The End Of 2010 Approaching

Here we are at the first day of December. I keep reminding Scott that in just eighteen days it will be the first anniversary of the very first blizzard. Hard to believe what we were in for. At the end of each year, we like to think back and reminisce on the events, what we learned and what we would like to forget.

"Can we not reminisce this year and just greet 2011 quietly?"

Farming took many challenging turns this year. I wouldn't say it was bad...just difficult. Everyone here struggled with the endless amount of snow that seemed to replenish on the ground every two weeks. As long as it stayed cold, the snow was good to us. By March, we realized there was really two feet of hard, compacted snow on the drive. As it started to melt, it became impossible to work with. I was constantly getting stuck in the slush. Or we couldn't leave because someone else was stuck. We were so looking forward to spring.....

It is always exciting when we receive the poults and chicks in February and March. I usually order 200 chickens in February. By the time they are old enough to go outside, our turkeys arrive. That system doesn't allow the brooder room to become overcrowded. But because of the late winter snowstorms, I delayed the chickens until March. Now brooding would be done all at once. The chickens did great. Turkeys? Not so well. The weather once again was against us. It was cold and wet. Not a great combo for brooder graduates. I had blogged earlier about the difficult start for our turkeys. Ahhh! How we were looking forward to summer.....

I do believe we went from chilly 55 degree spring temps directly to intense heat. Okay...just an
early heat wave. This will last a few days and then we can enjoy the 75-80 degree days of summer! I think I can count on one hand how many of those nice days we had. The heat never seemed to let up. The animals did much better during the winter than they did with the summer. Watering took up most of our labor. Can't wait for sweaters, hot cider and other great things of Autumn......

Remember back in May(or June) when I mentioned a certain group of hogs? New, young boars? Max, Hamlet? Duke, Simon?? The ladies...Molly, Lizzie, Viola, Fiona, Rosie? This group was not affected by strong volts of electricity. Scott was doing a proposal at work and not available to build different fencing...quickly. Well, we recently had the very last litter that was a result of these "Frat Boy Boars". Twenty-five gilts and sows farrowed September through the beginning of November. Many piglets! It got to the point we were castrating almost every day. Most of the moms did very well. I did have a few young gilts that must not have known what to do. We did lose a couple of litters. Every day I could see the signs of a sow in labor. We were constantly moving huts around to accommodate the new litters. Thank goodness for a few weeks of a dry spell. Some of our seasoned sows were able to build their own huts out of tall weeds.

And now here we are...just about at the front doorstep of winter. The Farmers Almanac is calling for a very cold one. We have plenty of wood, plenty of food. You know what??? I do believe we'll be ready!