Blind Hog and Acorn

Blind Hog and Acorn capped off a fun-filled week by getting up early today to milk goats, pick 4 gallons of blueberries at a nearby berry farm, and then sort-load-and drive goats to today's livestock sale about 16 miles away. On top of that, the high heat,humidity, and intermittent rain showers made for a lovely work environment. Good news is the broiler chicks are outside - they love their p...

Triple digit heat indices, Blind Hog and Acorn have been sweatin' fools.   Calves got "worked", goat kids separated from their mommas. Garden is string trimmed, wild black raspberries picked. Elderflowers have been plucked and stuffed into gallon jars to make "St. Germaine" cordial- recipe on website. Broiler chicks are something new- ready to process in just 10 weeks?  Th...

Weather has gone from "light jackets" to "turn on the a/c" in a matter of days... Acorn has had some run-ins with local snakes, one of which had got the goose off her nest and was in the process of eating an egg- all when they might be starting to hatch! (well, if there are any that will hatch that is...) A goatling had got herself trapped under the garden fence and died, Sam n...

Busy week on the farm PLUS a Farm Guest!  Dr. Frank Pinkerton, nigh on 93 yrs old, drove himself to Missouri to visit a goat farm in the making, speak at a conference/show/sale in Sedalia, as well as spend a few "leisurely days" here at the farm,  and yes- he did make it back home safe and sound! Listening to his chat with us you will learn all sorts of things you may and may not want to...

Blind Hog has spent the last week on the Massey Ferguson, clipping seed heads off the fescue. Acorn has been in the garden, putting in the last of the vegetables and then went all crazy using the string trimmer.  Such fun! She's also been working on her PowerPoint presentation for the goat talk in Sedalia in a few days.  You know, definitely not putting it off to the last minute or anything.....

Blind Hog and Acorn have been busy- the goslings are growing too damn fast and they needed their own pen. It took a couple days, but as we speak, they are enjoying green grass and fresh air, and no competition with the nine chicken peeps! Blackberry juice was made and jarred up- is very delicious. 18 or so quarts! Garden still not set out 100%, hopefully Acorn will remedy that this week. Finally w...

Diagnosis is in on the Outback- it is not good.  She has been deemed a total loss. However, Blind Hog and Acorn will replace her with the very same thing, so it will all work out. Thank you, State Farm. Fun was had weeding the garden, moving a huge forsythia bush, playing with goslings and best yet- selling heifers. Acorn will be juicing up blackberries from the freezer next week- so look forward...

Blind Hog and Acorn recorded their podcast a day early but did not realize that the computer was having technical issues- the recording had gaps, much like hiccups.  Acorn did not feel like doing a 2 hr edit on a 35 min podcast and promises this will not happen again. Soldier though and try to ignore the gaps in conversation.  The pair could have re-recorded it, but it would not have been the same...

A roller coaster of a week for Blind Hog and the Acorn; ups, downs, ups, downs.  Good news is that they are both still here to bitch and complain, better than the alternative! Morels are about done.  The last ones collected were dehydrated.  Works like a champ.  Acorn saw one in the woods today but is was as dark as a pine cone, "Let is seed out for next year."   Blind Hog needed to mow...

Blind Hog was walking down to get the mail and guess what???  He found a morel!  All on his own!  Wooooooot! Goslings are hatching, flooding rain in the forecast. "Its raining geese, hallelujah it's raining geese..." Garden survived the hard freeze and even the apple blossoms look good.  Just one stalk of asparagus fizzled. Back to chores!

What is that racket you ask? PEEPS!!! Chicks have begun to hatch; geese, fingers crossed, should begin pipping next week. Blind Hog spent time on the Massey Ferguson, clipping yet another paddock. He even went to the East Field and cut up that dead tree that had fallen on the fenceline.  Brought it home in three loads, and already has it cut to length, ready for the woodsplitter. Acorn has been ga...

Blind Hog and Acorn have been busy busy- composting, gardening, lighting, welding ... Even if it means eating a big lunch then falling promptly to sleep for 90 minutes... Garden is in the process of being planted, kidding has about ended. Had to make a run for conduit so acorn could have hoops to support the floating row covers for the bed she planted today.   Morels have begun to pop out, Sam the...

Of course, when you check the air in one tire you automatically want to check the air in ALL the tires, right?  Well, maybe wrong- especially if you are checking air in fluid-filled tires and the valve has corroded.  Acorn found this out the hard way and long story short, a tractor tire valve had to be replaced, STAT! Good news is that all went fine, except for the 38 miles out and back but it was...

