The Dalan Farm

More summer pics

2011-07-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

Heres some of the little pigs doing what they do and the "pretty boys."

New pix from the farm...it's baby time!

2011-06-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

So here some of the new babies on the Farm. This weekend has been filled with moing the margins (and the nieghbors) weed crop. Going to throw some seed and keep watering this weekend too. Just good ole farm living ;)

Babies born 6/25 to Lilly

One of the replacement sows ("Ms Piggy"), some feeders and the runt (Skittles)

Daphne's babies, less than a week old.

My lawn mower can eat your lawn mower :-)

Still here

2011-06-23T11:08:00.001-07:00

First hay is up, the spring piggies are on the ground (and sold!) And the old baler works like its supposed to. I might make a half decent baler mechanic after all!

Well be processing pork in October and again next march. $5.50/# includes cut and wrap, whole or half.

Next litters (including breed stock) will be march 2012. Prudence and Matty Beth sows x defender boar. By fall 2012, well be selling pairs again. Should be nice low CI, and compatible with any of the stock you may have bought from us before.

Defender x Prudence litter piglets are going to be $500 a head at weaning. Matty Beth x Defender will be $650.

Remember to check pedigrees before buying and maybe get a trial mating through the largeblackhogassociation.org registrar. Before you buy!

Dave,

Milking madness

2011-04-06T08:52:00.001-07:00

So my eldest daughter finally broke our naughty cow. Blossom now comes to the milking stantion with relative ease. The Mrs and my eldest are separating blossom from her big baby at night and milking in the AM.

So far, so good. Looks like we'll get about a gallon a day and it delicious. The Mrs and Blossom seem have a repaired relationship. Now talking about Blossom makes my wifes eyes light up...instead of making her shoulders slump. Yeah!

On the hog front, im getting a Matty Beth sow (out of Noble Sam boar) to breed to my defender boar. Should create a pretty low CI piglet, with plenty of new blood for the west coast.

Springy 'round here

2011-03-25T16:03:00.001-07:00

Seeded some alfalfa last weekend, yesterday i checked the field and most of the seed was opening and shooting runners in the ground!!

Grass is green and growing, kids are playing in the woods again and i'm looking forward to hay season. Seriously!

Updates!!!

2011-02-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

OK...I think the on hand stock is all sold. Well, we have commitements for those breeding animals that are leavingt he farm. We still have a prudence sow and a defender boar. MAYBE defender piglets in the fall, but I'm not 100% that well breed again this year.

The prudence sow is bred to her half brother (he's heading out soon) and her babies will be exclusively for pork to the locals. Or a feeder pig.

Eventually I plan to add a Warbler (been looking for a while) but in the nearer term perhaps a Matty Beth (if I can wrangle one up). In short we'll have defender boars/gilts...eventually. And probably in the next year or two we'll be selling out of Defender and Majestic boys and Prudence and Matty Beth ladies. Warbler (if I cna get one) will sub in for the Prudence. Confused? Me too. And I of course reserve the right to change my mind completely :)

Farm News: Well winter cam back today, but looks like it should be gone tomorrow again (back int he 40's and 50's). Nice. We'll be seeding some alfalfa when the time is right and I managed to harrow up the over grazed pastures and the hay field.

A 6v fuel pump is on the way for the massey 36SP swather (mechanical one took a dump, and I'm not willing to toss money on a rebuild). Get in istalled, get the old opening covered with a plate and change the oil (fuel was leaking into the crank case...so the oil got real thin) and we'll be on the road again.

Oh...and we're sticking to our farm alone this year. We were haying som other folks stuff, but it just eats too much time. I'm a weekend farmer, and I like it that way. We ususally jump in feet first, and then have to draw back a little (a lot?). Let the drawing back begin.

That's all for now.

Dave,

Sales and stuff

2011-01-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

The only pigs (that we're parting with) that are not in some form or another spoken for are Maggie rose and a couple of unregistered boars (we're not going to register them).

We actually have a 2 piglet breeding pairs as well...almost forgot. THESE WILL BE THE LAST BREEDIN PAIRS WE WILL BE SELLING. We'll have pureblood stock, but with other NW producers coming online, there is no need in us providing both halfs of your breeding operation. If you need refrecnes for additional stock, we'll gladly provide you with them. There are breeders in CA, OR, WA that we've sold stock to who are producing piglets.

If all the plans of the many come to fruition, everyone but Daphne, Toughskins and Bart are heading down the road. We'll have registerable Defender/Prudence piglets about once a year (in the summer) and some crosses in the fall.

We've got a bundle of goats for sale. Some good for milking, some for eating or any of them could be used to tame unruly pastures or brushy areas. Whatever floats your boat :)

Here is the link, http://kpr.craigslist.org/grd/2161941123.html

Large black hog association

2010-12-01T08:42:00.001-08:00

I've come to realize that some folks don't know about the new website.

Www.largeblackhogassociation.org is the new website for the LBHA.

ENJOY!

Sales update!

2010-11-29T14:10:00.001-08:00

I have pending sales on all of my registered boars, and only three bred sows left. No feeders. I do have a couple of breeding pairs left. Check out the listings....dalanfarm.com!

Meet Rupert

2010-11-10T07:17:00.001-08:00

So momma cow (blossom) finally popped. No fusss, no muss, heck we we're not there at all. Just came down to find a new farm resident in the morning. Sweet!

SALE MADNESS!!!

2010-11-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Gotta reorganize the herd. To many bodies for the old man to chase. Check out the DalanFarm Sale Barn for the Hogs I have for sale. Boars, Sows, Bred Sows, Weaners...all kinds of stuff.

Well, another reason to pay your bills off and retire early....

2010-10-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

So you can stop sitting around all day. Looks like training in your off time cannot completly offset the damange done from a Cubicle lifestyle...sigh.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39523298/ns/health-mens_health/

What's new, Scoobey Doo?

2010-10-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Marge lost a few piglets to traumatic injury, but she has 7 of the 12 she farrowed and they are MONSTERS. For LB pigs they are growing fast (I suspect due to the ample milk supply, she has 12 teats).

Olivia did lose two of the really tiny ones. She has 13, including a small boy now named "Bud." Bud is WAY to small to be used for breeding (ever, he's a textbook runt) and is becoming something of a family member. He's even been to church with us (Sunday School lesson...)

Anyhow, we have reservations on a couple of breeding pairs, and (assuming my genders match up) we should have 4 to 6 pairs out of this farrowing. Just got to make sure all the pair candidates look nice and well formed. And I have to notch so I can tell them apart. And I need to vaccinate. And do that "boar to barrow" thing. And...

Oh (not that this is a big deal to anyone but me) two of my boars are off farm visiting other "ladies." I don't rent boars as a matter of course (or offer stud), but I know these farms, these pigs and it's nice to lower the head count for a couple of months.

Some of thegoats have gone down the road, mostly as pets or companions for does. Turkeys (midget white) and chickens are EVERYWHERE :)

It's been cool and crisp in the mornings, and my last hay cutting (what I'm feeding right now) has proven to be beautiful, sweet smelling and well recived by Goats and Hogs alike.

Dave,

Olivia is the Queen piglet maker.

2010-10-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if this is some kind of record for the Large Black Hog in North America, but I'm sure it should be.

Olivia farrowed 15 piglets yesterday. I made sure everyone ogt a pass at a teat and got some colostrum, so I'm hopeful most (if not all) of them will make it throught the first few days. Though I am a dreamer some times. Anyway...check out the video and my terrible, stereotyped redneck imitation.

Why Walla Walla is better than where I grew up (Renton)

2010-09-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here is where I live today...

Here is where I came from (today).

Hmm...posted with lots of love to my Wet Side relatives and comrades.

Marge is the champion

2010-09-25T13:15:00.001-07:00

There are at least 13 live piglets. No dead ones discovered as of yet, and there is quite a crowd around the teats, so there could be 14:

Go Marge!

Here we go again...

2010-09-24T17:57:00.001-07:00

Marges milk is in and her hind end is leaking...dem babies is on the way!

Love them midgets (turkeys)

2010-09-14T15:54:00.001-07:00

Momma turkey just hatched 13 more babies (in addition to the two chickens hatched last week). Boy those little white ladies make some babies. I bet if the magpies would quit stealing eggs, our two hens would have reared 40 or more chicks this year.

