I heard another farmer once say you know you’re really a farmer when you DON’T accept a free or cheap animal because you know you’re not ready.

Within the past two weeks, I’ve turned down a breeding trio of meat rabbits because I want to raise rabbits in a colony setting, and honestly, rabbits are at the bottom of my animal wants and project list right now.

Just now, Ted called on his way home to talk about hogs because somebody offered him two piglets for a cheap price.  We talked it over, and even though these are high on my list of wants for the farm, I’m just not ready for them. This time, I was the one saying we need fencing up first and that I want to pasture raise them, not lock them into an 8×8 pen for six miserable months. 

I passed on rabbits AND PIGS (I’ve wanted to get pigs for years).  My first inclination was to say yes, but I know there will be more rabbits and more pigs, and in the future I’ll be better set up to raise them humanely and in as natural a setting as possible…which is a big part of why I started raising our own food.

I’m maturing as a farmer!  Well, that or I’m just finally using some common sense. LOL