Midwife To A Pig

I was raking and cleaning up the yard when I decided to check on Ms. Scarlett. She was in labor and not very happy so I decided to sit with her for a little while. I started out sitting outside her stall and just talking but she had other ideas. She got up and came right over to plop her huge self right beside me and lay her head in my lap. I was surprised but started rubbing her back and talking to her. The harder her labor got the more she would want me to rub and talk. Ms. Scarlett was determined I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Felt so bad for the pain she was having and said a little prayer it would go fast and easy for her. Right away she started pushing for her firstborn. Ms. Scarlett decided to sit up to have it and the little piglet came fast! She turned and looked at it then looked at me and laid down to start pushing for the next one. I went in the stall and got the piglet, cleaned it up, cut and tied the cord. I tried to see if she wanted it but she let me know to keep it. I held it in my lap while trying to call William to come home and help. (He was tilling a garden) The next piglet popped right out, Ms. Scarlett looked at and looked at me so I got that one and started cleaning it up too. After cutting and tying the cord she was already pushing out the third one. My lap had 2 piglets and Ms. Scarlett's head in it while I was cutting and tying the third cord. I needed help and tried to call William again. I tried to take the piglets out of the stall but Ms. Scarlett didn't like that. I brought them back and held them in my lap. She loved being able to see them but didn't want them near her while she was in labor. William finally arrived with his helper Taylor. I turned the cleaning and cord tying over to the two of them and I went and sat in the stall with Ms. Scarlett. I put the piglets on the other side of me. They were hungry and wanting to nurse so I was getting bites and tugs all over from these tiny ones. If I happened to slip up and let one get by me to Ms. Scarlett she would look right at me and scold me till I put the piglet back on the other side of me. It seemed like a very long time but was only about 1 hour until she had delivered all her babies. Each piglet when born had to be shown to her then we could take it and clean it up. The last piglet was stillborn. Ms. Scarlett knew and didn't even look at it when William held it for her to see. The whole labor and delivery found me sitting in the middle of a pig stall with Scarlett laying next to me all the time and parttime with her head in my lap. And with 9 piglets trying to have me for lunch. It was amazing. Most sows are very protective of the piglets. She seemed to trust me right away and let me take care of them while she labored. I tried to tell her I knew nothing bout birthing no babies but she wouldn't listen! Meanwhile dear old Rhett stood in his pen enjoying the sun and frankly not giving a da*n. Ms. Scarlett and piglets are doing fine. She lets me in the pen with her and them without any problem. One got out of the stall and couldn't get back in and she let me pick it up and put it back with the others. She is such a sweet gentle momma. Took me a long shower to get the mud, poo and piggy smell washed away but boy was it worth it!

Thank You Sis

Sweet Pea my adopted sis (We adopted each other several years ago) sent me a beautiful birthday gift! Last year she gave me the Willow Tree sisters. This year she gave me the beautiful Willow Tree Angel of Hope. She is adorable holding her lantern. I love her Sis and love you too! No camera yet to take pictures but I promise a bunch of photos soon.

No baby piglets yet out of Ms. Scarlett but my money is on today before supper. Rhett is being typical male and frankly doesn't give a da**. Charlotte has learned the sound of my voice. When I call her name she comes running to the gate to get her treat. Whenever someone else calls her name she will look up at them but not move. I have spoiled the momma pig by giving her a apple or some lettuce a couple times during the day. Yesterday I heard Momma Hen going crazy and went out on the porch to see what was wrong. At first I thought another hen had gotten out and came down to her pen and they were fighting through the wire fence. When I took a second look it was a hawk! (yeah I know a perfect camera moment lost) The hawk was trying to get one of the baby chicks that had gotten out of the pen. It was hiding between the fence and a rock. I went out and the hawk flew up into a nearby tree until he saw I wasn't leaving then he flew away. I put the chick back with Momma Hen and she moved all her chicks to the other end of the lot that has a small roosting house and is keeping them close to her. This morning we found 2 of her baby chicks dead. I am thinking that maybe the hawk was trying to pull them through the chicken wire and injured them internally as there was no visible injuries on any of them yesterday. The 22 is now loaded and waiting for the next hawk visit. The other Momma Hen is doing well with her chicks. She sees Rusty coming and doesn't hurry to cover her babies. Think she realizes he won't bark if she lets him look.

Out of all the produce Gerda gave me I ended up with 12 quarts of tomatoes, 12 quarts of green beans, 12 pints of apple butter, 3 quart jars of dehydrated onions, 3 gallons of limeade, 2 gallons of orangeade, 2 loaves of strawberry bread, 1 pint of strawberry butter, 3 quarts of frozen strawberries, and still have 2 boxes of apples to make applesauce and apple pies. I also have a few zucchini to make into zucchini bread. We have had lots of fresh salads each day from all the lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, cukes, onions, etc. plus the animals are getting lots of veggies and veggie scraps each day. It sure was a blessing to get so much fruit and veggies the produce stand gave to her to make room for new delivery.

Eggplants, cukes, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, peas, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and herbs are growing like crazy since the rain we had Monday. Am going to be mulching the garden today so I won't be spending the summer hoeing weeds. Am also going to be pricing boxes of stuff I have stacked in the livingroom for a yardsale. We are going to have one with my friend Gerda. She is trying to declutter her home so we are going to join together and get rid of our junk and hopefully make it someone else treasures. The sun is shining and its suppose to get up in the mid 70's today with Friday being 85! Time to be outdoors getting that to do list marked off.
Have a blessed day!

This Little Piggy

Went wee wee. LOL Charlotte the sow had a litter of 11 piglets. Sadly 2 were lost. One we couldn't reach in time to clear the airways and it died. The other one momma stepped on it and it died. The rest are fat and sassy. The runt I named Piglet and she is adorable. There is another one I named Binky because she finds a place to nurse away from the others and just sits there after nursing with the teat in her mouth sleeping. She has to have a teat in her mouth all the time, kinda like a pacifier. So Hidden Haven has 9 baby Yorkshire piglets running around till they are weaned and ready to sell. I sure miss my camera!