Happy to say then that herewith I bring you glad tidings of great joy! Last night, under a cold crisp sky of a squillion stars, was born unto Maggie a piglet. And another. And yet more. Strange quasi pig shapes of wildly divergent sizes; with tiny eyes and well formed snouts; with black spots or spot (for they are Gloucesters born in smuggler country); splendidly pink and fluffy (albeit with trailing damp slime of umbilica).
I can and shall bear witness to this truth: a poor shepherd (I helped round up a few Herdwick escapees before breakfast), drawn by the brightest star (ok, Roger's missed call) from my dark hillock (the kitchen table in the big house, recovering from Cadno's excellent west country pork extravaganza), to see new life in a manger of straw (the recently reclaimed corner of the green barn). And lo, what great supernatural nature there was in said new life most squeally.
It was smooth and not smooth: mother Maggie huffed and puffed, and grunted and munted, and nigh kicked and rolled flat her feeble offspring (never imagined I that I would hold such a strong trotter for an hour or more); shook and vibrated and trembled did she sore; stuck and blocked her channel oft was; and three poor wet creatures beat not the darkness rude, their eyes opened not, most sad.
Yet yea, my friends, the Angel Christine not only heralded the new era with great high pitched peals of peace mirth; in troth she helped also usher it in, ushering in her very arm unto the deepest regions of the inferno divine: to free the farrow, to free the true tribe of twelve bundles of suckling tumbling cuteness.
Below a fuzzy record of the ineffable, lit by gentle heat lanterns alone.
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| When there were but nine |
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| Is it a piglet, is it a plane? No, it's a part placenta! |
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| Go on, climb up, plenty more yonder |
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| Me trying to help out Tiny Runty #2 |
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| Locked on |
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| Patting a new one dry |
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| The Angel Christine attendant |
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| Go Runty, Go! All calmed down now, back foot no longer spasmodic, first flash, leaving the babies for their first frosty night. And all 12 have pulled through so far.. |
Post script
Well, I'm afraid that's all folks. I've tried to put on some video, but no joy on that score so far. Will keep trying! And a few days on, I'm sorry to report that Runty #2 hasn't made it, and one poor fellow has been trampled. Very sad, but such a privilege to be part of it all.
If you've made it this far, a little plug... We've got planning permission to convert an end of our big barn into a farm shop. This could be a brilliant source of income to help us scrape by here - selling produce from the polytunnel and land, herbs, flowers, crafts and arts, goats cheese and soap... and, yes, have to say it even here, meat products (all part of the life and death and life thing). We've got the skills to build it, but need some cash injection...
I'll write another post on all that soon, but time is short for me at the moment, and particularly short on this fundraiser! It's through Kickstarter - a 'crowdsourcing' genius idea to promote entrepreneurial ideas. You have a set goal and timeframe, you offer rewards for donations - including yurt holidays and many more in our case :) - and hope that people will be enthused and pledge something to the cause. If we don't reach the target, the pledge doesn't get banked - so you don't give to something that will be a flop. If we go beyond the target, well that's all good: we can build it bigger and better! I won't normally use these posts for such things, promise! Link to video and more info here Many thanks if you're able to help at all.
