Upcycling ideas for the dream space

James and I like to dream about building a barn/music studio/office in our field.  We'd love to have his piano there instead of at the cabin, which is 4 miles away so he doesn't play it as often as he or I would like.  Like planning a vacation, dreaming about it is half the fun.

The music studio would be a place to have parties, entertain and for James to practice with friends.  This would be the perfect place for these I ideas I saw today.  But where would I find 2 free grand pianos to make into these?

Now this next one we have and I could easily build, but whether James would let me use it is another story.

Here's a place he could store his music.  We have a really cool old wooden ladder in our wood shed that would be perfect for this.

You can't have too much lighting and these would be pretty hanging over the piano, don't you think?

Here's the website I saw these on http://www.viralnova.com/upcycled-products/  There are some other cool ideas on there you may find interesting.  I'll probably still be blogging about this dream space 10 years from now but that's ok.  That's more time to come up with neat ideas....  And change my mind about what I want.

Water water everywhere

We're lucky to be surrounded on three sides by water - Elk Creek to our south and east and the James River to our north.  After 14 inches of snow and then several days in the 60s and some heavy rain we had even more water than usual.  I wish I took pictures of the yard yesterday.  You can see one of the small ponds in the video of Baxter and the donkeys.  Today most of it has sunk into the ground and it's super mushy to walk on.

I really thought the river would be higher than it is.  Today Baxter and I took a few laps around the field and I took some pictures of the river and creek.  Elk Creek was a really pretty green color.

The James River is pretty muddy from all the rain and snow melt but you can't tell in this picture.

This picture is taken of the creek behind the house.  The rock formation on the right is where our farm got it's name, Elk Cliff Farm.  It's not really much of a cliff at all.  There's a nice swimming hole right at the bend but we hardly ever get in it because it's so cold.

This next one is the James River Rd. bridge, looking in the direction of the river.

Baxter got in the creek for the first time.

All these water pictures get me excited for summer when we can play in water again.  Today it was 70 degrees.  I can't stand the thought of going back to 20s and 30s again.  

VERY patient donkeys

Who will tire of this game first?


Chy and Wilson have never disliked dogs.  This makes them horrible guardians but wonderful pets.

A pretty meal

I saw this recipe on Facebook today http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/sunny-spinach-pie/
So I made it.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly but I was pretty pleased with the results.  I added mushrooms and onions and used chevre in place of the ricotta.  I topped it with toasted sesame seeds.  I highly recommend it.  Thanks Holly.

The stories they could tell

Upon a rise at Elk Cliff Farm she views her grazing herd

They do not know she watches, not goat, nor hog, nor bird.

For what she dreams and what she knows, is hers within to dwell

But now and then she'll spin a yarn.  The truth?  She'll never tell.

He belches up his morning cud, eyelids heavy as he chews

What rambles through a caprine’s mind a soul can only muse.

For what he’s seen and what he knows, this buck whose scent I smell

I’ve asked him once and sometimes twice, alas, he’ll never tell.

  

She’s wise and brave, the guardian, her loyalties run deep

At dusk and dawn the coyotes howl, she hears them in her sleep.

But what she stalks and what she’s slayed, what’s heard her solemn knell

Only wild things that mean to prey but they’re not here to tell.

Oh rooster with your chest so broad, what pride you do project

You strut and crow, put on a show, your girls you must protect

Our home would be much quieter without your GOOD MORNING yell

But our farm’s not a farm without you, and that I’m here to tell.

She may be large and cause you fright, her size can’t be ignored

Her snout alone can move the earth, but still she is adored

Sometimes I think she’s smiling, her grunts sing "all is well"

But does she ponder death?  That’s hers alone to tell.

Perhaps she feels assaulted as I steal her calf’s sweet fare

Yet she stands without protesting as if she doesn’t care

I squeeze and pull and thank her, this cow who wears a bell

But does she love or hate me, in truth, I cannot tell.

A donkey is misunderstood, a stubborn thing, we say

But safety is her first concern, she will not bolt or stray

Her ears are like antennas,  alert for the warning bell

But what they hear, those long ears, no one can ever tell

Again she stands and watches as the sun rests 'hind the hill

The chickens find their place inside as shadows bring a chill

A wave of calmness claims her as she waves to all farewell

For life is good at Elk Cliff Farm, and that she's glad to tell.

