The Forecasters were right

The forecasters were right, today is wet and windy. All work on the front extension has stopped. It isn't a good idea to render walls in the rain. If it is only showers we can continue to dig the trench for the water pipes .. which will result in mud everywhere ...again !

As I am stuck inside I am 'researching' the possibilities of different ideas we discussed on Sunday whilst shovelling s***/ turning the compost heaps.

The conversation started by deciding where we would run this year's batch of weaners.From there it developed into what would be our ideal set up.....sticking with the land we have. We both love pigs, my husband especially.

His ideal would be just to keep pigs - two or three breeding sows, then sell on the weaners.

This could be possible.

1: I would have thought there was a ready market locally for weaners,especially rare breeds. I know we have had trouble sourcing stock.

2: If we gave up the other livestock we would have enough space to grow on any weaners that didn't sell and if we had too many porkers for our own use I am sure we would be able to sell the meat, failing all else we could sell to the butcher. They were keen to buy our last pigs. (quite a compliment but we wanted the meat for ourselves.)

3: I would be happy to learn to do the AI ( I do all the injections etc. necessary already ) and have a 'vet friend' to show me how.

4: I have bred pigs before.


The drawbacks...

1: Giving up the other animals.

2: Pigs aren't so neighbour friendly.People have the idea they are smelly, noisy, dirty things. None of which are true.They do have a distinctive smell but like all animals if kept well and not overstocked they are fine.

3: It is not so easy to find people happy to look after pigs if we need to go away. Then again our children are quite prepared to 'do' the pigs.

4: Quite a large initial investment i.e housing, fencing, sows. etc.

5: High feed costs.

I don't know ...tempted.

My ideal (as well as the pigs but both wouldn't be possible) breeding and selling poultry.

The drawbacks.

1: I am the only one really interested in poultry so 'helping hands' are less readily available.

2: We would need to do a lot of fencing and build more houses. Time consuming.

3: Cockerels aren't neighbour friendly

4: The land we own is a distance from our house, hens need more regular daily care.

5: Security would be more of an issue.

I don't seem to have any possibles... there must be some other than I would like to !!

We both seem to agree that although Annie is lovely and her lambs tasty and sheep aren't really too much trouble to care for neither of us would want to increase the sheep side of our livestock.

We will probably just potter along sticking with the status quo !!