Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

Freezing rain, rain, and snow taking turns right now around here.
 
As far as I know, we're just getting rain.
 
Oh man..... I can NOT even imagine having to deal with snow... I don't know how ya'll do it!
 
We don't normally have this type of weather at this time of year. And, the last long range forecast I looked at doesn't show this area getting up to normal temps until some time next month.
 
Goodness - I finished smoking the rest of the bacon tonight. Woo-wee, that is some good stuff! Next, and hopefully last, step will be to render the lard... I need to get started on that next...sigh!

I'm already thinking about getting more pigs, but breeders instead of feeders. I contacted some breeders today of Kunekunes and Guinea Hogs. This is very preliminary right now, just doing some research. There are breeders of both within a couple hours of me. The Kunekunes are sooo cute. Their little smooshy faces are just adoreable and I love all their wild and crazy colors.

I can't think about more critters untl I get rid of some! And, I've got 5 does bred - 4 of which will be kidding around the first week of May.

My started plants are all doing well. I put cucumbers in the garden Sunday. I'm ready to set out tomatoes, but might wait another week. They won't stay in their little pots much longer than that, so I'm really hoping this nice weather sticks now.

That's all for now.
 
Wish I was comfortable setting out my tomatoes! It's 32 degrees here this morning though :/
 
Brrrrrrrrrr... I am so OVER cold weather! We are supposed to be in the mid 70s most of the week, but the nights are still much cooler. I'm skeered to set my 'maters out yet. Years ago when we drank lots of soft drinks, I'd save the two liter bottlers. I'd cut the bottms off, and turn em upside down over the 'maters (with the lid off) and they'd act like mini greenhouses. It wokred great while the plants were still small - but I got no more 2 liter bottles. It was cheap and effective. Guess I need to start collecting bottles again!

I'll probably bite the bullet and set 'em out this weekend anyway. I've got some row cover that I can use if the nights are still cool. It's more trouble to put out, but not that much.

I'm hearing back from the Guinea Hog and Kunekune breeders. There's quite a price difference. I can get a breeding pair of Guinea's for about $500, but the Kunekune's are going to be $1200 - $1800 depending on the animals...:ep

A lady that I used to show goats with is coming next weekend to look at a couple of brown agouti bucks I have. She's driving in from 8 hours away to look at these guys and will be spending the night. When I got into the brown agoutis about 20 years ago they were a very rare color in Pygmy goats. It's not so rare now, but good quality browns are still few and far between. I've got 'em. I started 'em in this part of the country and mine are still show quality even though I don't show anymore. I have two and they've been neck and neck in the quality department, but they each change a little bit every week or so in their development. When they were born I liked one of 'em more than the other - and now it's the opposite. I really hope she won't want the one I like best, lol. But, she shows and I don't - so I'll sell her the best one. Guess I need to put some does in with him now so I can get babies out of him before he goes home. I do have one doe bred to him, but it's a kinder-type, not a pygmy. Like I need any more babies! But, it keeps my toes in the show world and the price of show goats is much better than the price of a pet. Gotta do whatcha gotta do!

Dang, I'll really have to clean house now!
 
I turned the buck in with a few does yesterday evening. We had success(!) with at least one doe that I wanted bred to him. There's one more that I'd like to hook him up with! She's a pretty little thing and I think she'd be a good cross with him.

I heard from an old, dear friend lately. He's had a horrible battle with cancer. I've been trying to suggest to him a more natural, healthy way of eating. He's very interested in getting some kefir. Now - do I have any right now? Noooooooooo... My does are dried up and won't kid until May. I did promise him that by June I should be able to make him some fresh home-grown, goat milk kefir. Which reminds me, without fresh raw goat milk, I'm going to have to refrigerate my grains so they'll last until I get more milk.

I hate to say this - but we need rain. Ugh! We are back into a 'moderate' drought right now. It's likely that we'll get some rain today or tomorrow AND (horror of horrors) we'll be back into the 30's by early next week.... Geeze louise!
 
Well, if you're going to be that cold, maybe we'll get some warmer temps here!
 
Well, our 30'ish degree weather is s'posed to be overnight lows. It's still getting pretty tolerable during the daytimes. "They" are calling for storms tomorrow and much as I hate to admit it - we NEED rain. ugh.

Gave some bacon to the neighbor and have some lard rendering now. We had my version of carnitas tonight out of some pork trimmings - yummmmm! Okay, not really carnitas, just some pork chunks fried up with onions and garlic and served with salsa and avocado on the side. We're low-carbing it, so no tortillas....:( But, brownies sound good for a snack later - don't they? I need a low-carb recipe.

We're supposed to start working on fence again tomorrow. I'll be sooooo glad when that job is finally finished. We only need to do the section between me and the neighbor and a little spot across the back of my property. Then it'll all be finished and maybe I can think about doing some cross-fencing into paddocks for rotatiional grazing for goats and maybe, just maybe, some breeder pigs!?!

I have a few little bean sprouts coming up in the garden. Yea! And, I saw some rutabaga seedlings peeking through. I really think it's too late for them to do much, but with this crazy weather, who knows? I did plant them in a spot that will get some shade, so maybe that'll help...

Watching Ghost Adventures on tv... eeeeerie
 
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