Becky Is At It Again...

...buying pigs, that is.

 

This week she purchased nine feeder pigs from a new friend and pig aficionado located in the adjacent county to the north.  Matt is a good ‘pig’ confidant.

 

Becky committed to selling at the Staunton, Virginia Farmers Market this upcoming season.  She has her beef and lamb to sell, and she wanted to sell her own pork.  Unfortunately, her first litter of piglets (still unborn) will not be ready for marketing.

 

So, she opted, this first selling season to buy some feeder pigs from a trustworthy and local producer, and finish them, fatten them, in order to be able to provide pork as her third meat offering.

 

All meat sold will have to be processed at a USDA-inspected facility.  Becky has her appointments made.  Folks…this is one reason farmers market prices are high - USDA inspected is an added and somewhat unnecessary cost for the small producer.  But, it is the law.

 

Becky is a committed farmer who wants to provide natural, local and exceptional quality meat to her neighbors.

 

She is on the right path to success.

 

Hmmm...which ones do I want?

pigs coming out from the scales one by one

We all went to view her pig purchase possibilities.  Once chosen, they were weighted, paid for, loaded onto the stock trailer and driven back to her farm for unloading.

 

nine pigs waiting to unload at Becky's farm

By this time, late afternoon turned into evening and the unloading took place after dark.

 

 

 

barn lights - notice the lone pig in the barn lot pen

 

 

After a few seconds of roaming around to familiarize themselves with their new facility, those pigs found their feeder and enjoyed a snack.

 

some of the newest arrivals - Home Sweet Home!

 

The next morning, Becky found her new nine pigs spread out all over her barn lot.  A few had managed to get into the pen with the boar and two breeding gilts.  A few had managed to get into the pen with her younger gilts.  Those nine were definitely not shy and made a point to announce to the rest of the resident pigs that they had arrived.

 

Becky…she spent her, up-to-now, well-planned morning separating and dividing pigs - OINK!

 

Another Baby?

Becky decided she needed a farm dog of her very own.  Having recently lost Jake, and Buddy becoming more my dog than hers, she took the next step and bought herself an Australian Shepherd puppy.

 

This puppy lived about a two hour drive from our home.  So, of course, we would stop for lunch prior to pick-up so that we would not need to make a meal break with a brand new puppy in tow.

 

We decided on a local, in vicinity of the puppy’s home, café named Buffalo and More.  The establishment was small and cozy, but the food was big on flavor. The menu was extensive and used buffalo meat in almost every item…hot dogs, burgers, chili, tacos, stew and more.  Initially, I ordered a bowl of buffalo chili which was a bit too spicy for my sensitive palette.  From the first spoonful, I could tell the chili was delicious, but the burn began to settle in immediately. I decided to reorder a much milder buffalo pot roast - yummy!  Becky got her usual, or just a bit unusual, buffalo burger and sweet potato fries.  We had plenty of food to overfill our stomachs (no dessert, again - that homemade blackberry cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream was tempting) and to take some home.  The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating.  If we are ever in Riner, Virginia again, we will be sure to revisit Buffalo and More for another satisfying buffalo entre.  Did I mention that the buffalo is locally raised, too?

 

Back to puppy pick-up…

Puppy taking his last look of his birth place.

Puppy looking at me and wondering...'Who are you?'

 

 

Only minutes from the café, we were at the home of the puppy people.  After a few words of encouragement between the owner and Becky, I sat back in the vehicle, placed a cardboard box on my lap and was ready to receive the cute ball of fluff.  The first part of the drive back was quite curvy.  Since I am prone to motion sickness, my stomach was feeling a bit queasy.  Then, puppy threw up…in the box thank goodness, but in the box on my lap nonetheless.  The odor did not help my condition.  As soon as Becky could find a place to pull over, she did and quickly cleaned out the box and off we went. 

 

About 1 ½ hours later, Becky stopped to let the puppy out.  A squat, a tinkle (by the puppy) and we were off again. 

 

Soon, we arrived at the puppy’s temporary home, Mountain Glen Farm, and he met his new dog friend, Buddy.  Buddy was a bit standoffish, but a gentleman - no nipping or barking. 

 

 

The past week has proved challenging.  The puppy, officially named Samuel/Sam/Sammy, has had the run of MY house - ugh!  He abandons his toys wherever, chews on the carpet fringe, and leaves small surprises from time to time - double ugh!!

 

Sammy is cute, I know the situation is temporary, and I do miss him when he accompanies Becky on her chores. 

 

What more can I say?

 

So, here’s Sammy…our (really Becky's) newest cutie!

 

 

 

 

 

We're Free

Since the temperatures have warmed into the 50’s, the early lambs, the winter lambs, finally had their opportunity to leave their protected quarters of the barn to run, rest and explore in the nearby pasture. The warm sun and winter grass made a desirable playground for the youngsters.

 

 

 

But, this reprieve will not last long as the imminent weather forecast is rain, snow and freezing rain.

 

Well…it is winter!

Be Safe!

I just went outside into the cold, with a slight snow cover on the ground, to collect eggs.  The chickens had feed but their water was about out.  Did I want to fill the waterer, getting my bare hands wet in 24 degree weather feeling like 18? NOOOO!!!!  Of course, this is a tad better than the 1 degree we had earlier today. But, my answer is still NO.  I will ask Glenn to give them water when he gets home.

