JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?
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Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Good to hear you are doing well! Was wondering where you had been and it sounds like you've been in the Land of Busy!!! Wow!!! What a wonderful feeling to have all that put by, isn't it?justusnak said:WOW! September already! Where did the summer go!?? Our garden did fairly well...50 pints of green beans, 32 pints pickled beets, 47 pints corn, 16 pints potatoes, 14 quarts of spaghetti sauce, + 4 pints. , 19 pints canned tomatoes, 16 pints chili starter, 23 pints peaches..and about 20 pounds of onions...whew! Looking at all of this in the pantry makes me tired, but proud! The tomatoes are still coming on pretty good! The green peppers are still going strong...even after I put about 20 bags of sliced peppers in the freezer.
A few weeks ago, I got a call about a baby pig. He apparently fell from a semi truck, on the highway. He was scooped up by someone and brought to me. He was about 10 days old, and weighed about 3 pounds. He is now 3 weeks old, still on milk, but weighs about 8 or 10 pounds! I see bacon in my future.
I still have about 3 pounds of carrots to get canned...oh, and I canned some of my goats milk! So far ( just over a week after canning) it still looks good, no clumps, no discoloring...
Today I got my hard cheese making kit...so I will be making cheddar cheese soon, hoping to have enough to give out to family for Christmas. We just LOVE Cheddar cheese!
Last week I canned 5 quarts of Meatloaf...hoping to get more done soon. Once the ground beef goes on sale.Sunday I will hopefully have time to butcher all these roosters. There are about 7 too many here...and I need to empty a few pens, before winter. They will get canned as well.
It has been a long crazy, busy summer....I hope everyone has had a productive one!!
And God provided you a pig! How's the sheep?
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- #3,213
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
I have been so busy I think I passed myself a few time outside. LOL The sheep are doing great. Poor little Laura is doing MUCH better. She is putting weight on and the gash on her leg is healed up just fine. Our little pig is about 10 pounds already...he sure is growing fast! I will be so happy when he is big enough to defend himself from the cats, and can go outside....I am NOT liking this "house pig" :/ Moolie, the pig is so small...he has to be inside for a while yet. I have an area I am going to "rework" for him...shouldn't be much work to get it "pig safe"
I will be so happy when he is big enough to defend himself from the cats, and can go outside....I am NOT liking this "house pig" :/ Moolie, the pig is so small...he has to be inside for a while yet. I have an area I am going to "rework" for him...shouldn't be much work to get it "pig safe"- Thread starter
- #3,214
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
So, I was reading back on my posts, and realized I had not mentioned the situation with the sheep...so..here is the story.
2 years ago, when we lost our son, I needed to downsize a few of the animals for mental and health reasons. I sold 3 of my sheep to a local gal, a ram and 2 ewe's. Well, about a year after I sold them to her, the little ram was killed by her neighbors dogs. She was able to save the 2 ewe's, and started locking them in the barn at night to keep them safe. I was pleased with her decision....thinking she was taking great care of the girls. Well, a few months ago, she contacted me about some cages I had up for trade/sale. She came over and we made a deal. I loaded her truck with cages...about 8 or 10 of them, and she was to bring me the 2 ewes, and $50 worth of feed...Oh, and I hatched out a few dozen eggs for her...Anyways, the night she was supposed to bring them, she didn't show....I tried to call her, no answer...I tried several times over the next 3 weeks, she would not answer or call back. Finally I called her and had to threaten her ( I was going to go get my girls, and bring a gun to make SURE i got them) she called me back after about 20 minutes. She then said....they had an "incident" at the farm and just didn't know how to tell me, and that is why she didn't call. I asked just what the hell happened..and she said....She had put a collar and lead on Mary...the first Ewe, and led her to the truck...and tied her in the back. Then went to get Laura. By the time she caught Laura, and got her back to the truck, she realized Mary had jumped over the side, and hung herself!!!!!! I WAS LIVID!!!!!!!!!I went OFF on her...WHO THE HELL TIES A SHEEP IN THE BED OF A TRUCK!?? So, I told her I was coming to get Laura, and I would be there in about 30 minutes....with a CRATE! She said she had a crate now, and was loading her as we spoke, and would have her here in about 30 minutes. Well, she showed up....and poor Laura looked TERRIBLE! She had these sheep for 2 years...and NEVER sheared them, OR trimmed their hooves. Again, I lost my temper...and told her....for your own safety..you better leave. My son was here and we immediately got Laura in the barn, and started trimming the now felted wool. The more I trimmed, the madder I got...I was pulling pieces of wire from the wool....grain was imbedded in the wool all the way to the skin! There was a gash on her hind leg...and..the WORST part...as I got to the back of her hind area...the wool had formed a pocket around her rear end, and it was PACKED with POOP! I made a cut in the pocket and the poo poured out. Poor Laura!! It was just a matter of time before maggots would have started growing in there. By the time We finished shearing...I could see she was skin and bones. I wish I would have taken pictures before I started on her...but I was so eager to get her some relief, I just dove in. The temps was in the 100's, and she needed relief FAST! So, now, my little Laura follows me everywhere I go....begging for scratches..and attention. Such a sweet little Ewe. This woman will never get another animal from me...and...as soon as I can manage it, I will go get pictures of her farm, and make SURE all the animals there are either in good shape, or I will ge tthe law involved, and bring them all here.
