Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[Mini Horses]

Have 11, counting the buck. Seriously considering looking for a home for the buck. Someone who would use him for their herd, just re-breed mine to one of theirs would be fantastic. He is reg Nubian. Nice friendly buck, BIG boy, way oversized for his "mini" papers. Throws nice kids. I can always buy a buck. Would go to 5 does if I did that.

Turned piggy mom & babes back into the whole pig lot this AM. 2nd sow has always been on fence line & is sister to mom. No issues, so I could just laugh at those little porkers running full out!! What a cute site. No video with me, sorry.

See FEM, I am thinking about "downsizing". We both talk about it & it is so very hard to do....not getting out of it but, reducing some animal time/chores to allow for some down time. Like you say, I'm looking at the growing of food for them & I already HAVE seeds gabatch. It's warm here this week and I'm looking to plow & plant but I KNOW it's only mid January. Need a heavy dose of patience.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Patience??? I hear ya- but somehow I have a problem with patience! I found some plants today while at the feed store- so I planted 12 broccoli and 6 napa cabbage plants. I just could not help myself, lol!

And, I have an even bigger problem downsizing ... But it needs to be done.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Downsizing is awful. My husband picks on me because I hate downsizing so much (because of getting rid of animals) that I am kind of obsessive about keeping numbers low. I also pay very close attention to financials (yup I'm cheap) so staying small needs to happen!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh, and planting... In January? When is your last frost, typically?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Argh....why, why, why am I still fighting this upper respiratory stuff? I'm so sick of being sick. There - I whined - not whining again until tomorrow, lol.

Have PT on the foot this afternoon - and this is NOT a whine. I love going to therapy! Even after just two visits I see improvement. YAY!!!

Ok... @NH Homesteader ... I've never really paid attention to 'frost dates' but I looked it up. Seems like our last frost date is around the first of March. (even though we've had freezes after that - they are rare). I'm off today ,so if I can breathe later - I'm going to see about putting some pea seeds in the ground. Not as simple as it sounds because chickens have made the garden spot their "winter" spot. Gonna have to trim some wings or make some fencing changes. Of course, that all depends on the weather. We've got tornado warnings about 20 miles from us - but so far here nothing at all. Praying the rain/storms stay north of us.

I've got a runt out of each litter of piglets, so yesterday I wormed those and gave them a coccidia treatment. I wish I had more experience with pigs. Some of the others are looking amazing! Growing, getting thick and looking like mini-hippos, lol.

Went to bed at 7:30 last night, so no real excuse for sitting on my butt this morning. I need to get out and feed and get busy doing something...like garden prep at the least.

Happy Monday ya'll!

 

[NH Homesteader]

March?

Have you put some of the piggies up for sale? One of my gilts is a runt, our friend breeds runts all the time and they're usually fine.

Feel better!

 

[Mini Horses]

FEEL BETTER --- stand in hot, steamy shower. Lots of Vit C, take some rest breaks during the day. Snuggle with hot drink before bed. Even some Vicks. There.....sounds good, right?

Relax and enjoy the eye candy this afternoon.

My girl Tiny, who had the nine piglets, was a runt. She's a little smaller than sister, not much any more. Big difference when small. Healthy and holds her own!

Worked yesterday -- food demo giving out samples of fresh berries -- home about 6 and had a doe with trips on ground, last one just wet on edges. Now, she's given me trips, twins, now trips again -- great mom! -- this last time she finally had a doeling for me. 8 kids, 7 boys!!! Her daughter due any minute, mucus and all going (she & mom kidded 12 hrs apart last yr)....2nd freshening, looks prob trips again (?). Last year all boys, hope not this year. Ahhhh, healthy kids, great moms, easy births -- it's all good!!! Besides, selling all kids this year. Fortunately they held off from freeze/snow last week. We are in 60 day & 40 nights all week.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

FEEL BETTER --- stand in hot, steamy shower. Lots of Vit C, take some rest breaks during the day. Snuggle with hot drink before bed. Even some Vicks. There.....sounds good, right?

Definitely - all of the above! Unfortunately, this is an annual event for me. I even crawled back in bed for about an hour this morning. Been a slug so far today. I did feed and fix a panel around the big bale I put out yesterday. They had knocked it down and were all up and all over/under that bale. Too much waste that way and a little dangerous too.

So glad I'm off for MLK day today because sometimes I have a tendency to go to work when I shouldn't. UGH! I even wussed out and canceled my PT this afternoon. Just couldn't think about cleaning up and heading to town today. It's a lot easier when I'm already at work and the PT office is about 1/4 mile from the school. Double badness cuz no PT and no eye candy, lol.

Woohoo - congrats on the trips - and finally a doe kid! Are you sure you don't want to keep that little doeling??? I don't have any kids due until early March - if then. Not seeing much progress out there - a few big bellies but nobody is bag building at this stage yet.

Still haven't put the piglets up for sale...didn't feel like dealing with it this past weekend even though it would have been a perfect time. We've got a chance of major rain for the next few days and I'm sure that'll convince me not to do it next weekend, lol. Can we say p.r.o.c.r.a.s.t.i.n.a.t.e???? It's one of the things I'm best at. But, the time will come and it will get done, later rather than sooner, lol!

Weather - 80ish and humid. Actually feels good to the lungs.

 

[Mini Horses]

You can reset the PT!! Rest. Don't feel guilty, just do it.

Daughter doe had her trip BOYS between 5 & 5:15 tonight. She's now 6 for 6. On the good side, they pay their own feed bill. Plus are both great moms, take special time to be sure all three feed. Both are mini-nubs. I'm not looking for more for 2 weeks, then another 2-3 for others. Great, Feb is our bad weather month.

Don't feel bad about pigs -- I haven't listed mine either. I mean, you have to be able to at least show them when there are calls. Mine are only 6 weeks and not weaned, so ok for now. Heck, weather may be snow again in two more weeks! I want them to be able to survive well when they leave. So, will wean & watch in 2 weeks, then list. I have always felt that was my responsibility to those babes when I sell them be they pigs, goats, minis, etc. I know you have same concerns. It's ok. List when you feel better & can deal with buyers AND the babes can be on their own.

I am baking a ham from one of the pigs I butchered in August. Day off...cook, laundry, etc.

 

[NH Homesteader]

80 and humid??? Wow. Your weather never ceases to amaze me lol!

I hate selling animals. It's almost worse than butchering them. I worry constantly about where I'm sending them off to! So how old are the piggies again?

Congrats on the kids Mini Horses! Sorry about that gender ratio though!