Beyond The Sidewalks

What Goat Farmers Do In The Winter For Entertainment

2012-01-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Made by Mary Brennan with my new Panasonic ZS10 Lumix camera.

A Tragedy

2012-01-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

When we first moved into our cabin on the bay I named a few of the trees in the yard. Yes, I know it's strange but who cares. One tree was across the bay on the edge of the bank. Her shape looked like a girl with her skirts and hair blowing back while she looked out to sea. I called her "The Sister". One day I looked out and she was gone. My favorite was a fir tree that hung over the bay like a huge arm. It became known as "The Strong Arm of God". I loved that tree. It was massive and had a wonderful elbow that eagles perched on. It was really only a matter of time before it fell into the bay but I hoped it wasn't in my lifetime.
Early this morning a crash was heard but it wasn't until the sun came up and I looked out the window that I realized the the view had opened up considerably and something was missing. My tree was gone. Snapped off from the snow and ice, it fell into the bay.
Luckily I took a picture of it yesterday from my window.

This is my view now.

RIP Strong Arm of God...you will be missed.

Milk Test Training

2012-01-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

The annual milk test class was held Saturday at our local library. I have taken the class every year for about 4 years and while I learn something new each time I still look at the paperwork like it is the first time I've seen it.
And there is a test at the end. Yes it's open book but a test nonetheless. The multiple choice is a breeze but when we get to the part where we fill in the fictitious information on 4 goats on the herd and barn sheets I panic. Even my reading glasses can't zero in on the itty bitty words that go along with the itty bitty boxes.

I did my best and had my scale calibrated so I'd be ready for this year's milk testing. Thank goodness my milk tester can read the itty bity words that go along with the itty bitty boxes.

Cora Belle are you ready for another year?

She's just kidding? She's ready.

Goose of a Different Color

2012-01-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

On my way home from work today I glanced at the Canadian geese in my neighbor's pasture and had to do a double take when I saw a goose of a different color. I ran home and got my camera hoping they would still be there when I came back.
I looked at this goose for a long time trying to decide if it was a domestic cross or an a mutant Canadian goose. Our own white buffalo.

I still don't know for all that looking.

Bliss

2012-01-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

Llama Training in a New Year

2012-01-04T18:43:00.000-08:00

Part of Willow's training is getting her use to people. Socialize her. Goldilocks took to llama training like a natural.

They soon became good friends.

Goldilocks and my son were home for the New Year and I put her to work training Willow. Willow responded well and I wish I had Goldilocks here for awhile. She has the patience to wait Willow out.

She still won't let us touch her but ohhhhh we sure want to.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

My special ornament for this year. When I saw this hanging all by itself I knew it was suppose to be mine.

It's Dottie

2011-12-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

The blurry picture is Dottie shaking her head. If you look closely you can see her green eye.

Guess

2011-12-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Llama Training Continues

2011-12-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm off for the next two weeks so the llama training is in full swing. After eating out of the bucket once, Willow had a bit of a setback and was refusing to eat out of it again. I now have the time to stand and wait her out. I gave her no grain unless it was held by me. Yesterday she ate her whole meal out of the bucket I held. Today she was eating out of the scoop in my hand so I got out my clicker and started in with clicking her for stepping toward me. I had her moving all around in a few minutes.
This is fun. I really like her and I think she will learn to like me. Just look at that face. I think she has the look of eagles.

Willow Fits In

2011-12-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

Why?

2011-12-19T16:40:00.000-08:00

Why would someone cut nice neat square holes in my fence along the road? What was their intent? Was it to let my goats out or was it to steal them? Two squares were cut out of the fence and laid neatly over to invite curious goats out of their pasture and into the road. Everyone says it's probably kids but the holes are so neatly cut with each wire cut the same length that to me it seems like an adult.........that just happens to have wire cutters in their pocket.

A mystery that has put my goats in jeopardy.

The temporary fix is not a good look either.

Lexi's New Best Friend

2011-12-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Lexi is the oldest doe. She has out of the pen privileges. Basically she goes where she wants and now wherever she goes she has a shadow.

A large shadow.

Day 7 In Pictures

2011-12-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

Llama Training 5&6

2011-12-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

She's starting to warm up and not hide behind her little barn when I'm in her pasture. She ate grain from the bucket about 4 feet from where I stood.

Then the stampede of goats went by her pasture headed for the grain bin and it was too much for Willow to stand. She was being left behind. She took a running start and leaped her 5 foot fence and went running after them which threw them in a panic and they ran....and then she ran after them so they ran...and then she ran. You get the picture. She ran and bucked around the pasture. She stood on top of the yodeling hill. She chased the goats that ran from her. She sniffed the ones that didn't.

I am never going to catch her now.

Llama Training 3-4

2011-12-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

Sadly no training just feeding in the dark. It is dark in the morning when I feed and dark shortly after I get off work.
After being scared to go inside, Willow is using her stall to eat out of her hay rack and grain out of her tub. She does like grain. Now if I could only get her to eat out of my hand.

Llama Training-Day 2

2011-12-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

Willow saw the pigs for the first time and didn't freak or sound the alarm. This is big because llamas HATE pigs. It took Koo a long time to get use to the pigs.

She ate a little hay out of my hand. Can't get her to take grain. Still very skittish.

Llama Training -Day One

2011-12-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Willow eats hay from my hand. And it was the yellow local hay....not the good green orchard grass.
I didn't have my clicker so I clicked my headlamp. Just loadin' my clicker.

Getting to Know You

2011-12-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Imagine living in a huge pasture with a few llamas and a couple of alpacas for the first 2 years of life, wrestled into a trailer and plunked down at the funny farm. All of a sudden you share space with small goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, the sound of pigs in the distance, and a lady that wants to get to know you. You go from a beautiful estate to a small farm in great need of a Manna Pro makeover.

The dogs were a special concern for Willow. She followed Grace along the fence.

Grace hid behind the hay so Willow couldn't see her.

Willow saw her.

Willow sees all.

She may never let me touch her but she's going to make a vigilant guard.

This happens to be my 500th post. I have never done anything 500 times:)

Christmas Came Early

2011-12-03T19:11:00.000-08:00

Meet Willow. Her owner is moving to Germany and needed to find homes for her llamas and alpacas. This morning Hubby and I went to look at her near Auburn. She lived at a beautiful old estate straight out of the pages of Jane Eyre. Running wild in a huge pasture she was suspicious of us from the start. She came right up to see what we were doing but decided we were up to no good so stayed out of our reach.We finally cornered her in the garage and got her rope and halter on and then without letting go we headed for the door. When we walked out the door all hell broke loose. She bucked and flailed with Hubby holding tight to the rope. He hung on for dear life, knowing that if he let go we would never catch her again nor see our halter and rope. I'll I could do was say "Oh...Oh...Oh" as he was thrown around the pasture on the end of a lead rope attached to a llama that was stronger than we thought.
He hung on until she gave up and we got another hold on her. Cradling her in our arms we walked her to the gate and into the trailer. She settled in and kushed next to the hay bales we put in to limit her space. She hit her mouth when throwing herself around so a little blood was dripping but it didn't look too serious.
Home we went and backed the trailer right up to the gate so we wouldn't have to repeat the rodeo. Hubby doesn't think he wants to be a cowboy.
She stayed in the trailer looking out the door for a long time taking in all the animals and smells.

She is beautiful and in excellent health. She is very curious about the goats and they are curious about her.

I'm going to have to do a lot of lovin' on her to make up for the awkward start.

If I had to lose......

