25 June 2012

End of June

End of June
Ingrid- still pregnant.
Hope you all are bearing the desert style weather of Middle Tennessee. What is better than talking about the weather? The farmers around here have plenty to say and can quote minimal rain gauge figures since March of this Spring. The dry heat has turned every other person I meet into a wasp, I mean the stinging kind.

We have been super busy at WOF. I have had chicks coming into the brooder like crazy as we try to keep up with the demand. Everyone loves some chicken...hot, grilled, smoked or baked.  The birds, at least the young ones thrive in hot weather. The broilers old enough to be out on pasture have had their nets and huts backed into every tree line and shaded area around the farm that is safe from predation. The owls and hawks are a problem in the tree lines, but at least the broilers are not in direct sun.

The Groundhog= Whistle Pig: It has officially moved into the brooder barn...and is still eluding us. Still eating broiler starter and loving it! The Have a Heart trap is not working.

Our laying hens are beginning to slow their summer laying habits as they utilize all of their daily energy to keep cool. As the girls/ layers  benefit from cool breezy spots rather than the dry savannahs and wide open pastures. We also must remind you that eggs are fragile. We had some carelessness during collection last week.
Some beautiful eggs!
Bruno our Mangalitsa boar took a terrible spill two weeks ago and is recovering from a pinched radial nerve. Today actually marks the second full week of shoulder care. We treated him homepathically and are still giving physical therepy 2-3 times daily. It is a ton of work and he bellows with deep gutteral sounds like the roar of an alligator. He just likes to complain a bit due to frustration and it probably hurts. Imagine 500 pounds on a bum join

The Pregos, or the mammas on Mangalitsa hill are moving and shaking. They were getting extra special care at the spot we called "The Oasis". It is further up the hill and has become the pampering place for mamas and baby pigs. Double mud holes and over flowing cabbage, cantaloupes and bananas. Really the food and water quantities are no different from daily care but us taking it up into the 3 acre area is a bit much on a twice daily basis. So now we are trying to convince them to come back down the hill to the regular meeting locale.


Last night, like most nights we ate some of Wedge Oak Farm's deliciousness. The pork chops cooked on an open fire Sunday were too good to be true. Brian seasoned them and sha-bam! They were super fine! super good!

All of this and much more is happening at Wedge Oak Farm.

Thanks for checking in.
Karen

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