I just started reading this thread today. I've been busy trying to get over a flu-like bug so I could work at a city election today. It's a 14-hour day, but one of the few chances I get to supplement our piddly disability income. YAY! Just in time for Christmas. Maybe we can actually give gifts this year. (Instead of just baking and making peanut brittle and fudge.) Believe it or not, some people get tired of yummy gifts. NOT ME!!! lol
This piggy thread may just be what it takes to get me started raising my own bacon! I really have to get myself under control. I want to do everything at once. Problem is DH can't help, kids only want to help minimally, and that leaves you-know-who to do all the heavy work. Okay, most, not all. Strong and capable sons do help when they can, but I'm just is such a gol-darned hurry to get it all done YESTERDAY. And, of course, there's always the TOTAL lack of funds. We are definitely relying on God's provision.
My poll-working pals love our tales of trying to get a farm started on the family homestead after years of no farming. It is sort of funny trying to carve a farm out of the woods with no money, whiney laborers, few tools, non-stop rain (I feel your pain, Texans), and a serious problem with procrastination. And now we're loosing the sunshine to winter. I don't mind the cold, but it gets dark so early. Guess I need to get a miner's helmet with a light on the front so I can keep on going after nightfall. haha
BTW, awesome score on the weevilly feed and the greenhouse. God is good, ALL THE TIME! Looking forward to following this thread to its oh so yummy conclusion.
Oh man "...miner's helmet with light..." I've been seriously contemplating an online search to buy one of those lately. Maybe not the helmet, but one of those head band type you pull on and off. Worst part of winter is short days. I feel for ya starting over on the old homestead... Lots of work for sure! Wish I had one of those to start with. Hope things ease up for you here in the near term.
@Latestarter , the "head band type" reminds me...I'm almost certain there's one of those in the garage with all my Mama's tools and stuff. If I can find it I'll see if it's enough to help against the onset of winter's darkness.
There are baseball caps with LED lights under the bill. They are amazingly bright. DH got one for his birthday, got it at Lowe's. These short days make me crazy, especially since I am a night person and hate getting up at dawn. But now I have to if I want to get anything done.
@Baymule Free food is the best. My little piggies got about 20-40 lbs a day of free lunchroom scraps from the school where I worked. It is shameful what children throw away; their mothers would be horrified and the homeless and hungry would be thrilled. My pigs ate apples, carrots, granola bars, PBJ sandwiches, beef stew, tacos, pizza, milk, juice, string cheese, etc. I put a bucket by the garbage cans and the kids filled them up everyday.
When the kids buy a hot lunch they are allowed to either take milk or juice or none at all. Some of the kids were taking the drink just so they could give it to the pig bucket...we had to stop that.
At Christmas break I brought home 15 gallons of ice cream left over from class parties. Happy happy pigs.
i have both a baseball cap with the led and a strap on the hat light and i love them both. and I'm another one of those 'i hate this early dark'. just wish the powers that be would just leave things along.
@sadieml I have seen some real good pig pens build out of pallets, which are FREE! On BYH, in the pig forum, a guy raising American Guinea Hogs posted pictures of his pigs and his pens were made from pallets. And when one rots or gets broken, it's easy to get another one and replace it.
If you plan ahead, you can plant lots of stuff in the garden just for the pigs. Since this is a new place, new garden (that failed) I had plans, but oh well. If you are interested in pigs, read this site http://sugarmtnfarm.com/ I love reading his blog! One of the things he does is double fence and plant fruit and nut trees between the fences. He lets the fruit/nuts/acorns fall in the pig pastures and they harvest their own food.
So we're coming up on a month since you brought home the little wieners... How are Bacon, Sausage and Pork chop doing? Gosh, they should have almost doubled in size by now, especially with all that protein enhanced corn you got for them Can you share a pic or two? Have you found any other free alternative food sources for them (acorns and pecans prob gone by now)? School is in session, maybe you could do what Babsbag did and place a bucket or 2 in the lunch room? Or visit any nearby grocery stores for old/outdated produce/eggs/milk/cereals/etc.?