2011-12-01T08:34:00.001-08:00

I'm glad it was to Cale. Congratulations to Cale Johnson, a sweet young man, for winning the Manna Pro homestead makeover. When I saw his video I knew I was doomed. He is a great example of what I have been telling people all along....get your kids involved in 4H. I work with kids that have trouble making friends and I always talk about getting them involved in a 4H where they can be around other kids, learn how to talk to people, and learn a bunch of life skills too numerous to list, all centered around a project they are interested in. Of course I love the animal projects because it teaches kids to be responsible but there are so many others. It really takes the pressure off to be around other kids with similar interests in a structured environment and not just winging it on your own on the playground-a scary place for a lot of kids.
So hats off to Cale. You are a fine example of what's right with kids today.

Thanks to everyone who viewed my video and left comments. It was by far the most viewed video! Thanks to Mary for all her hard work making it. I will cherish it forever!

Got Milk? We Don't.

2011-11-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

Cora Belle is on vacation for a few months. I dried her up for our trip and now we are missing her candy milk. No milk means no cheese. I have been living on herb chevre.
Looking forward to next spring when not only Cora Belle freshens but so does her daughter Wedding Belles...and Alice....and Boots...and Buttons.
Milk and cheese galore.

My Dog

2011-11-27T18:43:00.000-08:00

Here is a recent picture of my dog, Bijou. She took a road trip with us along with our other Chihuahua, Solomon. She's a pretty good traveler and now that she's a year old quite a good little dog (which translates to-she's finally housebroken). Bijou is my dog. Not because my son and daughter-in-law gave her to me last Christmas but because she chose me. All of our dogs have loved me but this dog LOVES me. Glued to my side and attached to my heart she is a sweet little girl who wants no one but me on the other end of her leash.

Makes me feel loved.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T12:02:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from sunny Southern California! We have fled the rain and are visiting our kids for a few days. It is sunny and beautiful here so I'm soaking up a little vitamin D. On this day of thanks I'm thankful for good friends for holding down the fort and being ready to build an ark while I'm gone.
Wish you were here!

Llama Shopping

2011-11-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

He was tall dark and handsome. The most beautiful llama I had ever seen. I wanted him from the moment I laid eyes on him. But I didn't bring him home. He doesn't like dogs. Which can come in handy if the dog is an intruder but if the dog is my pet it is a problem. Apparently he never gets use to the dogs that live on the farm. And he has good reason. When he was a youngster, and in a pasture with other young llamas, a dog killed one of his buddies. The hatred of dogs runs deep and I can't hardly blame him.
My dogs have full access to all pastures so it would be dangerous for them to bring this boy home.
I was disappointed. He was so regal and handsome I could picture him in my pasture. But I did have a lovely chat with a very nice llama lady who was a wealth of llama information. She had been raising llamas for over 20 years. She told me that a female can guard just as well as a male so not to set my heart on a boy llama.
I appreciate her honesty, her love for her llamas, and concern for finding them just the right home.
I met a new friend today so the trip was successful.

Moving On

2011-11-19T08:34:00.001-08:00

The coyotes were howling last night on the hill just across the street from my farm. Time to get another llama.
We are in the process of looking for another guardian for our herd. Last week hubby came home all excited because he found me another llama. We hurried over to the nicest couple's house to look at Juniper. Now Juniper was a cutey but had no known guarding experience so I was a bit leery of taking her home. I wanted to take her just because I liked her owners so much but I wasn't ready.
I have heard that a gelded male is a better guardian even though I've known of some females that will do the job. I have my heart set on another male.
A friend emailed me with a name and email of a lady that had llamas and needed to find good homes for them. She was having a hard time letting go but found herself needing to find them a home in the next year. I contacted her and she had a gelded male that was known to be a guardian since the day he was born, was already in with goats and loved them, and was really handsome to boot. He is a lot taller than my little guy Koo but that might come in handy when fighting off coyotes and neighborhood dogs.
I am going tomorrow to meet him and her other llamas to see if it's a match. I'll take my camera so you can go with me.

The Summer of Koo

2011-11-15T21:14:00.000-08:00

By Mary Brennan aka the goatfarmer

Thank You

2011-11-14T19:54:00.000-08:00

I want to thank everyone who expressed their sympathy for my loss of Koo. You understand what this guy meant to me and even though I've never met most of you I value your friendship more than you will ever know. You knew exactly what to say when I needed it most.
I had just clicked the publish button on that post and got up from the computer when my phone started ringing. First my son and daughter-in-law called and let me cry on their shoulders. My son just happen to sit down to the computer and check my blog the instant I posted. While talking to him I heard the beep of call waiting and saw it was my good friend Gail calling. The funny thing about that is that she doesn't check my blog that often but she just happened to the instant I posted about losing Koo.
Now is that a coincidence or not....I think not.

Today I was telling someone that had asked about my weekend that I had to put my llama down and they expressed their sympathy but followed it up with, "I guess when you have a lot of animals that is bound to happen a lot." That comment hurt a little. Like there is something slightly wrong with a person that has a lot of animals.

I guess she just doesn't get it.

You guys get it. You understand that an animal, even a farm animal, is really a family member and a part of your life. Just like a big family where each and every member is valued is how it is at my farm. Sure I have more animals than the average person but that doesn't mean I don't love and care for them and mourn when they die and yes some more than others.

Koo was worth every bit of mourning I've been doing. Part of my mourning is writing about it and reading each and very one of your comments.

Thanks, my village. I am truly overwhelmed by your response.

Rest in Peace, My Friend

2011-11-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I had to put Koo down. He was sicker than we thought and it was the right thing to do.
Koo came to live on our farm 9 years ago when a friend of mine was battling breast cancer and couldn't take care of her animals. I knew next to nothing about llamas when we brought him home and I'm not sure I know much more today. He was a stately boy who hated to be touched but would take an apple slice or carrot ever so gently from your hand. He would let me trick him into being caught to perform a few maintenance chores and would tolerate being led around by small children but his real love was watching over his goats, lying in the sun, and giving visitors the eye to see if they were friend or foe.
He was a fixture in the neighborhood and I know I won't be the only one who will miss seeing him every day.
My head tells me the goats need another llama but my heart tells me that no one can fill his shoes.
A hard act to follow, my friend Koo.

Well Vetted

2011-11-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

This morning was very cold and crisp but the sun was shining and Koo was ready for his vet check. You have to love a vet that will come out on a Sunday and not charge you extra. And I do love my vet, Dr. Maci Paden. She started out with a general exam and listened to all my concerns about the old guy. He passed the examine with flying colors with only a slight heart murmur that is common in old animals as the valves thicken. His weight was good. He had good tummy sounds and other than some old man skin he was looking pretty good.
Next she sedated him to have a look in his mouth. Llamas can't open their mouth wide like a horse so she was very gentle and slow. He did have some sharp points on his teeth and like I thought had ground his molars down to almost nothing.
A little more sedation had Koo feeling silly but enabled her to get a contraption in his mouth and prop it open. She filed down his sharp points just in case they were bothering him. Getting inside his mouth made me feel a whole lot better since I imagined a big rotten tooth in there. She told me if that were the case he would probably be drooling and you could smell a bad smell. No abscesses and no rotten teeth.
Next she concentrated on pain. Koo has arthritis. Sometimes when he grazes for any length of time he has trouble picking up his head. It takes him a few minutes to work his head and neck up so we know that he has arthritis in his neck. Koo received a little pain medication to see if that helps bring back his appetite.
Last she drew some blood to send to the lab to see if there was some underlying condition that made him not feel like his normal self. She also suggested I change his feed to see if that would entice him to eat again.
The bottom line is that Koo is old...about the same as a 100 year old man and unfortunately he can't tell us what is wrong and how he feels.
I am so glad I had her out to give my boy the attention he deserves even if he can't tell us what hurts.
I love this old boy and today made me love him even more. Especially when he was all drugged up with his head in a contraption and he started to cush and lost his balance and collapsed. He looked so old and vulnerable that I got a lump in my throat and almost cried.
It sucks (I hate that word but nothing else fits) to get old and I'm not looking forward to it. I hope I have a doctor as kind and caring as Dr. Maci to see me through.

