04: Goodbye Piggies 🥺

Welcome Back! This was our last day at the Ka’a’awa, so sad!!! I love this part of this ranch and I don't want to go. Although it was a busy day, I'd say it was my favorite day there. I’m going to miss the pigs, so I’m glad we got to work with them today! We first stopped at the market to see what things are like, the market is located near the entrance of Kualoa Ranch, and on Thursday all the employees from all different parts of the ranch come and refill/stock up the market with their product. When we got back to the main area, Miguel took us to feed and see the sheep, turns out they have human hair and shed normally so they don’t have to sheer them! Their food has COB (corn, oats, barley), minerals, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar. This gives these sheep all the nutrients they need. In their pasture, they use agroforestry. Agroforestry is any of a broad range of land use practices where pasture or crops are integrated with trees and shrubs. They have planted ulu trees within their sheep pasture. This method is called silvopasture, where they purposely integrate trees with the livestock. Then we separated, Ellie and I got to work with the pigs and everyone else put mulch under the Ulu trees and fertalizing them. Ellie and I had the BEST time with the pigs, we first fluffed all the younger piglets pens, and mulching them. Then after lunch we had a short break chopping tree branches, and then we got to go back to the salls, the big big pigs, we were a little scared because we thought they would bite but they are the nicest pigs ever!! They will either lay down next to you, follow you around, sniff you, or splash you with mud. But they love head scratches! I love them so much, we didn’t get to fluff all the salls pens, but I had a great last day in the livestock area.

We are going to the Mala tomorrow, also known as the market garden. They grow lots of things like ginger, turmeric, lettuce greens, carrots, green onions, etc. This will be on the other side of the ranch, next to the lo'i. I’m pretty excited to work there but sad I'm leaving the piggies. Although, I will miss the shade, because we will be working mostly under the sun and it will be really hot. I think we learned a lot in this area, and we used a lot of team work, perseverance, for example moving the chicken coup or finding a system to mulch, weed and pluck the keikis out of the banana plants. All that was good team building skills and was pretty fun, I thought this would be tedious boring work but, if you come in with a good mindset and are ready to learn, it will be a lot of fun! I will update you guys on everything about the Mala area tomorrow!!

Photos from today: (All credit goes to Mrs. Peeler, exepct Ellie took that selfie)

Amanda stirring the sheep's food!

The sheep

Amanda and Me learning about how rabbits are killed and sold...

Tree Cutting!

Ellie and I with the Pigs!!