"Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Written to Sheryl Crow: C'mon, C'mon

Early in the twentieth century American corn breeders figured out how to bring corn reproduction under firm control, and to protect the seed from copiers. The breeders discovered that when they crossed two corn plants that had come from inbred lines—from ancestors that had themselves been exclusively self-pollinated for several generations—the hybrid offspring displayed some highly unusual characteristics. First, all the seeds in that first generation (F-1, in the plant breeder’s vocabulary) produced genetically identical plants—a trait that, among other things, facilitates mechanization. Second, those plants exhibited heterosis, or hybrid vigor— better yields than either of their parents. But most important of all, they found that the seeds produced by these seeds did not come true—the plants in the second (F-2) generation bore little resemblance to the plants in the first. Specifically, their yields plummeted by as much as a third, making their seeds virtually worthless.
Hybrid corn now offered its breeders what no other plant at that time could: the biological equivalent of a patent. Farmers now had to buy seeds every spring; instead of depending upon their plants to reproduce themselves, they now depended on a corporation. The corporation, assured for the first time of a return on its investment in breeding, showered corn with attention—R & D, promotion, advertising—and the plant responded, multiplying its fruitfulness year after year. With the advent of the F-1 hybrid, a technology with the power to remake nature in the image of capitalism, Zea mays entered the industrial age and, in time, it brought the whole American food chain with it.
- Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

On Thursday morning we liberated the gilts...I opened their newly constructed gate and introduced them to the joys of free range living. It took all of no time for all 21 gilts to mosey out of their pen. Cade os suínos? Here, there and everywhere. One of the reasons that I chose Thursday to free the gilts was that we were expecting the Duroc boars to arrive that day, and I figured it would be easier to guide the boars over to the gilts if the latter were out and about. As it turned out, the boars did not arrive until Friday, so at around 16:30 Clair and I used the sound of the bell and the lure of their single, afternoon feeding -which I had introduced earlier in the week- to herd the gilts back into their pen...Easy Peasy!

While waiting for the boars to arrive on Friday, we planted alternating rows of feijão (beans) and girasol (sunflowers) in the field where we had earlier planted soja perene. The soja perene has not done as well as we had hoped...hard to say why, but rather than clear it, we decided to plant the fejão and girasol in between the rows of soja perene. Worst case: the soja perene will provide excellent ground cover and, after harvest, organic fertilizer. After a few hours of planting, with Clair and I digging the holes and Rosana and Lone planting the seeds, we made quick work of the field.

After that, it was time to turn our attention to Lone's vegetable garden. Earlier in the week I had designed the raised planting beds using the cinder blocks from Esben's (on the right) summer memorial to the Sumerians; using the remaining cinder blocks, we constructed the first six beds. Another 300 or so cinder blocks and we will be able to finish; Lone was clearly more pleased with this week's gardening results than last week's.

The boars arrived that afternoon, but because of the muddy state of our entry road, Abilio had to park a couple of hundred meters from the pig pen. Clair and I then guided the boars from the truck to the river. After taking in the size of the older, larger boar, it quickly became clear that he only goes where he wants. I estimate his weight at somewhere between 150-200 kg. If he makes a stand, he stands and there is no moving him...period! Thankfully, he is quite even-tempered. In addition, the two boars appear to get along well. When the younger of the two boars first arrived at the river's edge, the water more than the sight of 21 extremely horny gilts was what pushed him across. Both boars were too tired from their two-day journey for any hanky panky; all they wanted was a cold bath and some peace and quiet, not that the latter proved possible. Our biggest challenge thus far has been keeping the hogs on their side of the river, so on Saturday I wrote the first draft of the blog from a seat under a tree on the bank of the river. Fortunately, Muninn has proved such a natural herder that, together with Layla, no slouch herself, I have barely had to get off my backside, as the British are fond of saying. Anyone who doubts that Rottweilers were originally valued as herding dogs has only to take a look at these photos to see history and genetics at work. Muninn is fearless...and will only get better (and bigger) with age. And he continues to have the sweetest disposition, though he has already made it clear that he is the Alpha dog of the four. Needless to say the hogs are quickly learning to stay on their side of the tracks, so to speak.

Fortunately, the dogs herding did not prevent the boars from fulfilling their destiny...3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days from now we should begin seeing their progeny. I only hope that Muninn has not been emotionally scarred by the experience (he is only three months old, after all).

On Saturday the sun broke through at last...30 degrees Celsius and 55% humidity, the latter representing a significant decline after having hovered around 90% for most of the past two weeks. Time to get all the laundry done. The change in weather could not have come at a more opportune time; the entry road has deteriorated rapidly over the past couple of weeks. Hopefully we will enjoy a drier period over the coming weeks.

Also this week, Marcos and his father returned to build and install pasture gates, repair our dilapidated corral, provide us with a comprehensive quote for the construction of another worker's house and help me brainstorm bridge designs, feeding troughs, salt lick stands etc. In brief, there is very little Marcos cannot figure out. We are extraordinarily lucky to have a contractor who can be left to his own devices for a couple of days and when we return everything is on track and as agreed. Marcos and his father will return again in two weeks.

Finally, this week's blog post marks an anniversary of sorts...six months of blogging and my 21st post. To date, the Fazenda Alfheim blog has racked up the following Visitor's Overview (Comparing: All sites of similar size):

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Muito obrigado to all of you for your support, comments and questions.