Woke to another litter of pigs. Opal's first litter. 

Finally finishing Contagious Faith. I can't endorse this book enough.

. Oremus pro invicem!

Science?

It is ironic that in the "age of science" (I say this in the context that science has become the new "god"), science is the first thing to be sacrificed at the altar of Co-Vid.

For just one example, wading through everything out there, it seems clear that the way you can get Co-Vid19 is to talk face-to-face with someone (with Co-Vid) without masking at a distance less than 3 feet (1 meter) for a prolonged time (generally considered to be about 10 minutes). This is how CoVid is passed according to the experts. (Obviously there may be exceptions, but this is the pretty much what has been determined.)

If this is truly the case, where does transmission actually occur? I would venture it transmits in close relationships (family at home or close friends), maybe at parties, road trips with a business associate, at work occasionally depending on the nature of the work, at recess or cafeterias.

Is there a documented case of someone contracting CoVid as a customer in a grocery store? At Mass? At the library? These seem VERY unlikely places for transmission (with or without masks), especially if grocery carriages etc. are being sanitized. (How long the virus lasts on surfaces seems to be still unclear, or at least reports are contradictory.)

At the three colleges I taught at face to face (with masks-sometimes worn properly, but not necessarily social distancing) during fall 2020 and Spring 2021, not a single case of classroom transmission of CoVid was documented. Classrooms (set up traditionally) are not likely places for transmission.

Heard on the radio Thursday, (paraphrasing) "Israel has the highest vaccination rate per capita in the world ..... and the highest daily rate of increase in CoVid cases." To me this says something about the effectiveness of the vaccine? Yet we have to get it? 

I also note that when the country was shutdown, cases only increased (see likely transmission occurrences above), and when masking became the widespread policy, cases continued to increase. Now this is all anecdotal, BUT there is scientific reasoning (CoVid particle size versus typical mask void sizes) and several-to-many documented studies (going back to the '70's) showing masking does not impede spread of viruses. The exception may be a medical mask (N95?) in conjunction with gloves and other sterile garments. (For example see this article: https://www.aier.org/article/masking-a-careful-review-of-the-evidence/ )

There is much, much, more that can be said on these topics, but it is ironic that in the "age of science", science is dashed upon the rocks, and we are being bullied with fake science.

Oremus pro invicem!

The Homestead....

I have never been so late in getting wood for the winter heating season. My goal is always to be done by the first week in March for the next winter. I feel I have written this before. In any event, I started cutting and splitting wood today (now yesterday).

A small start....

I have a lot of work to do.

The summer garden was a disappointment, but understandably so. We got things planted, but then I got kidney stones with complications. Then I brought our youngest daughter to Wyoming Catholic College and got sidetracked with visiting my beautiful granddaughters and moving my middle daughter to South Dakota from Wyoming. In any event I got back after what seemed like 3 weeks, but just over 2.  

So we've had some really great sweet corn, but small and not much of it. The cucumbers were good, but few, and by the time we got back they were pretty done. The beans - who knows? The cantaloupe never appeared. Just a few okra. But the tomatoes (cherry and Roma mostly) have been great.

So besides getting wood, it is time to prep for fall garden and move pigs to clean up the garden areas we are not planting in until next year.

Of course we are short-handed. Only my 15-year old and Mrs. Curley (who is having knee problems - hopefully soon to be fixed.) We also have a young man visiting us for at least a few days.

But things are working out.

Oremus pro invicem!

4975 miles

That is, to Wyoming and back with several cross state (WY) trips in between. Great to see my kids and grandkids, but it is also good to be finally home. 

I spent a good bit of time in Moorcroft, WY, near Devil's Tower - which is a unique (or largest of its kind on earth) geological formation. Got to take some pictures of it, and actually recorded a remote lecture with it in the background for my Earth Science class.

Oremus pro invicem!

More pigs!

Lots happening here. More pigs last night. A small litter, but if she raises them all, it will be okay. 