Fair Fun

2010-09-07T14:13:00.003-07:00

Here's a brief shot of the eldest showing her dairy cow. Was a grand champion for confirmation.

Tragedy

2010-09-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Marlyn Jondle when she came to buy LBH from me. I did not get a chance to build a deep relationship, but I looked forward to seeing where the farm went.

I just found out that Marilyn and her Husband (David (Scott), whom I never had the pleasure of meeting) were recently murdered. I am heartbroken.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/09/andrew_jondle_accused_of_killi.php

My prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

First fair pig!

2010-09-01T15:22:00.001-07:00

Hamp x large black...Jimmy Dean is the name. We're not showing him, but I am, rpoud to see a LB there. We provided the boar (fat albert), my buddy bob provided the sow.

Next year...watch out. The mob of dalan kids will be hauling their large blacks to the fair!

Fat Albert

2010-08-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

Well, he's kind of naughty and doesn't like posing (though he does like a good snuggle)

Here's his pix for those inerested.

Little bit of heaven

2010-08-29T08:10:00.001-07:00

Jowel bacon...bacon of the gods!

:)

Funny looking weed eater

2010-08-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

Some morning shots of the fat ladies nibbling varous odds and ends.

Quiet evening on the farm

2010-08-23T19:33:00.001-07:00

Now I remember why I like it here :)

It's purdy.

Here are the Ladies that are for sale

2010-08-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here are the bred ladies....

Olivia (Prudence/Majestic Bred to Noble Sam). Not a sibling of Maggie.

Swinehilda, Olivia's Sister, Bred to her 1/2 brother a Majestic Boar. Made great piggies last time!

Maggie Rose (Prudence/Majestic bred to a Noble Sam)

Time for some change

2010-08-17T10:34:00.001-07:00

I've got more big, black piggies than i want to chase around right now. So dalanfarm is reorganizing and cutting the herd from 12 breeders to 7. One bred lady is sold, but three more bred sows remain for sale and a boar (i just don't need 5 boars around here!)

We'll still be selling purebred and cross bred LBH out of multiple lines (including the new defender boar line), so we are not going anywhere!

!!The boar (Fat Albert) for sale is not involved in the breedings of the sows (he's a half brother to one of them) so he could be paired with a bred sow (Either Oliva or Swinehilda) and then used to breed her piglets if desired (eventually...but he can rebreed either 'Hilda or Olivia). Hog farm in a box!!

Here's the link to our sale page....

http://dalanfarm.com/sale.html

Dave,

Speaking of Cute...

2010-08-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

Another customer (Luther) has pigs hitting the ground. I'm not sure what he's doing with them, but with his permission I have a shot of his first litter.

Baby pigs are soooooo cute. Farrowing went well, au-natural in the great outdoors.

A customer looking for customers

2010-08-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

Kara Sully (who bought pigs form me last year) has a batch of pigs ready to go. If your looking for a pig or two drop her a line at maplehollowfarm@rocketmail.com or check out the website http://www.maplehollowfarm.org/.

One of her pigs below...cute as all get out!!

It's kind of ugly

2010-08-07T11:11:00.001-07:00

But it's a stack of hay I didn't have to make by hand :)

The old Harobed works great. Still needs some TLC, but picks the bales up and makes a block so not much to complain about.

Funny fact: Harobed is never spelled Harrow Bed. The guy who invented this machine had a daughter named Deborah (which backwards is 'harobed').

Dave,

Large Marge

2010-08-06T20:41:00.001-07:00

One of the ladies showing of her pregant tummy. Month or so to go!

Farrow dates updates

2010-08-06T14:52:00.001-07:00

I have been privy to quite a show the last couple of days, so i can almost guarantee fall/winter litters will farrow on or about December 1st. Puts weaning at Feb 1st, or so.

Dave,

More pig information

2010-08-03T11:11:00.001-07:00

Updated the homepage (http://www.dalanfarm.com) with farrowing dates for 2010 and 2011.

Oh happy day

2010-08-02T08:55:00.001-07:00

The old man has been out visiting for a few days. Got a chance to chat, eat at the Longbranch Saloon (Weston, OR). Even did a little farming. After the complete tear down of the baler, it's finally dialed in and making great bales, no turds (failed bales) and I no longer have to creep along in granny gear. The baler of yore is back! Well for now.

Still have some butcher pigs for sale, and a gilt or two if you're in a pinch for piglets now.

Dave,

Stuff for Sale

2010-07-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Pork coming last week of August, and 2nd week of December. $3.00/# whole, $3.75#/half, both plus cut and wrap (local pickup only). Best pork in the universe, but I am exceptionally biased and base my claims only on the observations of my tongue :)

We also have goat kids for sale, some spotted crosses (Nubian/Boer) and % Boers as well. Most are $50/head. We also have a Red Boer buck (% Boer, "Commercial") who is big, beautiful and has frosted ears.

If any of this strikes your fancy, shoot us an e-mail (check dalanfarm.com for contact information).

Dave,

Wrapping up the Hog trip

2010-07-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here is some random photogrpahy from the Hog pickup to ILL.

Jackalope madness in Wall, SD

Dinosaurs are always a nice excuse to lave the car.

Corn Palace 2010

New boys...one is 100% large black...one is not...can you tell?

Nattey: "Poppa, what's that Bear there for?"
Poppa: "Nevermind."

Temple Cemetery

2010-07-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

So we went to the Temple Cemetery (temple ND). I think they must have moved it, as it's east of where i remembere it being. Either i forgot, or i never knew, that my Aunt Uni and Uncle Carl (Meyer) had a marker here. It being here caught me off guard. Long story short, once i saw the "I boweled a 200" coffee mug (Uni's I assume) I started sbbing. Still am. I never saw her nearly enough as an adult. My kids would have loved her and she would have loved them right back. I miss you Uni. A lot.

Stinky room

2010-07-17T06:36:00.001-07:00

Ok the stinky room wasn't all bad and Minot has a STARBUCKS. Had a sower, fed the critters (human and non-human) and all is well. Next stop? Montanna!

North Dakota

2010-07-17T00:03:00.001-07:00

Ahh...2 AM and a smokers hotel room ;p

Hogs are travelling well and afer the longest day of the trip, we're still getting along!

The eagle has landed

2010-07-14T20:54:00.001-07:00

In SD. Nat enjoyed the Rushmore a ton. Saw some movies, some really big heads and bought some trinkets. Getting ready for beddy by time Wall...net stop is IL!

Lunch at sheridan

2010-07-14T12:09:00.001-07:00

Well, we are in WY now. If you are ever near the border of MT and WY, I highly reccomend the info center/rest stop SE of sheridan. RV facilities, historical stuff and picknick shelters. Should be rushmore around supper time. Natty saw pronghorns and a lot of rolling hills today. Still having a plesant time :)

Lunch at sheridan

2010-07-14T12:03:00.001-07:00

Day 1 done

2010-07-13T22:46:00.001-07:00

Well we are here in Bozeman. Whew, one down and several to go ;)

Tomorrow is mount rushmore. Natty is excited and we should have plenty of time. Then (Thursday) we'll land in IL. Friday we meet our new boy....sweet!

Hog trip 2010

2010-07-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

Well here i go again, as Bo Seger would say, down the road after pigs. Natty and I aee one leg 1 of the trip. Right now we're eating at a DQ in Missoula. It's been uneventful so far. Tomorrow we'll check out rushmore, and Wall SD. WOHOO!

So long old lady

2010-07-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

One of our lady goats went to the big pasture in the Sky last night. She's been winding down for a couple of days now, and last night was all she could take. Surrounded by here kids (not quite weaned, but taking a bottle well) and my kids. Will miss old Frosty. She was a great goat, made great babies and was a favorite of several of my kids. We've explained and discussed the circle of life, but for some of my kids it's still pretty hard to see the cycle at this stage. It still touches me just how gentle a soul some of my children have.

I hope they can keep a soul that grieves easily as long as they live.

Universe is coming back into alingment

2010-06-25T10:41:00.001-07:00

So the Mrs and my eldest return from the mission to Guatemala tonight. Wohoo! My sitter and the kids have been awesome, but I'm dying for a little normalcy. The baler is fixed, i'm going to stop living like a single parent of 5 with two jobs (and good thing, cause that's nuts). BTW my hat is off to all the single parents out there, I know it's hard and you have my sympathy.

