JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[justusnak]

9 Sept 2010

Today was a ...ummm, goat day. Yup, I spent most of the day doing goaty things. First, I turned them into the spare pasture. I was hopeing to not have to let them in there yet, the grass is JUST starting to recover....but, I really needed to get their main pasture cleaned.So, off they go, heads down, mouths a goin! I closed the gate, and proceeded to rake...and rake...and rake. WOW these goats poop alot!!!!! I had a small pile of sticks and branches in there, from when we trimmed trees, and fed it to the goats. I really needed to get this burned...TODAY! SO, after rakeing what seemed like ALL DAY...( really about an hour) I was ready to burn...nice neat pile...Check....goats and sheep in the other pasture and away from the flames? Check. So, I get my lighter, and light a small handfull of dirty straw, and throw it into the brush. Now, we havent had rain in ohhhh, a month maybe...so its pretty dry. I expected this to go up and fast. Nope, it just sat there...smoldering. So, I get another handfull of dry grasses....and light them, and toss it in...burn baby burn!! Nope, it fizzled out. Darnit! OK, NOW I am getting frazzled...I mean..REALLY?? This wont burn?? So, I trot to the barn, and grab a LARGE handfull of wasted hay..from the floor. Yeah baby, this will do....I toss it on, and put a light to it....and WOOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just about knocked me off my feet! Seems the other stuff I threw in there was smoldering...and the last armload, was just what it needed to get going. OK, so I pull off the singed ends of my hair...man that stinks!! Burned hair! Ewwww. Hubby pulled up with the lawn tractor and dump wagon. I filled it with poo and dry grass stuff, for the garden. He looks at me and just shakes his head...." Got a little close to the flames did ya?" Ummm, yeah..but Im fine honey... SO he goes to dump it all in the garden, and get the BIG burn pile going. Why is it that his gets going NO problems!?? Jeesh! One light, and poof, his is burning. The neighbor is putting in a newer double wide, and had been clearing out the property where the old trailor was. He has this BIG pile of concrete he busted up, and was moveing it with a crane looking thingie...when I said..Hey, you can put those in the pasture here for the goats. He was glad to have a place to unload them, so now my goaties have a pretty good pile of concrete rocks to play on. So then I get the bright idea...Im going to get the 3 big goats, on leashes, and tie them by the pond to clean out the brush willow and cat tails. Good idea...right?? Well, if I was taller and stouter than the goats...maybe. So here i am 5 ft nothing...with a HUGH goat on a leash..im thinking, "awww, this is cute, Little old me leading this big goat on a leash" when it happens. Cali noticed where we was headed, smelled the willow, and decided he wanted to get there NOW! SO he lunges...off WE go....running across the field....me yelling WOAH DAM GOAT......the neighbors standing out there stareing at me...like I lost my mind. We get to the willows, and I tie up goat 1. Only 2 more to go. So, next is Casper. He is the largest of the 3, and I think for a minute...maybe I should just mount up and ride him over there. He must have heard what I was thinking, and he gave me that look.....go ahead, I DARE you! LOL So off we go, running to the willows. Got him tied, and go back for Coal. He is the fattest of the 3, so im thinking he wont run..HA! Fat goats DO run...and FAST when there is yummy willows to eat! I swear, they plum wore me out! I get them all tied in...and decided to lay in the grass...and just relax, and watch them eat. Hubby and BIL was tending the big fire pit....I laughed at the goats every time a frog jumped at the waters edge, and they were spooked. After about 3 hours, they were plum full...Cali layed down to rest, so I figured it was time to get them back to the paddock. I grabbed Cali first. " come on boy, back to the paddock" He just layed there for a minute looking up at me like " yeah right" Come on Cali...lets go...I tugged, he again just looked up at me. I swear they are part MULE! So, I nudged him with my foot, and he was up. Going back to the paddock was easy peasy. They were all full...and ready for a nap. Once they got in the paddock, got a drink....ran over to the concrete and played king of the hill...then to the burn pile to lick ashes and nibble the burnt ends of sticks....then off to the shade of the persimmon tree. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I will lead them over there again....I would really like to get all that willow cleaned out. IF they get it all done soon, I have more areas to move them too. It was really easier than I thought. This might just have to be an every day adventure...for a while. Now I need to get smaller collars for the pygmy goats... and more leashes
After the animals were all tucked in...watered, fed..I got my shower and went to Bingo at St Marys Church. Hubby was here with his 2 brothers, drinking beer, and sitting around the fire. Too much beer and testosterone(sp?) for me! LOL I didnt win at bingo, but had a good time. As my grandfather use dot say...." Its tired and im late" meaning its beddy bye time. So....I am off to dream land.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Sounds like you had quite a day! My goats are still small enough that I can pull them along. I wonder how long that'll last