Koo Update

2011-11-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

As it always is around here, the minute I call the vet the animal gets better. Dr. Maci was going to come out today but then remembered she had a birthday party planned so we rescheduled for Sunday morning. Up until today, Koo was lying around not eating much and basically looking old and tired.

Which is why I called the vet.

Today Koo was up and doing most of his normal routine, eating grass and even eating a bit of his grain. I caught him and put him in his paddock so it would be easier tomorrow to catch him when she comes. He was down right fat under all that fiber.
I wavered back and forth. Should I call and cancel or should I let her come and take a look. As any of you that have large animals know, the vet bill for a farm call can be a bit steep. You generally go into it blind with the vet surprising you at the end with the bill.

But Hubby and I decided that Koo deserved to have a little money spent on him. He has given us 9 years of coyote and stray dog protection and countless hours of entertainment and we would feel better if we had her come out and take a look in his mouth and see if he had a bad tooth or something.

So tomorrow Dr. Maci comes out to examine Koo. Hopefully the surprise won't be too big. But he's worth every penny!

Free to Work

2011-11-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a pretty competitive person. I like to win. What started out as just a fun thing to do has turned into a fierce competition....in my mind. I'm talking about my video to win a homestead makeover. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know I want a proper barn. I need a proper small shed to milk my goats and store my feed but it never seems like there is any extra money to build one so I want this Manna Pro makeover badly. My poor little farm has a "loving hands at home" look. I could really use the team at Manna Pro to come out in the spring and help Hubby measure twice and cut once. Then when all the school kids come in the late spring they could see a nice milking shed and not my disappointing chicken coop turned milking area with its sad roof caving in.
So at school the other day we were sitting around on our break watching my competitions' videos and I was getting more and more anxious about my chances of winning. The librarian loved my video so she emailed the entire staff the link and asked them to watch "Wendy's video".
And watch they did. They showed it to their classes and all day long kids were coming up to me and saying "I think you should win, Mrs. Webster"
I was a bit of a celebrity.
Later that day, I was walking down the hall and I heard a voice I thought I recognized and when I walked into the classroom they were watching my video. They got so excited when they saw me that all their hands went up with questions about my farm, the goats, milk and cheese,and the chickens too. A few kids told me their dads would build me a barn.
One sweet little girl raised her hand and when I called on her said....
"My dad doesn't have a job and knows how to build things. He can come build you a barn"
I told her I didn't have the money to do it and that is why I was trying to win the makeover.
She said" Oh that's ok. He doesn't care about money"
Then she added "And my mom does nothing so she can come help too"

As I was leaving she tucked a piece of paper into my hand that I immediately stuck in my pocket and forgot about. When I got home and was letting the dogs out I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled out this.....

I laughed the rest of the evening.

So you see, I've won already. This video has been a bonding experience for 300 children and me. I have had the opportunity to share my little farm and talk about goat milk and goat cheese to a ton of kids this week. They learned that more people around the world drink goat milk than cow milk. They got to try chevre on a cracker and learn that they really did like goat cheese.
They got to see the real Mrs. Webster. The same lady that makes them complete that sentence and solve that equation rides a bicycle and loves her animals.

And then a boy drew a picture of a cow for me......

He's working on his comprehension.

Relapse

2011-11-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

Koo has had a relapse which is usually the case in old animals. Dr. Maci will come out Saturday morning to see what she can see. I'll keep his fans posted. He doesn't realize how many people he has in his corner.

Baby Boom

2011-10-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have heard that a sign of intelligence is being able to delay gratification. I have never been very good at that. The plan was to breed my does in December so they kid in May. After my spring break. After I take a trip to California to see my kids. When the weather is warmer and the rain is warmer. But all the girls have been coming in heat. The bucks are crazy with desire. The does are crazy with desire. It is chaotic. So I open a gate here and there and say "go ahead if you want".
And they want.
We expect a baby explosion the end of March.
You know what they say about best laid plans? They go awry.
We've gone awry...but no one's complainin'

What I did over the summer.....

2011-10-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Sometime this summer I was made aware of a contest over at Manna Pro to win a homestead makeover. To enter you had to submit a video of what you would do with the prize of $5000. I got all excited because my poor little farm could use a makeover. I need a new milking shed and a proper chicken coop would be nice too. So I emailed the farmer over at Herron Hill and asked her to shoot a video of me. She graciously agreed to write the script, shoot the video, edit the video, sit through countless hours of me flubbing my voice-overs, wrangle the children, goats, and pigs and then take a few more hours to figure out how to email it to Manna Pro before the deadline.
We had so much fun making this video. The experience alone would be enough for me but now I want to win for her too. Not really...I mostly want to win for me. But we did have fun. A lot of fun. We laughed a lot and you know how much I like to laugh. I won't be quitting my day job for acting anytime soon. Most of my attempts ended up on the cutting room floor but she came up with a beautiful video that I want to share with you and hopefully you will all "like" it...if you know what I mean.
So enjoy a peek into my world and feel free to "like" it and comment on the youtube channel of my video. The girls could use a new coop and I've been saving my new nest box from Pam and Billy just in case they get it.
A special thanks to the farmer at Herron Hill, a gal with many talents. She went above and beyond my expectations and produced a video my family and friends really enjoy.
If I don't win it will be a wonderful piece to show at my funeral someday.

My Happy Homesteader Video

Enjoy! I know I did.

Better

2011-10-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

I think I may have found the cause of Koo's problem by accident. A couple of days ago, I was cleaning the goat pen and had their gate open when Koo rushed in and made a beeline for their salt/mineral brick. He licked away on it as best he could. Llamas can't stick out their tongues so it makes licking on a salt lick difficult. He licked and licked and licked. Forever. I finally took it away from him as I was concerned about him getting too much at once.
That evening I googled "llama eating a lot of salt" and this article came up.
It hit home. Poor Koo wasn't getting salt. I didn't know salt was so important to him. He used to have access to the salt block but a few weeks ago I moved it undercover in the goat shed before the rains came and he could no longer get to it. I didn't know he even used it.

The next morning he was up to greet me when I entered the pasture. He followed me to the feed shed.

He ate his breakfast...with a little salt added.

"I love Google"

My Right Hand Man

2011-10-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

My llama, Koo, is old. Although we don't know exactly how old he is we estimate him to be in his twenties. That's about how long llamas live. He has worn his teeth down and now has to eat a complete pelleted feed because he can't chew hay. Lately he has been going off his feed but then going right back on a few days later.
He has gone off his feed again and has not gone back on. He will eat some apples but that is about it. He is not in any pain or doesn't appear weak or sick but I'm worried about him. I'm not ready for this regal boy to cash in his chips.
He's been the guardian of my little herd for about 9 years now. He is a fixture in our neighborhood. One neighbor told me when she drives by and sees Koo she knows it's going to be a good day.
Today another neighbor dropped off a mash of beet pulp for him because she heard I needed some. That made my day...but he wouldn't eat it.
Some animals have a way of getting under your skin. Not only has he gotten under my skin but everyone that has ever met him.
Send good thoughts to my boy Koo. I don't know what I'm going to do without him.

I Heart Goats and Fall

2011-10-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

Fall is one of the goats' favorite seasons...with winter being their least favorite of course. Goats don't do rain and Washington has more than its fair share of that in the winter....and the spring...and the summer....and the fall. Wait that's all year. Sorry Texas. If I could send you some I would.

