May 24, 2012
A wonderful week
What a great week to be on holiday………… and what a great week to be having a bit of a tidy up before a few people come over at the weekend!
This afternoon we have retired to the barn as it is so very hot outside……….. so we are doing barn stuff and I have finished off Littleblackpig the movie…………. to be shown here next week sometime.
The dogs are hot…………. the pigs all have wallows and the hot jobs will have to wait!
Sheep moving was done over the weekend when it was cooler.
Thank goodness cos it was a little chaotic and some running around was done.
And the crazy thing is …………… we are thinking of moving them again before Saturday lunch time ………….. Tara and Lisa …………. be warned 
Other than that life is good………….. we are sleeping with the windows and the door open to the caravan and the weather is set for a few more days
May 19, 2012
Sapphire and her little piglet go for a walk!
So today was the day that we moved Sapphire and her liitle piglet to her new home. She farrowed in the barn so that we could keep a close eye….. and now she is ready to face the world.
She has been a great Mum to the little piglet and the little piglet has just started getting more adventurous. So today we gave her an adventure.
First we had to dismantle her pen…………..
Then let Mum out…………
Too many picture ????? I don’t think that is possible!!
May 12, 2012
Today the sun shone
We have had so many lovely people making contact and sharing kind thoughts with us that I can’t go to bed without thanking people and letting you all know that it is business as usual here at Willow Farm. We are lucky to know so many great people
Yesterday was a very sad day but we have a business to run and livestock dependant on us so we can’t wallow………… unlike the pigs!
So today Kate spread her asphalt and made the entrance look good. I took no pictures cos I was busy with the electric fence down with the pigs! Katrina and Charlotte will appreciate the trials and tribulations of electric fences…. they have helped above and beyond with fencing in the past through blizzards and cold……..
Anyway today was all about making fencing secure enough to contain the yobs and the piglets .(they have outgrown that name) They have been breaking through the fences for the last week and today was
the day we took back control!
So we loaded the pigs into the trailer and took them off to the paddock.
And I renewed the electric fence wire …. tediously dull work but so very vital !
And Sapphire and her piglet …………
lots of sleeping
and the occasional wandering about!
More picture soon………..
May 11, 2012
Not quite what we had expected!
Today we have had a bit of a day really, and not in a way we want to repeat. I almost don’t want to blog about it but having been blogging about imminent farrowing it would not be right to go mute.
So this morning at 5 am Kate did her 2 hourly check on Sapphire and things were not right. So together we investigated and found that she had had one live piglet and produced 4 others who were dead and possibly only one of the dead piglets was ever viable.
Now Sapphire is a huge pig and we had been expecting 12 – 14 piglets so we checked to make sure that there were no others stuck in transit………. and could not feel anything {Kate interjecting here: Ali did the whole James Herriot thing…right up to her armpit – very impressive}. We rang the vet for advice………. lovely Stefan…….. and he came out and had a feel too and there were no more waiting to be born. I was tempted anotate with a sad face in then but actually that just trivialises a very serious day.
The good news is that Mum and piglet are doing well………. but that is really all the good news. Well as we are saying round here – “that’s farming! you just have to take the rough with the rough!!” So we’ll be looking into finding another boar to try … and doing everything else we can think of to make our next farrowing more successful. In the meantime here are some pictures of a very healthy piglet with free range at the milk bar!
So having had a pretty terrible day today ……. and just having cleaned the caravan within an inch of it’s life……….. tomorrows jobs look quite appealing…….
A bit of spreading called for !
May 10, 2012
Still no piglets!
It is all getting a little tense now waiting for these piglets to be born!
Sapphire’s milk came in yesterday morning and the books say within 6 to 24 hours she should start production……… but no!
She is eating and drinking
And sleeping
We have lights in the barn and the heat lamp on ready to keep the piglets warm initially……..
So lights……… camera ……… but noaction!
Keep watching this space !!
May 7, 2012
Not farrowing …… harrowing!
So the main news is that Sapphire still has not had her piglets !!!! So no farrowing yet………… although dare I say it out loud…… she is looking very likely and her milk bottles are looking more like 4 pinters than anything other…….. she has also gathered all her straw up into one corner …….. nesting !? So we wait and see…………..
I think she is waiting until the lighting is finished in the barn……. maybe tomorrow!
So we have had a little dry spell over the weekend and have been making the most of it……. ie someone has been on the tractor most of the weekend.
This was Kate yesterday evening, being followed by a load of chickens………….. I remember watching farmers with seagulls following their tractors in my childhood……..
These chain harrows get pulled by the tractor and shoogle up the soil to make it from this
to this
Almost ready for some more grass seed
So this morning it was due to rain at 7am so we set the alarm for 5.30 so we could get some jobs done before the rain……. so rain stopped play at midday……… and we are not taking the weather forcast so seriously again! We did get some more tractor work done and also some hoeing in the veg plot and some more potting.
Benson inspected the fences.
The muck heap is actually steaming … or it was this morning……..
This picture reminds me that I must go and collect the eggs soon. Kate is cooking tea and it is The Archers soon and I need to be back in the caravan for that, as I am hooked!
Yesterdays crop was very good…….
We have now had over 10,000 hits on our blog since it started………. and slightly less hits on the website…… littleblackpig.co.uk
May 4, 2012
Still waiting !
