The Kitchen's Garden

August 10, 2013

Pneumonia takes Piglet.

One of the piglets has died. The little one. He had pneumonia. Pigs show no signs of pneumonia until they are far advanced. No coughing or runny nose. Not even a hot nose actually. Just a creeping lethargy I suppose. Lack of appetite and then eventually no appetite at all. I noticed the night before…

August 9, 2013

Somebody has been playing with Skunks

The Old Codger says that TonTon thinks skunks are his long lost brothers being Black and White and all. NO Ton they may be pretty but they are laughing at you. TonTon hates the skunk off. But it is the only thing that will take out the smell. I put up an electric fence in…

August 8, 2013

The Man at the Gate

The man was well dressed and nervous. He was standing on my lawn blocked by barking dogs as I stepped out onto the verandah. “Alright if I give treats to your dogs?” He called out with his back to the shiny late model city slick car. ‘Down’ I signalled and both dogs dropped like stones…

August 7, 2013

Long Shots, giggly piglets and bottles of beer.

This is the lane from the house to the gravel road. We are looking East. On the right which is the South side is the sweetcorn with the Maize up behind it. You can see how tall the maize (field corn) is when you see my tractor in front of it. Also look at how…

August 6, 2013

An Angry Sow is not to be trifled with

Early in the morning as the dawn is dawning I take the tractor out into the sweetcorn field and pick two big bucket loads for the animals. I cut the stalk at the base with my sharp spade and throw the sweetcorn, with its stalk still attached, over the fences. They eat the whole thing.…