The best laid plans...

I had planned to get a couple of piglets early this spring. Once the goat kids were weaned, they could drink up the extra goat milk and grow, having a happy life and then go to freezer camp in the fall.  I put off finding piglets because I was busy at work and with a million baby goats and life in general.  My friend, who was going to take one of the piglets after I raised it, called and told me I was probably too late. That I most likely would not be able to get a date for processing, (these things need to be planned well in advance) and that this late in the spring the piglets wouldn't have time to grow big enough to be worthwhile. I figured he was right, but just for fun called the butcher to see if I could get a date. I was able to, for November. I made an appointment just in case. 

Yesterday my friends wife sent me a link to an advertisement she had seen for 9 week old piglets, only about an hour away from here, at a good price. I answered the ad and in 2 minutes had agreed to buy the pigs. 

It was raining tonight when Rachel and I set off for Searsport, where we planned to rendezvous in a parking lot to pick up our new charges.  I put a crate in the back of the truck, bedded it down with hay, and tied a tarp over it. The pig people showed up right on time.  We had swapped truck makes so we would know each other. He was in a Ford F150 and I was in a Toyota Tacoma. That's how we do things in the country! Swapping the pigs from their crate to ours went surprisingly well.  Two cute little white girls. By "little," I mean 25 pounds or so.

Chris had rigged up a pen for them the night before.  A calf hutch stuffed with hay was ready and waiting.  A nice sized area with strands of hot wire was prepared to keep them in their own paddock.  The whole drive home, I planned the steps we would take to get the girls from the crate to their new home.

 Once they got here I put a pan of fresh water outside the hutch, and pan of food for them inside, out of the rain. We pulled the truck into the pasture, (always tricky, with hot wire to deal with, and animals we don't want to escape.) Chris gently got the first piglet out of the crate. She screamed and carried on. He tenderly carried her to the hutch and set her inside. Then he came back to get her sister.  When I opened the crate door, the sister pig flew out like a shot, leaping off the truck and sprinting through the pasture.  The first pig, who had been content in the hutch, blasted through the hot wire to join the runaway.  Mayhem ensued.  My blood pressure shot up several points.

Abraham noticed the newcomers first, and raced to see them, ears pinned.  He didn't quite know what to make of them, two grunting, short little things, nosing in the dirt.  Then Chanel saw them. Chanel hates pigs. I once read that horses dislike pigs because they are related to bear, and smell like them, and horses don't tolerate bear.  Chanel has had pigs share a portion of her pasture twice since she's been here. She was not amused either time.

Tonight, streaming in rain, she snorted and chased them. They ran nimbly out of reach.  Chanel snorted and stomped, and ran to me, as if to say, "Help!  Pigs in the pasture!"  The goats galloped in a herd, to and fro, confused and worried.  Chris and I went to work on the electric fence.  We had some mesh fence, which would be a more substantial barrier for the piglets, in the garage attic.  Chris got it down and we put it up around the hutch. It was tangled and hard to handle. He was so patient. Even after a long day, methodically working to solve the problem. I admire that about him more than words can say.

 All the baby goats "helped," sticking their naughty heads through the mesh, getting their legs tangled, chewing on it. When they were not doing that they were jumping on my nice truck with their hard little hooves. It was maddening.  Meanwhile, the piglets trotted and rooted and explored, looking quite happy. The horse, donkey and goats ran around in a lather, visibly distressed.  We got the reinforced fencing up, but still had no idea  how to catch the little pink things.  Friend Marion stopped in.  She has some kind of magic, (or the piglets were tired from their transport and explorations) and as soon as she got here the piglets stepped over the electric net (which was not turned on) and hopped into the hutch. They ate their supper, they had a drink, and Chris hustled to the garage to turn the electricity on. We stood back, swatting flocks of mosquitoes, and watched as the new girls came out of their hutch and tested the fence.  Zap. Squeal. Repeat. They walked the perimeter of their new enclosure, testing, testing. Zap. Squeal. I know it sounds horrible, but it was a good sound. It was the sound of pigs that will be safe. 

I hope they will stay where they should be for the night, snuggled into the deep hay in their cozy hutch. We will work on reinforcing their fencing to keep them safe as they grow. 

