Woman Keeps Goat in Minivan I especially like the informative photo and caption.
Also, check out this funny YouTube Video about farming.
Yeah, it's what we do.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
To Set You Straight
I have been reading a lot of things lately, forums that I participate in, as well as emails to my commercial website. And I have to say that even as a city girl (I was born in Phoenix, AZ), I am shocked at what people don't know. So, without any judgement, here are some facts that you need to know. These are things that other folks have asked about (though they have not actually asked me *all* of these questions). Don't ever say that I didn't try to edu-ma-cate ya:
1. Goats have no top teeth. If you look at your goat and it has no top teeth, there is no cause to panic or email me. They will not grow in, nor did your lovely pet grind them down to nothing. It's the way God made 'em.
2. Goats do not lay eggs. Eggs come from chickens or other types of poultry.
3. "Eggs from the farm" and "eggs from the store" are the same thing. They don't taste any different, except that farm eggs taste fresher and better. But don't say that you don't want eggs from the farm, you want them from the store. SAME THING.
4. Intact maile goats pee on their beards. Don't pet their golden beards unless you want a stinky hand.
5. If you want milk from any animal (goat, cow, sheep, whatever) you have to breed it first. No animal just spontaneously makes milk. And you have to breed it each year to keep the milk supply. Just like people.
6. Hens lay eggs with or without a rooster around. Hens make eggs. Roosters do that boy thing to 'em to make babies. Chickens have sex. No salmon-like-spawning going on. But they lay eggs with or without the boy.
7. Milk comes out white. You don't do anything to it to make it white. No strawberry or chocolate cows, either. And goats milk is also white.
8. Chickens are birds and can fly.
9. Yes, llamas really do spit. Don't ask me how I know.
10. Some chickens lay brown eggs, some lay white eggs. It depends on the breed. Both taste the same. Actually, some chickens even lay darker eggs, or blue or green eggs.
Okay, enough lessons for one day. I need to go to the barn to be skooled by my own animals.
1. Goats have no top teeth. If you look at your goat and it has no top teeth, there is no cause to panic or email me. They will not grow in, nor did your lovely pet grind them down to nothing. It's the way God made 'em.
2. Goats do not lay eggs. Eggs come from chickens or other types of poultry.
3. "Eggs from the farm" and "eggs from the store" are the same thing. They don't taste any different, except that farm eggs taste fresher and better. But don't say that you don't want eggs from the farm, you want them from the store. SAME THING.
4. Intact maile goats pee on their beards. Don't pet their golden beards unless you want a stinky hand.
5. If you want milk from any animal (goat, cow, sheep, whatever) you have to breed it first. No animal just spontaneously makes milk. And you have to breed it each year to keep the milk supply. Just like people.
6. Hens lay eggs with or without a rooster around. Hens make eggs. Roosters do that boy thing to 'em to make babies. Chickens have sex. No salmon-like-spawning going on. But they lay eggs with or without the boy.
7. Milk comes out white. You don't do anything to it to make it white. No strawberry or chocolate cows, either. And goats milk is also white.
8. Chickens are birds and can fly.
9. Yes, llamas really do spit. Don't ask me how I know.
10. Some chickens lay brown eggs, some lay white eggs. It depends on the breed. Both taste the same. Actually, some chickens even lay darker eggs, or blue or green eggs.
Okay, enough lessons for one day. I need to go to the barn to be skooled by my own animals.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Old Goat's Tips For First Fresheners
The kidding doe's secret code of honor is as old as goats themselves and is ultimately the species best kept secret. This guide is passed on from generation to generation in hopes that NO goat shall ever produce a kid before its time.
Its time being determined by the following factors:
1. No kid shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all involved. Your house must be a wreck, your family hungry and desperate for clean clothes, and your social life non-existent.
2. Midwives must reach the babbling fool status before you kid out. Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence means you're getting close.
3. For every bell, beeper, camera or whistle they attach to you, kidding must be delayed by at least one day for each item.