2 years ago, when we lost our son, I needed to downsize a few of the animals for mental and health reasons. I sold 3 of my sheep to a local gal, a ram and 2 ewe's. Well, about a year after I sold them to her, the little ram was killed by her neighbors dogs. She was able to save the 2 ewe's, and started locking them in the barn at night to keep them safe. I was pleased with her decision....thinking she was taking great care of the girls. Well, a few months ago, she contacted me about some cages I had up for trade/sale. She came over and we made a deal. I loaded her truck with cages...about 8 or 10 of them, and she was to bring me the 2 ewes, and $50 worth of feed...Oh, and I hatched out a few dozen eggs for her...Anyways, the night she was supposed to bring them, she didn't show....I tried to call her, no answer...I tried several times over the next 3 weeks, she would not answer or call back. Finally I called her and had to threaten her ( I was going to go get my girls, and bring a gun to make SURE i got them) she called me back after about 20 minutes. She then said....they had an "incident" at the farm and just didn't know how to tell me, and that is why she didn't call. I asked just what the hell happened..and she said....She had put a collar and lead on Mary...the first Ewe, and led her to the truck...and tied her in the back. Then went to get Laura. By the time she caught Laura, and got her back to the truck, she realized Mary had jumped over the side, and hung herself!!!!!! I WAS LIVID!!!!!!!!!I went OFF on her...WHO THE HELL TIES A SHEEP IN THE BED OF A TRUCK!?? So, I told her I was coming to get Laura, and I would be there in about 30 minutes....with a CRATE! She said she had a crate now, and was loading her as we spoke, and would have her here in about 30 minutes. Well, she showed up....and poor Laura looked TERRIBLE! She had these sheep for 2 years...and NEVER sheared them, OR trimmed their hooves. Again, I lost my temper...and told her....for your own safety..you better leave. My son was here and we immediately got Laura in the barn, and started trimming the now felted wool. The more I trimmed, the madder I got...I was pulling pieces of wire from the wool....grain was imbedded in the wool all the way to the skin! There was a gash on her hind leg...and..the WORST part...as I got to the back of her hind area...the wool had formed a pocket around her rear end, and it was PACKED with POOP! I made a cut in the pocket and the poo poured out. Poor Laura!! It was just a matter of time before maggots would have started growing in there. By the time We finished shearing...I could see she was skin and bones. I wish I would have taken pictures before I started on her...but I was so eager to get her some relief, I just dove in. The temps was in the 100's, and she needed relief FAST! So, now, my little Laura follows me everywhere I go....begging for scratches..and attention. Such a sweet little Ewe. This woman will never get another animal from me...and...as soon as I can manage it, I will go get pictures of her farm, and make SURE all the animals there are either in good shape, or I will ge tthe law involved, and bring them all here.
Oh my goodness! 
Some people definitely do not deserve to own animals, and frankly you should have reported her right away for that level of abuse--that's totally unconscionable! 
Hope you took photos when you got Laura back.
SO glad you got her back and that she is feeling secure and loved.
Some people definitely do not deserve to own animals, and frankly you should have reported her right away for that level of abuse--that's totally unconscionable! Hope you took photos when you got Laura back.SO glad you got her back and that she is feeling secure and loved.
