Baymule’s Journal

[Baymule]

Bennett had 9 hogs on the trap today. 2 sows, maybe 135 pounds each and 7 little ones. 3 of those were maybe 50-60 pounds, so I took those, his cousin had first dibs on the sows and he took the other 4 little ones. We put some of the little ones in my mule because they would not fit on the back of the 4 wheeler.

Then son and I hung 2 off the tractor bucket, skinned, gutted and quartered. Packed on ice. Then we did the third one. They are on ice, I process Friday or Saturday.

Naturally it rained. A misty drizzle to a harder drizzle , misty, miserable. Son got a shower while I did chores. I had fixed a pot of beans and link sausage this morning, so I heated it up and made cornbread.

Son is supposed to be back to work Friday evening. I’ll give him some breakfast sausage I made last week to take with him.

 

[Mini Horses]

Free piggies!! At least no feed to buy for them

Friday???? Heck, won't be dry enough to work

 

[Baymule]

Free piggies!! At least no feed to buy for them

Friday???? Heck, won't be dry enough to work

I process in the kitchen. Meat grinder, cutting board, vacuum sealer.

I’m thinking I might build my own hog trap next year and feed them to get them used to coming in it. Then set the trap. Why raise them if I can just shoot them.

 

[Mini Horses]

That's a point. But why even do that? Buy a couple bags of corn for Bennett's trap. They can stay away from your place & this seems to be a "thing" for Bennett id sure discuss that with him. Otherwise you're risking them hanging out with new lambs and overworked dogs.

Thankful they are not in my area yet. Deer? Plenty of those!! Well fed on crops.

 

[Baymule]

That's a point. But why even do that? Buy a couple bags of corn for Bennett's trap. They can stay away from your place & this seems to be a "thing" for Bennett id sure discuss that with him. Otherwise you're risking them hanging out with new lambs and overworked dogs.

Thankful they are not in my area yet. Deer? Plenty of those!! Well fed on crops.

Bennett and Peggy have that land up for sale, plus the 14 acres they live on. They are down sizing to a small brick house on 5 acres. So next year I might have to get my own meat.

Hogs are already on my place. The back field is fenced in places with old barbed wire and nothing in other places. Hogs have been up to 20’ from fence where sheep and dogs are. Back field is rooted up, holes, rough and will need to be disced and dragged.

By setting my own trap, I’m rolling over in my mind to put in double gates on a back fence line, fence off that area and bait them to get them coming in. With cross fencing I can regulate how close sheep and dogs get to the trap when in use.

 

[Finnie]

I hope whoever buys Bennett and Peggy’s house will be a good neighbor. Sure a shame to lose Bennett and Peggy. Is their 5 acre place nearby?

 

[Mini Horses]

Hunting is hunting! Those hog traps just organize it.

 

[Baymule]

I hope whoever buys Bennett and Peggy’s house will be a good neighbor. Sure a shame to lose Bennett and Peggy. Is their 5 acre place nearby?

Yes it is nearly, but won’t be like having them next door.

 

[Ridgetop]

I’m thinking I might build my own hog trap next year and feed them to get them used to coming in it. Then set the trap. Why raise them if I can just shoot them.

Feed corn and the meat will be sweet when you finally spring the trap and shoot them!

 

[Baymule]

Thursday I worked outside. I’ve been trying to make the pens better in preparation for winter. I had already made a dirt pad for the hoop shelter, but wanted another cow panel for it. The round pen had 2 in it. They were stapled to the railroad cross tie posts and wood slats. Then welded wire was stapled over them. Dog fennel and some blackberry vines were growing through it. I used pruning loppers to cut away them. Then I had to get the welded wire pulled away, finding wire twists and removing them. Finally I could use fencing pliers to pull the staples and pull the cow panel out. I dragged it to the pens, drove 2 T-posts on one side, 1 on the other. I positioned the panel against the 2 posts and popped it up. I pushed it behind the 1 post and drove in another. It was up. Then I unfolded a tarp and put that up. It wasn’t quite long enough but it was the closest I could find.

I had my son to stand up 2 of the Quonset huts for small livestock. I threaded my way in the gate, between T-posts and dumped 3 buckets for each one.

The sky was dark, I thought it would rain, but it didn’t. I raked the dirt out with a garden rake and pushed the huts over.

I still have more to do, I’m trying to raise the level of their shelters in an effort to give them a dry place when I get the winter rains.