We’re a little busy right now, as is everyone else. Here are a few pictures of things we’ve been busy with.
My sister raised a potbelly pig in her back yard. We introduced it to the freezer. He was an uncut boar. I’ll say it was an interesting culinary experience. I had not scraped a hog previously. I regret scraping this one. We tried mason jar lids and a torch. Mixed results. I suspect my scalding method could be improved.
It reminded me it was time for us to get some pigs of our own. These should be ready in late November or early December. Get your order in now.
The pigs were hungry for grass and had a great time digging through last winter’s cow bedding.
We are busy canning beans, peaches, tomato sauce…you name it.
As time allows we put a few ducks in the freezer. It’s pretty hard work. A chicken takes us about a minute, a duck takes about 10. The extra step of waxing the bird makes it come out clean but adds a lot of time to the process. Here we are peeling the wax.
And always the kittens are watching us…looking for a hole in our defenses…wanting to invade our home and love us to death. The kittens fail to realize that I enjoy them but do not love them. That was a distinction my grandpa tried to explain to me when I was younger. I understand it now. More on that another time.
Chism Heritage Farm 
That’s exactly how we feel about cats here too – we have to have dogs to keep the cats at bay at milking time or when we are filling the freezer. But the upside is that a momma cat catching rodents for her babes is a very hard worker!
Yup. Until mama cat breaks into the brooder to catch chicks for her babies. Then the situation changes.
Cat populations vary wildly. If it’s a cold winter the cat population drops. We can always count on somebody dumping animals out here. Cat populations will always be replenished no matter how many get eaten by owls and coyotes.
The chickens will defend themselves against the kittens; it’s the dogs that “play” with the chickens that is a problem. I think the chickens have finally learned which yard to stay out of.
I love that distinction. We got our first barn cat this year, and my younger boys’ first ever kitten. She desperately wants in the house to play with them, and #4 doesn’t quite get why she can’t sleep in the house and go outside to catch mice through the day.
We bought a full grown pot belly pig at an auction once- our first adventure in butchering. People thought we were crazy, lol. It was pretty tough though.
I had too many mice and rats in my house: I had to get a house cat to take care of that problem! Hes done a nice job in the house and at the neighbors houses…too bad this little shmooze wont go near the barn. Why yes, he is on my lap right now. He killed 4 rats 4 nights in a row…he gets to stay.
Good kitty.
He’s pretty good….but you should see the GIANT rat the dog caught and killed two days ago. Kitty has some serious competition. Infact, the first rat in the house the dog caught and got accolades for I think spurred the kitten into a useful kind of jealousy.