Great Pyrenees and baby goats

Our Great Pyrenees, Keri, will be 3 years old in April.  For the past two kidding seasons I haven't let her get close to the babies for a few days, and only then very closely supervised.  I was afraid she'd get too excited by their smell (afterbirth and all that) and hurt them.  She was just too excitable.  This past year she has grown very attached to the mothers-to-be and I think I'm going to let her watch the births or at least be nearby and meet the babies as soon as the other goats do.  She has formed the bond I'd hoped she would with the goats and I'd like to think she'll understand the babies are part of her herd.  It makes me very happy to see how close she is to the goats and how protective she is of them.

My friend Mollie's pig had babies 2 nights ago.  Her 2 dogs stood watch over them.  I love this picture of them on guard.

This is what I hope to see this March and April.

Cats and dogs

Word must have gotten out that we accept strays at our farm.  Last week a little gray kitty showed up here.  It's not unusual to see a cat roaming around but the one we're used to is a white and brown feral cat who is afraid of us.  We assume he's here for the mice.  It would be nice if he'd get rid of the moles and voles who are wreaking havoc on our yard and green house.   This grey kitty, who has no name as of yet (except grey kitty), is a friendly, purring, persistent thing who wants lots of attention.  Often we can hear her from inside the house, meowing at the back door.  It's hard to walk in the driveway without her falling down on her back in front of your feet.  Ignoring her is nearly impossible.  She's everywhere.  Seriously, everywhere.  If I'm in the goat barn, she's there.  This afternoon I opened the truck door and she didn't ask permission to enter.

Baxter thinks she'd be great fun to play with but she hisses at him and stays just out of reach.

Baxter continues to be a delightful little dog.  He's funny and cuddly and has fit in very easily.  He has a flaw though.  Much like the meowing, in-the-way kitty, he does something that can't be ignored, and this is one of the reasons he sleeps in a crate downstairs in the dining room at night, while Lex sleeps on the floor of our bedroom upstairs.

One month to go

One month from today 3 of my goats are due to kid.  Today I saw this adorable picture and it made me want a little goat running around our house in a diaper and a onesie.

Maybe only for one day.  I had a few bottle babies last year and I can't say I really liked it.  At first it's cute when they follow you around and call you mommy.  After a few days of SCREAMING mommy and wanting to be at my heels all the time it's not as much fun.  Maybe I'll buy a onesie at Goodwill just to dress babies up for pictures.  

Snow plows

We had our first big snow of the winter yesterday.  I measured 14 inches.  I lost sleep the night before, worrying about how I'd get to all the animals the next morning and how the little guys would be able to get around in it.  The chickens didn't.  They stayed in their coop all day yesterday and today.  Well, most of them did.  A few of them are good flyers and I caught sight of them here and there.  The rest took 2 snow days.

The little animals followed in the bigger animals' tracks.  Roxie and Keri make excellent snow plows.  Keri charges through it like it's nothing and Roxie pushes through it steadily.  Her underbelly was really pink and I felt bad about that but what could I do?  She was just as excited about food as ever and didn't act uncomfortable.  The little pigs filed single file everywhere, staying in the tracks, never making their own.

The goats weren't happy about the snow but they were out in it more than I expected.  Mostly they followed in Keri's tracks but I was surprised when they came to see me in the afternoon and Luti led the way being a snow plow herself.  The others followed their leader.  Cato is a tiny thing and stays very close to the others.  He was sopping wet most of the day and I'm sure he was glad when they all curled up together in the shed or trailer.

I don't know how I would have managed without our old 4 wheel drive pickup.  It drove right through the snow so I didn't have to walk around the field with my milking stuff and make many trips back and forth with buckets.  Carrying a 5 gallon bucket of water or food is really hard when the snow is that deep because you have to hold the bucket up so it won't drag through the snow.  I honestly don't think I could have walked that far and back a few times.  There are 7 gates we have to go through to get to all the animals.  We shoveled open 5 of them.  The last 2 I just shoved until I got them open enough to squeeze through.