Sorry to have whooped you up too early ……… but I really thought that by now we would be over run with piglets! I think Sapphire is enjoying being close to the action as the lights are being put up in the barn. The clean room and toilet were wired up yesterday, so we now no longer have to keep the toilet door open to see!
Having light in the clean room meant that we spent yesterday evening steam cleaning it and having a big sort out.
Today is delivery day to Malvern and the van is loaded and ready, and Kate has a few deliveries on the way. Egg round in Droitwich tonight and then the weekend ahead
The weather is improving slightly but the ground is very wet, so we will need to pick our jobs carefully.
As soon as there is news on piglets I will be taking photos and blogging.
May 2, 2012
Piglets !?
No not yet we are still waiting! So much for 3 months three weeks 3 days 3 hours eh! Although Alfred was living with her at the time 
Kate reckoned she could feel the little piglets heart beats last night………… Kates guess is 12 piglets and mine guess is 14 !
So this morning no pictures of little piglets ……. sorry ………. but here are last evenings lamb photos.
This last photo shows 5P who was our last lamb and had to be warmed up on Sunday in the caravan.
We have also had a couple of stiles put in……….. demonstrated with a certain style here!
And today ……. Kate is meant to be at the Butchers all day and I am at work with no early finish. The fencing guys finish up today and Stuart the electrician is wiring in the new cooker, putting lights in the barn and a few plugs plus other stuff. So once more a differently exciting day
Oh yes and piglets must come today surely!
Website link littleblackpig
May 1, 2012
Waiting !
We are ready…………. I am home from work and changed and now we wait for piglets!
She is resting and we are just waiting for her to start straining ………….. then within the hour she should start popping them out. I have been reading out the bits in the pig book that say how straightforward it is, and how the pig will just do it all herself ……… just to remind her and reassure us !!
So I guess it is half hourly checks for a while
I will blog when things have happened!
Power to Willow Farm!
Not in a Wolfy Smith way although………….. no…….. we have electricity at last!
We have been living here for 13 months dependent on a generator for our power and now we have mains electric
We were live by the time I got home from work yesterday and it is so very quiet.
The washing machine works
We can just turn the lights on and off and this morning no one has been out to turn the generator on ( in the rain) and we have water and can have a shower straight away.
It feels so different here….. not like camping anymore I mean camping is great but this is better.
The meter disappointingly did not say 0000000 when it was installed, a bit like buying a brand new car with miles on the clock already ……… but hey it still works.
So today I may get the cooker installed in the caravan, the fencing guys are coming to do more of their stuff………. oh yes and Sapphire is due her piglets
Another exciting day ahead……….. but I had better get ready for work!
April 29, 2012
Holding down the caravan!
Wowee what a lot of wind and rain!
So this morning we are stopping the caravan from blowing away by sitting in it, with the stove lit and the kettle on.
That little lamb we put out yesterday with its Mum was cold and miserable so we brought it in. Took its temperature and it was hypothermic 38.1 degrees. So we fed it and kept it in with us.
Benson thinks it is great … he shows no interest in the lamb but is very pleased the fires is lit.
The lamb is feeding well and has now got up to temperature again.
So another cup of coffee for us, some more milk for the lamb and we are thinking about taking him out again to be back with his Mum.
April 28, 2012
Lambing live 2012 the end and the barn reclaiming begins!
So today we declared lambing live 2012 officially over ……… 14 little and not so little lambs…… 2 pairs of twins and the rest singles. We turnied our last mum and little one out of the barn.
And the three non mums that have been free loading eating lots and larking around in the barn were turned out too! So other than Sapphire……… who is due to have piglets on tuesday ……. that is in 3 days time! the barn is empty of livestock.
So with the power connection being completed on monday we need to make space for our lovely electrician, to finish the fitting of lights and cables and power sockets. So once more it is no peace for the wicked!
Our electric cooker arrived this week and one day it will be installed in the caravan
We spent some time this morning with the pigs who are in varying degrees of mud.
The forcast for tomorrow is rain and wind and rain and wind, so we have been glad to have a little respite today. Especially as the fencing guys have been here.
Lots of tractor talk was occurring……… I had never realised quite what a girlie I was ………. I like riding on the tractor but tractor talk does nothing for me!
Mr Bakewell has put up all our external and internal fences to date and we are very pleased with the job he does. We are dividing up the big field, fencing off the trees, fencing off the veg plot and making a proper quarentine paddock…. well Mr Bakewell’s guys are. We are also going to replace our main gates with wooden ones, as I have always wanted wooden ones.
I think Willow Farm etched into the wood and blackened would look cool………….
Otherwise things are ok! I worked hard until 3 then needed to lie down. I am about to do the evening rounds before it rains again.
We have pork fillett marinading in lemon juice, olive oil and oregano, which I will grill later to have with rice and broccoli. Little black pig pork of course !!!
Ok enough procrastinating…… I had better get outside again …….. show willing and all that
April 24, 2012
Lovely weather for ducks
What a lot of weather we have had today!
We started off with beautiful sunshine and then this afternoon it has rained and hailed! So we have done what we can as best we can.