Kidney stones ..... not too fun, but not as bad as it could have been. An 8 mm stone is nothing to laugh at (I am not laughing!), but my kidney is saved - which may have been in question for a time.

I don't know the fall dates yet, but if you are a man and have a son over 12 or a young man you are mentoring, you may want to consider coming to a St. Josephs Farm weekend. 

Oremus pro invicem!

What is going on? Is this the end?

Update: Made through the week without further incident! Still reading Contagious Faith by Phil Lawler, and still recommending it.

Saturday I almost blew my head off lighting a propane grill. (I usually cook pigs on wood, but it was raining and I wasn't at home.) Luckily my burns were not too bad. Mrs. Curley is happy one of my eyebrows is much shorter than it was.

Monday I was picking weeds at home and almost stuck my hand in a copperhead's mouth. I did kill it.

Today I was stung by a wasp when moving an old pallet.

Nothing ever happens to me. Is it a warning that I should get my life (my soul) in order?

If the pattern holds, I can't wait until Friday!

Oremus pro invicem!

Contagious Faith

 Only on the 2nd page of the first chapter, and I think I will be recommending it.  

Oremus pro invicem!

I got a glimpse of the future this morning....

It is 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning. I have already slaughtered and eviscerated a 300 pound hog and put it on ice. 

There is a good reason that in days past small farmers (and/or homesteaders) were mulit-generational. I am not old by any means, but as I slaughtered a 300 pound pig this morning, virtually by myself, I saw my limitations in stark relief. I don't know if I have ever killed a hog by myself until today. It has always been a community activity at our place - either the community of just our family or joined friends (and brief acquaintances). 

Historically and culturally in the South (at least) hog-killing has been a community activity. And there is great reasons: for one, a 300 pound hog is heavy. For another, why process a 300 pound hog if there is no community to share it with? 

With the advent of the industrial revolution, not only did the young leave the homesteads and farms for cash jobs, but machinery was created so that people could do things with less help - less community. 

We don't have machinery like tractors to lift and move the hog (although I did drag it with a chain and my pick-up truck to our "cleaning" station.) But even if we did, I would have missed the community. By the end, my daughter and young son did come to help, and I felt the community restored. But for an hour or so I was by myself and wondered why. 

Oremus pro invicem!

Last night at our table....

 Home grown broccoli and fried chicken. 

Tonight duck breast and pork ribs - with broccoli.

Oremus pro invicem!

Boone + Red #1

Last night around 11 PM Red (Hereford) finished delivering her first litter. This was the first litter fathered by Boone our Berkshire Boar.

Here they are:

Oremus pro invicem!

Time to plant

 We have had a wet February. Last week into this week we had over 10 inches in 5-6 days. And it stayed chilly. Today not so much. Beautiful and I am working up a sweat planting.

So today we put in broccoli, spinach, romaine, swiss chard, peas and beans. I will plant corn before the end of the week. We may have another frost, but if it isn't too deep the corn should be okay.

Oremus pro invicem!

A life worth lived?

The question that was put to forward at a gathering I was at this weekend was: Do you want to be alive or do you want to be living?

In these times of CoVid19, this is a question we should be asking ourselves. Are we sacrificing a life worth lived just to stay alive and well? Are we sacrificing experiences which make us better persons and possibly make a difference to others in order to stay safe and well.

What is more important, our soul or our health? (This question is one I am not sure how most of the US Bishops would answer based on their actions in the last year.)

So many of us now exist and operate with fear that it begs the question of whether that existence is worth the cost.

I do think CoVid is real, but is also being used nefariously: Fear + Isolation = Power

Oremus pro invicem!

St. Joseph's Farm Weekend

 Want to learn about raising and processing pigs. Here's the place to go: 

SJF Weekend Workshop – Pigs 101: Husbandry, Killing, Butchering Basics | St. Josephs Farm

February 19-21.

I hope to see you there!

Oremus pro invicem!