4. Vet check, add a day…internal, add three! If you hear the words, "She's nowhere near ready…you will be fine, while I'm away for the weekend," then wait 12 to 16 hours and pop that baby out!
5. Owner's stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you're getting close. When you hear the words, "I can't take it anymore!"…wait three days and produce a baby.
6. You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are necessary! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing your food around in the bucket and then walking away from it are always good for a rise. Be creative and find new things to do to keep the adrenaline pumping in those who wait.
7. The honor of all goats is now in your hands. Use this time to avenge all of your barn mates. Think about your friend who had to wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby for another day. Oh, they made him do tricks too! Three more days seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.
8. If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when to have this baby, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe thunderstorm warnings is what your looking for. In the heart of the storm jump into action! The power could go out and you could have the last laugh. You have a good chance of those who wait missing the whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!
9. Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time someone comes into the barn to check on you. Your barn mates will love you as the extra goodies fall their way too!
If all else fails and they seem to be in constant attendance, time the delivery to when they rush to the bathroom for 2 minutes, or try to look perfectly comfortable so they rush for a "quick bite".
10. Remember, this code of honor was designed to remind man of how truly special goats are. Do your best to reward those who wait with a beautiful doe to carry on the goat code of honor for the next generation of those who wait!
–Author Unknown
Its time being determined by the following factors:
1. No kid shall be born until total chaos has been reached by all involved. Your house must be a wreck, your family hungry and desperate for clean clothes, and your social life non-existent.
2. Midwives must reach the babbling fool status before you kid out. Bloodshot eyes, tangled hair and the inability to form a sentence means you're getting close.
3. For every bell, beeper, camera or whistle they attach to you, kidding must be delayed by at least one day for each item.
4. Vet check, add a day…internal, add three! If you hear the words, "She's nowhere near ready…you will be fine, while I'm away for the weekend," then wait 12 to 16 hours and pop that baby out!
5. Owner's stress must be at an all time high! If you are in the care of someone else, ten to fifteen phone calls a day is a sign you're getting close. When you hear the words, "I can't take it anymore!"…wait three days and produce a baby.
6. You must keep this waiting game interesting. False alarms are necessary! Little teasers such as looking at your stomach, pushing your food around in the bucket and then walking away from it are always good for a rise. Be creative and find new things to do to keep the adrenaline pumping in those who wait.
7. The honor of all goats is now in your hands. Use this time to avenge all of your barn mates. Think about your friend who had to wear that silly costume in front of those people. Hang onto that baby for another day. Oh, they made him do tricks too! Three more days seems fair. Late feedings, the dreaded diet, bad haircuts, those awful wormings can also be avenged at this time.
8. If you have fulfilled all of the above and are still not sure when to have this baby, listen to the weather forecast on the radio that has been so generously provided by those who wait. Severe thunderstorm warnings is what your looking for. In the heart of the storm jump into action! The power could go out and you could have the last laugh. You have a good chance of those who wait missing the whole thing while searching for a flashlight that works!
9. Make the most of your interrupted nights. Beg for food each time someone comes into the barn to check on you. Your barn mates will love you as the extra goodies fall their way too!
If all else fails and they seem to be in constant attendance, time the delivery to when they rush to the bathroom for 2 minutes, or try to look perfectly comfortable so they rush for a "quick bite".
10. Remember, this code of honor was designed to remind man of how truly special goats are. Do your best to reward those who wait with a beautiful doe to carry on the goat code of honor for the next generation of those who wait!
–Author Unknown
Friday, April 20, 2007
Home Again
We got home on Wednesday evening. It was a very un-Murphy trip-- you know, Murphy's law didn't much apply. That is certainly a deviation from the norm for us.
We got the news Friday, and left Saturday morning at 7:30. We were in Phoenix by 10:00 am local time. All went well, we saw everyone several times, and my brother let me use his truck. It was a godsend, and saved me some cash on a rental car. We stayed with my mom, since my dad had a house full of other family members.
