pigs, square bale feeder and more

we finally got our pigs. they are cute and frisky.

they are in the calf pen addition. it is made from pallets per ron's example. i picked up mikes feeder. it needed cleaning and a little touch up. i had some black spray paint and covered the rusty areas. we'll keep food in front of them at all times and feed them the waste milk products around here. whey soaked grain is really supposed to fatten them up quick. these pigs are 1/2 giant black--a heritage breed. so far we really like pigs and might make raising them a permanent addition to the farm.

the cows desperately need a square bale hay feeder that will keep the waste to a minimum. the idea is it will keep the weather out and be able to be moved to different areas for pasture development and maintenance. tabitha showed me a picture of what she thought would be perfect.

so i went to the lumberyard and asked if they had any culls. i slipped into my best missouri accent and toured the lumber yard with the manager. he started saying "a dollar here and a dollar there." i waited until we ran out of culled wood and offered him $20 for the whole lot--deal... here is the pile of wood that i came home with for the feeder.

toly verified it's value.

this is the foundation skid from landscape timbers. i had these laying around.


the first course made for good monkey bars.


toly helped too.


notice my fancy bale support.


kassi was the resident princess and purveyor of good cheer.


homemade rafters from yellow pine.


the construction is a little nonstandard. i want to be able to re-purpose all of it in case things change.

the roof might become and out house roof or a play house. you never know...


tristan decided that the entire thing was his monkey bar set.


brave?


just showing off.




this is all the further i could get today..