Poor Cows.

I spoke to the owner of the potbellied pig which is named Shani. He does not want to part with her but his wife is fed up with the mess in the garden! It beggars belief that people aquire what are essentially farm animals and then complain that they are not suitable for their gardens!I have told him that if he will let me have the shed she sleeps in I will have her and try her with our two oldies.I doubt very much that our resident pigs will allow a newcomer into their little house so I need something in which she can sleep and and shelter from the elements. If it doesnt work out the Liverpool shelter have a space for her.It will be in the next 10 days, they are arranging transport. Of course there is paperwork to fill in too.When pigs are moved their movements have to be registered. It doesnt matter that she is not going to enter into the food chain, the same rules apply to all.

Mentioning this has reminded me of an article I read today about the proposal made to Lincolnshire Council for a massive Cow battery Farm! What next! 8,000 cows indoors being milked 3 times daily , kept in pens just big enough to stand and lie down.and all in the name of greed. The old bucolic image of happy farm animals is a thing of the past.It is getting worse, I can only hope that the proposal does not go ahead and that sense will prevail. The article was alongside another excellent one written by an ex farm vet who left his profession after becoming sadly disillusioned by the lack of concern for animal welfare amongst the majority of farmers. Good for him, it takes someone like him to put the other side of the story, his experiences are very real and he has seen the reality of todays farming methods.Do people really think these new methods are healthy, that we will not see more and more problems caused by this unnatural way of farming.We have already had BSE, a man made discease, what will be the next epidemic? It may mean cheaper milk but what price the health of the nation, never mind the terrible existence of these poor cows?Sorry to go on but the image it brought up in my mind has stayed with me all day.Will our countryside be soon empty of all animals? I find it hard enough to look at them in fields knowing their ultimate fate but imagine knowing they were all unseen in concrete pens indoors? A truly nightmare situation and one we should all do something abouit NOW before it becomes reality.It is so close now, write to Lincolnshire Council, MPs, newspapers, anyone who may listen and let them know it is not something most people want to see. Anyhow enough of me on my soapbox .
Its raining again, will it never stop. Apart from the fact it has meant we have much more grass here at this time of year than we did last year, it has also caused the wild mushrooms to thrive and there has been no shortage for us to pick. So its been mushrooms in everything lately, mushroom soup, mushroom curry, etc. It was shades of my Sea Shepherd experience. I think I might have mentioned my trip with Sea Shepherd environmental group in the early seventies when we guarded the baby seals against the fishermen in County Mayo, Ireland . Anyhow I shall bore everyone once again just in case I have not written about it.We ran out of food on the remote island where we were camping which was named Inishglora.(or was it Inishkea? my memory of it is fading nowadays)The sea was too rough for supplies to be brought out so we lived on seaweed for five awful days and there was great excitement when a large mushroom was found to add to the stew.( you are easily pleased when you are hungry) I remember one man found a sweet in his pocket and I think I might have been persuaded to mug him for it had he not offered it to me! Perhaps he saw the murderous look in my eyes!
No photos today, weather too bad to take them.