Will Flossie Fizzle?

So... y'all know there's a hurricane headed our way, right?  Actually, it's expected to be more of a tropical storm which means heavy torrential downpours (more than our usual Hilo-side drenchings) and big winds (but not as big as with a hurricane). 

You can be sure we're keeping an eye on the weather charts, NOAA, the NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the rest.  One of my favorites to watch is this animation from the GOES-West satellite.

Many believe that the Big Island doesn't get hurricanes because of the effect of our huge mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.  It's not true though, because hurricanes do hit, just not as often.  And it's the area of colder ocean waters between the mainland and here that acts to dissipate the intensity of the storms as they approach.  Usually.

Apparently, Hurricane Iniki in 1992 fizzled out as it approached the islands, but then it regained strength and changed direction, thus hitting Kauai straight on. That could happen to us with Flossie... or not.  We're preparing like it'll be the full-blown thing though, because it's good practice and because you never know. 

My only real worry, hurricane-wise, is the baby chicks.  They just got moved to their new yard a few days ago and they're still pretty tiny.  I don't know how they'd fare in a real hurricane, and since there are 44 of them, I can't just round 'em up and bring 'em indoors.  Fortunately, the enclosed part of their brooder pen is in there with them so they'd likely huddle inside and ride it out.  Much like we would do in our house.

The piggies should be fine in their barn, but if it looks like it could be terribly windy we'll add more protection for the two pens of piglets.  They've all been weaned now, and the mama sows are in their own pens getting a brief respite.  The piggery is quite full these days!

Meanwhile, we've been having some fantastic weather... a few small showers now and then and vast amounts of sunshine.  Plus, this jaw-dropping sunset the other night!

Not tonight though.  Tonight we have rain... and casserole.  Dinner's ready and I'm hungry.  Aloha!

My farm book is here!

What a process it's been... a steep learning curve!  I never realized just how much extra work is involved in getting a book published, far more than the writing and editing bits.  But never mind: it is printed and bound and is now being distributed!  See links at the right for ordering.  Or, if you're on-island, come see me and save on shipping, and maybe even get a farm tour while you're at it.

Here's the back cover blurb:

The Table of Contents will give you an idea of what's inside:

You can read the first bits on the Amazon page using their "click to look inside" feature.  It doesn't get you to the juicy bits though. (And no, I didn't have any say in that set up, but it is pretty cool.)

It felt like Christmas when this big carton of books arrived, never mind that we already knew what was inside!

In other news:
I have 50 more little chicks (because I wasn't busy enough already, I guess) to add to the flocks.  They will begin laying sometime in December which will help keep our egg supply steady through winter, or maybe even increase it a little.  We are now supplying a local all-organic restaurant as well as my regular customers who come to the farm to pick up their eggs, and any surplus still goes to the big Hilo Farmer's Market (though less now with the restaurant buying up as many as I can supply).

Piggies are all doing well.  Spot had 15 (!!) piglets but that was soon reduced to 10.  (These things happen.)  Those ten are all thriving, almost ready to be weaned in fact.  They are the cutest litter so far with all the multi-colored speckles and spots!

Most of Big Mama's piglets have been sold off already; only two are still with us now.  Getting some loves from Kerry:

The new feed arrived in fine shape and the second shipment is already on its way.  I was a little worried that our egg customers might balk at the higher cost of eggs (since organic non-gmo feed costs more), but only one said it wasn't worth it to him.  All the others thought it was great and many even upped their orders!  And the chickens love this stuff!

 

 

So, it's still busy-busy around here, as usual.  I haven't even mentioned the new coop being built, or the kabocha that's taking over one whole side of the growing field, or the hale being booked almost continuously, or the crops all growing like mad, or the pineapples all getting ripe at once, or...