All my fussing aside, I really have it pretty easy. I am thankful, and the last two weeks have been a stellar opportunity to focus in on just how fortunate we are to have a whole family, good friends and a community that stands with us.

Truly blessed we are...

Dave,

So hay madness...

2010-06-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

Turned into maddening hay. First the weather around here has been really goofy, cold and wet. But I had a window to get all the neighbors hay cut. So I went for it. Swather worked for a while, then I "tinkered" and broke the starter solenoid, so I had to break out the 5' disc cutter. No biggie, new solenoid is on order and the disc cutter is as fast as the swather.

One step down.

Next is the raking, which went really well. The 50 year old Massey Ferguson 25 I bought raked like a beast, just like earlier in the season. Man I am on a roll.

Two steps down.

To bad I stopped rolling down the hill by hitting a wall at the bottom :)

Then I fired up the baler this weekend to get some of those green cubes made and stack. This did not work so well. Despite a pile of new parts and a fair amount of adjusting, my baler makes 3 bales then two blobs, 2 more bales, 3 blobs, a bale, 2 blobs, 3 bales, etc. Not a recipe for success. So I make a panicked call to my farming buddy down the road, check the weather (looks like rain) and hope maybe after fathers day I can borrow a baler and get this cutting over with.

Well first, no rain came. All weekend it blew to the East AND West of me. 3/4" in an hour less than 3 miles to my west. Torrential downpour 7 miles to West. Radar looked like a giant hand was parting the ran as it moved up from the south. Make of it what you will, but with rain predicted at 60%, I'm still dry as are my neighbors who's hay is on the ground.

Figure I'll call the Newholland dealer and see if a mechanic can get my beast working, if not they have two units in stock that will do the job. It's just money right? In a way it is just money, with a "real" job 6 kids and my spouse I don't want to spend my life monkeying around with equipment I don't fully understand.

Tractors? Easy.
Cars? Child's play.
Rakes? Hydraulics? Elementary.

Balers? Designed by Satan himself. Pure genius in design, fairly simple in construction and infuriating to learn to adjust, tweak, tune and maintain. I may have finally met a machine I simply don't have the time or inclination to master maintaining on my own. Part of it is the simple frustration that to test it, I have to have crop to bale. By then it's a little late to figure out it's not working and I cannot figure out how to fix it.

So I'm bringing in the the bale mechanic or sales man. Visa, take me away.

I figured maybe I can get those bales up in a week or so. Sigh.

But then....tonight the phone rings. My buddy who I called in a panic. Long and the short of it is, he's going to try raking my hay in one field, tedding hay (fluffing) in the others and then baling and stacking the whole shebang. Did I mention that the hydraulic pump on my ancient harrow bed (bale collector/stacker) is trying to die on me too? I don't mind picking up bales by hand, but power tools are sure nice.

On top of all of this weeks drama, I've been waffling between cursing my busted implements and blaming anyone who I could think of and thanking God for an opportunity to work on my patience. Without help and time, there is simply nothing I can do. I cannot magic my baler into working. I cannot stop the hay from getting rained on. In the midst of what is probably the longest two weeks I have had in recent memory (more than just the hay...all kind of stuff is going south, hitting at the same time) here is a friend calling to help me out.

He has every reason in the world to take some time off now that his hay is caught up. He's been seriously ill (and no doubt exhausted), and is constantly overworked. He can probably come up with something better to do than bail out (pun intended) his newbie farming buddy down the road. But there he is. Even when he could have a 1000 reasons (not just excuses) blow me off, here he comes anyway.

Thanks Robin.

Hay season madness

2010-06-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

So the first cuttin was pretty much a total loss. Poop happens I suppose. Now I am on to my sharecropping (I split the harvest, and I do the work) with some of my neighbors. Sun is shining, weather is nice. Man I love this time of the year. I'll be completing some overdue chores like replacing the regulator and starter solenoid on the old Swather, fixing some irrigation (one of my buddies calls it "irritation") equipment and maybe getting some more water down. Hard to imagine that after the wettest may I can recall in some time I'm already watering again, but it's time.

Summer is upon us.

Oh yeah. I was awoken last night by another chicken being attacked. Last year we lost several to a big Raccon. Several turkeys as well. This time I caught him in the act and in a location where he could not escape.

Dave,

Baler rides again...

2010-06-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

Well the upside to our swampy spring is that I've had lots of time to ressurect the baler after the untimely demise last year. Replaced lots of bits (hay dog springs, twine finger bar...last on in the world it seems...twine fingers, arms, etc.) And assorted nuts, bolts cams and washers. Welded the bale chamber shield and tinkered other things.

Today, i made some green cubes...now if it will only dry out :)

BP Oil Spill

2010-06-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

If this is ever developed inot a solution, just remember you heard it here first. Unfortunately someone has probably already suggested it and it won't work...but here's my $0.02 anyway :)

So I was reading the news about suggestions for stopping the BP leak in the gulf. Instantly I thought of an angioplasty baloon. Why not make a giant angioplasty baloon, insert it into the well and then inflate it?

Here's what I was thinking...take a couple hundred feed of steel tubing (say 1/3 the diameter of the open hole in the blowout) and perforate the lower portion and seal the "bottom." In the perforations put collapsed round balloons made of something like Kevlar (which has a strength of 3600 MPa or about 500,000 PSI). Inflate the baloons to seal the bore.

By having a series of small balloons (rather rthan a few long verticle ones) we would prevent the failure of any one balloon from causing the seal to fail. A smaller diameter pipe inside the external pipe carries something like concrete/bentonite (drillers mud), etc. to inflate the baloons and seal the well. Comething that hardens would be idea. Once the well is blocked, both the interior shaft and the void space (if there is any) between the exterior shaft and interior shaft could be filled with concrete as well.

Assuming you can pum the "filler" at sufficient pressure to inflate the balloons, it should be relatively trivial to get this kind of contraption in place (just shove it in the bore) and put it to use. Should be cheap to build as well.

I have uploaded and astoundingly poor diagram of what it would look like in two dimensions. The little shaft to the upper right shows the balloon inverted in the "feeder shaft" that connectes the balloon to the inner core where fluid can be pumped. Getting the balloon sealed to the feeder shaft in a manner that would resist the astounding pressures could be really hard.

There. I came up with an idea. Tell the Shrimp boat captains I tried. God help them folks, 'casue I don't think anyone else can.

Into each life...

2010-05-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well, as predicted, it rained on my hay. For those not familiar with the masochistic process of growing and storing hay, this is generally a bad thing. In my case not so bad, as I don't sell it and it's still in nice windrows (loose pile in lines out in the field). It'll dry out and I'll get it put up. I rolled the dice and "crapped out" as they say.

But more farm "news" abounds! I was buying parts for the somewhat tempermental baler and found parts that I thought we're no longer available. SWEET. Turns out a tractor supply store in Colorado had the part in question in stock...and now it's mine!!! I know...who gets excited about parts ofr 30 year old farm equipment? Well...I do :)

On the piggie front: there has been some considerable frustration getting my three pigs across the border to Grant in Canada. First the vet papers were not going to make it in time. Then they were going to make it...but the wrong kind of bloodwrk was done...so Grant got to take a ferry ride to Vancouver for nothing. But all is not a total loss...we had the proper tests run (there was enough serum to rerun the needed tests) and not all the paperwork is in order and in the mail back to Walla Walla. It'll work out in the end. Always does.

That's it for now...

Dave,

Mya says it is time

2010-05-18T20:07:00.001-07:00

To cut that hay. Soon we'll test out the antique swather and see how she does ;)

Images of spring...Turkeys, Hogs, Dogs...

2010-05-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

Hogs eating grass (see I told ya they did...), the Mrs. conducts a chior of babies. Maybe a hog alter call?Momma turkey is hiding a couple of her 13 chicks. Well 14 if you count the Bantam chick that was snuck into her nest as well. And our big (110#) white dog (an akbash), Thor.

Turkey!