I spent some time this morning potting things, whilst Kate went to the butchers. Then lots of men in high viz vests came over and pulled the electricity cable through from the end of the lane to the farm
So we are getting close to having power. On friday they are working on the sub station so our unfortunate neighbours will be without power for most of the day. Then on monday we get the meter fixed and hey presto we will be live !
Our new electric cooker was delivered today and that will be installed sometime after we are on the mains. So tonight when I go out to turn the generator off…. it will be tinged with slight sadness as it will soon become a thing of the past…….. when I say slight sadness…. it is very slight!
Sapphire has settled down in her maternity suite……. a week today piglets whilst I am at work 
They are due around 1pm if the 3 months 3 weeks 3 hours 3 mins gestation period is correct. Kate saw her being served ( not overarm ) when she was doing morning rounds a few moths ago. So watch this space …. I will be keen to be home sharp that day!
So exciting times ahead….. when is it ever dull here on Willow Farm ?
April 22, 2012
Pig tales!
So moving pigs today Dale has spent time this week getting the tipping troughs ready and James and Lisa both helped with the preparation yesterday. So today we could get the moving completed.
Our Saddleback pigs and Saddleback crosses are excellent rooters and have turned over their patches very thoroughly so today we have moved them into new pens .. each with a tipping trough.
Our friend Katrina came to play out today and her help was greatly appreciated.
I did not manage to get a photo of her coaxing this pig back from her wander ……
But she is now safely in her new pen ……….. the pig not Katrina !
Kate pulled the pig arcs into position, while Katrina and I made the pens, using electric fencing.
This little chap is our Middlewhite Boar …. what a cute pig
And a great digger!
I have not done much of this smiling thing today as it has been hard work and I am tired ……… but now I am in the caravan with liver and bacon casserole in the stove the evening is looking good.
All the pigs are in the right place and the sheep…. rather bedraggled are ok!
So that is another weekend nearly over………. just need to iron my uniforms for tomorrow
April 19, 2012
Piglet Watch … the build up !
May is going to be blooming marvelous……. not only will we have electricity but we will have piglets !
So today I got home from work and noticed this
The hole was not new but the lovely barriers to stop us falling in were….. this can only mean ….electricity is getting closer! Next friday 27th is go live day…. with our connection occuring the following Monday…… so exciting. Kate the other night was saying that she will miss the candle lit evenings we have…….. but the following morning when I was going out in the rain to put the generator on I was not feeling so kindly about not having mains power.
Another suprise this week was this little ram lamb … making our total 14 so far. We woke to find him nearly dry having been born quietly a few hours earlier. Mum and son are doing well.
Dawn continues to try and convince us she is pregnant and has been gathering straw and becoming house proud. Annie and Linda were talking in the office today about how they did similar before they gave birth to their girls….. not so much the straw bit I guess! If she is she is due in the next 2 weeks.
As is Sapphire……… but with her there is no doubt that she will produce.
And she has now booked herself into her maternity suite
She is settling in well and eating and resting alot of the time.
So we wait ……….. Sapphire due date is May 1st …. we think…… so watch this space
Other things happening = the tipping ball cock controlled water troughs are plumbed in. Pig moves happening over the next few days.
It is raining
We have recovered, or rather had recovered all the data we thought we had lost from our broken hard drive… so all our photos of Willow Farm the early days and life before Willow Farm ie holiday photos are recovered plus all our music
Our Willow Farm leaflet is also just back from the printers and we are very pleased with it ……… and well I guess we are still living the dream And it is nearly the weekend when I get to play out on the farm
Oh yes check out our website at littleblackpig.co.uk
April 15, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 nearly done ………
So the last couple of lambs are now out with the main flock and looking very wee against some of the earlier ones.
007 was born on Good Friday and had just spent the first night out under the stars …. and it was a cold night……… but she was fine
This was not the biggest lamb inspecting the newcomers.
Bonny remains …. just bonny !
And then the feed delivery arrived so photo taking and hanging with the lambs came to an end.
Easy job when Chris from up the lane came with his big tractor and pallett forks to help. I t took less than 30mins to unload the lot.
So today…. veg plot once more:-) but the bad news is I dropped my camera in a bucket of water this morning so ………… fingers crossed it will work again !!
April 12, 2012
Reasons to be cheerfull !
In 18 days time our life here at Willow Farm will be transformed We are getting proper mains electricity to our plug sockets !!!
We have been living here for over a year with our trusty generator providing our power, so we have not been totally bereft of electricity ….. but Wow our life will be transformed.
No more having to get up in the mornings and going out to the barn to turn the generator on in order to power the pump to get water from our bore hole.
No more needing the generator on in order to be able to have light.
We will be able to read in bed, without then having to go out to turn the generator off.
No more loud growling sounds as the generator does its stuff…. just silent current streaming onto our farm.
No more worrying we will run out of petrol.
No more trips to the garage to refill the cans.
Constant water supply to our pig trough and chicken drinkers which Kate has cleverly plumbed in and are controlled by ball cocks.
No more empty finding the tap empty when wanting to fill the kettle, or do the washing up.
Power for our washing machine, so no more driving over to Droitwich and filling Kate’s parents washing machine with straw.
We will be able to run the little oil filled radiator that the generator is not powerfull enough to run, so Kate can work in comfort in her office and not take over the caravan with paperwork.
The barn will be lit and the toilet in the barn will have a light, so we wont need to keep the door open!
The fridge will work all the time.