The goats do leaves though and Sunday was a good day to wander the farm and eat leaves and fir boughs that hit the ground after an early fall wind storm.

I call this photo Milk and Eggs...

Pepper Ann is happy to be out and about. After all my complaining about no one wanting her, a nice couple at the fair wanted to buy her and I wouldn't sell her.

The Tiny Giant poses on his favorite vantage point. Please ignore the ugly blanket thrown carelessly over the fence. That is the pigs' blanket...yes we have pigs in a blanket.

Yes, it's fall and you know what that means. Bring on the ladies.

Feed Your Children Well

2011-10-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about food! School food to be specific. I have been working in a school for over 20 years so I think I have a pretty good idea what kids are eating and not eating. My school has been trying for years to improve the lunches and now breakfasts that we are offering our school age children. Gone are the days of feeding children a good meal to fill them up and get them through the day. It is now a business. Big business we have found out. Our P.E. teacher has worked for years on changing the choices that are offered to children but has run up against a brick wall at every turn. Long before Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution, she has talked until she is blue in the face about offering only healthy choices. So far we have only managed to get them to offer oatmeal...but with a packet of sugar to sweeten it.
We know that kids like hard boiled eggs. How easy would that be to offer an egg, a piece of toast, and a white milk. But heaven forbid less children buy breakfast and their families feed them at home! Instead they are offered a coffee cake like thing, breakfast pizza, or my all time favorite is the corn dog with a rancid sausage inside. We have kids buying breakfast that have already eaten at home just to get the sugary sweet stuff offered at school.
Lunch is getting better I must say but the kids are still offered pepperoni pizza every day and some always make that choice, followed up with a chocolate milk.
We would like to have every child visit the salad bar and even if they don't eat it they are being taught what a balanced meal looks like. A lot of the kids at our school, sadly, never see that.
Not only are we feeding our kids the wrong things we are letting them eat all day long. Snacks have gotten completely out of hand. School starts at 9:00 and by 10:00 they are munching on their first, usually processed, snack. Did you know that you can perish if you feel pangs of hunger? No wonder we have such a problem with childhood obesity. Everyone is afraid of feeling hungry.
Last weekend in church, a young couple sat next to us with their boy who looked about 5. Not too far into the service the mom pulled out a string cheese and let him eat it. The noisy wrapper was heard crinkling while everyone else was praying. Eating in church? My mom would have killed me. Toys in church? All I got to do was doodle on the back of my program and make faces at my sisters when the choir hit a sour note.
As a healthy eating staff, we have been pretty passionate about change. It has been an uphill battle but if we persevere together we can, hopefully, change the minds of the higher ups and offer even our poorest children healthy choices. Recently, after helping a kindergartener wash syrup off his crayons and the desk after finishing his deep fried french toast sticks smothered in syrup, I talked to our principal and questioned the smothering of syrup and suggested that the lunch ladies didn't know the outcome in the class of all that syrup for not only the teachers but the custodian...not to mention the health of the child. He agreed that he would ask the lunch ladies if the syrup filled a nutritional requirement (really?) and if they had to serve it. He talked to them and they agreed to give the little ones less. The next time french toast sticks were on the menu the same boy happily munched his with no syrup.

The 4-H program was started when the county agents knew that the way to change farming methods was to teach the children. As an ex 4-H leader, I embrace that theory. Let's teach our children how to eat healthy.

Now don't get me started on the fact that it is just one more thing that schools are forced to do because parents are not!

Apple Harvest 2011

2011-10-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

My mother has a small apple orchard with one lone pear tree. Every year we have to harvest those apples and the one lone pear tree. To get this done without a lot of work on our part we have an apple harvest party. Friends and family are invited.

Food is served.

Apples are picked.

with a lot of posing

Pies are baked.

Cider is pressed.

more posing

Everyone goes home with a box of apples and a jug of cider.

This year was extra special because I had my kids home.

Oh no, more posing...

Fil Does The Farm Tour

2011-10-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the annual Key Peninsula Farm Tour. For the third year in a row Filbert has been an attraction at Gentle Giant Meadows Ranch, where Shire horses reign supreme. Filbert is the candy goat. He carries his pack of chocolates and tempts children (and middle age women craving chocolate) to look in his pack. Fil has always been a professional goat and has taken his job seriously. He is almost a celebrity and has appeared in our local paper. People remember Fil in his handsome brown, white, and black coat with his green pack and matching collar and lead.

This morning when I went down to load Fil he looked a little dubious. I could tell he was thinking, "hmmm it's the first of October. I know what this means"

And he ran.

I chased him all around the field until I caught him by the collar as he hurried by. We wrestled all the way to the car and I hoisted him into him crate. He muttered pitifully as we drove.
When we got to the farm and I let him out he shook with anticipation of a day of children getting in his personal space.
I know just how he feels.
He continued to shake a bit as we set up but after awhile he settled in and ate some hay that was sticking out of a feeder nearby. As the crowd started to gather I had to hold Fil while the kids came forward to select a candy out of his pack.
Then Fil got a taste of the chicken feed that the kids carried around in small bags to feed the chickens. He somehow forgot his fear and gently nibbled food from their hands.

He hardly noticed them digging in his pack for a chocolate and started to enjoy himself.

As the day wore on he started to relax and appeared to be, once again, taking his job seriously.

Then he got full.

It was like a switch was flipped and Fil was ready to go. Just like that. Time to go. Filbert drug me to the car and when I opened up the back of my Jeep he dove into his crate-the same crate I wrestled him into earlier that day.

This may be Fil's last farm tour. I will start taking applications from the other goats in the herd to fill the position of the candy goat.

Anyone want to apply?

How about you, Buttons?

I Won....

2011-09-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

a 3 hole nest box from Pam and Billy at Life on a Southern Farm. I started reading Pam's blog several years ago when I first discovered blogs and have been a fan ever since. Her husband Billy is quite the builder and he started building nest boxes that have apparently taken over their life. Oh how I wanted one of these but just stuck with my recycle bins nailed to the wall. They have had several giveaways and I have entered every one, along with a lot of other chicken owners. Boy was I surprised when Pam contacted me and told me I'd won. I asked Billy to autograph it. One person's nest box is another person's art and no matter what he builds whether it's an incubator or a boat it is always a work of art.
Now those recycle bins can go into the recycle bin because my hens are moving uptown to their new Hen Pals Nest Box.

My DIL

2011-09-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit I taught my daughter-in-law to milk...after all this will all be her's some day. Anyone that has tried to milk a goat for the first time knows it isn't easy. There is a lot of squeezing with nothing coming out.

That's how it started. Lots of squeezing with nothing coming out.

Then she started to get the hang of it. The milk started to flow one squirt at a time.

My DIL is a gal that can take on a challenge and doesn't give up until she makes it happen. Most mornings she joined me for the milking and before too long she got her rhythm down.

As I went about doing other chores she perfected her milking techniques. Soon I heard the rhythmic ping of the milk hitting the bucket.

As I came around the corner I saw her big smile.

"I have foam!"

Cora Belle misses you Steph.

We Did The Puyallup

2011-09-17T17:38:00.000-07:00

Much to the goats' relief, we are home from the fair. Everyone was in the top half of their class with our best being Boots who took a second in the yearling milker class in spite of her coin purse udder. Pepper Ann did better than Bliss with an almost second that turned to a third and Bliss getting a 4th. Wedding Belles did not like the fair at all but managed to pull out a third behind some beautiful Poppy Patch does. Cora Belle did her signature princess walk around the ring but it wasn't enough to take the judge's eye away from the lovely Mae West who lives at Poppy Patch.

