AND THEN THERE WERE THREE...

Did we mention that we got another piglet? Yep. We got another piglet. From our dear friends Little Seed Farm.His name is Trousers. And he's a messy eater.

PIGGIE UPDATE.

Here's an update: we are EXHAUSTED, the pigs are ornery and do not stay in any sort of pen we put them in, and we might be getting a third one tomorrow. Oh dear.

A SURPRISE BABY.

This past Monday began like most: up with the sun to feed the chickens, get the stove up and running to start making tea and breakfast, wash out our milk jugs because Mondays are milk days. We were expecting our neighbor Davis around 7:30 to deliver some hay for the garden, but when he called, he told us he would be bringing over something else instead.A few-hours-old piglet.We were planning on raising pigs this year, and possibly buying some from Davis, too. But he had been surprised on Sunday night by an unexpected litter, and by one little piglet outside all alone. He brought him home tucked inside his coat and then was up all night trying to warm up the little one/bottle feed him every two hours.And so our pig raising adventure has begun a few months early. And now that picture of new parents is us: waking up every two hours to warm up a bottle on the stove. It is a little bit insane. And a little bit wonderful. This life is a constant surprise, ever a change of plans. And as tired as we have been these past couple of days, every time we see this face it just seems worth it.

THEN: Tuesday morning, we got another call. And a baby brother.Boris (with the black spots), and Gomer. We are so proud.- Hannah.

THE BEST CHORE.

The cow we wrote about last week, Dandy, did in fact pass away. Not only was it very sad, but it also left the farm with a somewhat laborious chore - feeding her newborn calf.  With the Smith family on vacation, this task falls to us....but I'll be honest. While it is time-consuming and must be done twice a day, it is definitely not that much of a chore.Feeding this little orphan face every morning is a delight, crouching in the dewy grass while curious sheep and cows sniff at my ears. This little guy is, in fact, a little guy, but Jesse and I hope to one day raise and bottle-feed a little heifer to become our milk cow. Until that day, we will just keep practicing, and enjoying every minute of it.- Hannah.