A Busy Weekend and the Boys Help with a Hurt Pig

This weekend was a busy one. Saturday was sunny and Sunday looked cloudy but promising especially with the rainy weather expected for the rest of the week. Paul and I built more raised beds approximately 200 feet, all four feet wide. 

We also prepared different beds with wood ashes and planted over 40 lbs of seed potatoes. 5 varieties are being grown this year. Carola, All Red, Chieftan, Pink Fir Apple and Sweedish Peanut/Almond. Our backs were so sore by the end of it. I was so happy to get in the tub.

Sunday was awesome as a friend of mine came over and gave me a lesson in Chainsaw 101. I've helped people who were using the saw, watched and cut logs myself but have never had a real lesson. It's been a joke that the way I start a chainsaw is pass it to one of my male friends, he starts it and then gives it back to me. Well I'm proud to say I can now start it all by myself. I still swear at it and detest starting it but I can do it. The lesson was great, I'm so thankful he took the time to show me everything. Today I even sharpened my own chainsaw. Cool.

Later with the rain today I transplanted cucumbers and squash. I will be selling half of them and other plants at the Mahone Bay Market starting on Tuesday, May 27. I'm hoping I can plant the other half into the fields this week if we get some sun.

If the ground does dry up a neighbor down the road will be bringing up his excavator. He will be leveling off a new site for my big beautiful greenhouse. Also, the boys are very excited about our new farm machine, a ride on lawn mover. It was a great purchase but now it means I have no excuse to not mow the lawns.

Needless to say I was quite tired when I went up to put all the animals to bed tonight. I am so happy I take the time to check the animals over at each feeding. The little pigs are still quite skittish and tonight even more so which I took as a bad sign. I looked them over a bit more and realized the problem. Both knees on "Binoo" our smaller one were scratched quite badly and had obviously been bleeding a bit. I crouched there watching them pondering my options. My resources were myself and two young boys. Well, I knew I had to deal with it right away and the boys have to learn how to help sooner than later. I put Navarre in charge of holding the supplies and handing things to Anthony. Anthony was to be my main helper and to pass things to me when I asked for them. 

I explained how the pigs were going to be scared but everything was going to be ok. It was probably going to get loud and I would probably have to yell at times so they could hear me. Navarre was quite nervous at first, Anthony was ready for action. 

After positioning us in the pig stall. I set about catching him, that little sucker is fast! On the fourth attempt I was able to grab him round the hind end and drag him over to the boys. I pushed him down to the ground, straddled him and pinned him between my legs with his back legs streatched out towards Anthony. I quickly realized I was going to be working blind with no way of having the pig on its back or side. We washed the areas off and wiped away his poop from being so scared. The other pig "Toopy" came and sat throughout the whole thing nose to nose with "Binoo". I sanitized the areas and put on some healing balm and set him free. 

Each of them went into the corner and stood watching us. I kept an eye out for them to start investigating the sores and balm but neither seemed interested. Before shutting them in for the night we gave them some extra hay to play with and sleep in. Time for bed, for all my boys.

Anthony and Navarre did a great job. I told them both how proud I am. I can see they weathered their first farm doctor visit well as they both have big smiles.

Little Ones

We've now had the new chicks and piglets for almost a week. The pigs are now settled in at the barn. I am looking forward to getting them out on some pasture. The smallest one is proving to be the bravest. I've been able to sit by the food dish and have my hand out while they are eating. They are both so skittish but everyday they appear a little more comfortable with me. Hopefully they will let me touch them soon.

The chicks are also quite timid and so cute. Having them in the house has been interesting. Listening to them "singing" is adorable. They have all grown so much. The older ones are growing their flight feathers. I will put some branches in later today for them to roost up on. They will be in the house for 2 more weeks and then depending on if they have all grown enough feathers to stay warm, I will move them up to the barn. I will be happy when the house won't have such an... aroma.

This week the kids and I have spent a lot of evenings up in the pastures. Here is our view from one of our picnics. It was too beautiful to stay inside. Even if we do eat inside or on the patio we all love to take our dessert which is usually an ice cream cone up to the riding ring and enjoy. The other night we even played tag. I learned playing tag with two young boys on a 9 acre playing field of hills is an incredible workout. I finally managed to catch Navarre way at the far side, at the base of the hill. Running away form him he said he was tired and had to slow down. My response "Thank goodness cuz so do I!" It was a game of cat and mouse up the hill but he got me. I had to lay down in the grass for a few minutes after that. What a wonderful time.

New Chicks and Piglets

Saturday morning I woke up a bundle of nerves. I was taking the kids with me to pick up some new animals for the farm. We had stayed the night in Halifax so we could leave early to drive to Londonderry which is 15 minutes north of Truro. I wasn't completely sure of where I was going. I had no idea how the kids would react to almost 5 hours of driving. It was a sunny day so I needed to get back to the farm by noon to vent the greenhouse. Plus the thought of having a 3 hour drive with 20 chicks and 2 piglets in the car was a little daunting.
Thankfully it all turned out well. The kids had their stuffies, snacks and toys. I only made one short wrong turn and the boys were both great as usual. We found the farm and everything was taken care of very quickly. He was great and put the pigs into the back with me. Wow are they ever wild! Apparently Thursday night was the first time they had ever had human contact. I knew then that I would have my work cut out for me. The chicks were so much easier. All the animals are adorable. The pigs are about the size of my cat and the chicks are tiny. I have some that are 2 weeks old, a few that are 1 week old and a couple only 3 days old. I put the open box of chicks in the backseat between the boys for them to look after. The kids were enchanted.

I thanked my fellow farmer and we were on our way. The ride home was a little "scented" but we kept the air on. Once we got back to the farm, I raced to open the greenhouse which had only reached 24 degrees. Then the chickens were let out of their coops and stray eggs collected. Next it was time to move in the new ones.

I'm keeping the piglets in a horse stall for a little while like I did with the previous pigs. This just lets them settle down and begin to get used to us. When they are a little older they will be moved out to pasture. I backed the car up to the stables. Anthony manned the cage door at the car and Navarre was in charge of closing the stall door once I went in with each pig. They were very hard to get a hold of. The first one I managed to get by the hind legs and it was all I could do to get him into the stall. The second one I was able to grab the front legs and take him in a little easier. Both piglets are very tentative but are starting to settle in.

I had planned on keeping the chicks in the barn but realized it just wouldn't be warm enough. So they are now in our dining room. Anthony and Navarre brought them down and Anthony moved them into their new home. They have a heat lamp with a blanket over the cage to keep them warm. The house is now full with the sound of little cheeps.