At Jason Shepherd’s farm we are getting ready to disc up the corn field. We have to grow some more corn for our cattle, chickens, and pigs. There are about 1.25 acres to disc up, till, and plant.
Getting Ready to Disc up the Corn field
Tanning the Sheep Hide
Not much goes to waste. I tacked the hide down and began the tanning process.
Halving a Sheep
Here is the sheep halved and ready to make some primal and choice cuts. In addition to the meat, we kept the heart, kidneys, brain, tongue, and liver for some special dishes.
Slaughtering a Sheep
Today I slaughtered a sheep at Homa Sadeghi’s farm. Deb Stanton from Rockabilly Farm came by to help and observe. Below are some pix of the skinning process. There will be some good cooking over the next few weeks.
Stall Cleaning Time
This is how I spend some mornings. Cleaning the horse stalls at my father in law’s farm, which is practically next door to Busted Bucket Farm. The time spent cleaning 5 stalls and refreshing the bedding is my alone time when I can think. Yes, this is a pile of horse shit.
Pigs love eggs from rogue chicken nests
With a flock of extremely free ranging chickens at Busted Bucket Farm, sometimes the chickens lay eggs in rogue nests around the property . When I find these eggs, I don’t know how long they have been there. There isn’t usually a hen brooding them so they are not viable to hatch. It is time to convert some protein. The pigs absolutely love the eggs and think it is an Easter Egg Hunt. They somewhat gently crack the egg open and suck the insides.
Happy Bees
Today the bees at Busted Bucket Farm were absolutely swarming. Although we lost the left hive, the right hive seems to be booming. The tulip poplars are in bloom and the bees are loving that nectar.
Moving a Portable Building
Busted Bucket Farm acquired a used portable building near Roxboro and had to have it moved to Efland. Finding a mover with the right gear was difficult. We used Larry Warren Towing out of Roxboro.
Moved Goslings and Nest to Protective Coop
Today, risking life and limb from attacking geese, I moved the goose nest and the three goslings, plus one in the process of hatching, to a protective coop so that predators won’t eat the goslings. I also consolidated the eggs of the three nests into one nest and gave the two geese who had been brooding the longest a relief of duty.
The pigs at 18 weeks old
These 3 girls and 1 boy are getting large quickly. Good food and free ranging!
