Oh Babies!

The 2011 Calving Season is in the books and it was a SUCCESS! We ended up with 12 calves (out of 13 cows) and didn't lose a single one. We also didn't assist at all. We fretted about the the first one and a little about the second. But after that we knew they could take care of themselves. We ended up with 9 bulls, which was less than ideal since we are focused on growing the herd right now. We're still trying to decide when and how to castrate and whether or not to dehorn. It would be nice to not castrate and leave the horns on but it greatly increases our workload and the potential for injury. We'll see...

Here's Marty. He was the first calf born on our farm. He's about two months old now.

Here's Pepe (he has a white stripe down his back), he was the last calf born for the 2011 season. Note he is on the wrong side of the fence...

Here's a shot of some of the calves. They were trying to figure out what the creature was on the other side of the fence and why it kept running after that stick and bringing it back.

The Guinea Hogs are almost done with farrowing. Three of the four mommas have had their piglets but the biggest one of them all hasn't had any yet. And she doesn't look like she will in the next couple weeks. I'll probably give her a second chance either way but I sure hope she's going to have some piglets this go around. We are up to 16 so far but that's after we lost three. And I do mean lost. In the evening they are there but by morning one is gone with NO TRACE! Totally bizarre. I have my hunch as to what's happening to them and I don't think it's outside predators.

Momma pig with her piglets. She saw me coming and decided that nursing time was over and it was time (for her) to EAT!

It's exhausting being this cute

Curious Little Pigs

 A few sniffs and licks for good measure

One our newest residents, Nermal (the farm cat), who made the trip from Belvidere, NE (thanks Grandma) is pregnant AGAIN and should be having kittens in the next month or two. Poor Spunky was the only one to make it. But he is doing well, putting up with Max treating him like a play toy.

And of course, we're still waiting on THE most important arrival to the farm. But that's the way we want it. We hope she waits until December before she shows her pretty little face.