Lex only ventured outside twice yesterday to take care of business.  At night I heard him crying because he fell down and couldn't get his back end up.  I had to lift him and then he was fine and could make it back up the steps.  I feel so sorry for him because I know he'd love to run and play in the snow like Keri and Baxter.  Baxter was afraid of it at first and it was hard to get him to pee in the morning.  By afternoon he discovered he loved it and didn't want to come back inside.  Today we took him for a lap around the field (3/4 of a mile).  It wore me out but I'm not so sure about him.  He loves to burrow in it.

The mountains look beautiful and with the sun shining today put me in a much better mood to view it all.  Our high temperature today was 53 so the snow is melting fast.

The snow is slipping off all our metal roofs.  This one hit the ground before it broke off.

Until all the snow falls off the roof of our house it's kind of dangerous to walk in that danger area.

It was a happy Valentine's Day.  I hope you all enjoyed it too.  

New life at the farm

My mom asked the other day if there was any new life on the farm.  That morning was the first morning I had checked to see if I could feel babies moving in my goats.  Sure enough, I felt kicking in Pessa, Respa and Luti.  Respa is pretty thin so I was wondering if she was really pregnant.  I can't imagine she could have more than one baby in there.   Most of the others are pretty round or at least filled out more.  I think Respa just has a fast metabolism.  Every morning she joins the pigs to eat their food instead of eating with the goats.  She acts like she's starving.  Ok, goats always act like they're starving.  I love this picture of Respa and Roxie sharing breakfast.

The first goat kids aren't due until mid March.  Hopefully it will warm up by then.

As of yesterday we have a new addition to the farm.  As my sister pointed out, this is the first animal in a long time that didn't need a new barn.  Meet Lex's little brother, Baxter.  Baxter, smile for the camera.

I love  his underbite, don't you?  He's a happy little guy whose tail only stops wagging when he's sleeping.  I got him yesterday from our local SPCA.  He'd been there since December and I can't believe no one adopted him sooner.   I was told he was a stray and they knew nothing about him.  He's approximately 3 years old, housebroken, walks great on a leash, isn't anxious, has a beautiful coat and teeth and a wonderful disposition.  He was recently neutered and I hope eventually he'll stop humping Lex.   That's the only fault I can find with him so far.  He absolutely adores Lex.  He follows him everywhere and wants him to play.  I haven't figured out what Lex thinks of him yet but sometimes  he probably views him like this.

One thing Lex does like about him is he bathes Lex.  He will never have dirty ears again.  He even licks Lex's sore back legs.

He's a terrier mix of some kind.  He looks to have Cairn Terrier maybe?  Whatever he is, he's cute and I just love him.  Lex will be 13 in April and I'm hoping he'll be a good trainer for Baxter.

Animal whisperers

Yesterday a friend introduced me to the show The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan.  I'd heard of it but never watched it before and now want to watch every episode I can on Netflix.  I've also recently watched documentaries and read books about Buck Brannaman, the horse whisperer, which are equally as amazing and intriguing.

As I watch the Dog Whisperer I find myself getting frustrated with the owners' behaviors, but at the same time, recognize so many things they do that are what I grew up doing with dogs.  My family is the perfect example of loving our dogs so much that we let them rule the household.  It's definitely something that can be passed from generation to generation.  I'm pleased to see though,  my nieces, Adam and Melissa are much better at disciplining their dogs than my parents, sisters and I have ever been.  Maybe it's because they've seen The Dog Whisperer, I don't know.  It's not that we've had horribly behaved dogs, we've been lucky not to have any really aggressive dogs take advantage of our submissive, what-can-I-do-to-please-you behaviors.  Every time I've gotten a puppy I think I'm going to be more authoritative.  Ha!  That doesn't last very long, BUT I have gotten better.

I've seen evidence in working with my donkeys and cow, that being firm and being in control makes a happier, friendlier, more confident, pleasant-to-be-around,  animal.

My standard donkey, Wilson, is now 3 1/2 years old and strong enough to support weight on his back.  He adores me (or maybe I'm projecting again here) and I think he'd be pleased to have a job and give me a ride.  This is my next goal - to ride him.  Stay tuned for progress on this front.

I'll admit I'm a pushover with my animals and there's work to be done in recognizing they don't have human brains and emotions.  They live in the now and don't hold grudges.  They want stability, direction and a strong leader.  I'm going to be that leader.