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- #3,216
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Moolie, I didn't get pictures. It was so hot, and her wool was felted, and long, she was breathing so hard....I just wanted to get her sheared and fast! I forgot all about pictures. She will NEVER suffer again..as she is HOME for GOOD!moolie said:Oh my goodness!
SO glad you got her back and that she is feeling secure and loved.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
That is such a sad, sad story, J. 
What is wrong with people? If they couldn't care for them properly, they could have just given you a call and let you know.
I have a similar, but not near as bad, situation with my flock of chickens. I was planning on a trip out of the country and needed to farm out my animals, so I gave the sheep back to their farm of origin~which should have been a good thing~and the better part of the chickens went there also..with assurances that they would get to free range and have a proper coop. Some of my flock went to a place high on a mountain and actually did get to free range and are living a wonderful life.
One of my ewes is now dead from mismanagement...was allowed out on spring grass without any roughage/hay provided to prevent bloating. She was an excellent, gentle mother and a sweet sheep...very easy to manage and had great potential/genetics.
The chickens were cooped in small quarters and never let out again(said their GP dogs would kill them). They don't have roosts or even bedding in their nest boxes. Even with that kind of care they have managed to produce well for the past year and a half and are just now starting to taper off on lay. Poor things. I dread to think what they look like now and it breaks my heart to know what care they are not getting.
We plan to offer to take Toby, my good roo, off their hands and whatever hens they will part with...if they will part with them. These birds are going into their 7 th year and would probably be culled for non-lay soon anyway but I'd rather them be dead than live like they are now.
I feel your outrage. You provide careful and good care for animals and trust folks will do the same, particularly when they receive such fine specimens from you..you'd think they could connect the dots that these animals had been managed well to get to that degree of fine health and vigor. Thus, they should continue that level of care to insure the same results.
Makes one want to hit some heads against the wall until the dumb leaks out....
What is wrong with people? If they couldn't care for them properly, they could have just given you a call and let you know. I have a similar, but not near as bad, situation with my flock of chickens. I was planning on a trip out of the country and needed to farm out my animals, so I gave the sheep back to their farm of origin~which should have been a good thing~and the better part of the chickens went there also..with assurances that they would get to free range and have a proper coop. Some of my flock went to a place high on a mountain and actually did get to free range and are living a wonderful life.
One of my ewes is now dead from mismanagement...was allowed out on spring grass without any roughage/hay provided to prevent bloating. She was an excellent, gentle mother and a sweet sheep...very easy to manage and had great potential/genetics.
The chickens were cooped in small quarters and never let out again(said their GP dogs would kill them). They don't have roosts or even bedding in their nest boxes. Even with that kind of care they have managed to produce well for the past year and a half and are just now starting to taper off on lay. Poor things. I dread to think what they look like now and it breaks my heart to know what care they are not getting.
We plan to offer to take Toby, my good roo, off their hands and whatever hens they will part with...if they will part with them. These birds are going into their 7 th year and would probably be culled for non-lay soon anyway but I'd rather them be dead than live like they are now.
I feel your outrage. You provide careful and good care for animals and trust folks will do the same, particularly when they receive such fine specimens from you..you'd think they could connect the dots that these animals had been managed well to get to that degree of fine health and vigor. Thus, they should continue that level of care to insure the same results.
Makes one want to hit some heads against the wall until the dumb leaks out....
Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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Sorry you had to go thru all that. The only time I've tied an animal is if it's inside the truck so it doesn't jump over the seat! I don't really need any help driving, plus it's safer. I've always hated to transport animals in the back of the truck cuz I'm always afraid something's going to happen to them.
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- #3,219
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Bee, it really does make me think twice, and even a third time now, when I must re-home an animal. Especially the rescues! Most of them already had a bad life...I try to make sure they do not go into that again, even if it means I keep them here longer. My little Mary didn't deserve that to happen to her....NO animal does...I am just glad I at least have Laura home now...forever!