2010-05-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

The kids discovered one of the lady turkeys is indeed setting on a clutch of eggs. Wohoo!! Both of the female turkeys have dissapeared from time to time this spring and we were hopeful. Momma turkey actually has a chick right now as well. It's a chicken :) Some hen (one of our wandering Buffs) hid an egg in the turkey nest, no doubt. So there is the cutest little chick hanging out with momma turkey.

Oh Canada...forgive me I could not resist.

2010-04-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

As another Wine (wino?) weekend descends upon the local community, a local pig nut prepares to share his beloved critters with folks around the world. That would be me... and the world is Canada. I have the remaining appointments arranged to get Grant at Ravenstone Farms his piggies. International affairs. Wohoo! I'm so cosmopolitan.

My old swather is about ready for hay season (did I mention I drove 9 hours to get a $300 swather built in the 1960's?) Its a Massey Ferguson 36 SP and came witht he conditioner. It runs like a clock, and I have fixed all of the minor things wrong with it and have just to complete the replacement of the sickle sections (cutting teeth) to get it 100% field ready.

Also came across a ground driven manure spreader. Great price (free) and works perfectly.

springtime on the farm

2010-04-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

We've been putting up the last of the pasture fencing, 700' left to go. We'll get the critters out there and then get the hotwire installed. The fence is real sturdy, but hogs and highways just don't mix! Then we clean the breeding pens out, milk that dang cow, kid a few more goats (7 kids so far this spring) and get ready to hay.

On top of all that I am working with the good folks at raven stone farm in BC (yep, Canada) to feshen up the Canadian hers with some new blood. My vet is working with the USDA to make sure our side is good to go and Grant @ raven stone has his ducks lined up on his side of the border.

Should be exciting!

Forgot to update on Olivia

2010-04-07T16:05:00.001-07:00

She actually farrowed 12 babies, and all of them are doing great.

Pop goes Olivia...

2010-03-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

The big lady is dropping ppiglets today. Good thing I moved her 2 days ago. She's doing great and so are the baies. 4 so far, I'll bet she's got 8 or 9 total, maybe more.

Dave,

More news

2010-03-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Pigs are going to their new homes, cows are settling in and goats are starting to kid. Lily had triplets again. Two little red girls with frosty ears and one girl who looks just like her daddy, redbeard.

Picutres as promised

2010-03-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

Had a great family reunion yesterday. And managed to get some pictures (of critters, not the reunion). Just some random snaps of Swinehildas babies, Bigmomma coming to check me out, Blossom and Raisin (Dexter Cattle) and some of our truly free ranging pigs (piglets regular journey into completely unfenced hay field.

Enjoy :--)

Pop! Goes the piggie

2010-03-02T05:30:00.001-08:00

Swinehilda finally dropped her littler. 8 beautiful, big babies. I wnet down, shuflfled them under the heat lamp (they were dry and sleeping...cleaned and fed) instead of cuddling under momma.

Not a bad way to start the day :)

Dave,

NOTE: She tricked me. One more piglet arrived between my early AM check and chores.

Total is 9 :)

Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY!!!

2010-02-28T13:45:00.000-08:00

"Hilda has still not yet sprayed forth piglets. But her milk is in (it's expressible...yes we squeeze Hog boobies). Should be any time now.

And there is this big, loud black thing in my pasture. It's name is Blossom and it came with a small black thing we named Raisin. They are our new Dexter cattle (miniature cows). Full grown a steer is 800-900lbs and about 50% dressed, so about 400# of beef a shot. Momma is beautiful and was dehorned as a young one (makes me much more comfortable playing with her) and is slowly learning that we are her source of food. Heather will be working on halter training her and convincing us to let us milk her. Dexters are supposed to produce around 1-3 gallons a day, so plenty manageable for us.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have them :)

Dave,

Now my wife has done it...

2010-02-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

With some gentle, nudging encouragment from me (something like..."Oh just buy the damn things before they're gone and you miss out...") my wife has confirmed our purchase of a bred Dexter cow with a calf. She was worried about if we had enough ground and if we had enough loafing shed space. We do, and they'll fit in fine. Or I'll put them in the freezer. Ahh, farm logic, quick and easy :)

Anyhow, we'll pickup the new critters soon and I'll post pictures as soon as I get them.

I finished about 4 acres of seeding with the no-till box this week between rain storms. Timing worked out well, and so did the drill. Way over the needed eed rate, but seed is about half of what it was last time I bought it, so the extra seed is no biggie.

If I had to do it again I would have bought the 8' drill and not the 30", but at the time I didn't have the $$. Someday...

Next year (after I spread manure this fall) I'll overseed the lower 6 acres of hay ground. Mostly to keep the stands nice and thick and get a few legumes (Alfalfa) mixed in. We filled the barn last year, so if the plantings take off, I will have to sell hay as I won't have any place to put it.

Oh, and 'Hilda hasn't popped her piglets yet. Someday....

Dave,

And the watch continues...

2010-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Swinehilda continues to look like a big, black football held up with toothpicks. Looks like she will explode. I would realistically guess she'd easily in the 10-12 piglet range with this litter. She farrowed prematurely last time (doesn't look like an issue this time) and had 8 I think. But alas, her milk did not come in and we lost the whole lot. It was he first time, the feed was not as good as what we have now. I have high hopes for her that the issues were environmental and not sow-related.

With our nutrition change, our birth numbers are up significantly, and no stillborns at all. The largest live litter we had last time was 8, and this time that's the smallest, our largest being 11 this time. I cannot wait to see how 'Hilda does.

I'm on pins and needles!!

Dave,

If you've been trying to e-mail me and I have not replied...

2010-02-22T19:56:00.001-08:00

Please resend your note. My ISP has been having some mail filter/deliver issues and I suspect some of my out bound and in bound messages have not made it from point A to point B.

And it's OK to hassle me if you think I have not repliaed soon enough. Squeaky wheel you know...

Dave,

How to build a hog hut and other random things

2010-02-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

The question came up about my hog huts. The improved design (I use that term loosely) has turned out to work quite well. I'm still groveling for my uncle to build more wood huts, but the tarp ones work really well until he has time or can be suitably bribed. If uncle Kenny wasn't around here hassling me to get stuff done (and doing the lions share of the work on most of "our" projects) I'd be farrowing pigs huts made from twigs with burn barrels for heat. Thank God for Kenny.
Anyway...how about them huts? There wicked simple. For a hut (big enough for 2-3 pigs to use, one to farrow in) you'll need the following items...
#1 -- 3 16'x50" (48" or 50" I don't recall, either works) cattle panels (not Hog panels). You only need two if you have a 6' chunk of scrap panel laying about, and we always do.
#2 -- Tarpaulin (thanks Bear Grylls) that is at least 18' in one direction, and over 100" (8' or 96" will do). One tip is to buy one large tarp that can be cut to make two the proper size, or one the proper side and a back...see below.

#3 -- Tarp that is large enough for the back of the hut...depending on how you build the hut, the width will vary, but the height will generally be between 6' and 7'

#4 -- Seven 5' T posts, and a tool to pound them in. No, a hammer will not do. Cheapest solution it as "post pounder" and some ear plugs/safety glasses. Yeas I do actually use both :)

#5 -- Some means of cutting the fence when needed. A "saws all" with a metal blade works, but I use a cutoff tool (really use those safety glasses...molten metal in your eye will really take the fun out of this project...) that is something like this one..http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=20021

#6 -- All weather zip tie (black ones), get 50...you'll need more someday anyway. These are used to connect the two fence sections and anchor tarps ad the bottom and rear of the hut. You'll need to anchor the tarp in front as well.

#7 -- Something to form a 3-4' hard back to the hut. This can be a pallet. Another option is to build the hut up against the fence line and use 36" chicken wire. The goal is to prevent the babies from pushing out the rear of the hut (and moving the tarp/opening it to drafts) and other curious pigs from nosing their way in...same result.
Basicall the construction process is this...

1. Wire two fence panles together the long way with zip ties.
2. Sink one T-post
3. With help, manuver the two panels so that one of the short sides is centered on the t-post.
4. Drive a t-post at the opposite ends (short side, your first t-post is in the middle) of the two panels.
5. Bow the panels by walking one short end towards the other. Set three t-posts to hold this side. Make sure you have a faily semmetrical dome. To tall is a pain to tarp, to falt will collapse if you get 12" or more snow on it.
6. Cut short panel and attach it inside the hut leaving roughly 3/4's of the hut on one side of the "creep" wall and 1/4 on the other.
7. Put the back on the 1/4 side, leaving the big side for momma and the little side for the little ones.