I hesitate to post this link http://www.hopeforpaws.org/ because people like me and my family who watch these dog rescue videos want to rescue every dog like this and spoil them like we've always done.  They're so sad and touching.  They make you want to rescue any animal that has been neglected or abused.  I can't help but share them though.

As I typed this my very submissive, sweet dog, who makes me look like a good pet owner, sleeps by my side.

Thaw

Ground hog, be damned.  The last 2 days made me feel like spring is right around the corner, with the thermometer hovering around 60 degrees.  To look at the animals you'd have thought it was 90.  Every time I filled the pig water trough Roxie would either bite and spill it or she'd flop right on top it to have a bath.  I sprayed her with the hose and she was pretty pleased with that.

By mid afternoon the goats and donkeys were hanging out in any shade they could find.  Remember, it was only 60 degrees.   The pigs, with little hair, were sunbathing.

I opened up Raisa's fence so she'd have access to the same pasture as Willo and Jaz (big donkeys).  They've been watching each other over her electric ribbon ever since she got here but I had no idea how they'd get along without that ribbon between them.  They seemed cautious and curious but they all seem to be happy with the arrangement.  This morning when I went out to milk, all 3 of them were grazing together.  Raisa keeps her eye on them when they're nearby but I'm not sure if it's because they make her nervous or because she finds them interesting.  I'm pretty sure Jaz would love to sniff Raisa but she's not quite ready for that.

I'd been wondering if she was lonely being all by herself all the time.  Whenever I visited with her she'd come running and when she realized I had no food for her she wanted a head scratch.  She seems even a little more demanding of attention now that the donkeys are on her turf.  Jealousy, maybe.  I love the way she follows me like the donkeys, goats and pigs do.

To give you an idea how the ground has thawed check out this rooster's feet.


Why can't it last????????  I don't want to go back into my hole.

#Felfies

By now most of you have heard the word selfie.  I read 2013 was "The Year Of The Selfie".    It's not just in the US either.  Folks in other countries are just as vain as we Americans.  And it appears the farmer is not immune to this latest trend.  Hence the word Felfie, or farmer selfie.

Modern Farmer reports that the phenomenon seems to have started with William Wilson, a farmer’s son from the UK, who noticed a contest for farmer selfies in the Irish Farmer Journal. He started farmerselfies.com, which helped create the hashtag “felfie.” And so it goes.  Check these felfies out  http://www.google.com/search?q=felfie&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-d_qUrPaNc-ysATh14HQAw&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=721

Not too long ago I posted a felfie of me and Raisa.   Today I took a felfie of me and Roxie to compare to a photo James took of me when Roxie was just a baby.  Roxie and I have both put on a few lbs.  I've maybe put on 5 lbs while Roxie has put on 700 to 800.

This photo is way more flattering of Roxie than me but I was doing my best just to get a shot of both of us.  She even smiled for the camera.  She's still cute, don't you think?

I measured the pigs to get an estimated weight on them a few days ago.  Roxie came in at 823 lbs.  I don't know if that's right or not but I'm pretty sure she's more than 700 lbs.  The first picture was taken 2 1/2 years ago.  Isn't that amazing?  

I need to get a haircut, lose a few pounds or get a facelift (just kidding) before I take anymore felfies.  Or at least look up at the camera and not down :)  Roxie is very photogenic and her jowls add character to her face.

Playing games

James and I returned from PA yesterday after a visit to celebrate a belated Christmas with my family.  Saturday night we gathered at my sister's.  Thirteen of us were sitting around the dinner table and I said, "let's play a game", or something to that effect.  I know some people hate games and surely some groaned when I suggested this, but for some reason they all humored me and everyone played.  I assured them it was simple and you didn't need to know anything to play this game.  There are no winners or losers.  Here's how you play.  I have no idea if this game has a name or not.  It's kind of like Whisper Down The Lane.

Everyone gets a blank piece of paper and writes a sentence across the top.  It can be anything.  Let's say I wrote I love to play games.  Next we pass our paper to the person beside us.  They read the sentence to themselves and draw a picture they think illustrates our sentence.  Maybe something like this.

After drawing the picture you fold the paper over, hiding the sentence but leaving the picture exposed, then the paper is handed to the next person.  That person is to write a sentence that they think the picture describes.

