Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Monday, Harry had her 3rd litter, this time 13 piglets. Although she has a lot of Yorkshire in her, all her piglets look like their Hampshire daddy. Harry is known to hop fences (in fact she hopped one on Saturday in front of guests). Her piglets have always been escape artists also. I'll never forget the time I arrived home and went to check on her 2-week old litter and found them all gone. After some frantic calling, they emerged from the woods, and one by one ran across the road, through another dry lot and into their own pen.

We had our first fall square dance on Saturday just past. A wonderful gathering with 1/2 hog on the grill and families from our current parish and old parishes. A few people stayed to sing around the bonfire in the evening. Mrs. Curley and I danced the Virginia Reel, and it was a wonderful time.

Since coming 'back to the land', I have read many books about practical skills and livestock. In the years preceding our move, I read some more philisophical books on the Catholic back-to-the-land movement: Flee to the Fields (IHS press) and The Rural Solution (Traditionalist Press, Ireland) to name two.

It is good to revisit these books now; at least one, to see if the reasons given have proven valid for our family. If I can carve out the time, I may review these books, or parts thereof, and add my own two cents based on our experiences.

Oremus pro invicem!

2 comments:

The Jaracz Family said...

Wow, too bad we don't live near you. We've kept summer pigs for 2 years now and need to decide very shortly if we're getting winter pigs for the first time. It would sure be nice to have some ready for Easter kielbasa!!!

Jim Curley said...

We are originally from MA. The weather stays cold enough up there that there should be no problem butchering around Easter (if you do it yourselves.) If you use a butcher, then no problem either.

A shelter and plenty of hay and the pigs do fine in the winter.

We've farrowed in the coldest of Februarys' and there is a raiser in Vermont who farrows all year round.

Thanks for stopping by.