 

Like I said, we have a slight snow cover.  There were dog prints and Glenn prints and Becky prints and cat prints and then, I added my prints - small ‘baby step’ stride prints.  I did not want to fall.  I hate to fall.  I would rather be safe, slow and silly-looking than sorry which brings to mind my mother-in-law.

 

Earlier this season, my mother-in-law slipped, fell and tried to catch herself with her hand once she hit the ground.  You guessed it… she broke her wrist.  Now, she is 86, lively, but not so careful. But, in reality, you do not have to be 86 to break a bone.

 

I will continue with my snail-pace baby steps, thank you!

 

 

 

Note:  The eggs were frozen inside their shells - ugh!

Road Trip - Becky, Bush and BBQ

Yesterday, Becky and I went on a road trip. The destination, to view a potential Australian Shepherd puppy for Becky, was two-hours away.  Seeing as her dog Buddy has basically become my dog and is well entrenched in farm life at Mountain Glen, Becky decided she wanted a dog at her farm and her own canine companion. The short version…she decided on one of the pups from a lively litter of 6 and will return in early February to retrieve her puppy when he is 8 weeks old. The longer version…bringing the puppy home will be continued here, in this blog, in February.

 

The scenery along the way was beautiful.

 

Skipping breakfast and already nearing 1:00 pm, we decided to make a lunch stop.  The roar from our stomachs was just too loud to ignore. I, in a rare moment for me, chose the eatery - a barbeque place that I had visited twice before in the past 5+ years, first with Glenn and a second time with my friend Ann.  I enjoyed the taste experience both times, so how could we go wrong.  Beside, since Becky started her pig business, we have been frequenting barbeque restaurants in a vastly higher percentage than other cuisines - a kind of scouting trip for potential business.

 

 

We headed to the Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque in Daleville, Virginia. (120 Kingston Drive, to be exact) This place is hidden in a strip mall off Route 220, but is well worth the effort to search and patronize.  The restaurant is clean and inviting even though the adjacent business is Curves, an exercise enterprise coveted by women.  My stomach voiced its desire again.  We adamantly entered Three Li’l Pigs.

 

Becky and I were shown to a table.  We sat and ordered.  And, before the food arrived, I decided it was essential to wash my hands since they were well coated with dog and puppy love.

 

On return to my seat, Becky told me to look at the back of my chair.  A gold plate was attached and engraved, ‘GEORGE H. W. BUSH SAT HERE 9-12-06’.  I felt just a bit more important sitting in a chair that a former president actually sat in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More importantly is that we were very pleased with our food.  Pork sandwiches, fries, coleslaw and hushpuppies - delicious!  Becky had sweet potato fries with peach ketchup - perfectly southern!

Food looks as good as it tastes...try some!

Three positive visits equal a well-deserved recommendation and a return.  Three Li’l Pigs Barbeque stays on my list of restaurants to visit again.

 

This is the place to look for...comes highly recommended by me!

 

On the way out, the adjacent establishment did not even bother us.  Curves…yep I got them and that flavorful bbq et al certainly helped me keep them.

 

Becky Buys A Boar and Other Pig Pictures

Becky's World of Pigs...

Last week, Becky and her Dad drove to West Virginia to check out some boars.  This was their third such outing.  This time they came home with a bonny Berkshire boar.

 

boar (facing us) with the two Hampshire gilts

Now, male in residence with her five females, Becky can finally begin pig production.

 

petting her pig...who needs a dog?

Initially, the boar was placed with all five gilts.  Today, Becky decided to separate the Hampshire gilts (the two older females and ready for breeding) from the Tamworth gilts (the three younger gilts and a bit too young to breed.  Note: If you recall, Becky bought four of the red Tams, but one recently succumbed to infection).

 



notice where I am located...out of the mud, taking the photo

With help from Glenn and Colby, Becky handily walked the boar and the two Hampshire gilts from the pig shed to the barn.  The move was fairly easy and without fanfare.  Within moments, the three red Tams arrived…escaping from their shed to be with their buddies.  Coercing them back was not quite as simple.  Fortunately, it only took a mere two attempts.  Nothing on the farm can ever be too easy.

 

So, if the boar does his job, Becky should have little piglets running around in about 114 days.

 

How much longer for the PORK?  I am not sure, but my mouth is watering.

 

 

A Lesson To Learn

‘A person never stops learning’…that is Glenn’s new mantra.

 

Today, Glenn, Becky and I returned from a short afternoon outing to town to run some errands and to have an early dinner.

 

Glenn pulled my car under the carport and Becky immediately knew something was different.  On the other side of the fence from where my car was parked was a brand new baby lamb chasing its mother. We could hear another lamb baaing behind the accidently closed sheep door to the inside stall. One baby was out with its mom and one baby was wanting out of the barn to get to its mom.  Becky rushed to open the door from whence the second baby ran out with a mission…to find its mom.

 

Seems we are really out of sync for lambing this season.  Glenn allowed the ram to stay among last April’s new and birthing ewes just a bit too long.  Of course, we did not realize Winky's activity until some of the ewes recently started to expand.

 

Fortunately, Becky and Glenn got the expectant ewes up into the barn lot; nine in total, with access to an inside stall yesterday. And, just in time as tonight will be our coldest night of the season, to date, at a -3.  Some winters we do not get colder than 30…not this year, though. 

 

Considering it was already in the 20’s on our early return, those two little baby lambs looked to be in fine shape at less than four hours old.  The cold did not seem to bother them yet.

 

They were more concerned with getting the milk.

 

And so, Mountain Glen Farm’s 2014 lambing season begins...three  months early, but begins nonetheless!