The day belonged to a tiny doeling from Herron Hill named Pebbles. The smallest goat there caught the judge's eye from the start and went all the way to Jr. Champion.
It was a day to remember.

The Fair...so far

2011-09-14T19:33:00.001-07:00

After a day of shock and awe the goats of Minter Bay are settling in to life at the fair. They are acting like it's every day you hear a band warm-up and Tina Marie the hypnotist outside your barn.

Here is Cora Belle and Wedding Belles relaxing with their relatives from Poppy Patch. The brown and white doe behind them is Wedding Belles' grandmother, Angel.

It's exhausting.

But the foods great.

The Fair Line Up

2011-09-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

I can smell the fair already. Sawdust, animals, fried onions....and scones. We are busy getting ready to head to Puyallup next week for the Western Washington Fair. I will be taking 5 goats this year. I have only ever taken one goat and that is work enough. Getting 5 goats ready is a bit more challenging. For one thing, there is a lot of shaving involved. I'm glad they are miniatures.

Bliss.

Pepper Ann

Wedding Belles

Boots

And Cora Belle

Come by and see us at the fair. We are there the 13, 14, and 15th. Nigerians are showing on the morning of the 15th. I will put on my white pants, after Labor Day, and hunch my tall frame over some very short goats and attempt to walk around the ring with them.

I might even buy you a scone.

Wild Flowers

2011-08-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have lived in Washington my entire life and have gone to Mt. Rainier National Park many times...but never in the summer. While my kids were here we decided to go see the wildflowers in bloom on top of the mountain. It was cold and foggy when we arrived at the park entrance. We asked the ranger where to see the wild flowers and he told us that we could see them at Paradise (top of the mountain) and also along the road. As we traveled the windy road we saw lots of dandelions and Queen Ann's Lace but that was about it. I guess technically a dandelion is a wildflower but I wanted more.

And more we got. It was beautiful. Magenta, blue, pink, purple and yellow flowers covered the ground like someone had planted them there.

The wild flowers are in full bloom right now as they are late because of our crazy cold summer.

I highly recommend if you live in driving distance of Mt. Rainer you take the drive up the mountain to see nature at its best.

We also saw this....

But this got the most attention...

My Kids

2011-08-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

My kids are coming tomorrow. I can't wait. Tomorrow is my birthday and I can't think of a better birthday present than that.

A Silk Purse

2011-08-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

Pepper Ann had her first haircut today to get ready for the Western Washington Fair and as the hair fell away I liked this girl better and better.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about....

Minter Bay Orient Express

2011-08-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is Pepper Ann. I always say nobody wants Pepper Ann. She's been for sale for awhile and there has been no inquiries. I'm starting to call Pepper Ann a sleeper. The goatfarmer's not yet convinced but I see something in this pesky little doeling. Maybe it is just that she loves to stand and pose as long as I scratch the spot between her front legs. I'm going to give this little girl a shave and take her to the fair. We will see if she is at the front of the line or way in back. You know me...I hate being in the back. I get cranky.

She stays in her pasture. Not like some goats we know.

What?

Able to leap tall buildings with a single bound

2011-08-12T11:13:00.001-07:00

I can't keep this one in.

Kiwi Pig

2011-08-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

Watch that Dog

2011-08-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Are you lookin' at me?

They're back. The yard is full of eagles. This photo was taken from the door of our bedroom. I don't really know if they would take a small dog with all that salmon running up the creek but I don't want to take a chance. What a way to go.
Imagine having huge six foot wingspan birds flying through your yard and resting in the large fir trees all around. Feathers and poo fall from the trees. Occasionally we get a salmon carcass for the dogs to discover. I was talking to the neighbor, who is an official feather collector for the Native Americans, that the eagles were getting to be a bit of a nuisance. We aren't talking one or two but more like 50. Well you would have thought I said I hate America. He couldn't believe I could feel that way so I back-pedaled as fast as I could, as two eagles flew past us blowing back our hair.
We did agree that people wouldn't believe it unless they saw what we see every day. Sunday while down on the beach, Hubby and I witnessed two eagles fighting in flight. As they tumbled over and over with talons locked we stared with our mouths open. One hit the water with a splash, stunned and wet. Stormy being an excellent bird dog jumped in and tried to retrieve it. Luckily her training is solid and Hubby was able to call her off the big duck with the razor sharp beak. We watched it for awhile wondering what to do when it started to swim. Using the breaststroke it made it to shore and pulled itself on a log. It seemed fine, just needing to dry its feathers. I have only seen an eagle swim one other time and that was when it locked onto a salmon and wouldn't let go. The salmon pulled it in and so it swam with its wings until it got that fish onshore.
I have been able to witness first hand the recovery of the Bald Eagle and I am here to tell you that they are alive and well in beautiful Minter Bay.

God Bless America

V-test

2011-08-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

As you know the herd is on milk test(the herd being Cora Belle who is the only one milking) and with the information came a letter that explained the need for a verification test if you had a doe milking in the top ten goats of their breed. They sent the top ten numbers and Cora Belle was smack dab in the middle of the top ten in Nigerians. A verification test was in order to get recognized by ADGA.
Today was that day when another tester came out to verify that CB was indeed milking a whole lot of milk. The poor tester had to drive to the farm three times instead of two. The first to set the time and the next two actual tests where the milk is weighed and sampled.
CB is consistently at 4 pounds a day. She was giving 6 pounds for a while and if we can hold at 4 we should be looking good. I use the collective we. CB is bored with the whole process. She has better things to do than eat alfalfa and make milk like all the rest of the girls in the top ten. She is flirting with Pepe and worried about where the Tiny Giant went off to.
We have done 5 tests with 5 more to go. Eat Cora Belle Eat.

Welcome Home

2011-08-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Pepe came home from being on loan. He left a boy and came back a man. The girls are all in love. Cora Belle is having a hard time concentrating on eating....which makes more milk. Even the grandma goat, Lexi, is finding herself alongside his pen more times than not.

Lucky has the misfortune of being Pepe's companion. He is in shock. Sometimes he has to go to his safe place and think happy thoughts.

Summer if finally here

2011-08-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Passing It On

2011-07-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

Every summer when I was a child I picked berries with my grandmother and made freezer jam. When I got older my sisters and sister-in-law would gather at Grandma Ding's to make jam. My grandma's first name was Belle and she married a man named Dingman so Grandma Ding it was.
When my nephew, the great great grandson of Grandma Ding, was visiting I decided he should have the experience of picking berries and making jam so we took a little trip to one of my favorite farms.

We picked enough raspberries for several batches of jam and a pie.

He was a great picker....not such a good jam maker.

He was bored and went to play with the dog.

Come back! Someone needs to stir this jam!

The recipe for freezer jam.

Farm Hand

2011-07-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

My nephew is here for a visit. I had forgotten how nice it is to have a boy with a lot of energy around. He has really helped at the farm. Each goat has been groomed at least twice whether they wanted it or not.

The babies have had some leash training.

Whether they wanted it or not.

Pepper Ann had the good fortune to be his favorite.

She has just about had all her hair groomed off.

Home Again

2011-07-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Pepe is home from his extended vacation. He has been gone for many months and has grown into quite a handsome fellow.

The Tiny Giant

2011-07-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

This is Cora Belle's boy. He is a big fat baby. Originally named Lucky he is now known as "The Tiny Giant". When people come to the farm they say, "Where's The Tiny Giant?" They have to ask because he blends in with the big goats.

What is a Friend?

2011-07-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

A friend is someone who will come to your farm with shovel in hand when the resident grave digger is out of town and helps you bury a goat. A good friend is someone who comes to your farm with shovel in hand when the resident grave digger is out of town and helps you bury a goat and also brings you a mocha.
Thanks goatfarmer.

