pig pen or play pen?

To get to know pigs
Spend time with them
You must

Sit, down, shake.

Well, they'll sit, but not on demand.

Advice:

Don't smoke
Don't smoke in a barn
Don't smoke in a stall full of dry STRAW!!!

I went outside to smoke and he got up to follow me and paused, I love it when they sit and rushed in for a quick photo op.

The boys

5 months old (i think?) and growing much too fast.

I dread the day they hit the 200-250 weight mark.

3 times

They say a woodstove warms you 3 times. Falling the tree, splittinging (and stacking), and burning the wood. 
Splitting wood with or without a log splitters is hard work. Today I quickly volunteered to help.  By volunteer I mean it made my weekend and the child in me needed to be pulled away from the wood pile kicking and screaming. Despite the abundance of help, 4 men/2 ladies, log splitting is tough work. A continuous flow of logs need to be rolled to each splitter and the split logs moved and stacked (or thrown in a pile to be loaded and trailered at a later date).  There weren't any plaid wearing folk playing lumberjack in those woods, just hoodie and glove wearing men and woman on a mission. Warmth.

Log splitting hint: keep the guy or gal splitting happy by being one step ahead of the game. Be mindful of their wood supply and provide logs within arms reach of the splitter. This prevents them from having to get up and fetch their own. Bonus if you're there to help roll it in place.

The thought of good old fashioned chopping is romantic, but the reality is log splitters don't get tired. One might argue they are loud gas powered machines doing work that any able bodied person is capable of, which is true...but so are the trucks that will haul the wood home. This manner of heating a home can be sustainable through good woodlot management and greatly decreases the homes dependence on electric or gas powered heat. Pairing nature and man power with modern technology can be a beautifully efficient process.

Wool?

Oink Oink pink pig
Have you any wool?

No sir no sir
No bags full!

Nursery Rhymes

Three little piggies
Sleeping in the hay,
One to the butcher
Two get to stay.

howlo oak farm?

i dislike naming animals, i dislike naming properties even more.  i imagine i'll let my children name themselves.

these pigs, chickens, and a garden plot along with their master/muse and her canines shall me nameless no more.

think meredith think

Come and get it!

Dinner of pig champions...stewed tomatoes, corn, and rice hot enough to warm the belly without burning the pallet.

Night off from scrap pick up means I get to play chef for the pigs. So fun.

Bushel and a peck!

Starting the search for corn. The old timers suggest its the best to finish hogs on....hogs I all but fell asleep leaning on like a lounge chair in the barn tonight.

I can't think of slaughtering them on nights I sit in their stall listening to their deep peaceful warm happy well fed and loved slumber.

Chores?

I don't have farm chores, I partake in delightful efforts. The only chore is knowing hauling buckets of water from house to barn ends with a drive to the office.

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