Greener grass...

Our sweet neighbors allow us to graze our animals on their pasture land.  We fence it with a few thin strands of electric fence, and I've been a little worried about how all these kids will do, learning to stay in where they should. The thought of 11 kids loose and running amuck is a little terrifying. We have held off letting them out because the fence needed to be repaired and we were letting the grass get a good start. Today sweet Chris walked the pasture and tightened the fence up. Winter had not been kind to it.  He got it all fixed and ready for the season in about an hour.

The grass out there is ankle high and lush. Even I thought it looked tasty.  Around 4:00 PM I let Chanel, Abraham, and all the mama goats out onto the land they have not grazed since last fall. Chanel was so happy she ran a few steps, head up, mane and tail flowing. A brief glimpse of her younger self.  Abraham chased Jane Doe with glee. It was a lot of excitement. The kids all looked on, calling to their mamas.  After a while I got brave and opened the gate. Half of the kids streamed in, boldly.  The other half hung back and looked worried.  After a while Abraham came out of the big pasture. He circled around and herded the hangers on through the gate.  There was a lot of leaping and dancing about. They explored with glee. Chanel and the mama goats ate and ate and ate some more.  The happiness was palpable. Everyone stayed inside the boundaries.

Bravo and I took a little time to walk out with the herd. After the long winter, it was nice to see them being able to eat fresh, green grass with gusto.  There was a cool breeze, which kept the black flies at bay for the most part.  When I stood still I could hear wind in the trees, water rushing over the rocks of the brook tucked behind the trees, and the tearing of plants as hungry animals dined. It was lovely. Even Bravo was smiling.

It was a much better day than yesterday.  Yesterday started early, before 4:00 AM, when Bravo asked to go outside with some urgency.  A little while later he began to vomit, leaving puddles of blood all over the floors.  Bloody diarrhea followed. He had the good grace to make it outside for the latter, and directed all the vomiting onto hard floors instead of carpeting or upholstery. He's a remarkable dog. I had him at the veterinarians office by 9:00 and left him there, head and tail hanging, feeling miserable. I worried and fretted, nearly as miserable as he was. 

He had x'rays and IV fluids. He received antibiotics and stomach soothing medicine.  The doctor called me twice. They decided it was hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. He must have eaten something he shouldn't have, but I have no idea what it might have been. He is not really the sort of dog that eats indiscriminately. It remains a mystery. A $460 mystery. But he came home and ate his prescription supper with gusto. Then he slept through the night and seemed his normal, happy, self this morning.  I am relieved.  I sure do love that dog. 

Meanwhile, my friend Brenda has been working her magic around our yard. She has edged flower beds and moved rocks, hauled mulch and planted things she brought from her garden.  She has such an eye for loveliness, and can get so much done in such a short time. 

It is spring, and green, especially on my side of the fence.

Kids and kittens and bunnies, oh my!

As if there were not enough little, white,  kids in the pasture, here they are with mirror images.  All of them are getting big, and they are sleek and lovely to look at.

Spirit, Bliss and Echo snuggle sweetly.  Spirit is a wonderful mama. She even lets the other does kids nurse on her.  These three look so pretty together.  The Saanen goats are my favorites. They are quiet, sweet, and biddable. I like the shape of their delicate little faces, too.

 The kittens put themselves in adorable positions, seemingly begging to have the paparazzi come to call.  I oblige.

Click

Clack

 They seem to have forged a relationship with this rabbit. I often see them  hanging out together. I become alarmed when I see the kittens chasing the bunny. Then I laugh when roles are reversed and the rabbit chases the kittens. Other times they just potter along, side by side. The inter-species relationships here never cease to amaze me.

Meanwhile, some tree swallows are checking out this nest box.  There was an English Sparrow hanging around, but I strongly discouraged him and he seems to have taken the hint and moved on.  

After a lot of rain, we've had some lovely warm days. The world is turning green, and I am glad. Quiet mornings I can hear loons and Canada geese on the pond, and song birds are filling the air with melody throughout the day. It's been fine enough this week to open the windows and let the fresh breezes billow through the lace curtains and push out the stale of winter. The house and I breath in deeply, welcoming.