Monday 17 November 2014

Rapunzel, Ariel and Belle



This blog entry is perhaps going to be a little more personal due to our first 3 piggies (Rapunzel, Ariel and Belle) leaving us last week.  I knew it was going to be hard, and it was, I cried loading them into the trailer, I cried leaving the abattoir and I cried seeing the pork as we collected it from our butcher.  I think it is right to feel sad, particularly as this was our first 3 and they were just wonderful.  I wasn't hysterical and I haven't had sleepless nights but it has really made me think and it has felt very real.  Even Roly found it far harder than taking the lambs and the hardest was Freddie pointing to their patch and then back at me when he realised they weren't there.  Molly on the other hand was absolutely fine and is looking forward to our next 3 arriving as we all are.

It was an entirely different experience last night as we ate our first home reared sausages with my Mum, my godmother Liz and her husband Colin who have been staying with us for the weekend.  We all agreed they tasted delicious.  I was thinking about them as I ate but it wasn't sad, a little reflective perhaps and very thankful that we have the opportunity of raising animals and knowing exactly what they've eaten and how well we have loved them and looked after them.  A very rewarding and respectful experience, particularly as we have already had amazing feedback from customers and sold out!

Last week was also rather noisy, we weaned the calves from their Mums and they weren't very happy at all. It took a week for them to quieten down but now they are fine.  We had them in the yard for a few days and now they are back outside.  Their Mums are back over the road and are all in calf again, which we are so thrilled about.  Well done Henry!  They called for their calves for a couple of days but they were soon distracted by a different view and munching their barley straw.

Basil, Bruce, Ted, Churchill (our rams) and their 3 new friends are all in with the ewes and being very busy as far as we can make out.  Molly kept asking me why Basil was 'standing' on all the ewes and looked rather appalled when I attempted to explain that this action would result in lambs being born in April.....

We have had a lot of rain, ugh.  We are praying it won't be like last winter.  Mud is no fun if you're an animal or us trying to feed them all and work with them.  None of them want to move and they just look miserable!

Thank you for all your support and more from us soon.

Camilla, Roly, Molly, Freddie, Boris and Belle