Wai has the strangest shape due to his burns as though he is two pigs in the same body. He is so weighty in the front and then much slimmer in the back Even though he is on a strict diet, but he is still the sweetest, quietest, dearest little pig. 
Do you see Poppy’s wagging tail? She wags her tail when she is eating. Her babies are the fattest wee things. Nice and healthy. 
Ton bringing Del in for the milking. My co-worker has taken the milking over entirely so the chores are so much easier in the evenings now. Her production has actually increased lately so she is back on twice a day milking. Keeping the house cow healthy means constant vigilance but the milker and the milkee are doing well. Fingers crossed. 
Things are very busy at work at the moment all our summer staff having left to prepare for the coming school year and the boss is off sick so I am working much longer hours. 
Here is Sheila. In her garden. I am loving the wildness of all the pig gardens this year. Though, we are so dry now, that most of the plants are going to seed. But we started with such good height before pigs go into their gardens that the weeds are still good shade.
Sheila is still waiting for Poppy to finish feeding her babies so they can both go down the back but there is no sign of Poppy wanting to give up yet. The sow usually lets me know or at least I observe signs of the sow being run down or not wanting to share food, being aggressive or running them off when they try to feed. But I see none of this. So they can stay together a while longer. And Sheila will wait close by so she and Poppy retain their scent connection.
I think the meat chicks should arrive this morning. I am ready. The turkey house and its various sized enclosures ( we start with a big tote) are clean and dry and ready to go. The water and feed is on standby and the lights hung and tested.
I am, frankly, looking forward to chicken in the freezer.
So, I must get out there and get busy.
Enjoy your day!
Celi
The weather is so cool – it almost feels pre- autumnal. The humidity is low for August. That chill at night and morning mists. The cobwebs are already much more prevalent. But only August. I hope we are not looking at an early winter. That would not be good. Though I have a good amount of hay in, if I start using it too early we will be in trouble.
Farming is such a balancing act.
The Kitchen's Garden 
30 responses to “TAKING THE SUN”
It makes sense that it feels autumnal for you because it feels like spring here… and smells like summer because there are already bushfires… mid August before winter’s end… it is tinder dry. But climate-wise it makes no sense at all. Unless you believe that climate change is actually happening. Which I do. We are going to have to adapt. We’re looking at making changes to our house, garden and practices to deal with more extreme weather.