are feeling Spring in their ste4ps, too! Out sniffing every flower blossom they can find, and they seem to have an extra battery in their chargers – more energy than they know what to do with! We’re holding off getting our chicks until later in April, as we’re gone every year to the coast for our anniversary for a week. Then we pick up our delightful little babies and bring them home. Between the foxes, hawks, raccoons, coyotes and dogs, as well as old age, we’re down to two hens and one HUGE rooster – so, it is definitely time to replenish! Enjoy your day!.
At least ten hens are as much work as two. But a huge rooster – I have a few of those too – they do help with smaller predators.
You do have a big summer ahead of you… how many more years of piglets do Molly and Poppy have, and when do you start bringing on the next generation?
Tia looks like she’s positively waiting for it!
Hoping that all the anticipated births happen without incident. I did not even recognize Jude, he is so big. The “no smell” with a vegetarian diet happens with humans, too. lol.
Well we have a ways to wait before the birthing begins – oh yes – please no incident
I hope there is little need to break ice until next winter. I am so ready for Spring.
You are gearing up for the coming warmth, in NZ we are sadly waving goodbye to our summer. The mornings are very dark now, daylight saving is still a few weeks away, makes it very hard to get out of bed. Looking forward to all your babies!
Daylight saving us SO bossy!
Both of my babies were April babies – a good month for humans, too! 😃