Notty

2011-07-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

We lost our little Notty last night. When I went down to feed last night I could tell something was up. He was doing a lot of standing in the corner and panting heavily. I gave him a dose of Banamine for the pain and a drench of ammonium chloride in case of stones. He was wet around his boy parts so I knew something was getting out. Doped up on Banamine he settled down and was looking comfortable when I went to bed with every intention of calling the vet this morning. But this morning when I went to check he was dead. I have no idea what happened.
Notty was only 2 years old and was starting to fill out into a beautiful boy. I was just looking at him and thinking, Wow, he's turned out to be a nice looking buck. He came to me wild as a hawk and left this world as tame as a kitten.
He will be missed.

The girls visiting the bucks just a couple days ago.

Around the Farm

2011-07-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

We have been busy around the farm after our road trip to visit our kids in CA. Cora Belle is on milk test and was milking numbers in the Top Ten in the nation for Nigerians. Her numbers have dropped a bit because I didn't want anyone to have to come milk her twice a day while we were gone so just left her huge kid on her. Worked well but her production went down about a pound and a half. I am trying to get it back up but we shall see.....there is always next year.

Two doelings have gone to their new home and I must say, you meet the nicest people selling goats. A darling family came and took Opal and Blossom home to live at a Montessori school with a wether and a Baby Doll sheep. The children were so gentle and kind I knew Opal and Blossom would be cherished pets.

We have one more doeling, Pepper Ann, to sell that is very correct and has a great pedigree but is not very flashy so is getting overlooked. That's ok, she will go to fair this year if I don't sell her and I have learned that the right person will come along for her too...the right person can always be ME.

I am keeping Bliss. She is a funny little girl that gets into a lot of mischief. She is the only goat I own, and the smallest, that jumps between pastures and goes where she wants, much to her mother's distress. Her pedigree is awesome on both sides and she is just beautiful.

Lucky is also staying here. There isn't anything I don't like about him....except that he is huge. I am worried about that but since his mom is a champion and milking top ten numbers I am going to hang on to him and see if he doesn't slow down...ha ha ha.

I have been making lots of cheese and sharing with my friends and family. Chevre, haloumi, and cajeta (goat milk caramel) are frequently on the menu. Talk about sweet candy milk, that cajeta on ice cream and then sprinkled with some walnuts is perfection.
I am also in mourning for my sweet little produce stand at the end of the road. Apparently it was just too expensive to get insurance and permits to run the humble farm stand. This really irks me since most of the proceeds went to feed the homeless in Tacoma. It also make my quest for eating locally a little bit more of a challenge. For years I bought all my produce there in the summer. It seemed like no matter how much I took up to the counter it was always $8.00. I would go away with bags of produce for $8.00. I miss you Bea's Flowers.

We have been splitting and stacking wood. Oh how I hate to work on firewood. It use to be so homesteady to chop our own wood and heat with a woodstove but now it's a chore I dread. I looked up today from stacking wood and said, "I'm not doing this when I'm 75 you know"
Stay tuned for 23 more years and see if I'm still stackin' wood.

A Little Faith

2011-07-14T07:11:00.001-07:00

Last night was a hard night for our family. Right before I went to bed my son called and told me their beloved little dog Faith was missing. When visiting her parents, my daughter in law brings the dogs to play in the yard. Last night when she went to leave she discovered the back gate open and Faith was gone.
I tried to reassure my son that they would find her. She is microchipped and has a collar and tags. Plus she is friendly so probably wouldn't be scared to approach people.
Faith is a family member. When I told my son he couldn't take his dog to college he went out and got another. I thought it was a horrible idea. I was so wrong. She went everywhere with him. She fit under the seat of the plane and has flown more than I have. She is the best dog in the world.

When he met his wife and fell in love she fell in love with Faith too. Faith is their first baby.
So last night they frantically searched the very busy streets of Bakersfield for their darling girl while I lay helpless a thousand miles away in my bed, sick to my stomach, and prayed for my little granddog, alone and scared in the city.
My prayer was very specific.....Dear God, Please let a kind lady find Faith.
My son would call with updates and I would try to encourage him but I was so worried about the traffic....and the heat.
Dear God, Please let a kind lady find Faith.
I tossed and turned knowing there would be no sleep for me. I prayed again for a kind lady and a peace all of a sudden came over me and I heard God say to me that he had this taken care of and I didn't need to worry anymore. I enjoyed that peace for a few minutes and then I went back to worrying again. It is hard for me to give up control.
Meanwhile on a busy street in Bakersfield, a small dog was dodging traffic. Barely missed by one car, another slams on its brakes and a lady throws her door open. With a big leap of faith that little dog jumped in that "kind lady's" car and got herself a phone call home.
Thank you God for that kind lady that saved a little dog named Faith.

And people, please have a tag on your dog, it's their phone call home. Microchips are important but a tag makes it all so much easier. Most everyone has a cell phone so they can make a quick call and the pet is on the way home.

A Field of Goats

2011-07-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday the Key Peninsula Goat Club held their first goat field day on the field at the Longbranch Improvement Center. Filbert came with his pack of goodies and was quickly taken over by a group of enthusiastic children. I barely saw him the rest of the day.

He hiked.

He posed. Who wethered this guy???

He gave out treats.

He was admired.

And then he rested.

Solomon also enjoyed some attention.

As did Tangy of Herron Hill.

I think it is safe to say "A good time was had by all"

Bald Pigs

2011-07-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

There must be a lot of bald pigs out there, or pigs that are losing their hair. It is one of my most popular posts according to the stats. Lots of people googling "pot bellied pigs losing hair" out there so knowing a little more from experience than I did back then I will tell you what I know.
Pot Bellied pigs shed out their coat every year. They are also flaky and scaly most times of the year. When I got the girls I was told to oil them. I tried. They hate it and run screaming. I brush them occasionally when they will let me. I have asked a lot of people what to do about their scales but haven't gotten a good solution. The last lady said that their wasn't anything I could do so I learned to ignore it and when the girls came by for a pet I'd give them a good scratch and peel off a few scales-ewwwww. The one thing that I found that does help is leaving them out in the pasture in the rain. It moistens their skin and cleans them off. They are from Vietnam-lots of rain.

This is what they look like now.

They have had mange on one occasion which is evident around their feet. They get small bumps and red skin. I wormed them orally 9 days apart with injectable Ivermectin and it took care of that.
While losing their hair the pigs will be itchy and scratch themselves on anything that will sit still. After awhile all that old hair will be gone and a new growth will become apparent causing them to resemble a giant kiwi. I like that stage.

This is just plain ugly.....

Seeing Pink

2011-07-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

As some of you might know the men in my family are big into racing. In our case it is and always has been motocross. Our niece and her family are big into it too. She happens to work at a very nice track in the hills of the Central Coast in California. On our recent trip to California to see our kids we took a side trip so the guys could ride with Tami and her family at the very nice track.
It was a weekday so the track was quiet with only a few trucks around and only a handful of riders going around the track. As my son came off the track he informed me that Carey Hart was there.

"What! If he's here then that means Pink is here somewhere."

"We give Pink her space while she's here supporting her husband," my niece said in a way that told me she was use to seeing celebrities.

"I'm not giving her her space. I love Pink. I'm going to go find her".

