Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Apple Harvest



Bring your children
Bring your spouse
come on over to Betty's house.
It's apple picking time.



Climb the ladder
reach up high
You can do it
aim for the sky
It's apple picking time!



Man the cider press,
roll the dough,
make those pies,
come on let's go.
Apple butter, apple sauce,
apple fritters
Oh my gosh!
It's apple picking time!



Grandkids running
all around,
footballs flying
'cross the ground.
Laughing, shouting,
new friendships sprouting.
It's apple picking time!



A toast is made
before saying goodbye.
Glasses of cider are raised to the sky,
"Bless everyone here with
good health and good cheer."





and...
It's apple picking time.


By Betty Price, goatgirl's mom

Monday, September 28, 2009


I'm placing 1 over 2 today for 1's advantage in overall appearance and dairy character.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Old


I'm old.
Today while watching golf on television, I cheered.
Hubby and I used to say the only thing more boring on T.V. than Meet The Press...was golf.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cute As A Button


A little over a month ago I went out to Poppy Patch farm to look at a goat that I thought I might be interested in buying. We just didn't click that doe and I but a darling tiny doe named Cute as a Button wouldn't leave me alone. As I looked at the goats she was always right there wanting me to scratch her head. Well needless to say I fell in love with this little goat. I made it quite clear she was the one I wanted. She wasn't for sale. I pestered and begged but it got me nowhere so I left with an empty crate and a promise that if she was ever for sale I would get first chance.
The chance came. On the last day of the fair she was offered to me and I jumped at the chance. I'm not that surprised because I knew she was meant to be mine.
She is very small, very friendly, has a beautiful first freshening udder, and has a lovely pedigree. She will come bred to the buck of my choice so I chose a buck named Rebel that puts gorgeous udders on his daughters. Since she will be bred first I won't pick her up until December because kids in May fit my schedule.

She had two lovely kids this year that were bought by someone in New Hampshire.

Pretty as a Peach

Solid as a Rock

I am excited to add Buttons to my herd of miniature dairy goats.

Monday, September 21, 2009

You Can Do It Real Slow So Your Heart Won't Palpitate


The theme song of the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup goes something like this...
You can do it at a trot.
You can do it at a gallop.
You can do it real slow so your heart won't palpitate.
Just don't be late.
Do the Puyallup.

So with that out of the way, I will tell you why it pertains.
When unloading at the fair on the first day, it is morning, the fair is closed, and everyone is refreshed and cheerful. But on the day of departure the whole barn electrifies when the time approaches when the powers that be release you from the barn. It is quite an orchestration getting all the many trucks and trailers through the fairgrounds when it's open to the public to load tired and cross goats pulled along by tired and cross people. They only let a few rigs in at a time making for a long stop and go.

Earlier in the day, the goatfarmer had told me that after a few years of getting in line and waiting forever while nobody moved she was going to sit back and wait until most people left and then go get her truck. I agreed. This method is called the "Seahawk" method. When my son was little we went to a lot of Seahawk's games and we discovered that if we just sat back until everyone left we could just walk right out and then drive right out. As opposed to the "plane departure" method where the minute the plane stops everyone jumps up and hovers in the aisle with their hand on your seat for the next half hour.

I thought this was a good plan. That's what I was going to do. Just sit back and wait. But as the time approached the goatfarmer started pacing, second guessing her decision. I tried to reason with her but she was clearly being sucked into the "plane departure" mode. As the others were scrambling to get out to their trucks and get in line a fierce competitiveness came over her and she could stand it no more and off she went to get her truck and get in line. I went over to my lawn chair and prepared to wait it out.

It was kind of a party the last hour or two at the fair. People helping people load. Lots of well wishes and see you next years and goatgirl and the Poppy Patch people sitting on folding chairs chatting away.

My cell phone would ring. It was the goatfarmer.

"I haven't moved a bit" "One hour and we haven't moved a bit"

I would tell her how sorry I was but there wasn't much I could do except go get another ice cream cone from the dairy barn.

My cell phone would ring again. It was the goatfarmer.

