Well one day of piggys not behaving badly

Well made it through the day and the little stinkers stayed where they are supposed to. Going to have to get a steel can to keep feed in was looking at the plastic one and they ate holes in it trying to get the feed out then gave up and crushed it till the lid popped off. Now it is a test to see who has the upper hand for the next 3 1/2 months till they reach full weight.

Evil pigs

Well the social butterflys were at it again yesterday. They decided to go visit the horse we have boarding on the place finally had to just leave them be and wait for them to gt board so they went back where they belong. I am starting to think they are out to make up for how little trouble the last pair were by being as much trouble as thye know how to be. So I figure the next 3-31/2 months should be a real blast.

one tired dog

Took this today of my dog/buddy duddly he was sacked out after a busy afternoon running around the farm.

feed can raid

Very hungry mice/rat went out to feed yesterday and found proof that our cold snap had been hard for all the animals. Some little fiend raided the plastic garbage can we have used for years to store feed in.

Cold!!!!!!!!

Well our first real cold snap has arrived we have been hanging around the upper teens at night and mid 20's for a high. Supposed to warm up this weekend but we shall see.

Wind!

Well the last 2 days have been rather windy here with periods of heavy rain as well. Had to go and re work some fencing because of it. Also had an old camping trailer I was stripping to make into a flat bed. Had taken most of the siding off but still had the roof to go. Well this morning it looked like a bomb had gone off in side it, everything but the back end wall was removed and shredded. Also had an alder tree about 18" at the base snap and come down along the driveway. Thank goodness not across as that would have taken out our power line.
We are hoping it stops by morning as tomorrow is goat tackling and hoof trimming. Poor Tasha has an on going case of hoof scald we have had it nearly cleared up several times but then it comes back

Fall tilling

Well got most of my tilling done except for a final till of next years garden space and where I hope to build a greenhouse this spring as well. Figure that way can grow things in summer that need a bit more heat than we get on average. Also it is mild enough here to grow basic veggies year round with one.

Feeding time on the farm

Sorry the quality is so sucky my phone takes grainy videos.

2 more calf pictures

Our new White face herferd calf

Went to one of the local liestock auction yards today and bought a calf. We are going in 50-50 with the next door neighbor on this one. Alice decided a good name for her would be cinnamon, she is just a few months old so it will take about 18 months or so for her to reach full size.

piggy pics

PIGS!!!!

Went and picked up 3 new piggies today they are 7/8 Berkshire 1/8 Duroc. They are named Ralph, Waldo, and Emerson, and yes they are named after Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph is the white one, Waldo is the orange and black one and Waldo is the mostly black one I have also included a picture of they new pig house.

State Fair- A girl and her pig

saw this at the Washington State fair on the 31st we went for a short peek. And while were there saw this young girl resting with here pig.

new nesting boxes finaly built and added to chicken coop

Finally got around to adding some more nesting boxes now that we have 39 new chicks figured we would need them.

Chicks

Well we decided it was time to get some new hens as the ones who are left are getting old now. We were ordering with friends so neither had to buy 25. well long story short all was well till the wife got to looking and ordered 25 Bantums who came in a mixed set (just hope they are not all boys). So with the ones I ordered we got 38 of the little puff balls.

Busy Busy

Been fairly busy of late and not keeping up here. Couple of weeks ago we got the daughter her first lamb she is a registered Shetland about 3 months old and still tiny. The goat boys continue to grow both in size and silliness. Ramses on a regular basis keeps sticking his head through the fence which is great until he trys to pull it back and his horns won't let him.
My current unplanned project has been fixing the wiring in the shop (scary stuff). came home from school 3 weeks ago and our power pole was laying on the ground. Got that fixed with a new pole and all that goes on the pole for around $3500. When the state inspector came out he went and peeked in the shop and left me a list of corrections to make. As I have been making those I keep finding other scary things I just cannot let go. I am fairly suprised the shop never burned down due to an electrical fire.
Hopefully I can keep up here on the blog as the summer goes on.

Never see this living in the city

`Now how likely are you to wake up and find chickens waiting at the door first thing in the morning. Not very if you live any where but in the country. At least if you live in the USA any way,ever since the weasel incident they are living on our large deck and sometimes show up here.

Shear madness

Well Monday was shearing day we had 3 sheep and 3 goats buzzed and hoofs rimed on all of them. Luckily Our shearer brought his dog with because we had one sheep (Eleanor) who we could not get in. Zander's Dog was aces at getting her to go where she neede to be so he could catch her. You should have heard both the boy goats they were crying so much you would think we were killing them. I will try and post some pics Friday of the short haired crew.

Yard work begins

Well finally got the riding mower back from the repair shop man was that pricey. But good timing since the Fergie is having carb issues at the moment. Cannot mow for nearly as long as I could before barely got 1/4 of what I needed done and had to quit. Probably for the best since I found a piece of steel that bent one blade fairly good and now have to buy a new set.
The joys of spring I think.

Goats and Roosters

Happy happy
Had to tackle mama goat this afternoon and trim her hooves really heavy. it have been so wet here that she has a first class case of hoof root going. So we got her all trimmed up and have to go by the feed store and grab some more antifungal treatment to dose her hooves with. Main cause has been a very wet winter and spring so some areas have yet to dy out much at all. As a result I am going to have to gravel the whole corral this summer to build it up against further wet next season.

Today we took in a rooster that one of Colette's coworkers got this year. He is a very young Bard Rock and hopefully him and Yuri our other rooster will get along okay.

Horses, no horses, horses

Well we were boarding a few horses for someone and last week they moved to Colorado and took them with. Well a few days later a friend was in a bind and needed too relocate the three horses they have in a hurry. So once again there are horses here, which is a good thing from my daughters view point.