We can run a freezer on the farm…… Ice Cream….. frozen peas…. ice cubes.
And so many other good things we have not even realised yet!!!
Today I came home from work and saw the electric box sited and ready….. I am very excited!
I am also excited about how the veg plot is shaping up.
Dale worked like a trooper yesterday
And I did not spend all my time sat in my shed.
This shed was offered to us by someone who used to keep goats in it. They thought we could use it for the pigs…. Kate deemed it unfit for pigs …. but hey ho I got a new shed I am planning on painting it cream.
So there is an air of excitement here on Willow Farm, mainly generated by me as Kate has been snowed under with paperwork project managing the process, and life is good
April 10, 2012
A Grand Day Off
So yesterday Kate and I had a grand day off
Of course we did the morning rounds together and then we went off looking for Pirates!
Kate’s little Sister Emma and the family were on a weeks hols on a canal boat and were nearby on the River Severn.
So having waved and hollered we went on our merry way to Shrawley Woods to walk the dogs.
Benson and Russel couldn’t believe their luck….. both of us out a walk together!!
and then we headed off to the local pub for a sandwich and chips :-) We sure do know how to have a good time.
We then headed home and slept for 2 hours before evening rounds……. what a great day !
And today…….. we have planted potatoes, beans and peas and the caravan is sparkling.
And the lambing live total so far = 13 lambs making our flock total 33 and 4 more ewes to go………. maybe !
April 6, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 A Good Friday!
So today I was going to have a lie in and I had declared that I was not going to get up until it was 4.5 degrees outside! It had been a cold night -2.7 brrrr !
So Kate went off to start the rounds and I snuggled down……… to be disturbed 5 minutes later by Kate letting me know that the fluffy ewe had started lambing and was pushing already! So with the temperature at 4.2 I got dressed.
And when Kate had finished the rounds we watched and waited and had coffe and home made cake for breakfast.
It was a huge lamb, one foot forward and a big head. Kate needed to assist towards the end… but Mum did well.
The little lamb……… or not so little lamb rallied well but was very slow to get on her long legs.
So we now have a long legged lamb and a short legged Mum, but we are positive she will do OK. Kate is on watch tonight as feeding is a little tricky but I feel quite good about it all.
We have just got home from the Droitwich egg round and are cooking some of our award winning sausages for tea.
Other things happening this week have been
the trench and ducting have been sorted for the elecricity supply….. due to complete at the end of the month.
And Russel had a brief sojorn in the caravan
Appealing as he looks …. it won’t be repeated for quite some time.
So once again all is well at Willow Farm, and life is good …. if a little exhausting!
April 3, 2012
Farrowing Live 2012
Surely surely Sapphire is pregnant …………. Jordan would be proud of these …………
I can’t tell you how excited we are
At least she has done it before …….
Although it will be our first time !!
And who is the Daddy ?
Why our boar Alfred of course
What this space………………………
March 31, 2012
Lambing Live 2012……….. High Drama !
So yesterday Tara whilst doing the evening rounds was alerted to high drama unfolding as one ewe was baaing quite alarmingly!
It seemed that the ewe was baaing at one of the chicken houses?
Yes she most certainly was ……. so Tara opened the door…….
and found these legs !!
belonging to this lamb!
Mother and lamb were reunited and all ended well on Willow Farm. Thankyou Tara for the photos and rescuing the lamb
Find out more about Wilow Farm on our website littleblackpig.co.uk
March 30, 2012
Fuel !
So I went to the garage this morning at 06.30 to fill up the cans for the generator……….. to find the pumps empty! We are dependant still on our petrol generator for power at Willow Farm. So no fuel means no electricity which means no water or light! Light we can manage without….. but water is one of lifes essentials and our animals need it! The power pumps the water from our bore hole! So we are rather concerned about the next few days……… we do have some petrol but all this panic buying, leaving the pumps dry, could give us big problems.
But some good news is
Our little lamb is now suckling.
Not the strongest lamb in the world but improving
So we are relieved of bottle feeding …. phew!
Check out our website littleblackpig.co.uk
March 29, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 and on and on………
So only 5 ewes left to lamb but quite a long time for them to do it in. No one due anytime soon, so we remain on standby……… not stood down!
Yesterday was moving day for my Mum, as she moved into her new bungalow in Droitwich. So it was typical that we had a ewe lambing slowely from 3.30 am to 5 am. Mum ( the ewe ) was not interested in mothering and so we have been nursing a rather weak lamb in the caravan, in front of the fire……… in this very appropriate box! Mum’s removal company Lambs were brilliant for the record.
We have fed her by tube and now she is taking the bottle….. Tara has milked her Mum this evening… the ewe ………. this is all very confusing!
Fed and warm !
Exploring the caravan …….. and slightly phased by the pattern on the floor!
So other than that we have been gardening
weeding ………..
and tidying………
and Dale…………. has been used and abused by his Aunts
Latest news on the lamb from the barn is that Mum and daughter are communicating, and who know…….. watch this space. It really is an emotional roller coaster this lambing business.
March 25, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 Two thirds of the way there !
So we had two little twin boys delivered by their midwife Kate yesterday at about 18.30hrs. Mother and sons doing well
Other wise life has been sunny!
Hoppity is getting more difficult to catch, although we managed
The lambs have formed a gang and are playing out when it is cooler……….
