A Double Life

I am leading a double life, or at least it feels that way. I am now working as well as running my smallholding.

Because I have so little time I am changing the format of my blog. I will be posting short updates covering a number of topics in one posting, there will be a lot more photos.  So here goes with the first blog post in the new format....

PORK

I tasted the first ham that I produced (see the January blog), I am very pleased with the result,  succulent,  moist and tasty. There is a heavy layer of fat but once you cut through that the meat is delicious. I can't say that the salami is as nice, not happy with that at all.

Ham partly carved

MOVING PIGS AGAIN

Two of our pigs have been in my vegetable patch for a couple of months now, secured behind a permanent mesh fence, about three weeks ago we set up an electric fence within the mesh fence to get them use to it, within a day they wouldn't go near the electric fence wire. I have been going into their enclosure on a regular basis and getting them to follow me around by feeding them apples. Last Sunday I decided it was time to claim back my veg patch so I can plant my potatoes and some corn for the animals to eat. We removed the electric fence and set it up in the woods about three metres from where they are now, Apple followed me to the new enclosure,  Wrinkles went off and didn't come back till the next day, when she came back it wasn't to the veg patch but to the old pen which still houses her sister.  Wrinkles decided to try to join Whitney, or set her free, we aren't sure which,  but she wrecked the chicken wire on the front of the gate which meant Whitney's piglets could escape, I came home from work to find Wrinkles and four piglets running up the track to my car, followed closely by our dogs, I just about managed to grab the dogs and get them into the car before they decided the piglets were dinner. Wrinkles is now in one of the old pens until I figure out how to get her back to the veg patch.  UPDATE - today we attempted to move Wrinkles and Apple again to the new fenced area, success for about 15 minutes then Apple touched the electric fence, panicked and ran through it, an hour later I had persuaded her back into the new enclosure and so far they are both still there, keeping fingers crossed that this time they stay put.

Apple in the new enclosure before she escaped again

Wrinkles in the new enclosure

THE WEATHER
The weather here in May has been appalling,  I have spent more time wet than dry, as have the animals.  The worse thing about wet weather is the slugs, every day I have to go out and physically remove slugs from my lettuces. Anyone any advice on keeping the little pests at bay?

SHEEP
I am picking up two new female Ouessant lambs tomorrow,  photos to follow.

MAY IN REVIEW
May is a very busy month generally for smallholders, there is so much to do with both the animals and food production, we are very behind this year because the weather has been so wet. I have ensured all the animals are up-to-date with their worming and fluke treatment,  I have trimmed their hooves, but moving them to their summer pasture is on hold at the moment.

I have various vegetable plants in the cold frame ready to be planted out but I am waiting for the temperature to be more consistent and for it to stop raining otherwise when I plant them out the slugs will eat them.

It has been a very frustrating month on our smallholding,  we have managed to harvest a few raspberries and strawberries,  a taste of the summer that will hopefully arrive some time soon.

Our first strawberry and raspberry crop...at least the ones we managed to save from the slugs