The Beginning Farmer

Yesterday afternoon we made some visible progress on the front porch (as an aside, my dad and I were recently discussing how “porch” is a nice farm house term).  Thanks to the rain and mud we didn’t get as far as we probably could have this weekend, but we made some real nice progress and we have 1/3 of the porch framed up.  Now we just have to start putting the decking on that part!

Well, I would show you some deck pictures, but thanks to the rain we didn’t exactly make it as far as we had hoped to today.  We did make some good progress and got things done that will make the rest of the work go more quickly, but if I would to show you a picture take from the same spot as yesterday it wouldn’t look much different…

**Today’s post is extremely late today because of a little computing mix-up on my end. But, hopefully you’ll get a preview today and then an update tomorrow.**

It seems like our list of projects is never ending and it is always difficult for me to figure out what to do next, but something needs to be next on the list. So, this weekend we are going to begin tackling the front porch. This is a project that we have been looking forward to since we put up the building because the view from the porch is amazing and it will be wonderful to sit out there and enjoy the evening. Plus, we have the added benefit of some extra hands this weekend so it seemed like as good as anytime to get it started.

We picked up the materials on Tuesday, but we have already run into a few snags. Things aren’t going to work out exactly as I had planned (do they ever), but I think we have “plan b” figured out and should be able to get going tomorrow as long as the weather cooperates. The one thing that may hold us back is water in the post holes. That could keep us from concreting them in and getting the front of the porch ready.

Ideally I would love to make it to Sunday evening with all my toes and fingers and everything framed up. If that happens then we should be set because I think the decking will go on fairly quickly and without too many cuts. That is one nice thing about a porch that is only 6 feet by 45 feet. I’ll keep you updated on the progress and hopefully some relaxing front porch farming pictures soon!

Just time for a quick hitter today because between Vacation Bible School and preparations for the construction of our porch I’m a bit busy. But, I did want to pose a question and see if any one is interested in throwing in their two cents. Here is my question:

Recently on the Epi-Log there were back-to-back posts reviewing the upcoming documentary, “Food, Inc.”. Before that there was a write up on the documentary, “Fresh”. I have written about both of these films here on the blog (and many others) and I have to admit that I’m pretty fond of a good documentary, but do you think films like this are a good way to spread the message that we can have a different food system? I must admit that when I first saw previews of “King Corn” I thought I would hate it … turns out I LOVED it … but, I wonder what it would or what it is going to take to make an impression outside of the larger cities or metropolitan areas? Do you think films like this will help or do you think that most Americans are so set in their ways that it is going to take an experience to really change their minds?

I do think that most of the recent “food/farming” films have been a help in getting the discussion going and creating a platform for it, but I am curious as to what the next step is…

**Thanks to a week of Vacation Bible School and a good morning of work today’s post is very late compared to normal. But, it is a post nevertheless.**

I thought it would be a good idea to update the progress of the pigs that were born Sunday afternoon. As I mentioned there were nine pigs born and all seemed to be doing very well that evening as they bellied up to the bar and got their first meal. But, that night (in the midst of one major thunderstorm after another) she stepped on or crushed two. Since then she seems to be the model mother, but I’m not getting my hopes up to high yet.

The new pigs on Sunday evening weren’t the only new additions to the farm that day though. That night at my soccer banquet one of the dad’s asked me what kind of farm dog we had. I responded that our dog really wasn’t much of a farm dog, but that we had been looking for something bigger. To make a long story short … he offered us a male Great Pyrenees that is three months old.

Now we have a big dog on the place! I would love any tips on training a Great Pyrenees though…

Today, June 9th, is our 8th wedding anniversary. I don’t think that either of us would have imagined eight years ago that this farm would be the place where we ended up. But, I know that the support and love that my wife has shared with me over the last eight years and the help and encouragement she gives me is what has allowed us to make this step in our life. So, today I’m off to spend some time with the family and enjoy my wife of eight years!

When we got home from the soccer banquet last night my wife found nine little piggies lined up and getting their first meal. Most likely they were born while we were off celebrating the end of the soccer season and it seems that all went well. Now comes the hard part … making it through the first week or two and seeing how momma sow does with all the little piggies around her. I believe she had nine pigs in her first little as well, but lost four to crushing. Hopefully that was just some new mom jitters, but as we build our swine herd I know that it is something we are going to have to work through.

This is where the “letting pigs be pigs” thing comes into play. So far there have been two pigs lost. We know that there will be losses on the farm (especially when farrowing pigs), but we also want to get our herd to a point where we have good mothers that know what they are doing and can do it well. That is why I like to visit the Sugar Mountain Farm blog. When I read the posts over there I know it is possible to have sows that know what to do out on pasture.

For now, we are just going to enjoy the new pigs and help provide the best environment that we can for the pigs and for the momma sow. It is so amazing to me how creation just works itself out. Like I told my wife … “It’s like she delivered them and then they got up, made a left turn and walked over to grab a bite to eat.” It is pretty incredible how that works out!

Well today is the supposed to be the day for the sow to farrow, so we will see what the day holds. When I checked first thing this morning she was just hanging out in her hut … like she has been doing 95% of the time since we put her in a pen by herself. I’ve got to admit that I’m getting pretty excited for her to farrow and am looking forward to having some little pigs around if everything goes right. We had the first calf on the farm last weekend, so maybe the first pigs this weekend?

We have also been spending a lot of time lately in the garden getting everything put in. Better late than never is our garden motto this year and we are hoping to at least get a little produce. We have corn, beans, peas, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, and probably some other stuff that I’m missing in this years garden. Last years garden was just kind of thrown together … this years garden is a little better … next year I think we will be able to make our first all out garden attack on the farm. It just takes time to get everything lined up and together when you are still trying to build the farm!

In other farm news … if the weather holds out a little I’m guessing we are about a week and a half from getting our shed started. The calves are mowing it down for us and I’m getting excited to get it up. Of course it won’t have any sides until I put them on there, but it will be nice to see what it is going to look like and start making my plans for the inside and for the lean-to. It will help having the frame up so I can figure out exactly how I can best use the space inside, then I can decide what to do for walls/openings.

Other than that we just do as much as we can when we can. I’m really looking forward to getting the place cleaned up … that is my biggest overall project!

I can’t say that our current bull is my favorite Dexter bull, or even close to that. He has give us plenty of frustration with his desire to get out and roam around and he isn’t exactly as cuddly (not that you should ever cuddle a bull) as some Dexter bulls that I’ve bet. But, with all that being said he does have a few redeeming qualities that I don’t hate.

He seems to have fleshed out nicely on the spring grass so far (at least comparatively speaking) and it also seems like he is a guy that will get his job done. One other thing is that he is a little smaller in size so I’m hoping he will bring us a couple smaller calves from our two bigger cows. Our big cows hardly even seem like Dexters when you compare them to the others in the herd!

All that being said, I’m still on the hunt for a herd bull that fits us perfectly and will continually improve our herd. We have an uphill battle to get the herd to where I would like it, but this is an okay start.