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justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
7 months have passed since our last update here....so much has been going on. I don't even know where to start! Winter was harder on me....more than usual. I know, age has a lot to do with it...and, well, my diet doesn't help. I need to eat more regularly...once a day is not enough protein to keep this old body going. I have vowed to do much better. :/
Let see....we took in a few sheep from a petting zoo. 2 males...Southdown baby doll's. A whether and a ram. Their feet look like they have never been trimmed...so I have been trying to get them back in shape...they were severely over weight, one has a cataract in his right eye. The whether is in the same pen with my Shetland Ewes. He is gentle and calm...the Ram is pushy...so he is in with my Pygmy buck. They get along well enough. LOL I will most likely not be doing much more rescue.....2 weeks ago, the woman that owned/operated A Critters Chance Rescue...passed away suddenly from a brain aneurism. She had no prior history, no symptoms that she shared with anyone, just fine one day, gone the next. It hit me pretty hard as we were fairly close. So I am baking away from rescue for a bit...time to re-evaluate my life a bit.
Last month, I had entered a contest online with a company called Texas Ready. It is a "prepper" type company, that sell seed banks. I won!!
It is an Ammo container FILLED with 68 different types of vegetable and herb seeds, enough to feed a family of 6 for 3 years!! They are Heritage type seeds, so I will be able to save fresh seeds from year to year. I just can't believe I won! 
Then, a few days ago, a friend of mine had contacted me telling me that she was buying a breeding pair of American Guinea hogs. They are 3 yrs old, and the sow is bred, he thinks due in about 3 weeks. She wanted me to go along for the ride to pick up her pigs. Of course, I was excited to go with her since I have been researching this breed for a few years. Something I have wanted to raise for a while. Well, after a few conversations with my friend...it ends up that she was not ready for the pigs, and wanted to know if I would keep them here, help (if needed) with the delivery of the piglets. Then, once the babies are weaned, she will take the litter, and I keep the breeding pair! Well, of COURSE I agreed!! So, hubby and I scrambled to set up a pen.
The pigs have a grassy area, brush, and a shallow ditch plus a shelter. There are 2 strands of electric along the bottom of the fence. Now, we wait for Charlot to give birth.
Now, the story behind the trip to Kentucky....it was about a 3 hour trip one way. Hubby hooked up our horse trailer to the truck, and off we went. It was a great day....3 women off on an adventure...getting pigs. LOL We laughed and chatted, told stories..and had fun...all the way down. Once there, we had a few issues...the truck got stuck trying to back up to the chute...the man that owned the farm hooked his tractor to the horse trailer and moved it into position. We loaded the pigs...after a lot of coaxing...and were on our way home. Finally....2 pigs, settled in, enjoying the ride. We stopped in Louisville to drop off my friends college age daughter...then my friend and I continued on our journey. We were less than an hour home...when we topped a hill there was a HUGH pot hole that was not marked. We hit it pretty hard...this forced the trailer to come loose from the hitch. The safety chains held for a bit, as she was slowing down, they finally snapped! The trailer shot off to the right, into the grassy area, up a hill....spun around, and headed back down the hill towards the highway. Luckily for us, and the pigs, the ditch was holding water and stopped the trailer from entering the highway.
As she was backing the truck up, I was already unbuckled, hand on the door handle, ready to jump out and go check on the pigs...I ran to them..praying they were OK! As I opened the door I was greeted with a few grunts...and evidence that the male had thrown up. Poor guy. They seemed to be ok, just scared a bit. We both called our husbands as a state police car had pulled up. He ran to the truck asking if we were ok, and what was in the trailer, if they were ok. He thought he had caused the accident...he was stopped in another lane on the highway, picking up a large piece of tire. I assured him he was NOT the cause, that it was from the big hole we hit. He told us that the same thing had happened not too long ago, another driver had hit the same hole, and lost his trailer. He also told me that once we get the police report, we can file a tort claim...and that the state should pay for all damages to the truck and trailer. My friends husband showed up, the accident happened only 15 minutes from her home. Luckily the tow truck was able to get the trailer back on solid ground, and hooked to the truck. We hobbled home with a bent axle and half the lights working. Once we got home, again we got the truck stuck in the mud and it took us 45 minutes to get those pigs unloaded! It was 10 pm before I walked back in the front door. Worn out...mentally and physically.
This morning, Charlot and Wilbur were happy to see me with a pail of feed. they seem to be just fine....happy to get breakfast.
So now it looks like we will be raising Heritage American Guinea Hogs....for sale and butcher! This is our latest adventure...
