Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

LOL! After yesterday I NEED to dry out! Even in my mud boots I think I was wet all over - and it didn't even rain yesterday. Just a mere 99% humidity - ugh.

Unfortunately, raining and thundering outside now and temp in the low 40's. Supposed to rain through Tuesday. I'm gonna look at the cold weather as a blessing - maybe my peach trees will get enough chilling hours. AND, believe it or not - I'm actually praying for a couple of good HARD freezes - it really helps reduce our garden pest problems for the next spring.

Looks like today might be a good day to curl up with a good seed catalog. I don't really 'need' seeds, but I always try something new. I have occasionally had great luck with things that aren't 'supposed' to grow well under my conditions.... but hey.... it never hurts to experiment.

I've been thinking about a greenhouse, or at least a screen type 'no bug' house. We have a huge problem with stinkbugs around here. We can have the most beautiful tomato plants, covered with tomatoes and never get to harvest one for ourselves because of the bugs. I can't stand it when that happens - grrrrrrr! A couple years ago I made a hoop house and covered it with row cover to keep the bugs out. I had the best tomatoes I've ever had and literally harvested hundreds of lbs of tomatoes. Unfortunately, the row cover I had didn't last more than a season, but it was soooo worth it to get all those tomatoes. I've still got salsa that I canned from them.

This type of weather makes me re-think what I'm doing here. I should cut down on the goats. I've got a lot of 'dead weight' that I keep around for sentimental reasons. They take up a lot of room and eat a lot of feed that could be going to the more productive animals. But, I"m a sucker.... Even when I KNOW I should cut down - I find it hard to actually do it. However, I won't find it hard to cut down on the pigs, lol. I'm looking forward to having that chore off my list! Yesterday I had to put a new back wall on their house. I guess they wanted a back door, so they made one....geeze. It's amazing how strong they are. Just like human brothers, these two are constantly tussling. They're pushing 150lbs now and they each can toss the other one with just a flip of their heads. I really don't want to EVER be on the receiving end of their anger!!

Rain's letting up a little. Guess I should 'suit up' and head outside.

 

[Denim Deb]

I hear ya on the rain. It keeps on raining here as well and I just can't get caught up on everything outside that I need to do. :/

 

[Wannabefree]

Stupid pigs! Yummylicious pigs though

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I hear ya WBF - I can't wait for my first bite!

I suited up again this evening just to go outside and take them some scraps. Do you think those ungrateful beasts even came out of their house (with the new back wall) to try the scraps - nope..... Why do I bother?

On another note - I think I'm done with milking. Even leaving Red's babies with her while we were gone didn't work so well. She didn't nurse them with consistency and I think she's drying up. I milked her last night and didn't get much.. this morning even less. When I went outside a bit ago I checked her bag and it wasn't full so I guess that's it. I'm really kinda sad.... I've been milking since April without much of a break. I enjoyed it and it gave me such a feeling of connectivity to the girls and to the whole farming experience in general. I'm gonna miss it. I don't have any does due until April or May. That's quite a gap. I've got milk in the freezer, but I gave about 10 gallons to DD when she was here for Christmas so I don't think I have enough to last 4 more months. Maybe I can still squeeze one milking a day out of her for a while longer, but it's inevitable. I would have to dry her up by March anyway, so maybe this is for the best.

 

[Wannabefree]

I miss milking too, but I DON'T miss that crazy goat...not really

 

[frustratedearthmother]

OMG - the things I do!

Didn't want to - but I went out to feed. I had a fleeting moment where I just wanted to pretend I didn't have any responsibilites that would take me outside into the mud....but... I did.

I'm feeding chickens and picking up eggs when I hear the most gosh awful screeching coming out of the pig pen. Silver Grey Dorking roo decided to commit suicide and he was making a good try of it. He was in the pigpen - the "sloppy I can't even get my feet picked up out of the mud" pen - when he got stuck. Now, pigs, being opportunistic feeders and quite gluttonous saw a free, easy meal. Before I could get into their pen they had that poor rooster down! It was like being in a nightmare - I was trying to get to him but I couldn't move my feet! Every step I took must have taken me about 30 seconds. Pigs didn't care that I was screaming at 'em. Roo was slowly disappearing into the mud. It would've been a great pic, but I didn't have time, lol. By the time I go to him, literally all I could see was the top of his comb.... I snatched him up as best I could while the pigs were trying to 'help'. OMG - this roo had at least 10 lbs of mud stuck to his scrawny little frame. I'm carrying him out by a wing and his head is all hanging down, he's limp as a muddy noodle. Pigs are looking at me like "what?" "who?" "Me?"

I'm screaming at DH, who doesn't know why I've lost my mind. It wasn't just the poor roo, it was the last week of rain, the mud all over me, in my hair, my eyes my mouth, up to my knees... I'm carrying this drippy, heavy, muddy chicken... the only reason you can tell he's a chicken is his screeching and the fact that you can still see his comb. I stop at the back door and ask DH to take off my pants! He obliges, lol. I kick off my boots, my pants and ask DH to clean out the kitchen sink. I dump muddy Roo rather unceremoniously into a sink of warm water. The ungrateful creep proceeds to fling water and mud everywhere. Not just regular mud - but pig poo mud. Allllll over my kitchen - ugh.

He's now safely ensconsed in a dog crate in front of a heater counting his blessings! I'm gonna take a little break before I go out and finish up.

Geeze.....

 

[Denim Deb]

And I'll bet given the chance, he'll head right back for the pig pen. :/

 

[Wannabefree]

That feathered idiot would be safely tucked away in a warm crock pot if he was mine I am so sorry you had to go through that, but what a great story!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I swear if there was any meat on his scrawney a$$... he'd be stewing away already! It's ridiculous that I went to so much trouble for a roo that WILL end up in the pot eventually, lol. I just couldn't let the pigs make this decision for me! Only a few more weeks and they won't be making ANY decisions around here. Just a little excitement in a regular farm day....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ewwww, I know I shouldn't be complaining about the weather when other people in other parts of the country have it so much worse than we do here.... but.... I'm still gonna whine! I do NOT like this cold, nasty, wet, dreary, depressing weather. Okay, I"m done.

I hope everyone who has it so much worse than I do comes through alright.

It's too depressing to do anything other than look forward (to anything!) right now. DH and I are trying to plan our next vacation. We're really very frugal - just so we can afford a vacation now and then. Our next idea is Ireland... horseback riding specifially. They have awesome tours that center around rides that are 4 - 8 hours in length and take in all the major attractions. We're thinking maybe September of this year.

The rescued roo from last night is fine... he came through the night and got dumped into the back yard this morning no worse the wear.

Stay warm!