Hey piggy piggy...

I broke the news tonight to Ken that I hope to farm, not just sheep and hay (he had sort of accepted that), but would like to add chickens and cattle and pigs to the mix. I have not mentioned a milk cow, but he's not stupid and I'm sure he has some idea where all of this is going.

I know my husband and so I broke this news to him while among friends who were most excited by the whole enterprise and believe somehow that they will all now have a free camp ground. I'm not sure this is possible as I'm not planning on installing a bathhouse with toilets and they will have to pay for port o potties and put up with cold water from a hose for washing. Not to mention that all the flat land is open field which will be occupied by animals or hay. The woodland is very sloped and will likely be best used for 1. a pond (stocked, of course) 2. heritage pigs 3. hunting.

When I mentioned the pigs my friends strongly encouraged me to think again about this as they immediately said that pigs smell, are dangerous and if they get loose are gone like the wind and are very destructive. So the pig idea will either be nixed or wait.

Fortunately, one of the friends was a farmer and was able to note that I could electrify the fence with either batteries or solar power (and he said these work very well) and I could get the water out the ground with a wind mill. No electricity needed! Yeah! I'll have to investigate further.

Ken, of course, said he was NOT going to the be one to take care of all these animals. But moments later admitted that the sheep really are not labor intensive and notes that they come right to him with the shake of a grain bucket.

I need to figure the finances on renting a tractor, hiring a tractor driver, or buying one and learning to do it myself. But I may be able to get away with borrowing one when I do need it (perhaps once a year) and bartering something for it's use. I also need to put together a fence team of strong people who can work well together with one expert who knows what he or she is doing.