JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[justusnak]

5 April 09
Quail, thats exactly how kids SHOULD be raised. Hard work...TV is a privelage....and good clean water! Thats how we were raised, and look at me now. Well...ok, NOW I am a little overweight, and old...however, I enjoy the "good life" of a hard days work, and good food. ( especially the good food!)
Bee, I am just quivering with the thought of getting a pair of those pigs! I can run them with the sheep...right? Oh jeesh, hubby will just seeth! We will have to make the pasture bigger, and we are not even finished building the one we started! The pasture we are putting in is only about 40 x 70 now, but was intended for 2 Ewes. Hmmm....I need to sell something, and come up with MO MONEY for fencing! There is plenty more room...just not enough money for fencing..yet. Ohhhhh..I need to get these wheels a turning!!
Let me know where she is...and the price of a pair of those wonderfull little piggies. I see blackness in my future!
Well, hubby is off to town. I say that like its a "real town" There is a PO, a gas/grocery/deli, 2 churches, and a few homes. Oh, and the volunteer FD. But, its closer than the next town, that actually has a wal mart. ( NOT a super center) When he gets back, we are headed out to get the mowers up and running. Time to get the back yard, dog yard mowed. Ahhhh, fresh cut grass...I cant waite!!
Our first grass mowing. Ahhhhhh...LOVE that smell! I know in a few months, I will be complaining about the 5 hrs it takes to mow...but for spring, its rejuvinateing! Got it done just in tome for the storms to come in....and make it grow more! HA! It starts! Tomorrow I am headed to the next big town where there is a TSC..to get advice on corner post supports. I just hope we do this right! Can't afford to rip it all out, and start over. Well...its bedtime folks..and this old beaten lady is off to lala land!

 

[Beekissed]

Just, she was having piglets today! BTW, the sow's name is Rasputia and the boar, Norbet!

You can run them with your sheep, which is exactly what I plan to do except in the winter time, when she will be confined to a very large outside pen and share a feed bin with the sheep for hay...picture sheep eating from one side and pig eating from another.

In the fall she will be put on the garden for general clean-up of veggies and plowing, so I can plant a cover crop. In the winter she will be eating hay, mangels, pumpkins, gourds, squash, apples, nuts and table scraps.

I will be using electric fencing and a solar charger for all these changes, Just. I was wondering if you have a perimeter fence around your property and could possibly just use electric fencing for temporary pasture/paddocks?

 

[justusnak]

Bee, we dont have a perimiter fence...any more. There was a pretty good fence around the 2 acres of woods, untill the woman that bought the trailor just on the south side of my woods, decided she didnt like the look of the fence, and tore it down!!! Oh, her and I had words...she said she didnt tear it down, that it was already down. Ummm, no...it wasn't. I walked that fenceline many times, checking the stability of it. She tore it out, crumpled it up, and threw it in the woods. Then she proceeded to " clear brush" as she said, to keep the snakes down because she will have her grandkids out for visits. I told her, I WILL be putting the fence back up, there WILL be snakes, and if she doesnt like it, to move back to town! I also informed her I will have GPD in the wooded area, and that they are VERY protective of thier area. So, she will have to keep her grandkids OUT of my woods! I of course will have to put up a perimeter fence, then another fence about 3 or 4 feet inside of that, to keep little hands from reaching in. THIS is why I dont like PEOPLE! They make me have to work harder, just to protect what is MINE! I was planning to run the sheep and pigs in the wooded area dureing the hottest part of the summer. Lots of shade, and good eats! There is a huge acorn tree out there, the pigs will love them! I still have to fence off the pond area as well. Dont want little piggies and sheep going for a swim. Its not a great pond, and the bottom of it is really slimy and mucky. Still saveing to get that all dug out, and done right! I am looking into getting a solar charger for the fence. WOW !! $$$ CHACHING! Have to save for that sucker too! I am selling the rabbit hutch..and a few laying hens..so I will have the extra money for the charger. Went today and got the fence...$214 for 330 feet. But, its a good quality fence, will outlast me! HA!Hopefully next weekend, weather permitting, we can get the fence strung.HOPEING!!! Today is a cold rainy/snow mixed day. I got a great catalog in the mail from a place called "Gardens Alive" It has a $25 cupon and there is no limin on the purchase. I can get earthworms, redworms..all sorts of stuff, and if under $25, its ALL FREE! WOOHOO! LOVIN it!
Guess I will just hang out inside today. Got my book, All Flesh Is Grass. Looks like a good day for housecleaning, coffee, and reading. Bee, let me know what your sis will want for those pigs...and where I need to go to get them, hope its not too far!:/

 

[Beekissed]

Justusnak, how powerful of a charger were you looking at? I got one at the local hardware good for a 5 mi. range, medium duty, for $129. I also got a good tip on amping up the charge for solar chargers. Someone said to double ground it to get a stronger charge. The next price up is the heavy duty and it was $239.

I'll ask the sis. I don't even know how the litter made out, how many she had and what gender they were yet. Will keep you informed.

Tell me your price range? Whatever her price is~if its higher, she may come down to your price for a sure sale.... I don't even think she knows what she will be asking yet. She really isn't in this whole farming thing to make money....she hasn't really made a dime yet and doesn't seem to care! She just likes having baby animals....then she doesn't know what to do with them when they grow up.

