The homestead will soon be complete. I have worked a deal on a mini-cow and calf. She will be bred to a registered Jersey bull. I’ll be praying that the breeding takes and we end up with a half mini-Jersey heifer next year. I will be sending a deposit tomorrow and we should take delivery of pregnant Marla and her calf this spring.
Marla and her calf.
Cleburne the daddy to the calf.
She is being bred to this hansome fella, Remy. Not that Cleburne is a slouch. Fine animal in his own right.
Last summer I started experimenting with aquaponics. I set up a fish tank, sump tank and 9 grow beds filled with pea gravel. I used a fill and flush system using bell siphons. Everything I planted grew very fast. The cabbage and broccoli were the most impressive.
I chose to use tilapia in the fish tank but had to bring them into the basement for the winter. Next year I hope to have a functional system in place to keep the water warm enough for them to survive. (<45 or 50 deg.) The reason I chose tilapia is that they grow fast and reproduce well in these systems. The experiment continues.
Had some people come by to look at the piglets today. If all goes well they will take two home in a couple of weeks. Hope this is the start of many inquiries. They were also very interested in our turkeys. Might be taking a pair of them home as well in a few weeks. The Turkeys are always a big hit with company.
Another first for us, we castrated four of the piglets this evening. I did the first one myself. I was sure glad Lisa got home in time to help. Sure made things faster and easier on everyone.
The first of the year brought new babies to the farm. Last year we bought a boar and 2 gilts, registered American Guinea Hogs and a boar and gilt AGH/KuneKune cross. We are keeping the black and white gilt to add to the farm and two barrows for the freezer. The other 11 are for sale. They are being sold unregistered because all adults were together and we do not know for certain who the boars mated with. They are separated now so this summer we should have some registered AGH piglets for sale.