8. Tarp that bad boy.

As you may have gathered this is as much an artistic venture as architectural. Here are some pictures of our hoop huts, the wood huts (with silver tarp roofs...rooves?...roofses?) and a small wood hut that lives in a Boar pen.

Also included are random baby pig pictures...'cause who doesn't think they're cute???

Well how about that...

2010-02-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

The Dexters were very cool. http://www.dextercattle.org/ has information on the breed. We'll still have to sort out if we're ready to be come mini-cattle people, but they were really neat looking critters. Nice folks raising them too.

We got the first spring pigs needled and notched. It was fun, there was a crew of us working together and I think we have a smoother process. Babies were annoyed, but none the worse for the wear, and the notches came out real clean. I did mismark one (kind of sleeping at the wheel) but that one will be destined for the fridge, so no bigge :)

Built another hut (another of the Mark III designs) for one of my two pregnant ladies to move into, which she should do this week. Almost all setup to farrow, now that I've been doing this over a year...sigh, no hurry right?

Grass is growing tall, almost 3 inches tall. I also got a barnburner of a deal on some first cut alfalfa from a guy down the road. Not that it matters much to me, but it does look like hay prices are on the way down. Since I buy from time to time and I don't sell any...it'll be hard for me to complain.

Dave

I think we may pull the trigger...

2010-02-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

On a couple of Dexter mini cattle. Cow calf pair. What's a farm without a cow, right? 1-3 gallons of milk a day, gentle temperment and offspring that will make just enough beef for our mob of 8 people.

Grass fed beef on tap and milk for the family and the pigs sounds pretty good to me :)

Strange days...

2010-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

It has been oddly warm all winter, though plenty wet. We had a spell of 60 degree days in January. I know in places there are folks buried in snow who wonder if I will have the gall to complain about hot days in January...well I won't :)

As far as I can tell it'll be plenty moist this spring, so the temps aren't going to hurt at all.

So what has been going on here on the Dalan Farm? Well, as noted earlier, the spring pigs are starting to arrive. I continue to work on figuring out what we have to sell and to whom. I'm also working on getting some new pig bloodlines for 2010, including two new Boar lines...the Defender and Big Buck. Working on a couple of sow lines, but for now I am not as certain about being able to get them as I am the Boars. We'll see how the "Black Hog Road Trip 2010" works out. Should be interesting.

We have alady Turkey who seems to be disappearing during the day and onlycoming back at night. We suspect she is fabricaitng anest somewhere...here's hoping. Chickens are producing eggs at an astounding rate (we have a liht on a timer in the hen house that allows thier internal clocks to stay on summer time...all the time).

Goats are bred and should have some new kids around the farm soon. I know, like the Dalan's need more Kids! (excuse the pun). We're also on the hunt for a dairy cow (Dexter mini actually) and we may have one in our sights...stay tuned!
Dave,

Updates

2010-02-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

Piglets are hitting the ground. New farrowing setup is improving piglet survival significantly!!

Check the hompage http://www.dalanfarm.com/ for a tenative update on whate we will have available this spring.

No comment...just the work of my cousin's

2010-01-11T16:50:00.000-08:00

News you can use

2009-12-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

Another beef recall, affecting mostly western states. E. Coli is present in beef, but the particularly lethal strain only occures (in any amount) in beef who are fed grain enough to acidify (lowers the PH) the rumen. If they fed these cows grass for a couple of weeks (restoring the PH of the rumen) there'd be almost no lethal E. Coli in the cows at slaughter. Heck, it would probably would raise the price of the beef. Just too bad the CAFO owners wouldn't see that increase, only the folks at the end of the line (stores, distributors, etc.) CAFO owners would just see even smaller profits. Kind of hard to fix a system that bankrupts the producer for making a better or safe product.

On a cheerier note, a couple of more little ones went off to thier new home today. Yep, still doling out the fall litters (Big Momma had her babies much later than everyone elses). The older "babies" are touching 80#-100# now. Now that's a "BigLet" (piglet, biglet, get it?). The rest sould be homebound in the next week or so.

Just in time for the fisrt 2010 farrowing in the newly redesigned (10 pen) farrowing pens. WoHoo!

Dave,

Some stuff...

2009-12-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

How about some memories of summer, fall and winter? Well I'm redesigning the pens for our January farrowing. They will farrow in huts outdoors, and I think all will be well. The very last of the (laready reserved) fall piglets will be leaving in the next few weeks, so we'll have smaller numbers on the farm for a couple of months.

Someday (maybe) I'll get these pigs on a breeding schedule. Probably next year, but no promises :)

Food Fun Facts...

2009-11-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

OK, it's official I'm only eating old lint and dirt. Nothing else is safe. Sigh. I just read an article in the Times, and it made me cringe. Especially the quote

"Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 300,000 Americans are hospitalized and 5,000 die from food-borne illnesses each year. Some 76 million are sickened"

That means the CDC estimates almost a quarter of us get some form of food poisoning every year. No wonder since the giants (Tyson, etc.) steadfastly refuse to test their foods for pathogens. I read somewhere that Costco does test its meats, pushes suppliers to do so and as a result Tyson won't do business with them. Maybe if WalMart would test it's incoming food (maybe they do?) suppliers would have no choice. Sure doesn’t seem like Congress is going to do anything about it.

I wish the lawyer in the article all the luck in the world. Sue them all penniless. I'll take $4/lb beef over a kid in a coma any day of the week.

Some Random Snaps of the Farm

2009-11-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

A Midget White Turkey (that's the breed name) some Large Black Hogs and one senic shot. Enjoy!

Odds and ends

2009-11-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for farm repairs. I've got a number of parts for the Baler (NH 283) and my uncle is going to weld up one part they don't make any more (twine finger bar). I'll either be welding up the plunger shield or buying a new one. I think it's fixable. The fun part is I need a grinder to get the broken mounts off of the plunger and I need to make new ones. The shield was being held on by a single bolt. Nice. Also have remedied the hydro pressure reservoir leak, busted hay dog springs (why my knotter quit working) and have some new teeth. Oh, and I'll be replacing the bearing in the PTO shaft. In any event I should have one rock-em-sock-em baler in the spring.

I also finished replacing all the tires on the rake and it's ready to party as well.

Also resolved and issue with my draw bar hitch. My tractor (Kubota M6030 DTN) is an old orchard tractor, so the drag is to low for many draw attached implements. I had to put a draw bar on the 3 point. Problem is it kept the implement so far back that most of the PTO's didn't reach and required and extender. Hence the mangled bearing on my Baler.

Dave at Hard Rock Machine in Walla Walla made me a new draw bar hitch with a 4" rise that was the same thickness of metal and (other than the rise) dimensions as the factory draw bar. Now stuff attaches to the draw bar, PTO's reach and it's heavy enough to still drag the Harrow Bed around when it's loaded (10,000-12,000 lbs).

Ahhh the harrow bed. Some modifications will be made to that as well. I need to be able to manually activate a return valve (the spring is worn). Once every thing was greased, it runs like a champ. Not bad of an implement form 1965. Now if I could figure out how to use it without making "Hay piles." Practice makes perfect.

A passle of Goats will be heading to the freezer, new farrowing pens will be going in the shop (for winter farrowings) and I will be heading up to Deer Park in the not too distant future to grab 4 tons of feed (should get us to June or July).

Still going...

2009-10-31T14:38:00.001-07:00

The first sets of litters are heading out the door. It's been a lot of fun wrangling pigs and getting to meet my customers. Everyone has a neat story and they've all been a real pleasure to visit with. I don't know if it's just good luck, but I'll take it any way I can get it. Large Black Hog folks seem to be nice folks.

On another farm note, the "Worlds Greatest Volunteer Farm Hand" (uncle Kenny) brought over a Boar hut for the boar pen. It's amazing. I'll post pictures soon. He's agreed to work on a larger model for the farrow huts and I'll be saying goodbye to the hoop huts. Which is OK, since I need the fencing :)

I'll be designing the indoor farrow huts for the Winter farrowing (huts that will go inside the machine shop) and they should be no big deal to get built.

