Casalinho

Category: Natural World

  • Weak Piglet

      This sweet little girl, one of our Vietnamese Pot Belly Piglets, is very weak today. We’re wondering if Mum’s milk has dried up as a reaction to the stress of transport. We’re topping her up with goat’s milk as an emergency measure. Please wish her well.

  • Vietnamese Pot Belly Pigs

    New arrivals to the farm yesterday, a lovely little family of Vietnamese pot belly pigs. Two of the the sweetest piglets you ever saw, who sleep on top of Mum and Dad in a big snoring heap! More photos to come when they get to trust me a little more!

  • Reasons to be Cheerful: Caterpillar on Lupin

      I’m afraid I’ve no idea what sort of caterpillar this is, but what an amazing colour!    

  • Reasons to be Cheerful: Just because …

    Just because they’re beautiful ….    

  • Aphids, Ladybirds and Lamiaceae

      Many many aphids in the garden this year, it seems more than average. Waiting has been hard, but we’re now started to notice an influx of ladybirds. Nature has her own checks and balances, sometimes you just have to trust and be patient. The ladybird here is pictured on wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia). It’s growing more »

  • Milk Thistle

    Related to the daisy and ragweed family, the milk thistle is native to our area and a really attractive volunteer which pops up whenever we’re not looking. When I do get to pulling it up (tough gloves required!) the pigs love it.

  • Fabulous Time of Year to be a Goat

      After some rain, it’s a fabulous time of year to be a goat. The hills are totally yellow with broom (Cytisus scoparius) and carqueja (Baccharis trimera).

  • Glanville fritillary

    Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) on a chamomile flower

  • Pig nuts

    Have you ever dug for pig nuts? You perhaps can’t see them well in this photo, but in the cleared patch surrounded by broom there are masses of white flowers on very delicate leaves. Each of these has a tuber underground which once dug up is absolutely delicious. You’ll know how passionate I am about more »

  • Windy morning

    Drifts of broom blossom on the roads Driving home from Pampilhosa this morning I needed the wipers to sweep the rain of yellow petals away. I’ll pickle some flowers in the next days if I get a chance.