Gram's funeral was very nice. Well, as nice as a funeral can be. She looked beautiful-- I thought she would sit up and shake her finger at me and tell me not to cry! Her skin was smooth and she looked so peaceful. She wore the dress she wore to her 50th wedding anniversary celebration, and when she renewed her vows. She held a beautiful cross necklace and my grandpa's wedding ring.
B's mom suggested that I share my Ruth post with my family, and I did share it with my dad. He asked me to read it at her funeral, and though I really wrote those thoughts as a comfort to myself, I did as he asked and read them. We all laughed and cried, and in the end I am happy I read them. I think a lot of folks shared my thoughts about her.
I have only one grandma left now, and I spent a lot of time with her. You know, Grandmas are really special. I remember when I was little, my grandparents and I had our special little "secrets" that we shared. My grandfather called me "Ole" (nobody knows why...). He told me that he always wanted me to take very good care of my teeth. He said he wanted me to have all of my teeth when I was 50. I have only had one tiny filling in my adult teeth, so I am on track (though I do have a few years left...). He made me fried eggs cooked in butter, and then yummy toast to dunk in the butter and yolks. He called them "dunkers." He died when I was 10, and I still miss him. My grandma (his wife) and I took a vacation together after I graduated from high school. I flew to AZ and she and I took a road trip in her car through the mountains and went to San Diego. We went to Sea World and a few other places. It was a blast. Now that I am older, I treasure the wisdom that they have. I love to hear the stories that they tell. It sounds so cliche-- everyone says that. But really, she told me about when she was young, and they killed a chicken for supper. They had to go pick one out, kill it, and pluck the feathers. First they put it in water. Oh, but they had to get the water from the well, haul it up and boil it. Ugh, can you imagine? I would have had to start preparing for supper at 10 am. She also talked about how, since her father died young and left her mother with 4 children under 14, they had to sell milk and eggs for money. They bottled up their milk every day and took it into town. They had their own milk route.
My grandfather was in the Air Force, just like B. The oddest thing is that our time in Europe followed some in their shoes. While I was there, my gram and my mom came over and visited friends that they had made while over there. It was wild! My grandma gives me really cool gifts of china and dishes that she got while she lived in some of the areas that I lived. It means so much to me because we shared some of the same paths in our lives, many years apart.
She gave me her grandmother's ring when I was there. It is absolutely beautiful. I wore it for a while, but then chores got in the way. I will wear it as often as I can.
I am still jet lagged. I am so old, I can't believe how affected I am.
I missed the kids, but especially B. I missed him terribly. It's so good to be home with him.
We got the news Friday, and left Saturday morning at 7:30. We were in Phoenix by 10:00 am local time. All went well, we saw everyone several times, and my brother let me use his truck. It was a godsend, and saved me some cash on a rental car. We stayed with my mom, since my dad had a house full of other family members.
Gram's funeral was very nice. Well, as nice as a funeral can be. She looked beautiful-- I thought she would sit up and shake her finger at me and tell me not to cry! Her skin was smooth and she looked so peaceful. She wore the dress she wore to her 50th wedding anniversary celebration, and when she renewed her vows. She held a beautiful cross necklace and my grandpa's wedding ring.
B's mom suggested that I share my Ruth post with my family, and I did share it with my dad. He asked me to read it at her funeral, and though I really wrote those thoughts as a comfort to myself, I did as he asked and read them. We all laughed and cried, and in the end I am happy I read them. I think a lot of folks shared my thoughts about her.
