Locked and Loaded

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

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

Sun Glorious Sun

Too Early for Easter

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

Kidding Schedule

Kidding season will be upon us in a few short weeks with Buttons first out of the chute. She is bred to Pepe for some possible blue-eyed kids with loads of personality. Next, much to my surprise, is Cora Belle. I say it is a surprise because I thought we missed Cora Belle this year. She came into roaring heat twice very early in the fall...so early I didn't want to breed her and have kids in the winter, so I waited and then when I wanted to breed her she gave a half-hearted attempt to come into heat. I drug her over to Herron Hill Dairy to breed her to the new fancy buck with his Rosasharn genes and his champion mother but Cora Belle shut him down at every attempt. She clamped her tail and scurried away.
Back home we went to wait for the next heat.
It never came.
I was sure I'd missed this year and was disappointed because I want to put Cora Belle on milk test this year. She is a pretty heavy milker for a Nigerian.
But then she started to look a little bit heavier. Then she was definitely heavier. The goatfarmer stopped by a while back and I had her take a look. It was still hard to tell for sure since she had been enjoying the rations of a pregnant doe.
A few days ago after feeling Buttons unborn kids kicking and rolling inside her I thought I'd give Cora Belle a feel. I put a hand on each side of her tummy while she nibbled her grain and waited...and waited...and waited.
Kick.
Kick. Roll.
There it was. Cora Belle had a baby in there. And a very active one at that.
Still not trusting what I felt, as I have been known to pronounce an animal pregnant because I feel the kick only to have it never deliver, I tried again the next day and felt a distinct kick from a tiny hoof and then a lot of rocking and rolling.
I don't know how it happened but it did.
Last will be Buttons' daughter Boots. She is also bred to the fancy new buck at Herron Hill with his Rosasharn genes, champion mother, blue eyes and wattles.
Boots isn't due until the end of May so we have the babies spread out to keep the fun going all spring long.


Koo had better get his rest now. When there are babies on the farm he never lets his guard down.

Pig Flip Procrastination

I don't know why every time the pigs need their feet trimmed we procrastinate. It takes 20 minutes when we get right down to it.
We always put it off and then mean to do it but don't. I tell Hubby that this weekend, for sure, we are going to do the pig flip. He agrees and then we just don't.
Maybe it's all the screaming. The pigs scream from the moment you enter their pen until you place them back upright after their trim and swig of worm medicine.
The pig flip is where Hubby runs up behind them and grabs their front legs flipping them over onto their backs into his lap. Then he holds all four legs in the air while I trim their hooves and then top off the torture with a swig of wormer.

Today was the day. We did the pig flip. I trimmed and wormed.

It took 20 minutes.

I'm sure I talked about it more than that.



I know I thought about it more than that.