This my gorgeous bonny little lamb having a wee……..
And this is her realizing ……… that she has just had her photo taken whilst having a wee !!
It has been so hot today that we have made wallows for the pigs and also built some extra shade for the lambs.
And that is just about it…….. Kate is off to college tomorrow and will be talking turkey…… as we firm up our plans for growing some turkeys for Christmas……… and also all of you blog followers who like our sausages and sausage meat………. we are doing some the first week in April…… so get your orders in…..the easiest way being by contacting us through our website………. littleblackpig.co.uk
Ok enough of this sitting down………. I am off to wander about in the sun for a bit doing the evening rounds……. life is good !
March 23, 2012
Muck…. not filth!
So apparently is the time to spread muck on the fields to put nitrogen into the soil. We have muck……. 150 chickens do produce plenty, although I am told, probably not enough.
So James and Kate have been talking muck spreaders and looking on ebay and all over in their attempt to find another bit of farming history for our little farm. The Chris, up the lane, one of our dearest friendly farmer supporters introduced us to his old muck spreader.
Fantastic eh!
So I guess we will be burning some deisel tomorrow speading muck… or I think James will, we wont be able to keep him of it.
And the lambing continues.
This little bobby dazzler was born yesterday afternoon, and with Kate at the butchers, it was the first one I have been responsible for. Luckily Dale was there too, and he really has been a bonus this week
We had to take one of our lambs to the vet today as it was limping. We had had a good look yesterday and bathed it, but it was still hobbling. So I was sent to catch hoppity! Then we drove with it on my knee through the rush hour traffic to the vet. It seems that in between the toes of the lamb they can get a bit of infection and sure enough it was a bit infected. So a 5 day course of antibiotics and daily bathing ( foot only!)
Back with Mum Catching her should be fun as she gets better!
So all is well here tonight. Lisa is on duty in the barn, Linda is driving down from Edinburgh to lend her support and we are over half way through lambing now. We have been so lucky, since we moved to Worcestershire and started this adventure, to have the support of friends and family, and we are really grateful, especially now! Tara, Katrina, Lisa, James, Sharon, Dale, and Emma have been wonderful, getting stuck in and brilliant support. Kate’s Mum came over on tuesday and took our washing and Peter, lamb watched the other evening. Jenny came and took over and made us a hot meal on tuesday and all in all we have been very supported. We feel very blessed
Anyway Kate is back now from the Droitwich egg round and I must sort out some tea…….. luckily friday eve is easy as we do an eggs for soup swap and tonight it is red pepper and rocket mmmn!
So check out the website if you want to know more ….. littleblackpig.co.uk
March 22, 2012
Lambing live 2012 …….. Half way there!
So we are getting there and we now have a fine display of ewes and lambs sunning themselves in Hentonville, our fox proof chicken enclosure.
Our lambs now vary from 2 weeks old to 36hours and we have 8 ewes left to lamb.
Yesterday the weather was fantastic, so we had the barn open and all the animals enjoyed the warmth.
Our chickens are very free range, yet have the fox protection of Hentonville, our 6 foot high, 1 foot deep, electric strand on the top, fenced enclosure. They just love dust baths and also digging dips to shelter when it is windy…… I dont think enriched caged birds get this pleasure!! It makes walking around in the dark a little tricky, in case an hole is fallen into! But it is great to see them relaxing in the sunshine.
Dawn is enjoying her new pad, but not really showing signs of farrowing soon. She is such a drama queen, but it worked and she got a single pad…….. fit for a prima donna!
With all this sheep business going on Russell has spent some time in his pen.
And as an intelligent animal, he has of course worked out that he can jump, from the top of his house…… over the fence and out!!
So today Dale is helping out and Kate is sorting out the courier delivery of our hoggett, year old lamb….. a depth of flavour that is just amazing. She is then off to the butchers to oversee the cutting and packing in accordance to each persons order. I did the night shift last night and it was a quiet night and Kate tells me I don’t look as bad as I have done recently……. we have been so very tired!
So we are looking forward to a busy but good day, and maybe a nice lambing later. We have 3 due before the weekend, so this little bit of respite since tuesday has been great.
Check out our website if you want to see what else we offer, and also contact us if you want to put you name down for Autumn lamb or Hoggett for next Spring.
March 17, 2012
Lambing Live 2012….. a busy day.
So I did the midnight til 8 shift last night and same again for me tonight, so I slept today until 12…. I am off to bed again soon after some of our home produced faggots
As I left for bed this morning one of our first time mums was showing early signs of lambing and by the time I was awake lunchtime .. so was another.
You can see here the balloon appearing, which is the sack encasing the lamb.
Here she starts to push………
And then this one had one foot out and his head and one foot still in…………
So Kate helped a little…….
She then tickled its nose with some straw to get him breathing………
And all is ok
The other Mum popped her lamb out in the same way …. one foot and head first … but did all the work herself.
So 2 more lambs and I will let you know what tonight brings …………….
Some well deserved sleep for Kate hopefully.
March 15, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 …….. continues!