Now I'm a huge Pink fan. In fact, every day after work, I get in my car and turn the key and "Raise Your Glass" is on the radio so I sing it at the top of my lungs all the way home. I have a short commute.
Just that morning I had read the People article and saw the beautiful baby pictures of new baby, Willow.
I was not going to give Pink her space. Besides the dogs needed to be walked and it wasn't against the law for me to walk them over by their truck was it?
So I walked a little closer to the truck parked in the shade but didn't see anyone. I thought it might be odd to just hang out so started back when all of a sudden I saw a head in the truck. The head had short hair but it didn't look blond so I walked away. I did want to see Pink but I didn't want to go tap on the window. I was trying to give her some space. I walked the dogs back not wanting to go against the management (my niece).
After a while I crawled into our truck and took my little power nap. When I crawled out of the truck, my family informed me that Pink was indeed there....but was now gone. Apparently, the guy that runs the track went over to talk to Carey and there she was...breast feeding.

"Why didn't you get me up?" I wailed.

"Because we give Pink her space when she's here."

So if you are out there Pink and google your name and this comes up, even though I deeply regret it, I gave you your space. Enjoy your new baby.

picture taken from the internet courtesy of People Magazine and Baby as Art- which I must say takes beautiful photos.

We are the Champions!

2011-06-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a pretty competitive person. I like to win and when I don't I'm not very happy. Just ask the goatfarmer. She's been on a few ride homes with me when I ranted about never showing again.
Then I had an epiphany. I was ruining it for myself....and the goatfarmer. I decided that I was going to go to shows to simply enjoy myself. Shows usually involve driving to beautiful countrysides with a tall cup of coffee. I would enjoy just watching and learning. That was the plan. I'd wear my Life is Good shirt and read the tag-Do what you like. Like what you do. That would be my mantra.
So when Cora Belle entered the first ring at the goat show in Stanwood, we were very pleased with our Reserve Champion and the judge's complimentary comments.
Then Cora Belle entered the second ring and I could tell the judge liked her. That was good enough for us! But not for the judge. He picked Cora Belle as Grand Champion and Best of Breed. He couldn't say enough nice things about her and her dairy character.
As we entered the last ring I was pretty hopeful. This was the wife of the judge that liked Cora Belle. They looked like they had been married long enough to develop the same likes in goats.
But the judge only looked at Cora Belle a little bit and looked at a few other goats a lot longer.
It took me by surprise to have her ask me to take Cora Belle to the head of the line and once again Cora Belle was Grand Champion and Best of Breed and finished her championship.
The ride home was filled with rehashing and sudden outbursts of We are the Champions, that is until I saw the flashing lights in my rear view mirror and a big voice boomed over a loudspeaker for me to pull up past the guardrail of the very, very, busy Interstate 5.
Apparently my tabs had expired....6 months ago. The nice state patrolman told me a ticket would be very expensive so he would just let me go with a verbal warning.
As a truck slowed to let me back onto the very, very, busy freeway, the goatfarmer said,

"Today is the day. The day you buy a lottery ticket".

Rooster!

2011-06-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

When is a hen a rooster ? When it is a rooster. Where did he come from? We have a strict no rooster policy. I don't want my neighbors losing any sleep.

Coffee Break

2011-06-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Every day at the same time I take my coffee break. I walk by the health room to pick up my friend so we can talk horses and goats for 15 minutes. So I was a bit surprised yesterday when I showed up around the same time and my friend was on the phone and said "Oh you're here already? Can we wait a few minutes?"
Then when she did come to break a few minutes later she was nervous as a cat. As I talked to her she kept looking over my head out the window and would say "Uh huh".
I could tell she wasn't really listening.

And I was talking about horses and hay....her favorite things!

She all of a sudden jumped up and told me to come with her. We went out on the front porch and I saw this....

Then this.....

Coming for me!

As my principal watched out the window, I crawled into the seat of the cart alongside Molly, horse trainer extraordinaire, and she took me for a little drive.

We went down the street past my little farm, turned around, and then this happened.

I got to drive!

I have never driven before and I tell you it is much harder than it looks. But what a feeling.

A few minutes later we were back at school, Molly dropped me off and went on her way.

Thank you Breeze. Thank you Molly.

And most of all, Thank you Gail. I should have known you'd have a very good reason to not want to talk horses and hay.

Testing

2011-05-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle is on milk test. This is where you milk the goat under supervision of a certified herd tester. Then the tester weighs the milk and takes a sample to send to WDHIA for analyzing things like butterfat, somatic cell count, etc.
Luckily I have a really smart herd tester, Cathy, who I like to call the goat judge. I'm a herd tester too and even after taking the class several times my paperwork comes back all scratched out and corrected. Not my tester. Her paperwork comes back with everything in the proper place.

And there is a lot of paperwork to keep it all official.

Then under the watchful eye of the milk tester, Cathy, I milk every last drop out of Cora Belle in the morning and exactly 12 hours later in the evening.

That means Cathy must come all the way back and watch me milk and collect the second sample.

The milk is weighed. Blurry picture, good weight!

A sample is drawn, filling the container half way to leave room for the evening milk sample. Then it will be sent to the lab. In a few days I will receive a breakdown of her milk and the amount will be recorded. When she dries off, WDHIA will send the information to ADGA and hopefully she will earn herself a star by her name.

At the end of the day, Cora Belle milked 6.4 lbs of sweet candy milk so tomorrow I'm making cheese.

And I Got Paid To Do It

2011-05-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Imagine going to work every day and not knowing what you may be doing at any given moment. That's my job. Sometimes I'm dancing and singing or diving under a parachute-ouch that one hurt. Most times I am teaching math but could then ten minutes later be chasing a goose around the playground. Lots of days I tell Hubby about the wonderful adventure I had at school and always follow it up with "And I got paid to do it"
So imagine my delight when I pulled up in front of the school and saw this......

And this........

( The sign was just a tease. I don't know about you but the fresh morning air, the smell of sawdust and alfalfa makes me want a scone and a big cup of coffee.)

The Puyallup Fair Traveling Farm traveled to our little school yard and set up farming. They pulled a huge trailer in and unloaded goats and a sheep into nice sturdy pens. There were chickens and ducks and even a few baby goslings.

The children were taught how to pet animals. Chickens are a two finger pet.

So are goslings.

Luckily goats are a whole hand pet.

Or two or three hand pet.

After seeing the animals and a good hand-washing it was into the trailer for some interactive farm fun. Displays lit up to help kids learn about where their food comes from and what tools and equipment it takes to run a farm and take care of the different species of animal.

This was my personal favorite....

It even has a proper barn.

I got a little cranky when the kids put my silo in the river.

The trailer was also filled with photos and vintage farm tools.

After managing to spend as much time at the traveling farm as possible, I came home tired and happy. When Hubby asked about my day I told him it was wonderful and told him about the farm in the school yard and of course followed up with...

"And I got paid to do it."

A Mother's Love

2011-05-24T17:14:00.001-07:00

Boots and Bliss

Meet Bliss

2011-05-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

Boots had her baby today. I knew she would probably have only one and I thought it would probably be a buck even though I ordered a blue eyed doe with wattles I just didn't expect it today. So like her mother, Boots showed no signs of labor but when I went down to check on the goats this afternoon this little cutie, a doeling with blue eyes and wattles, was there......

Born on our 30th anniversary I give you Minter Bay Wedded Bliss. Although anyone that has been married for 30 years knows it can be anything but bliss.

Are you seeing a pattern?

Cora Belle Wins Pet of the Week

2011-05-19T17:10:00.001-07:00

If you are local, catch Cora Belle on Q13Fox at 8:40 a.m. tomorrow May 20th. M.J. McDermott emailed me. I love her. She looks like she could be part of my family so I feel like I know her. And now I do because she emailed me right?
Anyway, Cora Belle has won pet of the week with the help of all her internet fans. If she knew anything about this I'm sure she'd thank you.

Vote for Cora Belle!