I have only one grandma left now, and I spent a lot of time with her. You know, Grandmas are really special. I remember when I was little, my grandparents and I had our special little "secrets" that we shared. My grandfather called me "Ole" (nobody knows why...). He told me that he always wanted me to take very good care of my teeth. He said he wanted me to have all of my teeth when I was 50. I have only had one tiny filling in my adult teeth, so I am on track (though I do have a few years left...). He made me fried eggs cooked in butter, and then yummy toast to dunk in the butter and yolks. He called them "dunkers." He died when I was 10, and I still miss him. My grandma (his wife) and I took a vacation together after I graduated from high school. I flew to AZ and she and I took a road trip in her car through the mountains and went to San Diego. We went to Sea World and a few other places. It was a blast. Now that I am older, I treasure the wisdom that they have. I love to hear the stories that they tell. It sounds so cliche-- everyone says that. But really, she told me about when she was young, and they killed a chicken for supper. They had to go pick one out, kill it, and pluck the feathers. First they put it in water. Oh, but they had to get the water from the well, haul it up and boil it. Ugh, can you imagine? I would have had to start preparing for supper at 10 am. She also talked about how, since her father died young and left her mother with 4 children under 14, they had to sell milk and eggs for money. They bottled up their milk every day and took it into town. They had their own milk route.
My grandfather was in the Air Force, just like B. The oddest thing is that our time in Europe followed some in their shoes. While I was there, my gram and my mom came over and visited friends that they had made while over there. It was wild! My grandma gives me really cool gifts of china and dishes that she got while she lived in some of the areas that I lived. It means so much to me because we shared some of the same paths in our lives, many years apart.
She gave me her grandmother's ring when I was there. It is absolutely beautiful. I wore it for a while, but then chores got in the way. I will wear it as often as I can.
I am still jet lagged. I am so old, I can't believe how affected I am.
I missed the kids, but especially B. I missed him terribly. It's so good to be home with him.
Friday, April 13, 2007
ruth
she passed away this morning
my dad called when i hit 'pubish' on the blog
she is closer now, i suppose
i will be incommunicado for the next few days as i travel to her funeral
my dad called when i hit 'pubish' on the blog
she is closer now, i suppose
i will be incommunicado for the next few days as i travel to her funeral
ruth
my gram
strongest woman i know
mother of 7
gram of 13
great-gram of 23
is dying
my parents married young
had me young
too young
children themselves
my gram was there for them
for me
raised them
while they raised me
we always lived nearby
i took her for granted
like i did my parents
she a permanent fixture in my life
as a teen
ashamed of our plain-ness
ashamed of our rural heritage i was
embarassed that we were not more
than we were
finally
a parent myself
nothing but pride
i marveled at her ability to love her children equally
regardless of their faults
through their successes, failures, addictions
a restaurateur, a truck driver, an artist, a store clerk
through boyfriends, babies, failed marriages
she celebrated family
and togetherness
with all of her prodigal children
second only to Jesus
she could make two loaves and a few fishes
(or a pound of ground beef)
feed thousands
her barbecue beef recipe is my favorite
she had a passion for family
she and i traced our tree
back to when it was a sapling
a pioneer family we were
the stuff of legends
and she carried the spirit
her strength was unrivaled
born to farmers
they divorced in the 40’s—unheard of
she had the original wicked stepmother
grew up to love her children unconditionally
to be our family’s rock
strong, wise, calm
grace personified
i last saw her in 2004
too long ago
according to everyone
myself included
she reigned over my cousin’s wedding
“The Matriarch”
sitting, dancing with her family all around her
but always graceful she
did not outdo the bride
sat by the side
of her dying husband
for two years
while he suffered with leukemia
rarely left the house
he was her life
she had big plans after he died
church with the other widows
shopping with daughters
vacations back to Wisconsin
computer classes
even had a boyfriend
it started with a bad hip
replaced in 2006
she never walked again
now she does not talk much
sits in a wheelchair
in a nursing home
muscles atrophied
battles seizures nearly every day
eyes half open
mouth half closed
waits for visitors
her children come daily
my strong gram
my rock
my role model
gone
all that is left is a shell of a woman
a great woman
my memories of her tremendous strength