Again the paper is folded over, this time to hide the picture and leave the most recent sentence.  This continues until everyone at the table has added to each paper or until someone says, "ok, that's enough".  In the end the paper may look something like this.

You get the picture.  The fun part is reading the sentences aloud and seeing where they started and where they ended up.  Sometimes they stay pretty close to the original sentence but most times they stray far from the subject matter.  I loved playing with my family and I appreciate them being such good sports and humoring me.

Speaking of which, James is my prince when it comes to humoring me.  I'm not kidding.  I drove the 7 hours home from PA while James worked on his laptop in the passenger seat.   I had my headphones on listening to Pandora radio.  I said to him, "it's really hard listening to all these songs I love without singing out loud".  He responded, "go ahead, you can sing".  Oh right.  Who would want to hear someone sing out loud to music they can't hear?  It makes me laugh just thinking about how I'd sound singing with earphones in.  I'm tempted to video myself doing just that but I DO have some pride, believe it or not.

Dogs, donkeys and waterfalls

We've been having cold temperatures for VA but not much snow, thank goodness.  Two days ago we got an inch of snow, at the most.  This made Keri very happy.  She loves this kind of weather.  When Temperatures dropped into the single digits I worried that people might report me for keeping Keri outdoors.  Anyone who knows Great Pyrenees knows that hot weather makes them very uncomfortable and cold weather is a reason for them to bounce and roll.  Keri throws herself onto her back for a tummy rub and I doubt she knows there's snow beneath her.  I wish snow made me this happy.


James, Adam, Melissa and I hiked to "our waterfall" a few days ago.  We like to think of it as ours because it's not much of a hike to get there from behind our cabin and we've never seen anyone else there.  It's fun to explore it in warm weather when you can climb the falls and keep discovering new pools and slides around the next corner.  It's a beautiful creek and definitely photo-worthy.  We only went to the bottom of it this week though because there was lots of ice and slippery leaves.  It was still beautiful with ice formations everywhere.  This video won't do it justice but I'll share it with you anyway.


This next video shows how our guardian donkeys are not such good guardians at all.  Donkeys are supposed to keep away coyotes and strange dogs.  They have a natural dislike for canines.  For some reason they were fascinated with our grandpuppy, Maia.  She would spend hours watching them and them watching her.  I saw Maia lick Chy's udder, chew her hoof, lick her butt, bite Wilson's nose and clean their mouths after eating licorice, with very little reaction from them.  It was a mutual infatuation and I loved watching them together.


James and I got a GoPro (video camera) for Christmas.  One day I should wear it while I do my morning chores so you can come along with me.

Slow time

There's not a lot going on at the farm this time of year.  I'm already looking forward to warm weather when things get busier.  As much as I dislike winter, it sure makes for pretty pictures.



Until ths week no one else had milked Raisa but me and I needed to know she'd stand still for someone else when we need a farm sitter.  James volunteered and Raisa was just fine with him.

We're puppy sitting this week and I worried about how Lex would feel about sharing the house and our attention with this lively little girl.  I need not have worried.  I think he will miss her when she goes back home.  He'll probably also sleep a lot.

Today I finally unglued my butt from the couch and did some fence repair so when the goats return to their usual pasture it will be safe and ready for babies.  There's plenty for me to do but I keep saying it's a slow time of the year. 

Sleeping arrangements

I wish  had a picture to show you of the pigs tonight.  I went out to close up the chickens and feed Keri and thought I'd check on the pigs while I was out there.  Roxie has been gathering more grass for their nest in the trailer the past few days.  I guess she knew bad weather was coming.  Animals are amazing that way.  I approached the trailer and saw Roxie burrowed down in her nest, her face looking out the door.  Behind her was a pile of 4 pigs.  I really mean it when I say "a pile".  The 4 GOS and Large Black pigs were draped across each other right behind Roxie's butt.  I don't know how they could breathe the way they were stacked up.  It was adorable so I grabbed my phone and by the time I figured out how to take a picture with a flash they piled out of the trailer thinking I'd brought them some food.  I felt bad about that. They looked so cozy and I disturbed them.

The goats have also moved their bedroom tonight.  They finally decided to sleep in the trailer we recently got them.  I hope Keri piles in there with them tonight.  She usually sleeps with them but she'd need to be in the doorway so she can keep an eye out for danger. 