Well Lambing Live continues but at a snails pace! We have 18 ewes to lamb and so far we have lambed 4!! So those of you coming to help out later in the month or over Easter… don’t worry, you won’t have missed it Kate keeps on telling me… and reminding herself, that it is a marathon and not a sprint……… so we are sleeping when we can. Kate is in bed now, her Dad, is on lambing watch……… and I am making sandwiches for tomorrow, tidying up a bit and blogging……… I am off to bed just after 8, all being well!
Yesterday was a god day, Emma and Dale helped move the last 6 ewes up to the barn to join the others. We thought we would do it while Kate was asleep, and it was not a piece of cake.
So it was a matter of moving these sheep up the field , through the gate and into the barn. As we are feeding them currently, we thought they may follow the bucket all the way.
They didn’t.
So I hooked up the trailer and we walked them down to it.
Then we added them to the remaining ewes.
All done………
And the twins were not too disturbed.
And the ewes and lambs out side just watched and wondered!
So that is it really, for now. There is no sign of anything happening this evening, It is rather cold, but the fire is lit in the caravan and I have damp washing draped all around drying so have the perfect excuse to keep it burning. Benson, the dog, has his coat on!
Contact us via our website if you want to enquire about any of our produce……… littleblackpig.co.uk
March 13, 2012
Never mind Lambing Live 2012.. I think we may be Farrowing Live soon!!
Just when you think you know what to expect when you come home from work ie a very tired Kate, most of the jobs done, and just the chickens to be put to bed and then lambing watch……. well tonight something a little different.
Kate had fed the pigs this evening and found Dawn not wanting her food, in the arc she shares with Pam and Sapphire and quite loathe to come out. The straw was also all around her in a mound………. could she be nesting?
According to the diary she when she was last served she should farrow in 5 days ……… but we have been there so many times before that we have almost given up. She is also a first time Mum so not prone to losing her feminine shape, so not obvious……… so maybe. And if she is we needed to separate her from the others. So I am quickly out of my uniform and helping. We just managed to coax her out of the arc, a couple of bananas did the trick, and load her in the trailer.
Luckily we had moved the farrowing arc at the weekend, so she can have that to …. well who knows … maybe farrow in the next week!!!
We also think that Sapphire, due May 1st , is also with piglet!!
So lots of new life at Willow Farm.
Farrowing tips I have come across so far are
(1) Allow her a hut on her own.
(2) make sure it is facing south to keep the weather out
(3) give her some straw (barley) a week before hand and allow her to build a nest.
(4) give her some feed but reduce the amount and add some lucerne hay to it
(5) allow her to have plenty of drinking water
(6) let her get used to her space and settle in
(7) Keep an eye on her but don’t rattle her
(8) make sure she is comfortable in her new surroundings
(9) when she is having her babies…. just leave her be
(10) when she has finished remove the after birth or leave it there for her to consume….has plenty of antibodies in it for her use to the piglets.
(11) keep an eye on the babies.
(12) she may suckle the babies for a day or so before she gets up that is fine, she has put on plenty of condition and will not lose all of it in this time.
(13) remove any dead babies and bury
(14) a week after their birth they will be quite strong and she will leave them for a feed and a drink
(14) as they come up to day ten they will be coming out of the nest and roaming around and checking out her feed.
(15) by day 11 they can be moved to the nursery pen along with her litter.
(16) Offer creep to the piglets and watch them grow
(17) watch them run down the paddock and leave mum behind in the nursery pen.
(18) time to wean.
so we will follow these instruction OK so 2 x point number 14 but hey ho!
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Other than that … the new lambs of yesterday are now feeding well and Mum has milk, which is a huge relief.
And that is about all for today … full of suprises and hope!
Our website link = littleblackpig
March 12, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 ……….. Twins !
Twins at last, born this afternoon on Dale’s watch
Their Mum’s milk doesn’t seem to be coming so we are currently bottle feeding them colostrum. Also warming them up a bit ………
Kate is asleep hopefully as she takes over at midnight ……… and I am here in the lambing shed
and these guys are having their first night under the stars ………. in Hentonville, so safe from Mr Fox.
our website is found here at littleblackpig.co.uk
March 10, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 update and also our Dry Cured Bacon wins a Silver Award :-)
What a day…….. where to begin?
It was a beautiful morning and Tara who had been on lambing duty last nght had had a quiet night. I got up early at 6, mainly not to disturb Kate who was sleeping soundly, and also to help with morning rounds.
We had Lisa and James both working today and also one of my coleagues from work, Amanda, and her daughter were coming to pick up their 1/2 pig freezer pack……….. lovely pedigree saddleback meat butchered to their requirements and including the heart… as requested! Not only was she coming to collect her order but they were wanting to pitch in and muck in for the day!! The more the merrier We had such a productive day……… I drove around in the van, taking washing to Droitwich, shopping for sheep food and molasses, dropping Sharon at the train station and delivering another 1/2 pig order to another customer… Dawn came and collected her sausage order and a new customer from The Black Country came to collect his meat. We moved pigs…. .cleaned out chickens……… set up pig pens and dimantled pig pens and then at 5 ish the ewe we had been concerned about started to go into labour!
Ooooops some pictures …. keep up!
Before any pictures of the newest lamb …….. just look how these bony girls areshaping up
This is Tuesday’s lamb !
And this bobby dazzler was born on thursday ………….
and today’s lamb ……….. well currently is being very noisy in the barn having just got lost from his Mum…..oh yes it is a boy and is now reunited and penned up with his Mum.