 

[justusnak]

So, the organizer of the rescue I work with calls me the other day.
" Hey Deb, I finished looking over the adoption papers for those 3 big goats, and I think we will let the couple adopt them" ME: "thats great! So are you going to call them or should I"? HER " I will call them, I knew you would be relieved to hear that" ( I am, sorta, but then again, over the last few months I have had them here,I have grown attached to them, and will miss them) " So, ( she says) I have this male pot bellied pig, neutered, up to date on all vet care.....can I bring him Sunday?" I just KNEW there was something else coming. LOL She tells me he is a surrendered pet, is now at the Animal Controll, in INDY, and is due to be euthenized.!!! YIKES! Of COURSE, bring him out, but when? SUNDAY! Poor Hubby.......he was sitting there around the bon fire, enjoying a few beers with his brother, un aware that I was makeing plans for another foster.
So, I grab the guys a few more beers, and walk out there, " Honey, I brought you guys a few beers....he looks at me and says.." what do you want now?" DANG, he knows me TOO well.
I tell him about the goats getting a home...he was pretty happy, but guarded, as he just knew there was a "condition" I tell him about the pot belly..and how I need a shelter for it because I really dont want it IN the barn. He grumbles........I make a few suggestions...he grumbles something about "darned people cant take care of thier pets" and we get to work, I now have a small hog hut in one of the pastures. Now for the BIG question. Are pot belly pigs like "regular" pigs? Will it rut...under the fence?? If so, will a strand of barbed wire near the bottom keep it from rutting under? How the heck am I going to keep this PB Pig in the pasture? Oh, and ANYONE WANT TO ADOPT A PB PIG!???

 

[Dace]

My, you are a busy lady!

I read the loong post about your goat adventures yesterday and then was a little sad to read that they are going to another home, but I guess you can always get more goats if you want huh?

I always thought I wanted to raise a pig for the freezer, until I read everyones stories here on SS.....hopefully a potbelly won't be the same *trouble*!

Your Hubby sure must love you

 

[justusnak]

My, you are a busy lady!

I read the loong post about your goat adventures yesterday and then was a little sad to read that they are going to another home, but I guess you can always get more goats if you want huh?

I always thought I wanted to raise a pig for the freezer, until I read everyones stories here on SS.....hopefully a potbelly won't be the same *trouble*!

Your Hubby sure must love you

I knew when I took on these 3 boys, that they would some day find a good forever home. However after the long summer with them, I was ready to BE that home. Now, that I have fallen completely in love with them, they will be moveing on.
As for the pot belly pig....I hope he is a gentle pig. :/ And yes, hubby DOES love me....I think! LOL

 

[deb4o]

Oh a PB piggy, What fun

I have never raised one,I just don't find them cute as some people do.
But my neighbor has them, we have plain ol pasture fencing between our places, and her pigs have never gotten over to our place. I don't really see them rooting around as regular pigs do.

I do know that sometimes they can be mean, the ones next door have BIG tusks(they should of had them cut out when they where small) and they like to butt you around.

I hope yours is people friendly

Good luck and have fun,

Your DH sounds like mine,they gotta love us or they wouldn't stick around for the ride lol

 

[modern_pioneer]

You know I can be a stinker from time to time, dotcha?

http://www.windridgefarm.us/potbellyrecipes.htm#Ham

(Modern-Pioneer post and runs away like a sissy)

 

[TanksHill]

My SIL has a PB pig. It bites.

