One door closes and another opens.

30th November
To offset our disappointment at not receiving Ulotte the donkey yesterday, today at church we have been offered two female goats for free! We had been considering getting a couple of goats to start clearing the brambles in the lower field, so it was a welcome offer. They are mother and daughter and although the daughter no longer feeding, the owners have been milking the nanny-goat and so there is the possibility of having the milk and even having a go at making goats cheese (yum yum!). Have I really got time to fit all this in?

After much discussing, arguing and heartfelt consideration, we have finally decided that Big Face the pig is indeed going for slaughter as we originally intended. Tom is fighting our decision and declaring that he won’t eat a mouthful and we are cruel, etc etc, but this is what we originally intended and I’ve decided not to be bullied off the decision. The female needs to grow a little and so she will be kept until the spring. Wednesday is the day that our friendly local farmer is coming to do the deed. Thursday he will do the butchering and we are going to watch very carefully in the hopes that next time we can do that part ourselves. More on that after the event…