The Hungry Gap

In the Anglo-Saxon calendar Lammas Day (hlaf-maesse, or loaf-mass) was the day when the first bread using the current year’s grains could be made.  Lammas Day fell on August 1^st and the weeks preceding this day was known as the “hungry gap” – the time between the last of the stored food from the prior year and the new harvest.  Such a life is clearly unknown to us in the modern West – anxiously watching the weather and hoping the new harvest can be successfully brought in while the available food is dwindling or already exhausted.  No fast food places or supermarkets…  Just hunger.

Since Hereward Farm is located in the hot and humid southeast United States, a far cry from the cool temperate maritime climate of the British Isles, the growing season here starts sooner.   It is not yet June and already over the last few weeks the garden has been producing veggies of all types.  While it is still early days, a trip to the garden to dig up some vegetables is now more common than a trip to the grocery store. Also on the farm there are many wild fruits with the orchard just about to come online, the chickens are laying more than the Secret Service in Central America and the freezers are full of pork from the first two pigs harvested.  There was not the Lammas Day-like formality, in fact, I can’t remember the first day this happened, but during the last few weeks it is not uncommon to have entire meals that have come from the farm – including dessert! 

Photo 1.  Two carrots engaged in a tender embrace - Or is it one carrot giving us the finger?

While this is a far cry from being totally self-sufficient, it is an encouraging milestone and a welcome sign that the many hundreds of hours of hard work invested are beginning to pay off.  It is also a sign that literally anyone in this country is able to grow some of their own food with a little planning, determination and hard work.  Our modern global system has eradicated the hungry gap for much of the West, yet in the process we have now become dependent upon global supply chains, cheap fossil fuels and unsustainable farming practices to feed ourselves.  For the most part we have lost the knowledge and skills to grow our own food.  Today only a fraction of our population has the knowledge and experience of growing food by sustainable methods.  If our system goes down, even partially, expect the mother of all hungry gaps. 

Taking Liberties

The animals around the farm never cease to amuse.  Here are a few pictures taken over the last few weeks that can only be described as "taking liberties".

Here the silhouette is just visible of a Canada goose that decided to build its nest on roof of the barn.  They say location is everything but I am not convinced this is a good idea.  How do the goslings get down?  On false step and they are manna from heaven for the pigs on either side.  It has been there a few weeks and is mostly on the nest while its mate hangs around the area.  The goose does occasionally fly off and return - the sound of a large goose landing on the tin roof of a barn is unnerving to say the least!

Around the barn there are cats, pigs and geese that interact with each other amicably.  The barn cats wander through the pig paddocks with total immunity while they themselves leave the geese and piglets alone.  While the pigs leave the cats alone, the following pictures show how the cats may be pushing things a little too far.

Here a cat is drinking from the pigs’ water trough.

Here a cat relaxes in the pigs’ feed trough.

Next, Thing 1 and 2 have got loose and are about to start eating the front yard.  Heidi unsuccessfully attempts to herd them back down to the barn.

The ultimate in taking liberties is the next picture.  Here Boudreax, the American Guinea Hog boar, finally get’s on the job with Trudy and the piglet feels this is a good time for a quick meal.  Well, they say AGHs are very easy going!

Bearing Fruit

The unseasonably warm weather and plenty of precipitation have been much appreciated by the orchard.  The heirloom fruit trees planted by the previous owners are bearing fruit.  We are not the only ones to benefit from the weather - Alabama’s peach crop is hitting the market several weeks earlier than normal.  As a baseline for future years, here are a few pictures of the various fruits taken May 14.

Apples

There are a number of apple trees in the orchard.  If all these apples make it to harvest then a fruit press and fermentation equipment may be in order.  Gallons of cider (as in Scrumpy) should result.  Another use for cider (besides the obvious) is to produce apple cider vinegar.  This is a useful folk remedy for just about anything that ails you – for both humans and the farm animals.  I remember drinking some rough scrumpy while at Bath University and can appreciate the medicinal qualities – it definitely made me sick.

Pears

While some of the apple varieties are doing better than others, all the pear trees are teaming with fruit.

  

Blackberries

These are growing like weeds all over the property.  I planted some additional heirloom varieties last fall that are already producing large berries.

