Tag Archives: pigs

It’s A Pig’s Life

I’ve been thinking lately that the pigs are really the best animals we’ve got here.  They’re easy, they’re entertaining, they’re friendly, they’re pretty well self-contained, and they eat just about anything.

In addition to the store-bought pig feed they get twice a day, we feed them lots of our kitchen scraps.  Whenever I chop celery, they get the heads and ends.  Those apples gotten a tad too mealy for us to enjoy? The pigs adore them.  Watermelon rinds? Heck yeah!

It’s pretty convenient with our set-up, because I can open the back door and just toss it out to them.  Sure, they have to fight the chickens a bit, but it’s worth it, because those chickens tend to lay their eggs where the pigs like to nest in the shed.

Yes, pigs nest.  There’s a ton of hay in the goat shed that the pigs have burrowed into and made their own, and the chickens love to go in and lay their eggs in there.

The pigs LOVE fresh eggs.

Spoiled rotten, those two!

As they’ve gotten to know me they are vocal in their affections.  They’ll nudge at me and grunt a bit until I reach down and scratch behind their ears (or give them the tops from the carrots we’ve pulled from the garden).  Charley has always been a love, but Churchill took a bit longer to warm up to people.  He’s still stand-offish with new faces.  I feel crazy proud that he’s let me into his affections.

Another thing I’ve come to love is what we call “The Piggy Chorus”.  It happens twice a day.  When they decide it’s high-time to be fed they start singing and squealing for us.  Then, when they’ve spied us headed out with our buckets, they grunt appreciatively.

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Check out the little tusks!  Even though they are neutered, they’ve both grown a small (but impressive!) set of tusks.

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Isn’t Churchill such a handsome boy?

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As for Charley, he tends to develop pig alopeocia every summer. It’s due to how much he likes to roll around in the dirt and mud, and his bristles wear off.  When it first starts he walks around with a pretty bitchin’ mohawk until he manages to rub off that as well.

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Tonight I brought out some little watermelons for them to enjoy; Charley was too busy rooting around for something in the mud.

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Churchill was more than happy to have Charley’s share!

Movin’ To The Country…

…gonna feed the pigs lotsa peaches.

Our awesome friend Trina works for the big local orchard and today brought two big bushels of fallen peaches and apples for the pigs and chickens.

Brace yourselves for lots of pictures, because there’s nothing I like better than pictures of happy pigs!

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Churchill tried to nose into the box as soon as she set it down, but I wanted to keep track of how many peaches (and peach pits) they were eating.

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Even Bertie got in on some apple action.

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As did the chickens.

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Agnes (who we are now fairly certain is actually a male) partook of a few figs.

I just love seeing them all share in summer’s bounty!

Lambcam vs Lightening

And sadly, the lightening won this round.  It would seem that during the storm this past week, a particularly wicked bolt of lightening hit close enough to the camera to disable it.  I’m not a techie but I’ve been told that there are four integral parts and two are dead.  Hopefully it won’t take long to repair and you’ll be able to watch the antics of the lambs again soon.  Until then, here are some new photos!

Charlie & Churchill enjoying lunch

Charlie & Churchill enjoying lunch

Agnes and her flock

Agnes and her minions

Follow the lady with the food pail!

Follow the lady with the food pail!

Adelaide poses so proudly

Adelaide poses so proudly

The babies are starting to eat hay!!

The babies are starting to eat hay!!

But they still want their mama too!

But they still want their mama too!

Wembley is very interested in the camera

Wembley is very interested in the camera

Ready....

Ready….

Set...

Set…

Dive!!!

Dive!!!

Another Glorious Snow Day

We got several inches of snow yesterday and Paul’s office was closed, so I declared an actual snow day for the kids.  Normally we have school no matter what the weather, but it looked so blizzardy, and inside was so cozy with the fireplace (and having Paul home throws off our routine anyway), so I let everyone curl up under their blankets and just relax all day.

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It worked out well for me; I got the front right half of my Shepherd sweater done!

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It worked out well for Gulliver, as well – he had Paul’s lap all day.

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No one, though, seemed to enjoy the snow more than Gnocchi.

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He  had his goofy self a grand time while the snow fell.

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While Cosmo and the smallest lambs enjoyed the dryness of the shelter with a few chicken friends and the pigs.

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But, the day that had begun so snowy and stormy finished out sunny, and they all came out to enjoy some hay.

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It’s hard to believe that two days ago it was 73 degrees, and that a few weeks from now is the first day of spring.  It’s still rather frigid outside and the snow has not begun to melt yet.  Soon enough it will, though, and we will be installing a heat lamp into the big chicken coop for the arrival next week of our ducklings!  Winter may have some life left in it, but spring is nearly upon us!

Hey Hey, It’s A Snow Day! (Photo Heavy!)

So far at the farm we’ve got 8 inches, and we’re expecting another one or two before it’s all over.  I took the break between snowfalls to take pictures of everyone outside.

There’s plenty of shelter, hay and fresh water for all of them, so we are all able to relax a bit and enjoy the snow.

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It’s especially nice when we start our day with a recipe from the always wonderful Smitten Kitchen.  This is baked eggs ranchero from her book.  The eggs came from our chickens, who have started laying again now that the days are getting longer.

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Charley trudged through the snow to get food and snuggles.

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I love how Francis is photobombing in the back.

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The dogs are taking it in stride.  Sabine’s been rolling all around in it, Orzo and Gnocchi have been playing in it.

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Cini has been ever vigilant against any interlopers, and hasn’t seemed to even notice it.

I hope you are all enjoying your snow day as much as we are!!!

 

 

 

 

This Week in Pictures

I don’t know who ordered this weather but I know a whole lot of sheep, goats, dogs and pigs who will be happy to see it end. Lauria documented the wet misery this week.

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Mrs. Doubtfire

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Charley

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Patmore

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Gnocchi

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Serious guard dogs are serious. Cini and Orzo.

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Jerry

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Francis

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Martha

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Caramel

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Roquefort

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Mud season started early this year. Here’s hoping for a drier weekend!

Charley & Churchill

Yesterday, I was planning to spend the afternoon taking pictures of the sheep and the dogs, but they were all being incredibly uncooperative. The sheep wouldn’t be still long enough for me to focus, and the dogs refused to sit and stay, preferring instead to stand inches away from my camera, licking the lens.

Just when I was so frustrated that I was ready to give up, I remembered my favorite, easiest-to-work-with models. Charley

Charley

Charley

Charley & Churchill

Charley & Churchill

Churchill

Charley

Churchill

Churchill & Charley

Churchill & Charley

Charley

Churchill

Churchill

Thank you, Boys!

 

Last Week in Pictures

Last week got to spend three blessed days at the farm with the animals and I tell you it was a tonic for my soul! This summer has been so darned rush-around busy that I have gotten used to waking up not knowing what city I’m in.  Only one more major trip on the horizon and then I’ll be able to get my behind back to Virginia and my flock.

This is going to be a bit of a photo dump, cause I’m running out the door for a meeting. Sorry about that!

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Pumpkins and the Pigs Who Love Them

Doesn’t Charley have the most adorable ears in the universe?

Leg wrinkles!

 

 

 

In which we answer the age old question…

Do pigs like apples?

 

 

I know what you are thinking and you are right. This WOULD be better with video.