Sunday, July 31, 2011
Happy Piglets
The remaining piglets from our "A" litter, Alexander, Andrew and Amy have moved up into the field together with Angy. Getting them up to the field was quite a task as they kept running back to the horse box. Unfortunately Angy is still a little skittish and the three kept following her as she is bigger and "must know better". But we got there in the end and they happily munched their dinner and explored their new home whilst the chickens enjoyed a little extra entertainment.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Goat Whisperer
Ann has spent a lot of time with the goats.
First we couldn't get anywhere near them.... and now....
First we couldn't get anywhere near them.... and now....
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Angy is here
Finally Angy has arrived.
She didn't like being in the crate and tried to dismantle it for most of the journey.
She didn't like being in the crate and tried to dismantle it for most of the journey.
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| Finally out of the crate, getting lost in the green stuff. |
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| Look, I found water, dad. |
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| Dad, she's not sharing her food with me ! |
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| Angy got accepted quickly and joined the line of piled up piglets. |
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Gretel's first litter
Last night Gretel had her first litter of beautiful little piglets. She had eight but one did not make it. The remaining seven all seem fine, wriggling about like little worms.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
A wife for Hans
I have been looking for a nice ginger girl for our registered boar Hans. Although we have 2 girls for him it seemed a shame not to be able to register any of the offspring.
Thankfully a nice lady in Yorkshire has decided to let me have a perfect little gilt that she was going to keep herself. She was named Angy and we will be able to pick her up on the 12th of June...
Thankfully a nice lady in Yorkshire has decided to let me have a perfect little gilt that she was going to keep herself. She was named Angy and we will be able to pick her up on the 12th of June...
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Rain, rain and more rain....
The weather has been grubby for several days and it's not looking any better. At least I don't have to water anything.
Gretel has moved into the horsebox as she looks heavily pregnant. Maybe we will finally get some piglets this year ?
The rats have worked out a cunning way to get to the barley and I had to build a feed store inside the caravan and move half a tonne of barley from the outhouse into the caravan.
I have ordered 4 automatic door openers from Germany and 3 new electric poultry fences from Mole Valley Farmers.
Chicks are hatching everywhere and half of the hens are broody, so egg sales are way down.
This week I am planning to get a tonne of stock feed tatties (potatoes) for the pigs to reduce the feed bill and get a hand baler built by next week.
Gretel has moved into the horsebox as she looks heavily pregnant. Maybe we will finally get some piglets this year ?
The rats have worked out a cunning way to get to the barley and I had to build a feed store inside the caravan and move half a tonne of barley from the outhouse into the caravan.
I have ordered 4 automatic door openers from Germany and 3 new electric poultry fences from Mole Valley Farmers.
Chicks are hatching everywhere and half of the hens are broody, so egg sales are way down.
This week I am planning to get a tonne of stock feed tatties (potatoes) for the pigs to reduce the feed bill and get a hand baler built by next week.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Monday, May 02, 2011
Happy piggies
Ann's been cutting the lawn and rather than adding the grass to the compost heap we decided to feed it to the pigs. As Kune Kune's are grazing pigs they loved it and it will be part of their diet all through the summer.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Growing everyday....
The weather has been really nice and everything is sprouting like mad....whilst I am running around watering like mad...
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| Ash (Esche) |
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| Alder, planted this year (Erle, dieses Jahr gepflanzt) |
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| Alder, planted last year (Erle, letztes Jahr gepflanzt) |
Monday, April 25, 2011
Making hay
I have been thinking about how to get my grass turned into hay bales without spending a fortune on machinery or hiring costs. Surely people used to make hay before the invention of tractors and balers.
A little dig around google and youtube revealed that hand balers can easily be built and used on small fields.
Hopefully I will find the time to build one this year. Hay can be cut twice a year. With a bit of luck I will be able to make some good bales to feed the pigs through the winter and have enough bedding for them and the chickens. Buying in straw and hay could be a thing of the past.
Next question is how to cut the grass. Low impact demands something manually operated without fumes and a lot of noise, so maybe a scythe would be best.
A little dig around google and youtube revealed that hand balers can easily be built and used on small fields.
Hopefully I will find the time to build one this year. Hay can be cut twice a year. With a bit of luck I will be able to make some good bales to feed the pigs through the winter and have enough bedding for them and the chickens. Buying in straw and hay could be a thing of the past.
Next question is how to cut the grass. Low impact demands something manually operated without fumes and a lot of noise, so maybe a scythe would be best.
Then I just have to hope we will have enough good weather for me to cut and dry enough hay...
Friday, April 22, 2011
Orpington Bug
I have been bitten by the Orpington Bug...
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| Buff Large Fowl Hen |
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| Red Large Fowl Cockerel |
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| Chocolate Bantam Hen |
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| Chocolate Bantam Pair |
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Dogs
Our dogs have been enjoying the sunshine as much as the chickens, pigs and cats.
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| Ice & Rammie with chickens |
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| Rammie looking for eggs |
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| Ripley |
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Trees are doing well
Planted this year:
Planted last year:
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| Alder (Erle - Alnus glutinosa) |
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| Downy birch (Moorbirke - Betula pubescens) |
Planted last year:
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| Willow (Weide - Salix viminalis tora) |
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