And now we wait to see when his twin arrives .. or not .. but surely we must be due a twin!
And just to brag about our award winning bacon……… well those of you who avidly follow us will know we entered our sausages into the Great British Banger competition and got a Silver award …….. well we sent off a pack of 8 rashers of our Dry Cured Bacon to the Bacon Connoisseurs’ week competition: ‘The Red, White and Bacon awards and we have been awarded a Silver award
A not very good photo of the certificate but you get the idea! To say we are chuffed to bits doesn’t even begin to tell you how proud we are I am very proud of Kate because the bacon and gammon curing is something that she has learnt as a totally new skill and we are very pleased with the results and now …. this award is great. Of course we will be entering again next year……..
So currently Tara is in the lambing shed, Kate is asleep, ready for midnight when she takes over…… and I am all dressed up in my waterproof overalls, sweltering in the caravan,… oh no I am not I have just had th call from the barn! ………………….
Ok so our little ram lamb is an only child too. Maybe tomorrow we will get a set of twins or two !
our website link is here ………… littleblackpig.co.uk
March 8, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 ……….. another single ewe lamb:-)
So after a long wait and a long evening shift ( for Sharon ) we have another lamb!
Kate was asleep, in readyness for the night shift, I had gone to bed at 9 in readyness for anything! and Sharon was on duty…….. then she alerted us at 9.47 and the lamb was delivered by mum at 10.35. A lovely strong little ewe.
Mum was great and mothered her well and she was on her feet in no time after a few attempts.
And suckled well.
So Kate has a lovely night ahead and I am off back to bed
Come on you others !!
I am sure you have seen our website …………. littleblackpig.co.uk
Lambing Live 2012 ….today must be the day !
So a new day
and still only one shearling lambed her beautiful single ewe lamb on tuesday. So I am back to work today and bet it will all happen while I am not here.
As Kate is at the butchers in Droitwich today ….sorting out the sausage and 1/2 pig orders we have for delivery tomorrow…. so it is even more likely!
We are so grateful to our lambing helpers as without them we would be on our knees by now. Dale and Ali S. are around today along with Sharon, who will be sleeping, as she did the night shift last night. This lets Kate get on with the other stuff, and yet still be around when needed. Last year we did not have so much other stuff to do…. it was also all in 10 days not the 60 we are expecting this year.
So watch this space … I will blog later if there is any news…. if this little lamb has some play mates!
website link ………. littleblackpig
March 7, 2012
Lambing live 2012 …….. the start
So March 6th 6 .30am Sharon who had been covering the night shift in the lambing shed texted Kate to say that she thought one ewe had started lambing………….
So I went out to look whilst Kate had a shower…and yes Sharon was right and we were in business!! It was one of our shearling ewes, and a first time Mum, so we knew we would be in for a little wait.
So we waited and waited …….. I went to work………. and phoned in regularly……… and waited……… and then at 4pm Kate helped deliver a stonking big lamb……. a little girl
Beautiful !!
So as Mum and lamb bonded I think exhaustion was felt all around. Sharon had not wanted to miss anything and had stayed up most of the day, Kate had only been in bed 2 hours when things started at 6.30……… so when I got home at 6.45 pm we did a quick review of the lambing rota. Sharon made a great supper, then Kate stayed on duty until midnight, to ensure little lamb was ok, I went to bed in order to get up to cover midnight until 8 and Sharon took some well deserved rest too. I am not working tomorrow/ today Wednesday, so can muck in
So I am now on duty and camped in lambing central……. the little caravan, with Russel !
Mum and lamb are doing great and there is no sign of anyone else kicking off. Kate has gone to bed with a hot water bottle and well ……………I am in charge
A funny thing happened at work today……. I was talking to a patient about farming, as she was a farmers wife, and the care agency manager, Tia, and I were talking afterwards and she showed great interest in the farm. When I said we kept pigs, she asked if I had seen those pigs off the A449, as she had nearly crashed the car looking at those little piglets……… well small world eh, and I think she was exaggerating about crashing the car, but when said that they were our pigs she was gob smacked!!
I digress……… so Kates entry into the lambing journal for today says…………
An exhausting shift but its great to get going on a positive note. A good healthy ewe lamb………….. then a whole load of instructions as to what I need to watch out for tonight……… from the national flock 15% of lambs die, an appalling national statistic. Although some losses are inevitable, the plan is ……….. not on our watch……… if at all possible!
I will keep you posted
do check out our website if you have not already ……….. littleblackpig.co.uk
March 5, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 …….Great Expectations!
Now I don’t know if this is too much information but ……….. Kate and I went to bed last night at 9 o’ clock ready for action!
Thermal long john trousers, long sleeve thermal tops and socks were the nightwear of choice last night as surely something would occur in the lambing shed!
But it did not………… I slept very well… if a little warm…….and Kate was up a couple of times to check but nothing. Sharon who is helping out this week did the 11pm check so we all feel quite rested today,
including the sheep!
So what will today bring………… for me who knows as I am off to work in Malvern and here at Willow Farm……… that very much depends.
Sharon is doing morning rounds today while Kate is busy with a necessary step in our pork production and has left the farm for an hour. Then at 10.30 we have a bevy of beautiful helpers arriving for an induction chat on lambing live at Willow Farm, and then who knows……..