and my guilt
for living so far away
and seeing her so little
i pray for her peace
and i pray for mine
strongest woman i know
mother of 7
gram of 13
great-gram of 23
is dying
my parents married young
had me young
too young
children themselves
my gram was there for them
for me
raised them
while they raised me
we always lived nearby
i took her for granted
like i did my parents
she a permanent fixture in my life
as a teen
ashamed of our plain-ness
ashamed of our rural heritage i was
embarassed that we were not more
than we were
finally
a parent myself
nothing but pride
i marveled at her ability to love her children equally
regardless of their faults
through their successes, failures, addictions
a restaurateur, a truck driver, an artist, a store clerk
through boyfriends, babies, failed marriages
she celebrated family
and togetherness
with all of her prodigal children
second only to Jesus
she could make two loaves and a few fishes
(or a pound of ground beef)
feed thousands
her barbecue beef recipe is my favorite
she had a passion for family
she and i traced our tree
back to when it was a sapling
a pioneer family we were
the stuff of legends
and she carried the spirit
her strength was unrivaled
born to farmers
they divorced in the 40’s—unheard of
she had the original wicked stepmother
grew up to love her children unconditionally
to be our family’s rock
strong, wise, calm
grace personified
i last saw her in 2004
too long ago
according to everyone
myself included
she reigned over my cousin’s wedding
“The Matriarch”
sitting, dancing with her family all around her
but always graceful she
did not outdo the bride
sat by the side
of her dying husband
for two years
while he suffered with leukemia
rarely left the house
he was her life
she had big plans after he died
church with the other widows
shopping with daughters
vacations back to Wisconsin
computer classes
even had a boyfriend
it started with a bad hip
replaced in 2006
she never walked again
now she does not talk much
sits in a wheelchair
in a nursing home
muscles atrophied
battles seizures nearly every day
eyes half open
mouth half closed
waits for visitors
her children come daily
my strong gram
my rock
my role model
gone
all that is left is a shell of a woman
a great woman
my memories of her tremendous strength
and my guilt
for living so far away
and seeing her so little
i pray for her peace
and i pray for mine
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Saturday
It is bitterly cold here! In the past three weeks we have had record highs, and now we are having record lows. The excitement never ends.
We are busy preparing for our new livestock, which we should be getting next week. I will definitely post photos!
I had hoped to get some spring work done outside, on the hogshed (converting it for the goats), as well as some new pens made and electric fence put up. However, the cold and the wind make me want to do nothing but stay inside. We will make a trip to town and pick up more supplies for the new animals, plus supplies for Easter! It's tomorrow. you know!
I have finished the blog changes. I hope you like them! I like them. The picture in the left margin is one of our new does, Precious. She is beautiful, and it shows in that picture!
Happy weekend, and happy Easter. Stay warm.
We are busy preparing for our new livestock, which we should be getting next week. I will definitely post photos!
I had hoped to get some spring work done outside, on the hogshed (converting it for the goats), as well as some new pens made and electric fence put up. However, the cold and the wind make me want to do nothing but stay inside. We will make a trip to town and pick up more supplies for the new animals, plus supplies for Easter! It's tomorrow. you know!
I have finished the blog changes. I hope you like them! I like them. The picture in the left margin is one of our new does, Precious. She is beautiful, and it shows in that picture!
Happy weekend, and happy Easter. Stay warm.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A Little Update
Well, I am working on a new blog template, so bear with me. It will be goat-themed, if I can do it correctly. I'm trying to push the limits on my web coding. And I am succeeding.
A lot has been going on lately. I will be getting some new livestock soon, and it is NOT GOATS!! You will have to wait to find out... less than a week.
L and I went to a big goat seminar on Saturday, it was wonderful. We both learned a lot.
We are still struggling 2x a day to milk Cindi. She is such a pill! I have been successful in getting her on the fitting stand by myself, and have just had to do it that way. I would love for her to be able to stand and eat in her stall, but she fights me so much and tries to run away, I have to tie her up. It's strange, because my milking has not bothered Precious or Tango, but seems to bother Cindi. I can't see any cuts or injuries on her udder, which leads me to believe she's just being a diva.
