Sunday, March 30, 2008

Pig Housing and Feed

The snow wont stop. We have spent the last week trying to get a path cleared towards the pig area. Yesterday I was able to remove the snow bank that had built up against the two buildings. We can now feed the pigs without having to climb mt. Everest.

There is too much snow to setup electric fencing, hopefully within the next 3 weeks it will all disappear and the pigs will be foraging throughout the woods.

In the mean time you can see the "boiling station" I have setup. A truck load of potatoes and carrots is being stored in the old chicken coop, along with organic grains grown here on the island. Who knew people on PEI could grow organically....


The potatoes and carrots are boiled in a big pot, then all the contents are allowed to cool and grain is mixed in. Fancy pig porridge! The main reason for boiling the vegetables concerns the potatoes. Raw potatoes are much harder for pigs to digest and can cause much discomfort. The boiling also allows for easy eating.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Piggy Arrival!


Well, this is my first entry for our blog. I am certainly not as poetic as Judy; her british seems to make everything sound like a novel. We hope that this blog will provide entertainment and education. I will say that I am a bit skeptical as to whether we will make entries on a regular basis. Dealing with dial up internet and the everyday tasks of caring for animals leaves little time.

Today was by far the nicest day we have had since I arrived 3 weeks ago. The sun was shining all day; the horses got to go out for a much needed ride and the ice is melting rapidly.

Thursday evening and Friday morning we picked up our first group of piggies. Thursdays pigs were particularly special. Judy and I picked them up on our way back from a conference in Charlottetown. We took my 89 honda prelude and cleared out the trunk, put down a blanket and stuffed it full of straw. I like to think of it as sustainable pork transport. The pigs went right to sleep and were kind enough not to poop or pee! I dont think we will be taking them to the abbatoir in my car.

I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to locate any heritage breed of pig currently on the Island. Judys friend Tina is the only one, she raises large blacks (thank you Tina). You might ask - why dont you go get them in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia? - Well, PEI is one of the very few places in the world that doesnt have two particular viruses associated with hogs. They would like to keep it this way and have there for put laws in place stating that if you are to bring any hogs onto the island they must first have the correct blood testing and paper work approved. Well this paperwork comes at a rather high cost and would not allow me or any farmer to be profitable when selling pork.

So we currently have 2 large black/hampshire gilts and 2 yorkshire/landrace gilts. They are getting along well and will be fed a mixture of boiled potatoes, carrots and organic grains, along with raw milk twice a week. Lets not forget that these pigs will be foraging in the woods and snacking on pasture as soon as the snow melts; this will make up a good portion of their diet!

I look forward to talking more about the pigs and the methods I will be using to raise them.

Until then, enjoy the pictures in the slideshow and rest assured that both Judy and I will become better at this blogging business!

R

Sunday, March 23, 2008

fire on the farm!


It's been a busy week but the most activity came when a 4 wheeler arrived stating that there was a fire in our cabin in the woods. We reported it to the RCMP who are mandated to send in the fire dept. Lo and behold 2 fire trucks arrive and promptly get stuck in our driveway. Had it been a fire in one of our main buildings we would have been toast, quite literally. How it started is a mystery, we are just thankful it was not on the farm.




Roy has decided to stay with us for the next while and we'll raise some pigs in the woods over the summer. We've got lots of projects lined up; building a straw bale cabin; an earth oven; a smoke house (to cure some of that delicious pork in the fall ) an area to hold ice blocks for summer cooling use, and lots of other fun stuff. We will perfect our thermosyphoning unit so that this summers cottage guests can use the out door shower and really feel at one with the earth sun and sky! So keep tuned.




It's easter morning and we feasted last night on one of my beautiful heritage turkeys. Roy and I shared chef duties and ended up with an amazing menu. Stuffed mushrooms, chicken satay and devilled eggs ( just for Vicky who is up for the weekend from Halifax) We then followed with the turkey, roast potatoes, braised cabbage with apple, stuffing and of course lashings of gravy. Topping this orgy of slow food and I do mean slow food as we started eating at 6pm and finished at about 10.30pm we did play a game of tock between courses and ended up with apple crumble. We all waddled off to bed most certainly satiated.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Stopping the Snow Dance

Another hunker down day. I am now entering the foray of the IT world. Little did I think that pioneer farm would have a blog. The word wasn't in my vocabulary until a few weeks ago. I do think however that instead of a newsletter to all who may be interested in the goings on on the farm this would be a great alternative.
trouble is how does one start. I guess with todays happenings. All animals are safely enclosed in their respective barns/stalls except of course the horses as they come and go at will from their enclosure. They have two new round bales and are always so happy to get stuck in to a fresh bale. icicles swing from their thick fur while their noses are buried deep into round hay burrows always searching for that choice piece. The wind is swirling and blustering with unusual vengeance creating near white out conditions. If such is the case here in this generally sheltered spot I wonder how our neighbours are fairing.
The llamas and goats were none too happy at yet another prospective day in the barn and I put breton (llama) in with flora (ewe) to give a bit of space for the llama area also as breton and simon don't get along in an enclosed space for long. Sweetie my wonderful Finn ewe was put down a couple of weeks ago she had contracted incurable ovine pnuemonia and coulddn't fight it any longer, leaving a lonely flora wondering where her companion is. Hopefully I can peruade Jim to get another sheep this spring as she will not want to keep the grass cut alone!

Previously posted March 2, 2008