Its sunny and windy, the Saturday market was today (last of the season) and I got to chat with the Czholds, saw the Welcome Table Farm(ers) and chatted with another goat lady who's buck we'll be housing when he'd not at her place doing his regular job.

Good times. I really like fall. Now for the Candy collecting. Happy Halloween everyone!

Walla Walla Water News

2009-10-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, water (water rights, conservation, irrigation) has become something of a hobby of mine. I'm sure I mumbled about it last year, but (for reasons to lengthy to recap) I ended up reading the Washington RCWs and WACs in relation to Water law and the Department of Ecology's rule making authority. If I had it to do over again, I'd go to law school and specialize in Water/Environmental law.

Anyway, I keep an eye on the local water board minutes, I peruse the DOE online activities and mine the site using Google. Man, I love the Internet.

So what? Well, water is going to be an ongoing bone of contention in Walla Walla. Has been for a long time and it won't be getting better. Here are some of my current observations and predictions.

* The Washington Attorney General recently issued an opinion (AGO Opinion 2009 No 6) stating that Ecology does not have the authority to curtail exempt well quantities. Ecology can close a basin to new exempt wells if there is not enough information, or if there is not enough water, but no tinkering with Statutorily established quantified. If Ecology allows an exempt well then (in the AGO's opinion) the users gets...

5000 gallons a day for domestic
5000 a day for industrial (including irrigation with no acre limit)
unlimited water for 1/2 acre yard and non-commercial garden
unlimited water for "stockwater" use

Ecology can close the basin, and/or require drop for drop mitigation, but not modify statutorily granted quantities. This is something I thought a year ago when I first read the WRIA 32 rule. The WAC concerning Ecology's rule making authority specifically prohibits superseding state law with a rule. Certainly removes some flexibility Ecology had.

* County governments and Ecology cannot get together to limit quantities on Exempt wells (if I am reading the AGO opinion correctly...and I think this is currently in litigation). Basically nether entity has the authority to modify statue (quantities allowed for exempt wells) and they cannot collaborate to grant themselves that authority.

* Walla Walla is still "watermasterless." From the stuff I have read, it doesn't look like much progress has been made to replace our last one. I hope something is done in the not too distant future. While I have mixed feelings about Ecology's behavior, analysis and general ability to consistently manage the states resources...it's largely because they're understaffed, underfunded and not having a "water cop" in Walla Walla is really not an option. I liked Bill (the old WM) and I think his presence (in the official role...he's now consulting locally) will be missed.

Oh yeah...if you have concerns or questions about what you can and cannot do, call a lawyer. I'm not one :)

Good news with the AM

2009-10-29T06:56:00.001-07:00

Momma still has her 5 little monsters. I found another stillborn piglet born sometime after lunch yesterday. That has labor clocking in at something like 24 hours. Most of the stuff I read seems to indicate that it should have been a 2-3 hour affair. Perhaps the upgraded farrowing conditions will improve this. Most of the moms seem to take more like 5-7 hours to finish (some of the last pigs did live).

I'm still going to vaccinate for Parvo, but my money is on labor related strangulation for momma's babies. I could assist, but then I need long acting antibiotics if I want any hope of her farrowing again. And I would need to induce, which I may do with the next farrowing anyway. That way I can monitor and assist if needed.

Troubleshooting is something I really enjoy, so for now (crabby about losing pigs, head cold, post surgical knee and all) I am looking forward to my Hog future.

Amazing what 5 live pigs and a good night sleep can do for me :)

Last farrowing for now.

2009-10-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

Big momma farrowed last night. First time I was able to witness most of the action. The first baby was a tiny little thing. About three hours later (after we returned home from a short jaunt) there were 7 decent looking little ones, the original runt and three beautifully formed and completely "non-functional" stillborns.

Came back in the AM to find the runt passed (I expected this, I could get her on a teat, but other 7 were vigorously thrashing about and she could not stay attached) and I think 2 squishing.

So out of 11, I have 5. Well, that was as of lunch. If history has taught me anything, they may all be squished by now.

So much for "they don't squash." I officially declare that idea complete horse-doody.

I am sort of at a loss. Labor seems long-ish, and the still births may have been due to placental asphyxiation (to long in the birth canal). So far I cannot find anything pathological that should be causing stillbirths. I'm going to implement a Parvo vaccination program and change farrowing setup.

And I have had enough of squishing. I must have lost 10 pigs this year to "rollover accidents."

This winter I'll be building 6x8 farrow pens in the machine shop with heated creeps to keep the babies out from under. Probably a wood floor under that portion and dirt for mom.

It's hard to convince a 600# sow to stop dragging material in to make a nest. There's too much straw/hay about for her to use.

Sigh. In any event I should have enough left to fill all of the orders for pairs and one gilt left for the freezer. If the pens and Parvo vaccinations don't improve things this winter, I'm thinking I'll put all of them in the freezer and take up fishing again.

Ugh.

WOW

2009-10-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

I've been off the old blog for over a month...slacker. Well what to say? Roberta showed up again with the twins. Sadly the twins were killed a bit later in a traffic accident. This old gal cannot seem to make it as a momma in the City.

Hay season is over. Thank God. Had some neat experiences, keep learning new stuff for next year.

Things I will do...

- Overhaul my baler. Not as scary as I thought. While I think the guy who designed the original small square baler must have been a genius, it's not rocket science to work on one. Especially since I have the manual and can find parts at my favorite parts store...the Internet.

- Fix my Rake...did that. The local machine shop built me new parts (rake is way to old to find new ones) and it officially rocks.

Things I will not do...

- Loan implements. I'm always glad to lend a hand, but my and my implements go together, if there is time.

- Ahhhh, time. That's the devil ain't it? I ran into several instances this season where I tried doing 20 things when I had time for maybe 2. I do have a day job, so taking every farm gig in the universe is both frustrating and not necessary. So, no haying in the fall (other than my own) when school is back in session. Spring can be a little more flexible, but once the kids are back in school in the fall it all begins in earnest. Soccer, school events, Youth group...and the days get shorter.

I'm sure I will modify, forget or completely ignore something in one of those lists eventually. But, who knows....

In recent events, we had a couple of farm visitors who wanted to check out the LBH. Interest continues to be high. Our first pairs will be leaving for their new homes in the next week or two. I still need to get my litter notifications sent in.

Here are some semi-recent, and mostly random pictures.

Dave,

Feed time

2009-09-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

Went with my buddy Andy from Welcome Table Farm to get some feed Wednesday. We drove form Walla Walla, WA to Deer Park, WA to grab some of the "good stuff" from Half Moon Feeds and Milling.

Why on earth would we go that far? Well road trips are cool and the feed is good. We're pondering a buying club (the HMF folks will deliver large orders) to save some driving.

Anyway, we made it back with 5 ton of feed, no lost bags and dinner @ zips. Had a great trip, thanks Andy!

Here we go again

2009-09-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight as I was laying pipe in the pasture I had a neat visit with some friends from Ashland. They're getting setup to do pasture raised pork and I think there are good things for them in the future. Thanks guys, it was really nice having you come by so we could see each others piggies!

I also found out that Daphne had farrowed (was farrowing). There was a little adventure getting Olivia's piglets away (moved Olivia and Co. down to another farrow pen) from Daphne. They kept latching on to the new momma to the detriment of the new babies. Well the wife and I got them corralled with their mom where they belong and the new babies were nursing. I'm learning not to count until a couple of days have passed, but it looks like she farrowed 9, squished on early and two stillborns. She was till farrowing, so there could be others.

Farrowing madness. By friends from Ashland asked if I would spread the farrowing out more in the future or try farrowing them all at the same time again. I'd do them all near the same time if I could. Get it over with :)

Well dang

2009-08-31T10:11:00.001-07:00

So Swinehilda's litter is a complete loss, all 10 of them. Last one (a boar) passed this AM. After much discussion, input from more experienced readers and a refresh of the Story's guide to pigs I have some conclusions.

There were some things working against 'Hilda. She was a first time mom, she farrowed 10 (that's apparently a lot for a smallish gilt) and she failed to nurse right away. These babies looked like skinny mice. One source says that if the babies don't get colostrum in the first 4 hours, they're basically doomed. Failing this first does of timely "life goo" the piglets will die over the next few days, food or no food. Not only did she not nurse early, she never really nursed at all. Her milk never even came in. What a bummer.