"I am second back so I will go in the next load" "WHAT! They are letting the Pygmies in!" You can bet the goatfarmer's heart was palpitating then.

I said I was sorry and then bent over my cooler and got out another mini Babybel cheese along with a few crackers.

Another hour passes and my cell phone rings. It was the goatfarmer.

"I'm in, I made it in! Be there in a minute"

Two hours in a line going nowhere.

But it all worked out in the end. I loaded my stuff and Cora Belle into the goatfarmer's truck and she dropped me off at my jeep. You see the "Seahawk" works every time.


Thanks for taking me under your wing and showing me the ropes goatfarmer. And thanks for the ride to my car.
Happy Birthday

Friday, September 18, 2009

Full Circle


It has been over 30 years since I've shown a goat at the fair. When I was a just a wee goat girl my mom (or hers) would drop Sara and me off at the front gate and then pick us up around 12 hours later. Oh the fun we had. I have fond memories of the Puyallup Fair grounds and all the trouble we could have gotten into but somehow always got out of. What my mother doesn't know can't hurt her.
So when Cora Belle and I decided to tag along with the goatfarmer to the fair this year it was a trip down memory lane. The smells, the food, and the dairy whites.

I knew that the competition would be very hard to beat so I decided that all I wanted to do was not come in last. Oh I can be competitive all right and practiced a little and gave Cora Belle a bad haircut and bath but didn't want to even think I'd win anything. I was even heard saying that I didn't ever want to come to the fair and care about winning. Nor would I walk around with a bored expression and an attitude. I was here for the scones.
So no one was more surprised than I when the judge awarded Cora Belle first in her very competitive class of doelings. No one was more surprised than I when the judge pointed at Cora Belle to be the Grand Champion doeling. I rushed over to the goatfarmer, who was looking quite pleased, and said in an excited voice,

"I wonder how many I beat?"



After all these years I find myself back where I started. A lot has changed in 30 years. The goats have gotten bigger and the scones smaller but the feeling of winning a blue ribbon at the state fair is still very much alive in this 50 year old goatgirl.

I was very jealous when I saw the above license plate but the owner was much more a girl than I am. I coveted it so bad she told me that if it were to be stolen she would know where to come.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I Would Like To Thank The Academy



Really it was an honor just to be nominated but to win Grand Champion Doeling...now that was fun.


I would like to thank the goatfarmer for breeding such a wonderful little doeling and then giving her up to me to show and Cathy for helping goatgirl with her handling skills. I would like to thank the judge for recognizing the princess that lies within Cora Belle and with a point of a finger set it free, and my family for not laughing when I said I was going to dress up in white and show a goat.

And since I am in such a good mood I will post a rare photo of me in my dairy whites.


I refuse to take the expression on the faces of the couple behind me personally.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

News From The Fair

I got up this morning before any civilized person should get up and made my way to the fair. Luckily this was the first thing I saw....

After Cora Belle was safely in her stall I decided a visit to these ladies was in order.

I am pretty sure this is the reason I love scones....

Who wouldn't?

Cora Belle is not so sure about being at the fair even though she is proving to be very popular with the public.
She is not very happy being called a Dalmatian...or the ever popular "cow goat".

Tomorrow is her show debut and when 50 year old women dress up in white after Labor Day and parade their goats around the ring only one word can sum it up....

Monday, September 14, 2009

My Bags Are Packed


I'm ready to go...to the fair that is. Leaving tomorrow at 5:30am, I am hoping the scone wagon is open!
I'll keep you posted!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Going To The Fair


Cora Belle is going to the fair next week. This will be on her stall. The only thing I can take credit for is the picture. The text is all goatfarmer.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Penne's New Home


I finally got some pictures of Penne enjoying her new home. She has her own box stall and paddock that opens up to a five acre pasture. Each afternoon Penne climbs to the top of the hill, lies down and looks over her territory. Each evening she heads back down to spend the night in her own stall. There are two ponds in her pasture and a chicken coop where she can pester whom ever is feeding them.
All in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.