Well first day of my computer class

Well went to my first day for my computer class, feel I already know a lot of it but hey you have to take it. Took my math midterm yesterday and either did real well or total crash and burn not sure which.
Been fairly wet last few days so not much going on out side. Did have the horses we were boarding move out Monday.

baby birds

there is a robin's nest in an alder tree down by the river so wee took a peek to see if any one was home.

Fewer Drakes FINALLY

I finally found a new home for the 5 extra Drakes today. It was a great joy trying to catch them skinny little buggers were a lot stronger than I expected.

Baby Ducky update

Well Pearl has hatched 4 and give up on the rest which is still amazing considering the Weasel issues and some of the drakes being goober heads. We have or fingers crossed that they will all be girls but have to wait and see.

Duckies

Pearl finally had a he rfirst babies hatch this morning 2 so far and hopefully there will be more.

Fianly got it

Well last night (4:15am) I finally got a clear shot at the weasel and hit him. So 2 hens and countless eggs later he is no longer an issue, was starting to think I would never get him. And he had gotten bold enough to be a making day light raids.

Bad Cow day

Well got a shocker today went out this morning and my 20 month old Jersey steer was laying dead in the pasture. Worse yet no clear sign of why he died. he was up and about late last night and doing fine so I have no clue what caused this.

Weasel 2

Well the little bugger struck again last night took down another chicken I figure he got her in her sleep cause she made no noise. Having seen him I am fairly impressed he is not very big maybe 2" around and 10-12 inches long. Got the name of 2 trappers from the state fish and wildlife office in the area so have to see what they will charge us to come and "deal" with it. not a big fan of killing those just trying to get by but now at 2 chickens a few dozen eggs and having traumatized my mother duck nesting on her eggs it has gone to far.

I love spring

What a nice day it was today we nearly broke 70 degrees this afternoon. I finaly finished my blade attachment modifications so get to try it out tomorrow. Well our Turkeys are really growing they are way bigger now may have to make a pen for them out side so they can start to transition to living outside soon. They have a large part of their feathers now. Also think we have one boy and one girl judging from the size difference of the two.
Been trying to melt down all my bees wax comb from the one hive but but was doing it outside on a propane camp stove. going to have to re plan that one after two of the normal propane bottles I have barely made a dent in melting it down. may have to do it on the stove on a warm day when I can open all the windows (and no one else is home).
Our Skunk cabbage is nearly in full glory these day (on joy) wish you could make money from it I would be rich have over an acre of the stuff total. nearly all is the giant primeval sort of ones.

Weasel

Well we final saw our coop raider the night before last he freaked all the ducks out and we had to chase him out of the duck house. Not a real big fellow but then we have smaller ones around here. Atleast now we know wow has been raiding the eggs of late.

one word for today

WET!!!!!!
sitting here trying to make myself swim out and feed every body the evening feeding since I don't think this will stop.

more proof spring is here

Well the ornamental cherry tree is about 75% in bloom so spring has truly arrived. bit wet but it is here finally.

ich back to school

Well I have started going back to school as part of my L&I retraining process. I am really hoping I can take the grind when I get to a full Schedule come fall. I am not sure my back will let me do this but I have to try instead of just giving up and calling it quits for my working life. Besides I have always had an interest in Engineering so I sure want this to work.
All the animals are doing good no more lost chickens and my turkey chicks have nearly tripled in size in 2 weeks. Have to get started fencing the new pig run as they are coming in early June. did 2 last year going to go for 3 this time around. I will sell 2 and pack one in my freezer. Got to say if you have an area you want cleared and prepared for a garden space or what every natures rototillers are fantastic.

Finished project

well got the dozer blade mount finished did one part some what second rate just because it is only temp section. I am hoping to add a hydraulic ram for the bucket and blade so that piece will come off then. Will post a pic or two later today.
Now I just need to see how well my mount actually works have a fair amount of trench to cover over and that would make it a lot easier.

some of the gang here on the farm

took a few pics of some of the surviving chickens and most of the ducks or as I call them the mob. We have got to get more girl ducks this year. we only have 3 with 9 boys, on the plus side our super mom pearl is sitting on a batch again so here is hoping. We call her super mom because last year she not only cared for her babies but one other gals as well so at one point she was running herd on 24 babies.
This is Yuri our newest one a very strutty rooster
one very tired turkey chick

part of the "Mob"

current project

Been working on a project today that before I messed up my back would have taken an afternoon but to date I have been at it for 4 days. When I bought my fergie it had a front mount dozer blade with it. Well I have been modifying it so the blade would mount on to the loader arms. I am nearly finished with it and hope to have it done tomorrow I will post a pic when it is all finished.

Silly cow

Well this is mils our Jersey steer who is convinced the 2 young goats are his to the point they can stand and walk on him when ever he lays down. Partly I think it is because the silly guy is madly in love with their mom Tasha who we got about 3 weeks before they were born. He can be over protective of them at times but he is a good fellow over all.

chicken thief

Well not sure when it happened but last night it came back and killed a chicken and one other is missing. not sure how it got in as every thing was locked up. going to have to inspect the coop for a weak spot. Fairly certain it is a raccoon based on the damage done top her, looks like we may have to get some new chicks this spring.

slow day

Not much going on today but at least by late afternoon the rain has stopped,supposed to e nicer for a few days. My main accomplishment today was bottling up the honey from my bee hive that died recently,it did not re-queen last fall so over time the old workers died off. So here in about a month it will be time for new bees.

a few pictures

a start

We have been here for 6 1/2 years now and I have way more projects, especially since I messed up my back 3 years ago. I will try and get more posted as the week goes on.