'Hilda will get another shot in the spring. If there's a repeat performance, I'll have to retire her. That's a bummer too, but I am always hopeful. Sigh.

Good news is that even thought I mangled a PTO shaft for my mower I should only be down a day or two and I'm not in any hurry. I'll mow some weeds and move some pipe in the mean time :)

Hog pix

2009-08-30T09:52:00.001-07:00

Pictures of the fun part of this weekend. That would be the part that is not today.

Matildas babies on Big Momma. Hopefully a good sign of things to come.

They really were small and veyr skinny. I think this may be why getting 10 piglets from a new mom is not a real good thing.

Someone come get this weekend, I don't want it...

2009-08-30T09:18:00.001-07:00

I write this post in the quiet of the living room. Kids and the Mrs are at church. I don't have it in me to go today. Alone with my cold coffee, hot computer and the gentle sound of two grunting piglets in a box at the other side of the room. How shall I explain?

OK, so it all started innocently enough. Saturday I tried some farming, but busted a bit I needed (PTO shaft) about 30 seconds after every farm supply store closed. Well, I was hot under the collar, but I got over it. Take the day off. I can call it my sabbath she says. Fair enough. Some friends of ours came over for dinner and the last of my farm implements (which have been on vacation helping out a friend down the road) came home. We fed him too. Got a ton of pictures of the piggies doing cute piggies stuff. Big Momma let Matilda's piglets try nursing on her. Big Momma won't have babies for a month yet, but this is a good sign. Pictures of this are on this posting. Later on Daphne let Olivia's piglets try nursing on her. Daphne should be due soon. Predictions of her labor were premature, her "milk fat" isn't even in yet, so it'll be a day or so.

Swinehilda was seen sort of nursing her new babies.

All was well. So I thought.

Then Sunday come. Good thing I rested yesterday.

So up at 5 AM, make some Jo and go check on my babies. Well Matilda's babies (who can hardly be called that anymore) and Olivia's (from Tues) are looking good. Not so much for Swinehildas. First off she is using the heat lamp and sitting on half of one of them. She seemed somewhat indifferent from the start, but this was nuts. I shove her off and take toll. One more dead. Two getting there and two somewhat ambling around. I think they look starved. I cobble up some warm goats milk and try feeding. The two wigglers eat like they've never eaten at all. The two gimps will swallow but not nurse. I collect them all, scold this lazy momma and get them to the house.

Long and the short of it is that I have two bottle babies and that's all out of Swinehildas litter of 10. The pig book says that the little ones need to nurse withing 4 hours. If they don't get colostrum, they're pretty much hosed and will never thrive and probably ides in the first couple of days. Wife thought 'Hilda was not nursing them, I guess she was right. The thing I saw last night was probably just two weak piglets catching her on her back.

From here on out all my babies are getting 2-4 mil of goat colostrum (we have it fresh and from the store) as soon as we find them.

Good news is Swinehilda farrowed 10. Unfortunately this don't mean much if she won't care for them. She'll be in the freezer if she repeats this with the next farrowing.

OK, so next I send a couple of kids to grain the mommy pigs and throw in the AM hay to those that need it (alfalfa). A few minutes later I look out the window and see Matilda in the hay field. My oldest daughter was not minding her gate when she went to look for additional feed pans.

No biggie, as Matilda trotted back to her pen (and her babies when she heard me coming down).

Now I find that most of the critters have not been given their hay. So I and my eldest start to feed hay. All is well, until she decides to leave the gate to the buck (and now boar) pen open while tossing in some grain. Sir Francis (who did not want to be in that pen in the first place) decides to go for a stroll. So now I and my wife get to coax the fat luggard (300# big wandering pig) back to the pen. Took a minute, but he's sweet and my little boy so he tolerates a lot of pushing and prodding from me.

Ahh...peace at last. Oh wait one of the kids plugged the toilet. Nice. Oh and the water is running in the hall and UNDER THE WALL AND INTO THE LAUNDRY ROOM. I clean up, plunge and cuss. A lot. Our house is a berm house on a concrete slap. The drywall is about 1/2 inch above the floor, so no wall damage. I pull the moldings and stab the framing. No give. Not rotten. Maybe not the wort day ever. Yet.

Next I'll charge the pressure tank. I think I'll avoid power tools thought.

Sigh. Gotta feed my piglets. Again. Argh.

Dave,

Oh my...

2009-08-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Well at lunch I had to rescue to of the new piglets from a wallow. All is well and the chicken wire is up to keep the rascals out (until they're big enough to use it properly).

During the impromptu pen repair I found 3 more piglets. 1 was not so good, two alive and kicking. If your keeping score that mean Swinehilda farrowed 10 and had 7 keepers. I am sure one of these was trampled but I don't know by whom. The little bugger made it through the fence and may have been squished by goats or other curious hogs.

The remainder of the chicken wire goes up tonight. Better late than never...

Oh yeah...wife called...Daphne is in labor. Finally a daytime farrowing :)

And again...

2009-08-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

This AM it was Swinehilda's turn. 7 new little ones under the heat lamp, 2 that didn't make it out the gate. It really is amazing how fast they get up and moving.

That puts us at 19 total. Daphnie is due here soon. Her littler is the "pork litter" as she was bred to her brother. I have no doubt they'll be some dynamite pigs, but they're a little to inbred for breeding stock. In my opinion anyway.

Big Momma should farrow in a month or so.

The oldest litter is three weeks on Sunday, so we'll be getting the vaccination and notching out of the way. After that I'll do the litter notification, and FINALLY contact folks who have expressed an interest in getting a few little pigs.

More Piggies!!

2009-08-25T13:01:00.001-07:00

Edit...wrong pig name. Fixed
Olivia farrowed this AM. At first we had 5, then at lunch there were 6. Not sure if this one was hiding all morning or was a late arrival. The boar (Sir Francis) was spooning Olivia while she was farrowing. Hanging out with his lady like a good poppy.

Some new stuff

2009-08-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

I picked up our two bucks from White House Goats. Really sweet little boys. Sure they'll grow up to be big, stinky bucks, but for now they're cute little guys. Redbeard is sweet as they come. He runs right up to you when you get in the pen and wants to be petted. Very social. Hershey is a bit more stand offish, but has bonded well with the two older weathers (St. Nicholas or "Nick" and Tooth Gnasher or just "Nash") we put in with the little guys .

Buried main line (irrigation) was put in last week and has already made sprinkling water easier. I can finally rehab the goofy fescue patch as a proper alfalfa/grass hay field.

I cannot wait for fair season, the end of watering/hay season. Been a long summer of driving, fixing, building and it will be nice to breath the cool fall air, chase a few Steelhead and relax a little. Soon, but not quite yet.

Why buy heritage pork

2009-08-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Embarrassingly enough, I have to admit I have yet to munch on one of my hogs. Or any Large Black Hog for that matter. Soon. We'll 5-7 months anyway. BUT be that as it may...another LBH fan posted this link to the association blog. It summarizes the general value of heritage pork raised on an outdoor system. A friend of mine once called it "pork like grandma used to make."

I think there is a future in "Pork: the other Red Meat."

Dave,

More to come

2009-08-11T07:00:00.001-07:00

My other three ladies (Swinehelda, Daphne and Olivia) are getting ready to pop. Looks like we're on track for a late August early Sept farrowing.

Mattilda's litter is 2 boars and 4 gilts. The original litter was 5 boars and 5 gilts. I'm not sure how common a 50/50 split is, but I thought it was kind of cool.

Looks like (depending on Big momma's farrowing) we should have at least 6 breeding pairs available. Once Big Momma does her thing we'll know the final count and I know how many "singles" we can deliver. Should be able to get folks the second hog in the spring.

Fed everyone this morning, a little extra feed (grains) for everyone, as feeding one hog and not the others is a sure way to breed hate and discontent. I like to keep 'em smiling. Large Marge and Maggie Rose were out in the furthest reaches of the pasture and when I yelled "c'mon pigs!" heads came up, and hogs cam a trottin'.

They are so neat.

And then there were 6

2009-08-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

So we had the still born piggy and then two we took up for some TLC. Both of those (including little Todd) are gone. Sigh. Another of the litter (who didn't look to good yesterday) was gone this AM.