Wild

Cherokee's planted last fall

Mulberries

This tree is in the front yard and was severely damaged by the April 27^th tornado last year.  It was touch and go whether it would make it.  Only half the tree is growing but the wonderful mulberries it produces are worth the eyesore.  The best way to collect the berries is to place a sheet or tarp on the ground under the tree and shake the various branches.  The berries fall out and you just pick them up.  Unfortunately, the squirrels have been jumping from tree to tree to avoid the dogs and they have already knocked a lot of the fruit out of the tree.

Blueberries

When the chickens were free-ranging in the orchard they helped themselves to the lower hanging blueberries.  As soon as these berries ripen and are picked, the Guinea Hogs will be let loose in the orchard to graze.

Muscadines

The muscadine bunches are still quite small on the established vines.  Some new vines were planted this year in what will eventually be the vineyard.  Last fall I remember seeing ripe muscadines all over and made a mental note to pick them.  The next day I went out with a bucket but could not find a single muscadine grape.  The birds and deer beat me to them.

Figs

Some new fig trees were planted earlier in the year beside the driveway up to the house.  There is an established tree in the orchard and an even larger fig tree outside of the house – this place was known as Fig Tree Farm after all!  There are hundreds of baby figs - looking forward to fig preserves later in the year.

So, with the snake from the last post, the apple beginning this post and finishing with the fig leaf - I am picking up on some definite Garden of Eden undertones here....

Comings and Goings

Comings

Several weeks ago another Aylesbury duck, Diana, was traded for some excess Barred Rock roosters.  The Aylesbury trio - Charles, Camilla and now Diana -  live with 7 Mallards and 3 Pekins in the duck run.  Unlike the chickens who return to their roost every night on their own, the Aylesbury ducks have to be wrangled into their hut at night and they make quite a fuss about it.  The Mallards and Pekins will eventually go into the hut on their own once it is dark.

Charles, Diana and Camilla in the "Royal Spa"

Several litters of baby rabbits have been born over the last couple of weeks.  All of the other kits were sold during the Easter period.  The plan for the current crop is to place them in a tractor once weaned and periodically move them around the garden.  This will provide a natural diet and allow them to be raised outside. 

Trudy, the American Guinea Hog sow finally farrowed her piglets.  It was an intense experience, to say the least.  Looking very pregnant with her belly touching the floor she went into labor last Saturday.  We discovered the first piglet already running around in the barn.  Trudy was having a difficult time with the second and after an hour or so we ended up having to do some impromptu pigwifery.  This second piglet died during the labor.  It was much larger than the first.  The third piglet was born fairly quickly after the second unassisted and was alive.  The fourth was a breech and another exceptionally large piglet.  After another difficult labor requiring assistance, it too was stillborn.  We were not sure if there were more piglets but that was it.  The vet’s advice on the phone was simple – Let nature take its course.  We believe the problems were due to the rich diet and only four piglets resulting in some really large piglets that got stuck in the birth canal.  These were approximately twice the size expected.  The next time the diet of any of the AGH pregnant sows will be better managed.

The face only a mother could love!

Is all this for me?

Trudy was in labor for approx 6 hours and then went to sleep.  The next morning she trotted out for food as normal.  The two live piglets are still doing fine.  These AGH are amazingly docile.  During the labor the boar came into the stable and laid down next to us and fell asleep.  I would not sit down in the stable with the commercial feeder pigs.  Even though Thing 2 is now essentially free-ranged since she escapes the paddock everyday whenever she pleases and then runs up to you when she sees you coming, I still would not trust this pig.  To this pig everything is food including the cats and the Canada geese.

Thing 2 on the loose.

The chicken population is about as dynamic as the population of a border town in South Texas.  In the minus column, excess roosters were traded and then the dog attack reported earlier removed a dozen or so.  In the plus column, two “waves” of chicks are currently running about the place.  The earlier wave was our first hatching and consisted of a number of Buff Orpingtons and Buff crosses.  The Rhode Island Reds and White Leghorns (I say, I say, boy….) are now out with the mixed flock in the orchard (behind more of a sturdy fence) and the chicks of the second hatching of Buffs are now out in the Buff coop.   A small corner was fenced off for them during the day but these little shape shifters somehow manage to fit through the fencing and escape out of their corner and out of the run itself.  

Doesn't take long for them to find the tomatoes!