 

[justusnak]

Bee, I have looked several places, locally, and the least expencive one I have found was $239. Still out of my price range. For now I might have to get the little $30.00 one for 5 miles plug in type. Way more than I need, but more in my price range for now.
As for the piggies, Wow, I have NO idea! Seriously...I know they can't be too cheap...( good things never are) LOL Where did you say she is located? I know you posted it somewhere, once, but I cant remember. I haven't researched the prices on them, but I am sure a breeder would want more than I can afford. I have to get 2 little piggies for the freezer this late spring. One for us, and one for my sister. Of course they will not be raised with the breeders. These ones are raised under a willow tree..and away from view..so I dont get too attached to them! LOL I hope your sis had a great big litter. Baby pigs are just sooo much fun to watch. And, from the sounds of this breed, they are great mothers! How awsome is that? I read also, that the males can be left with the females, even after the little ones are born. Something you can't do with most other breeds. Just looking at those big old floppy ears makes me want them more and more. Even if your sister doesnt have enough to sell this year, maybe I can get a few next year. Either way...I WILL have some on my farm...I HAVE too!!

 

[Beekissed]

I checked with my mom and sis is selling WAY too high~$250 each. Of course, she paid $300 ea. for hers and drove all the way to Arkansas for them, but I doubt anyone else wants Large Blacks that much on this forum.

BUT....she is giving me a sow that I will, hopefully, have a litter from next year, which I will offer at the going price for weanlings around here~$35-40 each.

I know they are a heritage breed and very scarce in the registry~but do you maintain that exclusivity by charging high prices for them? NO. They are in the rare livestock class because they are too expensive for anyone to buy, IMO.

Why is that, I wonder? I know they are not really considered suitable for CAFOs and won't even be looked at by judges at a county fair because they are not a "normal" breed and cannot be judged accordingly.

But they have big litters just like other breeds, are naturally disease resistant, parasite resistant and do well foraging for foods instead of being confined to a feedlot. They do well with birthing and do not usually require any assistance. So....why should they be a rare thing? I would say because of supply and demand.

If I can make it happen and you can wait a year, I will get you your Large Blacks, Justusnak!

 

[justusnak]

I sorta thought she would want around that for hers. :/ Yeah, out of MY price range. No biggie. I can waite a year. Gives me more time to prepare for them I too! I will concentrate on my sheep this year. LOL
Im like you, I know they are a rare breed and all but, in reality, and in todays economy..a pig is a pig. Food. One would think that being they are endangered, the prices would be affordable, so people would WANT to buy and breed them.
I dont know why they cant be put in Fairs. I think they are beautifull! WAY more personality than a "standard" hog and more economical. I guess because of thier slow growth rate...people want "instant gratification" At least around here that how it is. I have people asking me to sell them good laying hens for $2.00/ea. Um, NO! They dont want the work it takes to raise a little one for a few months,feeding and careing, for "nothing" They want to throw a hen in a yard, and have an egg the next morning. My good laying hens go for $10.00 ea. I wont waver on the price one cent.
Oh well...looks like this year is the "year of the sheep" for me. Thanks Bee....I really DO appreciate your looking into this for me. I can waite another year. No biggie.

 

[justusnak]

7 April 09

Ok, who ticked off Mother Nature!?? We woke to a "beautifull" blanket of white stuff. SOOO NOT FAIR!! I am DONE with winter, ye hear me Mother Nature!?? IM DONE!! Juuust kidding.... We LOVE whatever weather Mother nature gives us! ( dont want to miff her anymore than she already is!)
So, the plan WAS to get out and work in the barn, building the divider wall. Hmmm, TOO COLD! Maybe if it warms up a bit, in a few days. hopeing this weekend we will be able to get more of the fencing up...I think I have the corner posts figured out...thanks to everyone's input. I will try to remember to get pics as we go along.
I went to get my fence yesterday from the local hardware store where I ordered it. As soon as I walked in, Tina looks at me and says, " your gonna hate me" I said, Now Tina...I could never hate you...what happened? they send the wrong fence? Ohhhhhhh yeah. What they sent was 36 inches tall. Well....THATS not gonna work. She kept saying how sorry she was..and that she would make it right. ( I love small towns) I told her, not to worry, its not her fault, and I can waite another week for the fencing, we will just reorder it. Well, of course she would have none of that! They had a roll of fencing in the back, had been there all through the winter. Its rather pricey..and no one around here can afford this fence. 48 inches tall..330 feet long. $276. Galvanized...so rust wont be an issue. I was originally wanting this fence, untill I saw the price. Well...because of the mix up, she let me have it for the price of what I was going to pay for the other! Total $214.

The openeing are smaller at the bottom, and get larger towards the top. GREAT for sheep! And, being this pasture is basically in the front "yard" it will look good as well. THIS makes DH happy. He doesnt want "sloppy"
I know, its heavy..I couldnt slide it from the bed of my truck! All the other fencing we have bought, I can move around...not this! So, weather permitting, we will work on the pasture this weekend and hopefully have the sheep home soon!

 

[Tallman]

Wow - You did good!

 

[justusnak]

Thanks Tallman, I dont think we will have any problem with animals pushing through this stuff!
8 April 09
So yesterday...nothing really going on. Its so wet and boggy in the yard and garden area we cant get out there to get any work done. I took some eggs to a friend, and my raw wool from my Ewe I will be getting. She showed me the proper way to wash it..without felting it! I have it stretched on towels in front of the woodstove, drying.
Today is laundry day, UGH! We have had so much rain, and cold temps, I haven't had the chance to get any laundry done. Its sunny, but cool today, but there is a good breeze. So, laundry hanging on the line. I think I will try to get a few more things done in the barn. The washer just finished...so its "that time" I DO love hanging my laundry out...it smells so good, and I am saveing so much money!