2011-05-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

Our local TV station, Q13 Fox, is having a contest. I don't remember what the prize is but a vote for Cora Belle is a vote for all working mothers everywhere. You have to register to vote which takes a minute but to see a goat win a pet contest will be well worth it. She may even make the news.
Vote over on the sidebar----------------------------->

My Mom

2011-05-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

My mom and I are so very much the same and so very different. She is short and petite and I'm tall and gawky. She is Nordstrom and lunch and I am goat shows and chores. We both enjoy reading, poking around antique or thrift stores, and flowers. I was always a bit of an oddity in my family but they embraced my animal craziness. My mom let me bring home critters and have them in my room (ok maybe not the snake). She drove me to goat and dog shows all summer long......with either a goat or a very big dog in the back seat. My mom supported me in anything I wanted to do but didn't hesitate to tell me when I was off track. I am so lucky to have her for my mom.
So on this Mother's Day we will meet for church then go to lunch and maybe a movie.....then next weekend I think I'll make her drive me to the goat show.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Milk Test

2011-05-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle has done her first milk test ever. Cathy, a certified milk tester, came out one evening and then early the next morning to watch me milk. The milk was weighed and then a sample was drawn. It and all the necessary paperwork was sent off to the lab for testing butterfat etc. Cora Belle milked 5.5 pounds with 5.39% butterfat. That's pretty darn good for her breed. She gives more milk than we need so I'm making cheese right and left to the delight of all my friends and co-workers. She has converted many a non-goat cheese eater with her sweet candy milk and creamy, white cheese spreads.
Milking Cora Belle adds one more thing to do in my busy morning but it is a chore I look forward to. Sitting on a stool in the early morning with your favorite goat munching on her grain while she fills your bucket with sweet white milk that feeds your family and friends.....It's a good thing.

now if I could just get my mom to try it

Making Cheese

2011-04-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle and I made cheese today. I am very excited because it is my first time making cheese. Well almost the first time. I made cheese years ago when my son was in kindergarten and his class took a field trip here to see the goats and horses. We had babies of each at the time. I made a nice soft cheese and offered the kids crackers and even a cold glass of goat milk. That was "back in the day" when you had a bit more freedom with kids. The kids loved it, and the teacher poured hers out behind her back.
Anyway, I made cheese again. It turned out pretty good. I made a honey chevre and an herb one. The honey was my favorite....until I tried the herb. Sweet or savory?

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I can't wait for someone to come by so I can give them a taste.

Several people came by yesterday and left with a trial sample of cheese. Hubby and I ate cheese and crackers all night. We like the savory herb the best.

Lucky

2011-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle's boy has been named Lucky. Lucky I was there to get his big head out. His full name will be Minter Bay's Easter Island. His sire is Easter Jackpot born on Easter so it is only fitting that Lucky , also born on Easter, will also have Easter somewhere in his name. It was suggested I name him Easter Island after the blocky heads that inhabit the island. I liked it. If you could have seen his big head trying to be born you'd like it too.

Lucky is much larger than Button's three week old kids.

He's a big galumph of a guy right now but I see a stunning boy in the future.....whenever he can get control of those tree trunk legs.

and if you squint just right that might be a heart on his knee

Goat Boy

2011-04-28T07:02:00.001-07:00

When is a Hen a Rooster?

2011-04-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

That is the question. Yesterday I was walking past my hen Cedar when she threw her head back and let out a crow. Not the crow of a hen that's laid an egg but a throw back your head and crow....like a rooster.
She then proceeded to crow a few more times for good measure.
I stared at her. Was this Cedar or a rooster posing as my hen Cedar?
I went on with my day and never gave it another thought until this morning when I went out to open up the coop . As I approached the door, there it was again.

Crowing. Morning crowing?

Who are you and what have you done with Cedar?

I have looked long and hard at this bird and still can't figure out if it is Cedar or someone's cast-off rooster. And if it is, where is my hen Cedar?

On A Happy Note

2011-04-25T18:11:00.001-07:00

Meet Cora Belle's strapping son.

I swear he's not part Nubian.

Cora Belle is quite taken with him.

She thinks he's the prettiest goat she's ever seen.

That's Farming

2011-04-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle had her babies today. Easter babies. One survived but the other didn't. I had a foreboding about this delivery. Cora Belle's due date came and went. Something wasn't quite right but on Easter morning she finally went into labor. The first kid was huge. Two feet presented without a nose so after some unproductive pushing I put a finger in but couldn't really find the head. So I put in a few more fingers and felt around. There was the head all right but it was as big as an Alpine head. How was that going to get out of that little hole?
With a whole lot of pushing and pulling that's how.

So with a whole lot of pushing and pulling, out popped the biggest kid I'd ever seen.

And right on his heels came two little black legs. Breech and not in a sack, the next came tumbling out.

Right away he was not breathing right. He had inhaled while inside. His lungs were full of fluids. The goatfarmer rushed over with all her bag of tricks but in the end I wrapped him in a towel and gave him back to Cora Belle so she could lick his little head until he took his last gasp.
My 11 year old nephew helped me bury him. He wrapped him in the towel and gently laid him in the grave we had dug. Tenderly, he arranged him so he would be comfortable and we said a little prayer.
What a shame to have gotten that far and to then not make it.
But that's the unfortunate part of farming.

Wedding Belles

2011-04-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

What are wattles? Wedding Belles shows off her goat jewelry.

Cora Belle is Due

2011-04-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Cora Belle is due today so we are on baby watch...again. Her handsome husband with his champion mother and Rosasharn genes is black and white with blue eyes and wattles too.

The Girls

2011-04-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Spring at the Farm

2011-04-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

The Girls

2011-04-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

A Future Goat Girl?

2011-04-11T21:05:00.001-07:00

Want to See My Pictures?

2011-04-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Opal is the prettiest...and she knows it!

Here is a darling Pygmy look-a-like. She is a very sturdy little doeling that visitors like the best.

And Pepper Ann, a leggy black and white doeling.

Buttons' Trio

2011-04-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Triplets

2011-04-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Just like last year, I said to my friend during our last break at work, "I really should go check Buttons but I'm tired."
So I didn't.
And she had.
And just like last year they were dried off and fed before I even made it home.
But unlike last year there was one more.
Triplets!
Triplet Does!
Let me say that again, Triplet Does!
I have never had triplet does before. But then again I didn't have them. Buttons did. All by herself thank you very much.

While we wait.......

2011-04-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

I give you Blue Belle of Herron Hill.

Nothing yet

2011-04-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Buttons hasn't kidded yet. With conflicting due dates I really don't know when she will kid. She came into heat and I bred her to PePe. Then 5 days later she came back in and stood to be bred again so I was counting that when calculating her due date but she seems to be ready now on the first due date. Ligaments are gone but still no milk. So we are playing the waiting game.
Will she? Or am I a week too early? Time will tell.

Locked and Loaded

2011-03-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

Buttons is coming down the home stretch. Wider than she is tall, and with ligaments gone, I am hoping the kids will come in the next few days while I'm home. Buttons has kidded twice, both times by herself. She does just fine by herself. By the time you get out there she has them born, licked off, and nursing. If she could dip their navels she would. She's a good momma.
This time I am determined to be there with camera in hand.
I'll keep you posted.

Read All About It

2011-03-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

Today we had a very important visitor to the farm. A reporter, Susan, from the Peninsula Gateway, came out to take pictures and do a story on the Key Peninsula Goat Club. Several members and the reporter came out after school, enjoyed the sun, and cuddled goats.

New member, Maree, with Herron Hill Silver Lining, one week old. The smile says it all.

In A Blur

2011-03-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

Sun Glorious Sun

2011-03-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

Too Early for Easter

2011-03-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

It was almost too pretty to eat...almost.