Tomorrow night our lows are supposed to drop to -1 with strong winds.  I hate this.  I'm glad to know, though, the animals have figured out on their own how to best keep warm. 

Caring for livestock in the winter

Eighteen degrees, the thermometer said.  Yuck, I said.  I had to get outside early because the door to the horse trailer was closed and I knew the goats were in it last night.  The wind must have shut them in and Keri out.  I didn't even have a cup of coffee, which I selfishly have every morning before going outside to feed. 

The water buckets had at least an inch  thick layer of ice on them.  I decided to fill a bunch of 5 gallon buckets, load them in a wagon and pull it with my lawn tractor so the goats would have warm water to drink.  First I had to empty all the buckets and melt the ice off them.  Next I had to put air in all 4 tires of the wagon, which hadn't been used in a very long time.  At least 1/3 of the water sloshed out on my way to the field but I had plenty to fill the goats big tub with.  I thought they'd go nuts over it.  Goats love warm water.  Only Cato drank it and I worried because his long ears were dangling in the water and I feared frostbite. 

I own 2 heated buckets and I was glad to see they both still worked.  I should probably get some more.  I'd also like to have a heated chicken waterer.  The one I had in the coop was a solid mass of ice.  When I went to let the chickens out I discovered another reason we're not getting the eggs I'd expect from the hens.  Three of the "hens" are roosters.  I had been suspicious of a few but today they made it very obvious.

My milking machine doesn't like the cold so this morning I heated up one of those rice bag heating pads and wrapped it around the pulsator.  I don't know if it helped or not but it eventually reached the suction pressure I needed and all was well.  It was windy and I could see evidence of Raisa having spent a good deal of time in the part of the shelter that was out of the wind.  None of the animals like the cold wind. 

The little black pigs no longer sleep in their own little shelter.  Last night I saw them sleeping under the stock trailer the other 3 pigs sleep in.  Late this afternoon I saw the black pigs come out of the trailer so I wonder if tonight all 5 will curl up together inside.  I hope so.  The young pigs don't have much hair or fat to keep them warm like the others.

Morning chores took 3 hours instead of my usual 1.  As much as I dislike the cold, I really didn't mind it today.  It felt good to be moving and it was probably good I went straight outside instead of sitting down, sipping my coffee in front of the computer.  I may not have wanted to get up if I gave it too much thought.
 
Lex is glad he's an inside dog.  Next week when temperatures drop into the single digits you may see me wrapped in this blanket with him. 

New Year's Day Drive

It was beautiful today so we harnessed Willo up and took her for a drive.

Like her owner, Willo has put on a few pounds and her harness was a bit tight.  Exercise was just what she needed.  Jaz got some exercise too because she followed us along the fenceline whenever she could.  She was very jealous.  We're now storing the cart in Raisa's barn instead of up by the house.   Maybe we'll use it more often if it's more convenient.

As we crossed the field after our ride we saw Keri scooting on her stomach to get out of the chicken coop.  The doorway can't be more than a foot high so it seems it would be uncomfortable for her to get in and out.  Light bulbs went on in our heads.  We haven't gotten eggs in a very long time.   Could it be the chickens are laying but a big rascal has been stealing them?  We're going to keep them locked up for a few days and see if we start getting eggs again.  We also need to figure out what we're going to do with the chickens.  They keep going in the road.  We've already relocated them once but this morning they discovered a different road.  Why would chickens leave 26 acres to stand in a road?  Next we may move them down near Raisa, far from the roads, but I don't think they'll be safe down there.  I may try closing them in with electro-netting but some of them are really good flyers.  Sometimes I think I should give up on chickens and buy my eggs from friends. 

I wonder what the new year will bring.  Happy 2014.
 

Is intelligence a good thing in an animal?

We were at a party the other night and a guy told a story of a man who was bragging to his vet about how smart his puppy was.  The vet shook his head and laughed.  He said, "you want a dumb dog, not a smart one".   Most of us who have owned dogs (any animal, really) understand why this might make sense.  We may not want a dumb dog but we probably don't want a dog that's so smart it gets bored easily and wreaks havoc on our home or can outsmart us. 

