After trying to use tarps for years to cover our hay & shavings and replacing them once/twice each year, we decided to try using re-purposed vinyl signs/billboard tarps instead. They are extremely heavy weight and priced reasonable.
I can say that we are thrilled with them. Their quality, durability and UV resistance will allow them to stay useful for many years.
We have used https://billboardtarps.com/ for our needs with great success and very fast shipping.
We added four (2 x barrows, 1 gilt, 1 boar) Mangalista x kune-kune cross piglets that we purchased from Santee Field Farm. (Thank you Hannah) One to butcher for our church, one to butcher for a friend and two for us. The gilt and boar are breeding stock for ourselves. They are only eight weeks old and will stay in a small pen (16 x 16) until they are large enough to train to our electric fence. Then they will have a large forest area.
Our two large hogs that you see in the background are scheduled to go to the butcher in a few weeks so our freezers will soon be full.
8 weeks old Mangalitsa/kune-kune
cross piglets
So what do you do when your sick or injured and you have a farm? Calling in sick is NOT an option. Those animals still need feed/hay/water/milking so you have to get the chores completed one way or another. If possible, your spouse (or other family member) must complete the necessary duties or you suck it up and limp through and get them finished yourself.
I recently pulled my back (it happens once or twice a year on average) and thank God I was not totally bed ridden. Although the Flexeril put me in a semi-comma and I felt horribly intoxicated for 24 hours (even only taking 1/2 a tablet). Bleh~ Good for nothing but sleeping.
The doctor says my soft/marsh-mellow mattress is horrible for my back so I guess we need to go mattress shopping soon!
We are so proud of our buck, Majenli HH Jericho, who is now a finished champion as a YEARLING! He is a beautiful buck with a very gentle disposition. We can’t wait to see what his daughter’s udders look like next year.