MP you are so bad.

g

 

[justusnak]

You know I can be a stinker from time to time, dotcha?

http://www.windridgefarm.us/potbellyrecipes.htm#Ham

(Modern-Pioneer post and runs away like a sissy)

Hmmmm....maybe I will save that spot.
From what I know about this pig....
He was an inside pet...for close to a year. He is neutered and up to date on shots, and very friendly. Now...this is coming from the woman who runs the rescue...and told me " these 3 female goats were tortured" They are 3 castrated males, and Lamancha's....not tortured.

So, for all I know, I could be getting Lucifers seed....at which point, it will become bacon and hams. By ACCIDENT, of course!!
I just need to find it a home, and FAST. All I have for a "shelter" for now is a big wooden crate, with straw in it. I dont think it will be "winter friendly" IF it doesnt root around, i MIGHT be able to let it in the barn...but golly, I dont want my barn to smell like PIGS! I dont even let the male animals in there. They all have outside shelters.

 

[justusnak]

So as most of you know, we here at Heavens Door Acres...run a foster farm as well as our homestead farm. We foster farm animals...which I keep seperated from my own, for disease controll. So, the other day, the woman that heads the rescue, calls me. She stated they have 2 pot belly pigs, and a pygmy goat doe. Well...If anyone remembers the LAST 3 goats we got from her...supposedly " 3 does, tortured females, ears cut off" Yeah, they are 3 Lamancha Wethers! So, when she calls me about the 2 pot belly's and the pygmy...I asked about thier condition, how much vetting they will need. She said the female PB was in bad shape, hooves really over grown, severly overweight, some sort of skin condition. I informed her I was not financially able to take her on, because of the extreme vetting she would need, but that I would take the semi healthy male, and the goat. So, she comes out last night, with 3 large crates in her truck!? I just looked at her and said, Michelle..3?? She then went on to say that if she didnt bring the female, they were going to put her down monday morning. UGH! I am SUCH a sucker! So, I said, well...We have found a home for the 3 big Lamanchas and they will be leaving either today or tomorrow so this wont be too bad. We unloaded the female first, got her set up in her pasture...with water for the night. She is in BAD shape. I will get pics later. Then out comes the "pygmy doe" Ummm, NO, thats NOT a pygmy doe! Its an Alpine wether! JEESH!!! Why do I have to have rescue organizers that are so ignorant to farm animals!???? OK, so he goes in with the PB female. Then...I go to the truck, there is the last BIG crate, and a smaller one!??? Oh no! So we get the larger crate out, and in the other pasture, and out runs a Male, Tam/doroc cross butcher hog!! Are you kidding me!??? I look at Michelle and say, sweetie, thats no PB pig, thats a butcher hog! You will NEVER find a "pet type home" for this guy. He will get HUGH! I go on to explain the difference, and that if she wants this pig to have a pet home, she has 30 days to get one for him, after 30 day, I will send him to butcher. She was a little shocked, but agreed. So, HOPEFULLY I have a butcher hog for my freezer! Its strange....I have been praying for God to help us, since we lost our son, we didnt have time to get our own butcher hogs this year, and the garden was a flop. Maybe this is the answer to my prayers!??
Then we go back to the truck, and I timidly ask what was in the little cage. She said...she had a rooster, but that soimething was wrong with it, because it hasn't crowd...and it looks like it was picked on pretty bad, feathers missing terribly. So, I sigh, and say, let me take a look at him. I get "him " out of the cage, only to find it is a EE hen...in molt. So, I told her I would take her too. I am hopeing that when the couple comes to get the 3 big Lamanchas, I can pawn off the Alpine wether as well. The PB female...well...she is 10 years old, and I dont see her lasting much longer. She is in pretty bad shape. Looks like she just finished with a littler of pigletts...she is hanging pretty low, and raw on her belly.
Now,I have a question...would cocoa butter be good for her skin?? For her tummy and back?? She looks pretty rough, but is easily handled. As for the hooves....can I trim them with the trimmers I got for the sheep!?? Are thier hooves like sheep and goats, will they bleed if I go too deep? They are really bad, and she barely walks. Poor gal.
I am off to the feed store...then to get pics of the new "residents" I will post them later.