But how smart is too smart or smart enough?  Here's a smart little guy of mine.

He seems content to stay in his cage most of the time, chattering away.  When I let him out he eventually heads back to his cage.  I don't think he's bored in there.  I think he feels safe and happy.  He knows hundreds of words and sounds but usually they're random  and not always appropriate for what's going on.  He may ask me where I am when I'm standing in front of him.  He will also ask this 20 times in a row.  But then, how smart am I when I answer him every time?  He knows if he asks me questions he'll get a response from me, which seems to make him happy.  Smart?  Maybe.

People say pigs are smart.  I'm not sold on that.  My pigs test the electric fence over and over again.  I've seen a few touch it with their nose and squeal in pain more than a few times in one day.   I think a lot of what pigs do or how they react is more instinct and food motivated than anything else.  They recognize my car as a deli on wheels.   They know I'm their waitress.  If they learn to do tricks it's because they receive a treat as a reward. They open gates, build nests and wallows and do all kinds of things I'm fascinated by but I'm not sure if it's because they're smart, strong, or trying to make themselves more comfortable.  Here's a blog posting by someone else about how dumb/smart his pigs are http://sugarmtnfarm.com/dumb-pig-smart-pig/  He says it better than I.  He's raised hundreds and hundreds of pigs.  Those of you raising pigs will enjoy his blog.

When I told a friend I was getting a cow he said, "cows are dumb".  Well, I certainly don't think Raisa is dumb but I haven't figured out yet if she's smart either.  She acts very much like most of my other animals.  That is to say, she's affectionate, comes to me for treats and learned our routine quickly.  I'd say she's as smart as I'd like her to be.  Today she head-butted me.  She'd never done that before.  I know why she did it though.  She thought I came to feed her and when I didn't she let me know how she felt about it.  I was sure not to give her any treats after that.  Raisa does have a lot of personality but whether that means she's smart or not, I don't know.  The farrier thought she seemed way more playful and bouncy than a 7 year old cow usually is.  She raises cattle.

I can definitely see how some of my goats are smarter than others.  Luti, the herd queen, is probably the smartest.  I just went back over old blog posts and saw I've blogged about my animals' intelligence more than once so apparently I'm one of those people who brag about how smart her animals are.  Here's one of when I blogged about how smart Luti is because she can open stall latches.   http://holesinmyjeans-kpannabecker.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-slow-learner.html  Luti follows Keri very closely, knowing what Keri's job is.  The other goats follow Luti. 

Turkeys?  Not smart.  Funny though.

I'm told donkeys are smart and I'm pretty sure this is true.  Willo is one of those animals who, because she's smart, is also feisty, bossy and knows how to push my buttons.  She's also the boss of other animals.  I'm finding that the smartest in a bunch seems to be the leader.   Luti and Willo are examples of this.  In the pigs' case, Roxie is the boss but that mostly has to do with size, I think.

Of all my animals Keri gets the opportunity to show me how smart she is the most.  If you're a guest here and only have a short time to get to know her you'll think she's just a bouncy, lunatic of a dog.  But if you have the chance to spend more time with her you'll see there's more inside that fluffy head than you may have first thought. 

Today the farrier was here and Keri danced around her insanely as usual then disappeared to find her charges.  She laid in the grass and watched them graze.  Soon Mattox and Black Olive (two black piglets) showed up and Keri began pawing and chasing them.  I yelled at her to leave them alone until I realized what she was doing.  She got on the far side of them and herded them back to the fence where the other pigs were.  After they ducked under their fence Keri turned, looked at me and wagged her tail.  I've seen her herd chickens where she thinks they belong too.  I didn't know this was instinctive in a Great Pyrenees.  I thought they just guarded.  I told the farrier about Keri and the raccoon and we decided that maybe Keri knew the animal was sick and she knew better than to bite it and that's why she kept putting herself between it, and the goats and me.  I believe Keri is much happier in the field than up here in the smaller fence.  There's more for her to do over there.  I wonder how she'll feel about moving back here in March when it's time for the goats to kid.  She's one of those dogs that might be trouble inside a house. 

I've been raising livestock for 6 years now and I love how they keep entertaining, surprising and teaching me things.  I guess I'm one of those creatures that isn't so smart that I get bored easily.