Acorn is incubating all sorts of ideas to make farm dollars, literally and figuratively.  14 goose eggs are in an incubator, and 2 doz chicken eggs to go into the other. Pending goat and heifer sales, let the good times roll! Blind Hog continues progress working on the wall sculpture commission, so that is also most excellent. Lacking only 5 more goats to kid, "piss or get off the pot !"...

First day of spring on the farm and how cold was it???  23F!!! Crazy!  Good news is that it will be warmer next couple weeks, so that will be helpful for the new baby goats- up to 41 total now- is a field of popping white kidlets out in the field. Blind Hog and Acorn have been doing the usual chores, setting out hay, counting the kids.  Even started back on that sculpture friends Glen and Becky de...

Acorn has been dusting off her caprine midwifery skills, Blind Hog has been Master Electrician.  As of now, 21 kids on the ground! Bottle kids are cute, but not desired. They wrap around your ankles worse than cats.  A set of 3 lb twins born- will see if they will pull on through. Is almost time to give them another bit of colostrum- they cannot stand yet to nurse, so any assistance now will help...

Let the pigeons fly! 2021 Kidding, Round 2 has begun! Old Fawn, 10 yrs old popped out twins. What more did Blind Hog and Acorn get up to this week?  The usual chores, plus plumbing and electric repairs. Weather is nice, but it turned out all the crazies in the Big City.  Lawdy- all the wrecks, all the people. Shopping is not a delight but something to be done in the early weekday mornings- not on...

The sap run was short and sweet!  Acorn figures it was actually a false run , brought on by the Polar Vortex.  Two weeks of below freezing temps forced the sap back down, and when the temps warmed up, up came the sap.  Good enough for two quarts total of finished syrup.  Impressive, especially if you think of the 40:1 sap to syrup ratio! Goats in the dairy barn are all kidded out, now is kidding t...

The Polar Vortex is winding down, cold air receding and temps actually creeping above freezing. Hot Damn! Blind Hog and Acorn have continued to soldier on- feeding the livestock, waiting for baby goats- expected and unexpected. Fortunate for running water and electricity, however plans are in the works for "yet more farm improvements..." There is always room to make things run better, sm...

The polar vortex is upon the farm.  Single digit highs, minus "whatevers"at night.  And snow ...  And gusting north winds ...    And yes, dairy kids being born! Blind Hog and Acorn have been trying their best to deal with electrical resistance, amperage, wattage calculations. Working on electric lines from the house to the dairy barn, at midnight, in the 5F cold is a great way to kick of...

Oy!  Blind Hog and Acorn have readied the farm for the upcoming hard, deep freeze. One day might have highs in the single digits and lows?  Minus whatever...  Been there, done that- they know what they need to do.   Of course, the dairy goats might go into labor next week when the vortex settles in- let's hope not! Blind Hog has been Mr Electrician, wiring in the new receptacles for the welde...

Blind Hog and Acorn have been busy- doing this and that...  Hay out for the herds, unpacking stuffs from 15-20 years ago, going through old papers, rewiring the shops for the new welder and plasma cutter, taking down old light fixtures and putting in LED flood bulbs. Going in a gazillion different directions, but slowly but surely, things are being accomplished.  Acorn is ready to get welding! Of...

Blind Hog and Acorn took their show to the road, literally, as they recorded the podcast while driving to the big city.  They had their sights set on a portable air compressor that would be big enough to use with the new plasma cutter, and Lowe's JUST happened to have one 45% off, PLUS and additional 10% off with military discount. SWEET! Yup,  the farmers purchased a new wire feed welder tha...

Winter chores mean feeding hay, bringing in firewood and baking yummy treats.  How about some Icelandic gingersnaps and a big batch of elderberry fire cider? And that rooster we processed?  3 meals and 7 pints of chicken stock. All from one bird.  Excellent! Check out the website for more details and links to the recipes.

Blind Hog and Acorn have enough to do on the farm.  Selling some goats, whipping up dogfood for Sam and blueberry-pumpkin muffins for the farmers- the recipe of the week . Ozarks geology means goats must have selenium booster shots to avoid white muscle disease. Vaccinated half the adults, the other 24 will be done soon as I prefer 4-6 weeks before kidding. Fixed the washing machine- replaced the...