So what this space………………..
check out our website while you wait …………… littleblackpig
March 3, 2012
Latest arrival at Willow Farm ……….a Ferguson Spring Tine Cultivator
Sorry lambing live followers………. no lambs yet but look what we have got……….
It is a spring tine cultivator which will fix on behind our tractor and turn our newly ploughed veg plot into a fine tilth.
So once again we had a physics project in how to get it of the truck. The obvious answer was use the tractor to lift it up and drive the truck off and Kate keep an eye to make sure it did not rotate and bash something.
Slight hitch was that we couldn’t find the tractor key……… for a while!!
Kate and James did spend quite a while looking lovingly at the bit of metal. Which needs a little bit of work but Kate and James with their college machinery experience should be able to work out a plan.
So once more the tractor did the job
and doesn’t the truck look good
March 2, 2012
Lambing Live 2012 The Pregnant Pause
According to Wikipedia ……..A pregnant pause (as in the classical definition, “many possibilities”) is a technique of comic timing used to accentuate a comedy element, where the comic pauses at the end of a phrase to build up suspense. It’s often used at the end of a comically awkward statement or in the silence after a seemingly non-comic phrase to build up a comeback. Refined by Jack Benny, the pregnant pause has become a staple of stand-up comedy.
We are currently experiencing this……….. ie the sheep are in the barn, the barn is set up ready, Kate is ready……. our lambing rota starts tomorrow morning .and I think the sheep are ready.
So there is definately a build up of suspense……….. there are certainly many possibilities……… just we aren’t laughing yet as the punchline is awaited.
It is slightly nerve wracking, although we don’t expect to start until the weekend ………. but there is an element of suspense in the air!!
they are definately pregnant…….. so something has to give !!
Patience I suppose, and there is that saying isn’t there ……… be careful what you wish for!!
So I will sit patiently in the caravan and wait for my Tesco delivery, due between 10 and 11. If only everything could be predicted so finely.
If all this talk of lambing makes you think of mint sauce ……….. you can order your half lamb via the website by filling in a contact us form … then Kate will contact you. We already have severell orders so don’t delay.
And don’t forget we now do local deliveries in our swanky van and use a courier service for deliveries further away
February 29, 2012
Lambing live 2012 ……… almost
Kate has worked wonders over the last week, with a trusty band of helpers and we are almost ready for lambing. The barn has been tidied and emptied of all things unnecessary for lambing and filled with the necessaries.
So the first 12 ewes are gathered and getting used to their maternity suite.
The mothering up pens are ready and we so nearly are too!
The weather is improving and having lit the fire this morning, when the sun came out, I was roasting in the caravan, so ventured out with the camera and took a few snaps.
The animals were enjoying the warm weather too.
and haven’t the little ones got brave!
and once more we are debating the pregnancy state of our sows!!!!!! Come on girls…….. is she or isn’t she?
this is Sapphire who is a lovely sow we bought in recently, she has already had a couple of litters, so has saggy boobs!
She gets on well with the others.
the final 6 ewes are still enjoying the grazing outside as they are not due until April.
We are not expecting anything to happen until the weekend, and our friend Sharon arrives on Saturday, so we will have another pair of eyes , ears and hands on deck.
If you enjoy reading the blog, click on our logo here and it will transport you through to our website where you can learn even more about us. I do monitor the number of hits on the blog and our website, in quite an extremely nerdy, geeky way. I was amazed to see we had 85 hits on the delivery van blog the other day, and hits have been high subsequently. Kate thinks I only get a lot of hits when I blog with slightly dodgy titles…… the love of the older woman…….. got loads of hits. She says that people who are drawn to the blog by those sort of titles are not very likely to be interested in looking for high welfare, high quality, rare breed pork, bacon, sausages, Christmas turkeys produced near Droitwich in Worcestershire ……….. so check out our website, contact Kate, order something from us and justify my blogging time 
February 27, 2012
Littleblackpig at Willow Farm …. the local farm shop that comes to you.
to say that we are very pleased with our van is an understatement……… we are delighted!
We have been looking towards buying a second hand van for a while now, and then we found this van being retired from a local electrical shop. It is tidy, and has been well looked after and serviced locally and only been delivering around Droitwich, so too good to miss. Now liveried up it looks very smart and we have had very good feedback from everyone who has seen it so far.
Coming soon……… photos of the truck with its livery……. that looks very smart too.
February 19, 2012
The Love of a Younger Woman !
Ok so this obviously has nothing to do with the title of this blog, but I do like this photo I took of Kate yesterday morning as she started morning rounds.
I also like these photos I took of the new piglets
So the love of the younger woman eh!! Camilla one of our gilts was hogging this morning i.e. looking for a bit of hog company. Unfortunately Alfred our hog ( boar) was invilved in a bit of a menage a quatre with Pam, Dawn and Sapphire. So we needed to do daring do to matchmake for poor Camilla.
So undetered we moved Alfred to a new batchelor pad.
with the able assistance of James.
We spruced Alfred up a little to make him look at his prime….. which of course he is at !
And meanwhile Camilla partook of a little sun bathing
I think she is smiling
So this afternoon we took Camilla over to Alfred’s pad and he was very keen.
And Camilla was a little shy !
So we will wait and see what tomorrow brings !!!
