Pig's Momentary Freedom

Yesterday evening I went to feed the pigs and as I was mixing up some water with their feed, one of the pigs walked right through the electric fence and came meandering up to me!   

Horrified, with visions of the three- and a half hour pig chase earlier this season dancing through my head, I tried not to panic.  I grabbed the bucket of feed and shook it around and made a big fuss as I fed the other pigs and, happily, oh, so happily, the free-ranging pig came wandering back.  I took off the top line of fencing and she stepped right into the pen.  What a sigh of relief!!!

Two things make the pigs go through the fence.  Either they're really, really hungry - which means I need to increase their feed - or the fence is shorted out.  

They'll get a bigger breakfast tomorrow.  

The grass has grown up around the pig pen, so I got the weed trimmer and trimmed all around and sure enough, at the bottom side of the field the pigs had rooted up the dirt until they covered the bottom wire of the fence.  I weed trimmed and pulled dirt away from the fence and as I looked at the job with satisfaction, one of the pigs walked up to the fence and "eeped" from the jolt as its nose touched the wire.

No pig chase today.

Another Bee Swarm

We captured another bee swarm yesterday.  The day promised to get hot - so we rushed out when we got the call so that we wouldn't melt in our bee suits.  We moved the swarm to a hive in our backyard.  I think we had good luck getting the queen with this one!

http://soiltosustenance.wordpress.com/resources/bee-swarm-removal/

A swarm is just bees who are moving to a new home because their old home got overcrowded or the hive had other problems.  The bees hang in a clump like this with the queen somewhere inside while the scout bees go out and look for a suitable place to take up new residence.  It may take a few days, but when they find it, they disappear within a few minutes!  

“A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay but a swarm in July is not worth a fly."

Pig Dance

Every morning and evening I carry a bucket of feed into the pigpen and I'm quickly surrounded by our four squealing, screaming, hungry pigs.  

I begin what I call the "pig dance."

I'm dancing to get away from the pigs who want to slime me with their snouts as I hurriedly dump feed into their food dishes.

Most days, I can't get away fast enough and they "stamp" me with their snouts!

I'll sure be happy when Fitz builds the pig trough!

(they've changed the format of Blogger and this was supposed to post a few days ago and didn't!)

Farmer's Market 2012 Season Kicks Off!

The first Coudersport Farmers' Market of the season will be today!  

Potter County Courthouse Square

Coudersport, PA

Fridays, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.  (with rain dates on Saturdays)

and on Event Saturdays

We start out slow as always, but as the season progresses the tables get fuller and fuller!  

Come see us!

Spring Work

Spring has come and with it a super load of work here at Fitzgerald's Family Farm.   

The unseasonably warm weather has made for more bees swarming and I've captured two swarms already!  

Planting is going as fast as I can put things into the ground.

The pigs grow fast and I feed them all the time.  They're never full!

Adorable kittens play and I look for new homes for them.  

Some of the chickens get broody and I've started pitching them out of the coop and closing off the nesting boxes to them in the evenings.  

Rabbits grow their lovely angora fur.  I've harvested some and will have it at the Farmer's Market.

First Farmer's Market on the Courthouse Square in Coudersport this Friday, 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.!  

Now, I have to get outside.  There's work to do!

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!

~Sitting Bull

Eat Right Rule

I had to share this!

Hives Pulled From Town

We had to pull our hives from town last night.  As we drove past we saw one had been knocked over and found out that there had been a bear visiting the area.  It got into a couple of dumpsters and tore apart a cage and killed a pet rabbit.  

The bear climbed over a six foot, barbed-wire fence, and through an electric fence to get to our hives.  It knocked over and partially destroyed one hive.  We've learned that once bears get a taste of that sweetness they'll keep coming back until all of the hives are destroyed. 

We moved the hives to our house.  Poor hubby got stung a number of times( right through his suit!) by the very, very angry bees!  A bear trap has been set up in the area for the bear to be caught and relocated.  Once that happens we plan to move the hives back.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/blackbear/bbandbees.asp