Spring sprung, which means that our outside to-do list is reading and waiting. We have been given an immense amount of wood from a construction project, so we have TONS of materials that were free for the taking. I bet it is $500 or more worth of wood. We are going to construct a buck pen and redo a hog house for shelter for the goats. I already have the electric fence charger, and need to just buy the fencing and t posts and put that up. We do already have some permanent fence.
I've also been toying with the idea of fencing off the front of the house. If you picture three pastures on the sides of our house-- one on the right, one on the left, and one in back. So they make sort of an angular U shape. Our house sits right in the middle of the U, closed off at the top by the road. We could easily fence off the front and put a gate on our driveway. It would isolate us from folks somewhat, but it would be more peace of mind. We are always worried about the neighbor dogs, the three "jobless" Great Pyrenees who make our farm their job. I am terrified that they will attack one of the goat kids. Also, if any goats got out of their pasture, that would be another fence that they would have to go through to get to the road and actually escape from our property. And MK thinks that we should turn them loose in the yard anyway and forego the mowing. : ) I bet that B agrees with that.
So we have plenty of projects, and as the temperature lapped at the 80 degree mark on the thermometer, we were motivated. However, as I woke up to 30 mph winds, with gusts up to 50 mph, 20 degree temperatures and flurries this morning, I just wanted to crawl back in bed with my cats and a book. Alas, there was a sassy goat and twin kids waiting for me to tend to them. And my day started.
But it's Wednesday! And Easter this weekend. Hopefully my Easter lilies that are erupting in my garden will not be deterred by this frost! Same for the lilacs.
A lot has been going on lately. I will be getting some new livestock soon, and it is NOT GOATS!! You will have to wait to find out... less than a week.
L and I went to a big goat seminar on Saturday, it was wonderful. We both learned a lot.
We are still struggling 2x a day to milk Cindi. She is such a pill! I have been successful in getting her on the fitting stand by myself, and have just had to do it that way. I would love for her to be able to stand and eat in her stall, but she fights me so much and tries to run away, I have to tie her up. It's strange, because my milking has not bothered Precious or Tango, but seems to bother Cindi. I can't see any cuts or injuries on her udder, which leads me to believe she's just being a diva.
Spring sprung, which means that our outside to-do list is reading and waiting. We have been given an immense amount of wood from a construction project, so we have TONS of materials that were free for the taking. I bet it is $500 or more worth of wood. We are going to construct a buck pen and redo a hog house for shelter for the goats. I already have the electric fence charger, and need to just buy the fencing and t posts and put that up. We do already have some permanent fence.
I've also been toying with the idea of fencing off the front of the house. If you picture three pastures on the sides of our house-- one on the right, one on the left, and one in back. So they make sort of an angular U shape. Our house sits right in the middle of the U, closed off at the top by the road. We could easily fence off the front and put a gate on our driveway. It would isolate us from folks somewhat, but it would be more peace of mind. We are always worried about the neighbor dogs, the three "jobless" Great Pyrenees who make our farm their job. I am terrified that they will attack one of the goat kids. Also, if any goats got out of their pasture, that would be another fence that they would have to go through to get to the road and actually escape from our property. And MK thinks that we should turn them loose in the yard anyway and forego the mowing. : ) I bet that B agrees with that.
So we have plenty of projects, and as the temperature lapped at the 80 degree mark on the thermometer, we were motivated. However, as I woke up to 30 mph winds, with gusts up to 50 mph, 20 degree temperatures and flurries this morning, I just wanted to crawl back in bed with my cats and a book. Alas, there was a sassy goat and twin kids waiting for me to tend to them. And my day started.
But it's Wednesday! And Easter this weekend. Hopefully my Easter lilies that are erupting in my garden will not be deterred by this frost! Same for the lilacs.
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