Durable Pigs!

 We slaughtered a hog this morning and were gifted with a new litter of piglets this afternoon. 

This is "Happy's" first litter. We are hoping she is a good mother. This was our boar's last litter with us. We sold him (a Yorkshire) and have a new boar (a Berkshire).

BTW, I have finished reading Durable Trades by Rory Groves. I do recommend it. It is a quick read if you don't read the details of all the trades. (For example, I skipped midwife and baker etc.) Perhaps the best parts of the book are the Introduction and Parts I and III (which are not the listing/descriptions of the durable trades.) 

Oremus pro invicem!

Merry Christmas!

We were greatly surprised when my son, daughter-in-law, and 2 granddaughters showed up - all the way from Wyoming - to spend Christmas with us. I spent hours holding the infant over the few days they were here. Peace and joy!

We have been busy with so many of my children home (extended due to COVID). We put down our steer, fixed the skew of our feed shed, raised a new goat pen and shelter, cleared shrubs etc. 

It has been great to be working with my children again. There is something special about spending time together in a common endeavor.

Merry Christmas!

Oremus pro invicem!

This is a book I want to read

Update: Someone read my post ... I got it for Christmas. So far so good. Merry Christmas!

You can read a short excerpt at: Front Porch Republic 

Oremus pro invicem!

Goings and Comings

This weekend two children who had spent the last 27 months with us were returned to their family. It was really rough ... no matter the circumstances we will miss them dearly.

Then last night I became a grandpa for the 2nd time - the baby is in Wyoming of course!

And let us not forget to pray for our departed loved ones this day:

May all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen

Two recent quotes...

First saw this at TS: originally from a Peggy Noonan column. This is a quote from Judge Barrett, the context is not important (to me) just a good thing to remember.

“If life is really hard, at least it’s short.”

Speaking of Peggy Noonan, I remember reading her: What Happened at the Revolution about the Reagan administration. I can still remember a few of her stories about Reagan even though I read the book decades ago.

The 2nd quote I would recommend comes from a Michael Warren Davis article at Crisis Magazine.

So, let’s be very clear: One of the first principles of Catholic social teaching is that immoral acts must not be given legal sanction. That’s why the Church plainly teaches that abortion (CCC, 2273) and pornography (CCC, 2354) should be prohibited by law. We as Catholics believe that civil authorities must not condone vice, even implicitly.

I think the context is very clear!

Oremus pro invicem!

I have joined the club.

Getting ready for the wood burning season, it was finally my turn to clean the chimney. I have never done it before. My sons have always performed the task. Now they all live in WY or OH, so I had to do it myself. I bet they all thought I couldn't.

It was tuck and nip for a bit. I was not sure I could fit in there, but as evidence of the soot I did get in, AND I did get out. Chimney cleaned.

Oremus pro invicem!

Back from WY

My daughter tries to pick out songs about the states we are traveling through on our way to and from Wyoming. There is a favorite Wyoming song of mine by John Denver.

Now half my children live or are in school in Wyoming. I can see the attraction. It is beautiful out there. I think the response to life and issues is more reasonable in Wyoming than in most other places, including SC.

The one exception seems almost universal in these states we travelled through: the Church is militantly afraid of covid-19 and the Bishops are convinced is their job to protect what they view as their "stupid and incompetent" flock.

I am pretty sick of the fear. If Christ conquered the world why are we running scared?

Back to Wyoming, I wish I was. I didn't get to go backpacking this time - this stay was short. But we did a 3 mile hike to some falls. Sinks Canyon - gorgeous!

Glad to be home. Lots to do here. I still am finishing some house maintenance/improvements and note that we do not yet have enough wood split to get through the winter.

We have had our share of corn, cucumbers and tomatoes. We have 1 (one) cantaloupe. Maybe more will come. The weather has been highly unusual. We are getting rain, but it is 100 degrees or so almost every day.

Okay. That's the update.

Oremus pro invicem!