PIG MANOEUVRES

Pig moving time again. Jazz and Tallulah's piglets were ready for weaning today. Normally, we put the sows and piglets outside when the piglets are about three weeks old, but as we had a lack of space following our population explosion they had to stay inside until weaning time came. We have to carry the piglets from the barn down to the field. This is easy enough when they are three weeks old but takes a bit more effort by the time they reach eight weeks as the weight difference is considerable. So this morning we set about catching them one by one. We drop them into a hessian sack as this helps to keep them calm while they are carried to their new paddock as wriggly screaming pigs can be trick to keep hold of. This method has always worked well up to now.
The next thing is for them all to get used to the electric fencing. We use electric tape/wire around the bottom of the fences to stop the pigs digging under. Most of them touch it once or twice squeal and run about a bit (this looks like wacky races) and they soon get the idea. But there is always one that hits it again and again and again. We had one today that was "playing pinball". She bounced of one fence to the next and the next until she finally ran out of steam. You shouldn't laugh I know but it is pretty funny all the same. Most pigs are very clever and learn quickly but we always get one dim witted creature.
The last of the larger boys will moved back to the barn later today as they will be off to the abattoir over the next few weeks.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Jazz and Tallulah's piglets are ready to wean now and will soon be off into a paddock of their own. Ellie's and Portia's will only be a couple of weeks behind and will be able to rejoin their piglet pals.





As usual Tallulah has produced some hefty looking pigs though Jazz and Portia have proved to be very good mums as their first time litters have thrived. Ellie has been a bit grumpy this time, I think her piglets have been a bit rough with her.





Nobby will soon be busy again with his ladies, earning his keep.

I have recently started selling my free range pork products at a market. Here's my stall, shown above, set up in the barn. It was a bargain off ebay. The first market day was a bit rubbish but you can't expect to much straight away. I hope it picks up over the coming weeks once people get to know me.

I am trying to arrange mating for the alpacas at the moment and need to decide who to use. There is a lot of choice and a wide range of prices. Considering that seven matings are needed this year I need to think carefully who I want to use and at what price.

We desperately need some straw. The only straw available is at a ridiculous price and now it has decided to rain over the last few days new supplies will be delayed. I hope our supplier will have some soon. I am having to make do with shredded paper. I collected it from where I used to work as it is free. However in view of how many pigs we have at the moment it doesn't go far. Rain rain go away, well just for a little while anyway.

The fifty new hens we bought have started to lay finally. They are taking their time about it. Perhaps the slow start will mean a longer laying life for them, who knows.

The alpacas were sheared a while ago so my thoughts have turned to what to do with this years clip. Samples from last years babies will go for testing. This will give me an ideas of the fleece quality. Testing every year will determine the long term quality of the fleeces, however a lot of things can affect an alpaca fleece, diet and nutrition for one. I hope I get good test results.

Processing charges for fleece are expensive and it can take months to get back the yarn for garments so I have, along with my sister, decided to look into other ideas for the fleece and home processing. We have both started to learn to spin and Julie is very "crafty". We hope to come up with some of our own individual products to sell. More on this later.

It is throwing it down at the moment so like me the pigs have gone indoors, all comfy and warm on the new bedding I gave them yesterday.

Cup of tea time I think.