BUT there is good news. The other 6 were out of the hut at lunch exploring the farrow pen. I think the whole litter is early (notably so) so I am tickled pink (or black in this case) that so many are doing so well. I imagine that the stress of travel and our recent heatwave was just too much for Matilda's body to take and it did what it thought it needed to do to preserve Matty.

So am I bummed to lose so many? You bet, I'll be bummed with every one. The babies are just cute as they come.

But it is so exciting after almost a year to finally come "full circle" and see new, little, black faces running around the pen.

Eh...what's making that noise?

2009-08-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

So the Mrs reports that one of my pig helpers is having trouble getting the hay in the pens. So I trot on down and give her a hand. As we toss clumps of green goodness over the pen wall...I hear squeaking. What's that??

PIGLETS!!

Matilda dropper he litter sometime early this AM. Dalan Farm Nobel Sam 1/x and Dalan Farm Matilda 1/x are here!!!. 10 in total, 7 running around like crazy pigs, two got cold/too small and one on the bottle at the house (Dalan Farm Nobel Sam 1/1 "Todd"). Not sure if Todd will make it, but he's drinking goats milk, pooping and is warm. His litter mates are already terrorizing the pen. Full of sass.

For those who are on the list for piglets, I'll be hassling for $150 deposits in a few days. Just want to make sure we don't lose any more. And I need to get them notched/birth notified.

We're in this thing together...

2009-08-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a tad hot this week, 102-103. But there's still work to do, and the kids have been really getting into "helping" lately. I have kids helping pick up bales, move irrigation pipe, feed the critters in addition to their regular critter duties. Heather and Nat and I combined to move pipe last night. The Mrs was piloting the tractor and Nat and I lumped pipe. Maybe not a bunch faster, but having company makes the time go faster and it was a lot more fun and the pipes look way better than when I do it on my own!

Other farm updates...

Pigs continue to enjoy the mister hoses. And full wallows. I saw them relaxing in them as I was mowing pasture and bailing hay this weekend. I decided that, when the temperature is over 100, the pigs are decidedly smarter than I am. I spent Sunday evening (before I moved pipe anyway) imitating them with a lawn chair and a kiddie pool. Smart piggies.

We freed the larger group of mutant chickens (Cornish X). They are now happily waddling about the orchard eating bugs, grass and the rather abundant apricots. It's kind of funny, they act just like the pigs. Any time someone comes in to feed or water, 80 awkward chickens come a lumbering :) They've proven to be quite personable and are doing better on the outdoor system than I thought they would.

Soon the smaller class of mutant chickens, the midget white turkeys and our fuzzy headed hens will be released in a similar manner. We just need everyone big enough so that no bullying happens.

Well this week we'll (i.e. I) will be bailing some straw and getting the rest of they hay up. And then I need to finish those farrow pens...I can see it now. I will have a zillion little piggies and no fences to keep them locked up.

LOL.

NAIS

2009-07-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

You know the big brother system of tracking every animal in the universe for the purposes of "disease tracing?" Well the public comment period is ending. Like the program or not, check out the No NAIS blog and then go here and let them know what you think. Like I said, for it or against it, I think you should be heard.

NAIS TRIVIA: did you know that you would (as it stands now) need to file papers with the USDA to move show animals from your home/farm to a show and then again to move them back? Sweet.

A page form the Big Book of "Duh!"

2009-07-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

So a study was released that shows there is not any significant nutritional difference between Organic and non-organic foods. What's funny about many of the news sites is that they are reporting that Organic food is not more "Healthy" while the study looks at nutritional content, not over all health benefits. You know, like the benefits of not eating pesticides, 2-4-D, Glyphosphate or all those extra antibiotics. Assuming your producer is not lying about their status

Well, duh. I would venture the nutritional content is no different. I didn't need 50 years of studies to confirm it. And I don't think any of the Organic-foods-whackadoodles I've met ever contended you get more vitamins and minerals from Organic foods. Though, probably some of them do. Some probably tell you Organic foods will make your hair grow back, fix your car and save the world. I don't know about any of that, but Organic food will certainly empty your checking account :)

I have my own issues with the Organic label system (mostly because the motivation to use the label and not bother to comply with regulations is HUGE), but this study was just stupid. I hope some tax payer didn't pay for it.

Update for Hog buyers

2009-07-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

While Farrowing is still a ways off, I wanted to let everyone know...

1. I will get back to your e-mail. I know it's poor form to be so slow, but I've been travelling and cutting hay. Please forgive me :)

2. I will be posting pictures and information (pedigree) concerning this falls Sires/Dams. I do not own one of the sires, so I will only be able to post pedigree information. As noted before, I should be able to provide breeding pairs with reasonable inbreeding. Turns out one of my Dams was bred to her brother, and not half brother, so her littler will have a higher CI. I'll analyze the pedigree of the other litters closely, but there is a chance that none of the most line bred piglets will be sold for breeding stock. Good news for those looking to find feeders.

In the spring, there will be a boar shuffle and CI should be manageable for all litters. Should be more feeder pigs available as well.

Dave,

So what about the pigs?

2009-07-27T20:03:00.001-07:00

Here is big momma and some of the children. Everyone fears big momma.

Not. She's sweet as candy.

Grown up, wrap up

2009-07-26T12:03:00.001-07:00

OK, being on the road in the middle of nowhere was not real conducive to real time blogging. I'm a technological Philistine (no mobile Internet) and only use my cell phone to make calls :)

So here is a recap of the last few days....

From Ogden (after viewing the cool art horses) we headed over to Kearney. Got in late...REAL late (as Alandra noted below). Then off to Springfield MO. Wednesday morning, we went to the Wolfe's and grabbed Bog Mama, Matilda and Samuel. OK. I know these are "Large" Black Pigs, but OH MY WORD. Big momma is in the neighbor hood of 500+ pounds and 6 feet long. And she is 3 years old. Funny thing, she has the exact same birthday as our youngest daughter!! Isabel says she is going to give Big Momma some cake on her birthday. I'm sure she'll love it.

I was not sure the trailer had enough room, or that it would survive the trip. Kind of did, kind of didn't. More on that later.

We had pigs, 55 gallon water tank sacks of hog chow and hay...time to head home.

The drive from Ozark, MO to Sioux Falls, SD was a bit of a blur. It was hot and we watered the pigs liberally. And as a result left nasty smelling brown puddles everywhere we went. But the pigs were cool and that's what mattered.

From here on out, from Sioux Falls. First off, if you ever visit Sioux Falls I recommend the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott. Check out the pictures here. Very cool "Neuvo-retro" feel. Great staff, right off the highway and free breakfast. ++ for a road trip weary crew.

From Sioux falls, we headed west on I-90 towards rapid city, Mount Rushmore, Devils tower (didn't make that one), Bozeman (spontaneous stop at the museum of the Rockies) and eventually Buffalo, WY. Along the highway, we started seeing signs for the Mitchell Corn Palace. Who could skip that? Well...not us. We stopped, sprayed some H20 on our little piggies....and went to the carb palace.

Very interesting retrospective on corn-based exterior decorating options. The stop was brief, as we needed to keep on keeping on.

Next we hit mount Rushmore. After an exciting drive from Rapid City (lots of hills...sorry piggies) we went into the park. And found that a cross member under the trailer had fallen off (broken welds) and was dragging behind us, held on only with the trailer wiring that had bee run through it. A few quick snips (no trailer lights now...) and inspection of the rest of the trailer undercarriage, and we were on our way to the parking area. Neat place, lots of stuff. Recommend it highly.

After leaving the mountain (I had tied a couple of 14,000# tie down straps across the bottom of the trailer as insurance) we headed to a local hardware store. I had to get a few tools and I managed to fix the wiring harness. All while "pig water" dribbled across my head. So I changed clothes (in the store parking lot...what a stink) and we were on our way.

So no Devi's tower. Not enough time. We did have just enough time to see a couple of buck antelope (we saw tons of them in WY but always to far away for a good picture). Off to bed in Buffalo WY.

The next day we managed to stop at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. It was not planned, but when I saw the signs on the side of the road, I thought that Chris would be tickled. And I wanted to go as well. Chris got more than he bargained for.