Saturday, July 19, 2014

Today's burning question...

So we put up a white board in the barn, mostly so I can leave notes for Gordon on what needs doing for the evening chores. He has taken to calling it the "Gord Board". This is a sampling of what you might find there...


Ahem.

Meanwhile, there are just too many things going on around here!

Mama Emma and nine chicks in the garage. The babies are going off to be part of my friend Pierre's backyard laying flock.



I picked the eggs for this batch. Quite the genetic assortment here! THey are growing like weeds.


Meanwhile, we've had the front  of our bank barn trenched, and gravel and drainage pipes put in. 




Whenever it's wet, we get water pouring through the stone wall in the lower level, That side of the barn was incorrectly buried when that section of the yard was filled in and the ground level raised. We're trying to correct those drainage problems now!

And bees...


This is one of my marked California queens on my friend Pierre's hand yesterday. Yep, she's really from California! And her hive is doing great...




In fact, all ten of my hives are doing great right now. Fingers crossed that it continues!

And in other news, we've been having a pasture fenced for the pigs...


Here's Bert and Findlay putting in the 8-foot gate.


This will be a nice spot for the piggies to hang out.


A view of the hay fields! Not quite finished cutting.


We are building a new pig palace in the carriage shed at the back of the granary above. The pigs will have access to the pasture though a little door we're going to put in the side of the carriage shed.


We will also build them a little shelter for shade outside.



That hill is steeper than it looks. They had a bit of a hairy time getting the tractor and the backhoe up and down there!


That big tree is one of our beautiful black walnuts, around 90 years old now.



And that little tree at the back of the carriage shed, about 1/3 of the way into the photo, is a young black walnut tree that grew by itself while we weren't looking! It was surrounded by sumacs that were cleared out yesterday. The other little tree on the left seems to be some kind of willow.


The piggies will have a nice view from their little pasture.


We used goat fencing!

And this was delivered yesterday for the new barn drainage.


We're going to put some of it in the muddy end of the "aviary" which will mean I'll get some practice using the bucket on our tractor!



Just so long as my fat little pigs are happy!



And of course the turkeys, too. Aren't they looking fine these days? We still need to get them a couple of lady friends!




Hope you are all having a good weekend!

18 comments:

  1. My long comment just disappeared. So I'll just say WOW to everything. It takes my breath away...

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  2. The turkeys are dashing, the pigs are getting bigger by the day, and the chicks look fabulous. I think the pigs will love the new pasture.

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  3. Pigs really like a pasture. Watch as they might dig under the fence . You are extremely busy with all your critters.

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  4. Those Turkeys really are AMAZING creatures. It all looks very well organised; I wish I could say the same for here.

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  5. Love that bottom pic!
    Thing is, do the white board jobs get done? I still have jobs on himself's blackboard from months back.

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  6. WOW all the things you do for your beloved animals. If I need a place to go, would I get one at your place, too?
    I could take some chores out of Gordons hand:-)

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  7. You really make it feel like summer. Or CCR: look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn.

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  8. We wonder if the piglets will discover rolling down the hill for fun?

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  9. What a delightful blog to read on a Sunday morning. I was thinking what a great little tourist trap your farm could be. Children would love walking tours to see all your domesticated farm animals. Not a petting zoo, more of an educational zoo although kids do need to touch. Too many these days don't even know how to climb a tree or what bark feels like.

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  10. Definitely looks and sounds like a lot going on at once in your little corner of the world. But chicks, pigs, bees, and turkeys look happy!

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  11. Lovely land you have ! Wonderful photos and WOW ! lots of work going on there ! I do like the white board oh sorry Gorden the" Gord Board" lol is a good idea Papa here would call the " Papa to do list or else" lol ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good week !

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  12. These piggies have landed in paradise.
    I am jealous of your bees!

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  13. I love to visit your blog because it´s cute, have great photos and lovely texts.
    Kisses

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  14. Everything looks so lovely there! I think you need a few goats to eat that lovely hay! Tee hee.

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  15. Gorgeous photos once again illustrating your amazing lives. I don't even have to race quickly through the bee shots anymore (although I don't much pause either)! Gordon is a saint -- whether or not he needs all that prodding/instructing. If I left those messages for San Geraldo, that white board would be history.

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  16. Anonymous4:52 pm

    I wonder how many other husbands' "to do lists" include looking for rat corpses? Wow--those turkeys are gorgeous!

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  17. What an amazing spread you have! Lucky animals. Those piggies are getting BIG!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!