I'd say.....Half Grown

     The pigs are growing exponentially. 

    They have long out grown their "doghouse",  and we were trying to figure out how to shelter them.  The problem is, that moving the dog kennel every week has worked out so well, we don't want a shelter that would stop us from doing that.  Now I think, because it is (finally) summer, if they are protected from the sun and rain with some tarps, that they will be just fine.  The plan is to butcher in late Aug. or early Sept. anyway. 

     Rick built a shelter, but it is too big and heavy for inside the kennel, and using it outside the kennel with some pig panels makes it too hard to pick up and move it.  Guess what, the pigs have no idea we are having this conundrum :-).  They are still way happy pigs.  Extra duck and chicken eggs,  last years venison (from a nasty big buck -- shall we say a bit strong tasting), fish head and roe soup, and weeds from the corn rows are all supplementing their feed right now.  When they see me in the garden, they beg like little dogs for food.

     On the "cleared land" after we move the pen, we ended up planting oats.  We now have 6 successions of planted oats.  The first plot is just heading out.  There is some weeds in it, but not quack grass!  I doubt we will get grain on all of it, (probably planting some of it too late) but it is fun experimenting.  The oats will be for feeding the chickens this winter.  We will dry it and leave it on the straw.  When I throw it to the chickens, it becomes bedding and scratch all in one.




Oats are just starting to head out.
We're working the pen back this way,
should end up with a 48' x 24' new garden space.
Check out Happy Growing Pigs to see how
we started out this adventure.





You KNOW what I'm thinking......  :-)

   
.....dr momi