Making Cheese

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?



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

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

When is a Hen a Rooster?

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

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

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

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

Cora Belle is Due

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

Spring at the Farm

The Girls

A Future Goat Girl?

Want to See My Pictures?

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

Triplets

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.......

I give you Blue Belle of Herron Hill.

Nothing yet

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.