Thirty guinea fowl arrived a couple of weeks ago from the hatchery.  These are known for their ability to eat ticks and other bugs while leaving your plants alone.  With the mild winter the bugs are terrible so a flock guinea fowl makes a lot of sense.  At 6:45 AM the post office called the house and insisted I come and pick up a package.  When I arrived at the post office it was still early and quiet.  I could hear these fowl chirping from outside the building.  They were loud.  When I knocked on the door the post master asked who I was then opened the door and thrust the box into my hands without checking my ID.  She said, They are as happy to see you as we are to get rid of them.  They are definitely loud!

Goings

Two of the second hatch of Buff chicks succumbed to what we believe was a snake while out in the brood coop.  One was missing and one was found dead.  Similarly, a rat snake got into one of the rabbit cages and killed one of the kits and ate another.  I was startled to say the least when I opened up the cage tonight and saw a large coiled snake staring back at me.  The doe was in the cage and the snake kept trying to bite her every time she came near it.  Having recovered from the shock I noticed this was a rat snake.  Not poisonous but gives a painful bite.  These are useful to have around for rodent control (particularly since the cats appear to be taking the summer off from mousing) and I have typically left these alone.  This one was actually in the rabbit cage and could not get out due to the bulge of a recently ingested baby rabbit.  I tried to skewer it with a sharp stick but this only made it mad.  I opened the door of the cage and it slid out towards me only to get hacked to pieces by the trusty tomahawk (Warning:  Gruesome pics).

Rat snake in the rabbit cage.

This pic shows the dead baby rabbit along with a partially-digested baby rabbit inside the snake. 

Circle of Life

After a short business trip last week I was amazed at how much the garden had grown and how the animals, particularly the ducklings, had grown in the few days I was away.  While growth abounds, death is never far away.  As much as we have tried to protect our animals some have died.  Some from predation, some from natural causes, and some intentionally slaughtered.  On the farm, new life and death are a natural part of it all.  In many ways our modern life is sanitized from this natural order yet for every generation of humans with the exception of the last few in parts of the West, this is normal.  This circle of life made the 238 lbs of pork I brought back from the butchers today extra special knowing that just a few days ago this was Spot and Hambone.

Bringing Home the Bacon

Hambone and Spot went off to the butcher last week.  The latter sentence does not effectively communicate the physical and emotional drain involved in taking two pigs that were raised from piglets to be slaughtered. 

The Physical

Realizing one day soon a livestock trailer would be needed, Craig’s List was scoured daily in the hope of finding something that would fit the need (i.e. cheap).  Unfortunately, a couple of promising prospects fell through at the last minute so there was little alternative than to build a cover for the utility trailer.   The intended design  was something that could be removed when not needed (363 days a year).  The pictures show the simple but practical shell that included an internal gate to stop the occupants from moving around during transport.  The wood and accessories cost around $160 and a large chunk of a Saturday for two people – still a far cry from $1,000 for a junk livestock trailer.

Having made some final modifications on the fateful morning (including a tie-down strap!), the next task was to load the pigs.  This is where the fun started.  These pigs could be led anywhere with their food bucket and the word “suweeeeee!”  Well, except into the back of the trailer.  Plan B was a lot of pushing and pulling but there was no moving the 200 lb animals where they did not want to go.  While taking a rest the word “hogtied” came to mind - Plan C.  Lassoing the legs of a can-can dancer would have been easier but eventually one leg of Hambone was caught followed by a tug-of-war.  Eventually she was dragged backwards kicking and screaming onto the trailer.  Spot was a little stronger but with some help she went on the trailer the same way.  

The Emotional

The 70 mile drive to the butcher was more difficult than expected.  Part of the challenge was driving with one eye on the road and the other on the mirror watching the trailer.  Eventually we arrived at the butcher in Clanton, AL.  After backing the trailer into the loading bay neither pig wanted to get up.  Spot walked onto the dock but I could not get Hambone to follow.  One of the workers used a cattle prod which got her moving (and me too).  That was the last time I saw the two pigs that were cute little piglets just a few short months ago.  I had nursed Spot back from death’s door so I felt a special attachment to this pig (as much as is appropriate outside of the Appalachians).  At least one if not both of these gilts were going to be bred at one time but they began to develop leg/foot problems.  While they could have been finished for another month or so we decided to take them now before their problems worsened with additional weight.  Their collective weight was 340 lbs, a little lighter than thought.

I was feeling pretty low after watching Spot and Hambone walk down death row until the lady at the butcher asked me how I wanted the meat.  That brought me out of it and we spent the next 15 minutes discussing options for approximately 260 lbs of pork.  Hambone and Spot will be ready in 2 weeks.