Let see....we took in a few sheep from a petting zoo. 2 males...Southdown baby doll's. A whether and a ram. Their feet look like they have never been trimmed...so I have been trying to get them back in shape...they were severely over weight, one has a cataract in his right eye. The whether is in the same pen with my Shetland Ewes. He is gentle and calm...the Ram is pushy...so he is in with my Pygmy buck. They get along well enough. LOL I will most likely not be doing much more rescue.....2 weeks ago, the woman that owned/operated A Critters Chance Rescue...passed away suddenly from a brain aneurism. She had no prior history, no symptoms that she shared with anyone, just fine one day, gone the next. It hit me pretty hard as we were fairly close. So I am baking away from rescue for a bit...time to re-evaluate my life a bit.
Last month, I had entered a contest online with a company called Texas Ready. It is a "prepper" type company, that sell seed banks. I won!!
It is an Ammo container FILLED with 68 different types of vegetable and herb seeds, enough to feed a family of 6 for 3 years!! They are Heritage type seeds, so I will be able to save fresh seeds from year to year.
I just can't believe I won! Then, a few days ago, a friend of mine had contacted me telling me that she was buying a breeding pair of American Guinea hogs. They are 3 yrs old, and the sow is bred, he thinks due in about 3 weeks. She wanted me to go along for the ride to pick up her pigs. Of course, I was excited to go with her since I have been researching this breed for a few years. Something I have wanted to raise for a while. Well, after a few conversations with my friend...it ends up that she was not ready for the pigs, and wanted to know if I would keep them here, help (if needed) with the delivery of the piglets. Then, once the babies are weaned, she will take the litter, and I keep the breeding pair! Well, of COURSE I agreed!! So, hubby and I scrambled to set up a pen.
The pigs have a grassy area, brush, and a shallow ditch plus a shelter. There are 2 strands of electric along the bottom of the fence. Now, we wait for Charlot to give birth.
Now, the story behind the trip to Kentucky....it was about a 3 hour trip one way. Hubby hooked up our horse trailer to the truck, and off we went. It was a great day....3 women off on an adventure...getting pigs. LOL We laughed and chatted, told stories..and had fun...all the way down. Once there, we had a few issues...the truck got stuck trying to back up to the chute...the man that owned the farm hooked his tractor to the horse trailer and moved it into position. We loaded the pigs...after a lot of coaxing...and were on our way home. Finally....2 pigs, settled in, enjoying the ride. We stopped in Louisville to drop off my friends college age daughter...then my friend and I continued on our journey. We were less than an hour home...when we topped a hill there was a HUGH pot hole that was not marked. We hit it pretty hard...this forced the trailer to come loose from the hitch. The safety chains held for a bit, as she was slowing down, they finally snapped! The trailer shot off to the right, into the grassy area, up a hill....spun around, and headed back down the hill towards the highway. Luckily for us, and the pigs, the ditch was holding water and stopped the trailer from entering the highway.
As she was backing the truck up, I was already unbuckled, hand on the door handle, ready to jump out and go check on the pigs...I ran to them..praying they were OK! As I opened the door I was greeted with a few grunts...and evidence that the male had thrown up. Poor guy.
They seemed to be ok, just scared a bit. We both called our husbands as a state police car had pulled up. He ran to the truck asking if we were ok, and what was in the trailer, if they were ok. He thought he had caused the accident...he was stopped in another lane on the highway, picking up a large piece of tire. I assured him he was NOT the cause, that it was from the big hole we hit. He told us that the same thing had happened not too long ago, another driver had hit the same hole, and lost his trailer. He also told me that once we get the police report, we can file a tort claim...and that the state should pay for all damages to the truck and trailer. My friends husband showed up, the accident happened only 15 minutes from her home. Luckily the tow truck was able to get the trailer back on solid ground, and hooked to the truck. We hobbled home with a bent axle and half the lights working. Once we got home, again we got the truck stuck in the mud and it took us 45 minutes to get those pigs unloaded! It was 10 pm before I walked back in the front door. Worn out...mentally and physically.This morning, Charlot and Wilbur were happy to see me with a pail of feed. they seem to be just fine....happy to get breakfast.
So now it looks like we will be raising Heritage American Guinea Hogs....for sale and butcher!
This is our latest adventure...
