Well it has been a long time coming, but here is the first entry in our Benara farm blog. What a way to start it though with the birth of Pammy’s fourth litter.  10 of the cutest little black and white bundles you have seen. We have updated our photo section with pics of the little darlings. We have seven females and three males. They are all in good health and are now 11 days old and exploring their surroundings. We have a noticeable runt though; she is the tiniest piglet I have seen. Despite her size though she feeds well and is always in with the larger ones jostling for a booby.

We ear notched them the other day and I don’t know who was more traumatised, us, Pammy or the piglets. It is certainly not our favourite job, but a necessary one.

Onto other farm related business, Gordon (our Ram) and I are no longer on speaking terms. Chris and I were investigating a sighting of some sheep in the neighbouring bush and we took some sheep cubes down with us to entice the sheep back over the fence (annoying kangaroos putting holes in our fence –AGAIN). As usual the rest of the Dorpers lead by Holly and Molly followed us down and into the orchard. I was distracting them by chucking a few pellets on the ground for them whilst Chris looked for the gap in the fence. Anyhoo we didn’t see any sheep in the bush and counted the right number of ewes and wethers so were about to leave the orchard. I was walking in front whilst Holly, Molly, Gordon and another wether were behind me picking up the last of the pellets I had dropped. All of a sudden I was booted squarely on the bum by Gordon. I couldn’t believe it. I mean I know that Rams do that sort of thing, but not our lovely Gordon. Well he then went to do it again whilst I was turned around so I used the lid of the bin I had the pellets in as a form of shield. What a rogue. Just as well I have a good layer of padding on my bum to cushion the blow.

We have two new chickens...Light Sussex Hens (as yet unnamed). They seem to be getting along fine with Sinead our English Game rooster, even though he is about half their size. Now that we fixed up the chicken coup after the pigs destroyed it, it makes for quite a comfy home for them. Although a new, more palatial abode is on the cards for them in the not too distant future.

We are currently trying to fatten up one of our smaller lambs. She is skin and bones at the moment, but is on a diet of sheep cubes, hay and electrolytes and has really perked up. It will take a little while for us to see improvements in her weight, but we are confident with our love and attention, like most of our animals she will soon be a right fatty!

We have nine Muscovy ducklings for sale. They are now 5 weeks old and are such funny little things. They are really confident and aren’t afraid of Harvey who they realise is no real threat despite his size.

Our laneway is almost complete. We have had all the bumps and dips taken out and now it is nice and flat in preparation for getting the cement truck down it to pour the foundations for the pig sty’s. Speaking of pig sty’s we are looking at starting construction on them in April. They are going to have a cement floor with wire reinforcement to prevent them from digging the concrete up, with a brick enclosure, and a tin roof with a hatch we can lift up for ventilation and so we can peek in and check up on the pigs if necessary. Very flash!