May - 28th

The dogs join me on the porch while I read after work, usually after they have been fed. They have to wait until I get back around 4:30, I'm not getting up any earlier than I already do to feed them before I go to work.

They watch the goings on of the neighborhood, and occasionally take off after a cat or squirrel...

This is about 10 days worth of food, just the boney and meaty bits (chicken, beef, and pork for this round). The grain-mix, liver, eggs, and extras are stored on top of the lid in their own containers.

Today's meal included a small serving of finely chopped organic greens. I want to see how well the dogs tolerate them, since there are a lot of leftovers after the farmer's markets and we don't try to re-sell two day old greens. (I'm gonna try squash after this.) We eat them, or they are given to the chickens.


Speaking of chickens...

You know it's feeding time when 200 some odd chickens (and a few roosters) gather around the fences or gates when you walk by.

May - 26

First, some dog food.

 

Look at that pork (upper right). Some of the best pork I have ever seen is being fed to these lucky dogs right now.

More fabulous pork.

Yes, the egg yolks from my farm's hens are really that bright.

 The most recent pot of dog mush. I made a lot more than I originally thought... It contains oats, rice, sardines, canned clams and oysters, ground roasted chicory root, and a few eggs.

 Juneau strikes an odd eating pose.

 I took Conker on a short hike today. He was so happy to be in the woods!

 I basically let him do whatever he wanted. He ranged out pretty far a few times, but always came back in a timely manner. I al glad he is still a reliable off-leash hiking dog.

Conker Food Update

Conker has been very enthusiastic ab out food lately. So much so, that he'll eat whole pieces of raw bone-in chicken! Yay! I dunno if it's just him deciding to be a normal dog for a change, or that I'm gone for 8 hours every weekday now, but now that he's eating big chunks without picking things out I'm not mincing and mixing his food anymore.

Here's some recentish meals.

Juneau and Sasha had kibble mixed with ground beef and yogurt. Conker had his mince mix.

 A raw-food meal for Sasha. Consists of a chicken leg, pork meat, beef liver, and a couple farm eggs.

Here's some raw-food meals for the dogs. More or less similar to the previous picture.

These meals include a mixture of rice and oats, as well as mollusks.

In this one, the rice and oats are replaced with leftover pancakes. (For the Girls, Conker doesn't get pancakes.)

And this was the last of Conker's mince mix. I gave some to the Girls, along with some extra rice.

All three of the dogs are getting whole-foods now. I do still have some kibble left, but I'd rather work through my freezer of meat for a while. Plus I prefer to feed the dogs real food, it's healthier and more fun.

They usually get something like: Chicken Q chunks; a leg or thigh and back strip (1/2 Q) for the Girls and either a leg, thigh, or back strip for Conker (1/3rd Q), a hunk of pork or beef (usually pork), some beef liver, mollusks (oysters and clams), fresh farm eggs, rice or oats or both, and the supplements (kelp, chicory root, vitamin E for everybody, fish oil for Conker and Juneau, joint stuff for Conker). Sometimes I give leftovers as part of the meal (as is the case with the pancakes) and omit a regular item. They occasionally get yogurt or cottage cheese. Conker frequently gets raw goats milk when I have a glass.

Lack of updates is due to...

 
I got a job. On a farm. An organic farm.

One of the farm dogs, Winnie, a black-and-brindle Aussie Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix.

There is a lot to do on the farm, and I do a little bit of everything. Milk the cows (goats this upcoming week), clear brush, plant things, set up or move irrigation lines, pull weeds, move various things around, make soil blocks or seed trays, feed the chickens/collect eggs, burn stuff, etc. etc. etc.
So far, I totally love it!

A burn pile. Very hot.

Every day is a bit different. There are a few routine things like milking the cows and goats, feeding the chickens and collecting eggs, and watering some things, but for the most part there is no actual routine. I totally love that. I hate doing the same thing over and over in the same order day after day, so this is really working out well for me.

The "screaming hen"

On this farm, there are things called WWOOFers. They are basically temporary workers who exchange hard labor for room and board. This farm offers either 25 hour weeks, or 40 hour weeks, where the additional hours are paid instead of just for room and board. All the WWOOFers are currently doing the 40 hour weeks on the farm.

Penelope, a (brindle!) Jersey/Milking Shorthorn, being milked by a low-tech machine.

Two of the WWOOFers are married. One is from Ukraine, and her husband is from Philedalphia. They are a really neat couple and eat some very interesting food. Another WWOOFer rode his bike to the farm, from Portland!

Idamae, a Guernsey cow, tells us not to remove the pine from the fence.

One of the perks to working on this farm is...

Free organic food! I was not really expecting that, but I can have as many reject eggs as I want, some produce, and even raw milk! It's pretty awesome.

Because of this, I have been really tired after work every day. It's hard labor most of the time, so I am usually too tired to do something interesting with the dogs. Once I get more used to it (in shape) I'll pay more attention to Conker and the Girls. I might go on a short hike this weekend since I haven't gone in forever...

Find it!

Conker plays the "Find It!" Game.

This game is simple. Take a handful (or just one piece) of food, throw it and say "Find It!" as you do so. The dog will search for the food and be instantly rewarded for finding it. The level of difficulty can be increased by playing in grass of varying heights. The dog will have to use his or her nose to find the now hidden food. In the process, the dog will learn how to use their nose more efficiently. It can also be used to slow down hasty eaters, or to just give the dog something to do for a few minutes.

Recent Happenings

Have been basically nonexistant.

Conker sits out on the back deck and observes things on a daily basis. He likes to bask in the sun.

Conker has been accompanying me on nighttime walks, wearing the booties. He is generally fine with them now, but resists a little when I first put them on. So far his feet have not sustained anymore damage (from the rocks int he backyard, or general play out front) so I'll probably keep the booties up for a little while longer then slowly transition to no booties. I might pick up some Mushers Secret, if I can find some locally.

Sasha sometimes sits funny. She has no indication of hip displaysia but it is not uncommon in either of her parent breeds, and it would not surprise me if she did end up with it somewhere down the road.
Her most recent vet exam gave her a clean bill of health (other than the incontinence and broken teeth), an excellent one actually, so I am generally not concerned about her sitting posture.

It's been breezy lately, so much so that yesterday a large tree in the neighbor's front yard went "CERRACK!" during a particularly powerful burst. I was hoping a branch would fall since I find that stuff exciting, but none did.

Conker will jump on the stack of bricks in the backyard if I ask him, and today he realized that he gets a good view over a section of bamboo privacy screen that he otherwise can't see over. I catch him on the bricks somewhat infrequently now, staring over the screen, waiting for something interesting to happen.

Our Swiss Chard has gone feral.

And today, I rediscovered two of the feet from the Baby Beef! So I gave them to the Girls.

Sasha got to work on hers right away.

Juneau lay beside hers for about ten minutes before she decided it was okay to chew it.

Dogs from below

Today we relaxed on the porch. I laid on the stairs while the dogs stood above me, surveying the neighborhood.

Juneau

Juneau again

 Juneau's starting to get white under her muzzle.

Sasha

Conker

Bonus rolling Sasha

Money spent in April

This past month was relatively mild as far as costs go.


April 2013

• Food:  $2
• Treats/Chews: $4
• Supplements: $11.25

Total:  $17.25


Food.
I bought some beef liver.

Treats/Chews.
A couple times me and a one of the dogs walked down to the petshop and bought some treats and/or small bully sticks.

Supplements.
Conker's green-lipped mussel ($4.50 x 2) and kelp ($2.25)


I feel like I'm forgetting something... If I remember it I'll add it in.