Getting ready

the car is almost all loaded. Lisa is packed and almost ready and I am working on the last shirt I need to finish before I can leave and then this family is headed to the pig farm for a week long visit! The kids are looking forward to days of the barn. I am looking forward to time to relax and spend with family.

We are going out for supper with Dennis before we leave. And he will join us in a few days. So if I do not get back on Happy Thanksgiving to you all! And I hope your weekend is safe and fun filled with family and friends!

The pigs in the barn

The farm has many wings in the barn. You could get lost going in circles i swear somedays finding where the pigs are farrowing that day. But the sows waiting to get bred or that are bred but waiting to go to farrowing are in 2 sections. There they hang out till it is their time to go to farrowing. Dennis helped cut tails one day and I did the next. Matthew likes the ones with the pink heads as they go to Jimmy Dean and Mini likes the small babies not so much the bigger ones that make a lot of noise. I took a picture of the barns from the outside though to as the inside gives you no clue as to the size of this thing! We love the farm and love that life moves so slow there. Someday I hope can move that slow for us to!

The rows of sows standing there are 2 rows like that in the wing i took the picture in. The other is not as big I do not think but I could be wrong I did not count thr rows in that side. But in farrowing there are 24 sows per room and I want to say 20 farrowing rooms. It is a lot of pigs let me tell you and the kids have to check them all out at least once a day.

Oreo and her pigs

Most of the farm is white sows with white babies born. All that is except Oreo and now Oreo's babies. She had 8 nice sized babies. And they are all marked to stay on the farm and be raised except 1 who happens to be a boy. The kids were so very excited to see them marked to stay and not go to Jimmy Dean.

Checking out the fish

We did make it over to check out the fish. And we decided next time a picnic luch is in order as time passes much to quickly while you walk around and look! The kids love to feed the fish and see if they can get them to do a trick. the big ones are my favorite to watch and make come up. We did get to watch the guys scoop out and weigh the smaller ones to see if they were big enough to be released. They wait till they weigh in at 2 per pound to release them into streams. The big ones are the ones that will be released after they use them for spawning for a few years. I want to catch the big ones!

The water steps

It may not be the big waterfalls of Oregon but the steps they have at the fish hatery are neat. A good book and time is all I would need to pass an afternoon on the sunny green lawn next to this.

No fear here

My son has no fear I tell you none! So he was watching the river then he went and found a man fishing so he watched. Then, he sat down and soon he was fishing! Oh and the man was so nice to him! And they retied a hook when they lost it in the tree and they sat and fished and talked. I do not know your name but thank you for the patience and the kindness you showed to my Matthew as he just sat down by you!

flowers galore at the fish hatchery

We went to Iowa and went to the fish hatery and the field of flowers was amazing to see! All black eyed susan daisey except a few. You had to look for them to find a solid yellow one.

oh the Joy of Iowa

So I am sure you are all wondering what I could be doing down here that is so very fun? We got here Friday eveing and started the grill up. A charcoal grill I might add. And got brauts and hotdogs going while we waited for Nancy and Larry to get home. We sat in rocking chairs and watched the food get done. And in the calm and quiet I know i could live away from all the fast paced cities. But that is not in store for us. Dennis says he is not commuting 3 hours! I do not understand!?

And Sat we went to the barns early and got our work done and then home to shower and off to the bent and dent we went. We got lots of good things. And then we took the kids home for lunch and a nap. And last night we lit a fire by the driveway and cracked a few beers and one of the owners came over to visit.

Today we went to the barns and had lunch and roasted marshmellows over the grill. Because with this kind of wind we have today there is no having a fire! We are planning a trip to the fish hatchery as soon as the 2 little ones wake up from naps. And then a night of WII playing is going to happen!