The Sun Came Out!

Other than being a little cold, it was beautiful out today. The sun was shining brightly. The kids even got to help bed pigs today.

The kids playing with the Tom cat.
I pulled them in the sled out to the pig pen.Austin and Case brought a bail of straw in the pen.Georgia helping Case. She told me that she was "sweaty" from working so hard. Austin and I took the easy route and drive the skid steer with the bale of straw on the forks.Some of the piglets.A sow not too impressed with me being there.And the whole back yard. The sky was so blue today.

Not Much New

There hasn't been a whole lot new here. Which is good. I am a little worried because I think that it is supposed to rain tomorrow. Everything is frozen outside right now, which means little mud, so little bedding is needed. But once it rains, things melt, pigs get wet and everything will need bedding.

Here are some random pictures from today.

Austin offering everyone a chocolate snow man.The kids enjoying watching their new DVD players while I check pigs.The snow covered back yard.Market hogs enjoying their warm barn.Feeder pigs enjoying their barn as well.
And Merry Christmas to all!

And then the sun came out.

The sun finally came out and most of the pigs needed more bedding. Here Case is bringing a bail of straw to the sows while I stand watch with the gate open.
More pig paths.
Steers. These guys are being sold today!
Case bedding the gestating sow lot.

I've declared it a blizzard

I'm not exactly sure of what is all involved in declaring a blizzard, but I've decided the the past two days qualify.

It's been nasty out. Here's the backyard.
Here I am, freezing my rear off.One of the nice things about the pigs is they are lazy, and make paths for easy walking in the snow.
The west barn. Look at all the snow that got blown into it!
And the poor freezing steers. We have no place for them to go, so they've been stuck in the yuck!

Our Luck

I went outside yesterday to check pigs. Of course, knowing our luck, I walk into the pen where the new boars are and wondering, what is that under the snow?

It was a new boar. Dead.

It looked like he walked 10 feet outside of his shelter, fell over and died in the snow.

He better have at least bred some gilts before dying on us!

Trying to Enjoy the Snow

We needed to bed the newest litters today. I had the brilliant idea of putting the kids' snow gear on and letting them enjoy it.

It took longer to get them dressed than what we were outside for. I need to Georgia a new pair of snow pants, I had to stuff her into a pair of 3T's (which is the same size bibs that Austin is wearing).

We let them walk around in the pen while I drove the skid steer with the big bale of straw while Case put the straw into the small shelters.

I looked over and they were both screaming because a sow was walking over to them. The kids then started to walk towards us, Austin slipped into a mud puddle, lost his boots and mittens and kept walking in his socks.

I was able to get his boots back on him, but the mittens were not happening. So after he finished eating the snow, his hands were freezing....
so Austin got to wear my gloves and a fast track ride to the house. He didn't keep my gloves on either. We were able to get what was needed outside done.

The Last Trimester

Yay! Hello week 28. I don't care, I've declared it, the start of my last trimester!

Please try to guess on the arrival of this baby. Please!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://bebepool.com/sparks

Snow!

It thankfully took until December for our first snow fall to actually stick. The mud has frozen making walking around in the pens so much easier! My boots are no longer being pulled off with every step.

Here's looking towards the house.
We currently have 5 new litters. They look warm and comfy.Fat pigs in the barn. They are very warm and comfy!
And we are now down to 7 steer. We don't have any place to house them in the winter and I think the last will be sold soon.