EllieMay's journey towards self-sufficiency.

[BrownSheep]

Asparagus grows wild in our ditch banks here. In the spring you always see people walking around the side of the road hunting for it. It turns the most gorgeous orange in the fall.

 

[EllieMay]

I was just talking to someone today who said asparagus grows wild on her property.
I never knew it grows wild out there.

Well, yesterday I spent the better part of the day weeding the entire asparagus plot.
I have 11 plants (8 I purchased last year and 3 that came with the property).
There are lots more shoots coming up. I'm cutting every day.

 

[EllieMay]

Woke up at 2am.
Remembered something I left undone.
Went out in my PJs and boots to close the coop.
One of my broody hens was squawking like she was real ANGRY.
She was off her nest and up on a roost; her nest had been raided.

All of her eggs were eaten and some of her feathers were next to the nest.
She had been sitting on 8 Silkie eggs.
BUT . . .
Life goes on.

While standing outside in my PJs, I got a chance to enjoy the full moon and sit with my sheep a while.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Aww, sorry about your eggs.

Um, 2?! Go take a nap!

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I am enjoying the ride......

Beautiful animals!

Sorry about your silkie eggs. Were they from your own silkies?

 

[EllieMay]

I am enjoying the ride......
Beautiful animals!
Sorry about your silkie eggs. Were they from your own silkies?

Yes, those eggs were all from my white Silkie hens who have just started laying a few months ago, so I am hatching their eggs for the vey first time.
I will have to wait a bit longer now to see what they produce.
They are in a pen with the most amazing and gorgeous white Silkie rooster.

 

[EllieMay]

I finally brought home a baby pig! It was difficult finding a local breeder.

Her name is Bacon and she is a Duroc x Glouchester mix.

She'll be raised with the sheep out on pasture (& pig feed), so I trained her to come when called to make it easy for me to feed her.

I haven't wormed her yet, so she's not out on the pasture with the sheep just yet.

She is the sweetest thing and I'm in love with her little grunt noises.

She *loves* to see me and comes running and squeeling to me whenever I call her name in the morning.

I like having a pig. I'll certainly miss her when I take her down to the slaughter house in November.

But next year I will get another baby pig and enjoy the fun all over again!


When I first got her, she kinda smelled like a pig, so I had to give her a bath.
She was okay with it as long as I allowed her to stand up in the tub.

She certainly looked and smelled way better after her bath.
I think she kinda liked the 'new' her, too!

Bacon loves to lay next to her favorite tree and take naps.

I gave her a ball to play with. She loves tossing that around.
She also loves tossing her food/water bowls around. :/

Shhhhhhh!
At night she likes to sleep inside her comfy tub.
Sometimes she completely buries herself in the hay and I can't find her.

 

[BrownSheep]

Nooooooo. No andorable piggy pictures. I want one sooooooo bad!

 

[ragdollcatlady]

That is a cute baby! I am not really fond of pigs but I do think the durocs are a beautiful breed. I also like the spots. I am trying to convince my DH who does like pigs, to get some American guinea hogs...a little smaller so I may be a little more comfortable around them. He would rather stick to the large breeds so you only have to slaughter one for more meat. Your little girl is really pretty and looks very content.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Awwwwe! Little piglets are soooo cute!!! Too bad they get so BIG soooo fast!!